Crime Writers’ Association Announce 2026 Dagger Awards Shortlist

 

The shortlist for the Crime Writers’ Association’s prestigious Dagger awards has been announced.

Created in 1955, the world-famous CWA Daggers are the oldest awards in the genre and have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century.

This year’s shortlists showcase the range and depth of the genre, from historical fiction to thrillers and classic whodunnits.

As well as championing established authors of the genre, it also provides a platform for debut and emerging talent.

Nadine Matheson, Chair of the CWA, said: "This year’s shortlist is a fantastic reflection of the extraordinary breadth and diversity of crime fiction today, and a celebration of authors from debuts to established names, whose creative talents ensure that the genre continues to grow from strength to strength.”

The coveted KAA Gold Dagger, sponsored by Kevin Anderson & Associates, is awarded for the best crime novel of the year.

Shortlisted novels are S.A Cosby with King of Ashes, Abigail Dean’s The Death of Us, Holly Jackson with Not Quite Dead Yet, Vaseem Khan’s The Girl in Cell A, Ariel Lawhon with The Frozen and Lara Shepherd-Robinson’s The Art of a Lie, a novel that also makes the Historical Dagger shortlist.

S.A. Cosby is the only author to be shortlisted for an unprecedented three Dagger awards. As well as Gold, the American author of “Southern noir” is also in contention for the Short Story Dagger and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger, which honours the best thriller of the year.

Also shortlisted for the Steel Dagger is the standalone thriller by BookTok sensation Noelle W Ihli, Such Quiet Girls inspired by the real-life 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping. She’s up against the global bestselling author Karin Slaughter for We Are All Guilty Here, Tariq Ashkanani’s The Midnight King, Robert Crais with The Big Empty, Mark Ezra’s A Sting in her Tale and Liam McIlvanney’s The Good Father.

Joining Laura Shepherd-Robinson, authors Nina Allan, Rob McInroy, Donna Moore, Alan Parks and Sally Smith make the Historical Dagger shortlist. The historical novels span 18th century London to 1920s Glasgow, from stories inspired by gritty true crimes to a cosy Christmas mystery.

The Twisted Dagger for psychological suspense shortlist features Sarah Pinborough, the author behind the New York Times bestselling breakout novel (and hit Netflix show) Behind Her Eyes with a haunting Gothic novel, We Live Here Now. She’s up against Kia Abdullah, Nicci Cloke, Fiona Cummins, Carole Hailey and Sam Lloyd.

The Whodunnit Dagger for books with an intellectual challenge at the heart of a good mystery, sees Alexandra Benedict, Victoria Goldman, Anna Fitzgerald Healy, Robert Holtom, Mel Pennant and CJ Wray in the running.

The global reach of the genre is showcased in the Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger.

International authors include two German writers - Karsten Dusse with his bestselling dark comedy series, Murder Mindfully and Leonie Swann with her mystery novel, Big Bad Wool, the anticipated follow-up to her breakout hit, Three Bags Full that follows a flock of sheep as they try to solve a murder.

The shortlist also sees Norway’s Jørn Lier Horst, the Croatian writer and journalist Jurica Pavicic, Finland’s Antti Tuomainen, and Strange Pictures – a novel from the Japanese YouTuber and writer, Uketsu.

Their translators are also recognised in the award, which is sponsored in honour of Dolores Jakubowski.

The ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction includes The Spy in the Archive by Gordon Corera and Shaun Walker’s The Illegals, profiling Russia’s most audacious spies, reflecting the enduring fascination with espionage and true crime, alongside Shadow of The Bridge by Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee, John Curran’s The Murder Game, Caroline Fraser’s Murderland, and Susannah Stapleton with That Dark Spring.

The Short Story Dagger features S.A. Cosby, alongside the acclaimed Scottish author Denise Mina and the bestselling Abir Mukherjee. The Daggers are one of the few high-profile awards celebrating short-form storytelling.

The Dagger in the Library, voted for by librarians, recognises authors whose bodies of work have resonated with readers over time. On this year’s shortlist are Paula Hawkins, best known for her huge hit, Girl on the Train alongside JD Kirk, Clare Mackintosh, Freida McFadden, Abir Mukherjee and Tim Sullivan.

The CWA Daggers are also known for providing a platform for emerging talent, with the much-anticipated ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger and the Emerging Author Dagger competition, sponsored by Fiction Feedback; over two dozen past winners and shortlisted debut authors have signed publishing deals to date.

