Tuesday, 7 July 2020.
Hello once more!
As promised at the weekend, we’re back in your inbox with the big reveal!
Before we dig out the drumsticks for the mandatary drum roll and reveal the winners of the 2020 CRIMEFEST Awards, we’d like to give you a very warm welcome to this final newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020. The next newsletter will be for CRIMEFEST 2021, with all the exciting details for next year and how you can sign up.
And now to the awards! If you want the anticipation (and entertainment) of the ceremony itself, then skip the spoilers below, and go straight to the CRIMEFEST website where you can watch the film and see the winners’ reactions, compered by actor Matt McCooey, who plays Inspector Bill Wong in the hit TV show, Agatha Raisin.
Without further ado, ladies, gentlemen and fellow partners in crime…we’re delighted to reveal the winners of 2020’s CRIMEFEST Awards!
The winners are:
Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award
– Laura Shepherd-Robinson for Blood & Sugar (Mantle)
With thanks to convention and award sponsor Specsavers. Courtesy of the sponsor, the winner also receives £1,000.
Audible Sounds of Crime Award
for Best Unabridged Crime Audiobook
– Lee Child for Blue Moon, read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio)
With thanks to award sponsor Audible UK. Courtesy of the sponsor, the winners share £1,000.
eDunnit Award
for Best Crime eBook
– Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books)
H.R.F. Keating Award
for Best Biography or Non-Fiction Book related to Crime Fiction
– John Curran for The Hooded Gunman (HarperCollins Crime Club)
Last Laugh Award
for Best Humorous Crime Novel
– Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)
CRIMEFEST Award for Best Crime Novel for Children (ages 8-12)
– Thomas Taylor for Malamander (Walker Books)
CRIMEFEST Award for Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (ages 12-16)
– Kathryn Evans for Beauty Sleep (Usborne Publishing)
All the winners received a Bristol Blue Glass Award and will be offered complimentary attendance and panel appearances at CRIMEFEST 2021.
Huge congratulations to all!
Feel free to celebrate the nominees and winners with us over on Twitter. Do tag us @CrimeFest #CrimeFestAwards.
A list of the nominees and winners is also available on the website.
In case you missed it, you can also catch up on the brilliant Zoom panel, hosted by Telegraph journalist Jake Kerridge, featuring nominees for the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award. Catch it over on the CRIMEFEST VIDEO ARCHIVE.
That’s it for CRIMEFEST 2020.
It hasn’t been the convention, or the year, that anyone expected. But we wouldn’t have made it – or be able to come back in 2021 – without you, the CRIMEFEST family of authors, publishers, readers, sponsors and other supporters. Thank you!
We look forward to seeing everyone for a bigger than ever celebration at CRIMEFEST 2021: 13-16 May.
For now, stay safe.
Adrian & Donna,
CRIMEFEST organisers.
Sunday, 5 July 2020.
Hi all,
We hope this finds you and yours well.
A warm welcome to the sixth newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020.
In this newsletter:
– ONLINE CRIMEFEST AWARDS CEREMONY
– SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD PANEL
– NHS NOIR AT THE BAR ANTHOLOGY
– CRIMEFEST CHARITIES – THE LOCKED UP FESTIVAL
– CRIMEFEST AUTHOR BOOKS
ONLINE CRIMEFEST AWARDS CEREMONY
Last month we announced the thrilling nominees for the 2020 CRIMEFEST Awards. Now, it’s almost time for the nail-biting reveal!
Tune in on Tuesday 7 July to find out which ‘who dunnit won it’. Our awards film goes live on the CRIMEFEST website from one minute past midnight – so you don’t have to wait till you wake up on Tuesday morning to find out.
Those of you who are up, we’ll trust your judgement on whether your attire will be formal, nightwear or otherwise. Yes, we may have gone virtual for our gongs, but we haven’t scrimped on the glamour. We’re very proud that the awards will be presented by the lovely Matt McCooey, who plays Inspector Wong in the fabulous Agatha Raisin hit TV series. Matt brings a real warmth and charisma to the screen, although his co-presenter Bruno may well steal the odd scene!
The film was made with the help of Free@LastTV, the producing talent behind Agatha Raisin, and Ben Field at The Format Factory. We thank them for their support!
We look forward to you joining us on Tuesday. Feel free to celebrate the nominees and winners with us over on Twitter. Do tag us @CrimeFest #CrimeFestAwards
SPECSAVERS DEBUT CRIME NOVEL AWARD PANEL
The real pubs may now be opening, but we did have a successful virtual CRIMEFEST Pub Quiz last month. Thank you to quiz master Peter Guttridge and all of you who showed up!
We are so disappointed not to be able to welcome you to CRIMEFEST in Bristol this year and clink drinks in person. With all the authors scheduled, Donna had created an intriguing itinerary. We would have liked to recreate them digitally but, with close to fifty of them, it wasn’t possible.
However, with an inaugural new award this year, and the ever-popular ‘Debut Authors: An Infusion of Fresh Blood’ panels, we did record a Zoom panel yesterday that will get you itching to add to your bedside table book pile.
Featuring five of the six authors nominated for the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award, the panel is brought to you by moderator extraordinaire, and crime fiction reviewer for the Telegraph, Jake Kerridge.
Thank you to nominees Fiona Erskine, Katja Ivar, Carolyn Kirby, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Holly Watt for the fascinating insight into their debut novels. Sadly, Alex Michaelides was unable to participate; we wish all of them the best of luck with the award, and we’re thrilled to acknowledge the big contribution these newcomers make to the genre.
Making the recording possible was Simon Bewick of Bewick Consulting, author Antony Johnston for post-production and, of course, Jake. So put your glasses on (you left them on the kitchen table, uh no, they’re perched on your head!) and watch the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award Panel.
It will also be available in the VIDEO ARCHIVE on the CRIMEFEST website soon.
NHS NOIR AT THE BAR ANTHOLOGY
Last month we mentioned Afraid of the Light, a short story collection to help raise funds for the charity Samaritans. This month we would like to highlight an anthology benefitting NHS charities. The aforementioned Simon Bewick is one of the people who makes the popular online Virtual Noir at the Bar sessions happen.
He is also one of the organisers of Noir from the Bar: 30 Crime and Mystery Shorts. With too many contributors to mention all, authors include Sharon Bolton, Neil Broadfoot, Philippa East, Louise Mangos, Robert Scragg, Zoë Sharp, Eve Smith and many more. If you are a lover of crime fiction, short stories or the NHS, buy your copy now.
CRIMEFEST CHARITIES
Another June newsletter mention was CRIMEFEST’s official charity, the library of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and our 2020 guest charity, Gingerbread, nominated by Martina Cole.
This time we wanted to highlight the Trussell Trust, which works to stop UK hunger and poverty. They are the charity benefiting from an online event that took place from 2-4 July: Two Crime Writers and a Microphone – The Locked Up Festival. It was organised by crime writers Steve Cavanagh and Luca Veste (creators of the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcasts). You may have missed the festival and its incredibly impressive line-up, but you can still donate to the charity. And, should the Locked Up Festival panels become available, we will be sure to let you know!
And, finally…
CRIMEFEST AUTHOR BOOKS
Just a reminder of the books that this year’s CRIMEFEST authors would have been promoting had the convention gone ahead. Including some late additions Caroline England, Nell Pattison and Russ Thomas, see the list further down.
(Back issues of the CRIMEFEST newsletter are available here.)
For now, stay safe.
