CSI Portsmouth 2014 was a resounding success which saw over 100 people pack The Princess Royal Gallery at the
National Museum of the Royal Navy in the
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Saturday 8 November 2014 to hear two panel debates on crime fiction versus crime fact at the fifth annual CSI Portsmouth.
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Pauline Rowson introducing the morning panel at CSI
Portsmouth 2014
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CSI Portsmouth 2014, which is part of
Portsmouth BookFest, was conceived by me and I organise it with the help
and support of Portsmouth City Council Library Service. It
brings together top selling crime authors, police and forensic experts
for a one day entertaining and informative debate on crime fiction and
crime fact.
The morning panel at CSI Portsmouth 2014
On the morning panel
Pauline Rowson joined forces with crime writer
M.C. Beaton and with crime experts Dr Katherine Brown, a Forensic Entomologist at the
Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth and Terrence Napier, Footwear Mark Examiner, with Hampshire Police.
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Crime authors Pauline Rowson and MC Beaton with Dr Katherine
Brown, ICJS, Forensic Entomologist Portsmouth University and Terrence Napier,
Hampshire Police
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My crime novels are set in the Solent area of the UK on the South Coast of England and feature the flawed and rugged
DI Andy Horton.
They have been
hailed in the UK and the USA as the 'Best of British Crime Fiction,' and
have been translated into several languages including Chinese.
The
eleventh in the DI Horton series,
SHROUD OF EVIL was
published by Severn House in April 2014, while the first in my new
crime series to feature a new hero, former Royal Marine Commando, Special
Boat Services Officer Art Marvik,
SILENT RUNNING, is to be published by
Severn House in March 2015 with the twelfth in the DI Andy Horton
series,
FATAL CATCH, to be published in September 2015.
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Crime author MC Beaton answering a question put by crime
author Pauline Rowson at CSI Portsmouth 2014
M.C Beaton is the author of the Hamish Macbeth novels and the Agatha Raisin series. She is the most borrowed British adult fiction author
in UK libraries with over a million borrowings in the last year. She
answered questions about the inspiration behind her crime novels, her
characters and how she researches them.
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Dr Katherine Brown, Forensic Entomologist and Terrence
Napier, Footwear Mark Examiner, Hampshire Police at CSI Portsmouth 2014
Dr Katherine Brown, a Forensic Entomologist and Senior Lecturer in Forensic Science at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies at the University of Portsmouth, talked the audience through the various stages of the development of
flies and maggots in the decomposition of a human body, while Terrence Napier, Footwear Mark Examiner for
Hampshire Police Scientific Services, explained how prints are taken at a
crime scene and how they are analysed in the lab.
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Audience chatting to morning panel members CSI Portsmouth
2014
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This was followed by questions from the audience, a book signing and the chance for individuals to chat to the panel guests.
The afternoon panel at CSI Portsmouth 2014
The afternoon audience at CSI Portsmouth 2014
were entertained with tales of drug busting, intelligence gathering and
covert source recruitment.
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Crime authors Pauline Rowson, Jessie Keane with Roger Wood
and Mandy Horsburgh Hants, Police, and crime author Hilary Bonner, CSI
Portsmouth 2014
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Crime author Hilary Bonner answering a question at CSI Portsmouth
- crime author Jessie Keane - Roger Wood and Mandy Horsburgh Hants Police
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The
afternoon panel, grilled by
Pauline Rowson, comprised of crime authors Jessie Keane
and Hilary Bonner with crime experts, Sergeant Roger Wood and DI Mandy
Horsburgh of
Operation Fortress, Hampshire Police.
Jessie Keane talked
about her gangland crime novels featuring Annie Carter, head of a
London gang family and how her background has influenced her writing. While
Hilary Bonner, a former Fleet Street journalist and show business editor of three
national newspapers and assistant editor of one, spoke about her keen
interest in creating psychological thrillers drawn from real life
events.
Sergeant
Roger Wood spoke about aspects of intelligence gathering and monitoring
suspects in regards to counter terrorism and the recruitment of covert
sources of intelligence and cyber crime. While DI
Mandy Horsburgh, who works within Operation Fortress, one of the
biggest, most significant stand-alone projects ever to be launched by
the Hampshire Constabulary, with its own 31-strong dedicated investigation and
enforcement team, spoke about how they tackle the most serious violent
drug-related crimes alongside organized criminal groups who pose the
most risk to communities.
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Roger Wood, Hampshire Police answering a question at CSI
Portsmouth 2014 with crime author Jessie Keane
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The
panel debate was again followed by questions from the audience, a book
signing and the chance for individuals to chat to the panel guests.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day set against the fantastic backdrop of
the sea in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. As well as local Portsmouth people attending there were those
from Devon,London, Surrey and Dorset.
I’d like to thank all the panel guests
and participants who gave of their time and expertise so generously. It
was highly informative and intriguing.
Also
at CSI Portsmouth were the Hampshire Police Fingerprint bureau, a mock
up crime scene provided by students on the Forensic Science Course at
South Downs College and a forensic entomology display by the
Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth. The
Hayling Island Bookshop were on hand to sell the authors books.
CSI Portsmouth was first launched in 2010 and is the
brainchild of Internationally acclaimed crime writer
Pauline Rowson, author of the
DI Andy Horton series of crime novels, who organises the event with Portsmouth City
Council Library Service. It is part of Portsmouth BookFest
and is
now one of the major fixtures in the UK crime fiction festival calendar.
CSI Portsmouth, was sponsored by
Bello, publisher Pan Macmillan’s digital imprint, which brings lost classic back to life.
An imprint of Pan Macmillan, Bello brings lost
classics back to life. Over 50% of Bello’s published titles are in the crime
genre, ranging from Golden Age mysteries and short stories, to thrillers, cozy
crime and detective fiction. Founded in 2011,
Bello’s primary format is ebook, but each title is also
released as a print-on-demand paperback, available through all bookshops
offering POD, or direct to the reader through the Pan Macmillan website.
CSI Portsmouth is part of
Portsmouth BookFest a festival of popular literature organised by Portsmouth City Council.
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