NEW COOPER & FRY NOVEL - DEAD IN THE DARK

The brand new Cooper and Fry novel DEAD IN THE DARK will be launched in the UK in July.

I have lots of launch events planned across Derbyshire, and in neighbouring Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. Please come along and say 'hello' at one of these events - and of course get your copy of DEAD IN THE DARK signed!

Here's the blurb:

This is the 17th title in the award-winning series featuring young police detectives Ben Cooper and Diane Fry, set in England’s beautiful and atmospheric Peak District.

How do you prove a murder without a body?

Ten years ago, Reece Bower was accused of killing his wife, a crime he always denied. Extensive police searches near his home in Bakewell found no trace of Annette Bower's remains, and the case against him collapsed.

But now memories of the original investigation have been resurrected for Detective Inspector Ben Cooper - because Reece Bower himself has disappeared, and his new wife wants answers.

Cooper can't call on the Major Crime Unit and DS Diane Fry for help unless he can prove a murder took place - impossible without a body. As his search moves into the caves and abandoned mines in the isolated depths of Lathkilldale, the question is: who would want revenge for the death of Annette Bower?

Meanwhile, Fry is working on a murder investigation of her own in an entirely different part of Derbyshire, where a fractured community is divided against itself.

Stephen Booth ventures into the Peak District's dark subterranean world for this stunning Cooper & Fry thriller DEAD IN THE DARK.

Hardback and ebook publication by Little, Brown are scheduled for Thursday 13th July, along with an audio download. 

My launch dates are:

TUESDAY 11th JULY, 6pm
Chelmorton War Memorial Institute, Main Street, Chelmorton, Derbyshire SK17 9SH - 'Dark Peaks and Strange Shores' crime panel for Chelmorton Festival, with Sarah Ward, Martin Pearce, Quentin Bates and Roz Watkins. Tickets £4 including glass of wine. Email: sarahwardcrime@gmail.com or book online here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dark-peaks-and-strange-shores-crime-writers-panel-at-the-chelmorton-festival-tickets-34075341263?ref=estw

WEDNESDAY 12th JULY, 6.30pm
Waterstones, 78-80 St Peter's Street, Derby DE1 1SR - talk and signing for DEAD IN THE DARK. Phone 01332 296997 or email: derby@waterstones.com

THURSDAY 13th JULY, 10am - 12 noon
Bookworm, Spa Lane, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 6EA - signing for DEAD IN THE DARK.
Phone 01777 869224 or email: sales@bookwormretford.co.uk

THURSDAY 13th JULY, 7pm
Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 1QN - launch event for DEAD IN THE DARK (in conjunction with Waterstones Chesterfield). Tickets £3 (redeemable against the price of the book if bought at the event), available from the library, phone 01629 533400 or email: chesterfield.library@derbyshire.gov.uk. To reserve a signed book, contact Waterstones on 01246 231061 or email: chesterfield@waterstones.com
https://www.waterstones.com/events/an-evening-with-stephen-booth/chesterfield-33692

SATURDAY 15th JULY, 2.30 - 4.30pm
Scarthin Books,The Promenade, Cromford, Derbyshire DE4 3QF - signing for DEAD IN THE DARK. Phone 01629 823272 or email: nickscarthin@gmail.com
http://www.scarthinbooks.com/event/stephen-booth-book-signing-2/

SUNDAY 16th JULY, 12 noon
Newark Town Hall, Market Place, Newark, NottinghamshireNG24 1DU - 'Nottinghamshire: Today's Heroes' panel for Newark Book Festival, with Tim Utton and Gareth Baker, chaired by Stuart Gibbon. Tickets £5 (£3 concessions) from the Palace Theatre box office (10am - 5pm), phone 01636 655755 or email: palace@nsdc.info Or book online here: https://www.palacenewarktickets.com/en-GB/shows/nottinghamshire-%20today's%20heroes/info
Festival website: http://www.newarkbookfestival.org.uk/

SUNDAY 16th JULY, 9pm      **  SORRY - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED  **
Bakewell Town Hall, Anchor Square, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1BT - talk and signing for Bakewell Literary Festival. Tickets £10 for full day and evening of author talks. Book online here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/370193

