Lesley Crewe wows sold-out crowd at Woodstock Reads
This year’s “Woodstock Reads” event, held on Oct. 14, brought best-selling Nova Scotia author Lesley Crewe to town, and the response could not have been warmer. More than 120 people packed into the Elks Club for an evening full of laughter, tears, and Maritime storytelling charm.
The event, organized by the L.P. Fisher Public Library as part of its annual fundraiser, was completely sold out.
“We had planned for 100 tickets,” said library director Jenn Carson, “and then we printed 20 more because people kept calling. Even those sold out,” Carson explained while smiling at the crowded room. “Everyone is so excited. People were lining up outside long before we opened the doors.”
As soon as those doors opened, Crewe found herself surrounded by fans. She moved easily through the crowd, shaking hands, posing for photos, and chatting like an old friend who had dropped by for a visit.
That warm, laid-back atmosphere carried through the evening as Crewe read from her novel “Death and Other Inconveniences” (Nimbus Publishing, 2024) and talked about her latest work, “The Spirit of Scatarie”, weaving in anecdotes and stories from her own life.
The audience responded with gentle understanding, laughter, and the occasional dab of a tissue.
A voice that feels like home
“Death and Other Inconveniences” is set partly in Fredericton, a local touch that clearly resonated with the audience.
“When Lesley talks about Hanwell Road or the Boyce Farmers Market, everybody knows where that is. It’s that extra layer of authenticity, in combination with the lifelike characters she creates, that makes her work stand out,” Carson said, praising the author’s craftsmanship. “The characters in her books are very recognizable. They’re the people you meet at the grocery store: your neighbours, your parents, your siblings, and sometimes even yourself.”
That recognition, along with the way Crewe captures life in the Maritimes with all its colour and character, is what draws many of her fans.
Nancy Hicks, originally from Cape Breton and now living in New Brunswick, said she owns nearly all of Crewe’s books.
“It’s her humour and the way she brings the characters to life,” Hicks said. “Her books are so relatable. It’s like she writes about our lives, our home.”
Her friend Maura Lemieux nodded in agreement.
“She’s writing about us, the people we know, the places we know. And she makes you feel good while you read.”
Their affection for the author was plain in the stack of books they brought: some well-loved copies, others freshly purchased from the table near the stage, all waiting to be signed by Crewe.
“She’s the only author I’d stand this long in line for,” Hicks added with a laugh.
An author who listens
Crewe, 70, spoke candidly about her life, her hardships, and her late start as a novelist.
“My first book was published when I was 50,” she told the audience. “I never set out to be an author. I just wanted to write something down, something I needed to figure out.”
That first novel, written to help process the loss of her young son, became the seed of a career that now includes more than a dozen novels, over 250,000 copies sold, and a film adaptation of her debut, Relative Happiness.
A library at the heart of it all
The fundraiser also shone a light on the L.P. Fisher Public Library itself. Carson, who has led the library for nearly a decade, is proud of how it has evolved and remained relevant in the heart of Woodstock.
“Libraries used to be quiet places where you borrowed books,” she said. “Now they’re vibrant spaces where people come to connect. We call it a ‘third space,’ not home, not work, but somewhere you belong.”
The crowd’s enthusiasm, she added, proves that libraries and books still matter, even in today’s digital age.
“All of these people heard about this event through the library,” Carson said. “They’re here because they love Lesley, but also because they love reading and they love their library.”
That shared love of stories, connection, and community threaded through the night. Fans from as far away as Fredericton and Perth-Andover listened to Crewe’s reflections and personal anecdotes.
For many, her novels are more than entertainment. They are a source of comfort and belonging in a rapidly changing world. For them, Woodstock Reads was not just about meeting a favourite author. It was about celebrating the things that knit a community together: stories, laughter, and the simple joy of recognizing yourself and your neighbours on the pages of a book.