Adrian & Donna,
CRIMEFEST organisers.
Tuesday 2 June, 2020.
Hi all,
Welcome to the fifth newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020.
We hope this finds you and yours well in these uncertain times.
This month’s ‘Hold the front page’ news may prompt you to drive for an eye test* in readiness for an intensive summer of reading. Yes, it’s the 2020 CRIMEFEST Awards shortlists. Read on to find out who’s in contention for the best 2019 novels in the crime genre.
*We do not condone driving without the appropriate prescription from Specsavers.
– THANK YOU!
– CRIMEFEST AWARDS SHORTLISTS
– DIGITAL CRIMEFEST CONTENT
– CRIMINAL SAMARITANS ANTHOLOGY
– LEE CHILD ON COVID-19
– RED HERRING GAMES
– CRIMEFEST CHARITIES
– CRIMEFEST AUTHOR BOOKS
THANK YOU!
First of all, thank you to all of you who provided CRIMEFEST and the team such warm support.
These thanks are extended to Specsavers, our headline sponsor, as well as Audible UK and H.W. Fisher, and benefactors Jane Burfield and Free@Last TV. Due to their continued backing, along with the vast majority of delegates waiving or transferring registrations to 2021, and those kindly donating through our JustGiving page, CRIMEFEST’s future is looking a lot more certain.
Names of donors, or those who waived a refund of their registration fee, are listed here. (Apologies if you’ve been left off the list, and do let us know if this is the case!)
Delegates who transferred their registration to 2021 are listed here. (Again, apologies if you’ve been left off the list, and do let us know if this is the case!)
NOW, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND FLING OPEN YOUR DIARY…
We are delighted to announce that, subject to further developments, next year’s dates will be 13-16 May.
CRIMEFEST AWARDS SHORTLISTS
Drumroll please…
At CRIMEFEST, we are proud to be considered one of Europe’s leading crime-writing conventions, and our awards are hugely anticipated on the crime fiction calendar.
The shortlists are now announced!
– Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award
– Audible Sounds Of Crime Award
– eDunnit Award
– H.R.F. Keating Award
– Last Laugh Award
– Best Crime Novel For Children
– Best Crime Novel For Young Adults
Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award
In association with our headline sponsor, CRIMEFEST is honoured to announce a new award for a crime novel by a debut author first published in the British Isles in 2019. Previously unpublished authors bring vital fresh blood to the genre, and CRIMEFEST and Specsavers aim to highlight that contribution with this award.
The winning author receives a £1,000 prize (courtesy of headline sponsor Specsavers) as well as a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.
Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award nominees:
– Fiona Erskine for The Chemical Detective (Point Blank)
– Katja Ivar for Evil Things (Bitter Lemon Press)
– Carolyn Kirby for The Conviction of Cora Burns (No Exit Press)
– Alex Michaelides for The Silent Patient (Orion Fiction)
– Laura Shepherd-Robinson for Blood & Sugar (Mantle)
– Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and a team of British crime fiction reviewers voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
Audible Sounds Of Crime Award
The Audible Sounds of Crime Award is for the best unabridged crime audiobook first published in the UK in 2019 in both printed and audio formats, and available for download from audible.co.uk, Britain’s largest provider of downloadable audiobooks.
Courtesy of sponsor Audible UK, the winning author and audiobook reader(s) share the £1,000 prize equally and each receives a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.
Audible Sounds of Crime Award nominees:
– Kate Atkinson for Big Sky, read by Jason Isaacs (Penguin Random House Audio)
– Oyinkan Braithwaite for My Sister, the Serial Killer, read by Weruche Opia (W.F. Howes)
– Alex Callister for Winter Dark, read by Ell Potter (Audibe Studios)
– Lee Child for Blue Moon, read by Jeff Harding (Penguin Random House Audio)
– Lisa Jewell for The Family Upstairs, read by Tamaryn Payne, Bea Holland & Dominic Thorburn (Penguin Random House Audio)
– T.M. Logan for The Holiday, read by Laura Kirman (Zaffre)
– Peter May for The Man with No Face, read by Peter Forbes (Quercus, Fiction)
– Alex Michaelides for The Silent Patient, read by Louise Brealey & Jack Hawkins (Orion)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and Audible UK listeners established the shortlist and the winning title.
eDunnit Award
The eDunnit Award is for the best crime fiction ebook first published in both hardcopy and in electronic format in the British Isles in 2019. The winner receives a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.
eDunnit Award nominees:
– Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)
– Sarah Hilary for Never Be Broken (Headline)
– Andrew Taylor for The King’s Evil (HarperFiction)
– L.C. Tyler for The Maltese Herring (Allison & Busby)
– Holly Watt for To The Lions (Raven Books)
– Don Winslow for The Border (HarperFiction)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and a team of British crime fiction reviewers voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
H.R.F. Keating Award
The H.R.F. Keating Award is for the best biographical or critical book related to crime fiction first published in the British Isles in 2019. The award is named after H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating, one of Britain’s most esteemed crime novelists, crime reviewers and writer of books about crime fiction. The winning author receives a commemorative Bristol Blue Glass award.
H.R.F. Keating Award nominees:
– Ursula Buchan for Beyond The Thirty-Nine Steps (Bloomsbury Publishing)
– John Curran for The Hooded Gunman (HarperCollins Crime Club)
– Barry Forshaw for Crime Fiction: A Reader’s Guide (No Exit Press)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and a team of British crime fiction reviewers voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
Last Laugh Award
The Last Laugh Award is for the best humorous crime novel first published in the British Isles in 2019. The winner receives a Bristol Blue Glass commemorative award.
Last Laugh Award nominees:
– William Boyle for A Friend is a Gift you Give Yourself (No Exit Press)
– Hannah Dennison for Tidings of Death at Honeychurch Hall (Constable)
– Helen FitzGerald for Worst Case Scenario (Orenda Books)
– Christopher Fowler for Bryant & May – The Lonely Hour (Transworld)
– Antti Tuomainen for Little Siberia (Orenda Books)
– L.C. Tyler for The Maltese Herring (Allison & Busby)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and a team of British crime fiction reviewers voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
Best Crime Novel For Children
This award is for the best crime novel for children (aged 8-12) first published in the British Isles in 2019. The winner receives a commemorative Bristol Blue Glass award.
Nominees for the CRIMEFEST Award for Best Crime Novel for Children (ages 8-12):
– P.G. Bell for The Great Brain Robbery (Usborne Publishing)
– Vivian French for The Steam Whistle Theatre Company (Walker Books)
– Sophie Green for Potkin and Stubbs (Bonnier Books)
– A.M. Howell for The Garden of Lost Secrets (Usborne Publishing)
– Simon Lelic for The Haven (Hodder Children’s Books)
– Thomas Taylor for Malamander (Walker Books)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and reviewers of fiction for children and young adults voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
Best Crime Novel For Young Adults
This award is for the best crime novel for young adults (aged 12-16) first published in the British Isles in 2019. The winner receives a commemorative Bristol Blue Glass award.
Nominees for the CRIMEFEST Award for Best YA Crime Novel (ages 12-16):
– Kathryn Evans for Beauty Sleep (Usborne Publishing)
– John Grisham for Theodore Boone: The Accomplice (Hodder & Stoughton)
– Samuel J. Halpin for The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods (Usborne Publishing)
– Simon Mason for Hey Sherlock! (David Fickling Books)
– Tom Pollock for Heartstream (Walker Books)
– Nikesh Shukla for The Boxer (Hodder Children’s Books)
Eligible titles were submitted by publishers, and reviewers of fiction for children and young adults voted to establish the shortlist and the winning title.