The Best Crime and Mystery Publisher category recognises the publishers behind the genre’s success, with leading imprints including Faber & Faber, Pan Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster shortlisted against Bitter Lemon Press, No Exit Press and Viper.

The CWA Diamond Dagger, sponsored by Karen Baugh Menuhin, is awarded to an author whose crime-writing career has been marked by sustained excellence, is announced in early spring and in 2026 was awarded to Mark Billingham.

The winners are announced at the CWA gala dinner awards night in July.

The shortlists in full:                

CWA KAA Gold Dagger

King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (Headline)        

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson (Penguin Random House/Michael Joseph)

The Girl in Cell A by Vaseem Khan (Hodder Fiction).

The Frozen by Ariel Lawhon (River Swift Press)          

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Pan Macmillan/Mantle)

          

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani (Profile Books/Viper)

King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (Headline)

The Big Empty by Robert Crais (Simon & Schuster UK)

A Sting in her Tale by Mark Ezra (Bedford Square Publishers/ No Exit Press)

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W Ihli (Pan Macmillan/ Pan)

The Good Father by Liam McIlvanney (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter (HarperCollins Publishers)

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

Shadow of The Bridge: The Delphi Murders and The Dark Side of The American Heartland by Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee (Pegasus Books/Pegasus Crime)          

The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB by Gordon Corera (HarperCollins/ William Collins)

The Murder Game by John Curran (HarperCollins/Collins Crime Club)

Murderland by Caroline Fraser (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

That Dark Spring by Susannah Stapleton (Pan Macmillan/Picador)

The Illegals by Shaun Walker (Profile Books)

Historical Dagger

A Granite Silence by Nina Allan (Quercus/riverrun)

Barvick Falls by Rob McInroy (Tippermuir Books)

The Devil's Draper by Donna Moore (Fly on the Wall Press)

Gunner by Alan Parks (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Pan Macmillan/Mangle)

A Case of Life and Limb by Sally Smith (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger

Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse (Faber) translated by Florian Duijsens

The Lake by Jørn Lier Horst  (Penguin Random House) translated by Anne Bruce

Red Water by Jurica Pavicic (Bitter Lemon Press) translated by Matt Robinson

Big Bad Wool by Leonie Swann (Allison & Busby) translated by Amy Bojang

The Winter Job by Antti Tuomainen (Orenda Books) translated by David Hackston

Strange Pictures by Uketsu (Pushkin Press) translated by Jim Rion

Whodunnit Dagger

The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra Benedict (Simon & Schuster UK)

Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman (Three Crowns Publishing UK/self-published)

Etiquette for Lovers & Killers by Anna Fitzgerald Healy (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

A Queer Case by Robert Holtom (Titan Books)

A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

Bad Influence by CJ Wray (Orion Fiction)

Twisted Dagger

What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah  (HarperCollins/HQ Ficiton)

Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke (Penguin Random House UK/Harvill)

Some of Us are Liars by Fiona Cummins (Pan Macmillan/Macmillan)

Scenes From A Tragedy by Carole Hailey (Atlantic Books/Corvus)

The Bodies by Sam Lloyd (Transworld/Bantam)

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough (Orion Fiction)         

ILP John Creasey (First Novel) Dagger

The Peak by Sam Guthrie (HarperCollins Publishers)

The Lost Detective by Elspeth Latimer (Story Machine)

The Wolf Tree by Laura McCluskey (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

The Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin (Profile Books/Viper)

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Holy City by Henry Wise (Bedford Square Publishers/No Exit Press)

Short Story Dagger

‘Split Your Silver Tongue’ by SA Cosby in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

‘The Karpman Drama Triangle’ by Denise Mina in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

‘Full Circle’ by Abir Mukherjee in Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club (Severn House)

 ‘The Apple Falls Not Far’ by Ambrose Perry (Canongate)

 ‘Strangers on a School Bus’ by Peter Swanson in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

 ‘Waiting’ by Michael Wood in Criminal Pursuits: This Is Me (Telos Publishing)

Emerging Author

Ill Met By Murder by Rod Cookson, 

 The Man Who Fit the Case by Sophia Georghiou

Just a Simple Wedding by Kate Koester

The Fixer by Lorna Mathew, 

The Madam of Morningside by Rebecca McFarland

Blind Side of the Sun by Michael Nikitin

The Pattern of Absence by Melisssa Smith

Dagger in the Library

Paula Hawkins   

JD Kirk  

Clare Mackintosh             

Freida McFadden             

Abir Mukherjee 

Tim Sullivan       

Best Crime & Mystery Publisher

Bitter Lemon Press

Faber & Faber

No Exit Press (Bedford Square)

Pan Macmillan

Simon & Schuster

Viper (Profile Books)

Longlist for Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2026 Announced

 

LONGLIST FOR THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER 

CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2026 

New talent competes with established global bestsellers for the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious crime fiction prize

Festival Dates:-23rd -26th July 2026

www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com

#TheakstonsAwards #TheakstonsCrime

Thursday 30 April 2026: Harrogate International Festivals today announced the 18 titles longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2026, the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious crime fiction award, now in its twenty second year. 