WEDNESDAY 19th JULY, 7pm
Bonington Theatre,High Street, Arnold, Nottingham NG5 7EE - event for Gedling Arts Festival. Crime writing workshop from 7pm - 8.30pm. Talk, Q&A and book signing from 8.30pm. Tickets £3, available from the Bonington Theatre Box Office: http://www.boningtontheatre.co.uk/ phone 0115 901 3640 or email: bonington.theatre@gedling.gov.uk
Festival programme here: http://www.gedling.gov.uk/leisure/artseventsandplay/gedlingboroughartsfestival/

FRIDAY 21st JULY, 7.30pm
Spring Bank Arts, Spring Bank, New Mills, Derbyshire SK22 4BH - talk and signing for DEAD IN THE DARK. Tickets £7 (including glass of Pimms or non-alcoholic drink), available from Spring Bank Arts, phone 01663 308202 or email: springbankarts@gmail.com,
or from High Street Books, New Mills, or book online here: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/407213
http://www.springbankarts.org.uk/events/an-evening-with-stephen-booth-3/

SUNDAY 23rd JULY, 3 - 5pm
High Peak Bookstore (formerly Bookstore Brierlow Bar), Ashbourne Road, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 9PY - signing for DEAD IN THE DARK. Phone 01298 71017 or email: info@highpeakbookstore.co.uk
http://www.highpeakbookstore.co.uk/

MONDAY 24th JULY, 6.45 for 7.30pm
Haxby Memorial Hall, 16 The Village, Haxby, York YO32 3HT - talk and signing for DEAD IN THE DARK at fund-raising event for new Haxby Library.
Tickets £5. Book your place online at http://www.haxbymemorialhall.org/

SATURDAY 29th JULY, 12 - 2pm
Reading Matters bookshop, 48 Market Street, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire SK23 0HY - signing for DEAD IN THE DARK.
Phone 01298 938166 or email: readingmatterschapel@gmail.com

Dates later in the year can be found on the Events Page:http://www.stephen-booth.com/events.htm

BOOKS IN THE CASTLE - WITH PETER ROBINSON

In August, Nottinghamshire hosts a new literary event when the first Newark Book Festival is held. It boasts a fantastic venue in the grounds of the historic Newark Castle (hence the festival's tagline 'Books in the Castle'). 

The castle's long history includes its important role in the English Civil War and its fame as the place where King John died after issuing Magna Carta and suffering a disaster crossing The Wash. The castle stands right alongside the River Trent, and Newark has many other attractions to make it well worth a visit if you've never been before.

This festival came about following an event I did at the Storytellers Bookshop in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, earlier this year. During a chat with the owner, Paul Trickett, he mentioned that he lived in Newark and that he'd always thought the town should have its own book festival. I thought so too, and added "someone ought to organise one". And Paul went off and did it! 

He's done an amazing job putting it all together and getting some fantastic authors to take part over the two days (Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August). Please come along and support it if you're in the area. 

Full details of the festival are on the 'Books in the Castle' website here:

http://www.booksinthecastle.co.uk/

And I'll be there, of course. On the Saturday I'm doing a special event with one of our top crime novelists - the wonderful Peter Robinson (pictured left), author of the Inspector Banks series (now DCI Banks on TV). I've been reading Peter's books for years, and I'm thrilled to be sharing the stage with him (or a marquee, at least). 

Our crime fiction event will be on Saturday 8th August at 4pm, when we'll be chaired by Hull crime writer Nick Quantrill. 

Though admission to the castle grounds is free for the festival, places for our event are limited and tickets are £8 each. Tickets are available from WH Smith 38 Market Place, Newark (phone 01636 677518), or from the Secret Garden Cafe, 6 Stodman Street, Newark (phone 01636 676999) or can be booked online here:

http://www.etickets.to/buy/?e=12869

Don't forget - the capacity of the marquee is limited, so don't delay in reserving your places! 

Books will also be available to buy and get signed on the day, of course.