The 2020 CRIMEFEST Awards were due to be presented at a Gala Dinner during the convention at the Bristol Mercure Grand Hotel this June. In light of Covid-19, the winners will be announced online and via its social media pages on Tuesday 7 July.
Congratulations to all nominees!
DIGITAL CRIMEFEST CONTENT
2020 delegates have been contacted about the first of the digital events CRIMEFEST is planning. We intend to make some content available to you online soon. Please stay tuned for further details.
In the meantime, with the kind permission of Sheila Keating, H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating’s widow, and Mike Ripley, CRIMEFEST has put up the list of Harry and Mike’s Best 100 Crime Novels of the Previous Century. That should help add some books to your to-read-pile!
CRIMINAL SAMARITANS ANTHOLOGY
It hasn’t been an easy time for many. In keeping with the care and warmth of the crime-writing community, a group of crime writers have published Afraid of the Light, a short story collection to help raise funds for charity Samaritans.
Victoria Selman, who co-ordinated the anthology, said: “Crime fiction is as much about the psychology of the victims and perpetrators as the crime itself, which means mental health charities are always close to our hearts. Given the current climate, there has never been a better time to raise money for an organisation like Samaritans which offers a lifeline of human connection to those in need.”
With a foreword by Alex North, the collection features stories from Rachael Blok, Elle Croft, James Delargy, Clare Empson, N.J. Mackay, Phoebe Morgan, Victoria Selman and many more. Afraid of the Light was published in April and all author payments will go to the charity.
LEE CHILD ON COVID-19
If Dickens were a crime writer at work today, he’d no doubt see these extraordinary days as the worst and the best of times. Extremes of human nature seem to be in stark relief in the Covid-19 crisis. Who better than those writing in our genre to reflect?
Penguin is publishing a series of exclusive essays by leading authors, offering their response to Covid-19. Contributors include Malorie Blackman, Lee Child, Nick Hornby and Philip Pullman on its website. Lee’s entry is available here.
RED HERRING GAMES
Lockdown may be easing – cautiously – and everyone is due some fun and games!
Red Herring Games, a CRIMEFEST supporter for some years now, specialise in murder mystery games and parties for all occasions. But how to play in these social distancing times? Well, we did say all occasions – they also offer Virtual Murder Mystery Parties. Visit their website for more information.
CRIMEFEST CHARITIES
We appreciate that these are hard times for many, but if you can afford to donate to a charity there are two close to our hearts that we’d love you to consider.
CRIMEFEST’s official charity is the library of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Providing books for visually impaired people during these difficult times is even more important than usual, and your donation can help them get a book in lockdown.
This year’s guest charity, nominated by Martina Cole, is Gingerbread, the leading national charity for single parents. It can be hard raising children in a single-parent household. Try to imagine how much harder it must be when that household is in lockdown. Gingerbread provides vital support in these difficult times.
And, finally…
CRIMEFEST AUTHOR BOOKS
This coming weekend would have seen the annual gathering of the CRIMEFEST family in Bristol. When not socialising in the bar or tea room, authors, agents, publishers, readers and our sponsors would have been attending panels, interviews, quizzes and more.
Everyone would have been buying each other’s books and getting them signed. Though the latter won’t be possible, the buying of books is. And so, we invited this year’s CRIMEFEST authors to tell us about what new books they would have been promoting. Read on below to see those we have been told about to date.
We will be in touch again in July to let you know who the CRIMEFEST Awards winners are. For now, stay safe.
Adrian & Donna,
CRIMEFEST organisers.
Specsavers
proud sponsors of CRIMEFEST
the international crime fiction convention
***
CRIMEFEST’s onsite bookseller is Waterstones.
Support your local independent bookstore: UK/Hive or USA.
For collectible – first and/or signed – editions contact Goldsboro Books in the UK; or The Poisoned Pen Bookstore in the US.
JANUARY
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Cara | Hunter | All the Rage | DI Fawley | Police procedural |
| Caro | Land | Convictions | Natalie Bach | Legal thriller |
| Helen | Sedgwick | When The Dead Come Calling | DI Georgie Strachan | Police procedural / Psychological thriller |
FEBRUARY
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Philippa | East | Little White Lies | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| Joy | Ellis | Hidden on the Fens | DI Nikki Galena | Police procedural |
| Nuala | Ellwood | The House on the Lake | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| Robin | Morgan-Bentley | The Wreckage | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| Russ | Thomas | Firewatching | DS Adam Tyler | Hardboiled / Police procedural |
MARCH
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Kia | Abdullah | Take It Back | Zara Kaleel | Legal thriller |
| Alan | McDermott | Gray Genesis | Tom Gray | Thriller |
| Alan | McDermott | Motive | n/a | Thriller / Police procedural |
| James D. | Mortain | Dead Ringer | DI Chilcott | Police procedural |
| Nell | Pattison | The Silent House | Paige Northwood | Amateur Sleuth / Police Procedural / Thriller |
| Jeffrey | Siger | Island of Secrets | Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis | Police procedural |
APRIL
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Louise | Beech | I Am Dust | n/a | Ghostly psychological thriller |
| Lee | Child | Blue Moon | Jack Reacher | Thriller |
| Martin | Edwards | Mortmain Hall | Rachel Savernake | Amateur sleuth / Historical |
| Caroline | Goldsworthy | Recompense | DCI Ronnie Carlson | Police procedural |
| A.S. | Hatch | This Little Dark Place | n/a | Psychological thriller / Noir |
| Samantha Lee | Howe | The Stranger In Our Bed | n/a | Psychological thriller / Noir |
| Lynda | La Plante | Buried | DC Jack Warr | Police procedural |
| Sheila | Mitchell | H.R.F. Keating: A Life of Crime | n/a | Biography |
| Mike | Ripley | Mr Campion’s Séance | Albert Campion | Amateur sleuth / Historical / Humour |
| Eve | Smith | The Waiting Rooms | n/a | Medical thriller |
| C.L. | Taylor | Strangers | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| Chris | Whitaker | We Begin At The End | n/a | Thriller / Traditional |
MAY
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Vicki | Bradley | Before I Say I Do | DC Alana Loxton | Police procedural / Psychological thriller |
| Dugald | Bruce-Lockhart | The Lizard | n/a | Thriller |
| Jane | Corry | I Made a Mistake | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| Jeffery | Deaver | The Goodbye Man | Colter Shaw | Thriller |
| Ross | Greenwood | The Soul Killer | DI Barton | Police procedural |
| Antony | Johnson | The Tempus Project | Brigitte Sharp | Espionage / Thriller |
| Zoë | Sharp | Bones in the River | Grace McColl & Nick Weston | Police procedural |
JUNE
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Cathy | Ace | The Corpse with the Crystal Skull | Cait Morgan | Amateur sleuth / Traditional |
| Joy | Ellis | The Patient Man | Jackman & Evans | Police procedural |
| Alex | Knight | Hunted | n/a | Thriller |
| Caro | Land | Confessions | Natalie Bach | Legal thriller |
JULY
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Caroline | England | Betray Her | n/a | Psychological thriller |
| David | Hewson | Shooter in the Shadows | n/a | Amateur sleuth / Thriller |
| Peter | Lovesey | The Finisher | Peter Diamond | Police procedural |
AUGUST
| First | Last | Title | Series | Crime genre |
| Paul | Finch | One Eye Open | n/a | Hardboiled / Police Procedural / Thriller |
| Paul | Gitsham | A Price to Pay | DCI Warren Jones | Police procedural |
| Lynda | La Plante | Blunt Force | Jane Tennison | Police procedural |
| Mark | Timlin | Reap The Whirlwind | Nick Sharman | Private eye / Humour |
| Rhiannon | Ward | The Quickening | n/a | Historical |
Tuesday 31 March, 2020.
