Vaseem Khan – Patron and professional trouble maker Patron – Wrexham Carnival of Words

I spend most of my day murdering people. Well, not literally, of course, but on the page. I am the author of two award-winning crime series set in India. My debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopraset in modern Mumbai, was picked by the Sunday Times as one of the 40 best crime novels published 2015-2020. In 2021, Midnight at Malabar Housethe first in my historical crime novels set in 1950s Bombay, won the Crime Writers Association Historical Dagger and was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. (I was born in England, but spent a decade working in India.) I also co-host the popular crime fiction podcast, The Red Hot Chilli Writers.

A few years ago, I was invited to speak at the Wrexham Carnival of Words. Having never been before, I discovered a town with a wonderfully intriguing history. I was particularly taken by the tomb of Elihu Yale, who gave his name to the American university, and who worked in India for the British East India Company. Given that my Malabar House series examines the Raj and the period directly after, I found myself fascinated by Yale’s life – and the magnificent epitaph on his tomb!

At the carnival, I was privileged to deliver my talk in the most marvellous library – without libraries I would not be an author today; we had little money in our house growing up and my dad wouldn’t countenance the idea of paying for books that ‘someone had just made up’…

I’m delighted to act as a patron for the festival and know that it will continue its fine tradition of inviting a great mix of speakers to titillate and entertain you. I’m hoping to return myself soon enough! In the meantime, feel free to give one of my books a go. The latest is The Lost Man of Bombay … A dead white man is found in the Himalayas with only a notebook containing cryptic clues… The Times says:  “If only all period procedurals were as good as this!”

 

Other Posts

Big Stories, Written in Wrexham By Elen Caldecott

Big Stories, Written in Wrexham By Elen Caldecott

When I was 10 years old, my primary school teacher said to the class, “I want you to write a story today. There aren’t any rules; no special words you have to use, or any particular grammar you should practise. Just write a story.” It’s possible she didn’t have a...

Do you have a Murder Mystery script in you?

Do you have a Murder Mystery script in you?

Budding writers and murder mystery fans are invited to enter the Wrexham Carnival of Words Murder Mystery Script Writing Competition 2023.  The Competition is open to any author with an original script that fits the brief and has never been published before.  The...

Harriet Tyce – Wrexham Library – Wednesday 29th March 7pm

Harriet Tyce – Wrexham Library – Wednesday 29th March 7pm

Do you like books packed with intriguing characters, deceptive plots and a punch-to-the-gut finale? If the answer is ‘YES’, then we have just the event for you! Come and meet Harriet Tyce, the author of psychological thrillers Blood Orange, The Lies You Told and her...

World Book Day 2nd March (Week!)

World Book Day 2nd March (Week!)

When I was a fresh faced newly qualified teacher, I took part in the very first World Book Day. Back then, the day was held on Shakespeare’s birthday (23rd April). There were no expectations about what people should wear and everyone came in cobbled together,...

Bleak House

Bleak House

At last year’s Wrexham Carnival of Words we experimented by asking people to join us in a long read from January to April. George Eliot’s ‘Middlemarch’ proved very popular and we had a lot of fun discussing it at an event in Wrexham Library. In 2023 we are encouraging...

Liverpool Year of Reading

Liverpool Year of Reading

2023 is Liverpool Year of Reading and marks the start of the second Liverpool Literacy Cycle. The cycle aims to engage everyone and raise awareness of the importance of literacy skills in everyday life whilst promoting creative activity such as writing and performing....