A RETIRED police commander who swapped catching criminals for penning thrillers will host a murder mystery talk in Winchester next month.

Paul Stickler will bring his new book, Murder of an Aristocrat, to life on October 8 as he invites the audience to decide whether its killing was the work of a jealous husband or British military intelligence during the Second World War.

Proceeds will go to Age UK Winchester.

John Edwards, branch chairman, said: "This is an important night for the charity. We depend on our wonderful volunteers and fundraising to enable us to support older people in the area. Paul's talk last year was hugely popular and I can't imagine that anyone who was there will want to miss this year's event. It promises to be a really enjoyable evening."

The talk starts at 7pm in Winchester Discovery Centre, Jewry Street, and will last an hour-and-a-half with time for questions and discussions.

Tickets are available for £10 from jumblebee.co.uk/murderofanaristocrat. For more information, call Age UK Winchester on 01962 871712.