'STORIES AND STORYTELLERS’ CELBRATED AS
PROGRAMME REVEALED FOR THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL 2025
Festival
Dates: 17 – 20 July 2025
www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
#TheakstonsCrime
Tuesday
1st April: Harrogate International Festivals today revealed the full programme
for the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the globally
renowned celebration of crime fiction, at a special reception at Hachette, Carmelite
House in London.
The
Festival, which takes place at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from 17-20 July, has
been curated by 2025’s Programming Chair and bestselling author of the ‘Slough
House’ spy thrillers, Mick Herron, and offers readers from around the world a
unique opportunity to meet the superstar writers of today, discover the
bestsellers of tomorrow and hear from innovators pushing the boundaries of the
genre. From dark domestic noir to murder in far galaxies; from twisty missing
persons investigations to the tangled webs of spies; from high-stake legal
thrillers to gritty crime scene investigations, there is plenty to enthral and
entertain at this year’s Festival.
Acclaimed
writers Reverend Richard Coles, Belinda Bauer, AA Dhand, Abigail Dean, Nick
Harkaway, Janice Hallett, Abir Mukherjee, Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall
and others join Special Guest headliners Lee Child and Andrew Child, Steph
McGovern, Attica Locke, Kate Atkinson, Paula Hawkins, Kate Mosse, Val McDermid,
Mark Billingham – and, making his Festival debut, Irvine Welsh – on the packed
programme. Highlights include the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime
Novel of the Year Award ceremony, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at
the hugely popular Slow Horses TV series with Mick Herron and Emmy
award-winning showrunner Will Smith.
Celebrating the Festival’s mission to champion emerging talent, the Critics’ New Blood panel platforms four extraordinary debut novelists R.S. Burnett, A.E. Goldin, Daniel Aubrey and Kate Kemp selected by a panel of leading crime fiction critics; while four of New Blood’s most accomplished alumni, Fiona Cummins, Chris Hammer, Abir Mukherjee and Stuart Neville return for a special showcase event. For aspiring writers, Creative Thursday offers an immersive day of workshops and talks led by industry experts and authors including Vaseem Khan, Will Dean and Laura Shepherd-Robinson.
A
Festival for all crime fiction readers, the iconic Late Night Quiz compèred by Val
McDermid and Mark Billingham, and two murder mystery Author Dinners hosted by Ajay
Chowdhury, Will Dean, C.L. Taylor, Chris Brookmyre, William Hussey, Emma
Christie, Xaviere Musih Tedji, A.J. West and others, offer unmissable
opportunities for fans to engage with authors at relaxed evening events.
“The first committee meeting for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2025 took place the day before the 2024 Festival began, so it’s been in the planning for a year and a day – a suitably storybook length of time. Because it's stories that we're celebrating – stories and storytellers – we’re looking forward to another long weekend of criminal inquiries, forensic examinations and manifold ways of laying bare the human heart without shedding a drop of blood. Or so we hope... The line-up is as varied as ever, and there are enough tales waiting to be told to fill a thousand and one nights. We don't guarantee fairy tale endings, but we do promise the very best in crime writing.”
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd,
said:
“We are delighted to support the world’s biggest and best crime writing Festival for an incredible twenty-second year and to welcome so many legends of the genre and exciting debut writers once again. It has been remarkable to see the Festival transform into a truly international event over the years, with authors and fans travelling from far and wide to become part of our global crime fiction community here in Harrogate. I eagerly look forward to what promises to be another unforgettable Festival this July.’
Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of
Harrogate International Festivals, said:
“I
am thrilled to reveal the full programme for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier
Crime Writing Festival, curated by Mick Herron and the Programming Committee.
With over 120 writers taking part and a fantastic mix of crime writing icons
and talented new discoveries, behind-the-scenes exclusives, innovative panels
and fun-filled evening events, there really is so much for every crime fiction
and thriller fan to enjoy. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Harrogate again
this summer.”
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:
THURSDAY
17 JULY:
Creative
Thursday: Crime Fiction Writing Workshops
An
immersive day of workshops and talks for aspiring crime writers with
bestselling authors including Vaseem Khan, Mick Herron, Will Dean, Laura
Shepherd-Robinson, Greg Mosse and Lex Noteboom, and industry experts including N.J.
Cooper, Sam Eades, Maddalena Cavaciuti, Ellen Gleeson, Manpreet Grewal, Ed Wood,
and Theo Jones from the Society of Authors.
Theakston
Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award
A
celebratory event as the winner of crime fiction’s most prestigious prize is announced,
with the McDermid Award for debut fiction and the Outstanding Contribution to
Crime Fiction Award also presented.
FRIDAY
18 JULY:
Special
Guest: Attica Locke
Former
‘New Blood’ discovery, award-winning author and TV writer Attica Locke discusses
her new novel Guide Me Home, a blistering portrayal of Trump’s America with
journalist Matt Nixson.
Panel:
Post Mortem Postcode Lottery
Authors
Belinda Bauer, AA Dhand, Mel Pennant, Trisha Sakhlecha and Broadchurch creator Chris
Chibnall explore the dark heart of crime fiction on a murderous journey around
the UK, chaired by Simon Mayo.
Panel:
Keeping It in The Family
Bestselling
authors Claire Douglas, Andrea Mara, Sam Blake and Kia Abdullah discuss deadly
domestic noir with journalist Lisa Howells.
Panel:
The Writers Staying Out in the Cold
Masters
of spy fiction Charles Cumming, Louise Doughty, Alan Judd and Nick Harkaway,
son of John Le Carré, examine all things espionage with chair N.J. Cooper.
