Sykehouse Film and Writer’s Festival 2026

 

2026 Sykehouse Film and Writer’s Festival Returns Bigger and Better

Doncaster, UK – The 2026 Sykehouse Film and Writer’s Festival returns for its third year on 16–17 May 2026 at the Holiday Inn Doncaster A1, expanding to two full days of film screenings, author events, workshops, pitching sessions and networking opportunities. This is the only festival of its kind which brings authors and filmmakers together.

This year’s programme features a packed schedule of selected films, filmmaker Q&As, and exclusive interviews with acclaimed director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent, Doomsday), actress/producer Terri Dwyer, and producer William Prince. A special Saturday screening of The Mystery of Mr ‘E’ will be followed by a Q&A with bestselling author Sophie Hannah, director Martyn Tott and cast.

The author stream includes appearances from award winning writers Antony Johnston, Maxim Jakubowski, and Dacre Stoker, who presents 129 Years of Dracula from Page to Stage to Screen.

Attendees can pitch to industry professionals, including literary agent Camilla Shestopal, join hands-on workshops, and network with leading creatives. Ticket packages range from £10 student passes to £99 VIP experiences, including a red-carpet gala and awards evening.

Tickets are available now via Eventbrite. Visit www.slhfilmfest.com for full details.

The festival proudly supports Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), a specialist charity supporting survivors of domestic abuse.

 

New Blood for ‘Oscars of the Crime Genre’

 

The crime writing genre’s oldest and most famous award has had an injection of new blood thanks to a new sponsor.

Author Karen Baugh Menuhin is sponsoring its highest accolade, the CWA Diamond Dagger.

One of the UK’s most prominent writers’ societies, the CWA was founded by the prolific author John Creasey in 1953.

The very first CWA awards ceremony was hosted in 1965, with Agatha Christie as the principal guest, and the awards have become known as the ‘Oscars of the crime genre.’ 

The Diamond Dagger was introduced in 1986 and is considered the UK’s most prestigious lifetime achievement award for crime writers. Presented annually, nominations for the award are put forward by CWA members and selected by a vote of past Diamond Dagger winners.

Past recipients include Mick Herron, Lynda La Plante, John Le Carré, PD James, Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves, Lee Child, Frederick Forsyth, and Michael Connelly.

Karen Baugh Menuhin is a bestselling author whose murder mystery novels have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Cotswolds with her husband, Krov Menuhin – retired explorer, natural history filmmaker, and eldest son of Lord Yehudi Menuhin.

Karen Baugh Menuhin said: “I’ve always been a huge fan of historical fiction, Downton Abbey, and murder mystery. I began writing a few years ago at the age of 60 – which just goes to show it's never too late. I decided to take the independent route and have been extremely fortunate that my books have resonated with fans. In the last few years, I’ve reached number 1 in the USA and sold over a million books. Crime fiction has given me so much pleasure as a reader and a writer, and I’m very proud to be able to give something back. Sponsoring the CWA Diamond Dagger is arguably the most esteemed award in crime fiction and it's a huge honour to be involved in supporting the CWA in this.”

Maxim Jakubowski, chair of the CWA Daggers’ committee, said: “I am delighted that Karen Menuhin has come forward to personally sponsor the CWA Diamond Dagger. Following a handful and more of decades when the award was sponsored in turn by a variety of welcome corporate bodies, it is gratifying to find an author with a belief in our crime & mystery community willing to take over the flame.”

The Daggers celebrate the best in crime writing, and feature 13 Dagger Awards in total, celebrating established careers as well as new talent, with the Emerging Author Dagger, open to unpublished authors. To date, agents and editors have signed over two dozen of these emerging authors.

Nadine Matheson, Chair of the CWA, said: “I’m delighted to have Karen Baugh Menuhin as the sponsor of the CWA Diamond Dagger. The Diamond Dagger is the highest honour in crime writing, celebrating a lifetime of extraordinary commitment, creativity, and contribution to the genre. Karen’s generosity and support ensure that this prestigious award continues to recognise the writers whose work has shaped, inspired, and elevated the world of crime fiction.”

Other sponsors of the Daggers include the family-owned company that looks after the James Bond literary brand, Ian Fleming Publications, with the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, Kevin Anderson and Associates who sponsor the Gold Dagger, and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), a not-for profit organisation that supports authors to receive fair payment, sponsor the ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction.

Sponsor of the John Creasey First Novel Dagger is the intellectual property specialists, International Literary Properties (ILP). Also, the author Maxim Jakubowski sponsors the Crime Fiction in Translation award in honour of his wife Dolores, the editorial consultancy Fiction Feedback sponsor the Emerging Author Dagger, and Morgan Witzel sponsors the Historical Dagger in memory of his wife, the writer Dr Marilyn Livingstone.

The CWA’s founding aims were to provide a social network, as well as help crime writers with business matters. Today, the CWA’s determination to promote the genre remains central to its mission.

 

CrimeFest Announce 2024 Programme

 

CrimeFest, the UK's leading crime fiction convention hosted at Bristol’s Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel has announced its full programme, with tickets now on sale.

