Jo Nesbo: heading out on a UK tour
If you missed the annual summer pilgrimage to Harrogate for the Theakstons Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, fear not. Autumn has a bumper crop of crime author events from bookshop appearances to major festivals.
Appropriately for a former rock star (in Norway, that is), Jo Nesbo is on a UK and Ireland tour from 12-16 September including appearances in London, Manchester and Glasgow. His website has all the dates and ticket details. Watch for our review of new novel Police, and an interview, soon here on Crime Fiction Lover.
Barbara Nadel‘s books featuring Hakim and Arnold have been inspired by the East End and she’ll be appearing alongside Anya Lipska at the Wanstead Fringe on 12 September.
The Hampstead & Highgate Literary Festival on 15-17 September has an impressive contingent of crime authors including a 16 September panel featuring Sabine Durrant, Christopher Fowler and Sophie Hannah. The latter can probably expect some excitable Poirot fans asking a few questions about her forthcoming novel featuring the Belgian detective and his little grey cells, and we have an interview with her on the way too. The final day, Tuesday, features Mark Billingham and Robert Ryan as well as an intriguing afternoon event on the art of the short story in crime fiction featuring Stella Duffy, winner of this year’s CWA Short Story Dagger, and John Harvey.
Bloody Scotland, billed as the country’s first international crime writing festival, is in Stirling from 13-15 September. As well as the top-notch Tartan Noir brigade, including Stuart MacBride, Val McDermid, Malcolm Mackay and Denise Mina, this event features Arne Dahl, Stuart Neville and Jo Nesbo.
Southern Italian writer and former anti-mafia judge Gianrico Carofiglio will be discussing his new, standalone novel The Silence of the Wave at Daunt Books, Fulham Road in London on 19 September. Head to the Bitter Lemon Press publisher’s website for full details of this free event.
Guildford Book Festival has a Night of Crime on 20 October featuring Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, MG Gardiner and Emily Barr. Peter James will be appearing on 25 October.
CSI Portsmouth on 2 November is billed as the event where crime fiction meets crime fact as authors including MR Hall, SJ Bolton and Kerry Wilkinson appear alongside and compare notes with forensics experts.
The Henley Literary Festival (30th Sept – 6th October) is also a favourite of mine. It’s small and intimate, so you get a good chance to chat with your favourite authors. I first saw Nicci French and Simon Kernick there, so they always have a good selection of crime fiction writers too. This year they’ll be featuring Erin Kelly, Sabine Durrant & Thomas Mogford for an evening of crime and wine, as well as a panel on Young Adult Crime Fiction. More info here: http://henleyliteraryfestival.co.uk/