Capital Crime 2026 - Headliners Announced

CAPITAL CRIME ANNOUNCES 2026 HEADLINERS, INCLUDING GLOBAL SENSATIONS LEE AND ANDREW CHILD, JANE HARPER, CLAIRE DOUGLAS, ANDREA MARA AND COMEDY WRITING TALENTS ARDAL O’HANLON AND ANDI OSHO

Capital Crime Festival 2025

The 2026 festival to return to the Leonardo Royal Hotel, St Paul’s, on 18th-20th June.

Partnership with The Reading Agency announced, in the National Year of Reading

Founder David Headley heralds crime as ‘one of the most engaging and accessible genres, and the perfect way to help people rediscover a love of reading’

Fingerprint Awards to return on 18th June, presented by radio and TV broadcaster, and host of The Bookshelf Podcast Ryan Tubridy

Capital Crime, the celebrated crime and thriller festival led by Goldsboro Books’ co-founder and managing director David Headley, has announced its first confirmed headlining authors, attending in June 2026. The programme features authors at all stages of their careers, from much anticipated debut novelists to global sensations from around the world.

Capital Crime will also be Going All In on the National Year of Reading, a nationwide campaign designed to help people rediscover the joy of reading, and the biggest reading initiative the UK has ever seen. The festival has agreed a partnership with The Reading Agency, a UK charity that inspires social and personal change through the proven power of reading, and the organisation behind Quick Reads. This partnership will be a step change for Capital Crime’s Social Outreach initiative, a cornerstone of the festival since it launched in 2019, which has seen schoolchildren from all around London invited to meet, hear and engage with publishing representatives and authors, in order to demystify the industry; encourage a diverse range of people to consider a future career in books; and grow its community of readers by inspiring a lifelong love of reading. As part of the partnership, Capital Crime will host a panel with Quick Reads authors from 2026 and previous years, chaired by Debbie Hicks MBE, a founding member of The Reading Agency. Goldsboro Books and Capital Crime have been committed to creating reader communities since the bookshop’s inception, and the team firmly believes that crime fiction can be the most brilliantly accessible route into a lifelong love of reading.

The festival returns to the Leonardo Royal Hotel in St Paul’s, and confirmed authors and speakers so far include: 

• Lee Child, creator of the globally famous Jack Reacher novels, and his brother Andrew, who has taken up the baton, will be in conversation with author and journalist Stig Abell
• Jane Harper, the international #1 bestselling Australian author of The Dry
• Andrea Mara, million copy bestselling author of All Her Fault
• Actor, comedian and novelist Ardal O’Hanlon
• Bestselling creator of Maeve Kerrigan Jane Casey
• Award-winning psychological suspense writer Liz Nugent

Also confirmed to be taking part are Sunday Times bestselling thriller writer Claire Douglas; Andi Osho, stand-up comedian and thriller writer; multi-award-winning bestseller Clare Mackintosh; creator of Roy Grace Peter James; bestselling creator of The Guest List and The Paris Apartment Lucy Foley; and the author of Reece’s Book Club selected Broken Countries, Clare Leslie Hall.

Audiences will also hear from CWA Gold Dagger-winning author of Wyndham and Bannerjee novels Abir Mukherjee; Sunday Times bestselling Anatomy of a Scandal writer Sarah Vaughan; Sophie Hannah, #1 bestselling author of Poirot continuations; former barrister and Traitors star Harriet Tyce; and Lucy Rose, author of 2025’s debut sensation The Lamb.

The festival will also be welcoming some of the most critically acclaimed and eagerly anticipated debut novelists of 2026, including Yemi Dipeolu, launching psychological thriller Kiss Marry Kill; Ellie Levenson, author of the heart-stopping suspense Room 706; and renowned wine writer Olly Smith, launching the first in The Bottle Bank Mysteries series.