As well as the Full CrimeFest pass, which gives access to the entire event, a limited number of Day Passes for the Friday and Saturday of the four-day convention, have now gone on sale.

CrimeFest, which runs from 9-12 May, opens with a special Murdle live event, hosted by the creator of the international crime puzzle series hit, G.T. Karber, in one of just a handful of UK appearances.

The opening day also sees panels on topics including pace and tension, landscape and setting, plotting, and the appeal of the genre to all ages.

Thursday’s panels feature authors including Ajay Chowdhury, whose first novel in the acclaimed series featuring Detective Kamil Rahman, The Waiter, is being adapted for television, the Welsh-Canadian mystery writer Cathy Ace, the international bestselling author Alex North, and the award-winning, Kate Ellis.

Friday then welcomes 25 author panels, including 2024’s featured guests: Laura Lippman, Denise Mina, and G.T. Karber.

Lippman is best known for her novels set in Baltimore featuring reporter turned investigator, Tess Monaghan. Her novel Lady in the Lake was adapted into a series for Apple. She will appear on a panel of superfans of the iconic TV series, Columbo, alongside chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, Vaseem Khan, and Murdle’s G.T. Karber.

Friday also sees the bestselling authors Holly Jackson and Abir Mukherjee discussing books that take readers on a ‘road trip,’ and former detective turned crime author, Graham Bartlett, exploring misconduct in crime fiction.

There will also be a panel celebrating Alfred Hitchcock moderated by Doctor Who writer, and author of the Hitchcock Murders, Gavin Collinson. He’ll be joined by the seminal Scottish author Denise Mina, and Barry Ryan, MD of Free@LastTV which created the TV hit series, Agatha Raisin.

A homage to PD James will feature the author Frances Fyfield, the Sunday Times chief fiction critic Peter Kemp, playwright and crime author, Simon Brett, and PD James’ granddaughter, Dr Beatrice Groves.

On Saturday 11 May, featured guest events include Denise Mina interviewed by Abir

Mukherjee, Laura Lippman interviewed by Ayo Onatade, Lynda La Plante interviewed by Maxim Jakubowski, and James Lee Burke in a live Zoom interview with Vaseem Khan.

Saturday also features panels on debut authors, an exploration of ‘partners in crime’ with Ruth Dudley Edwards, and a focus on historical fiction with Martin Edwards and Abir Mukherjee.

The CrimeFest Awards are also announced at a gala dinner event on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, highlights include an interview with the Welsh-Canadian author Cathy Ace by Free@Last TV’s Barry Ryan, who is currently adapting her Cait Morgan Mysteries for television. It also features the annual Criminal Mastermind quiz, conducted by the literary polymath, Maxim Jakubowski.

Sponsored by Specsavers, CrimeFest has been hosted in buzzing Bristol, which topped Time Out’s Best Places to Visit, since it began in 2008.

For Full Pass, Friday, or Saturday Pass tickets, visit crimefest.com 

 

Just A Girl With a Gun Q & A with Jakubowski

AO:- Your latest book sees the return of Cornelia a hit woman whom we first encountered in a short story that was published in PARIS NOIR What made you decide to bring Cornelia back?

MJ:- Somehow Cornelia imposed herself as a haunting presence in so much of the crime fiction I have been writing since that particular anthology. On one hand I liked the character and, on the other, I paradoxically identified with her. In the words of Madame Bovary and Flaubert, ‘Cornelia, c’est moi’, even though I am naturally neither a woman or a hired killer, but I did give her traits that I have… Maniac book collecting, a complicated attitude to sex and relationships, a certain detachment that conceals a turmoil inside, tastes in music.... So she kept on reappearing in some of my other novels as a minor character several times and I pursued her ‘adventures’ in over a handful of short stories. Readers also appeared to enjoy her, so I felt it was time to ‘give’ her a book of her own.

AO:- It is pretty much clear that she is named after Cornell Woolrich whom (I know if I am not mistaken) is your favourite writer. How big an influence was Cornell Woolrich on Cornelia as a character aside from her name?

MJ:- Yes, that is indeed the case. Unlike the majority of Woolrich’s characters she is very much proactive, but she navigates in the same waters, streets and nights in a zone where doom is ever on the horizon and fate plays a large part, a demi-monde of noir and fatalism. I had to reverse engineer some of the stories in which she had appeared to avoid repetitions or contradictions and also cannibalised a few in the process, which was an interesting process.

AO:- One of the great things about Cornelia is the fact that she is a collector of books. All book collectors have at least one prized novel in their collection. Does Cornelia have one and if so which book is it and also do you

MJ:- Many of the titles she collects with the proceeds of her hits are books I either have or covet. I’ve never actually asked her if she has any favourites, but I’m sure they would align with mine. This would include first edition F. Scott Fitzgerald titles, a notorious first state advance proof of John Le Carré’s THE NIGHT MANAGER and many more. I don’t think she’s ever collected Woolrich titles, though, as that might have been incestuous, but I, of course, do. Where we do part ways is she doesn’t appear to collect crime and mystery titles like me, but I do make a reference to her owning some books I actually wrote under a pseudonym; all part of my pulling the strings behind the curtains and setting up my customary hall of mirrors. In addition, there is an anonymous writer she comes across in the interests of the plot who might or might not bear similarities to me!

