Let us imagine Sherlock Holmes at the HeadRead literary festival. He would probably become bored quickly, as he would be able to guess the topic of the talk based on the creases in the speakers’ clothes and the soles of their shoes, and would instead go to the Estonia Theatre to enjoy a violin concert. Let us imagine Kurt Wallander in the same position. He would probably not last long either, his secret wine stash would soon run out, his mobile would ring because his ex-wife has found a skull in her garden or has forgotten her medication. Mister Hercule Poirot would politely interrupt the event, gather everyone around him and after a brilliant monologue, identify the person who would love to be the first to get an autograph from the author. Since the appearance of these gentlemen in Tallinn in late spring is highly unlikely, everyone is free to fantasise about a crime novel plot that unfolds at a literary festival – actually, it would be best if it remained a fantasy. The best way to do that is to attend the crime fiction workshop on at the Tallinn Central Library, supervised by British historian and writer Jason Goodwin. The workshop by Goodwin (1964), whose five-book series on the Istanbul detective Yaşim has also appeared in Estonian, is a popular fixture on the festival schedule. Participation is subject to prior registration (from 10 May) by writing to info@headread.ee.
