Capital Crime announces full programme

 

CAPITAL CRIME ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAMME, WITH JEFFREY ARCHER, AA DHAND, JANICE HALLETT, LISA JEWELL AND SABINE DURRANT TO JOIN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED HEADLINERS JANE HARPER, ARDAL O’HANLON AND ANDREA MARA

 AA Dhand       Andrea Mara     Ardal O'Hanlon,             Elly Griffiths,            Jane Harper

Janice Hallett              Jeffrey Archer         Lisa Jewell,     Liz Nugent          Sabine Durrant 

The 2026 festival to return to the Leonardo Royal Hotel 18th-20th June, with the Fingerprint Awards on 18th June, hosted by Ryan Tubridy

• Newly confirmed authors also include Elly Griffiths, Abir Mukherjee, T.M. Logan, Vaseem Khan, MJ Arlidge, Chris Brookmyre, Catriona Ward and Lucy Foley
• The National Year of Reading and ‘Quick Reads’ to be commemorated by AA Dhand, Leye Adenle, Fiona Cummins and Debbie Hicks MBE
• Jeffrey Archer to celebrate 50 years of writing

Jeffrey Archer, Abir Mukherjee, AA Dhand, Lucy Foley, Lisa Jewell, Sabine Durrant and Janice Hallett are amongst the authors today (27th March) announced to take part in Capital Crime, London’s largest celebration of crime and thriller writing, which returns 18th-20th June. They will be joining the previously announced headliners Jane Harper, Lee and Andrew Child, Claire Douglas, Andrea Mara, Ardal O’Hanlon and Andi Osho for discussions around closed communities, Agatha Christie and courtroom dramas.

Capital Crime co-founder and Goldsboro Book managing director David Headley said:

‘Our vision for Capital Crime was to provide a community that celebrates the love of storytelling, and a welcoming space for all readers and authors. A cornerstone of the festival since it launched in 2019 has been our social outreach initiative which has seen schoolchildren from all around London invited to meet, hear and engage with publishing representatives and authors. Our partnership with The Reading Agency will only strengthen this work in a time when we need stories and connection more than ever. Our programme this year features discussions about courtroom dramas, comic capers and the legacy of Agatha Christie, but also holes in the justice system and societal issues in crime fiction, with some of the best names in the genre – from global superstars like Jane Harper and Lee Child, but also some extremely exciting emerging voices.’

The festival kicks off on Thursday 18th June with a panel of industry professionals navigating the road to publication; followed by experts Professor Anja Shortland, an expert in the field of exhortative crime and ransomware, former probation officer Ruth Dugdall and noted criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee speaking about different approaches to criminality with Doctor Emma Kavanagh, a psychology consultant specialising in human performance in extreme situations; and real-world private investigators Mike and  Chris Jennings exploring the realities of their job, and how crime fiction compares. Thursday’s final panel will see bestselling authors Elly Griffiths and Claire Douglas speaking to Joe Haddow about using the past and memory in their novels, before DHH Literary Agency’s open pitching afternoon and networking event. The day will conclude with the Fingerprint Award Ceremony, hosted by broadcaster and podcaster Ryan Tubridy.

Friday opens with a panel on modern espionage, with James Wolff, Paul Warner, David Goodman and Chris Humphreys in conversation with Jane Thynne; and Leodora Darlington, LM Chilton, Yemi Dipeolu and Tanya Sweeney discussing how messy relationships can take a deadly turn in crime. The day will also feature Abir Mukherjee, Sarah Vaughan, Foluso Agbaje and Elly Vine discussing elites behaving badly; Ajay Chowdhury, Jo Callaghan and Vaseem Khan will explore concerns around AI; and former lawyers Imran Mahmood, Harriet Tyce and Anna Mazzola will speak about the art of the courtroom drama. Lucy Rose, Essie Fox, Laura Purcell and Callie Kazumi will explore what could be behind readers’ appetite for dark gothic fiction; Clare Leslie Hall, Hattie Williams and Jennie Godfrey will speak about stories that will stay with you long after reading; and Jo Spain, Olivier Norek, Madeleine Pelling and Edel Coffey will discuss about how true stories can inspire fiction.