AO:- Is this really Cornelia's last hurrah?

MJ:- It will be. I’ve exhausted her; I’ve exhausted myself. But I hope I’ve done her proud and over the course of JUST A GIRL WITH A GUN I’ve filled in some of the missing gaps, given her an extra human dimension although her motivations and inner life still remain shrouded in mystery and questions, which I feel is true to real life where I find it impossible to ever understand certain people/characters fully. She’s complicated, certainly not evil;, she’s both strong and weak, a mass of paradoxes. 

AO:- Where did the title JUST A GIRL WITH A GUN come from?

MJ:- It came to me out of the blue. It felt right; like the title of a song. And, ironically, gave me a chance to use the word ‘girl’ in a title, years after the time when it was so much in vogue. I enjoy being out of sync with fashion, although in this instance I also happened to be years ahead of the trend in introducing a female hitwoman, decades before Villanelle, of KILLING EVE! Also, JUST A WOMAN WITH A GUN doesn’t sound right, no?

AO:- The book cover for JUST A GIRL WITH A GUN reminds me of Edward Hopper paintings specifically the 1927 painting Automat. How important is Edward Hopper to you?

MJ:- The world of Woolrich, which Cornelia and her hapless companions inhabits is one I’ve always identified with and is very much part and parcel of Hopper’s art and its liminality; a territory of fixed characters in a city landscape at night, where colours and stances determine their fate, like flies caught in a spider’s web. I had suggested a Hopper sort of mood to the publishers when they canvased me for cover ideas, and they tried to use an actual Hopper painting, but that particular one was still in copyright and therefore financially out of reach – unlike earlier Hopper work before he moved into the waters of noir – so they came up with the clever suggestion to commission Martin Baines to do a variation on a Hopper figure in a book-ish context, which I think works very well.

AO:- Is this the end of your writing novels or will you still continue to write even if it is solely short stories? 

MJ:- Without giving away a double spoiler, it might well be. I have always found writing novels agonising, even though I’ve now given birth to 21 of the bastards. I fear age is catching up with me and neither energy nor the will is there any longer. I’m unsure if I can face writing another, with all the inner pain, sleepless nights, doubts and all that entails. Despite my deep immersion into the world of crime and mystery, my novels in the genre have always been marginal. I have no interest in whodunnits, puzzles, police procedure (indeed I have NEVER had a cop as a character, even minor…). I suppose you could call them psychological thrillers but even then, my novels have been on the outer margins of that category; they’ve never fitted in. I prefer to label them twisted love stories. And I’m not likely to change anymore! My previous two novels, respectively THE LOUISIANA REPUBLIC and THE PIPER’S DANCE were actually a dystopia (albeit with a futuristic PI) and a magical realist fantasy about the Pied Piper of Hamelin and castrating mermaids, and harked back to my early years as a writer in science fiction and fantasy, so I felt as I was about to stand down as Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association that surely what might turn out to be my final novel should be a thriller. Who knows what the future might bring? There has always been a strong element of metafiction or autofiction in my books and I’m unsure whether I could sustain another novel. I will certainly keep on writing and reviewing; in fact since completing JUST A GIRL I have penned a half dozen short stories, albeit mostly in the supernatural genre. I love writing short stories and, frankly, I think they are my best work, and it would be nice to accumulate enough new ones to fill a whole collection; all my previously uncollected ones appeared in 2022 in DEATH HAS A THOUSAND FACES, so another such volume would be great if I could come up with sufficient new material. Prior to embarking on JUST A GIRL I consulted with my agent as to which novel I should then write next as I had two other ideas, one for a mainstream historical novel about British expatriates in Paris in the 1950s, and another for a major, and also quite final, ‘big’ erotica opus. She suggested there was possibly more demand for a thriller, but should I find the courage, the time and the will to write another novel, I would opt for the latter project although both she and my own inner voice are sadly aware there is no likely demand for such a book right now, which is sad. Having said that, despite my past and reputation as a literary ‘pornographer’, I don’t think I could ever go out in public again should I ever write ‘that’ erotic book, but what a way to go! Who knows?

AO:- If any of the answers to my previous question is yes, then what are you working on at the moment that we can look forward to reading.

MJ:- A bunch of short stories are all appearing over the next few months: ‘On Our Way to the Shore’ in TERROR TALES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN, edited by Paul Finch; ‘The Book Collector’ in SOMETHING PECULIAR, GREAT BRITISH HORROR 8, edited by Steve Shaw and ‘Springtime in New Orleans’ in a limited edition collection of new stories inspired by the wonderful French writer Boris Vian from Raphus Press.

AO:- What next for Maxim Jakubowski?

