The British Library’s immensely successful Crime Classics series has become a modern publishing phenomenon

Course dates and times: Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 January

The popularity of the books, many of them out of print and forgotten for more than half a century, reflects a remarkable resurgence of enthusiasm for traditional British mysteries – the kind that enjoyed huge sales during the ‘Golden Age of Murder’ between the two world wars.

Join us for a special weekend of unexpected twists, turns, murder and mystery, with award-winning crime novelist Martin Edwards. author of The Golden Age of Murder, consultant to the Library’s Crime Classics series and President of the legendary Detection Club. He leads an in-depth exploration of the classic whodunit, its origins and its offshoots. You’ll learn how British crime writing developed, discover its key authors and landmark publications, and analyse what makes them so unputdownable. You’ll also have the opportunity to see rare publications and manuscript material from the Library’s collection with curator Kathryn Johnson, including Arthur Conan Doyle’s manuscript of the Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Retired Colourman and John Gielgud’s annotated script for the film Murder on the Orient Express.

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Adult Learning Courses at the British Library

Our courses are aimed at anyone interested in developing their personal interests and passions. Deepen your engagement with a wide range of topics and use our world-renowned collections to inspire your own creativity. We’ll bring you together with Library experts and guest specialists, providing a unique learning experience.  

Multi-session courses offer high-quality, in-depth learning experiences that encourage discussion with both experts and fellow learners. To make sure you get the most from your time with us, we limit class sizes to 16 participants.

So if you want to develop fresh perspectives with leading thinkers or create with contemporary artists, our new programme is the place to start.

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