Panel:
On Behalf of My Client
Four
lawyers-turned-novelists, Imran Mahmood, Abigail Dean, Douglas Bruce-Lockhart and
Guy Morpuss plead the case for some famous fictional villains with chair Nicola
Williams.
Special
Guest: Mark Billingham
Celebrating
his milestone twenty-fifth book – the highly-anticipated new Tom Thorne novel, What
the Night Brings - and twenty-five years as a bestselling author, Mark Billingham
will be in conversation with Mick Herron.
Author
Dinner
A
unique opportunity for crime fans to solve a murder mystery, written and
presented by Mick Herron, with host crime writers D.V. Bishop, Angela Chadwick,
Ajay Chowdhury, Emma Christie, Rebecca Collomosse, Will Dean, Carmel Harrington,
Samantha Hayes, David Hewson, Ruth Mancini, A.J. McDine, Lesley McEvoy, L.K.
Pang, Paula Sutton, Bridget Walsh, Sean Watkin, A.J. West, Clare Whitfield and Judith
Woolf.
Panel:
The Way We Lived Then
From
the Elizabethan court to the dying days of WW1, gold fever Yukon to Victorian
India, four bestselling historical crime writers Andrew Taylor, Beth Lewis, S.J.
Parris and Shylashri Shankar discuss murder then – and now – with chair T.E.
Tinsey.
Special
Guest: Irvine Welsh
Making
his Festival debut, globally renowned Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh discusses
Resolution, the final instalment in his ‘Crime’ trilogy, now a hit TV series, with
Abir Mukherjee.
Fun
Lovin Crime Writers
Join
crime fiction’s greatest super-band - Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Doug
Johnstone, Val McDermid, Stuart Neville and Luca Veste - for some murder on the
dance floor!
SATURDAY
19 JULY:
Special
Guests in Conversation: Kate Mosse and Paula Hawkins
Join
fan favourites Kate Mosse and The Girl on the Train author Paula Hawkins as
they introduce their latest novels and reveal how they create compelling
characters and craft riveting plots.
Panel
event: True Grit
Crime
scene experts turned writers, including forensic anthropologist Clea Koff,
former murder detective Russell Wate, crime scene investigator Kate Bendelow
and historian Hallie Rubenhold, separate the facts from the fiction, with
lawyer and crime writer Nadine Matheson.
Critics’
New Blood
Showcasing
the stars of tomorrow, four outstanding debut novelists R.S. Burnett, A.E.
Goldin, Daniel Aubrey and Kate Kemp, selected this year by a panel of the UK’s
top crime fiction critics, will be in conversation with Mick Herron.
Panel
event: Gone But Not Forgotten
Four
authors with missing persons investigations at the heart of their latest
novels, Tariq Ashkanani, Simon Mason, Rob Parker and Icelandic writer Snæbjörn
Arngrímsson discuss secrets, lies and twisty plots with Sarah Hilary.
Panel
event: What Planet Are They On
Four
extraordinary writers pushing the boundary of crime fiction, Ben Aaronovitch,
Sarah Pinborough, Adam Oyebanji and Eve Smith discuss their innovative fiction
with Doug Johnstone.
Mick
Herron and Will Smith: Inside Slow Horses
An
unmissable event for Slow Horses fans, as creator Mick Herron and Emmy
award-winning showrunner Will Smith take an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at
the popular TV series.
Author
Dinner
‘Who
dunnit?’ A second chance for crime fiction fans to test their detective skills
by solving a murder mystery written with authors A.K. Benedict, Chris
Brookmyre, A.A. Chaudhuri, Nicci Cloke, R.N. Cogley, Kerry J. Donovan, Hannah
Hendy, Tom Hindle, William Hussey, Jill Johnson, Ellie Keel, Ambrose Parry, Heidi
Perks, Leah Pitt, David F. Ross, Bee Rowlatt, Lily Samson, C.L. Taylor and Xaviere
Musih Tedji.
Panel
Event: Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads and Lasses
In
celebration of New Blood’s incredible success as a launchpad for emerging
talent, four of its most accomplished alumni, Fiona Cummins, Chris Hammer, Abir
Mukherjee and Stuart Neville star in a special showcase event chaired by Val
McDermid.
Special
Guests: Lee and Andrew Child
Multi-million
copy bestselling writing duo Lee Child and Andrew Child discuss their latest
Jack Reacher thriller In Too Deep - and offer an exclusive preview of Exit
Strategy the 30th Reacher novel ahead of its publication in November – with
broadcaster Paddy O’Connell.
Late
Night Quiz
Authors
and readers go head-to-head in a battle of crime fiction wits with quizmasters Val
McDermid and Mark Billingham.
SUNDAY
20 JULY:
Special
Guest: Kate Atkinson
Globally
bestselling literary crime novelist Kate Atkinson discusses her latest Jackson
Brodie novel At the Sign of the Rook, a witty take on a classic murder mystery,
with Lee Child.
It’s
The Way You Tell ‘Em
Fiendish
plotters John Finnemore, Janice Hallett, Antony Johnston and Cara Hunter reveal
how they craft the twistiest mysteries and perfect puzzles, with chair Reverend
Richard Coles.
‘Queen of Crime’ Val McDermid teams up with TV presenter and avid crime fiction fan Steph McGovern, who launches her debut Deadline at the Festival.
Full
programme details are available here.
Tickets for individual events are on general sale from Tuesday 8
April. Classic Weekend Break Packages, Author Dinners and tickets for Creative
Thursday are on sale now. To book tickets, please call +44(0)1423 562 303 or
email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. More information
about tickets and packages can be found here.