Hello everyone,
This is not a normal newsletter: CRIMEFEST needs your help!
Those of you who have recently visited the website will have seen that, for obvious reasons, this year’s CRIMEFEST is unlikely to take place in June.
We have contacted all the registered delegates and would like to share some of the details of a recent email we sent them. They will also have received the following message, totally unsolicited by us, from Zoë Sharp, which we now share with you:
I’m Zoë Sharp. Along with many of you I’ve attended CRIMEFEST since the beginning and almost every event since. I’m doubly saddened that this year’s festival is unlikely to take place, as I was due to be the Toastmaster/Toastmistress/Toastrix.
Hence I write you as Toastrix and CRIMEFEST supporter—I will say straight away that this is not a letter from the organisers, but peer participation.
CRIMEFEST will be left with debts as a result of the cancellation—severe enough for bankruptcy to be a real consideration. Were that to happen there’d be no more CRIMEFESTs.
Yet, the sums involved are not huge. If just half of us subscribers agree not to ask for a refund for this year’s event, it should raise enough money to cover the debt and ensure CRIMEFEST 2021.
So, I ask this—if it is within your means, please write to Adrian and Donna and make CRIMEFEST a gift of your 2020 subscription. Or please make a donation on CRIMEFEST’s Just Giving page. It will make all the difference.
Stay safe and well.
Zoë
The bulk of CRIMEFEST’s income is from the advance registrations and passes, and this is the time of year where we have our highest expenditure. Just as one example, we have paid the hotel substantial pre-payments which, subject to government intervention, they are not contractually obliged to refund. Even if, at best, they do carry the monies over to the next CRIMEFEST, there is a further payment shortly due which we are contractually obliged to pay. We have put other commitments on hold where we can, but a significant amount of expenditure has already been made in anticipation of ticket revenue.
CRIMEFEST exists from hand to mouth each year on a tiny overhead and very little cash reserves. This is so, even as we try to broaden the convention’s community outreach in both Bristol and the wider UK with the immense generosity of our headline sponsor Specsavers, and others.
We want to be able to be in readiness for a return to normality; but, sadly, there is no date for this and thus with your help, we would like to establish an emergency fund, the sole purpose of which will be to try to ensure the continuity of CRIMEFEST. The fund will be supplemented by any grants or support that CRIMEFEST is able to apply for, along with a contribution from our very meagre reserves.
We hate asking for financial support but “the friendliest” and most inclusive convention wants to be able to return for a bumper year in 2021. Without your help, there is serious doubt we can manage that.
Some of you have already very kindly donated your ticket cost, which has kickstarted this fund. Many thanks for offering to do so. Others have agreed to transfer their registration to 2021. We really appreciate your kindness and generosity.
For those who would like to donate, please make a payment via our JustGiving page. For those of you who prefer not to pay electronically, please send a cheque, made payable to CRIMEFEST Limited, to CRIMEFEST, BASEMENT FLAT, 6 Rodney Place, Bristol BS8 4HY.
On a more positive note, please keep checking for newsletters with details of activities CRIMEFEST is able to put on digitally to keep you entertained whilst our reserves last.
CRIMEFEST hopes—with the support of our headline sponsors Specsavers and others—to keep you entertained and informed by going ahead with some or all of the following (in no particular order here), subject for the most part to having the right technology:
– the CRIMEFEST awards
CRIMEFEST is currently intending to continue with its awards with an online announcement.
– providing links to audio files of past CRIMEFEST panels
– possibly streaming some of the planned panels for this year’s CRIMEFEST
There have been various emails from delegates—authors and readers—suggesting some kind of virtual convention. Streaming the whole scheduled convention is too ambitious, but some individual panels might be possible (again, subject to how easy it is to work with the required software and equipment).
– CRIMEFEST and the Crime Writers’ Association
We have strong links with the Crime Writers Association (CWA), who annually announce the nominations for their Dagger Awards at CRIMEFEST. We are discussing how we can work together on this.
– book recommendations (and book club?).
With the kind permission of Sheila Keating, H.R.F. ‘Harry’ Keating’s widow, and Mike Ripley, CRIMEFESTis aiming to put up the list of Harry and Mike’s ‘Best 100 Crime Novels of the Previous Century’ as previously compiled in 2000 for The Times.
There have also been enquiries about a CRIMEFEST Book Club, and we will look into the logistics of this.
– Community outreach
For obvious reasons, CRIMEFEST will have to postpone planned visits of authors of crime fiction for children to inner-city schools. However, we will proceed with the planned distribution of 10 sets of books that were submitted for CRIMEFEST’s awards for Best Crime Novel for Children and Best Crime Novel for Young Adults to schools in the city.
So, there is much to work on, even if people-power and technology may prevent us doing everything. But we have experienced so much goodwill from all our supporters and delegates, and we want to show our appreciation as a thank you.
So, to sign off with the first recommendation to pass the time:
LYNDA LA PLANTE LAUNCHES CSI PODCAST SERIES
And talking of investigating a crime scene… Featured Guest Lynda La Plante has always been fascinated by criminality and the people that solve crime. Her books feature authentic depictions of crime scenes and police procedures – something she achieve through meticulous research with her colleague CSI Cass Sutherland. To bring their collaboration to life, the two have launched a riveting 7-part series in which they investigate various branches of forensics, demonstrating how CSI fact is even more thrilling than CSI fiction. You can find out how to subscribe at Lynda’s website.
We will try to be in touch again soon but, for now, stay safe,
Adrian & Donna,
CRIMEFEST organisers.
Monday 27, January 2020.
Hi all,
A warm welcome to the third newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020.
In this newsletter:
– LYNDA LA PLANTE
– CRIMEFEST GALA AWARDS DINNER – BEAT THE PRICE INCREASE
– BRISTOL MERCURE GRAND CONVENTION HOTEL
– DISCOUNTED COMMUNITY PASSES FOR LIBRARIANS, STUDENTS, ETC.
– CRIME DRAMA AWARD – WIN DVDS!
– PITCH AN AGENT
– GET CARTER COMP
– WRITING MAGAZINE’S WRITING WORKSHOPS
LYNDA LA PLANTE
Drum roll please! The author has long been on our hitlist, and we’re thrilled to announce that Lynda La Plante CBE will be joining Robert Goddard and Laura Lippman as one of CRIMEFEST’s 2020 Featured Guests.
The award-winning author of more than 30 internationally bestselling novels, Lynda is an BAFTA award winning screenwriter and former RADA trained actress. Her breakthrough came in 1983 with the television series, Widows. And then there was of course, Prime Suspect. Her writing burst through our national consciousness with the instantly iconic and hugely influential character of Helen Mirren’s DCI Jane Tennison.
We are proud to welcome this internationally acclaimed author to discuss her illustrious and fascinating career in her debut appearance at CRIMEFEST. La Plante will also introduce us to Buried – the first novel in her much-anticipated, new series featuring DC Jack Warr.