The longlist, voted for by an academy of journalists, reviewers, booksellers, bloggers, podcasters and industry representatives, showcases stories that transport readers from gangland Yorkshire to a haunted Dartmoor country house, from wartime Glasgow to a remote Scottish island, and features a host of remarkable sleuths - from the world’s first AI detective, to a time-travelling cold case investigator. 

The Longlist includes:

Six talented authors are longlisted for the first time, including bestselling authors A.A. Dhand and Alice Feeney, who both have smash hit TV adaptations to their names. 

5 former winners - 2024 champion Jo Callaghan, Mick Herron, Denise Mina, Belinda Bauer - and two times winner Mark Billingham - feature on the longlist. Belinda Bauer and Jo Callaghan are both alumni of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s celebrated ‘New Blood’ initiative championing emerging talent. 

The longlist features writers from across the UK, including Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Sussex, Cardiff and Oxfordshire, with four Scottish authors, Tariq Ashkanani, Callum McSorley, Denise Mina and Alan Parks nominated. 

Celebrating innovative and entertaining storytelling, the 2026 longlist showcases a thrilling range of crime fiction subgenres, from gritty gangland thrillers and locked room mysteries to enthralling court room dramas, dark domestic noir and atmospheric historical murder mysteries. 

The full Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2026 longlist (in alphabetical order by surname) is:  

What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction) 

The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani (Profile Books, Viper) 

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer (Penguin Random House, Bantam) 

What The Night Brings by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere) 

Human Remains by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster) 

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins, Hemlock Press) 

The Chemist by A.A. Dhand (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction) 

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney (Pan Macmillan, Pan Fiction) 

The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths (Quercus Books) 

The Examiner by Janice Hallett (Profile Books, Viper) 

The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (Penguin Random House, Doubleday) 

Clown Town by Mick Herron (John Murray Books, Baskerville) 

Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan (Bonnier Books, Zaffre) 

Paperboy by Callum McSorley (Puskin Press, Vertigo) 

The Good Liar by Denise Mina (Penguin Random House, Harvill)

Gunner by Alan Parks (John Murray Books, Baskerville) 

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough (Orion Publishing Group, Orion Fiction) 

A Schooling in Murder by Andrew Taylor (HarperCollins, Hemlock Press) 

Crime fiction fans are now invited to help whittle 18 down to 6 by voting for their favourite novels to reach the shortlist, with the winner of the coveted Award announced on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival on Thursday 23rd July. 

The longlist in more detail: 

Five former winners are vying for top honours at this year’s Awards, including 2024 champion Jo Callaghan, who is longlisted for Human Remains, the third in her highly original series featuring detective duo DCS Kat Frank and her AI colleague Lock, alongside Belinda Bauer for The Impossible Thing, a historical mystery set in the world of rare egg trafficking. Both Jo Callaghan and Belinda Bauer are alumni of the Festival’s acclaimed ‘New Blood’ initiative supporting outstanding new voices. Also nominated are Denise Mina’s The Good Liar, a taut conspiracy thriller where a blood spatter expert is caught in a deadly dilemma about whether to reveal a miscarriage of justice, and Mark Billingham’s What the Night Brings, a pulsating Tom Thorne thriller where a series of targeted murders against police officers lead to an investigation into betrayal and vengeance. They are joined by Mick Herron who is longlisted for Clown Town, the latest instalment in the bestselling Slough House series, which sees a gang of washed-up spooks entangled in a dangerous game of blackmail with its roots in the Irish Troubles. Highly commended in 2023, Elly Griffiths receives an impressive eleventh longlisting for The Frozen People, the first in a new series with a time-travelling spin, as an unsolved mystery takes a cold cases investigator back to the freezing London of 1850.

