A free to attend event featuring ten crime writers reading excerpts of their work is set to return to Blues Bar, Harrogate, on Thursday, 21 July after a four-year hiatus.
After a virtual run in 2020, Noir at the Bar, which began in America over ten years ago then spread to the UK in 2016, will showcase the work of authors from indie publishers as well as larger publishing conglomerates.
Author of the John Tyler crime thriller series, DL Marshall will be giving a reading alongside French writer Laure Van Rensberg, author of ‘Nobody But Us’ which is shortlisted for ‘Most Twisted Couple’ at the Dead Good Reader Awards. Emma Christie, founder of Diary of a Debut Novelist, will be making the journey from Barcelona to appear at the event.
Compère Vic Watson, who was unable to run the event in 2019 due to being days away from giving birth to her first child, says the appetite for the event has only grown during lockdowns.
Vic Watson said:
Noir at the Bar has always fostered a sense of community by shining a spotlight on authors at every stage of their career including big names reading alongside as-yet-unpublished writers.
When we announced that we’d be returning to the Blues Bar, people were delighted. We will have ten authors reading but we had at least four times that amount of people volunteering to be involved.
The event is known for its informal, slightly chaotic style, with names being pulled from a hat and books being given away by the authors who appear. Previous events have filled the Blues Bar to its capacity, and the organisers are expecting a similar turnout this year.
Noir at the Bar is free entry and, although not affiliated with Theakston’s Crime Festival, it serves as a great warm-up to the main event, starting at 4pm and running for around 90 minutes.
Key Details:
When: Thurs, 21 July from 4pm.
Where: Blues Bar, Montpellier Parade, Harrogate.
Can you reserve tickets or is it a free for all first come first served?