ASPIRING author May Sinclair picked up some hot tips for her first crime novel when she visited Bishop Auckland library.
All the clues led to two policewomen holding a weekly surgery at the library, which is in Bishop Auckland Town Hall.
Sergeant Andrea Clayton, and the town's dedicated beat officer, PC Sarah Jackson, both spend two hours meeting shoppers, residents and visitors to the town every Thursday, from 11am to 1pm.
Mrs Sinclair, a retired nursery teacher, lives in Bishop Auckland and is a member of the Wear Valley Writers group.
The group holds weekly Wednesday night meetings in the library.
She said: "The girls helped me a lot with my research.
"It was wonderful to get information from the people who know.
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