April 2018: Shrewsbury

Venue: The Lion Hotel
Organiser: Priscilla Masters

Report by Dea Parkin

Take 70 delegates comprising CWA members and their partners, a central hotel, a lovely county town and excellent speakers organised by Cilla Masters – and you have the perfect plot for a wonderful CWA conference.

The event got off to a great start with enticing goody bags followed by a Prosecco and canapés reception with a welcome by CWA Chair Martin Edwards. A convivial occasion, it provided plenty of opportunity to renew old friendships and meet new people too – it’s always good to see members at a CWA conference for the first time. After that, we enjoyed an absolute treat with a visit to Tanners Wine, the shippers and merchants located just across the road. Their enterprise dates back to medieval times – and so do parts of their building. Conference delegates were amazed by the old and rambling cellars and the stories we were told – from underground areas which had been flooded once too often, so the only barrels kept down there are now for show, to an upper room where a ghostly woman had once been spied by a member of staff not prone to flights of fancy (but who might have been trying to get out of stocktaking which he’s refused to do ever since). Our tour guide Alix had us hanging on her every word in a spooky, dimly lit and still environment replete with cobwebs, old railway sleeper floors and extraordinary instruments associated with wine-keeping. If we don’t see several crime novels published in the next couple of years featuring some aspects of this fascinating world, I’ll be surprised.

Saturday morning and the conference proper opened with a star performer: Dr Lisetta Lovett, an expert consultant psychiatrist. She took us through various mental conditions and in two interactive sessions exposed common misconceptions about schizophrenia (no multiple personalities, apparently) and gave us a practical insight into its most striking symptoms: voices in the head. For an audience of writers, she drew our attention to several books she described as neuro novels and examined how authentic they were in their portrayal of mental illness, as well as urging us to research thoroughly (the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ website is a good starting point) and not perpetuate stigmatising tropes, such as those with mental health disorders are more likely to be violent to others: it’s untrue.

Lisetta was followed by our very own Jean Briggs who gave us an insight into locally born Edith Pargeter, aka Ellis Peters, who set her world-famous Cadfael books in and around Shrewsbury. She highlighted the themes the author explored, and her approach to melding history with fiction. Jean mentioned A Corpse Too Many, and how Cadfael insists on investigating when the bodies of rebels hanged over Shrewsbury Castle walls are found to exceed the number executed by one; later on a beautifully sunny afternoon those of us who went on the walking tour of the town were shown the very place the executions took place. We were also introduced to Shrewsbury Library. This is a striking building converted into a public library in the 1880s from an ancient school established in the 1560s and attended by notables Sir Philip Sidney, poet and courtier to Elizabeth I, Judge Jeffreys and Charles Dickens – although it’s Charles Darwin’s statue which sits outside. The library is an intriguing mix of old and new that underwent a significant and inspiring restoration in the 1970s and 1980s. In the stacks were shelf upon shelf of novels by Edith Pargeter/Ellis Peters. Meanwhile a pamphlet published by Martin Edwards called Borderlands, which was included in our goody bags provided more context for this prolific and renowned writer.

Back to our morning session, and Professor David Canter, the ‘father of forensic psychology in Britain’, explained the background to psychological profiling and his role as its UK innovator, in the case of the railway rapist, John Duffy. He went on with his colleague Rupert Heritage to evolve a more systematic approach, especially after the Rachel Nickell murder and wrongful arrest of Colin Stagg discredited another psychologist who was at the heart of the case. A number of David’s books provide more detail to the cases and the new methods, with Criminal Shadows, Mapping Murder and Investigative Psychology major titles.

After we’d returned from the tour of gorgeous Shrewsbury with its Bear Steps, narrow alleys and timbered buildings, sandstone castle and grisly tales of strange goings-on, it was time for the AGM. The CWA is in excellent health; membership at a record high, initiatives going well, a new sponsor in ALCS and finances promising. Officers were voted in, with Martin Edwards entering his second full year as Chair, and Ricki Thomas, Stephen Hayes and Jean Briggs joining the existing committee. In the evening, we had a splendid gala dinner in the Lion’s beautiful Ball Room. Sir Robin Nicholson, scientific adviser to Margaret Thatcher, entertained us with stories of that time and we enjoyed a very good meal. Many stayed up afterwards to enjoy bar facilities, comfy sofas and entertaining company.

Sunday morning began with a talk by former DCI Jackie Malton, the inspiration for the character of DCI Jane Tennison in Lynda La Plante’s Prime Suspect. She gave us personal insight into her career as well as the story of how she became Lynda La Plante’s model for Tennison – and the effect that had on her career, which had already taken a severe knock when she reported a fellow officer for being corrupt who was later convicted – this after she’d joined the Met’s Flying Squad in 1981, the only woman on a team of 40 men where they made it very plain that women weren’t wanted. These days, Jackie is proud of her role in Prime Suspect and was thrilled with the BAFTAs the TV series picked up. She is proud, too, of her own writing successes, and finds most fulfilling of all her work in prisons for the last 12 years and her role in rehabilitating criminals.

