The Michael Joseph Penguin Crime Party 2026

An annual highlight for the UK Crime Fiction community is PenguinRandomHouse imprint Michael Joseph’s Party.

During the proceedings, we are treated to a preview of the upcoming offerings from this important imprint. Invited guests include Booksellers, Authors, Reviewers, Bloggers, Journalists and Literary Champions. Last year, the party was held in The Crypt in St Martins-in-the Field – Click Here for the Shots 2025 Report.

Last Year’s startling discovery [thanks to Rowland White] was debut author Travis Kennedy and his novel THE WHYTE PYTHON WORLD TOUR, which is released in Paperback this summer [11^TH June 2026]. I would urge pre-ordering.

This novel was one of my top ten reads for 2025 when released in Hardcover. I wrote at the time “This novel gripped me like the snake it eponymously references, preventing me from doing anything apart from purely reading the story. During the times I was away from the book – I was thinking about it, even dreaming about the characters and the narrative in my sleep. It is clever, thought-provoking and witty, which at times becomes ‘laugh-out-loud’ as the absurd plot unravels at a fevered pace.” Read my full review HERE

Following that frenzied read, I spoke with the author and our exchange is archived HERE and as I love reading books, during our chat, Travis mentioned the novel The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie which I purchased on his recommendation and that too became one of my favourite novels of last year.

This year, the venue was Browns Court Rooms in Covent Garden. It was surreal seeing Steve Mosby – as his debut novel was launched here over twenty years ago as part of Orion Publishing’s NEW BLOOD. Steve Mosby publishes under his Alex North penname crime novels that stray into the horror genre. We’re all looking forward to the NETFLIX adaptation of his first Alex North thriller THE WHISPER MAN.

Thanks to Publisher Rowland White, I learned of two British espionage thrillers that appear to be VERY interesting – and WELL worth pre-ordering - namely OCTAGON by CJ Merritt [Hardcover: 28 May 2026] and Simon Conway’s THE BRITISH AGENT [Hardcover: 20 Aug 2026].

I was joined by Ayo Onatade and Mike Stotter, where we mingled with many of Michael Joseph authors, fellow reviewers and the MJ Team. It was great to spend time with our literary friends, writers and colleagues Jon Coates, Barry Forshaw, Laura Wilson, Chris Simmons, John Williams [aka John Lincoln], Jake Kerridge, Diedre O’ Brien, and Literary Renaissance Man David Headley.

Publisher Joel Richardson gave a rousing welcome to the party. He stressed that the Michael Joseph imprint prides itself in the diversity of its crime list subgenres, from espionage, thrillers, domestic noir, cozy, historical et al.

More Information HERE

We present photographs of the event below.

Shots Magazine wish to pass our thanks to the Michael Joseph Team for managing a wonderful event, with special thanks to Sriya and Rowland for our invitations.

Penguin Michael Joseph organised an Official Photographer so the event has been recorded HERE

And for more information on 2026 books from Penguin Michael Joseph click HERE