How To Get Away With Murder with Rebecca Philipson

Rebecca Philipson is at the Victoria Gallery & Museum on Saturday 17 October, talking about her debut crime novel, How To Get Away With Murder. It's part of the Liverpool Literary Festival, which the University of Liverpool runs across the city this autumn.

Philipson's book, published by Penguin, grew out of a true crime blog she started during the pandemic and her fascination with the celebrity status so often given to serial killers. Crime writer Val McDermid, a past festival guest, said it 'turns the serial killer novel on its head'. The talk is a conversation between Philipson and Dr Melissa Raines from the university's English department, so it'll be a chance to hear how the book came together rather than just a reading.

There's a fair bit of a career shift behind it, too. Philipson started her own business at 21, was named North East Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and sold it in 2020 to devote herself to writing. In 2024 she won a scholarship to the University of Liverpool, where she's now reading for a PhD in Creative Writing. The festival director, Professor Greg Lynall, who also heads the university's English department, describes the whole thing as a chance for audiences to go beyond the page.

It starts at 10am on Saturday 17 October at the Victoria Gallery & Museum on Ashton Street, L69 3DR, and tickets are £8.