Sunday 29 May 2016

Mike Ripley’s “Sorry I haven’t a Cluedo” at Crimefest


L-R : Peter Guttridge and Mike Ripley

The Crimefest weekend closed with a most amusing final session, managed admirably by writer, critic, editor, publisher, raconteur and Shots “Getting Away with Murder” Columnist, the Talented Mr Ripley.

The session that closed Crimefest 2016 was entitled “Sorry I Haven’t a Cluedo” - a panel quiz that Mike Ripley devised, and was last performed before the Millennium.

Mike Ripley had arranged two teams to battle their collective knowledge of Crime, Mystery and Thrillers, aided by Peter Guttridge.

Laura Wilson captained the Female Crime-Writers with her colleagues Susan Moody and Alison Bruce, while Ian Rankin captained the Male Crime-Writers Andrew Taylor and Thomas Mogford.


The recording was not planned, but as I found myself sitting right at the front with a great view, I decided it might be fun to record the event, but as I laughed so much, the filming is a tad gonzo, especially when Award winning crime-writer and journalist, Ruth Dudley Edwards appeared as a surprise guest, heavily disguised.

Life can be tough for us from time to time, and I find laughter at the absurdities of reality a coping mechanism, so we hope you enjoy these videos, which indicate the surreal and quintessential nature of British humour. They also indicate that these tremendous British writers of Crime Fiction are very grounded, and indeed are brave to find themselves at the mercy of, the man who we all know as, The Talented Mr Mike Ripley.



Note : The “Sorry I Haven’t a Cluedo” presentation is split into sections, I’ve stabilised the picture and sound as well as I can, though I was laughing a lot during the quiz, and part 2 is not as sharp [in terms of picture clarity] compared to the other sections.










And if you missed Mike Ripley [with Barry Forshaw and Peter Guttridge] and their humorous presentation on the Golden Age of British Thrillers, which they hosted at Crimefest in 2014, click here because absurdity and laughter are indeed the best medicine as evidenced at the clapping when the presentation concluded.

Shots Ezine would like to pass our thanks to Mike Ripley, Peter Guttridge, Ian Rankin, Laura Wilson, Andrew Taylor, Susan Moody, Thomas Mogford and Alison Bruce, Myles Allfrey and Adrian Muller for allowing us to feature this closing session of Crimefest 2016

The Shots Team hope to see you at 2017’s Crimefest, with full details available from www.crimefest.com because as Friedrich Nietzsche once said –


A good writer possesses not only his own spirit, but also the spirit of his friends.” 

Photo and Video 
(c) 2016 A Karim

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