This year’s Guernsey Literary Festival will bring together two Guernsey based authors with a shared passion for the island’s history.
Kelvin Whelan’s new book, ‘Last Man Hanging’, is his first venture into historical true crime, while Theresa Le Flem’s newbook is called ‘Freedom On The Morning Tide’.
Mr Whelen is an entrepreneur as well as an author, having established the island’s bookshop, Writer’s Block. He is also a history enthusiast with two previous non-fiction books published about Guernsey.
His first novel, ‘Last Man Hanging’ delves into the dramatic trial and gruesome execution of John Charles Tapner, the last man hanged in Guernsey. It explores potential questions surrounding the investigation and the intriguing involvement of Victor Hugo.
Speaking to Express ahead of the talk on Monday evening, Mr Whelan said: “It’s a really fascinating story that’s not really been told before. It’s about the last man that was hanged in Guernsey back in 1854 and it was a really, really scandalous, salacious trial that lasted days and days and days and took up the whole entire media landscape, the newspapers of the time.
“It’s not really been a story that’s been really remembered, but it’s so fascinating when you delve into the details of it and into the complexities of the trial and the murder case. I love sharing Guernsey’s history. Love talking about it. I’m really glad that people want to come and hear it!
Mr Whelan was asked about his inclusion in the Literary Festival line up, and said it’s a privilege.
“There’s some fantastic authors that they’ve got this year. You know, amazing people like Sam McAlister, Orlando Whitfield, Clare McIntosh, all these new, really big names, really big people, and just to be amongst them is an incredible privilege.”
Joining Mr Whelan on Monday evening is Ms Le Flem, an author who has been captivated by Guernsey’s history, particularly the German Occupation, since moving to the island five years ago.
Ms Le Flem has published six novels and a collection of poetry and drawings, often exploring traumatic historical or sociological situations.
Her featured book for this event is ‘Freedom On The Morning Tide’, the sequel to ‘A Sea of Barbed Wire’.
The novel follows the lives of Ellen and Lucy in post-liberation Guernsey as they navigate a seemingly returning normalcy that brings a growing unease.
Monday evening’s talk will likely explore themes of Guernsey’s unique history, true crime, the impact of historical events on individuals, and the process of bringing these types of story to life through literature and the written word.
It offers a chance to hear from two authors deeply engaged with the island’s past.
The talk takes place at the Guille-Allès Library on Monday 28 April, from 18:00 through to 19:00, with tickets costing £10.
The talk will be chaired by Nick Le Messurier.