Friday will also see Capital Crime’s National Year of Reading panel, in partnership with The Reading Agency, and chaired by one of its founding members Debbie Hicks MBE, with former Quick Reads authors AA Dhand, Fiona Cummins and Leye Adenle exploring how crime fiction can be the perfect gateway genre into a lifelong love of reading.

The day will close with Lisa Jewell and Sabine Durrant in conversation with Katherine Faulkner about their incredible chart-topping careers writing suspense in the domestic sphere; and global bestsellers Jane Harper and Andrea Mara in conversation with DJ Fee Mak about writing horrible things happening to ordinary people; and the suffering of parenthood in their novels. The final event of the day is the festival’s regular highlight Crime Quiz.

On Saturday 20th June, crime fiction fans will see former police officer turned bestselling novelist Clare Mackintosh reflecting on how her past has influenced her writing; Jeffrey Archer celebrating his 50 year career and Lee and Andrew Child speaking to Stig Abell about building and breaking the rules of crime over 31 Jack Reacher novels. In addition, legendary Irish writers Ardal O’Hanlon, Jane Casey and Liz Nugent will explore with Brian McGilloway what make Irish communities the perfect setting for crime fiction.

In addition, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Dame Agatha Christie, Sophie Hannah, Hazell Ward, Lucy Foley and Kelly Mullen will explore the enduring appeal and influence of her work.

Other panels on Saturday include Sarah Hilary, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone and Chris Merritt discussing career longevity; a discussion about justice and revenge with Julie Mae Cohen, D.B. Stephens, Emma Styles and Maz Evans; the illusion of safety with Catriona Ward, Andi Osho, J.P. Delaney and Rosa Silverman; and Rob Parker, Nadine Matheson and T.M. Payne speaking to Lisa Howells about the versatility of the procedural.

There will also be exciting public events throughout the festival: Orenda Books will be hosting a showcase and proofs party; and renowned wine expert Olly Smith will be launching his debut Death by Noir, in conversation with his brother and Emmy-winning Slow Horses screenwriter Will Smith.

Now in its sixth year, Capital Crime is proud to be a part of and contributor to the vibrant culture scene with the city, and has quickly established itself as one of the biggest festivals in the UK, with a reputation for originality, innovation, and a focus on creating an incredible reader experience with creatively curated and inclusive panels. Co-founded by Goldsboro Books MD David Headley, it has welcomed readers from around the country to see British authors such as Robert Harris, Anthony Horowitz and Paula Hawkins, appearing alongside international talent including Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and US bestsellers Jeffrey Deaver, Karin Slaughter, Linwood Barclay and Michael Connolly.

Headley and his team at Goldsboro Books have helped launch the careers of so many authors since it opened almost 25 years ago, by uniting incredible writing with their loyal, ever-growing community of passionate readers. Renowned for their thoughtful and impactful new initiatives to engage communities of readers, Capital Crime is a brilliant extension of this vision with an outstanding programme of over 40 entertaining, accessible events that explore all corners of the genre, and the opportunity to meet your literary heroes.

 The full programme can be found here.

 

Forthcoming Books from Harvill Secker

March 2026

The Other You is by Carys Green. ‘It will be all right,’ Nellie assured her with startling confidence. ‘I’m here to make things better. You’ll see.’ Elena and Stu are barely holding it together. Their newborn screams through the night, their nerves are frayed, and their marriage is hanging by a thread. Then comes More You: a company offering an impossible solution — a clone. For a price, they can have another Elena. One who is fresh. Alert. At first, it feels like salvation. The clone is calm, capable, perfect. But soon she starts to pick up Elena’s habits. Her voice. Her smile. And in the quiet hours of the night, something in the house begins to shift. When the cracks finally split wide open, Elena is forced to confront a terrifying question: if someone takes your place, what happens to you?

April 2026

Set in a town steeped in history and horror, the series follows DS Joseph Ashe, a young man haunted by the ghosts of his past and struggling with survivor’s guilt, and DI Laurie Bower, an outsider fighting to fit in.Every place has its ghosts. Edenscar, a town in the Peak District, has more than most. 17 years ago, its inhabitants were hit by tragedy when a school bus veered off the road and everyone on board drowned. Everyone, that is, except Joseph Ashe. His miraculous survival has haunted him and the town ever since. Now a Detective Sergeant in the local police, Joe is called to the scene of a brutal and apparently inexplicable crime. The whole town is spooked, but Joe’s new boss, DI Laurie Bower, more used to inner-city police work, has no time for superstition. She just wants to find the very real killer who has left no trace and apparently had no motive. Joining forces, Joe and Laurie work to uncover the secrets of Edenscar, both past and present. But when you dig up the dead, expect to get your hands dirty. The Drowning Place is by Sarah Hilary.

