H.R.F. KEATING AND SIMON BRETT

My second visit to the Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival was on a Sunday morning when firstly we were entertained by a brilliant solo virtuoso performance by Simon Brett. I had heard Simon quite recently at the Bristol Crime Fest and once again he kept his audience laughing for the hour, quite an accomplishment at that time of the morning.

The second event was the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger winning author H.R.F. Keating interviewed by Simon Brett. Harry Keating is in his 80s, he looked rather frail and told us he was not very well and that was why he had agreed to an interview rather than attempting a solo performance.

The interview was very interesting even though it is many years since I read any of the Inspector Ghote books. Harry Keating was kind enough to sign one of his recent Harriet Martens novels and pose for a photograph.

I vaguely remember the Ghote books as being rather gentle and am interested to see how an elderly Henry Reymond [the correct spelling] Fitzwalter Keating deals with the modern world.

I must say Harry Keating did seem very much at home in the genteel English seaside town of Budleigh Salterton, which sometimes appears to be in a pleasant time warp.