Witney: Author Event - Ralph Surman

Ralph Surman, Witney Author poster

Tickets are free but must be booked via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ralph-surman-murder-he-wrote-an-author-event-tickets-1982342370393?aff=ebdsshcopyurl&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=

Murder HE Wrote 

An Early Evening at Witney Library with Ralph Surman – Author of Framed In Blood – A Bertha Dix Mystery

Step inside the world of crime, creativity, and dark humour with Ralph Surman, author of Framed in Blood, for a lively, unforgettable event packed with storytelling, laughter, and audience interaction. This FREE BESPOKE session is designed to entertain, inform, and inspire, blending sharp wit with gripping tales and behind-the-scenes insight into how stories are born.

Link to Witney

Set against the richly detailed backdrop of 1913 Witney, Ralph Surman brings the town’s streets, pubs, mills, and hidden corners vividly to life. Drawing on real locations and local history, he reveals how Witney stood on the brink of enormous change — socially, politically, and culturally — just before the First World War. 

Lively Discussion

Explore the themes, characters, and ideas that make books unforgettable – from justice and truth to imagination, morality, and creativity.

Live Reading

Enjoy a dramatic, compelling reading performed by the author himself, delivered with flair, humour, and a storyteller’s instinct for suspense.

Interactive Q&A

Ever wondered how a plot twist is created, where characters come from, or how a story evolves from a spark to the page? Ask anything – no question is too big or too small.

Mini Storytelling Sessions

Be entertained by short, five-minute tales – sometimes mysterious, sometimes funny, always engaging.

Life Behind the Stories

Drawing on 40 years as a teacher, Ralph shares entertaining and insightful anecdotes from the classroom and explains how education has shaped his writing.

As a former Lay Serious Case Officer for a major teaching union, he also reflects on real-life cases that continue to influence his thinking, themes, and storytelling.

Sneak Peeks

Get exclusive glimpses into upcoming projects, new characters, and what lies ahead in the world of Ralph Surman’s fiction.

Known for being funny, energetic, thought-provoking, and completely engaging, Ralph’s events are a true highlight of any reading calendar.

Come for the stories. Stay for the laughter. Leave inspired.

 

ABOUT RALPH SURMAN

Ralph Surman, born in Witney in 1965, the youngest son of Nesta ‎and Bob Surman. He attended Henry Box School and became head ‎boy in 1982-83. After completing his teacher education in Walsall, he ‎became a qualified teacher in 1987. Ralph has spent his entire career ‎teaching at the same primary school while actively participating in ‎trade unionism at local and national levels. He resides in Nottingham ‎with his partner, Kate, his five daughters and ten grandchildren. ‎Ralph's passion for history, especially Witney's blanket town, has led ‎him to start writing gripping murder mystery thrillers, featuring his ‎character Bertha Dix.‎

Address

Witney Library
Welch Way
Witney
OX28 6JH

Dates

Thursday 2 Apr 2026, 5.30pm-6.30pm

Price

free

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