Fellow crime writer Karin Slaughter says La Plante “practically invented the thriller.” Lynda has received awards from BAFTA and the British Broadcasting and Royal Television Society and has also been given royal recognition with a CBE in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to literature, drama and charity.
We can’t wait to welcome her to Bristol.
CRIMEFEST GALA AWARDS DINNER – A DINNER TO DIE FOR!
CRIMEFEST’s ever-popular Gala Dinner invites readers and writers to mingle and indulge – and not just in a devilish desert. There’ll be deviously delightful after-dinner speeches from our Featured Guest Authors.
As if that’s not enough criminal indulgence, in addition to the three-course dinner – fish, meat and vegetarian choices available when registering – the evening includes the thrilling presentation of the highly anticipated CRIMEFEST Awards.
Just a heads-up: tickets to the Gala Dinner go up from £55 to £60 on 1 February. Buy your TICKETS quick!
BRISTOL MERCURE GRAND CONVENTION HOTEL
We have been getting reports that some delegates have been experiencing difficulties in booking rooms. Please rest assured that a limited number of rooms are still available. We are liaising with the convention hotel and will be sending an update to those of you who have registered. For details of nearby budget hotels, visit our WHERE TO STAY page.
DISCOUNTED COMMUNITY PASSES
We’re a friendly bunch at CRIMEFEST. And we pride ourselves on being an inclusive convention. So, we want to make our events as accessible and affordable as possible. We know that ticket costs can be a stretch for some, and so, in association with Specsavers, we’re delighted to be able to offer the following reduced price TICKETS:
Librarian Passes
We love libraries, and want to show our gratitude. Libraries across the UK have experienced drastic cuts to funding. As well as some libraries closing completely, this also means that librarians have seen their hours cut and their salaries reduced. In appreciation of the amazing work that librarians do to champion authors, and create welcoming spaces for readers, we have made 30 weekend passes for CRIMEFEST available to say ‘thank you’. If you are currently employed as a librarian (or have been in the last year), you are eligible for a £50 weekend pass. These will be sold on a first come, first served basis, with a limit of one per customer and are not transferable. Please get in touch for more details.
Student Passes
We all know how many students face the dread of debt with tuition fees. Full-time students are eligible for a £50 weekend pass. These will be limited to one per customer and are not transferable. Please get in touch for more details.
Other discounted passes
We have 20 weekend passes available at a cost of £25. Concessions apply to those in receipt of Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, Employment Support Allowance, Universal Credit, or DLA/PIP. These will be sold on a first come, first served basis, with a limit of one per customer and are not transferable. Please get in touch for more details.
CRIME DRAMA AWARD – ADD DRAMA TO YOUR NIGHTS IN AND WIN DVDS
To celebrate the new CRIMEFEST award for Best Television Crime Drama we are asking you, our newsletter subscribers, to nominate entries. Don’t just rave about it on Facebook or to your nan. The power is in your hands.
It might just bag you a DVD, including a Reacher movie based on Lee Child’s iconic series. (Please note that the discs will only work on European Region 2 players.) Even if you think Tom Cruise is too short for Reacher, watching the films are a fun chance to spot Lee’s cameos.
Eligible are any crime dramas that were first broadcast on TV in the UK in 2019 (including UK streaming channels), based on a hardback or paperback crime-related book such as historical, humour, spy, suspense, thriller or non-fiction, such as true crime, by an author (living or deceased and published at any time). Visit the website to see some early entries.
Nominate the TV drama from the comfort of your sofa! Just go online and send the name of the author and book the show is based on and/or TV title to drama@crimefest.com.
The deadline for nominations is 29 February.
PITCH AN AGENT
One to flag again as tickets are smoking hot. Places sell out for the ever-popular Pitch an Agent, so now is the time to secure your spot.
To recap: Pitch an Agent is speed dating meets Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank if you’re in the US). It’s your chance to pitch your novel idea to three superstar agents. You make your pitch to all three agents simultaneously (but privately, so no public humiliation – or triumph…)
Pitch an Agent returns in 2020 with Pitch originator Camilla Bolton from the Darley Anderson Agency, Sandra Sawicka from the Marjacq agency, and Hannah Sheppard from DHH Literary Agency. These agencies represent giants of the genre including Lee Child and Martina Cole, and leading authors including Tana French, Ragnar Jónasson, B.A. Paris and L.C. Tyler.
If you are looking for an agent, have not previously participated, and are not commercially published, then this is for you! Who knows, it could change your life.
Pitch an Agent is only open to delegates with a Full, Friday or Saturday CRIMEFEST Pass. Visit PITCH AN AGENT for more information or buy TICKETS.
GET CARTER COMP
2020 is the 50th Anniversary of Ted Lewis’ Get Carter – the book that spawned the classic British movie starring Michael Caine. This year would also have been the author’s 80th birthday. Considered to be the Godfather of British noir, Ted Lewis will be the subject of a CRIMEFEST panel this year. On the run-up to the convention, we have a competition for you to win the famous novel, as well as a copy of Nick Triplow’s biography of Ted Lewis: Getting Carter – Ted Lewis and the Birth of Brit Noir.
To enter send an email to competition@crimefest.com with the original name of Lewis’ Get Carter novel in the subject line, and your name and postal address in the body of the message.
The deadline to do so is 31 January.
WRITING MAGAZINE’S WRITING WORKSHOPS
Writing Magazine, a monthly publication on writing, is the go-to mag for every writer, from beginner to advanced. Providing valuable information, it also offers writing masterclasses.
Coming up is ‘Start your Story with James McCreet’ (organised by Writing Magazine). Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March at the Park Plaza hotel in Leeds, this will be the ultimate writing weekend away with professional writer James McCreet. Choose to attend one or both of two day sessions, and learn new ways to improve your writing, develop your skills and feel encouraged to fulfil your writing goals!
Day 1 Saturday 7 March: The Essentials Of Novel Writing
– Where do ideas come from and how do you build on them?
– How do you turn an idea into a story?
– How do you turn a story into a plot and a structure that works?
– Narrative: the essential element of storytelling
– Hone your sentences
– Better dialogue
Or Day 2 Sunday 8 March: Crime Writing Masterclass
– How is crime writing different?
– How to structure a crime novel
– The essential elements of crime writing (suspense, jeopardy, conflict, clues etc)
– Handling pace and managing reader expectations
– Characters : creating goodies and baddies
– How to shock and awe
Plus a chance to network with fellow writers!
View all the ticket options here.
Thank you for reading. That’s it until the next newsletter!
With best wishes,
Donna Moore & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Wednesday, 20 November 2019.
Hi all,
A warm welcome to the second newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020.
Brace yourself! Bristol, the buzziest city in Britain, hosts one of the country’s biggest crime fiction conventions as CRIMEFEST returns from 4-7 June, 2020.
Our website is updated with new participating authors and attendees, so do check it out to see who you’ll be hanging out with—and the friends you’ll no doubt make (if you’re a CRIMEFEST newbie)—as hundreds of writers, aspiring authors and book lovers gather for criminally good times. We welcome all.
Please note that the fee for the Full Weekend Pass increases on 16 December. So, buy your TICKETS now!
In this newsletter:
– MARTINA COLE
– ROBERT GODDARD & LAURA LIPPMAN
– 2020 CRIMEFEST AWARDS OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
– TV CRIME DRAMA AWARD
– HOTEL DISCOUNT CODES
– PITCH AN AGENT
– INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
– RECOMMENDED CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND READS
– CAPITAL CRIME
– JACK LATHAM’S SUGAR PAPER THEORIES
MARTINA COLE
Sadly, Martina Cole has had to withdraw as a Featured Guest Author from next year’s CRIMEFEST.