MJ:- You tell me!

Just a Girl With a Gun by Maxim Jakuboswski (Telos Publishing) 1 November 2023

In the neon-lit world of seduction and secrets, Cornelia, a mesmerizing stripper, finds herself pulled into a sinister web spun by the enigmatic organization known only as ‘The Bureau’. Recruited for her hidden talents, she becomes an unlikely assassin, caught between the dance floor and a life of deadly precision. But Cornelia harbours a secret passion that sets her apart from the other killers – she has a penchant for rare books. With each mission she completes, Cornelia indulges her obsession, using her ill-gotten gains to amass a collection that becomes both her refuge and her escape. Amidst the chaos and danger, Cornelia’s path intertwines with Hopley, a fellow assassin haunted by his past. Unwittingly drawn together by their shared world of shadows, they navigate a treacherous landscape where trust is scarce, and survival is paramount. As their forbidden romance blooms amidst the darkness, Cornelia and Hopley find solace in each other’s arms, their connection a fragile thread of love against a backdrop of deceit and danger. Yet, as they delve deeper into the heart of The Bureau, they discover a haunting truth that threatens to tear them apart. In this exotic and gripping thriller, where death is a dance partner and love flickers in the shadows, Cornelia must confront her own loneliness and unravel the mysteries that surround her. Will she find redemption and a chance at a life beyond the deadly stage? Or will the sinister forces at play consume her, leaving only echoes of a lost love in their wake?

Maxim Jakubowski was for over 20 years the owner of the much missed Murder One bookshop which he owned and ran. He was also ran Crime Scene, London's Annual crime film and literary festival. He has worked for many years as an editor in publishing and he currently writes, edits and translates full-time in London where he lives. A former columnist for Time Out and The Guardian he is now a monthly book columnist for Crime Time. Maxim Jakubwoski is also a former Chair of the Crime Writers' Association of Great Britain. More information about Maxim and his work can be found on his website.

Crime Writers’ Association Announce New Chair

One of the UK’s most prominent writers’ societies, the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has elected Vaseem Khan as its new chair.

Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India, the Baby Ganesh Agency series, and the Malabar House historical crime novels. He is the first non-white author to chair the CWA.

The CWA, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, was founded in 1953 by the prolific author John Creasey.

Vaseem Khan was voted in as chair on 20 May at the CWA’s Annual General Meeting, taking over from publishing polymath, Maxim Jakubowski.

 Vaseem Khan’s debut, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, became a top ten bestseller, and was translated into 17 languages. He was awarded the CWA Historical Dagger for Midnight at Malabar House.

Vaseem also co-hosts one of the UK’s most popular crime fiction podcasts with Abir Mukherjee, The Red Hot Chilli Writers, and created an online course Writing Crime Fiction for Curtis Brown Creative.

Vaseem Khan said: “It goes without saying that following in the footsteps of crime fiction greats such as Ian Rankin, Dick Francis, Peter James, and Lindsey Davis, is a singular honour. Crime writing has led the way in opening itself up to new voices and new stories. I’ve often joked that criminals are the most inclusive members of our societies, happily willing to murder, rob, and cheat anyone regardless of creed, colour, and background. I’d put crime writers in that same bracket – albeit only in fiction!” 

The CWA’s determination to promote the genre remains central to its mission. Recent initiatives include its Debut Dagger, a competition for uncontracted writers, and National Crime Reading Month, both of which help to connect crime writers and readers, as well as supporting libraries and bookshops.

 Vaseem said: “When I was published, almost a decade ago, I didn't know anyone. I was told by my agent to join the CWA and I found some friends here, and suddenly I felt less alone in an industry that can be truly frightening and confusing. If I’ve had any writing success today it’s because I’ve had the support of friends and well-wishers, especially through the difficult times. That’s what I want the CWA to be.”

He continued: “My vision for the CWA is for it to be a home for all crime writers, whether you’ve sold ten million copies or ten copies. It should be a place where writers of all backgrounds can come, and know that they will be treated with respect. Ultimately, the CWA should be about inspiring the next generation of crime writers.”

Outgoing CWA chair, Maxim Jakubowski, will formerly hand over the Creasey Bell to Vaseem Khan at the annual Dagger Awards hosted in London on 6 July, a tradition passed on from chair to chair for 70 years.

The CWA hosted its first awards ceremony in 1956; Agatha Christie was the principal guest. The oldest awards in the genre, the CWA Daggers are an annual fixture on the literary calendar, and this year the awards ceremony will be co-hosted by authors Victoria Selman and Imran Mahmood.

Maxim Jakubowski said: "After two years at the helm, I leave the CWA chair with a sense of great satisfaction, with membership at an all-time high and an organisation restructured to face a promising future and in great health. I am confident my erstwhile partner in crime Vaseem will take over the baton and continue to make the CWA even more prestigious and rewarding for our members. The Creasey Bell remains in great hands.”

