Adventures Online: British Murder Mysteries: Fact vs. Fiction

11:00 a.m. Welcome Meeting (15 minutes). Kevin Durjun, our Group Leader, will greet everyone and provide an overview of the day. Topics: Introduction to the program, Victorian and Edwardian detectives and Sherlock Holmes 11:15 a.m. Lecture-Discussion (45 minutes). Kevin Durjun will engage in conversation with Martin Edwards, the author of sixteen contemporary “whodunits” who also serves as President of the Detection Club and Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association. Kevin and Martin will discuss Victorian and Edwardian detectives including, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's peerless creation Sherlock Holmes.

12:00 Noon. Break (15 minutes). 12:15 p.m. Group introductions (15 minutes). 12:30 p.m. (25 minutes). Questions from the group facilitated by Kevin Durjun. 12:55 p.m. (5 minutes). Daily Wrap Up. 1:00 p.m. Today's session ends.

11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes) with Kevin Durjun. Topics: The Golden Age of Murder, Agatha Christie and True Crime 1: How do you catch a killer? 11:05 a.m. Lecture-Discussion (55 minutes). Kevin Durjun in conversation with Martin Edwards. In this interactive session we explore the Golden Age of murder mystery with special focus on the work of Agatha Christie.

12:00 Noon. Break (10 minutes). 12:10 p.m. Lecture (45 minutes). True Crime 1: How to Catch A Killer. We’ll have the first of multiple “true crime” sessions with Simon Dinsdale. Simon was a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) with the Essex UK police and led the investigations into 30 murders. In this fascinating presentation which draws upon his true life experience, he describes the processes involved in catching a killer. 12:55 p.m. (5 Minutes) Daily Wrap Up. 1:00 p.m. Today’s session ends.

11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes) with Kevin Durjun. Topics:The Detection Club, Locked Room Mysteries and Crime Dossiers 11:05 a.m. Lecture-Discussion (55 minutes). In this lively conversation Kevin Durjun and Martin Edwards unlock the secrets to The Detection Club, Locked Room Mysteries, Mystery Games and crime dossiers. The Detection Club was founded in 1930 by a group of leading “crime writers” — i.e., detective novelists. Among the founding members were Agatha Christie, Freeman Wills Crofts, and Dorothy L. Sayers. Martin Edwards is the current President.

12:00 Noon. Break (10 minutes). 12:10 p.m. Q&A (45 minutes). Participants will be encouraged to explore the themes raised in this morning's session in a facilitated Q&A session. 12:55 p.m. (5 minutes) Daily Wrap Up. 1:00 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes) with Kevin Durjun. Topics: Life as a working policeman, the development of the modern detective story and True Crime 2: The Ipswich Murders 11:05 a.m. Lecture-Discussion (25 minutes). Kevin Durjun and Simon Dinsdale in conversation - during this session during which participants are encouraged to ask questions, we will find out what life is like for a working policeman including the challenges, joys and the future of British policing. 11:30 p.m. (30 minutes). Kevin Durjun and Martin Edwards in conversation: The development of the modern detective story, and the revival of the Golden Age of detective fiction.

12:00 Noon. Break (10 minutes). 12:10 p.m. Lecture (45 minutes). True Crime 2: The Ipswich Murders. In 2006 two young women disappeared in the small market town of Ipswich in Suffolk. Their bodies were found a month later. A few days later another three women had been found murdered. These appalling events led to one of the biggest murder inquiries in British history. Simon Dinsdale led the investigations into two of these murders and describes with sensitivity and compassion how the victims were identified and the murderer eventually captured. 12:55 p.m. (5 Minutes). Daily Wrap Up. 1:00 p.m. Today’s online session ends.

11:00 a.m. Review of the day (5 minutes) with Kevin Durjun. Topics: The denouement: resolving cold cases with new technology, exploring two lives lived in crime and the art and graft of creating crime fiction 11:05 a.m. Lecture-Discussion (55 minutes). Cold Cases: In this presentation Simon Dinsdale draws on his own real life experiences to explain how unsolved serious crimes including murder can be re-examined and eventually resolved through the use of new evidence and technological advances.

12:00 Noon. Break (15 minutes). 12:15 p.m. (40 minutes). Kevin Durjun in conversation with Martin Edwards and Simon Dinsdale on their lives in crime, crime writing, and the art and graft involved in creating crime fiction. 12:55 p.m. (5 Minutes). Final Farewells to our participants and guests. 1:00 p.m. This ends our program.