John Dean – Crime Writer

Have you ever fancied sitting down at dinner with a crime writer and exploring the darkest recesses of their murderous imagination over the dessert?

A unique event in Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway will offer guests the opportunity to do just that with two best-selling crime writers and one of the most highly respected editors in the business, at the beginning of a weekend workshop at the Selkirk Arms Hotel.

Local authors Ian Robinson, pictured, John Dean and editor Dea Parkin will attend the dinner on Friday November 27 in an  event called Supper and Sleuthing, which opens the weekend-long Crime Fiction at the Selkirk Arms being held at the four-star hotel in High Street between November 27-29, 2026.

Following the dinner, guests will enjoy a short talk delivered by Dea on the Friday night, including a question and answer session with Dea, Ian and John.

The event will be followed by a weekend crime writing workshop led by Dea, with sessions on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, covering topics as diverse as the craft of crime writing to how to impress agents and publishers.

Dea said: ‘Sometimes, it only takes a different perspective on your writing to fashion a submission that has agents and publishers saying ‘yes, please!’ Agents’ concerns are constantly changing, as participating in the Emerging Author Dagger judging confirms to me. I’m looking forward to sharing my industry insights.”

Ian Robinson said: “It’s a privilege to be invited to attend this event. I look forward to engaging with fellow writers and to help in any way I can.”

John Dean said: “The best way to learn about the craft of crime writing, or any form of writing, is to talk to an author, although it can be a distinctly troubling thought that the affable person with whom you are sharing ice cream is capable of dreaming up gory murders!’”

Dumfries and Galloway’s crime fiction tradition includes being home to a number of authors, some of whom set their novels amid its stunning landscape. The most famous crime novel featuring Kirkcudbright itself can be traced back to 1931. Written by Dorothy L Sayers. Five Red Herrings saw the legendary author bring her celebrated fictional investigator Lord Peter Wimsey to the town on a holiday, which is interrupted when he investigates the murder of a local artist.

The price for the weekend, which includes accommodation, meals and the workshops, is £315pp. Places are limited to 16 and can be booked at The Selkirk Arms Hotel High Street, Kirkcudbright DG6 4JG Tel: 01557 330402 Website: http://www.selkirkarmshotel.co.uk

About those taking part:

Dea is the former General Coordinator and an associate member of the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) through her editorial consultancy Fiction Feedback, of which she is owner and Editor-in-chief. It specialises in critiquing and editing crime and historical fiction, and Dea and her team have worked alongside some of crime fiction’s biggest authors, agents and publishers. Dea is a judge on the Historical Dagger award, and Fiction Feedback sponsors and co-judges the Emerging Author Dagger, a competition for unpublished crime writers.

Authors Ian Robinson and John Dean live in Dumfries and Galloway and are both published by Joffe Books, which recently took over their publisher The Book Folks, and is one of the UK’s most successful publishers of crime fiction.

Ian, a former Metropolitan Police detective, writes the popular DS Sam Batford and Nick Moretti and Pippa Nash London Crimes series and recently signed a four-book deal with Joffe Books for a new series set in Dumfries and Galloway.

Former newspaper Crime Reporter John created the best-selling DCI John Blizzard and DCI Jack Harris series, of which 26 titles have been published by Joffe Books.