The CWA board also sees new faces with co-vice chairs Sarah Ward and William Shaw, who take over from Antony Johnson, who will continue to provide support to the organisation. It also welcomes new board members, Nadine Matheson, Stella Oni and Morgen Witzel.

Vaseem said: “Our board is now the most diverse it has ever been, in terms of age, gender, and background, reflecting the incredibly broad church that crime writing now represents. My hope is that this signals just how welcoming we intend to be, to old members and new.”

Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Marks 70th Jubilee Year

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) marks its 70^th Jubilee year in 2023 with a series of events, including an exhibition of memorabilia from its archives.

Official archivist of the CWA, Martin Edwards, said the anniversary is a, “cause for celebration, not just among its members, but among crime genre fans everywhere.”

 

The exhibition will be part of the Alibis in the Archives crime writing weekend which runs 9—11 June at Gladstone’s Library in Wales, as well as other special events linked to National Crime Reading Month in June. There will also be a special Jubilee reception at the Mansion House, York, as part of the CWA’s conference.

 One of the UK’s most prominent writers’ societies, the CWA was founded by the prolific author John Creasey, who wrote over 600 books under various pseudonyms. The first CWA meeting was on 5 November 1953 at the National Liberal Club in Whitehall.

The invite from Creasey for the very first meeting, read: ‘The threatened meeting of mystery writers planned for the afternoon of Thursday, November 5^th, has been arranged to take place at the NATIONAL LIBERAL CLUB, WHITEHALL PLACE, LONDON, S.W.1 …at 2.45 for 3 p.m. (It cannot go on much longer than about 5.15 p.m. as the room is needed for politics) On arrival at the Club ask for (a) Creasey and if you get a blank stare, (b) the Oak Room…IF YOU DON’T WANT AFTERNOON TEA, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I SHOULD HATE TO ORDER IT AND SEE IT WASTED.’

 

Its founding aims were to provide a social network as well as help crime writers with business matters. In Creasey’s words: ‘to give reasonable hope that both the prestige and the fortunes of crime writers generally should be improved.’

 

In 1956, it hosted its first awards ceremony for the best crime book of the year, which went to Winston Graham, best known for Poldark. Agatha Christie was the principal guest.

 

The oldest awards in the genre, the CWA Daggers feature the highest honour in crime writing – the CWA Diamond Dagger – which recognises careers marked by sustained excellence. Recipients over the years include PD James, Ruth Rendell, Colin Dexter, John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin, Martina Cole, Val McDermid, and Walter Mosley.

 

Today, the CWA’s determination to promote the genre remains central to its mission, seen by the success of more recent initiatives including, starting in 1999, the Debut Dagger, a competition for uncontracted writers, and National Crime Reading Month (held annually in June), both of which help to connect crime writers and readers, as well as supporting libraries and bookshops.

 Maxim Jakubowski, CWA Chair, said: "As my two-year term as Chair of the CWA winds down to an end, I feel I can't leave the scene of the crime on a better occasion than the celebration of an impressive 70 years of so many activities indefatigably supporting the crime writing community and promoting our beloved genre. We have achieved so much and it makes me very proud that we are toasting such a jubilee in 2023. I raise the tip of my fictional fedora to another brilliant 70 years, which I'm sure my successors will make as memorable."

Vaseem Khan, Vice-Chair of the CWA, said: "Longevity in any organisation is a sign that

something is going right. The CWA's star has shone over British crime writing for seven decades, never more brightly than now. Over the years, the CWA has welcomed, championed, and recognised the greatest writers of the genre, whilst nurturing future stars. Today, the CWA continues to evolve, just as the genre has evolved to become the most popular and most inclusive in publishing. Next stop…the CWA centenary!”

 

CrimeFest Announce 2023 Line-Up

 

Mark Billingham and Elly Griffiths have been announced as the Featured Guests at one of Europe’s biggest crime fiction conventions this spring.

CrimeFest, sponsored by Specsavers, is hosted from 11 to 14 May 2023 at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel. Up to 150 authors will descend on Bristol appearing in over 50 panels.

Featured guest Mark Billingham worked as an actor and stand-up comedian before publishing his first crime novel Sleepyhead in 2001. Billingham’s novels have now sold over 6 million copies. He has had 21 Sunday Times bestsellers and two TV series have been made of Mark’s books – Thorne by Sky starring David Morrissey, and In the Dark by the BBC. A third is currently in development. Rabbit Hole, his 2020 novel, was named as Crime Book of the Year by The Times.

A regular on TV and radio, he launches his first new book series for 20 years with The Last Dance, which is set in Blackpool and features Detective Declan Miller. The Last Dance is published on 25 May 2023.

Acclaimed crime author Elly Griffiths is best known for her Dr Ruth Galloway series. This year, she brings the beloved series to a close with the 15th instalment of the no. 1 Sunday Times bestselling series, The Last Remains.

Elly is also the author of The Brighton Mystery series, set in the 1950’s and 60’s, inspired by her own grandfather’s life on the stage, as well as three standalone novels, the latest Bleeding Heart Yard, was published to glowing reviews in October 2022. She is #18 on the list of most borrowed authors from UK libraries and is a recipient of the Crime Writers’ Association Dagger in the Library award.