This is due to a prior agreed appearance at Harrogate’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. Harrogate International Festivals organisers state that, as a “small arts charity, with an artistic programme that depends on delivering distinctive cultural experiences” their Special Guest authors are required to appear “exclusively at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and not as a special guest, guest of honour or headline interviewer at any other crime fiction festival/convention taking place in the UK within the same calendar year.”
We appreciate that CRIMEFEST’s later 2020 dates are close to those of Harrogate’s and would not purposely duplicate Featured Guest Authors. Instead we very much look forward to welcoming Martina as a Featured Guest at a future CRIMEFEST.
ROBERT GODDARD & LAURA LIPPMAN
Martina may not be attending as a Featured Guest Author next year, but making up for the loss are two other very special authors.
Robert Goddard
Robert previously appeared in 2013, but next year he returns as the Godfather of the Genre after Goddard recently claimed the Crime Writers’ Association’s most prestigious award: the Diamond Dagger, the lifetime achievement award for authors whose careers are marked by sustained excellence.
Considered to be one of Britain’s best crime novelists, he joins the pantheon of other recipients of the accolade including Simon Brett, Lee Child, Ann Cleeves, Michael Connelly, Lindsey Davis, Colin Dexter, Sue Grafton, John Harvey, P.D. James, Peter James, Ian Rankin and Andrew Taylor.
Goddard is a consummate stylist and a champion of the traditional virtues of pace, narrative propulsion and plot.
Laura Lippman
We are delighted to have one of America’s most loved crime writers – and twice winner of CRIMEFEST’s eDunnit award (for Wilde Lake and Sunburn) – attend as a Featured Guest Author. Best known for her series featuring Tess Monaghan, more recently she has turned to writing outstanding standalone crime novels.
Garnering huge respect from readers and writers alike, her award-winning novels are acclaimed as “deeply moving explorations of the human heart.”
Attendees will be able to find out a lot more about Laura in My Life As A Villainess, an upcoming collection of essays which, along with her fiction, she will be talking about when she comes to Bristol next year.
2020 CRIMEFEST AWARDS OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
The 2020 CRIMEFEST awards are now open for submissions. With one exception (the TV Crime Drama Award—more on this below), only publishers are able to submit entries. If you are an author, then please encourage your publisher to do so. To ensure that even small publishers are able to enter, there is no charge for taking part. The official deadline to do so is 29 November.
TV CRIME DRAMA AWARD
The best television crime dramas breathe new life into the books they were adapted from. This award aims to acknowledge both the author of the source material as well as those adapting it. And you, as newsletter subscribers, will help determine who the award goes to!
Eligible are any crime dramas broadcast on TV in the UK in 2019 based on a crime book (such as historical, humour, spy, suspense, thriller and true crime) by an author (living or deceased and published at any time).
Make sure your favourite show gets shortlisted! All you have to do is submit your nominations to drama@crimefest.com, detailing the author’s name – book and/or TV title.
HOTEL DISCOUNT CODES
We have been informed by our friends at Visit Bristol that June 2020 is a busy month and that hotels are likely to fill up fast. If you have registered for CRIMEFEST but have not yet reserved a hotel room, do book soon. All registered delegates who have paid should have received the discount codes for the Bristol Mercure Grand—the convention hotel—and the four-star Radisson Blu, our overspill hotel. Both four-star hotels sell out, so buy TICKETS soon to avoid disappointment. For details of nearby budget hotels, go to WHERE TO STAY.
PITCH AN AGENT
Another hot ticket! Places sell out for the ever-popular Pitch An Agent, so now is the time to book your spot.
Pitch an Agent is speed dating meets Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank if you’re in the US). It’s your chance to pitch your novel idea to three superstar agents. You make your pitch to all three agents simultaneously (but privately, so no public humiliation – or triumph…)
Pitch an Agent returns in 2020 with Pitch originator Camilla Bolton from the Darley Anderson Agency, Sandra Sawicka from the Marjacq agency, and Hannah Sheppard from DHH Literary Agency. These agencies represent giants of the genre including Lee Child and Martina Cole, and leading authors including Tana French, Ragnar Jónasson, B.A. Paris and L.C. Tyler.
If you are looking for an agent, have not previously participated, and are not commercially published, then this is for you! Pitch an Agent is only open to delegates with a Full, Friday or Saturday CRIMEFEST Pass.
Visit PITCH AN AGENT for more information or buy TICKETS.
INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
Increasingly, authors are going it alone and self-publishing their books because the financial rewards can be significantly greater than the traditional path. Also, publishing houses are now using the sales figures of self-published authors as a tool to seek out new talent.
Recognising this development, CRIMEFEST organises a panel to give four independently published authors a chance to discuss their work. If you are a self-published crime writer and are interested in participating on this panel then visit INDIE ALTERNATIVE for more information or to sign up. The deadline to apply is 31 December, 2019.
RECOMMENDED CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND READS
‘Tis the season to get jolly, and indulge in a pile of criminally good books (mince pies optional).
The elusive mystery of what present to buy is solved by the obvious gift of TICKETS to CRIMEFEST for your friends, loved ones, (or yourself!). Throw in the Dagger nominated CRIMEFEST anthology, Ten Year Stretch, and you’ve cracked the case! What’s more, you’ll be tapping into the true spirit of giving at Christmas, as all profits from the anthology benefit CRIMEFEST’s official charity, the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB).
If you’re still stuck for ideas on the perfect gift, check out some brilliant recommendations below, kindly provided by some of the UK’s top crime fiction reviewers:
Barry Forshaw
New: Heaven, My Home by Attica Locke
Attica Locke’s debut Black Water Rising created a literary sensation, and at a stroke she became one of the most celebrated African-American writer of crime fiction. Although her books are about the black experience in the US, they are universal in scope. Heaven, My Home has Texas ranger Darren Matthews investigating a murder involving the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. He is summoned to the town of Jefferson, where a boy—the son of a Brotherhood member imprisoned for the murder of a black man—has gone missing.
Classic: The Moving Target (1949) by Ross Macdonald.
One of Ross Macdonald’s most popular novels, The Moving Target is a quintessential outing and first appearance of his private eye Lew Archer, with an ambitiously large dramatis personae, all impeccably characterised. Archer is hired to look into the possible kidnapping of millionaire Ralph Sampson, and at the same time a great many people are going to a great deal of trouble to get their hands on a hundred grand in small notes. All of this is vintage Macdonald and one of the best post-Chandler private eye novels, with a palpalble sense of evil.
Barry Forshaw is the author of many books on crime fiction, including Crime Fiction: A Reader’s Guide, Historical Noir, British Crime Film and the Keating Award-winning Brit Noir. He reviews for a number of national papers and edits Crime Time.
Maxim Jakubowski
New: November Road by Lou Berney
I’ve always been a sucker for road movies and this one hit all the buttons and seemed to come out of nowhere, although I have since caught up with Berney’s previous books and they are also damn good! A woman with her child on the run from an abusive marriage, a mafia hitman who’s been fingered as a patsy for the JFK assassination. Both meet on the endless American highways and what follows is a beautiful tale of relationships, hope and suspense. And the ending will tug at your heart for ages! What more can you ask for?
