"SMAF was by far the best book festival I've ever attended. It was well-run, in a beautiful location, (had) wonderful writers for networking and enthusiastic readers! I can't wait until next year."
--Betsy Ashton, Bestselling Author and SMAF Featured Author in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 & 2023
"Many, many thanks for all the work the staff did to put together the amazing mystery festival. It just gets better every year! You all make us feel like rock stars, the way you pamper us. It was a wonderful weekend. I loved meeting all the enthusiastic readers, and I appreciated everything very much."
--Mary Ellen Hughes, National Bestselling Author and SMAF Featured Author in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022
"From an author's perspective, the event was very well-organized, from start to finish, with a variety of offerings to appeal to attendees and draw them in. I do many events throughout the year and all around the country, and I can honestly say that while this event is still relatively new, it was extremely well done and has the potential to grow into a real highlight of the city's cultural calendar and a yearly destination event for readers outside the immediate area."
--Kimberly Lang, USA Today Bestselling Author and SMAF Featured Author in 2016
"I travel year-round to conferences, book signings, and festivals meeting fans and talking books. There’s nothing I love more—and there’s no better book festival than the Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival in Suffolk, Virginia. The folks there have the best authors, greatest fans, and really know how to put on a fun event."
--Tj O'Connor, Gold Medal Winner of the 2015 Independent Publishers Book Awards for Mysteries and SMAF Featured
​   Author in 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018
"Sincere thanks to the amazing staff for putting on an incredible festival. I can’t tell you how many times I heard the authors talking about the extraordinary job you all did. We were so impressed with the attention to detail, the careful planning, and the wonderful treatment we received. I had a lovely time meeting new readers and spending time with my fellow writers. Kudos for a job well-done! Suffolk should be proud of hosting a fantastic event!"
--Kathryn O'Sullivan, National Bestselling Author, Agatha Award Winner, and SMAF Featured Author in 2015, 2016 & 2023
"I've never been to a festival quite like this one. It's cozy, it's held in a magnificent space, writers get a chance to connect with readers on a personal level, and everyone—readers and writers—is treated like family. These are the reasons it's my favorite festival, and these are the reasons I keep coming back."
--Amy M. Reade, USA Today Bestselling Author and SMAF Featured Author in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 & 2023
"Visiting Suffolk is like going home. You all have been so wonderful, and the readers are great too!"
--Gayle Trent (aka Gayle Leeson & Amanda Lee), Bestselling Author and SMAF Featured Author in 2014, 2016, 2018 & 2021