Among the six hugely talented writers longlisted for the first time are Tariq Ashkanani, nominated for The Midnight King¸ a breathtaking thriller exploring the dark legacy of a serial killing author after his death, and Kia Abdullah for What Happens in the Dark, a courtroom drama about nightmare neighbours and how far ordinary people will go to defend loved ones. Also longlisted are We Live here Now by Sarah Pinborough, a twisty, genre-bending take on the haunted house mystery, set on Dartmoor, and Paperboy by Callum McSorley, an inventive, fast-paced and blackly comic slice of Glasgow Noir. They are up against A.A. Dhand’s gangland thriller, The Chemist where a community pharmacist finds himself in the middle of a turf war between two powerful Yorkshire drug cartels, and Alice Feeney’s Beautiful Ugly, a magnetic thriller about marriage and revenge set on a remote Scottish island. 

This year’s longlist showcases an extraordinary range of crime fiction subgenres. Vaseem Khan’s Quantum of Menace, a witty James Bond spin-off where a reimagined Q investigates the suspicious death of a scientist friend after losing his job at MI6, is nominated alongside Paula Hawkins’ atmospheric ‘locked room’ style mystery set on a tidal Scottish island, The Blue Hour. Joining them on the longlist are Abigail Dean’s psychological thriller The Death of Us, exploring trauma, grief and survival though the impact of a horrendous crime on one couple's relationship, and Janice Hallet’s The Examiner, an intricate mystery set in an art college, where a student is killed and suspicion falls on their dysfunctional classmates. 

Completing the 2026 line-up are two historical thrillers set in the Second World War. Gunner by Alan Parks sees a wounded former detective drawn into the case of a mutilated German found in Glasgow's bomb wreckage, and A Schooling in Murder by Andrew Taylor, set in a boarding school haunted by the ghost of a dead teacher whose replacement attempts to unmask the killer. 

Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston, said: 

“We are delighted to announce the 2026 longlist for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. It’s a pleasure to sponsor this Award and champion such an array of talented crime writers – from established global bestsellers and household names, to rising stars who are all set to become the superstar writers of tomorrow. We’re very much looking forward to finding out who the public vote for to reach the shortlist this year.”

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:  

“Congratulations to all the hugely talented writers longlisted for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. We’re excited to see such a compelling and inclusive longlist for this year’s Award. Readers are vitally important to the Award as they help to determine the outcome, and in this National Year of Reading we encourage everyone to go all in and vote for their favourite novel to reach the shortlist.”

The Award is presented by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with Waterstones and Daily Express, and is open to full-length crime novels published in paperback between 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2026. The public are invited to vote to help create a shortlist of six titles from 8am on Thursday 30 April at www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com 

Voting closes on Thursday 28 May at 23:59, with the shortlist announced on Thursday 18 June. Once the shortlist is announced, readers will have the chance to vote again to help determine the winner. The winner will be revealed on the opening night of Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Thursday 23 July, at a special awards ceremony hosted by Steph McGovern. They will receive £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by T&R Theakston Ltd.

Forthcoming Books from HQ Fiction

January 2025

Murder on the Marlow Belle is by Robert Thorogood. Verity Beresford is worried about her husband. Oliver didn’t come home last night so of course Verity goes straight to Judith Potts, Marlow’s resident amateur sleuth, for help. Oliver, founder of the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, had hired The Marlow Belle, a private pleasure cruiser, for an exclusive party with the MADS committee but no one remembers seeing him disembark. And then Oliver’s body washes up on the Thames with two bullet holes in him – it’s time for the Marlow Murder Club to leap into action. Oliver was, by all accounts, a rather complicated chap with a reputation for bullying children during nativity play rehearsals, and he wasn’t short of enemies. Judith, Suzie, and Becks are convinced they’ll find his killer in no time. But things are not as they seem in the Marlow Amateur Dramatic Society, and this case is not so clear-cut after all. The gang will need to keep their wits about them to solve this case, otherwise a killer will walk free …

1994: When Gardaí Julia Harte and Adrian Clancy are called out to a sleepy housing estate in Cork to investigate a noise complaint, they are entirely unprepared for what they find. What happens next will haunt Julia for the rest of her days, leaving her plagued with nightmares and terrified of the dark. There is a serial killer at work in Cork, one as clever as he is deadly. Julia may not be a detective yet, but after the harrowing events of that night, she is determined to be the one to catch him… 2024: Julia Harte has chosen just the right place to disappear. Now a retired detective with an illustrious career behind her, she has moved to a tiny cottage in a remote part of Ireland where she hopes to find peace. But then she receives a phone call from her old Superintendent – two women have been murdered, their bodies marked and staged, just like in ’94. It’s happening again. Only this time, the stakes are even higher. Julia must return to Cork to face down a vicious killer and the memories that haunt her still. Yet Julia is no longer a naïve junior officer but a seasoned, tough professional who proves more than a match for any murderer… The Dark Hours is by Amy Jordan. 

