France’s biggest crime-fiction festival is back at its usual time of year, 1-3 April, after a Covid-delayed edition in July 2021. For its 18th edition it has a large roll-call of writers from France and around the world, including many from the U.K. and the U.S.
Alongside stars like Harlan Coben, John Grisham and Paula Hawkins, you’ll also find the cream of Scottish noir: Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh, Abir Mukherjee, and the wonderful Chris Brookmyre. (If you don’t know his work, you don’t know what you’re missing!) If you haven’t discovered him yet, Richard Osman, comic turned bestselling crime author, who has set his books in an old-people’s community that has a Thursday murder club (the point being to solve cold cases, not to commit murders, although...)
Alongside stars like Harlan Coben, John Grisham and Paula Hawkins, you’ll also find the cream of Scottish noir: Val McDermid, Irvine Welsh, Abir Mukherjee, and the wonderful Chris Brookmyre. (If you don’t know his work, you don’t know what you’re missing!) If you haven’t discovered him yet you can meet Richard Osman, comic turned bestselling crime author, who has set his books in an old-people’s community that has a Thursday murder club (the point being to solve cold cases, not to commit murders.)
On Saturday at 2.30 p.m. there’s a presentation of a crime novel written by a binational duo of authors, one French and one German. It’s called Terminus Leipzig, by Jérôme Leroy and Max Annas. At 4.30 there’s an hour with John Grisham on the differences between the U.S. and French justice systems. Just time to get a few books signed in between! At 5 p.m., three American authors, Kimi Cunningham Grant, David Joy and John Woods, will discuss a region that fascinates them, the Appalachian mountains. And for a complete change of scene, a South African meal at 7.30 with three authors, Deon Meyer, Caryl Férey et Max Annas and a Cape Town chef.
It’s worth getting up early on Sunday for a 9.30 cruise on the Rhine with Girl on the Train author Paula Hawkins. At 10.30, catch Val McDermid discussing the importance of place in crime fiction with French author Sonja Delzongle and Arnaldur Indriðason from Island. Or at 11, join a discussion about the modern “cosy” mystery (think Cluedo or Agatha Christie) with British authors S. J. Bennett and Richard Osman, and Jeon Gunwoo from South Korea. Would-be crime writers will have to choose between two events centred more on the technique of crime fiction at 2 p.m. on Sunday, one on suspense and the other on action. (The latter is a chance to meet Chris Brookmyre.) At 5, you can catch a discussion about using real historical characters in crime fiction with British authors S. J. Bennett and Abir Mukherjee, Peter Dempf from Germany and Raphaël Malkin from France.
There’s also space in the programme for film and TV adaptations. On Thursday at 7 p.m., Michel Barnier will discuss Hitchcock and suspense. On Friday 1st at 3.45 p.m., a preview showing of Irvine Welsh’s TV series Crime, and a chance to talk to the Trainspotting author afterwards.
Don’t miss Daniel Craig in a very different role from Bond in Knives Out on Friday at 8.30: a crime film about the murder of a crime writer called Harlan.
Talking of Harlans, catch Harlan Coben by video link for a showing of his “made in France” film Ne le dis à personne directed by Guillaume Canet, also on Friday at 8.30.
Three of American director Michael Mann’s urban crime films will be shown on Friday and Sunday, Thief, Heat and Miami Vice.
There are lots more events, games, exhibitions and music. Check out the programme.
Quais du polar
1-3 April at various venues in Lyon.
Tag(s) : "Chris Brookmyre" "Crime literature" "film" "Harlan Coben" "Irvine Welsh" "John Grisham" "Lyon" "Paula Hawkins" "Quais du Polar" "TV" "Val McDermid"