Sapere Books, one of the CWA’s newest corporate members and a new digital and print-on-demand publisher, followed with a short presentation where they explained their publishing model and outlined what kind of books they were looking for and what they were doing for their authors – CWA members included in their number.

At the break, Kate Ellis won Robert Richardson’s conference quiz, which was as amusing as ever, and thanks (and flowers) were offered to Cilla Masters, who delivered such a special conference. As finale, we heard from Paul Beeton, Senior Forensic Investigator who has worked for the region’s police for 35 years. He gave us lots of very useful, up-to-the-minute information including the latest forensic regulations, and he explored Agatha Christie’s 1926 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd from a modern perspective and told us in illuminating detail how his team would have come up with the same solution as Poirot’s little grey cells but using very different methods.

And it wasn’t over for everyone even then. Around 15 of our crime writers participated in an event at Waterstones organised by the redoubtable Cilla where readers came along, had a good chat – and bought signed books. A lovely end to a friendly, enjoyable and entertaining conference weekend.

Report and comments collated by Leigh Russell

2018 was a really enjoyable conference. We listened to a retired consultant psychiatrist talking about the neuro novel, an expert in offender profiling, the detective on whom Lynda La Plante’s Jane Tennison was based, an active senior Scene of Crime Officer, a CWA member talking knowledgeably about Cadfael, and a new publisher, all of whom gave us insights and inspired us with ideas for future books.

We visited a historic wine merchants, were guided around Shrewsbury by a town crier, and shown around the library, and were regaled with entertaining after dinner anecdotes from Margaret Thatcher’s chief scientific adviser. In all of that we even managed to fit in some lively discussion at the AGM. Needless to say, we were also given the opportunity to meet readers and sign our books in the local Waterstones.

It was a wonderful weekend, superbly organised by Priscilla Masters. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here are just a few comments from a handful of the seventy delegates who attended this year, members of the CWA from 1968 to 2018.

2018 was a really enjoyable conference. We listened to a retired consultant psychiatrist talking about the neuro novel, an expert in offender profiling, the detective on whom Lynda La Plante’s Jane Tennison was based, an active senior Scene of Crime Officer, a CWA member talking knowledgeably about Cadfael, and a new publisher, all of whom gave us insights and inspired us with ideas for future books.

We visited a historic wine merchants, were guided around Shrewsbury by a town crier, and shown around the library, and were regaled with entertaining after dinner anecdotes from Margaret Thatcher’s chief scientific adviser. In all of that we even managed to fit in some lively discussion at the AGM. Needless to say, we were also given the opportunity to meet readers and sign our books in the local Waterstones.

It was a wonderful weekend, superbly organised by Priscilla Masters. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here are just a few comments from a handful of the seventy delegates who attended this year, members of the CWA from 1968 to 2018. Stephen Jakobi, member since 2017

This is the first conference I remember where we heard from a psychiatrist and a psychologist which I found very informative, as well as fun. This is the first conference I remember where we heard from a psychiatrist and a psychologist which I found very informative, as well as fun.

This is the first conference I remember where we heard from a psychiatrist and a psychologist which I found very informative, as well as fun. Geoffrey Osborne, member since 1968

It’s been great meeting other real writers. I’d heard that crime writers are a clubby lot but I had no idea what that meant until I came to the conference. Stephen Norman, member since 2018

A wonderful weekend. Informative, educational, and above all fun. Hats off to Cilla for organising a great gathering. Antony Johnston, member since 2017

It’s a real pleasure to come here to meet friends old and new and listen to some helpful and interesting talks. Kate Ellis, member since 1998

Really worth attending and very productive. I’m glad I came. This is the first conference I’ve attended in full and I’m coming to every one from now on. Charlie Flowers, member since 2015

An absolutely splendid conference and really interesting speakers. It’s amazing that after thirty years we are still listening to interesting speakers and never going over the same ground. Janet Laurence, member since 1980

I’m really enjoying it. Everyone’s making me feel very welcome. Linda Mather, member since 2017

I’m glad I’m staying in the hotel with everyone else, because it’s easy to bump into people in corridors and makes it even easier to meet people. It’s a very sociable event. People are really friendly and it doesn’t matter if you don’t know anyone before you come. Helen Barrell, member since 2016

After thirty years of attending the conference, expectations were high. I wasn’t disappointed – a full programme of excellent speakers, and meeting like-minded friends – well done, Cilla, Martin, and everyone else concerned. Marjorie Eccles, member since 1988

For a writer of historical crime fiction I got loads of inspiration from the conference and found the sessions really stimulating. Karen Charlton member, since 2013

The best place to be. Everett Aaker, member since 2013

Thanks again to Priscilla Masters for organising a truly memorable weekend, and I’m sure we’re all looking forward to next year’s conference. See you there!

(Please note: The dates given are approximate as many people couldn’t remember exactly when they joined the CWA. Apologies for any slight inaccuracy. Blame it on the Prosecco.)