Kiwi Crime Writer Joins Forces To Support NHS With Crime Anthology

UK based literary group, Noir at the Bar, has brought together the best crime writers from across the globe, to publish a collection of crime stories, including one by New Zealand author Kirsten McKenzie.

Running for over four years Noir at the Bar is usually an opportunity for authors to showcase their creative prowess with fellow crime fiction enthusiasts. But with the coronavirus lockdown, Noir’s founder, Vic Watson moved the event online, inviting authors to a weekly virtual get together. And just one week later the first Virtual Noir at the Bar launched.

In less than two months, the weekly event has been watched by thousands. Over 70 authors have already appeared at Virtual Noir at the Bar, with over 100 more scheduled up to August.

To create something lasting from these virtual events, Noir from the Bar was conceived — a collection of 30 short crime stories. Created, and published in just six weeks, with publication slated for June 10, 2020, the anthology features best-sellers authors Neil Broadfoot, Roz Watkins, Zoe Sharp and Kirsten McKenzie among others. All contributors, editors and designers gave their time and work for free with all profits from the anthology going to the NHS.

Watson said of the project, “Our events have previously attracted writers from Iceland, Germany and America, so we knew there would be a global appetite for people to get involved in a virtual event. Running Virtual Noir at the Bar has given us the ability to host writers from across world, together in the one space. We’ve even had authors in New Zealand getting up at 6:30am to appear, bringing an audience with them!”

NOTES TO EDITOR

Kirsten McKenzie fought international crime for fourteen years as a Customs Officer before leaving to work in the family antique store, where she survived an armed robbery. Now a full time author, she lives in Auckland with her family and alternates between writing her next thriller - The Forger and the Thief (out July 31, Squabbling Sparrows Press), and completing her second time travel trilogy.

© Scoop Media