This topic first came up when I was listening to an episode of All About Agatha. Then my recent experience with the Sherlock Holmes inspired Enola Holmes made me think about it some more. So I had to do some research.
This was the episode of All About Agatha that caught my attention:
Anthony Horowitz has his own novels. But it fascinates me that he also can manage to pass the test of writing characters created by someone else. Apparently from several different character brands. He wrote some of the Poirot episodes. And has also written new books about both James Bond and Sherlock Holmes. But he’s not alone in picking up characters that another author left behind. Basically it seems to be a massive industry nowadays.
New Bond thrillers have appeared under several distinguished authorships — among them such award winning novelists as Kingsley Amis, William Boyd, Sebastian Faulks and Anthony Horowitz. The Christie estate has commissioned Sophie Hannah, an established crime writer in her own right, to add new mysteries to the Poirot canon. As for Horowitz, he is also one of many writers who have dusted off Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson and given them new life. In none of these instances has there been an attempt to pass a book off as the product of the original creator, although the U.S. editions of Hannah’s books continue to give top billing to the Christie name.Ghostwriters let authors keep ‘writing’ books long after they die
Before reading that Enola Holmes book, I was always of the opinion that I wouldn’t like that type of book. And have actively avoided them. Too much like fan fiction to me, maybe? Of course, it may simply be that I’m scarred by the experience of reading (and watching) Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley. It wasn’t absolutely horrible but it was definitely something I try not to think about.
It’s a fine line though
But I think that maybe the distinction is in that last line of the quote above… whether the publisher’s are trying to pass something off as being by the original creator. Or not. Because, well, if you read the rest of the article, that kind of deception has been going on since books were first printed on presses. Laws, however, seem to be catching up to them so less deception nowadays. Maybe.
And probably our willingness to accept the idea is also related to how desperately one wants to read something new about the character being written about. Of course, it’s also possible that in our video age, we’ll simply accept the concept because it’s now normal for characters to outlive their creators in larger than life forms. One way or another.
Food for thought.