May 2026

Transference is by Robin Brookes. Leo and Viv's Friday night starts out like any other. A bottle of wine, a takeaway from their favourite Chinese restaurant, a movie, then an early night. But when Leo wakes up, he finds he's not in London anymore; he's naked and alone in an unfamiliar bed, in an anonymous hotel, on the other side of the world. Viv wakes up to a ringing phone. It's Leo - he claims that he's in Australia, despite the impossibility of it. An emergency passport is arranged. A return flight to London is booked, but before Leo can make it onto the plane, there's a flicker in the corner of his vision, and he wakes up in another bed, in another hotel room, in another country. Disoriented, Leo soon discovers he's not alone. Someone with access to a groundbreaking technology and an axe to grind is beaming a group of individuals around the globe - and hunting them down, one by one, committing perfect, untraceable murders. As Leo fights for his life, back in London, Viv is struggling to understand what's happening. But as her investigation deepens she starts to unearth secrets from Leo's past. Dark secrets. Secrets that might be enough to make someone want to kill him. And the more she learns about Leo, the less she seems to know - and the less certain she is that her husband is a man worth saving.

In a world of lies, proof is power. John Dyer is living a quiet life when he receives a call that changes everything: an old university friend, Lia, has been killed. Decades have passed since his last heartbreaking conversation with her, but Dyer finds himself driven to investigate. What Dyer uncovers puts him in the path of a political conspiracy with one man at its heart. A man who forty years ago committed a crime witnessed by just four people. When another of the witnesses dies in suspicious circumstances, Dyer finds himself in danger of his life. To combat the forces arrayed against him, he needs incontrovertible proof – but will he find it in time? As Dyer chases his leads from Tasmania to Argentina and finally to Michigan, where it all began, he unwittingly pits himself against an adversary more powerful than he could have imagined, in a race as heart stopping as tomorrow’s headlines. Frame 37 is by Nicholas Shakespeare.

June 2026

Pinnacle is by Abir Mukherjee. James Abercrombie is a Hollywood actor who’s past his prime. Ten years ago, he was box office. These days he’s more boxed wine and coffee adverts. But they still love him in Asia. On the set of a whisky commercial, he meets the beautiful Sweety Sahota, India’s queen of Bollywood, beloved by billions. Marrying her might revive his fortunes. They move to Mumbai and into The Pinnacle. Sweety’s career continues to sky-rocket. James’s not so much. He hates India – it’s hot and dirty and crowded and the food upsets his stomach. Soon the marriage is in trouble. Is she cheating on him? The papers seem to think so. They have a clandestine photo of her with her ex-boyfriend, Bollywood heart-throb Chunky. James hits the bottle, and after one particularly drunken session, wakes in the apartment to find Sweety dead in their bed, her throat slit. Did he kill her? He’s sure he didn’t, but who the hell’s going to believe him? He needs to find out who killed his wife and why, and he needs to do it fast; before the crime is pinned on him, because, let’s face it, he’s not going to get a fair trial. If he doesn’t work it out, he's as good as dead.

July 2026

When schoolgirls start fainting one after the other at a convent boarding school, old legends twist into new scandals. Centuries of tradition are coming to an end at St Cordula's school. Deputy Head, Fiona Fox, is about to preside over a controversial move to save it from ruin. But it’s not easy to change things at a school this old. Legend has it that the ghost of fifteenth-century nun, Sister Matilda, will keep St Cordula’s safe. But only as long as the words ‘GOD FORGIVE ME’, scrawled by Matilda on a chapel staircase wall before she fell to her death, are repainted every year. The words have only been allowed to fade once, in 2002. But then, fits of vertigo spread through the pupils, and a second girl fell to her death on the night stairs. Only three people know the truth of what happened on the night of the tragedy. Now the vertigo is back, and Fiona must stem the outbreak before it threatens St Cordula’s future, or worse, another girl loses her life. But when one of her pupils begins a dangerous investigation into the past, old secrets start to twist into new scandals… The Night Stairs is by Erin Kelly.