I Bet You Look Good in a Coffin is by Katy Brent. Our favourite anti-heroine, Kitty Collins, is back! Expect more wit, sass, and, of course, murder… My name is Kitty Collins and I’m a serial killer. I don’t want to kill. It’s just so hard to resist. Some men really, really deserve it. Men like Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online. He’s making it very hard for me to control my murderous urges. Meanwhile I’m in the South of France to watch my mother marry a man I’ve never met. I should be drinking cocktails and focusing on my tan, not plotting a murder. But a woman’s work is never done. Surely one more teensy little kill wouldn’t hurt, would it?

One of these guests has a date with death… Arbuthnot ‘Arbie’ Swift arrives at Dashwood House, a glamorously modern hotel in the up-and-coming resort of Galton-next-the-Sea, but all plans for a relaxing stay are scuppered when one of the guests is found dead. The body is found in the writing room, the victim part of a set visiting the seaside town for an engagement party, which happens to include Arbie’s old friend, Val. Familiar with Val and Arbie’s previous experience in solving puzzling crimes, the bride asks the pair to investigate. They quickly discover that the victim had no shortage of enemies, and many of the guests are up to no good. But who is simply hiding a secret, and who is hiding murder? The Last Word is Death is by Faith Martin.

February 2025

The Forgotten Cottage is by Helen Philfer. Things finally seem to be looking up for police officer Annie Graham. After a tumultuous couple of years, she is settling into a normal, happy life. Her wedding is fast approaching, and her fiancé Will has found a forgotten but beautiful little cottage for them to make their own. But as Annie begins to have increasingly vivid nightmares, she realises their new home may not be as unoccupied as it first seemed. Her arrival has stirred up the ghosts of a tragic past, and she needs to put them to rest once and for all. But while Annie’s distracted, another threat is emerging from the shadows. And if she doesn’t act fast, her days may be numbered…

March 2025

The Crime Writer is by Diane Jeffrey. 2019. Leona Walsh, a 34-year-old wife and mother vanishes on a bitterly cold afternoon while out jogging on the edge of Exmoor. It’s a mystery which captures public interest and ignites wild speculation. The police have a prime suspect: Leona’s husband, Matthew, a renowned crime writer. He can plot the perfect crime. But is he capable of committing the perfect murder? Despite extensive searches, the police find no trace of Leona and her disappearance remains shrouded in mystery. As public interest dwindles, Matthew returns to raising their two daughters, aware the cloud of suspicion is never far away. 2024. Some human bones are discovered in a garden. Could they be Leona’s remains? And if so, is there enough evidence to find out what really happened five years ago? Journalist Gabriela Conti covered the news story back in 2019. The police may have stopped watching Matthew, but Gabriela hasn’t forgotten him. And she is determined this case will define her career… even if that means getting close to a murderer.

When Shadows Fall is by Neil Lancaster. A tragic death. When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. A rising body count. Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose. A killer on the shadows. The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

April 2025

Abigail uprooted her life to move to Soap Lake, Washington. A once-popular tourist destination, the town is now home to a dwindling population and the menacing shadow of an urban legend. With her husband away on a work trip, Abigail is alone when a young boy emerges from the desert scrub, catatonic and covered in blood. His mother, Esme, lies stabbed to death in a nearby car. When Abigail discovers Esme was a local woman who moved away after a series of tragedies, she is compelled to find answers. Esme’s is not the only mysterious death this town has witnessed. But her search attracts unwanted and dangerous attention. Drawn into a complex web of conspiracies and violence, Abigail will learn that the smallest towns can hide the biggest secrets. Midnight in Soap Lake is by Matthew Sullivan.

