Monday, March 01, 2010

A Country Primed for Crime

To demonstrate their tremendous enthusiasm for crime, mystery, and thriller fiction, the British are planning their first National Crime Fiction Week, to run from June 14 to 20, 2010. On a new Web site, put together by the UK’s Crime Writers’ Association, CWA chair Margaret Murphy explains that
CWA members will take part in readings, discussions, readers’ group events and workshops all over the country. Your favourite authors are already planning Murders in Libraries, Bodies in Bookshops and Strawberries and Crime at Village Fetes. So if you have an idea for an event, drop us a line and we’ll do our utmost to put you in touch with a writer who fits the bill.

A key part of National Crime Fiction Week will be the announcement of the winner of the Young Crime Writers’ Competition, organised by the CWA in partnership with library authorities nationwide. Entries will be judged by members of the CWA.

The crime genre is very broad: spine-tingling suspense, historical novels, cosy crime and edge-of-the-seat thrillers all share shelf space in bookshops and libraries. Add into the mix non-fiction--increasingly popular with readers fascinated by forensic aspects of crime--and events organisers can create a programme of events that will tempt the most fastidious palate.
The Crime Fiction Week Web site is here.

An early schedule of associated events can be found here. If you’re planning some sort of Crime Fiction Week event of your own, add it to the Web site listings by filling out this form.

We’ll keep you apprised as this project shapes up.

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