Eden Falls is by Ajay Chowdhury. Newlyweds Adam and Aisha are in an airport lounge in Delhi, their honeymoon abruptly cut short by the murder of Adam’s best friend. While Aisha waits, Adam disappears, leaving only a cryptic message: 'I’m sorry'. Stranded in India without documents, Aisha is interrogated by RAW, India’s intelligence agency, and the FBI – both of whom seem to know more about her husband’s disappearance than she does. At the same time Adam’s ex-lover, Sara, receives an urgent message from him: 'Help her'. Thrown together by circumstance and suspicion, Aisha and Sara decode Adam’s clues, which lead them across the US in a hunt to find Adam before it’s too late.

Line-up for Lyme Crime announced

The line-up for Lyme Crime has been announced and there is a wealth of authors attending. It is going to be a wonderful event and I shall be moderating a panel.

Come and spend a murderously good weekend by the sea in sunny Dorset, so do not miss out. Early bird tickets go on sale from March!

https://www.lymecrime.co.uk 

The Dreaming Spires at St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend

 

Dear Partners in Crime,

Even in these uncertain times, preparations for the 2021 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend are in full swing.

As yet we can't say if we will be able to meet in person, but whether on-site or online, we have another compelling line-up for you this August. With the theme of Oxford: the capital of Crime Fiction you can expect old favourites, Morse, Wimsey, and Gervase Fen, as well as the new writers on the beat, Lucy Atkins (Magpie Lane), Cara Hunter (DI Fawley series) and more.

Val McDermid and Mick Herron are back by popular demand.Alison Joseph and Jake Kerridge take the Chair, and we can announce a new mystery from Chief Insp. Andrew Taylor and The Case of the Cambridge Corpse.

Expect Gaudy Nights and Moving Toyshops, sinister scholars and dodgy detectives, and low deeds on High Table.

Details here with booking link to be anounced soon. Meanwhile, save the dates, and sharpen your wits.

Best wishes from the Committee: Triona Adams, Jean Harker, Sarah Hilary, Mick Herron, Alison Joseph, Jake Kerridge, and Carolyn Kirby.

St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend goes live online, 14/15 August.

This year will be the 27th Crime Fiction Weekend at St Hilda's, but for many of you, at home and abroad, 2020 may be the first opportunity you have to attend.

Running from Friday evening through to Saturday evening our theme is
‘All Our Yesterdays’: historical crime fiction.

Join us live to find yourself unleashed upon the London of the Swinging Sixties, the winding backstreets of 1950s Bombay, the gin shops and brothels of Georgian London, and backstage on Brighton pier - all in pursuit of Murder. Subjects include Agatha Christie, Patricia Highsmith, Ian Pears, and CJ Sansom.

Andrew Taylor (Ashes Of London, The American Boy, etc) is our Guest Of Honour
and author of the dramatic Whodunnit:
The Murder Of Lucy Ackroyd
'a chillingly implausible tale set in
 the academic badlands beyond Magdalen Bridge.'
Starring: Chief Inspector Taylor, Val McDermid, Sarah Hilary,
Abir Mukherjee, Miriam Margolyes, and Mick Herron.
Blackwell's Bookshop will be awarding a prize to one lucky armchair sleuth.

Please, head over to the website to peruse the programme, the speakers and
their subjects, both the fresh blood and the usual suspects!

There is a special concession for alumnae and recordings of the whole event will be available to attendees for a month.

We look forward to seeing you.

St Hilda's Virtual Crime Fiction, 14/15 August - now bookable

The suspense is finally over. Booking for the 2020 Virtual Crime Fiction Event is open!

The Committee, our Hon Fellows-in-Crime, and I, are delighted to report that all the speakers planned for 2020 will be joining us for this live virtual event running from Friday evening through to Saturday evening.

Our theme remains ‘All Our Yesterdays’: historical crime fiction.
Find yourself unleashed upon the London of the Swinging Sixties, the winding backstreets of 1950s Bombay, the gin shops and brothels of Georgian London, and backstage on Brighton pier - all in pursuit of Murder.

