Crime Fiction at the Cheltenham Literary Festival

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Cheltenham Literature Festival (6 - 15 October), where book lovers of all ages will descend for ten days of literary celebration, discussion and debate.

There is a fantastic showcase of crime writing lined up – from Ian Rankin celebrating 30 years of the indomitable Rebus to Minette Walters on ending her decade-long silence with The Last Hours, from Barry Forshaw talking gripping true crime with Emma Flint (Little Deaths) and Denise Mina (The Long Drop), to exploring exciting debut crime fiction from Joseph Knox (Sirens) and Ali Land (Good Me Bad Me). 

They will also be spotlighting partners in crime as the bestselling Nicci Gerrard and Sean French share the secrets behind their unique and successful co-writing partnership, and another duo will be returning to the stage: notorious crime writer’s Mark Billingham and Chris Brookmyre bring back their hilarious two man show to entertain into the evening.

Alexander McCall Smith discusses three new novels to be published this autumn including The House of Unexpected Sisters, A Time of Love and Tartan and A Distant View of Everything. Ian Rankin talks to James Naughtie to mark Thirty Years Of Rebus – one of crime fiction’s best-loved characters. Former MI5 Director General Stella Rimington joins author Allan Mallinson and BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera to discuss how true to life spy novels and films really are and Minette Walters talks about ending her decade-long hiatus from writing and shifting genres with The Last Hours.