The CrimeFest convention began in Bristol in 2008 and attracts readers, fans, editors, publishers and reviewers, thanks to its reputation as a hotbed for crime writing talent.

Director and co-founder of CrimeFest, Adrian Muller, said: “It’s a delight to welcome each year featured guest authors to CrimeFest, and we are thrilled to announce Elly and Mark for 2023. Both are not only hugely acclaimed names in the genre, but are also known for being warm, friendly and entertaining at literary events, so audiences are in for a real treat.”

As a convention, CrimeFest is open to all published authors and known for its inclusive approach. The event is run by a team of committed volunteers. 

Also returning is last year’s featured guest, Andrew Child – brother of Lee Child and co-writer of the iconic Jack Reacher series. Reacher had the big screen treatment with Tom Cruise, followed by the more recent Amazon TV adaptation starring Alan Ritchson.

Other acclaimed authors include Vaseem Khan, the author of two award-winning crime series set in India. His latest, The Last Man of Bombay was picked as the top crime book of the year by the Guardian, Financial Times and Daily Express.

Will Dean, whose debut in 2017 Dark Pines became a word-of-mouth sensation, attends with his latest novel Wolf Pack. Also appearing is Abigail Dean, who was an instant Sunday Times bestseller with her debut Girl A in 2021.

CrimeFest also welcomes the 2022 CWA New Blood Dagger winner and CrimeFest Award nominee, Janice Hallett, best known for her phenomenally successful debut thriller, The Appeal with her latest, The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels.

Also returning is a former CrimeFest Toastmaster, the screenwriter and novelist Robert Thorogood, creator of the immensely popular BBC One series Death in Paradise; the new spin-off series Beyond Paradise starring Kris Marshall will be screened on BBC1 from Friday, February 24, 2023.

Bristol will see some of the genre’s most established names descend, including the crime author, playwright and TV and radio producer Simon Brett, the Canadian mystery writer Cathy Ace, the author, critic and historian Martin Edwards, and author and chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, Maxim Jakubowski. Maxim also returns as the host of the closing Criminal Mastermind Quiz.

Crime fiction is the most popular genre in the UK and dominates our TV screens; a wealth of crime authors in attendance have had books recently snapped up for TV or film adaptations.

Dame Mary Perkins, who founded the national and international chain of opticians Specsavers in Bristol, is the headline sponsor.

Dame Mary said: “I am an avid reader and fan of the genre, and I always look forward to CrimeFest, which is so friendly it feels like all who go are welcomed as part of a big family, connected by a love of books and reading. We are proud sponsors of the convention.”

Donna Moore, co-founder: “We pride ourselves on being open to new and established authors, creating a friendly and inclusive energy at CrimeFest. Bristol is known for its vibrant, creative and independent spirit, and CrimeFest offers an exciting opportunity for writers and readers alike to meet and mingle.”

Highlights include the annual Pub Quiz with the journalist and author Peter Guttridge as the Inquisitor; Peter is also the Toastmaster at the annual CrimeFest Awards, featuring the Specsavers Debut Crime Novel Award.

2023 will also offer the CrimeFest bursary for a crime fiction author of colour. The bursary covers the costs of a weekend pass to the convention, with a night’s accommodation and panel appearance.

In partnership with the independent Max Minerva’s Bookshop, CrimeFest is giving away £4,000 worth of books to eight primary and five secondary inner-city schools in Bristol. CrimeFest offers discounts to students and the unemployed.

The full programme will be announced shortly.

 CrimeFest runs at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel from 11-14 May, 2023. For details and to book, go to: https://www.crimefest.com/

2023 CWA Debut Dagger Competition Opens for Entries

 

The most hotly contended competition for would-be crime novelists is now open for entries.

Aspiring crime novelists have until the end of February 2023 to enter the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Debut Dagger, renowned for opening doors for new writers.

Shortlisted authors often get representation by literary agents, with some going on to achieve publication deals.

The competition for the best new voices in the genre has been going for over 20 years and helped launch the careers of established crime writers, including M W Craven, who entered in 2013.

Craven went on to win the CWA 2019 Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel of the Year for The Puppet Show, and more recently the 2022 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Dead Ground.

M W Craven said that, “The CWA Debut Dagger competition gave me a career. I can draw a direct evolutionary line from being shortlisted to the two-book deal I signed.” The decision to take a week off work and write 3000 words for the competition he said, “would go on to change my life.”

Created in 1955, the CWA Daggers are the oldest and most regarded awards in the genre, and for over two decades the CWA has been encouraging new writing with its Debut Dagger competition for unpublished writers.

The Debut Dagger is awarded every year by the CWA for the opening of a crime novel and a synopsis. Budding authors are invited to submit the opening 3,000 words and a synopsis of the full novel of up to 1,500 words before the competition deadline of Tuesday 28 February, 2023.