A missing maid. A murder most foul. A highly impudent adventure. Only her fine eyes can discover the truth. Two years after the events of Pride and Prejudice, Miss Caroline Bingley is staying at her brother's country estate within an easy ride of Mr and Mrs Darcy's home, Pemberley, and wondering if there's more to life than playing cribbage and paying calls on country neighbours. So when Georgiana Darcy's maid, Jayani, vanishes – and worse, Georgiana disappears in search of her – Caroline races to London to find them both, and quickly discovers a shocking, cold-blooded murder. Soon Caroline and Georgiana are careering through the gritty, grimy underbelly of London assisted by Caroline's trusty manservant, Gordon, and demanding answers of shady characters, police magistrates and mysterious East India Company-men to discover the killer. Along the way they uncover the cost of Empire on India and its people … and Miss Bingley's incomparable powers of investigation. As Caroline puts her superior new talents to work, she finds out exactly what an accomplished, independent woman with a sharp mind and a large fortune can achieve – even when pitted against secrets, scandal, and a murderer with no mercy. Miss Caroline Bingley, Private Detective is by Kelly Gardiner and Sharmini Kaur.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is by Jesse Sutanto. Tea-shop owner. Matchmaker. Detective? Vera Wong is perfectly content as a teashop owner. She is definitely not seeking opportunities for amateur sleuthing. But what else is she to do when a distressed woman called Millie asks for her help? Okay, perhaps Vera wheedled the story out of her. And maybe the case file for Millie’s missing friend Thomas didn’t exactly fall into her lap. Everyone knows a locked briefcase is just asking to be opened by someone handy with a hairpin. Not even the aroma of chrysanthemum tea can stop Vera from catching the scent of this mystery. However dangerous it is, Vera intends to uncover the truth in the only way that this Chinese mother knows how: by spilling the tea.

The Abbotts’ new lodger Luke hasn’t told them much about himself, but they can’t expect to know everything about a stranger who’s just moved in. But Luke keeps asking about their family photos and looking through their things. Why does he want to know everything about them? And why does daughter Jen think someone is watching her? Then, suddenly, Mum Mel texts the family to say she needs a break. But Mel has never gone away alone before. And now it’s been days, and no one has heard from her. The Abbotts’ house is full of secrets. They say people never tell the whole truth. The Liar is by Louise Jensen.

Murder on Bluebell Hill is by Jane Bettany. In a quaint village in the Peak District, murder is brewing… Violet Brewster is settling into the quiet life in Merrywell. The last thing she needs is to get mixed up in a police investigation… When a snazzy tearoom opens at the local garden centre on Bluebell Hill, residents flock to visit the establishment. But not everyone is happy about the new business venture… Matters escalate when the owner of the tearoom is found dead on the premises. As Violet unwittingly finds herself at the centre of another murder mystery, can she shift suspicion away from those closest to her and find the true culprit?

A serial killer on the loose. A mystery that must be solved before time runs out. Elderly Martha Beckett is a prisoner in her own home, and has been ever since her older brother disappeared at just nine years old. Six months on from her last brush with the paranormal, police officer Annie Graham, now Annie Ashworth, dreams of settling down and starting a family. But now that serial killer Henry Smith has escaped, she knows that trouble is coming. She thwarted him once, and he’s out for revenge. When a local man vanishes in mysterious circumstances, Annie realises there may be darker forces at work. And when she takes a glimpse of a monster with a thirst for blood, her worst fears are confirmed. With a serial killer on the loose and an unknown horror stalking the sewers, Annie is in a race against time to stop them before they kill again. But will she be able to save herself from their clutches? The Lake House is by Helen Phifer.

No Mercy is by Max Connor. The old unit will reunite to complete one last mission in honour of their fallen comrade. But all she wants is revenge …  When their old comrade, retired veteran and decorated Royal Marine Frankie Chapman, dies during a home invasion, the 11/06 club come back together to recover his stolen military medals. After they find out the medals have fallen into the hands of a wealthy billionaire who dabbles in human trafficking, they form a plan to steal the medals back – and Frankie’s daughter, Josie, wants in on the action. But Josie wants more than just her father’s medals returned. She wants retribution, and she’s out for blood …

May 2025

The Chemist is by AA Dhand. Local pharmacist and pillar of the community, Idris Khan, spends his days doling out methadone to the hundreds of addicts in his care. They trust Idris with their secrets, and so he knows more than his mild manner suggests. So when his childhood sweetheart, Rebecca, doesn't turn up for her daily methadone dose, Idris is worried. Worried enough to go looking for her in the most deprived area of Leeds, alone. The mess Idris finds catapults him into the middle of a turf war between the two most powerful drug cartels in Yorkshire. Now, he must use every bit of intelligence and cunning he has to keep those he loves safe. Because a war is on the way. And when Idris goes after his enemies, they won't see him coming.

What’s the one thing you need to do to stay married? A propulsive domestic thriller with an urgent message for fans of Lisa Jewell and Jessica Knoll that asks, What’s the one thing you need to do to stay married? and blows apart the uncomfortable answers. Elle never dreamed she’d end up with a man like Dom. He’s handsome, successful, the perfect father to their baby girl. But Elle doesn’t feel the joy she knows she should. She's struggling with being a mum, failing at work, even her post-baby body doesn’t feel like her own. Not that Dom cares. He worships Elle and craves intimacy as deeply as troubled Elle wants to shy away from it. Elle starts relying on red wine and the attention of new colleague Gabriel to get through her day. But the morning after a team away day, a bewildered and hungover Elle wakes up with a lifeless body in her bed. She knows devoted Dom is the only person who’ll give her any chance of getting out of there a free woman. Elle would never have ended up in such danger if she’d followed the Marriage Rule, the one thing she’s been told a wife needs to do, even if it breaks her… The Marriage Rule is by Helen Monks Takhar.

