CrimeFest, in association with independent bookshop Max Minerva's Marvellous Books and Specsavers, is organising an event for children who enjoy reading crime fiction aimed at readers aged 8 to 12. Participating authors are Elly Griffiths and Dave Shelton. Elly Griffiths, well known for her award winning crime novels for adults, has just written her first children's mystery, A Girl Called Justice; and Dave Shelton has just been nominated for a CrimeFest Award for the first installment of his Emily Lime series, The Book Case. Helm Tickets are waiving their charges to ensure that the full amount of the £5 tickets - admitting one child and one adult - will go towards the cost of a book by the participating authors.

CrimeFest is a convention for people who like to read an occasional crime novel as well as for die-hard fanatics. Drawing top crime novelists, readers, editors, publishers and reviewers from around the world, it gives all delegates the opportunity to celebrate the genre in a friendly, informal and inclusive atmosphere.

The CrimeFest programme consists of interviews with its featured and highlighted guest authors; over forty panels with more than a hundred participating authors; a gala awards dinner; and one or two surprises.

CrimeFest was created following the hugely successful one-off visit to Bristol in 2006 of the American Left Coast Crime convention. The British hosts were encouraged to continue with a similar annual event and, as a result, the first CrimeFest was organised in June 2008. The convention has grown to become not only one of the biggest crime fiction events in Europe, but also one of the most popular dates in the international crime fiction calendar.

Like Left Coast Crime, CrimeFest follows the format of most US conventions where—with exception of the featured and highlighted guest authors—all delegates pay the same registration fee to enjoy the convention.

For more details visit www.crimefest.com.