Maxim Jakubowski, Chair of the CWA, said: “The winner of the Debut Dagger receives £500, but the main motivation to enter is that shortlisting ensures that your work will be brought to the attention of leading agents and top editors, who have to date signed up over two dozen winners and shortlisted Debut Dagger competitors.”

Submissions are judged using a range of criteria including quality of prose, originality of plot, execution of plot, narrative voice, plausibility, characterisation, setting evocation, and good read factor.

From the hundreds of entries from around the world, around a dozen will be longlisted in April 2023. Longlisted authors are asked to submit a further 3,000 words from their novel. The shortlist is announced at CrimeFest in May 2023, and the winner at the Daggers event held in early July.

Judges comprise top crime fiction editors and literary agents, as well as bestselling author, Leigh Russell, who chairs the Debut Dagger competition.

The competition is only open to writers who have never had a publishing contract for fiction over 20,000 words, or self-published fiction more recently than February 2018. Authors of published short stories are eligible, as are authors of published non-fiction.

Also now open for entries is the annual CWA Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition. Entrants have until Tuesday 28 February 2023 to enter.

The Margery Allingham Society, set up to honour and promote the writings of the great Golden Age author, works with the CWA to run the writing competition. Submissions have a limit of 3,500 words and stories must pay homage to the author’s definition of a mystery. The winner is awarded £500 and two passes to CrimeFest the following year.

Dea Parkin, Secretary of the CWA and competitions co-ordinator, said: “Crime continues to dominate as a fiction genre, and whether it’s celebrity authors such as Richard Osman or established, much-loved writers such as Elly Griffiths who make the headlines, crime and mystery stories are a key touchstone now for publishers. This short story competition is a fantastic way of developing your crime-writing craft and raising your profile.”

Whether you’re writing suspenseful psychological noir, historical crime or traditional whodunnits, the trend has resulted in hit books in the genre from authors such as Nicola Upson, Martin Edwards and Vaseem Khan.

Dea added: “These stories provide familiarity and comfort in an uncertain world as they offer clues, great characters and locations, with the mystery solved in the end and justice served.”

For writing tips, case studies of shortlisted and winning Debut Dagger entrants, and full details on how to enter both writing competitions, go to https://thecwa.co.uk/awards-and-competitions. To receive a regular enewsletter in the run-up to the deadline, join the Debuts https://thecwa.co.uk/supporting-crime-writing/join-the-debuts

Maxim Jakubowski on Black is the Night

 

It actually began with a shot.

An imposing cathedral somewhere in the French provinces. A happy couple on the steps leaving the ceremony behind, smiles on their faces, the bride wearing the obligatory white. And then the shot breaks up the cheering crowd and the groom collapses to the floor.

It was Paris in 1968 and my first encounter with Cornell Woolrich, the week that François Truffaut's 'La Mariée Etait en Noir' opened. A film classic better known here as 'The Bride Wore Black', adapted from the unforgettable novel by Cornell Woolrich.

At first it was a little confusing as, having been brought up in France, I hadn't made the connection between Woolrich and William Irish, a pseudonym he used on a number of books and short stories, and which French publishers somehow had highlighted on the majority of his books issued there. I had probably read a number of his stories in magazines, probably those of a more supernatural bent as I was at the time more of an expert on SF &fantasy and hadn't immediately puzzled out the Irish/Woolrich connection. To this day his books are generally signed by William Irish in France. An oddity of the French publishing scene where, similarly the wonderful novels by my dear, late friend Derek Raymond, are attributed to his real name, Robin Cook (as the US writer of medical chillers is almost unknown there...).

At any rate, this was my introduction to the dark world of death, broken love and melancholy loners that is characteristic of Woolrich.

He is an author's author. The general public mostly know him because of the many film and TV adaptations: 'Phantom Lady', 'Rear Window', Mississippi Mermaid', 'I Married a Dead Man', 'Black Angel', 'Deadline at Dawn', 'Night has a Thousand Eyes', 'Union City', and over 50 others.

Flash forward 20 years and I decide to launch Black Box Thrillers, a new imprint to rediscover some of the classics of noir, much inspired by the fact that so many wonderful US authors appear to be better known in Europe and are mostly out of print in their own language. And my first choice is, naturally, Woolrich. By now I have read all his books and a good chunk of his hundreds of stories and I am not just a fan but, with my own writing hat on, heavily under his influence.

He 'talks' to me; over the gulf of years we share some of the same obsessions: the cloak of night, the breathless passage of time that none of us can halt, the seductiveness of the femme fatale who we know is bad for us but can't stop lusting after, the downbeat endings, the strong sense of despair that life sometimes throws in our path.

I have no doubt that had I not read Woolrich (and a few other noir poets of the night like Marc Behm, David Goodis and Jim Thompson) I might have not begun writing crime & mystery and remained in the SF & fantasy ghetto. So, you know who to blame!

A Sunday dim sum lunch with Nick Landau and Vivien Cheung of the Titan group and my erstwhile silent partners in Murder One saw us brainstorming ideas for some new projects for Titan Books to follow up on the anthologies I had edited for them and which had performed reasonably well. Somehow the subject of Woolrich came up in the conversation as Nick is as much of a classic film fan as I am.

