It will be a very special event on Monday evening when three internationally acclaimed crime writers gather on a Whanganui stage and chat with Crown Prosecutor Michele Wilkinson-Smith.
"We were contacted by the publishers, Hachette NZ, who publish all three of these writers," says Sarjeant Gallery relationships officer, Jaki Arthur. She says Hachette was putting together a tour. "I think they're travelling around together in a minivan, they're hitting a couple of literary festivals, and they wouldn't normally come to Whanganui, but Michael Robotham has come here before and did an event in 2020 at Sarjeant on the Quay ... he loved it, we loved it and I think he suggested to the publisher that they might consider Whanganui."
Jaki worked in book publishing in Australia before coming to Whanganui.
"Val McDermid is a writer I worked with in a previous life, and I also worked with Michael, and because Val and Michael know each other ... " A stop-off in Whanganui was the result. "So thanks to Hachette Publishers who have included us on the itinerary.
"This is such an amazing opportunity: people in London and Edinburgh would be happy to see these three writers in the same room, so we've got something very special."
It is a Speakers for the Sarjeant event and the price has been kept low to make it accessible to as many Whanganui people as possible.
Jaki says crime writers are an intriguing bunch. "They have an interest in the dark side of life, and crime is great structure in writing. It acts as a scaffold for a lot of topics that you can discuss. You might put together a crime, but involved in it might be issues social, political, economic, even health. So when you put a crime novel together you can add a lot of different relevant conversations."
She says writers like those visiting are involved and interested in what's going on in the world around them.
"Both [Val and Michael] are very funny people, very talkie, they spar very well together.
"It should be fun. We'll have Michele Wilkinson-Smith, the Crown Prosecutor, she'll be able to do a short intro then kind of throw it over to them.
"When I worked in publishing I saw a lot of author talks ... I know Michele loves her books and loves reading, she is a woman who deals with serious crime ... she didn't hesitate but said she'd love to [facilitate the discussion].
"They will do book signings as well — Paige's Book Gallery will be there."
Jaki says with the number of bookshops — new and second-hand — in Whanganui, clearly people are reading. "It's great to be able to host this event."
While Jaki doesn't know JP Pomare, a Kiwi writer now resident in Melbourne, she has heard good things about him and his work, including rumblings from people interested in film rights.
"We're also working with the Whanganui Literary Festival people, who have been involved in the promotion of the event and are partnering with us."
