Harrogate Part Two

Saturday. Up and around, down for George Pelecanos's event at 9am. Ungodly hour, especially for one of the big name guests but still. You've got to do it. And he was on top form. Pleasure to listen to.

I kept up the panl going for a couple of hours after that since I didn't have anything of my own to do until later. Lunchtime was spent at yet another chi chi Harrogate eaterie with Declan Hughes and Paul Johnston. Charming, if unprintable, company. And uproarious. Afterwards, the woman in the Oxfam second hand bookshop said it was nice to see grown men enjoying themselves so much. Not sure the rest of the customers agreed with her, though. I remember Zoe Sharp once saying to me that when crime writers go anywhere en masse, to a restaurant or something, we all turn into the kind of people you'd hate to sit next to. And we think we're just being entertaining. You have to remember, we don't get out much. Literally.

After a run in the afternoon, it was time for the murder mystery dinner. Mark Billingham had been murdered and I was one of the suspects. Ann Cleeves, the Reader in Residence, had written it all. Me, Natasha 'NJ' Cooper, Stuart MacBride and Cath Staincliffe were all suspects. We had to go in, give our little speeches and the diners had to work out whodunnit. And it was me. Complete surprise - I genuinely didn't know. I'd been telling everyone it was Natasha. And so I was called back in to make my final speech. Apparently it was memorable. Mark said later that he thought I'd been a bit too pleased about it. I was just acting, darling.

The murderer. Evil, insane and waiting for his gin and tonic.

And then the quiz. After a little mess up about who's team I was supposed to be on, I ended up with Declan, Paul, Stella Duffy, David Simon and Laura Lippman. And we won. And no one was more surprised than me. Mark Lawson was very gracious in defeat, I have to say. We were called on stage and presented with the cup which has now gone to the States with Laura and David and will feature in an episode of Treme, David's new TV series. That's one for the DVD extras.

And here's the winning team. Not gloating at all.

Then to the bar where much downing of gin and celebrating occurred. And when David Simon started to perform 'Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat', I knew it was time for bed.

Sunday and The Wire special event. I've never seen the hall so full. Or so hot. Laura was interviewing David and George and it was standing room only. Great hour. Could have been longer and I wouldn't have noticed. Then goodbye for another year and off home.

Cracking event. One of the best this year, I think. Lots of people I didn't get to see and the ones I did get to talk to it didn't seem like long enough. But it was good. Of course that's just my version of the festival. There are as many festivals as there are people attending them. And I'll be attending next year's. I'm taking over from Ann Cleeves as Reader in Residence.

And the meetings have started already . . .