Crime Fiction, Author Talks and Bookshop Finds in Warwick and Cambridge

Author events can change what a reader wants to take home. That was the lesson from two days of crime fiction in Warwick and Cambridge, where lively conversations, welcoming bookshops and a slice of free cake made browsing feel like part of the occasion.

Warwick Books was the first stop. The shop may be compact, but its shelves make room for a surprising range of titles. Its crime fiction section, in particular, gathers a generous spread of authors into a small space. Thoughtful use of the floor area makes the shop worth exploring, and its programme of author events gives readers another reason to visit.

The shop has hosted talks with Elly Griffiths, Lindsey Davis and Sarah Ward. I also remember missing an event featuring M W Craven and Mark Billingham. This time, the guest was A J West, whose books include the award winning The Spirit Engineer and The Betrayal Of Thomas True, as well as his new novel, The Deadly Inheritance Of Everest Macdonald. His interviewer was his friend Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes, author of Thornby Manor.

West made for a compelling speaker. The conversation ranged across inspiration, research and the daily realities of writing, with detours into ghost-writing (which he doesn’t do), eye-infections and Rylan. That variety gave the evening its energy, while the discussion of the work behind a novel offered a useful view of a writer’s life, including its harder stretches. I’m keen to read The Deadly Inheritance Of Everest Macdonald, though first I need to find out what happens in The Betrayal Of Thomas True. Hearing an author describe the thought and effort behind a book can make the prospect of reading it more inviting. Thanks to Mog and the Warwick Books team for putting the event together.

A Cambridge bookshop worth exploring

On Saturday, I travelled to Cambridge for Crime And Nourishment, organised by Richard Reynolds and the team from Bodies In The Bookshop. I hadn’t visited the shop before, so I made it my first stop after getting off the Park and Ride bus. The ground floor is impressive, but the staircase can be easy to miss; upstairs, the shelves open onto a particularly rewarding collection.

There were more Green Penguins than I’ve seen in one place, plenty of second hand classic crime at what struck me as reasonable prices, and a strong selection of new titles. Historical crime fiction and translated crime fiction were well represented too. It’s the kind of shop where a quick look around can turn into a longer browse. I kept my purchase to a Paul Doherty title, which I’d previously only had as an electronic review copy, knowing the afternoon’s event would likely send me home with more books.

Ten authors, five minutes each

Crime And Nourishment had an unusual format: ten authors speaking over two hours, with the second hour devoted largely to signings and free cake. The line-up was Heidi Amsinck, E C Bateman, Mark Ellis, Peter Grainger, Kate London, Hugh Morrison, Mandy Morton, Nicki Thornton, Nicola Upson and A J West, making a second appearance after Warwick. Each writer had five minutes to introduce their books, with a bell to signal when it was time to stop.

I knew much more about Nicola Upson and A J West than I did about most of the other speakers. I’d set myself a three-book limit, but the authors’ enthusiasm and the stories they shared about their work made choosing less straightforward. One speaker changed my mind about who would make the cut. That’s a pleasing result for an event built around brief introductions: a writer’s account of a book can prompt curiosity about a title that wasn’t on a reader’s list beforehand.

My preference was for speakers to use their five minutes to talk about a book’s origins, themes and characters rather than read an extract. A reading can give a sense of the prose, but a little context about the ideas and decisions behind a story can be a more immediate invitation to pick it up. There was time afterwards to chat with a couple of the authors and with Richard, and the cake made the signing hour feel relaxed.

The trip to Cambridge involved a long drive, with the M6 and A14 offering little excitement along the way. Still, the chance to hear from writers I hadn’t met before made the journey worthwhile. Both events showed how independent bookshops can bring readers and authors together while giving books a lively setting beyond the shelf.

Thanks to Warwick Books and Bodies In The Bookshop for creating those opportunities. If you’re near either shop, step inside and see what catches your eye. A bookshop visit can start with one planned title and end with a new author to follow—and local booksellers and writers benefit when readers choose to buy from them.