Bodies From The Library 2023 – a day conference on the Golden Age of Crime Fiction

Bodies From the Library – A Conference at the British Library 24^th June 2023

I finally made it! After several years of good intentions, I actually arrived at the conference with minutes to spare – bursting out of a tiny lift to claim my badge, bag and find a wheelchair space just before the brief welcome to the day’s sessions.

For those who have no idea what I am talking about, this is an annual day conference to discuss Golden Age Detection fiction in all its forms, from many angles, led by those who love the genre, the books and everything else. It features, though not exclusively, books republished since 2014 in the British Library Crime Classics series, though it also included sessions about fearfully obscure books(unless you read Italian apparently). As you can see below, it doesn’t take a serious academic line, nor does it assume you have read your body weight in Golden Age books – though there are those present who undoubtedly have! In nine half -hour sessions smoothly set up and conducted we were treated to a real insight into the world of crime fiction mainly based in the interwar period – but not exclusively. I can honestly say I enjoyed every session – not one was too long or too obscure – and it mentioned so many books! The atmosphere was wonderful and very friendly, and I also managed to have chats with people so that it wasn’t a problem attending on my own.

Mind you, the first session was called “Tarnished” – Simon Brett and Len Tyler discussing their views on books and authors that they disliked, or at least one of them did. When they mentioned Dorothy L Sayers “Gaudy Night” as not really being a crime novel I could see their point – but I still think it’s wonderful. Freeman Willis Croft’s railway timetable obsession was also highlighted among other authors that were less than loved despite their lasting fame – but it was all light-hearted stuff so no offence was taken! The next session was Martin Edwards – who has Introduced and Edited so many of the British Library Crime Series apart from other writing – talking to Chrissie Poulson about the one hit wonders of Golden Age books. These were people like Ellen Wilkinson who only produced one crime novel, partly because of their day jobs in politics etc, and could have credibly produced more. Tony Medawar then gave an illustrated talk on the incredibly popular novels and life of S.S Van Dine, a mysterious American author of the age.

The next session featured Kate Jackson discussing her new book “How to Survive a Classic Crime Novel” which I had eagerly bought just before. In this light -hearted and impressively researched book, Kate has set out the dangers of everyday life as presented by authors of the Golden Age, with hints about the dangers presented by even rooms in houses. Apparently, a private library in many circumstances is an immensely risky place, judging by the number of bodies to be found there in crime fiction – though I have a feeling that public transport has its risks. According to John Curran in the next session “The Train in Golden Age Fiction”, the mass transport system of the Age was a bit of a nightmare for the nervous with many titles beyond the Orient Express based on death in an enclosed space – where the murderers could escape at the next station and the hapless detective be left with timetables alone for comfort. Agatha set many a murder in train compartments – but she was not the only one by any means.

Following lunch, the potentially difficult slot for concentration was filled by a half hour Alfred Hitchcock Presents film loosely (!) based on a Dorothy L Sayers story on the dangers of drink, though not alcohol. Tom Mead, who has just produced his first novel “Death and the Conjuror” spoke of two lesser-known Locked Room mysteries which can only be read in Italian or libraries but which neatly illustrated the points of Impossible Crimes. (Murder in a travelling lift…?). Richard Reynolds (ex Heffers bookshop) and Robert Hyde of Galileo Publishing then spoke about the Clifford Witting phenomenon – how a bank employee’s novels of the 1930s – 1960s have recently been republished to great success. As I have read and greatly enjoyed “Murder in Blue” and several others (reviewed on this blog) I am greatly looking forward to the others that are appearing over the next months. It seems that from a repeated conversation in a bookshop can lead to truly great things!

The final sessions featured Jim Noy of TheInvisibleEvent.com blog and author of The Red Death Murders speaking about the rule that crime fiction writers should present clues, even flourish them, for the reader to enable them the solve the crime. Not that even maps, diagrams and obvious clues always worked! Dolores Gordon Smith (author of the Jack Haldean books which I have greatly enjoyed) then surveyed the hidden depths of Captain Hastings – with illustrations from the Suchet Poirot series – a really humourous way to end proceedings before many of the experts of the day took pre submitted questions on the topic of Golden Age fiction. After all, everyone was keen to consider the topic of the perfect murder…

This was a really enjoyable day that served to celebrate the genre of Golden Age Crime fiction and I certainly hope that there is another Bodies From the Library day next year!