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The Female Detective – 27 Jan
27th January 2020 @ 19:30 - 20:30 GMT
£8
As we approach St Brigid’s Day we are delighted to welcome an all-female panel to an event considering the continuing popularity of Irish crime writing, so-called “Emerald Noir”. Our guests will read from their work, reflect on their portrayal of female detectives and as all three are UK-based we’ll consider their London and Dublin settings. In Maeve Kerrigan (Casey), Bridie Devine (Kidd) and Frankie Sheehan (Kiernan) we have three brilliantly drawn female detectives overcoming obstacles and prejudice.
How do we account for the huge growth in popularity of Irish crime writing, is it connected to peace in Northern Ireland, the economic collapse from 2008? Is generic labelling useful or does it signal a lack of appreciation of the quality of writing? Join our panel for an evening of readings and discussion on their work, influences and perspectives on the crime fiction genre.
‘Thrilling, mysterious, twisted’ Graham Norton on Jess Kidd’s Things in Jars
‘Olivia Kiernan writes with a rare mastery . . . A total triumph’ Rachel Edwards, on Olivia Kiernan’s The Killer in Me
Chair: Katherine Armstrong
Katherine Armstrong has worked in publishing for over fifteen years and is currently Editorial Director for Fiction at Bonnier Books UK. She has previously worked at Faber & Faber and Little, Brown. Her speciality is crime and thriller fiction. She was one of the founding organisers of First Monday Crime Nights in London and is programme consultant for NOIReland, a new international crime fiction festival in Belfast. Follow Katherine on twitter: @katherinecrime
Speaker: Jane Casey
Crime is a family affair for Jane Casey. Married to a criminal barrister, she has a unique insight into the brutal underbelly of urban life, from the smell of a police cell to the darkest motives of a serial killer. This gritty realism has made her books international bestsellers and critical successes; while Detective Maeve Kerrigan has quickly become one of the most popular characters in crime fiction. Winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award for THE STRANGER YOU KNOW, Jane also won The Irish Independent Crime Fiction Book of the Year 2019 for CRUEL ACTS. Her new Maeve Kerrigan novel THE CUTTING PLACE is publishing in April. Jane is also a member of Killer Women. Follow Jane on twitter: @JaneCaseyAuthor
Speaker: Jess Kidd
Jess Kidd is the author of three novels and is the winner of the 2016 Costa Short Story Award. Jess’ debut novel, Himself, was published by Canongate in October 2016. The Hoarder, her second novel, hit the shelves in February 2018. Jess’s third book Things in Jars came out 4 April 2019 and features the intrepid detective Bridie Devine. She is also currently developing her own original TV projects with leading UK and international TV producers, her children’s book Everyday Magic will be published in June 2020. Follow Jess on twitter: @JessKiddHerself
Speaker: Olivia Kiernan
Olivia Kiernan is an Irish writer. In a previous life, she completed a diploma in anatomy and physiology then a BSc in Chiropractic before she succumbed to the creative itch and embarked on an MA in Creative writing. In 2015, she began writing Too Close to Breathe, a crime thriller that was published in 2018 and features Dublin detective, Frankie Sheehan. The second in the series, The Killer in Me was published April 2019. Follow Olivia on twitter: @LivKiernan.