‘Queen of the psychological thriller’ Lisa Jewell
to chair
Theakston
Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026
with first headliners announced
Wednesday
26 November 2025: Harrogate International Festivals today announced bestselling
psychological thriller writer Lisa Jewell as Festival Programming Chair for the
2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the globally renowned
celebration of crime fiction which will take place from 23 to 26 July 2026.
An
opening line up of stellar Special Guests including global bestsellers and
reader favourites David Baldacci, Nadine Matheson, Gillian McAllister, Steve
Cavanagh and Alice Feeney has also been announced, with more headliners to be
revealed in early 2026.
Lisa
Jewell is the author of twenty-three novels, most recently the dark
psychological thrillers Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, None of This is
True and Don’t Let Him In. She is a number one bestselling Sunday Times and New
York Times author who has sold over ten million books worldwide, been published
in more than thirty languages and has had numerous books optioned for film and
TV. Previous Programming Chairs include Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Elly
Griffiths, Denise Mina, Lee Child, Vaseem Khan, Ruth Ware and Mick Herron.
Lisa
Jewell, 2026 Programming Chair of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing
Festival says:
“I
have been bewitched by the concept of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing
Festival for as long as I have been writing thrillers and my first visit more
than lived up to my expectations. I've been every year since and grown more and
more familiar with the special world that is created in Harrogate every July,
so to be invited to head up the programming committee for 2026 was an honour
beyond my wildest imaginings. I worked in fashion retail before I became an
author and was a voracious magazine reader and that is the sensibility that I
have applied to the format of this year's panels and author events, focussing
on 'real life' issues that affect writers in their day to day to lives and thus
in turn, inform the things they write about and the way in which they write
about them. I'm delighted to see a stellar line up of writers coming together
for 2026 and cannot wait to be there, watching all the behind-the-scenes work
come to magical life for another glorious and unforgettable festival.”
The
Headliner events include:
Global
crime writing icon David Baldacci - one of the world’s most-loved thriller
writers - returns to the Festival for the first time in fifteen years with his highly
acclaimed new series featuring undercover spy Walter Nash.
Fan
favourites and bestselling authors Nadine Matheson and Gillian McAllister introduce
their gripping new high-concept thrillers and discuss how their legal backgrounds
inform their fiction.
Steve
Cavanagh, bestselling Irish author and former Theakston Old Peculier Crime
Writing Novel of the Year winner, discusses Two Kinds of Stranger, the latest
in the Eddie Flynn series, featuring a conman-turned-trial lawyer.
Multi-million
copy bestselling author Alice Feeney showcases My Husband’s Wife, her nerve-shredding
new psychological thriller that will make readers question all they know about
love, identity and revenge.
Now
in its twenty-third year, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
(23–26 July 2026) is the jewel in the crown of the global crime fiction
community, offering readers from around the world a unique opportunity to meet
literary superstars and discover exciting new talent. The prestigious Festival
offers a packed programme of thrilling panels, talks and inspiring creative
workshops, with a special event celebrating the legacy of Agatha Christie, who stayed
at the Old Swan Hotel, now the Festival venue, 100 years ago when she
mysteriously disappeared.
Simon
Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:
“It
is a privilege to support the world’s best crime writing Festival for an
incredible twenty-third year, and I’m thrilled that Lisa Jewell is taking on
the role of 2026 Festival Programming Chair. After our most successful event ever
in 2025, I can’t wait to be back in Harrogate next summer celebrating the
world’s best loved genre once again.”
Sharon
Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:
“Crime
fiction fans around the world love Lisa Jewell’s spine-tingling contemporary
thrillers, so we are delighted that she has agreed to be Theakston Old Peculier
Crime Writing Festival’s 2026 Programming Chair as it promises to be a landmark
year as Harrogate International Festivals celebrates six decades of arts
Festivals. With her focus on topical real-life issues and character driven
fiction, Lisa brings a unique sensibility to her programming, and we’re excited
to reveal five of the exceptional Special Guests headliners she has selected -
with more to be announced in January.”
The
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is delivered by the north of
England’s leading arts Festival organisation, Harrogate International Festivals
and forms part of their diverse year-round portfolio of events, which aims to
bring immersive cultural experiences to as many people as possible.
Weekend
Break Packages are on sale now. To book, please call the Festivals team on +44(0)1423
562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk.
Rover tickets and individual event tickets go on sale in Spring 2026. More
information about tickets and packages can be found here.
No comments:
Post a Comment