A leading forensic scientist has joined the line-up for Dorset’s new crime and thriller festival.

Angela Gallop CBE, a practising forensic scientist for over 45 years who personally oversaw the cases of Rachel Nickell, Damilola Taylor, Roberto Calvi and Stephen Lawrence, will be appearing at Dorset’s new crime and thriller festival, Lyme Crime, in the summer.

The festival, which was launched online in June 2020, returns with a full, three-day festival from June 23 to 25 at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis.

It aims to celebrate the best crime and thriller fiction and examine the real-world issues that find their way onto the page. In a series of panels and conversations, festival visitors will hear from authors as well as lawyers, judges, police officers and forensic specialists.

Angela will be discussing her latest book, How To Solve A Crime, which reveals the ways in which criminals, however skilled, always leave a trace.

She joins an amazing line-up of crime writers at the festival. Panellists include Nicci French, Erin Kelly, Fiona Cummins, Heidi Perks, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Harriet Tyce, Antonia Hodgson, Abir Mukherjee and Laurence Anholt.

Charlotte Philby will also be attending to speak about her new novel, Edith and Kim, which looks at the relationship between her double-agent grandfather Kim and Soviet spy, Edith Tudor-Hart.

Also on the programme is former Home Secretary Alan Johnson, who’ll be chatting about his first foray into crime writing, a contemporary thriller called The Last Train to Gypsy Hill.

The weekend will include Noir at the Bar, an evening in the upstairs bar of the Marine Theatre where crime writers (established, emerging and would-be) will read from their work. It's a gathering of crime fiction authors and readers who get together to enjoy an evening of readings, conversation and laughter.

Lyme Regis Bookshop, the local independent bookseller, will be on hand to sell participating authors' titles throughout the festival.

For more details and to buy tickets, visit www.lymecrime.co.uk

An early bird weekend pass is available at £90, which normally has a full price of £110. Day passes at varying costs and individual tickets for panels at £12 are also available.