 We shall we have the traditional Guest Of Honour session and the dramatic Whodunnit, both courtesy of Andrew Taylor, without whom no historical crime fiction event would be complete.

Whodunnit: The Murder Of Lucy Ackroyd 
is a chillingly implausible tale set in Oxford.
The hideous murder of a literary novelist takes place in a former women’s
college located in the academic badlands beyond Magdalen Bridge.
Starring: Chief Inspector Andrew Taylor, Val McDermid, Sarah Hilary,
Abir Mukherjee, and Mick Herron.
(And yours truly as the Senior Tutor, 'a woman of strong but warped passions'.)

So, please, head over to the website, peruse the programme, the speakers and
their subjects, both fresh meat and usual suspects.

We look forward to seeing you.

Breaking News from St Hilda's Crime

Dear Friends,

I am sad to announce that College events are now cancelled up to September. It’s a disappointment not to be celebrating another Crime Fiction Weekend with you all, but safety remains paramount. All ticket bookings will be refunded automatically, but for accommodation refunds please email Sarah Brett in the Conference Office ( sarah.brett@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk ) We ask for your patience during this process as College staff are working remotely.

In true St Hilda's spirit, however, we carry on!

We are delighted to announce that we are working hard to ensure our virtual doors are wide open with live broadcasts, Q&As, lectures, entertainment, and a packed Crime Fiction Festival.

Crime Fiction Festival

15 August

‘All Our Yesterdays’: historical crime fiction

Details will soon follow for a stellar virtual event with live sessions, Q&As,
 lectures, competitions, reading room, virtual goodie bags, and, of course,
the Whodunnit.
We hope will be able to provide an event as near to the content and atmosphere of the ‘real' thing.
Participating authors already confirmed include:
Val McDermid, Mick Herron, Sarah Hilary, Jill Dawson, Tom Wood, Mary Paulson Ellis, Anna Mazzola, Andrew Wilson, Sara Sheridan, Vassem Khan,
and Andrew Taylor.
(In association with Blackwell’s Bookshop)
As well as our e-newsletters and social media channels, the Crime Fiction Weekend page will be regularly updated with news and content.
So stay at home and watch this space.

Do contact me directly with any questions triona.adams@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk or 01865 276867 and follow us on twitter @hildascrime

Best wishes from the committee:
Triona Adams, Val McDermid, Mick Herron, Jean Harker, Alison Joseph,

Jake Kerridge and Sarah Hilary

St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend 2020 more information.

Dear friends, it is not too early too book for the
2020 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend
14/15/16 August

This year our theme is ‘All Our Yesterdays’: historical crime fiction’.
Find yourself unleashed upon the London of the Swinging Sixties, caught amid clashes of classes and cultures as the Empire’s sun sets on Calcutta, pursuing India’s first female detective down the winding backstreets of 1950s Bombay, browsing the gin shops and brothels of Georgian London, or goggling at the puppet masters, dancing girls and fortune tellers as Brighton hangs out the bunting for the Coronation of Elizabeth II – and all in pursuit of Murder.
After all, they say time heals everything…

Featured particpants and speakers include:
Val McDermid, Mick Herron, William Shaw, Sarah Hilary, Abir Mukherjee, Vaseem Khan,
Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Elly Griffiths, and Tom Wood.

Alison Joseph and Jake Kerridge will be sharing the chairing. Critic and biographer Andrew Wilson is the Friday night after dinner speaker, and Hilda's hero Andrew Taylor is already devising the Saturday night Whodunnit featuring a glittering cast of authors (prize provided by Blackwell's Bookshop).

For more details, announcements, and to book click here

Triona Adams - Alumnae Events Manager

2020 St Hilda’s College Crime Fiction Weekend - All Our Yesterdays: historical crime fiction

St Hilda’s College Crime Fiction Weekend is a weekend with a difference. Launched at St Hilda's College in 1994, it offers the crime fiction fans the unique experience of hearing their favourite authors exploring the genre, their own work and the writers who inspired them.

This year the theme is ‘All Our Yesterdays’: historical crime fiction  and will take place from 14 to 16 August 2020.  Featured speakers include:

Val McDermid, Mick Herron, William Shaw, Sarah Hilary, Andrew Taylor, Alison Joseph, Jake Kerridge, Abir Mukherjee, Vaseem Khan, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Elly Griffiths and Tom Wood.

