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CrimeFest: Leaving the Scene Celebrating 16 Years
Twenty superb new crime stories have been commissioned specially to celebrate the final CrimeFest, described by the Guardian as 'one of the fifty best festivals in the world'.
Sixteen years of murder, mystery, and mayhem – CrimeFest stands as a cornerstone of crime fiction, uniting the genre's finest minds. Now the most distinguished names in crime writing have collaborated to commemorate this milestone with an exceptional anthology of meticulously crafted short stories.
Featuring contributions from globally renowned authors and compelling new voices – including Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, Vaseem Khan, and Ruth Dudley Edwards – this collection represents essential reading for connoisseurs of crime.
Leaving the Scene, offers a worthy celebration of the festival's remarkable heritage.
All royalties are donated to the RNIB library.
Sixteen years of murder, mystery, and mayhem – CrimeFest stands as a cornerstone of crime fiction, uniting the genre's finest minds. Now the most distinguished names in crime writing have collaborated to commemorate this milestone with an exceptional anthology of meticulously crafted short stories.
Featuring contributions from globally renowned authors and compelling new voices – including Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, Vaseem Khan, and Ruth Dudley Edwards – this collection represents essential reading for connoisseurs of crime.
Leaving the Scene, offers a worthy celebration of the festival's remarkable heritage.
All royalties are donated to the RNIB library.
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 4, 2025
Got this as a freebie at CrimeFest. Some good stories, some bad. Perhaps better to say some are to my taste and some aren't.
Two Deaths In Bristol
I'm not normally into police procedurals, but I enjoyed this, perhaps because it was short. Liked the misdirect at the end.
A few Americanisms which irked me, but having been on the other side of it I can sympathise with the writer.
Wax
Fun read. Stretched credulity, but, hey, it is cosy crime (I think).
The Scales From HIs Eyes
Another enjoyable read and something a bit different. I'm not sure I bought the point-of-view character's inner journey though.
The Garden
Hit some emotional beats and the writing was solid. But this story didn't really grip me and for a more serious piece the method of murder was too outlandish.
Miracle At The Manorbier Street Museum
I wanted to like this one -- the writing was fun. But the crime was only solved by the detective making several huge leaps of logic which proved to be spot on. I think the story needed more word count in order pace it better.
Also thought there was a big plot hole in the thing:
The Perfect Murder
This one grew on me. I had thought it was going to be a bit up-itself trying to examine the psychology of the killer. But it was short enough not to outstay its welcome and I enjoyed the twist at the end.
The Butler
This one didn't land for me. I didn't find the story very engaging and the twist didn't really do anything for me.
Go Swallow a Cane Toad
This was something of a love letter to CrimeFest. Handy that the murder victim kept a diary explaining exactly what happened.
Anthriscus slvestris
Really not sure why this one was in here. Long, rambling story about a forced eviction and literally two paragraphs at the end to make it crime fiction if you squint at it.
I Die Every Day
Too much sex. There's a reason I prefer cosies, I guess.
Didn't really 'get' this mini-collection of short stories or their intro.
The Black Spot
Another one I thought was well written but didn't quite 'get'. Perhaps makes more sense as a short story if you're into police procedurals? I was waiting for the clever part where but it never came.
Ocean Blue
A historical fiction, which was a nice change of pace. Good writing, but I don't really buy the motive or the killer confessing. Also a couple of continuity errors and a character's name changes spelling partway through, which is a bit disappointing in a story this short.
The Stalker
Well written and thoughtful piece. Thought the politics were crowbarred in a bit in this one. (Also, main character inspecting themselves in a mirror. Cmon, you can do better).
The Rama Cabin
Another one with the briefest mention of a crime at the end to make this crime writing. Possibly a sub genre that just doesn't click with me. I did find the setup and dialogue in this one a bit wooden as well, which didn't help.
Dust To Ashes
Okay so there have been a few of these now which focus on setting up a character and then the crime is just something dropped in at the end. But I enjoyed this one more than the others. More interesting characters to mull over, maybe.
Carl
I liked this. Told a great story in very few words.
Once Upon a Time in New Jersey
It was fun, enjoyed the ending which I probably should have seen coming but didn't.
Wall Story
I really wanted to like this one. What an eclectic mix of ideas. The Time Team rip-off, the prima donna celebrities and a ghost.
But it all got a bit convolution for me and didn't hang together.
Entries and Exits
Clever twist on unreliable narrator / epistolary style.