Also returning are the Fingerprint Awards, this year to be presented on Thursday 18th by Ryan Tubridy, and sponsored by the festival’s official international cultural partner, the Sharjah International Book Fair. This year the shortlist in each category will be chosen by the Capital Crime Tastemakers – an independent committee of bloggers, journalists and readers. The award winners will, as always, be voted for by the readers and fans who make this genre the best in the world.

Last year the eagerly anticipated awards received over 6,000 votes from the public and winners included bestsellers Vaseem Khan and M.W. Craven, for the Historical Book of the Year and the Overall Best Crime Book of the Year respectively.

Finally, on Thursday 18th, Capital Crime is thrilled to open its doors to aspiring, unpublished writers ready to take the next step towards securing literary representation. Agents from DHH Literary Agency who are actively searching for the next standout voice in crime fiction will be available for an open afternoon with all ticketholders. If you’ve written a gripping thriller, a twist-filled mystery, or a page-turning police procedural, this could be your opportunity to get your work in front of top industry talent. Festival ticketholders will be invited to submit ahead of the festival, and will be given a meeting slot with their agent of choice.

Capital Crime co-founder and Goldsboro Books managing director David Headley, said:

“I set up Capital Crime because I wanted to create a festival that brought together crime writers, readers, and industry professionals in a way that was welcoming to both established and emerging authors. It has been a joy to see the festival go from strength to strength, and our community of crime fans and writers grow. In this, the National Year of Reading, I’m delighted to announce our partnership with The Reading Agency. Crime is one of the most engaging and accessible genres of writing, and the perfect way to help people rediscover a love of reading. As well as our Quick Reads panel, we have panels for every reader, from discussions about AI to ‘property noir’, and courtroom dramas to comedy in crime.”

Capital Crime Festival Director Lizzie Curle, said:

“I’m thrilled with how our programme is shaping up, with some of the best crime writers in the world joining us, such as international sensations Lee Child, Jane Harper and comedy legend Ardal O’Hanlon and fan favourites like Lisa Jewell and Peter James. As always, I’m also delighted by the extremely exciting new voices we’ll be welcoming this year, including Lucy Rose, Olly Smith, Yemi Dipeolu and Ellie Levenson.”

The full line-up will be announced at the end of March.

Headley and his team at Goldsboro Books have helped launch the careers of so many authors since it opened over 25 years ago, by uniting incredible writing with their loyal, ever-growing community of passionate readers. Capital Crime is a brilliant extension of that vision, having become an unmissable fixture in the literary calendar, one of the largest crime fiction festivals in the UK, and the only one to be owned by an independent bookshop. With a line-up which fully reflects the vibrant and culturally diverse city that it calls home, Capital Crime’s goal is to create a year-round home for crime and thriller readers and authors, celebrating books and stories, and nurturing the next generation of talent and book enthusiasts. The festival attracts authors from around the world, to create a unique, innovative and entertaining programme, pairing debuts with household names. The festival welcomes more than 1,000 attendees, the majority purchasing full weekend passes, and previous attendees have included Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh, Dorothy Koomson, Abir Mukherjee and Kate Atkinson.

 

Capital Crime Individual tickets on sale

INDIVIDUAL EVENT TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
& WE'RE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME SHARI LAPENA, CLARE MACKINSTOCH, BEN AARONOVITCH & PETER JAMES TO OUR LINEUP!

There's only one place to be from 31st August - 2nd September 2023 and that's the Leonardo Royal St Paul's Hotel, where we will be celebrating the best genre in town.

We believe that every reader and crime fiction fan should be able to celebrate and enjoy a weekend's worth of entertaining and engaging conversations from some of the world's finest creative minds! With only four weeks to go until we're opening our doors, we're swinging them wide open with our individual event tickets that will suit every budget.

