IT'S A CRIME! (OR A MYSTERY...)

Further John Lawton News: A Lily of the Field - UK Publication

I wrote about this novel in August last year as Amazon in the UK was not accurate with its entry for the latest Troy story from John Lawton.  Now much closer to publication date, Amazon's entry can be credited with more accuracy.

However, if you love to collect, my favourite bookseller, Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court, London, has signed first editions to order.

The author will be at CrimeFest on Friday, 20 May.  And I hear on the grapevine that there may be an event at Topping's in Bath the day before, so do keep an eye on this page.  On 21 June, Lawton will be at Crime in the Court at Goldsboro Books (ticket link).  (More on that specific event later.)  I will update with news of any further events when received.

Topping Books in Bath: Crimetime, crime fiction reading group

 

Topping & Co, Booksellers of Bath and Ely are starting 'Crimetime', a crime fiction reading group on Thursday, 3 March at 18:30.  The series kicks off with Sam Hawken's The Dead Women of Juarez.  If you are in or near Bath, you might want to pop along...

Harrogate: Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Weekend 2010

And so it came to pass that my favourite crime fiction event of the year took place towards the end of July.  Sadly, this year proved to be only a fleeting visit for me, but what fun!  It was great to meet up with old friends and new, chat, gossip, give out some cake, and do the quiz!  I took my camera, as instructed by @MarDixon on twitter, carried it in my handbag at all times, and then forgot to use it (sorry).  But fear not, for I have trawled the international world webnet thingy to bring you anything I can muster to prove the fun.  Let’s start with the second night, the Friday, before I’d even left the house.

The first shock of the weekend came when I received a tweet telling me I was on a certain quiz team.  Oh dear, how would I manage this?  Someone had already emailed saying ‘Let’s organise a table for the quiz’ but neither of us had got around to anything remotely substantial on this objective.  I had approached an author, tentatively, as he was surely an expert on the golden age of crime fiction - mine and many’s black hole in knowledge.  Suddenly, I found myself purloined/recruited/applied to a quiz team that did quite well two years ago, beating my team by one point only.  What was this girl to do to avoid offending anyone?  (And get the best chance of being on the winning team?)

Borders Books in the UK - troubled times

Sadly, before the day is out I suspect we will learn that Borders in the UK is in administration.  It has been no secret that the group has been for sale for a while and it was reported that W H Smith ceased talks to buy 36 of their 45 outlets last Friday.

If last week ended badly for Borders, this week started on an accelerating worse-to-come.  Mainly via The Bookseller, we learnt yesterday that staff were instructed in the morning that customer orders could not be taken in store.  By the afternoon, online customer orders had drawn to a halt.  By last night, three suppliers were no longer supplying Borders with stock.

It has been reported that Borders is thought to be still in negotiations with HMV, owner of Waterstone's, amongst others.  However, the painful developments of yesterday suggest to me that notice of administration might come as early as today.  This would mean the end of Borders trading as we know it, but not necessarily the end as seen with Woolworth's.  Let's remember that part of The Works' chain survived under new ownership and according to an article in The Independent, they are also doing well this year.  As with any troubled business, those areas operating with some success have a chance to continue to do so in another format.

There is never a good time for such as this, but in the run up to Christmas it is worse.  My thoughts go out to employees of Borders and associated companies, including their suppliers.

Today's article in The Independent by James Thompson also includes an interesting analysis of the retail book market in the UK.

Latest on The Bookseller Awards & the British Book Industry...

... here.

Grumpy woman on Amazon's service - forget the "prime" hype...

Just when Amazon decides to market their "Prime" service in the UK, a questionable proposal to this reader and occasional customer, they disappoint and frustrate me with a current delivery.

First the good point(s), as I aim to provide a balanced approach; call it the results of the day job.  Said parcel was delivered ahead of estimated delivery time; I was anticipating the end of November because they told me this.

Now for the misdemeanours: the box was an odd shape for two hardbacks, way too big and roomy.  This did not augur well.  But, excitedly I opened the box.  Yes, I received what I'd ordered, but both hardbacks had taken a bashing in transit.  For both, it affected one corner in particular, more than nicely crushed.

And, for the first time - I've been tempted once before but never got around to it - I chose to seek a return, (these were investment puchases, you understand).  Thus I followed the instructions and logged into my account.  Chose returns.  Selected the relevant reasons.  Then, by gum, I have an error message to add insult to injury.  Amazon policy appears to be a 30 day return, statutory rights outside this respected, but my proposed returns seemed to fall outside of this, even with a November purchase and a deadline of the end of January 2008 (their deadline as specified in the error message) for returns.  And yes, you read that correctly.  It seems to be 3 months to me too!