CSI Portsmouth 2016 where crime fiction met crime fact

Over a hundred people turned out on Saturday 5 March for CSI Portsmouth 2016 to hear crime authors, police and forensic experts debate crime fiction and crime fact.

On the morning panel, award winning crime writer Elly Griffiths, author of the series featuring forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway, and Pauline Rowson, author of the DI Andy Horton crime novels set in the Solent, joined crime experts Simon Mound, a crime scene investigator with Hampshire Police’s Scientific Services Department with expertise in the recovery of firearms and the examination of firearm related crime scenes, and Jonathan Smith, a forensic scientist with expertise in the examination of blood and body fluids, hairs, fibres, botany and wood fragment identification and adviser to many UK Police forces.

The Hampshire Police Fingerprint Bureau were also present and delegates were able to have their fingerprint taken and pressed into a keepsake key ring to take away.

Also present were students on the Forensic Science Course at South Downs College, who came armed with a mock up crime scene including a victim, Victor, the dummy.

Pauline Rowson introduced the event and put the morning panel through their paces with a series of questions that covered crime scene investigations, blood pattern analysis, the recovery and use of DNA at crime scenes and in trials, firearms recovery and cold cases.

She also quizzed fellow crime author Elly Griffiths about how she researches and writes her crime novels. The audience were then able to put their own questions to the panel and this was followed by a book signing and the chance for the audience to talk individually to the panel guests.

The afternoon panel comprised of Will Sutton, a musician, playwright an author of historical mysteries in Victorian London who quizzed crime author and crime expert Diana Bretherick, a former criminal barrister and now a lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of Portsmouth, and Hampshire based crime author J. S Law, a former Royal Navy officer.

CSI Portsmouth 2016 was  highly informative and entertaining.

Thanks to the panel guests, Hampshire Constabulary, Portsmouth Library Service and to the audience for coming.

CSI Portsmouth  was first launched in 2010 and is the brainchild of Internationally acclaimed crime writer  Pauline Rowson, author of the DI Andy Horton series of crime novels, and the marine based crime thriller novels featuring former Royal Marine Commando, Art Marvik

CSI Portsmouth is organised by Portsmouth City Council Library Service and is part of Portsmouth BookFest a festival of popular literature organised by Portsmouth City Council. The bookshop was provided by the Hayling Island Bookshop.

Pauline has also participated in CSI Newcastle, CSI Winchester, CSI Basingstoke, CSI Southampton.