Simon Hobbs talk on his novel Forgiveness

Simon Hobbs is coming to Mickleover Library on Thursday 4 February, from 5pm to 6pm, to talk about his novel Forgiveness. It's a local story, and the talk is built around it.

Hobbs is a retired lawyer, and he wrote Forgiveness from a notorious piece of Derbyshire history: the Wigwell Grange murder of Bessie Goodwin in 1863, and the trial and national scandal that followed. The novel and the talk both look at the tragedy of the crime and the arbitrary justice system of the Victorian era, and the session invites you to discover the true Derbyshire murder that inspired the book.

If you've never heard of the Wigwell Grange case, it's exactly the kind of thing that stays in the local memory long after the trial is over. The murder of Bessie Goodwin was a national scandal in its day, and Hobbs uses his legal background to pull apart how the justice system of the 1860s actually worked. The talk isn't just a summary of the plot; it's a look at the real history behind the fiction, so you'll get the story of the crime and the trial alongside the novel it inspired.

It's free to attend, but booking is essential. You can book in person at the library or by calling 01332 647884. The talk runs from 5pm to 6pm on Thursday 4 February at Mickleover Library.