• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

Murder, mystery and ‘Killer Cocktails’ served up for Tees Valley book festival

ByEmily

May 20, 2017

Murder, mystery and some ‘Killer Cocktails’ will be on offer as the annual Crossing the Tees book Festival returns next month (9-24 June).

Crossing the Tees is a joint festival organised by the library services for Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Redcar & Cleveland.

It boasts a packed programme of events across the Tees Valley, including author visits, historical talks and children’s activities offering something for everyone.

One of the highlights in Darlington will be a special author event ‘The Killer Women Murder Mystery’ which brings together four leading crime writers – Laura Wilson, Kate Rhodes, Helen Smith and Melanie McGrath – at Crown Street Library on Saturday 10 June, 7-9.30pm.

The event offers budding sleuths the chance to play detective as over a tense hour, they will be briefed on the murder of Eddie Glass, a nightclub owner, gangster and all round villain. Participants will hear from four witnesses and the senior investigating officer on the case and, working in teams, it will be their job to work out who killed Eddie and, crucially, why?

The mystery has been written by the Killer Women group of crime writers, with input from Graham Bartlett, former Chief Superintendent of Sussex Police and advisor to author Peter James. Tickets cost £5 and include a Killer Cocktail.

See below for details of other Crossing the Tees events in Darlington.

Wednesday, 14 June, 2-3pm.

Author event – Gulwali Passarlay – at Crown Street Library.

Meet the author of the memoir The Lightless Sky, a powerful account of a year-long journey to safety as a child refugee fleeing from Afghanistan to the west. Tickets £2.

Wednesday, 21 June, 2-4pm.

Creative writing session with Andy Willoughby – at Crown Street Library.

Andy is a poet and playwright from Middlesbrough who co-runs the Electric Kool-Aid Cabaret of the Spoken Word and Ek Zuban Press. He is also senior lecturer in creative writing at Teesside University. He will lead a workshop investigating ways in which we can open up the past with creative writing with activities that draw on both personal memory and public history. Tickets £3.

Saturday, 24 June, 10.30-11.30am.

Children’s event – Just Soph – at Crown Street Library.

Have you ever wondered how the camel got his hump? Or how the elephant got his trunk?

With original live music, puppetry and a host of curious characters, join storyteller Soph for a special journey in this new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Just So Stories, especially adapted for children aged 3-7 years and their best beloveds. All ages welcome. Tickets £2.

Saturday, 24 June, 7-8.30pm.

Author event – Massacre in the German forests AD9. Rome’s greatest defeat? – at Crown Street Library.

Author Ben Kane will recount the fascinating history behind his trilogy of novels set around the time when three Roman legions were wiped out in a masterful ambush by German tribesmen. Tickets £5.

During the festival, there will also be a series of special visits to local schools by authors including Chris Priestley, author of the marvellously macabre Tales of Terror series, who will visit Longfield Academy of Sport; Karen McCombie, whose books include the series Ally’s World, Stella Etc and Indie Kidd visiting Northwood Primary School; Juno Dawson, Queen of Teen 2014 whose novels include Spot the Difference who will visit The Education Village Academy Trust; and Holly Webb, a former editor who has written more than 100 books, most recently a sequel to The Secret Garden at Whinfield School. School visits are free and the youngsters will have the chance to buy books and have them signed by the author on the day.

The full programme for The Crossing the Tees book festival can be obtained from Darlington Libraries, the Dolphin Centre and the Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Museum or online at www.crossingthetees.org

All tickets must be booked through the Arc in Stockton. To book online log onto www.crossingthetees.org; by phone call the Box Office at the Arc on 01642 525199 or to book in person please visit the Arc Stockton Arts Centre’s box office at 60 Dovecot Street, Stockton

For more information about Darlington Libraries and its event programme log onto the website at: www2.darlington.gov.uk or call 01325 462034.

By Emily