The Body in the Garden
InReview
Every writer knows that a clever title is key to captivating readers, and The Body in the Garden certainly has more than a hint of intrigue. It’s not the title of a crime bestseller, however, but rather Adelaide’s latest addition to the festival circuit – the South Australian Crime & Garden Writers’ Festival.
The brainchild of former Adelaide Writers’ Week director Rose Wight and bookshop owner and arts administrator Penelope Curtin, the inaugural Body in the Garden will be held from October 25-27 in the Botanic Gardens.
Wight told Indaily the event combines two genres that its organisers love.
“It will certainly bring lots of people that would go to an event just about gardening and it will introduce them to crime writers, too … and, of course, quite a few murders occur in gardens, or at least outdoors!”
Around 22 Australian and international authors are already lined up to speak at the festival, including crime writers Hakan Nesser (three-time winner of the Best Swedish Crime Novel award), Ann Cleeves (Britain) and Gabrielle Lord (Australia), and UK garden expert Toby Musgrave.

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The format will comprise solo talks, in conversation sessions and panel discussions with titillating titles such as The Female of the Species: Is She More Deadly?
Wight says that while the event may appeal more to an older demographic, it is hoped the unlikely pairing of genres will attract strong interest and lead to A Body in the Garden becoming a regular feature on Adelaide’s festival calendar.
“Everybody so far has just loved the idea.”
The full program for the festival will be released in September.
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