Taking place in the heart of Oxford in a glorious riverside location the St Hilda’s Weekend includes not only the speaker sessions, but a massive Blackwell's shop open on site every day, author signings, prizes and a brimming goodie bag all enjoyed in a relaxed, intimate College atmosphere. Beginning on Friday evening with a dinner and drinks reception, the packed weekend finishes with a traditional lunch on Sunday.

Programme details to follow soon.

The PD James Conference Dinner is held on Saturday night – proceeds go to the PD James Fund which supports the work of the English School and students at St Hilda’s College, kindly endowed by Honorary Fellow P. D. James.  When booking, the opportunity is available to make an additional voluntary donation to the P.D. James Memorial Fund.

About St Hilda’s

St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford, is on the banks of the River Cherwell overlooking the meadows and spires of the city. Its lovely gardens sweep down to the river, which is famous for punting and picnics. The centre of Oxford is a few minutes walk away, but the College itself lies in a pleasantly secluded area away from the noise and bustle of the city. B&B is offered and can be extended before or after the conference. Access by train is good and there are excellent coach services to Oxford from Central London and from Heathrow & Gatwick airports. Parking may be available for conference guests.

Accommodation

If you would like to stay at St Hilda's, accommodation can be requested through the Conference and Events Team here or via 01865 276 888 or by email to Sarah Brett. Once you have made your request, a member of the team will advise you of availability and direct you to our payments page. Your booking is not confirmed until payment has been received. 

The number of rooms available is limited so you are advised to book early.                                                                                               
Single Ensuite B&B £53.04
Twin  Ensuite B&B per person per night £38.10
Single Standard B&B £42.60
Twin  Standard B&B per person per night £24.78

Queries

For further information including any special requirements not mentioned on this site please call Triona Adams at St Hilda's College Development Office 01865 276 828.

St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend Part 3

(L-R Andrew Taylor, Natasha Cooper & Sarah Hilary) ©Ayo Onatade

After a brief introduction the first full day at St Hilda’s saw Andrew Taylor talking about Josephine Tey. The title of the paper being A Gathering of Strangers: The Crime Fiction of Josephine Tey.  Josephine Tey is one of the two authors that have influenced Andrew Taylor the other being Patricia Highsmith so it was quite apt that Sarah Hilary who was the second author taking part in the first session gave a paper on Patricia Highsmith.   Andrew Taylor spoke about Josephine Tey’s first novel The Man in The Queue. Interesting to note that crime writer Catherine Aird has a family connection to Josephine Tey.  Andrew Taylor suggested that if you were going to start reading Josephine Tey then he would suggest that you either start with Brat Farraror The Franchise Affair.  Sarah Hilary’s paper was entitled Uncomfortably Naked: Patricia Highsmith’s Talent for Perversion.  As Sarah explained Highsmith is a particular hero of hers.

After a brief coffee break the second session in the morning saw Nicholas Utechinn who is

Nicholas Utechinn ©Ayo Onatade

the historian for the Sherlock Holmes Society of London talk about why Sherlock Holmes was a gamechanger and an historical perspective of Sherlock Holmes and his creator Arthur Conan Doyle.  The title of his paper was‘I Suppose I am The Only One in the World’ – Sherlock Holmes  Challenges.   Holmes of course was seen as the first “forensic detective”.  He was well known for the way in which forensics played a part in his deductions. We were also informed that Sidney Paget drew over 300 drawings for the Sherlock Holmes short stories and that the Strand Magazine loved the Sherlock Holmes stories when they were first published. They way in which Holmes solved his case showed why he was the supreme gamechanger.  Nicholas Utechinn expressed the view that whilst he did not mind the parodies that were written about Holmes he was not keen on Sherlock Holmes pastiches.  There are also around 423 active Sherlock Holmes societies around the world and the first Sherlock Holmes film was shown in 1903 but it only lasted around 11 seconds. The title of the film was Sherlock Holmes Was Baffled.  An interesting titbit of information is that Nicholas Utechinn is distantly related to Basil Rathbone who played Sherlock Holmes in 14 Hollywood films between 1939 to 1946 as well as in a radio series.

