How They Did It: Crime Fiction

Whether you fashion yourself more of a gardener, or a contractor, or something in between, all writers of fiction can take a page from successful authors of mysteries and thrillers. From creating compelling protagonists (and memorable villains) to establishing vivid settings to slyly manipulating the give-and-take of plot and pacing, the crime writer’s ability to skillfully wield the countless tools of their trade can be instructive to writers of all stripes.

In the latest “How They Did It” conversation co-presented by Litquake and LitCamp, we’ll hear from three masters of the craft, each of whom takes a slightly different approach to suspense, from historical mystery to locked room puzzle to detective fiction. Cara Black (M**der at La Villette), Gigi Pandian (The Library Game), and Ritu Mukerji (M**der by Degrees) will unpack their toolkits and take the mystery out of their process. Our moderator is Lee Kravetz, whose novel The Last Confessions of Sylvie P. contains many elements of suspense fiction.

We'll gather at the Page Street Co-Working space in Berkeley, where in addition to the conversation, we'll enjoy time for casual networking and book signing. We'll be pouring Prosecco, wine, and fancy nonalcoholic drinks. Proceeds from ticket sales will support both LitCamp and Litquake. Book sales by Books, Inc.

Cara Black has written 21 books in the NYtimes bestselling Aimée Leduc investigations series set in Paris and two WW2 historical thrillers. She's received the Medaille de la Ville de Paris—the Paris City medal which is awarded in recognition of contribution to international culture—long with nominations for the Dashiel Hammett award, the Macavity and Anthony awards. She discovered her love of story with her first library card when she was five years old and went to a French Catholic school where the nuns taught her archaic French.

Ritu Mukerji was born in Kolkata, India, and raised in the San Francisco Bay area. From a young age, she has been an avid reader of mysteries, from Golden Age crime fiction to police procedurals and the novels of PD James and Ruth Rendell. She received a BA in history from Columbia University and a medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She completed residency training at the University of California, Davis and has been a practicing internist for fifteen years. She lives in Marin County with her husband and three children.

Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and locked-room mystery enthusiast. The child of academics from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood being dragged around the world on research trips, which inspired her fiction. Gigi writes the Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times), the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous mysteries with a touch of magic), and the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history). She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard garden.

Lee Kravetz (moderator) is the author of the national bestselling novel The Last Confessions of Sylvia P., as well as acclaimed nonfiction, Strange Contagion and SuperSurvivors.  He has written for print and television, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Psychology Today, The Daily Beast, The San Francisco Chronicle, and PBS.  He teaches at the Dominican University of California MFA Program.

Since being founded by Jane Ganahl and Jack Boulware in 1999, Litquake has hosted 10,500 authors for 275,000 attendees and distributed 12,000 free books to San Francisco schoolchildren. With over 225 literary partners, Litquake functions more than ever as an umbrella organization stitching together the Bay Area’s literary scene. In its lively, diverse and inclusive celebration of San Francisco’s thriving contemporary literary scene, Litquake, which enters its second quarter-century in 2025, seeks to foster an interest in literature, perpetuate a sense of literary community, and provides a forum for Bay Area writing as a complement to the city’s music, film, and cultural festivals.

LitCamp exists to help writers hone their craft, navigate the world of publishing, and find community. Each year, the organization holds two conferences at the stunning Bell Valley Retreat Center in Mendocino County: one focused on craft, the other on the business of being a writer. Lit Nights events, held at the Page Street co-working space in San Francisco, give emerging writers the opportunity to read their work in front of an audience. LitCamp's in-person and online classes, taught by published writers and experienced instructors, help writers develop their craft. Retreats, held at some of the most secluded and beautiful locations in Northern California, give writers the time and space they need to write.

Host or Publisher Litquake, San Francisco's Literary Festival