ALL FUN AND GAMES AT HEFFERS 18th BODIES IN THE BOOKSTORE

OK, what's the odds on it being another sweltering night in Cambridge after a day of cloud and drizzle? I tell you I wouldn't give you evens. But it is a well-known fact that each and every year I attend Bodies in the Bookstore run by Richard Reynolds for Heffers, it is so damned hot. So much so, we are thinking of renaming it Sweaty Bodies in the Bookstore.

But we still managed to have fun. Take Tom Cain for instance. He found his long lost sister, Chelsea. Who just happened to be there promoting her second book at the same time as he was promoting his second book. What a fantastic co-incidence!And then he meets up with Charles Cumming promoting Typhoon but by this time he becomes a little shy and retiring.

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And whilst I'm writing this most crime fans are on their way to the Harrogate Crime festival. Now I couldn't make it this year, something about being banned for singing dirty lyrics to Chim Chiminee (if you believe a certain A.Karim Esq). But the latter will be there with his trusty camera, laptop at the ready to write the report. So keep 'em peeled for that.

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Speaking to Maxim Jakubowski of Muder One bookstore fame, he tells me that he had just finalised the programme for this years Crime Scene. The literary events are to be held at the Waterstones' Flagship in Piccadilly this September. But he has promised to give me full details later.

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And competitions running at the SHOTS Ezine site are: 10 signed copies of the UK debut THE LAST EXILE by EV Seymour

and this will blow you away.... BLACK STAR CRIME is offering one lucky winner an Apple iPod Touch 8g worth £199.00, plus a Black Star Crime Goodie Bag. 10 Runners up will recieve a Black Star Goodie bag with copies of all first 5 titles in the series, and an exclusive Black Star Crime polo shirt! Pretty fantastic, eh? You will need to check on the site as from next week to enter that one.

Who is this BLACK STAR CRIME outfit, I hear you ask? It's a thrilling new series of short, addictive crime fiction novels. With five titles out every two months ranging from thrillers to mysteries, and each book only costs £3.99.

And over at the website:

Not only does Mike Ripley write his regular column, Getting Away With Murder, he is the subject of an appreciation to celebrate 20 years of the Angel series (and the Great Train Robbers didn't even get that).

The Last Straight Face by Bruce Kennedy and Eric Allison is an uncompromising look at the UK's criminal underworld. They both explain 11 Things You Didn't Know.....

Patrick Lennon, author of the Tom Fletcher series writes on his latest novel, Steel Witches

Ayo Onatade has been busy interviewing Don Winslow, Ariana Franklin and Karen Rose

Amy Myers gets the low down from The Mulgray Twins and Will Randall

Ali Karim gets to chat with Bill Vidal

And spy novelist, Charles Cumming explains what it took to write TYPHOON.

Read the first chapter of P.D.Martin's The Murder Club

Read an exclusive article by EV Seymour, debut author of the fantastic THE LAST EXILE