Get ready to mingle with crime fictions biggest stars and latest chart toppers as we're honoured to welcome Richard Osman, Lisa Jewell, Joanne Harris, Kate Atkinson, "Happy Valley" creator Sally Wainwright, Dorothy Koomson, Chris Carter, Peter James, Ben Aaronovitch Liz Nugent, Imran Mahmood, Will Dean, Nicola Williams, Richard Armitage, Yomi Adegoke, Mark Billingham, M W Craven, Steve Cavanagh, Adele Parks and many more of your favourite authors to Capital Crime this year! 

For our full line-up and schedule head to our website!

Tickets can be brought here.

Golsboro Glass Bell Award Shortlist

 

Goldboro Books have announced the shortlist for the £2000 Goldsboro Glass Bell Award 

The shortlisted novels are:

We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan, (Merky Books)

Sistersong by Lucy Holland (Pan)

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, (Wildfire)

Mrs March by Virginia Feito, (Fourth Estate)

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper, (Head of Zeus)

Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, (Pan).

Administered by independent bookshop Goldsboro Books, the Glass Bell Award rewards storytelling in all genres, and is awarded annually to ‘a compelling novel with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’.

Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award Longlist 2022

 

Goldsboro Books have announced the twelve titles longlisted for the 2022 Glass Bell Award. Now in its sixth year, the Glass Bell Award celebrates the best storytelling across contemporary fiction, regardless of genre. The 2022 longlist heralds another strong year for debuts – making up just under half of the longlist- including debut thrillers The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, Anna Bailey’s creepy and atmospheric novel Tall Bones, and Mrs March by darkly funny, Spanish author Virginia Feito.

Debut authors Hafsa Zayyan, winner of the Merky Books New Writers Prize with We Are All Birds of Uganda, and Robert Jones Jr., who’s stunning novel The Prophets explores the forbidden union between two enslaved young men on a Deep South plantation, join fellow historical novelists, Lucy Holland with her new book Sistersong, British Book Awards 2022 shortlisted author Elodie Harper with The Wolf Den, and the bestselling novel Ariadne by Jennifer Saint.

Spanning historical, literary, crime, thriller and fantasy, the Glass Bell longlist also includes acclaimed authors, including Booker-shortlisted author The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki, which was also recently shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and her novel Daughters of Night, and Will Dean with The Last Thing to Burn, both of which have been longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

The sole fantasy novel on the 2022 Glass Bell longlist is the enthralling bestselling novel Threadneedle by Cari Thomas, which draws readers into the magical city nestled within the boroughs of London.

David Headley, Goldsboro Books co-founder and MD, and founder of the Glass Bell, says:

“Every year, we are chomping at the bit to get together and discuss our favourite books published in the previous year; and 2022 was no exception. Once again, the longlist is incredibly exciting and without one weak link. Every year, the judging process gets more difficult as the standard of publishing continues to grow - this year might be our trickiest yet.”

The Glass Bell Award is judged by David and his team at Goldsboro Books. It is the only prize that rewards storytelling in all genres from – romance, thrillers and ghost stories, to historical, speculative and literary fiction and – is awarded annually to ‘a compelling novel with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’. The shortlist of six will be announced on 28th July, with the winner, who will receive both £2,000, and a beautiful, handmade glass bell, to be announced on 8th September.

Last year, debut author Clare Whitfield was announced as the fifth winner of the prize for her historical thriller, People of Abandoned Character. A thrilling and atmospheric take on the Jack the Ripper story, published by Head of Zeus, was selected for its ‘fresh and unique’ approach to the story by the 2021 jury, who called it ‘a thoughtful and compelling exploration of the endless violence faced by women of all walks of life.’

Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2021 shortlist announcement

 

A Booker-longlisted exploration of the Israel-Palestine conflict; the second novel from the Costa-winning Stuart Turton and a British Book Award-shortlisted story of a young Nigerian girl’s struggle for an education are amongst the six titles shortlisted for the 2021 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award, announced today (Thursday 5th August).

