Day One of Literary Leicester got off to a roaring start with a lively talk by Dr Mark Aldridge. His ‘Ten Things About Agatha Christie’ included facts, such as: she didn’t go to school – not uncommon for a young girl of her class in that era – and taught herself to read; she loved adventure and was possibly the first woman to stand on a surfboard; she wrote under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott; and during WWII, she lived in London in a small block of flats where up to seven Soviet spies also lived. Oh, and she’s sold around 2 billion books. 

Next up was an interactive panel discussion titled ‘How to be a liar’ lead by psychologist Professor Zoë Walkington who was joined by retired probation officer, Elizabeth Baxter, and retired barrister and novelist, Guy Morpuss. They dispelled myths that some people can spot a liar a mile away and that others are guaranteed to know when someone is lying. Apparently, there’s only a 50/50 chance of getting it right. And those odds don’t necessarily improve depending on your profession; police officers or people working in the criminal justice system find it just as difficult. 

The last afternoon session was a panel discussion with novelists Michael Cordy, Eve Smith and festival co-director, Dr Harry Whitehead. Cordy’s seventh novel, Manhattan Down, is about all the people in Manhattan (apart from two) falling into a mysterious coma; Smith’s latest novel, The Cure, explores the lethal consequences of a cure for ageing; and Whitehead’s, White Road, is an eco-thriller. Each of the authors discussed their work specifically, but also the broader topics of how to write about the near future; the responsibility of getting the research right; and whether there’s a unique possibility for storytellers to reach readers in a way that is sometimes more difficult through other media. 

All in all it was a fun and informative day and there was even a Hercule Poirot keeping the crowds entertained!