There have been a spate of recent anthologies with American small presses featuring stories influenced by the music of many luminaries: Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, etc... Lightning struck Baker Street (which is where the restaurant we were dining in was...)! Why not do the same with influential writers? We agreed on the spot Woolrich would be the first (I have since followed up with a similar book under the halo of J.G. Ballard, which will appear in 2023).

There were crime authors I knew who shared my passion for Woolrich which I approached and every single one came on board without a moment's hesitation. Then I mentioned the project on social media and was deluged by fervent expressions of interest. Some writers I would never have dreamed of contacting, others whose work does not on the surface appear to have any connection with Woolrich but were adamant in expressing how important he was for them. I had an embarrassment of potential contributors to the anthology and had to turn down so many with a heavy heart. And then there were dozens of speculative submissions; two of which actually made it into the final book.

I am absolutely delighted by the volume that came together. Truly marvellous stories, each and every one flying high under one aspect or another of the melancholy and murderous world that Cornell Woolrich created. Not imitations, but tales that are in his image, some that reflect twists on his themes, others that ingeniously transpose his world into contemporary times without losing the essential poignancy that lies at the heart of his work, every one a winner.

I have now edited, for good or worse, well over a hundred anthologies but 'Black is the Night' is undoubtedly in my Top 5.

Black is the Night edited by Maxim Maxim Jakubowski (Titan Books) Out Now

A gritty and thrilling anthology of 28 new short stories in tribute to pulp noir master, Cornell Woolrich, author of 'Rear Window' that inspired Alfred Hitchock's classic film. Featuring Neil Gaiman, Kim Newman, James Sallis, A.K. Benedict, USA Today-bestseller Samantha Lee Howe, Joe R. Lansdale and many more. An anthology of exclusive new short stories in tribute to the master of pulp era crime writing, Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich, also published as William Irish and George Hopley, stands with Raymond Chandler, Erle Stanley Gardner and Dashiell Hammett as a legend in the genre. He is a hugely influential figure for crime writers, and is also remembered through the 50+ films made from his novels and stories, including Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, The Bride Wore Black, I Married a Dead Man, Phantom Lady, Truffaut's La Sirene du Mississippi, and Black Alibi. Collected and edited by one of the most experienced editors in the field, Maxim Jakubowski, features original work from: Neil Gaiman, Joel Lane, Joe R. Lansdale, Vaseem Khan, Brandon Barrows, Tara Moss, Kim Newman, Nick Mamatas, Mason Cross, Martin Edwards, Donna Moore, James Grady, Lavie Tidhar, Barry N. Malzberg, James Sallis, A.K. Benedict, Warren Moore, Max Decharne, Paul Di Filippo, M.W. Craven, Charles Ardai, Susi Holliday, Bill Pronzini, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Maxim Jakubowski, Joseph S. Walker, Samantha Lee Howe, O'Neil De Noux , David Quantick, Ana Teresa Pereira, William Boyle

First Deadline Looms for Famed CWA Daggers

 

Authors and publishers have until 31 July to nominate titles published in the first half of 2022 for the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) 2023 Dagger awards.

The famed annual Daggers are the oldest awards in the genre and have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century. Past winners of the awards include icons of the genre, including Ruth Rendell, Reginald Hill, John le Carré and Lee Child, and in the 2022 Daggers, awarded in a ceremony on 29 June, winners included MW Craven, Janice Hallet, Ray Celestin, Mark Billingham and Simone Buchholz.

One of the UK’s most prominent societies, the CWA was founded in 1953 by John Creasey; the awards started in 1955 with its first award going to Winston Graham, best known for Poldark.

The CWA has undergone a refresh in recent years, updating and diversifying its Dagger judging panels and its board. To reflect the changes in the publishing landscape, the awards are now open to all traditionally published authors and to self-published authors who are CWA members, as well as publishers.

The deadline is 31 July for nominating titles published between January and June 2022 and 15 November for those published between July and December. For the first time in many years, the Daggers 2023 will be awarded along with a cash prize.

Maxim Jakubowski, Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association, said: “We are delighted not only to open the Daggers to author-nominations but also to recognise the very best crime writing in this way.”

Categories include the coveted Gold Dagger for the best crime novel of the year and the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for best thriller, sponsored by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, the Fleming family-owned company that looks after the James Bond literary brand.

The awards also recognise best historical crime novel, crime fiction in translation, the best short story, and the ALCS Gold Dagger for non-fiction titles. An annual highlight is the anticipated John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger for the best debut novel. The Dagger judging panels include leading authors, bloggers, newspaper reviewers, academics and media professionals.

The Daggers also provide a platform for unpublished writers, many of whom enter the Debut Dagger competition sponsored by ProWritingAid, and for authors who are favourites with libraries and their borrowers with the librarian-nominated Dagger in the Library.

To enter visit the website: The CWA Daggers - The Crime Writers’ Association