After Nicholas Utechinn, Scottish author Graeme Macrae Burnet spoke about ‘The Small World of Simenon’.  As Graeme talked about Simenon he explained that as he was doing his research he read around 90 of his books.  Simenon.  Simenon of course was a prolific author and published around 500 novels and numerous short works. Graeme informed the audience that the first Simenon book that he read was Belle, which was not in fact a Maigret book.  In Belle, Spencer Ashby, a teacher, is charged with the murder of Belle, the daughter of a friend of his wife's wife, whom the couple has been sheltering for a month and who is strangled in his room.  Did he or did he not commit the crime?   In Belle we see the world through the eyes of Spencer Ashby and the debilitating effect that accusation of murder has on him.    French reviewers have called Graeme himself “Le Simenon écossais”. Both papers saw us listening to two authors explaining in their own ways not only the importance of their work but also the reasons why their work is so important within the genre and why they are in fact game changers. 

After lunch saw the papers take on a more non-fictional slant.  First, Scottish author Lin

Lin Anderson - ©Ayo Onatade

Anderson spoke about Forensic Fact and Fiction and the way in which she incorporates fact into her novels and her interest in forensic science. Her interest in forensic science led her to take a Diploma in Forensic Science.  At the time that she did the course she did it along side another author Alex Gray and they were the only two authors on the course. Lin Anderson and Alex Gray are the joint founders of Bloody Scotland. She also explained how her character Rhona MacLeod came into being.    One of the points raised by Lin was the fact that people go back to series because of the characters that they want to know more about.  

Professor Niamh Nic Daeid who spoke after Lin Anderson explained the complexities of forensic and real crime scenes. She also gave a

Professor Niamh Nic Daeid ©Ayo Onatade

fascinating talk on the history of forensic science (which started over 150 years ago) and the changes that were/ have been taking place.  One of the other issues that got mentioned was the way in which crime books and television programmes (better known as the “CSI effect”) have complicated trials as some people tend to believe what they have seen on television (e.g. when watching CSI) or read in a crime novel. It was explained that DNA is not found in all cases and that there have been times when counsel have had to state at the start of a trial the fact that there is no DNA! The other problem that tended to arise in trials where there is DNA is the fact that the expert witnesses are not always asked the correct questions so as to elicit the answers that are needed to explain the DNA properly.  CSI Investigators also need to learn how to communicate properly. One view that was also expressed was the fact that with the rise of forensic science it had invariably lead to the “death” of the amateur investigator.  

An exciting piece of news that was revealed was the fact that Val McDermid has been heavily involved in a new crime drama called Traces which is due to be shown on UKTV Alibi Channel in November. Traces is set in a forensic laboratory and has just finished filming. 

Mick Herron - ©Ayo Onatade

The second set of papers given in the afternoon saw Mick Herron talking about the late great Reginald Hill and his books including those written under various pseudonyms with a paper entitled ‘From Cluedo to Ludo – The Changing Games of Reginald Hill’ As Mick Herron explained, Reginald Hill did not play by the rules when it came to his writing.  Furthermore, Reginald Hill was always excited not only by other crime writers but also “serious” writers.  When thinking about Reginald Hill’s books and the way in which they were written included a lot of social history covering the last quarter of the 20^thCentury. 

Will Dean (who was the last speaker of the day) spoke about Peter Høeg’s novel Miss Similla’s Feeling For Snowwhich was first published in 1993 in the United Kingdom.  A sense of place is very important for Will Dean (which is one of the reason’s why he likes Miss Similla’s Feeling for Snow) as a sense of place anchors him to the story and he eloquently expressed what it was like living with snow and ice for months on end in the remote Swedish forest where he currently lives.  For him it is cheaper to fly to

Will Dean - ©Ayo Onatade

Spain for a meal than for him to eat out locally. 

Will believes that Peter Høeg’s book not only bends and stretches the boundaries of the genre but also deals with Denmark’s post-colonial legacy.  A similar author that does this is Abir Mukherjee with his Sam Wyndham and Banerjee series set in the Raj era of India.

According to Will Dean, Peter Høeg’s agreed the ending did not work very well and Henning Mankell agreed that the one book that he would have loved to have written Miss Similla’s Feeling For Snowexcept for the ending.

The first full day at St Hilda’s is always full of wonderful papers, insightful questions and is one of the reasons why I keep on returning year after year to the crime weekend. 

