Summer is usually the time many of us treat ourselves to airport blockbusters or thrillers.
Some of the world’s biggest murder mystery and crime thriller writers, responsible for those books, are coming to Dublin where you can meet them.
They’re coming to a series of events under the banner of Dublin’s Murder One literary festival, the first of which was held late last year attended by authors such as Michael (Bosch) Connelly – organised by one of Ireland’s own most successful thriller writers.
This time the events – featuring megastar guests who sell their thrillers in the multi-millions and several languages – are part of Midsummer Murder One.
The person behind it, or one of them is Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin originally from St Albans but who has spent most of her adult life in Ireland where she is married to a retired Garda.
Vanessa, who is also a leading literary scout and writers’ and human rights advocate, publishes best-selling crime thrillers under the name Sam Blake featuring her heroine Garda ‘Cat’ Connolly.
Let’s just day there probably isn’t a major, or even minor, writers’ festival in Ireland of which she’s not been part, either as organiser, speaker or publicist.
Midsummer Murder One is being held in City Hall in Dublin where books will be available on the night and the authors more than happy to sign them for you.
Jeffery Deaver is the No.1 international bestselling author of more than thirty novels, three collections of short stories, and a nonfiction law book. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages.
His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.
He’s won, or been shortlisted for, a number of awards around the world. A former journalist, folksinger, and attorney, he was born outside of Chicago and has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Law Degree from Fordham University.
Deaver’s new thriller, The Never Game, the first in a series featuring investigator Colter Shaw is out on 16 May.
James Ellroy, born in Los Angeles in 1948, is the famed author the LA Confidential quartet featuring a truly villainous dirty cop from Dublin called Dudley Smith, and comprising The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere, LA Confidential and White Jazz.
His novel Blood’s a Rover completed his Underworld USA Trilogy, the first two volumes of which, American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand were both Sunday Times bestsellers.
His most recent novel, Perfidia, is the first instalment in Ellroy’s second L.A.Quartet and is followed by This Storm – his first novel in five years and only his fifth in the last twenty years.
It is also populated with characters from Ellroy’s previous LA Quartet – including the scary Dudley Smith.
Ellroy will be in conversation with Eoin McNamee in Dublin’s City Hall, on Thursday 30 May.
Karin Slaughter, of Atlanta, Georgia, is a Number One bestselling author and worldwide household name who has sold over 35 million copies of her books.
Her new crime thriller, The Last Widow, features popular characters Will Trent and Sara Linton whom she last wrote about three years ago.
She is published in 37 languages and her eighteen novels include the Grant County and Will Trent series of books, as well as Cop Town, The Good Daughter, Pieces of Her, all of which are being adapted for cinema or TV.
She will be in conversation with RTE’s Sinead Crowley in City Hall on Thursday 13 June at 7.30pm. Tickets €15, €12.