No Turning Back is by Steve Frech. Lucas and Julia are about to become parents, but there’s something Lucas hasn’t told his wife. Two months ago, he lost his job and has been secretly working as a rideshare driver in a desperate attempt to make ends meet. But that’s about the be the least of his problems. One evening he picks up a passenger in the Hollywood Hills. The man, Damon, puts a gun to Lucas’s head, and tells him to drive. Because Damon has a list of men he intends to kill, and he needs Lucas’s help. If Lucas complies, his family will be safe, but others will suffer. If he fights back, Damon will target his wife and daughter. It’s an impossible choice, but what’s clear is that Lucas’s life is about to change forever. If he survives the night.

June 2025

Don’t go into the woods. Because you’re in for a big surprise… Annie Ashworth is currently off duty. With her baby bump growing fast, she is under strict instructions to stay away from police work and look after herself, especially as she has a history of leading danger right to her door. So when her police officer husband, Will, is called to the discovery of a skeleton buried out in the local woods, Annie tries to keep out of the investigation. But as another body is discovered and her own niece suddenly goes missing, staying away just isn’t an option. As Annie is soon to discover, a picture really does tell a thousand stories. But which one leads to a killer? The Girls in the Wood is by Helen Phifer.

What Happens in the Dark is by Kia Abdullah. Lily and Safa were best friends growing up. Now, Lily is the nation’s favourite breakfast TV presenter and Safa, once a renowned journalist, is reeling from a recent fall from grace. When news breaks about suspicious bruises on Lily’s body, Safa attempts to rekindle their old friendship. But Lily claims the bruises are nothing to worry about. And then one night the police are called to Lily’s home. Lily is strangely calm – and a body lies dead at her feet. Lily pleads not guilty, and then says nothing more. Driven by her desire to give a voice to all victims, Safa begins her own investigation into what happened that night. But Safa is not prepared for what her quest for justice will uncover …

Someone in the Water is by Sarah Clarke. For the same two weeks every year, Frankie leaves her daughter Lola to go on a yoga retreat. But the truth is, there is no retreat. Just a remote cottage and enough pills to deceive her natural body clock into staying awake whenever it’s dark outside. As long as she stays awake, the nightmare won’t come. But it always does. A nightmare that began decades earlier when she spent the summer working in Corsica, and was witness to something terrible. Frankie has no idea that Lola has plans of her own this summer. She’s going to Corsica, and the truth from all those years ago is about to come out.

Rayna Dumont is getting a fresh start in Amsterdam. Following a nasty divorce, she takes a jet-setting new job and embraces the single life. All seems to be going well until she wakes up in the bed of Xander van der Vos, her one-night stand from the night before, only to find him brutally murdered in the room next door. To make matters worse, millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds are missing from his safe. Quickly, Rayna becomes the prime suspect and is thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse with forces beyond her wildest imagination. From her lavish home in the heart of the city, Willow Prins is enraptured by the case. The wife of Thomas Prins, CEO of the House of Prins and Xander’s former boss, Willow is too familiar with what it’s like to be the outsider in the elite world of luxury goods. But as the House comes under scrutiny, tensions rise in her already strained marriage and Willow starts to wonder if Rayna might be the solution she’s been looking for. As both women dive into the dark underbelly of the diamond industry, their hope for survival hinges on navigating a web of power and revenge. And as Rayna fights to clear her name, will she unravel the truth or find herself another victim? The Expat Affair is by Kimberley Belle.

In The St Hilda's Spotlight - Kia Abdullah

 Name:- Kia Abdullah

Job:-Author and Travel Writer

Website: kiaabdullah.com

X: @kiaabdullah

Instagram: @kiaabdullah

Introduction:- 

Kia Abdullah is an author and travel writer.She has written for The Guardian, the BBC, The New York Times and The Times as well as a number of other papers. Her 2019 debut crime novel Take It Back was chosen by The Guardian, The Sunday Times and The Telegraph as one of the best new crime and thriller novels. Her third novel Next of Kin was long—lsted for the CWA Gold Dagger.

Current book? 