The evening started with a drinks reception (this time on the lawn) which was then followed by dinner. As part of the evening entertainment at the P.D. James dinner a special mystery whodunit entitled The Game Changer, which had been written by Natasha Cooper (the Chair of the weekend this year) was performed in the dining room by a number of the speakers.  It was down to everyone else to see if they could deduce who the murderer was! Yes I do know the answer and no I am not telling just in case it is performed again elsewhere. 

Longstanding attendees of course know the drill and we all once again ended up in the SCR after dinner for the rest of the night until sleep called.

In the Spotlight - Sarah Hilary

Name: Sarah Hilary

Job: Author

Website: www.sarahhilary.com

Twitter: @sarah_hilary 

Introduction: 

Sarah Hilary is the author of half a dozen books in the Marnie Rome series.  The most recent being Never Be Broken.  She has been nominated for a Macavity Award, a Barry Award and a Silver Falchion.Her debut, Someone Else's Skin, won the 2015 Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and a number of her books have also been chosen as the Observer’s Thriller of the Month.

Between 2012 and 2017 Sarah Hilary was the organiser of the CrimeFest Flashbang short story competition where an original crime story had to be written in 150 words. 

Current book? 

I am re-reading Capote’s In Cold Blood. I’d forgotten about the feral cats who patrol the street, dining on road-kill plucked from the grills of parked cars. It reminded me of the cat who haunts Slough House in Mick Herron’s brilliant books. I love the way reading (and re-reading) throws up echoes like that. 

Favourite book

Right at this minute, I’m returning to the Ripliad (cramming for St Hilda’s, of course) and I do love Ripley’s Gamefor that rare glimpse of Tom through another’s eyes. That jolt Highsmith serves up, when we’re reminded that we’re rooting for a murderer.

Which two characters would you invite to dinner and why?

Well now. Tom Ripley, because it would be rude not to invite him. And perhaps Roderick Spode, since I feel certain Tom would know exactly how to handle him.

How do you relax?

Reading, preferably in the bath. Walking by water. The occasional spa day (as long as no one touches my feet, as I have a horror of people touching my feet).

What book do you wish you had written and why?

Penny Hancock wrote a book called Tideline, the theme of which reminded me of John Fowles’s The Collector, but with a dazzling difference (read it, and find out). That’s the idea I wish I’d had. I’d have written a very different book, but how I envy Penny, her idea.

What would you say to your younger self if you were just starting out as a writer.

I wouldn’t waste time telling myself to Never Give Up, as I was blessed with the gift of obstinacy. I would perhaps tell myself to read even more — and more widely — than I did.

How would you describe your series character?

DI Marnie Rome is courageous and complicated. In Never Be Broken(the sixth in the series) she’s right on the cusp of a life-changing event. Which is where I like to write her.

Never be Broken by Sarah Hilary (Published by Headline May 2019

Children are dying on London's streets. Frankie Reece, stabbed through the heart, outside a corner shop. Others recruited from care homes, picked up and exploited; passed like gifts between gangs. They are London's lost.   Then Raphaela Belsham is killed. She's thirteen years old, her father is a man of influence, from a smart part of town. And she's white. Suddenly, the establishment is taking notice.  DS Noah Jake is determined to handle Raphaela's case and Frankie's too. But he's facing his own turmoil, and it's becoming an obsession. DI Marnie Rome is worried, and she needs Noah on side. Because more children are disappearing, more are being killed by the day and the swelling tide of violence needs to be stemmed before it's too late.

Information about 2019 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend and how to book tickets can be found here.

In The Spotlight - St Hilda's interviews

As part of the run up to St Hilda’s College Crime Fiction weekend 2019 I am delighted to announce that we will be having a series of mini interviews from all the speakers starting in May.

The first speaker to be featured will be St Hilda’s Fellow and Alumna Val McDermid.  Others to be interviewed will include Will Dean, Andrew Taylor, Sarah Hilary and Mick Herron to name a few.  

The mini interviews will no doubt whet your appetite for the forthcoming weekend and if you have not yet signed up for the weekend then there is still time to do so.  

Information about the weekend can be found here.

So who would be invited to dinner? What does Val do to relax and what book has she just read.  All will be revealed soon.