Bewdley Festival Book Week received a fantastic endorsement when crimewriter in chief Baroness PD James entertained nearly 100 guests atthe launch event.

The 92-year-old author – creator of Inspector Adam Dalgliesh – spoke for about an hour at a literary lunch in the Mercure Hotel, Bewdley last Tuesday.

She discussed her life and works fromher early career right up to her latest book, Death Comes to Pemberley.

Born out of her greatlove for Jane Austen, in particular Pride and Prejudice,the novel is a murder mystery featuring the well-known characters from that book.

Attendees were fascinated to hear howMs James had continued the story, and were able to buy signed copies after the lunch.

She gave budding writers good advice on how to write crime novels and suggested Bewdley was the perfect location for crime novels because “it is so beautiful and the lovely people are such a contrastto the horrors of crime.”

The event even came complete with amystery of its own, as a bouquet of flowers intended for the guest of honour wentmissing.

Ms James quipped: “This looks like a case for Inspector Dalgliesh!”

Bewdley Festival Book Week, in association with The Shuttle, begins officially on Monday with children’s sessions from Helen Wendy Cooper at Bewdley Primary School at 11am.

Singer Elkie Brooks, a regular at Bewdley Festival, was due to discuss her new autobiography, Finding My Voice, on Monday, at Bewdley Baptist Church but has had to call off due to illness. But award-winning romantic novelist, Miranda Dickinson, will be speaking atthe same venue in the evening.

Throughout the week, the exciting programme offers all kinds of book lovers an insight into a variety of literary genres.

Di Spires’ memoir I Only Made The Tea provides a unique glimpse behind the scenes of Formula One motorsport while BBC Holiday programme presenter Sarah Tucker will talk about her hit series of novels about motherhood in the modern world and her travel guides for people with young children.

John Milner will be at Bewdley Library, discussing themoving collection of his father’s letters to his mother during four years as a Desert Ratin the Second World War.

One of Britain’s finest polymaths, Raymond Tallis will challenge his audience to rethink Darwin and our views on humanity.

“We’re really excited aboutthe programme of talks we’ve assembled,” said Book Week founder and coorganiser, Neville Farmer.

“We cover everything fromhow to live wild in Britain to historical novels from some amazing authors. We even have a world premiere with the launch of Robert Ronsson’s political novel, No Mean Affair on Wednesday , October 17 atthe Cock and Magpie.”

Bewdley Book Week culminates with three events next Saturday, including children’s author, Jackie Marchant, the voice of Dougal Trump, BBC TV forager and nature lover, Leo Crichley and best-selling husband and wife crime writers Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, who are better known under their joint pseudonym Nicci French.

The Grand Finale willtake place at The Hop Pole on Cleobury Road on Sunday, October 21 with a Black Country Poetry Dinner, featuring great local fare and entertainment from the award-winning Brewer’s Troupe for just £15.

Tickets for the readings cost between £2 and £5 and can be obtained from the Bewdley Tourist Information Centre (0845 6077819) in the Guildhall. There is also a season ticket for all book readings costing £30.