Join bestselling crime fiction writer Sophie Hannah to discuss her new standalone novel The Opposite of Murder, as well as a deep dive into her Poirot novels - Sophie was signed up by the Christie Estate to continue the Belgian detective’s legacy. 

You’ll also get insights into Sophie’s newest book Work Experience, a collection of poems together with the librettos of two murder mystery musicals (whose rebellious protagonist is every bit as mischievous and independent-minded as his creator). 

Sophie will be in conversation with supersleuth fan Jan Carson so expect deep affection and in-depth knowledge of Agatha Christie, plot-twists and writing impossible scenarios. 

Bring your questions! 

Meet the writers

Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times, New York Times and Amazon Kindle No. 1 bestselling crime writer whose books have sold more than five million copies and are published in 51 countries. She is the author of the new series of Hercule Poirot mystery novels, and won the UK National Book Awards Crime Novel of the Year prize in 2013, and the Dagger in the Library Award for her body of work in 2023. Her murder mystery musical movie, The Mystery of Mr E, is available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV. Sophie is an honorary fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge, and the founder and coach at Dream Author Coaching where, since 2019, she has helped thousands of writers to achieve greater success and happiness in their professional and personal lives.

Jan Carson is a writer based in Belfast. She has published three novels, three short story collections and two micro-fiction collections. Her novel The Fire Starters won the EU Prize for Literature for Ireland 2019. Jan’s latest novel, The Raptures was published by Doubleday in early 2022 and was subsequently shortlisted for the An Post Irish Novel of the Year and Kerry Group Novel of the Year. Her short story collection Quickly, While They Still Have Horses was published by Doubleday (UK) in April 2024 and Scribner (US) in July 2024. Her writing has been aired on BBC Radio 3 and 4 and RTE. She is the Seamus Heaney Centre Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast 2025 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Her first stage play, an adaptation of the children’s classic, The Velveteen Rabbit has been produced by Replay Theatre Company at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast in March 2025. Her next novel, Few and Far Between is forthcoming in April 2026.