Critically acclaimed novelist Colum McCann leads the shortlist for his powerful seventh novel Apeirogon, which was longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize. Also shortlisted is  The Devil and the Dark Water, the highly anticipated second novel from Stuart Turton, whose debut The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle was longlisted for the 2019 Glass Bell, as well as winning the Costa First Novel Award.

They are accompanied by four celebrated debut novels across a range of genres: Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi, acclaimed as an inventive and exciting reworking of the detective novel; The Girl with the Louding Voice, Abi Daré's New York Times bestseller about a young Nigerian housegirl fighting for her freedom and her education; People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield, a historical thriller about a woman who suspects that her husband could be Jack the Ripper; and The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant, a fantastical reimagining of the French Revolution featuring the characters of Les Misérables.

David Headley, Goldsboro Books co-founder and MD, and founder of the Glass Bell, says:"For five years now, the Glass Bell Award has sought to celebrate the best of contemporary fiction, regardless of genre or stage of the author’s career, and this year is no exception. The 2021 shortlist may be the most innovative and outward-looking yet, with its international focus and the way it plays with the literary canon. Our judging discussions are always lively, but with these powerful literary novels, imaginative historical thrillers, whirlwind bestsellers – and four superb debuts which deserved more attention in a very busy year, I’m sure we’ll all have a lot to say this year!”

Judged by David and his team at Goldsboro Books, the Glass Bell is awarded annually to a compelling novel, of any genre – from romance and thrillers, to historical, speculative and literary fiction – with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised. The winner, who will be announced on Thursday 30th September, wins £2,000 and a beautiful, handmade glass bell.

2021 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award Longlist

Bestsellers, Booker Nominees and Debuts: Richard Osman, 

Collum McCann and Abi Daré on Longlist for the 

2021 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award

Goldsboro Books today (Thursday 17^th June) announced the twelve titles longlisted for the 2021 Glass Bell Award. Now in its fifth year, the Glass Bell Award celebrates the best storytelling across contemporary fiction, regardless of genre. The 2021 longlist heralds a particularly strong year for debut novels: eight out of the twelve longlisted titles are first novels – including the bestselling sensation The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, both of which were nominated for the British Book Awards.

Spanning crime, literary, historical, fantasy and science fiction genres, the Glass Bell longlist also includes the Booker-nominatedApeirogon by the critically acclaimed Colum McCann; and Three Hours, the Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling thriller from Rosamund Lupton. They are joined by two highly anticipated second novels, The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton, whose high-concept debut thriller The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle won the Costa First Novel Award; and The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel, whose debut thriller The Roanoke Girls was a #1 bestseller.

The longlist also includes two fascinating debuts which skilfully reimagine historical events: The Sin Eater by Megan Campisi,set in an alternate Elizabethan England, and The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant, which follows a failed second French Revolution. Also longlisted is Clare Whitfield’s gripping historical thriller People of Abandoned Character, a compelling take on the Jack the Ripper story. They are joined by two critically acclaimed debut crime novels – Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby, which was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger, and the extraordinarily inventive Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi. Rounding off the list is The First Sister by Linden Lewis, a sweeping debut space opera.

The Sin Eater by Megan Campisi (Mantle)

Blacktop Wasteland by S.A Cosby (Headline)

The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré (Sceptre)

The Familiar Dark by Amy Engel (Hodder & Stoughton)

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant (Harper Voyager)

The First Sister by Linden Lewis (Hodder & Stoughton)

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton (Viking)

Apeirogon by Colum McCann (Bloomsbury)

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Viking)

Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi (Michael Joseph)

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton (Bloomsbury Raven)

People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield (Head of Zeus)

David Headley, Goldsboro Books co-founder and MD, and founder of the Glass Bell, says:

‘I can’t believe that this is our fifth Glass Bell Award. My team and I are incredibly proud of the prize that we’ve built over the last few years, celebrating contemporary storytelling of all genres. Stories unite and entertain us, and after the year we’ve had, this couldn’t be more important.

