Famous authors, butter pies and snob-free chat in bar: Why Preston's first Crime Fiction Festival was a hit

It seemed deeply appropriate that the very first Preston Crime Fiction festival was held at the city’s Masonic Hall, with its art deco frontage hidden away on Saul Street, a mysterious location perfect for fictional ghastly deeds - if not practical for crime given its proximity to the Crown and Magistrates’ Courts on Ringway.

Best-selling authors, many at the very top of their game with TV series and adaptations to their names, were to be found wandering through the bar and the pop-up bookshop (staged by Chorley’s own independent Ebb and Flo) in the deceptively spacious depths of the building, which was converted from an old Methodist Chapel and Sunday School into a Masonic Hall in 1944. It now boasts a ballroom and multiple function rooms, with the old school room converted into a kitchen.

Even the ladies bathroom holds charm, with a full powder room of mirrors perfect for touch-ups, selfies and gossip. Ironic, given the uber-male perception of Freemasonry, which is very much open to women in the modern age.

The Preston Crime Fiction Festival was the brainchild and labour of love of Christie J. Newport, award-winning local author of The Preston Murders Series, and co-founded alongside Samantha Brownley of UK Crime Book Club, and Amy Newport, multi-prize-winning artist and the artist behind the festival’s official logo. The trio gained support with a £1,500 grant from Preston Council to help set up the non profit-making event. Held in partnership with the National Year of reading, the event saw more than 40 top authors talk in interviews, panels, take part in workshops and sign books for readers over three days.

The venue, with its faded grandeur and reasonably-priced bar, felt suitably northern assisted by the delicious smells of food wafting from the kitchen (cooked up by The Burnt Fig catering service to rave reviews). Sunday Times best-selling author Lesley Kara (one of her novels The Rumour is now a major TV series on Channel 5) later announced she was a convert after tasting her first butter pie, saying: “Because I was in Preston I just had to sample a butter pie. I was too busy scoffing to take a picture but trust me it was perfect.” The Essex-born writer also predicted the festival will “grow and grow”.

“What a weekend it was. Huge congratulations to Christie and her team of dedicated helpers for making this happen,” says Lesley.

“It truly has been a labour of love and I can only imagine how difficult it is to pull off an ambitious project like this. I’m absolutely convinced this festival will grow and grow in years to come. What was especially lovely about it was that many of the people who came had never attended a literary festival before but thoroughly enjoyed it. So please support this festival going forward and make sure you buy your tickets for next year!”

Gytha Lodge is a Sunday Times best-selling writer, a playwright, novelist and writer for video games and screen , best known for the DCI Jonah Sheens series of novels. Her best-seller She Lies in wait has just been commissioned for an original drama series by ITV, much to her excitement. She travelled up from Cambridge for the event to take part in a panel ‘Secrets, Lies and the weight of the past’. alongside psychological thriller writer Jenny Blackhurst and crime writer Caz Frear (moderated by yours truly.)

And as she told the Post, she’ll be back next year: “I'm back home after a fantastic day at Preston, and have come back feeling so lucky to have been invited. After a long train journey, I stepped into a warm welcome and I loved getting to mingle with readers in the lounge before the panel. It's always interesting how the people who love reading about death and gore the most are the sweetest. Our panel was upbeat and fun despite centering on dark secrets. And who needs live proposals when you can have live friendship breakups?

“We need to copyright this concept. I loved the supportive, involved audience who asked some great questions to compliment the brilliant interviewing. In fact I was only sad I couldn't stay for the whole thing, which is definitely my plan for next year.”

Mystery fiction author Caz Frear told the Post she loved meeting all the Preston readers: “Preston Crime Fiction Festival is such a welcome new addition to the UK's vibrant literary festival scene. Such a great, friendly atmosphere, with an impressive turnout for a brand new event, and the intimate venue made it marvellously easy for authors and readers to mingle between panels and signings.

“The highlight for me was the chance to meet so many lovely new readers - many of whom said they hadn't attended something like this before but they'd definitely be coming back! This kind of enthusiasm is exactly what makes these events so special, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how things grow in the coming years.”

And writer Jo Callaghan, award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of In the blink of an eye, made the trip from Birmingham. She told the Post: “I had a fantastic time at the inaugural Preston CFF, as it was a community led celebration of books and reading, that brought together some of the top crime authors in the UK today with the readers and writers of Preston. Everyone was so friendly and passionate about reading and writing, it was a joyous weekend. Huge congratulations to Christie and her team - this has put Preston on the crime writers map and I will definitely be back!”

The event prided itself on it accessibility and lack of literary snobbery with low income tickets available plus pay-it-forward ticket opportunities. Authors and attendees mixed in between events with even Leeds author Steve Mosby, known by his pen name Alex North, to be found in the bar modestly explaining, when asked, about going on set and also meeting Robert de Niro on the red carpet premiere of The Whisper Man - his novel was adapted into a Netflix film also starring de Niro alongside Michelle Monaghan, Adam Scott and Michael Keaton.

Christie herself, who has battled with illness through the event, was amazed and very proud about the event’s success - though she says it was stressful to organise: “I don’t know how it happened but we turned into a major international literary festival!”

She added: “ “Delays outside the organising team’s control meant that tickets did not go on sale until July and that marketing funds were not available when we had planned to use them. That affected sales and confidence in the run-up to the festival. The best way for us to demonstrate our values was to deliver the welcoming, inclusive event we had promised, and I believe we did that.

“I could not be prouder of the volunteers, attendees, authors, moderators and local partners who made the weekend possible. Diane Gunning and the Ebb & Flo Bookshop team, our sound technician Mark, The Bullington Press, The Burnt Fig, Preston Masonic Hall staff and everyone who was part of the festival and chose to step forward to help and mingle with readers and writers brought the Northern warmth and generosity we had spoken about from the beginning.

“We have learnt a great deal from our first year. A larger core team is already in place for next year, with clearer responsibilities and trusted people working together from the outset. That will make preparations smoother, more resilient and far less stressful.”

Some of the authors who attended the event over the three days included Anna Mazzola, Vaseem Khan, Lesley Kara, Tim Sullivan, Christie J. Newport, Sam Browneley, Dorothy Koomson (who was a huge supporter of the event), Mari Hannah, Steve Mosby aka Alex North, Guy Hale, Sarah Mellor, Donna Gowland, Paul Finch, Abir Mukherjee, Trevor Wild, Jenny Blackhurst, Caz Frear, Liz Mistry, Caroline England, Andrew James Greig, Simon McLean, Ben Bruce, Beck Lewis, Paul Waters, Jill Johnson - and more. Adele Parks MBE had to cancel last minute but was heavily supportive of Christie’s achievements.

• The UK’s literary scene creates major economic impacts by driving direct visitor spending, creating seasonal jobs, and boosting regional tax revenues.