Lead pipe in the library By Jan Needle
I’m not a great believer in get-togethers with people in the same trade. As one of the most gregarious people you’re ever likely to meet, that’s quite weird, really, but I think it’s true. In all me years I’ve never been to a children’s writers ‘convention,’ never been to a book fair, never been to ‘Harrogate’ or ‘Cheltenham’ (except as a speaker once) or any of the other jamborees. Not my type of thing. But last week, thanks to Beardie’s superb (no joke) Virgin service – two hours and nine minutes Manchester to London – I found myself in a meeting of the International Thriller Writers (UK) in the offices of a most successful law firm called Stewarts Law. Why was it held there? Because Mr Stewart is a thriller writer, and wanted to give us the benefit of a bit of class. There were canapés to die for, Australian red and white wine by the bucketful, and soft drinks and fizzy water for those killeristas who presumably think crime should be respectable. Talking of myths, I found o...