‘I think that this year’s longlist might be the most varied and diverse we’ve ever had – with everything from speculative historical thrillers to a thoroughly modern space opera, to one of the most imaginative crime novels I’ve ever read. And I am delighted to see how many debut novelists we have on the longlist this year! If this list is anything to go by, the future of publishing is strong.’

The Glass Bell Award is judged by David and his team at Goldsboro Books. It is the only prize that rewards storytelling in all genres – from romance, thrillers and ghost stories, to historical, speculative and literary fiction – and is awarded annually to ‘a compelling novel with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’. The shortlist of six will be announced on 5^th August, with the winner, who will receive both £2,000, and a beautiful, handmade, engraved glass bell, to be announced on 30^th September.

Last year, the American novelist Taylor Jenkins Reid was awarded the Glass Bell for her ‘immersive’ and ‘captivating Daisy Jones and the Six, which tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional 70s rock band. Previous winners are Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave, The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne and VOX by Christina Dalcher.

Happy Birthday!!!! Goldsboro Books 21st Anniversary

©Goldsboro Books

Happy birthday!!! It's not everyday you get to celebrate one of your favourite shop's 21^st birthday. A big achievement especially since some shops don't even make it to their 10^th anniversary and independent bookshops are incredibly important.

2020 has a lot to answer for. Some good, some bad. The good? Of course the fact that Goldsboro Books is celebrating its 21^st Anniversary this year. The bad, the fact that due to Covid-19 we can't really celebrate this wonderful occasion. Boo hoo!

Independent bookshops are a lifeline for many reasons. The staff are always knowledgeable, they love books and they are also great at hand selling books. Goldsboro Books do this so wonderfully and always with great aplomb!

Goldsboro Books current shop has of course a good lineage. Back in 1961 when the current shop was an antique shop, it was the site of a murder, followed by the first successful prosecution featuring the new Identikit system.

You would not be surprised if I were to say that my relationship with Goldsboro Books goes back quite a long way. I first hear of Goldsboro books even before they had their first shop in Cecil Court. At the time Thalia Proctor who is now the Editorial Manager for Sphere at Little Brown word for them and she used to travel to where David and Daniel were living and work out of their house.  Thalia of course used to tell me about all the wonderful books that they sold. 

©Ayo Onatade

With Goldsboro books initially being established in 1999 it was not until February 2002 that they first moved to 1 Cecil Court. For me it was brilliant as every time I was in the area I would pop into the shop. I could say that my excuse was to see Thalia which was partly true but it was also due to the fact that I just thought that it was a fantastic shop and I could drool over some of the first editions that I would have loved to own but could (and still cannot) afford. They are for example by authors such as Agatha Christie, Ian Fleming, Erle Stanley Gardner, Patricia Highsmith, Raymond Chandler etc (you can see where I am going here) and for me it was as if you had walked into an Aladdin's cave. It was always easy for me to describe to friends exactly where the shop was as I always used the ballet shop on the corner as a reference point. 

When they moved into the first shop not only did I finally get to meet David but also Daniel. To be fair I am not sure what David made of me or me of him when we first formally met. David's sense of humour is of course well known and sometimes if you hear the two of us together you would think that we disliked each other but nothing could be further than the truth. David is of course from Yorkshire but luckily for me I was already used to “Yorkshire mannerisms” due to the fact that one of the Judges that I worked for is from Yorkshire as well. 

©Ayo Onatade

Four years later in August 2006 Goldsboro Books moved a couple of doors down to number 7 Cecil Court. They remained there until 2011 when they moved further down to the opposite end of the court to numbers 23 to 25 Cecil Court. Of course a much bigger shop but that is not surprising. Why you may ask? Goldsboro Books reputation has increased over the years and it has a vast number of 1^st edition books in stock so of course it needed bigger space. The shop was further enlarged in June 2015 when they took over and knocked through number 27 Cecil Court. It is of course a quite distinctive shop. It always has fabulous window displays and they always draw crowds. Cecil Court of course is also said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books by J K Rowling. Unsurprisingly when the tours are taking place they always seem to stop outside Goldsboro Books. I fancy that they think that it is Flourish and Blotts Bookseller.

