The Gladstone Library and Alibi in the Archives.

I just had a fabulous weekend at the Gladstone Library in Hawarden, North Wales, for what now appears to be the inaugural Alibi In the Archives, weekend - but more of that later.

The Gladstone Library outside

First, the library - a library with rooms which has been on my radar for some while - highly recommended by other writers if you have a book to begin, finish or sort out in the saggy middle, I had a booking for a few days there in late 2014 but had to cancel when life got in the way, so this was my first visit and the chance to check it out. I wasn't actually staying in the guest rooms - they'd filled up before I organised my ticket - so I stayed in a nearby hotel with a day ticket for all the events and food. I have to say the food, surroundings, and general ambiance did not disappoint, and I now have to put a return visit on the bucket list. Whether that will be for a book or the day job  - we'll have to see.

The purpose of the weekend was to mark the  Library giving a home to the archives of the Crime Writers' Association and The Detection Club - a select, invitation only dining club that was begun between the wars and boasted some of the huge names in Golden Age crime fiction. It's still going strong and some of the crime names who are now members are not exactly dusty, either!

The Gladstone Library inside.

The programme focused on Golden Age crime, partly inspired, I think, by the crime classics currently being re-released by the British Library. I've blogged about them before. If you like classic crime and want to explore some authors who were very successful but have now slipped into obscurity, check them out.

The weekend started with some gentle after dinner sleuthing, when participants had the chance to pit their wits against Ann Cleeves, in a particularly devious crime scenario, a murder in a garden next to a large conservatory, enacted by some brave members of the audience and complete with a forensic report. I say it was devious, because I had no idea whodunit. I know who would have if I'd been writing it, but I didn't have a clue on the night. It was a lot of fun and a really good start to the weekend.

Ann was also one of the guest speakers the next day, giving some insights into having both her Vera and Sheltand novels turned in to TV series and talking about the circumstances that led her to chose the all important settings and how the characters developed.

It was a packed weekend and I want to do it justice, so I'm going to stop there. Part 2 next week!

Link to the British Library Shop and the crime classics catalogue. HERE