I’ve carved out time to read IT by Stephen King in between the proofs I get sent for work. The book is 1,067 pages long, so is quite an undertaking, but I’m halfway through and absolutely love it so far. After the first few chapters, I literally went and checked that my front and back door were locked so that Pennywise couldn’t creep into my house from the gutter outside. That’s a pretty skilful thing for an author to make you do. King truly is one of the best storytellers of our time. 

Favourite book: 

My favourite book that I’ve read as an adult is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. It’s beautifully written, rich in character and just completely immersive. 

My favourite book overall, however, has to be Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. I read that as a child and it had such a strong impact on my life. I grew up in a conservative Bengali family and much of my life felt prescripted: education, marriage, motherhood. Anne taught me that you could subvert cultural expectations and expect more from life. 

Which two musicians would you invite to dinner and why?

Mariah Carey because I genuinely think she’s one of the greatest philosophers of our time. When she was in her early twenties, she insisted on paying for half the mansion she bought with her then-husband Tommy Mottola. Years later, when she was 40, she was asked about this in an interview. “Oh yeah,” she said drily. “Quite the silly little girl, I was.” I love that there was no pretence at feminism; she just said yeah that was stupid of me. I like that she is unapologetically who she is. 

I’d probably also ask Jon Bon Jovi frankly because I’ve always had a crush on him. 

How do you relax?

I go boxing three to four times a week, which completely de-stresses me. I came to boxing a year ago purely by chance. My next novel has a character, Safa Saleem, who takes a few boxing lessons and I thought, “If I’m going to write these scenes realistically, I’ll have to take a couple of lessons myself.” I booked two lessons with a local boxing coach and absolutely fell in love with the sport. 

I like that it’s changed how I think of myself. I was never sporty or particularly active. In fact, there is a long history of British-Asian women not exercising enough, partly because our roles were traditionally in the home. To find myself in this very male dominated sport is both a surprise and a delight. 

Which book do you wish you had written and why?

There are so many books I love which are not in my style or genre: The Secret History, The Time Traveler’s Wife, One Hundred Years of Solitude among many, many others. If I can narrow the focus to crime, then I’d choose Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. It’s so sharply observed and brilliantly written – and of course has one of the best twists of all time. 

What would you say to your younger self if you were just starting out as a writer.

It will happen. Be patient. But also look up compound interest. 

How would you describe your latest published book?

Those People Next Door is a tense courtroom thriller about nightmare neighbours and how far we’re prepared to go to defend the people we love.

With A Dance to the Music of Crime: the artful crime to murder being the theme at St Hilda's this year, which are you three favourite albums?

Can I say HIStory: Past, Present and Future by Michael Jackson? It’s a bit of a cheat because it’s a compilation album, but I’ll have it if I can.

Moondance by Van Morrison. I’m never sad when listening to Van Morrison.

I honestly can’t decide between Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill. Please let me have both. - Of course!

If you were given the ability to join a band which would it be and why?

I’d choose the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Critics of the band say all their music sounds alike and maybe there’s some truth to that, but I’m a fan. In reality, I’d probably have a breakdown. I am very organised and methodical, and don’t know if I could cope with their vibe of ‘California whatever’. 

If you were to re-attend a concert which would it be and why

I was lucky enough to see Michael Jackson in concert in 1997, but I was in the second row and had to be pulled out because I was getting crushed. I watched most of the show through a crack in the makeshift medical room. I’d like to do that concert again. 

What are you looking forward to at St Hilda's?

I hear that St Hilda’s has a really relaxed, informal vibe. I’m looking forward to meeting readers and catching up with author friends long into the night, perhaps with a glass or two of wine. 

Those People Next Door by Kia Abdullah (HarperCollins Publishers)

You can choose your house. Not your neighbours. Welcome to your dream home. Salma Khatun is extremely hopeful about Blenheim, the safe suburban development to which she, her husband and their son have just moved. Their family is in desperate need of a fresh start, and Blenheim feels like the place to make that happen. Meet your neighbours. Not long after they move in, Salma spots her neighbour, Tom Hutton, ripping out the anti-racist banner her son put in their front garden. She chooses not to confront Tom because she wants to fit in. It's a small thing, really. No need to make a fuss. So Salma takes the banner inside and puts it in her window instead. But the next morning she wakes up to find her window smeared with paint. And prepare for the nightmare to begin. This time she does confront Tom, and the battle lines between the two families are drawn. As things begin to escalate and the stakes become higher, it's clear that a reckoning is coming... And someone is going to get hurt.

Information about 2024 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend and how to book online tickets can be found here.