One of my favourite things about the shop is that despite the fact that I read mainly crime fiction, Goldsboro cover all all sorts of books and that includes Children's and Young Adults along side genre fiction and some literary fiction. I am yet to go into the shop and not feel an immense sense of joy. Furthermore, whenever independent bookshops are being mentioned and discussed then Goldsboro Books always gets mentioned. 

© Ayo Onatade

There are so many good things about Goldsboro, they hold wonderful book launches. It is in fact the place to hold your book launch. They are the only bookshop that I know hold events for the different genres. We have had Crime in the Court which I believe was the very first one of these events. The first ever Crime in the Court took place on 21 June 201l whilst the first ever History in the Court taking place in September 2011 as well. They have also held Romance in the Court and of course Science Fiction and Fantasy. For authors it is the place to go to sign stock and they have occasionally been known to be the only shop that some international authors sign stock.

Goldsboro Books have been heavily involved in sponsoring a number of awards as well. They have been sponsors of the CWA Gold Dagger Award and the Romantic Novelists Association Historical Romantic Novel Award to name a few. There is also the Glass Bell Award which is their own award. Launched in 2017 it does not cover any specfic genre. and is judged solely by the staff at Goldsboro Books. The nominated books have always been incredibly ecletic. This year for example they had an all female shortlist.

They also host author events as well. They have held events with authors such as Sophie Hannah and Stuart Turton, Gregg Hurwitz, Pierce Brown and Michael Connelly. 

For me Goldsboro Books will always be the shop that I will recomemnd when asked. They also run a fantastic book of the month club which has recently been renamed Prem1er. If yo don't belong then you should seriously consider doing so. It is on of the best way's of getting hold of some brlliant books most of which go on to be incredibly collectable. 

©Goldsboro Books

As part of Goldsboro Books 21^st anniversary celebrations there is a wonderful anthology to look forward to. The anthology includes original stories from a wide range of well known authors such as Ian Rankin, Oyinka Braithwaite, Paul Burston, John Connolly, Ragnar Jónasson and Adele Parks to name a few. I for one am looking forward to reading this collection.

So whilst we have not had a chance to celebrate this year, I do hope that when life gets back to some semblance of normality all the friends of Goldsboro Books will have the opportunity to help you celebrate properly. Thank you for 21 years of friendship, books and support to authors and customers. May Goldsboro Books be around for many more years as you continue to bring us intriguing and wonderful books.

Until then happy birthday to Goldsboro Books, David, Daniel, Pavla, Emily and all the other members of staff. 

Capital Crime Book Club

Capital Crime presents the Capital Crime Book Club, an affordable monthly subscription service and year-round home for crime and thriller fans.

Capital Crime is pleased to announce the launch of the Capital Crime Book Club. The Capital Crime Book Club is an affordable monthly subscription service that will be a year-round, inclusive, home for readers, and a regular link between authors and fans.

Each month, subscribers will receive two carefully curated paperbacks along with exclusive access to great author content and community activities. The Capital Crime Book Club offers a way for authors and publishers to connect with readers, maintaining the ethos at the heart of the Capital Crime festival.

The Capital Crime Book Club will provide readers with great value for money, and a greater sense of community.

Capital Crime co-founder Adam Hamdy, says “Capital Crime is an inclusive festival with a strong sense of community. It is in this spirit that we’re launching the Capital Crime Book Club, a home for all fans of crime fiction. With a monthly subscription fee in the region of £10 for two paperbacks and access to exclusive community content, we’re intent on offering a great value service that’s accessible to everyone.”