Two Deaths In Bristol
I'm not normally into police procedurals, but I enjoyed this, perhaps because it was short. Liked the misdirect at the end.
A few Americanisms which irked me, but having been on the other side of it I can sympathise with the writer.
Wax
Fun read. Stretched credulity, but, hey, it is cosy crime (I think).
The Scales From HIs Eyes
Another enjoyable read and something a bit different. I'm not sure I bought the point-of-view character's inner journey though.
The Garden
Hit some emotional beats and the writing was solid. But this story didn't really grip me and for a more serious piece the method of murder was too outlandish.
Miracle At The Manorbier Street Museum
I wanted to like this one -- the writing was fun. But the crime was only solved by the detective making several huge leaps of logic which proved to be spot on. I think the story needed more word count in order pace it better.
Also thought there was a big plot hole in the thing:
The Perfect Murder
This one grew on me. I had thought it was going to be a bit up-itself trying to examine the psychology of the killer. But it was short enough not to outstay its welcome and I enjoyed the twist at the end.
The Butler
This one didn't land for me. I didn't find the story very engaging and the twist didn't really do anything for me.
Go Swallow a Cane Toad
This was something of a love letter to CrimeFest. Handy that the murder victim kept a diary explaining exactly what happened.
Anthriscus slvestris
Really not sure why this one was in here. Long, rambling story about a forced eviction and literally two paragraphs at the end to make it crime fiction if you squint at it.
I Die Every Day
Too much sex. There's a reason I prefer cosies, I guess.
Didn't really 'get' this mini-collection of short stories or their intro.
The Black Spot
Another one I thought was well written but didn't quite 'get'. Perhaps makes more sense as a short story if you're into police procedurals? I was waiting for the clever part where but it never came.
Ocean Blue
A historical fiction, which was a nice change of pace. Good writing, but I don't really buy the motive or the killer confessing. Also a couple of continuity errors and a character's name changes spelling partway through, which is a bit disappointing in a story this short.
The Stalker
Well written and thoughtful piece. Thought the politics were crowbarred in a bit in this one. (Also, main character inspecting themselves in a mirror. Cmon, you can do better).
The Rama Cabin
Another one with the briefest mention of a crime at the end to make this crime writing. Possibly a sub genre that just doesn't click with me. I did find the setup and dialogue in this one a bit wooden as well, which didn't help.
Dust To Ashes
Okay so there have been a few of these now which focus on setting up a character and then the crime is just something dropped in at the end. But I enjoyed this one more than the others. More interesting characters to mull over, maybe.
Carl
I liked this. Told a great story in very few words.
Once Upon a Time in New Jersey
It was fun, enjoyed the ending which I probably should have seen coming but didn't.
Wall Story
I really wanted to like this one. What an eclectic mix of ideas. The Time Team rip-off, the prima donna celebrities and a ghost.
But it all got a bit convolution for me and didn't hang together.
Entries and Exits
Clever twist on unreliable narrator / epistolary style.
October 13, 2025
I got this book in my CrimeFest goodie bag in 2025, reportedly the last one, sadly. But to commemorate the final event in Bristol, the organizers put together this anthology. The participating authors are all people who have repeatedly attended the event for years.
Lee Child, quite the gentleman (I really admire him - not to be overly gushy, but he's terrific), readily admitted in a panel that he "can't write short stories," but he was more than happy to write the Foreward.
Some of the stories in this volume are absolutely excellent. Two in particular blew my mind, they were so well crafted and surprising. There was one dud, and two others that just weren't for me at all. (Yuck.) But I appreciated those nonetheless, because it shows that everything from the traditional cozy to body horror can be under the mystery and crime genre.
Subtle moments carefully setting up a murder were deftly written by some of the writers. These stick with me still, months later. They're all so different from each other, but all inspiring and clever.
Lee Child, quite the gentleman (I really admire him - not to be overly gushy, but he's terrific), readily admitted in a panel that he "can't write short stories," but he was more than happy to write the Foreward.
Some of the stories in this volume are absolutely excellent. Two in particular blew my mind, they were so well crafted and surprising. There was one dud, and two others that just weren't for me at all. (Yuck.) But I appreciated those nonetheless, because it shows that everything from the traditional cozy to body horror can be under the mystery and crime genre.
Subtle moments carefully setting up a murder were deftly written by some of the writers. These stick with me still, months later. They're all so different from each other, but all inspiring and clever.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews