Catching the Dutch Crime Wave: An Interview with Els Depuydt

The Dutch crime wave is here.
As we count down to the September 1st release of Dutch Treats—a gripping anthology of mystery and suspense from Dutch and Flemish authors—enjoy this exclusive interview with contributor Els Depuydt, whose eerie tale Garage 27 began with one open door and a spark of imagination.

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Dutch Treats: Meet Els Depuydt

• Tell our readers a little about yourself.

I live and work in Ghent, which is in the Flemish part of Belgium. Writing is my lifelong passion (with Irish traditional music in a close second place). In my day job, I’m a communications officer for Ghent’s city government.

• Where did the idea for “Garage 27,” your contribution to Dutch Treats, come from?

The idea came by chance, as ideas usually do. On a warm summer evening, my writing partner and I were sitting on my small back terrace, which overlooks a series of ugly gray garages, exactly as we describe in the story. One garage—I believe it really was number 27—was always kept open, no idea why. But that night the garage was closed, and that was enough to put our imagination to work. That’s how it always begins: an idea comes out of nowhere and mixes with other elements from real life and a lot of imagination.

• What are some of your favorite books by American writers, and why do you like them?

For anyone who wants to write mystery fiction, I highly recommend On Writing by Stephen King. He is the master of suspense and a great role model. He mixes horror, weird characters and movie-like settings—exactly what I like in a story. I’m also a fan of Patricia Highsmith’s ingenious psychological thrillers and Val McDermid’s Scottish thrillers. McDermid’s A Place of Execution is by far the best thriller I have ever read.

• If American readers were to visit Flanders, what’s one thing you’d encourage them to see or do?

Flanders has a lot to offer. There are, of course, Bruges and Brussels, but the hidden gem is Ghent, in between these famous cities. It has a historic center with a real castle in the middle, a vibrant nightlife and music scene, delicious cafés and restaurants, and great art (especially the Van Eyck brothers’ famous painting, “The Lamb of God”). And book lovers are in for a treat: there are numerous independent bookshops offering a wide range of English and American literature. A special recommendation is the book market along the waterfront on Sunday mornings. It’s like Paris in miniature.