Capital Crime co-founder and Goldsboro Books Managing Director, David Headley, says “Capital Crime has always been about connecting fans of crime fiction with their favourite writers. We see this as another string to our bow complementing our physical festival and capitalcrime.digital platform. We’re supporting authors and publishers and helping them connect with readers in celebration of this much-loved genre.”

The Capital Crime Book Club will officially launch on September 1^st 2020. Register now to be among the first to experience The Capital Crime Book Club: https://www.capitalcrime.digital/capital-crime-book-club/

ABOUT CAPITAL CRIME

Capital Crime is a diverse, inclusive and socially responsible festival, running initiatives including social outreach to support students exploring a literary career, an innovative digital festival and the New Voices Award. The festival is the brainchild of British screenwriter Adam Hamdy and Managing Director of Goldsboro Books, David Headley.

Capital Crime’s inaugural festival took place from September 26^th -28^th 2019 at the Connaught Rooms in London. Guests included Kate Atkinson, Robert Harris, David Baldacci, Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves, Robert Glenister, Leye Adenle, Denise Mina, Anthony Horowitz, Abir Mukherjee and many others.

Capital Crime 2020 is due to take place on 1^st – 3^rd October 2020. Capital Crime organisers are monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic closely and while they are not yet able to take a decision on the 2020 festival, their priority is keeping their delegates and guests safe. The Capital Crime Book Club will run alongside the festival in the event it goes ahead, or act as a substitute if it gets cancelled. If the 2020 festival does not go ahead, existing Capital Crime 2020 pass holders will have the opportunity to convert to membership of the Capital Crime Book Club, transfer their purchase to a 2021 pass or get full refunds as they see fit. Capital Crime will be sharing more details with existing Capital Crime 2020 pass holders in the coming weeks.

Catch up with Capital Crime’s Digital Festival here: www.capitalcrime.digital

2020 Goldsbsoro Books Glass Bell Award Shortlist

DEBUTS, BESTSELLERS AND A BOOKER WINNER: ALL-FEMALE SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2020 GOLDSBORO BOOKS GLASS BELL AWARD

A Booker-winning story of intergenerational black womanhood, a serial boyfriend killer thriller, a historical novel about the slave trade, a fantastical tale of a secret library, a post-war ghost story and a tale of rock and roll excess are in contention for the 2020 Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award, announced today (Monday, 11th May).

Bernardine Evaristo and New York Times #1 bestseller Erin Morgenstern have both made the shortlist – Evaristo for her award-winning Girl, Woman, Other, an exploration of what it means to be a black British woman, and Morgenstern for her long-awaited second book The Starless Sea, an enchanting and immersive fantasy novel.

They are accompanied by three critically acclaimed debuts, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s darkly comic My Sister, the Serial Killer, about a woman who must cover up her younger sister’s habit of killing her boyfriends; Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson, a historical thriller about the horrors of the slave trade; and the haunting and beguiling ghost story The Lost Ones by Anita Frank.

Rounding off the list is the critically acclaimed Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, written as the fictionalised oral history of a 1970s rock and roll band called The Six.

David Headley, Goldsboro Books co-founder and MD, and founder of the Glass Bell, says: ‘Losing yourself in an incredible story is one of the greatest comforts available to us in these trying times – and each of these stories construct very different but equally immersive worlds for readers to inhabit. This shortlist highlights six of the best writers of fiction around today – who all happen to be women! I’m looking forward to our judging discussions – there’s so much to be said about each one of these remarkable novels, and choosing a winner will be difficult but very rewarding.’

Judged by David and his team at the bookshop, the prize rewards ‘compelling storytelling with brilliant characterisation and a distinct voice that is confidently written and assuredly realised’ in all genres. The winner — announced on Thursday, 2nd July — will be awarded £2,000 and a beautiful, handmade, engraved glass bell.

2020 SHORTLIST

My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (Atlantic Books)

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo (Hamish Hamilton)

The Lost Ones by Anita Frank (HQ)

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Cornerstone)

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (Harvill Secker)

Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Mantle)