Ann Kinchington, (A.J.R. Kinchington) one of the founding members of the TGJ travelled to the far reaches of Cromerty in Scotland to attend the annual Crime Writers weekend in May 2024. To mix it with some top authors and enthusiastic amateurs in a beautiful setting was a wonderful an illuminating experience. Her full report is below.

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3th – 5th May 2024

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1st May Wednesday

My flight from Gatwick to Inverness took an uneventful hour and forty -five minutes. The Black Isle towards Cromarty a further forty minutes by car but the travel was rewarded with skies of blue, a high up sun, green trees lining the road interspersed with golden yellow fields of rape flowers.

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2nd May Thursday

A two- minute walk from my accommodation to the bakers for fresh rolls and a cheery greeting from the locals was a good start to the day. An hour’s walk around the links and shore line took me to a small coffee shop. Sitting outside with fresh coffee I had a view of the Cromarty Forth’s vast body of blue water. White fluffy clouds were mirrored by small white waves lapping the sandy beach. A few seagulls were swirling above enjoying the slight wind that made the thermals do all the work. Quietness sat in peaceful harmony with the weather to offer time to think of the forthcoming weekend of Crime & Thrillers.

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3rd May Friday

Today those that were attending the events were free to explore Cromarty.

The seven hundred year old East Church was open and had borne witness to changing religious practice, ups and downs in the fortunes of the townspeople, and new building and design styles.(www.srct.org.uk)

From six p.m. there were welcome drinks at the Old Brewery(in the town) followed by dinner.

8 p.m. GOLD Play. A dark comedy thriller about hidden gold and guilty secrets, with banging 1980s pop hits.

  The play was a spoof on the Brink’s-Mat robbery. There were a husband and wife a seemingly ordinary couple caught up in the robbery. He was the driver of the getaway car where he believed it was just a ‘routine job’ but after his reward of three gold bars his problem was how to get rid of them. It was acted out like a farce which was funny because of the naivety of the couple.

4th May Saturday

9.30- 11a.m.  Mark Bridgeman – Trial by Jury

   Mark presented the trial case of murder on the Isle of Lewis in 1968. (actual case)

He went through all the differing witness statements and the defence / prosecution lawyer’s findings.

The audience were asked to take notes and a show of hands on the verdict.  It was interesting as the majority voted for not proven. This was the actual finding of the case.

I enjoyed the talk and having been a juror at the Old Bailey I was reminded that with the judges direction and twelve people seal one person’s fate.

‘Blood Across the Water’   Mark signed copies.

11.30 -12.30  Donna Freed in conversation with Nicola White.

Nicola a published author ‘In the Rosary Garden’ introduced Donna and invited her to tell the inspiration for her book ‘Duplicity’.

Donna was adopted and when her mother died in 2009  she tracked her down. She was to learn both her parents were con artists and her mother had faked her own death for the insurance.

Donna was both funny and frank about her feelings towards her mother and the secrets within the family.

I liked the easy flow of the conversation between Nicola and Donna and how the audience were entertained whilst learning about the story of the book.

Donna signed copies

Lunch break.

2.15 – 3.15

JD Kirk introducing FE Birch

JD Kirk is the pen name of Barry Hutchison, who has written books for children and now writes crime novels as JD Kirk. ‘A Dead Man Walking’

He talked about how he writes also his process. He explained that he has aphantasia (the inability to form mental images of objects that are not present). He does not visualize his characters or settings.

 I found that totally alien to me as I visualize the images before I write about them.

FE Birch ‘Maman’ She’s Not There’

She is an ex-cop and spoke briefly about her career. She was both funny and engaging. She writes short stories and has won numerous competitions in Scotland.

3.45 – 5p.m.

Anthony Horowitz in conversation with Ian Rankin.

Ian and Anthony knowing each other made for a free- flowing talk with plenty of funny remarks.

Anthony spoke of ‘having to write all the time’ and indeed Midsummer Murders/Foyles War have many TV audiences enthralled.

He also spoke of his unpleasant experiences of boarding school and was an insight into his humanness. 

‘Close to Death’ ‘The Twist of a Knife’ were signed by him.

Ian Rankin ‘A Heart Full of Headstones’ were signed. He spoke of his new TV series featuring his

Popular character REBUS that was soon to be shown.   

9p.m.-late

Crime & Thrillers Pub Quiz at Fishertown Inn

5th May Sunday

10 -11a.m.   these talks were held in the Cromarty Courthouse-the original Court and Cells which is now preserved as a museum.

Marsali Taylor introducing Sarah Smith.

Marsali talked about her life on sail boats and sets her stories on Shetland where she lives.

She was both energetic and animated. Her book ‘Death at a Shetland Festival’ was well received by the audience. She signed copies.

Sarah Smith ‘Hear no Evil’

This is Sarah’s debut novel a historical crime story set in Scotland in 1817.

She writes short stories, poetry and publishes in journals. She shared her love of writing and history.

11.30 -12.30

David Alston is a historian and lives in Cromarty.

The Fractured Life of Pasha Liffey

David talked about Pasha Liffey - the only Black African- to be executed in Scotland in 1905.

David talked through the details of Pasha’s life and demise and brought his story to life.

Further details can be found on the Crime& Thrillers Weekend through the Cromarty Arts Trust.

12.45 – 1.15

GC Fisher – My Lockdown Novel

Gina took the audience through the difficult time of getting work published and how to self -publish.

Her novel was written during lockdown and it is a murder mystery tale of an Irish family.

‘Canterbury Woods’ signed copies.

1.30 – 2.30   Lunch and goodbyes.

 A thoroughly enjoyable weekend that many of the audience left feeling inspired to write.

The Cromarty Arts Trust staff made sure everything went to plan.

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