Classic: Waltz Into Darkness (1947) by Cornell Woolrich (aka William Irish)
In truth, all of Woolrich’s novels and stories are genuine noir classics, including those written as William Irish. But which to choose: Phantom Lady, The Bride Wore Black, I Married a Dead Man, Rendezvous in Black, the list is endless. All are masterpieces made of the fabric of the night and obsessions and have not dated a single iota. A femme fatale on the make, a naive rich man who falls in love with her, the ever-quickening race against doom and death. Truffaut filmed Waltz Into Darkness as La Sirène du Mississippi; it’s a wonderful movie but the book has so many extra dimensions!
Maxim Jakubowski is the former owner of the Murder One bookshop; Guardian columnist; writes and edits fiction and non-fiction; and also reviews for Crime Time. His first crime novel in six years, The Louisiana Republic, was published in 2018. His major anthology Invisible Blood appeared in July 2019. He is the Executive Producer for the FX TV series based on the Derek Raymond Factory series, to feature Tom Hardy, going into production next year.
Jake Kerridge
New: Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen
A perfect Christmas read for anybody suffering from a surfeit of festive cheer, this dark little book from the writer described as Finland’s answer to Carl Hiaasen will confirm all your worst fears about the human race, but with a light touch. A motley crew of misfits compete to get hold of a valuable meteorite in a comic caper thriller ten times more memorable than Thomas Harris’s Cari Mora.
Classic: The Smiler with the Knife (1939) by Nicholas Blake
Published on the eve of the Second World War, this pseudonymous thriller by the future Poet Laureate Cecil Day Lewis is a mixture of comedy and unlikely melodrama: totally implausible, but I never tire of rereading it. Georgia Strangeways, wife of Blake’s regular detective Nigel, goes undercover to infiltrate a British Fascist organisation in a book full of set pieces that manage to be funny and thrilling simultaneously: the scene with the parade of Father Christmases is a mini-masterpiece.
Jake Kerridge writes on arts and books for a number of publications and takes an unhealthy interest in violence and murder as the Telegraph‘s crime fiction critic.
Donna Moore
New: The Whisper Man by Alex North
Creepy, touching, chilling and unnerving, The Whisper Man is wonderfully paced and with some great characters who make you really care what happens to them. At its heart, it’s about relationships, connections and different types of loss, all beautifully wrapped up in a tense, serial-killer thriller. I finished it in one sitting and looked forward to a good sleep; except, of course, I couldn’t. Wonderful stuff.
Classic: The Beast in View (1955) by Margaret Millar
Taut, menacing psychological thriller from 1955 about lonely Helen Clarvoe who receives a rather unsettling phone call from an old school friend who seems to know her every secret and her every weakness. The calls get more threatening, and then people start dying. Margaret Millar deserves to be much better known than she is and this is one of my favourites. Brrrrrrrr.
Donna Moore is a reader/reviewer, a writer, and CRIMEFEST’s programmer.
Mike Ripley
New: Metropolis by Philip Kerr and The Horseman’s Song by Ben Pastor
It has to be a joint selection; two historical thrillers with German heroes, both, in a sense, ‘prequels’ to established series. Philip Kerr’s posthumously published Metropolis takes the reader, and the cynical Bernie Gunther, back to 1920’s Berlin for what was his first, but sadly our last, case. Ben Pastor’s The Horseman’s Song features her hero, aristocratic soldier Martin von Bora, at an earlier, more innocent, stage in his military career in the 1930’s during the Spanish Civil War.
Classic: Maddon’s Rock (1947) by Hammond Innes
Although not one of his better-known titles, Maddon’s Rock has all the trademarks of a classic Hammond Innes adventure: a ship which supposedly sank in the last days of the war (but didn’t), a slice of court room drama, an innocent man imprisoned who then escapes (from Dartmoor) and goes on a perilous sea-voyage into Arctic waters for a violent showdown with the bad guys. And of course, there’s ‘buried treasure’ at stake. There are distinct similarities with Alistair MacLean’s much later Bear Island, and not just geographical, but MacLean’s book was filmed and Innes’ was not, more’s the pity.
Mike Ripley has won awards both for his ‘Angel’ comedy crime series and for his non-fiction history of British thrillers Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. He is the continuation author of mysteries featuring Margery Allingham’s Golden Age sleuth Albert Campion – Mr Campion’s Visit is out now – and writes a monthly column for Shots eZine.
Karen Robinson
New: The Lost Man by Jane Harper
Set on the Australian plains under a lethal sun, Harper’s third and best thriller starts with the baffling death of rancher Cameron. As his outcast brother Nathan tries to make sense of it, the pacing doesn’t put a foot wrong all the way to the cathartic closing pages. Memorable.
Classic: In the Cut (1995) by Susanna Moore
A groundbreaking feminist crime thriller as original and outspoken as it was when it first appeared in 1995. Dark, violent and erotic, the language pulses with frank vitality as teacher Frannie riffs on slang and her own sexuality. But is she safe with a cop who thinks she witnessed a murder?
Karen Robinson is editor of the Times/Sunday Times Crime Club, a great monthly bulletin for crime and thriller fans.
Laura Wilson
New: The Wych Elm by Tana French
French’s first standalone centres on Toby, whose charmed life is irrevocably altered when he is hospitalised after a beating. Immersive and beautifully written, it’s a compelling examination of the unreliability of memory, the life-changing effects of trauma and the relationship between privilege and what we perceive as luck.
Classic: The Christmas Egg (1958) by Mary Kelly
First published in 1958, the third book in Dagger winner Kelly’s Brett Nightingale series sees the Detective Inspector tasked with solving the case of elderly Princess Olga Karukhina, who fled her native Russia after the revolution and wound up dead in a seedy London flat. A festive treat, bizarre and surprisingly dark.
Laura Wilson is an author and the crime fiction reviewer for the Guardian. Her most recent novel is The Other Woman.
And for those of you looking for some West Country crime: with The Long Call, the first instalment in her new Two River series, Ann Cleeves moves the action down south, not far from CRIMEFEST’s Bristol. Fans of Ann’s drama adaptations will be delighted to hear that Silverprint Pictures, the production company behind Shetland and Vera have already bought the television rights.
CAPITAL CRIME
All who attended Capital Crime will know what a splendid event it was. We’re delighted that the London-based crime fiction festival will return next October, and early bird tickets are on sale through the Capital Crime website now. Don’t worry that the line-up hasn’t been announced yet, it will be great and you won’t want to miss it!
JACK LATHAM’S SUGAR PAPER THEORIES
And now for something completely different… Forty years ago, two men went missing in Iceland. An 18-year-old set off to walk home from a nightclub in the depths of Icelandic winter; some months later, a family man failed to return from a meeting with a mysterious stranger. Their disappearances became the biggest and most controversial murder investigation in Icelandic history. Now, in the first UK showing of the Sugar Paper Theories exhibition, photographer Jack Latham explores the fundamental relationship between photography and truth. Currently showing at the Royal Photographic Society in Bath, there’s also the opportunity to meet the artist at an event in Bristol.
And finally, for anyone looking to make festive season charitable donation, may we suggest CRIMEFEST’s official charity: the RNIB Talking Library. Or one of Martina Cole’s nominated charities Gingerbread, the leading national charity for single parents.
We wish you all the best for the upcoming festive season and anticipate the next newsletter to appear in early 2020.
With best wishes,
Donna Moore & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.
Tuesday, 17 September 2019.
Hi all,
Welcome to the first newsletter for CRIMEFEST 2020.
