There was one thing that made this year’s CrimeFest a little different — a thoughtful gesture that felt like a love letter to long-time attendees.
Included in every welcome bag was a limited-edition anthology, featuring short stories by some of the most celebrated authors in the genre — all long-time supporters of the event.
Lee Child, who famously doesn’t write short stories, penned the foreword — and it’s wonderful. Witty, warm, and wise, it captures the essence of what made CrimeFest such a beloved institution. That anthology felt less like swag and more like a keepsake — something you’d tuck onto your shelf next to books you plan to keep.
The bag also included five additional mystery novels, and one of them introduced me to a completely new (to me) author: Catherine Steadman. I received a galley copy of The Disappearing Act — a book that can’t be sold, only shared — and was surprised to learn that Steadman is not only a best-selling novelist but also an actress, perhaps best known for her role in Downton Abbey.
Now, I realize fans of the show might want to stone me for this, but I had no idea who she was before reading her novel — and honestly? She has serious writing chops. I’m already looking forward to reading more of her work. This is the kind of literary serendipity that only happens when you’re handed something you didn’t know you were looking for.
And then… there was a whisper. Quiet. Unconfirmed. But real enough to spark a bit of hope.
There may be someone interested in buying CrimeFest and continuing the event.
No names. No formal announcement. Just a gentle murmur that someone — somewhere — sees the value in what’s been built and wants to keep it going. I’m sure the original organizers will take great care in any handover, should it happen. CrimeFest has always had heart, and I can’t imagine they’d let it become just another soulless stop on a publishing PR tour.
Still, it was the kind of rumor that made people smile. The kind that lets you leave not with a goodbye, but with a maybe.