Grab those diaries! 4-7 June 2020. Buzzing Bristol is bracing itself for a crime wave.
In this newsletter:
– CRIMEFEST IS OPEN FOR 2020 REGISTRATIONS
– MARTINA COLE & ZOË SHARP CONFIRMED
– DICK FRANCIS: GHOST OF HONOUR
– CRIMEFEST CHARITIES
– 2020 CRIMEFEST AWARDS
– HOTEL DISCOUNT CODES
– PITCH AN AGENT
– INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
– CAPITAL CRIME
CRIMEFEST IS OPEN FOR 2020 REGISTRATIONS
4 days, more than 50 events, and over 150 authors…
Registration for 2020 is now officially OPEN. If you’re quick, you can get criminally good bang for your buck with our Early Bird offer of £145 – valid until the end of September. The Full Pass includes a programme book, a delegate bag and admission to all events (with exception of the Gala Dinner and Pitch an Agent). Prices then go up to £165 from October, £185 from mid December, with the final increase to £200 from April.With thanks to our headline sponsor, Specsavers, we are delighted to offer a limited number of discounted community passes for students, librarians and those on benefits, to ensure CRIMEFEST is accessible and affordable to all.
Register early to avoid disappointment! To book, go to our TICKET page.
Are you an Author?
Once publisher registrations are processed, we fully expect to be able to offer you a panel. The earlier you book, the better chance of securing a panel. Full details on the website.
MARTINA COLE & ZOË SHARP CONFIRMED
Martina Cole has confirmed as one of the 2020 Featured Guest Authors! The acknowledged ‘queen of crime’ with more than 20 novels and over a dozen No.1 bestsellers, Martina stands accused of having the most electrifying criminal record in the publishing world. Examine the evidence: she’s famously the most requested author in the prison library service (especially her book The Jump, which was about a prison escape); critics have said her writing ‘makes EastEnders look like Teletubbies’; booksellers report her novels are the most nicked ones in store – oh, and she’s sold around ten million books. Guilty as charged!
Also booked is Zoë Sharp, the 2020 Gala Dinner Toastrix! Zoë is a regular fixture at CRIMEFEST, and we’re thrilled the author of the Charlie Fox series is back as our Gala Dinner Toastrix. You can grab Early Bird tickets for the Gala Dinner now for just £55! (Visit the TICKET page.)
DICK FRANCIS: GHOST OF HONOUR
As CRIMEFEST is based on American-style conventions, it is only right that we import a feature that makes a regular appearance at our US counterparts: the Ghost of Honour. To celebrate the birth of Dick Francis 100 years ago, CRIMEFEST will be hosting a panel with three people who knew the author well: Simon Brett, a close friend; his editor for many years, Jenny Dereham; and Felix Francis, his son, latter-day co-author, and now the sole writer of the Dick Francis novels.
CRIMEFEST CHARITIES
Since the first convention, CRIMEFEST’s official charity has been the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s library. With our Dagger nominated short story collection, Ten Year Stretch, we raised well over £6,000 which allows us to sponsor the conversion of two crime novels into audiobooks. (And you can still support our campaign by buying a copy (UK/US)of the anthology or by making a donation.)
In addition, for 2020 we invited our Featured Guest, Martina Cole, to nominate a guest charity. Gingerbread is the leading national charity for single parents providing advice and support for single mums and dads. First becoming a single parent at 18, and again in later life, Martina has been a Gingerbread ambassador since 2008. You can read her impassioned piece on single parenthood on the charity’s website here and donate here.
2020 CRIMEFEST AWARDS
2020 sees the annual CRIMEFEST awards return with two new categories: the Specsavers Debut Award for Best Crime Novel by a previously unpublished author; and the TV Crime Drama Award for Best Crime Drama based on a crime novel. We will be inviting the general public to vote for their favourite crime drama. More news on that in an upcoming newsletter!
Congratulations to 2019’s winners of the CRIMEFEST awards:
Audible Sounds of Crime Award for best unabridged crime audiobook
– Robert Galbraith for Lethal White, read by Robert Glenister (Hachette Audio)
eDunnit Award for the best crime fiction ebook
– Laura Lippman for Sunburn (Faber and Faber)
H.R.F. Keating Award for best biographical/critical book related to crime fiction
– James Sallis for Difficult Lives – Hitching Rides (No Exit Press)
Last Laugh Award for best humorous crime
– Lynne Truss for A Shot in the Dark (Bloomsbury)
(We’re delighted that Lynne is the first of the adult crime fiction winners to accept our offer to appear at next year’s CRIMEFEST!)
Best Crime Novel for Children (aged 8-12)
– Lauren St. John for Kat Wolfe Investigates (Macmillan Children’s Books)
Best Crime Novel for Young Adults (aged 12-16)
– Nikesh Shukla for Run, Riot (Hodder Children’s Books)
HOTEL DISCOUNT CODES
We anticipate sending out the discount booking codes for the Bristol Mercure Grand – the CRIMEFEST convention hotel, and the Radisson Blu – the four-star overspill hotel, later this month. (Please note that the discount codes are only sent to delegates once they have registered.) Both four-star hotels usually sell out, so buy TICKETS soon to avoid disappointment.
For details of nearby budget hotels, go to WHERE TO STAY.
PITCH AN AGENT
Speed dating meets Dragon’s Den (or Shark Tank if you’re in the US!). It’s your chance to pitch your novel idea to three superstar agents.
Pitch an Agent returns in 2020 with Pitch originator Camilla Bolton from the Darley Anderson Agency, and Hannah Sheppard from DHH Literary Agency confirmed to date. These agencies represent giants of the genre including Lee Child and Martina Cole, and leading authors including Tana French, Ragnar Jónasson, B.A. Paris and L.C. Tyler. You make your pitch to all three agents simultaneously (but privately, so no public humiliation – or triumph…) If you are looking for an agent, have not previously participated, and are not commercially published, then this is for you! Pitch an Agent is only open to delegates with a Full, Friday or Saturday CRIMEFEST Pass. Visit PITCH AN AGENT for more information or buy TICKETS.
INDIE ALTERNATIVE PANEL
Increasingly authors are going it alone and self-publishing their books because the financial rewards can be significantly greater than the traditional path. Also, publishing houses are now using the sales figures of self-published authors as a tool to seek out new talent. Recognising this development, CRIMEFEST organises a panel to give four independently published authors a chance to discuss their work. If you are a self-published crime writer and are interested in participating on this panel then visit THE INDIE ALTERNATIVE page for more information or to sign up.
CAPITAL CRIME
The CRIMEFEST organisers welcome an exciting new festival to the crime fiction calendar: Capital Crime. With Goldsboro Books’ David Headley on board as co-host – together with thriller writer Adam Hamdy – it looks criminally good! With an incredible list of headliners such as Kate Atkinson, David Baldacci, Martina Cole, Robert Harris, Lynda La Plante and Ian Rankin, as well as inspired panels, this is bound to be a huge success! Day passes are only £80 and weekend passes are £150, but do hurry: Capital Crime starts in less than ten days! See the full guest line-up and buy your tickets here.
Also coming up is Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention. This year it is being held in Dallas, Texas. CRIMEFEST will be there with a registration booth, as well as the usual Quality Street selection and – all being well – the Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry. So do stop by and say hello!
That’s it until the next newsletter!
With best wishes,
Donna Moore & Adrian Muller,
CRIMEFEST co-hosts.