Capital Crime announces full programme

 

CAPITAL CRIME ANNOUNCES FULL PROGRAMME, WITH JEFFREY ARCHER, AA DHAND, JANICE HALLETT, LISA JEWELL AND SABINE DURRANT TO JOIN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED HEADLINERS JANE HARPER, ARDAL O’HANLON AND ANDREA MARA

 AA Dhand       Andrea Mara     Ardal O'Hanlon,             Elly Griffiths,            Jane Harper

Janice Hallett              Jeffrey Archer         Lisa Jewell,     Liz Nugent          Sabine Durrant 

The 2026 festival to return to the Leonardo Royal Hotel 18th-20th June, with the Fingerprint Awards on 18th June, hosted by Ryan Tubridy

• Newly confirmed authors also include Elly Griffiths, Abir Mukherjee, T.M. Logan, Vaseem Khan, MJ Arlidge, Chris Brookmyre, Catriona Ward and Lucy Foley
• The National Year of Reading and ‘Quick Reads’ to be commemorated by AA Dhand, Leye Adenle, Fiona Cummins and Debbie Hicks MBE
• Jeffrey Archer to celebrate 50 years of writing

Jeffrey Archer, Abir Mukherjee, AA Dhand, Lucy Foley, Lisa Jewell, Sabine Durrant and Janice Hallett are amongst the authors today (27th March) announced to take part in Capital Crime, London’s largest celebration of crime and thriller writing, which returns 18th-20th June. They will be joining the previously announced headliners Jane Harper, Lee and Andrew Child, Claire Douglas, Andrea Mara, Ardal O’Hanlon and Andi Osho for discussions around closed communities, Agatha Christie and courtroom dramas.

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

‘Our vision for Capital Crime was to provide a community that celebrates the love of storytelling, and a welcoming space for all readers and authors. A cornerstone of the festival since it launched in 2019 has been our social outreach initiative which has seen schoolchildren from all around London invited to meet, hear and engage with publishing representatives and authors. Our partnership with The Reading Agency will only strengthen this work in a time when we need stories and connection more than ever. Our programme this year features discussions about courtroom dramas, comic capers and the legacy of Agatha Christie, but also holes in the justice system and societal issues in crime fiction, with some of the best names in the genre – from global superstars like Jane Harper and Lee Child, but also some extremely exciting emerging voices.’

The festival kicks off on Thursday 18th June with a panel of industry professionals navigating the road to publication; followed by experts Professor Anja Shortland, an expert in the field of exhortative crime and ransomware, former probation officer Ruth Dugdall and noted criminologist Christopher Berry-Dee speaking about different approaches to criminality with Doctor Emma Kavanagh, a psychology consultant specialising in human performance in extreme situations; and real-world private investigators Mike and  Chris Jennings exploring the realities of their job, and how crime fiction compares. Thursday’s final panel will see bestselling authors Elly Griffiths and Claire Douglas speaking to Joe Haddow about using the past and memory in their novels, before DHH Literary Agency’s open pitching afternoon and networking event. The day will conclude with the Fingerprint Award Ceremony, hosted by broadcaster and podcaster Ryan Tubridy.

Friday opens with a panel on modern espionage, with James Wolff, Paul Warner, David Goodman and Chris Humphreys in conversation with Jane Thynne; and Leodora Darlington, LM Chilton, Yemi Dipeolu and Tanya Sweeney discussing how messy relationships can take a deadly turn in crime. The day will also feature Abir Mukherjee, Sarah Vaughan, Foluso Agbaje and Elly Vine discussing elites behaving badly; Ajay Chowdhury, Jo Callaghan and Vaseem Khan will explore concerns around AI; and former lawyers Imran Mahmood, Harriet Tyce and Anna Mazzola will speak about the art of the courtroom drama. Lucy Rose, Essie Fox, Laura Purcell and Callie Kazumi will explore what could be behind readers’ appetite for dark gothic fiction; Clare Leslie Hall, Hattie Williams and Jennie Godfrey will speak about stories that will stay with you long after reading; and Jo Spain, Olivier Norek, Madeleine Pelling and Edel Coffey will discuss about how true stories can inspire fiction.

Friday will also see Capital Crime’s National Year of Reading panel, in partnership with The Reading Agency, and chaired by one of its founding members Debbie Hicks MBE, with former Quick Reads authors AA Dhand, Fiona Cummins and Leye Adenle exploring how crime fiction can be the perfect gateway genre into a lifelong love of reading.

The day will close with Lisa Jewell and Sabine Durrant in conversation with Katherine Faulkner about their incredible chart-topping careers writing suspense in the domestic sphere; and global bestsellers Jane Harper and Andrea Mara in conversation with DJ Fee Mak about writing horrible things happening to ordinary people; and the suffering of parenthood in their novels. The final event of the day is the festival’s regular highlight Crime Quiz.

On Saturday 20th June, crime fiction fans will see former police officer turned bestselling novelist Clare Mackintosh reflecting on how her past has influenced her writing; Jeffrey Archer celebrating his 50 year career and Lee and Andrew Child speaking to Stig Abell about building and breaking the rules of crime over 31 Jack Reacher novels. In addition, legendary Irish writers Ardal O’Hanlon, Jane Casey and Liz Nugent will explore with Brian McGilloway what make Irish communities the perfect setting for crime fiction.

In addition, to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Dame Agatha Christie, Sophie Hannah, Hazell Ward, Lucy Foley and Kelly Mullen will explore the enduring appeal and influence of her work.

Other panels on Saturday include Sarah Hilary, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone and Chris Merritt discussing career longevity; a discussion about justice and revenge with Julie Mae Cohen, D.B. Stephens, Emma Styles and Maz Evans; the illusion of safety with Catriona Ward, Andi Osho, J.P. Delaney and Rosa Silverman; and Rob Parker, Nadine Matheson and T.M. Payne speaking to Lisa Howells about the versatility of the procedural.

There will also be exciting public events throughout the festival: Orenda Books will be hosting a showcase and proofs party; and renowned wine expert Olly Smith will be launching his debut Death by Noir, in conversation with his brother and Emmy-winning Slow Horses screenwriter Will Smith.

Now in its sixth year, Capital Crime is proud to be a part of and contributor to the vibrant culture scene with the city, and has quickly established itself as one of the biggest festivals in the UK, with a reputation for originality, innovation, and a focus on creating an incredible reader experience with creatively curated and inclusive panels. Co-founded by Goldsboro Books MD David Headley, it has welcomed readers from around the country to see British authors such as Robert Harris, Anthony Horowitz and Paula Hawkins, appearing alongside international talent including Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir and US bestsellers Jeffrey Deaver, Karin Slaughter, Linwood Barclay and Michael Connolly.

Headley and his team at Goldsboro Books have helped launch the careers of so many authors since it opened almost 25 years ago, by uniting incredible writing with their loyal, ever-growing community of passionate readers. Renowned for their thoughtful and impactful new initiatives to engage communities of readers, Capital Crime is a brilliant extension of this vision with an outstanding programme of over 40 entertaining, accessible events that explore all corners of the genre, and the opportunity to meet your literary heroes.

 The full programme can be found here.

 

Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026 Special Guests revealed

Crime writing superstars’ and ‘new faces’ headline Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival

as 2026 special guests revealed

Festival Dates: 23-26 July 2026

www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com

#TheakstonsCrime

Harrogate International Festivals have announced the full line up of Special Guest headliners for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious celebration of crime fiction, taking place 23-26 July 2026.

Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn, Anthony Horowitz, Holly Jackson, Chris Brookmyre, Chris Whitaker, Jane Harper and LJ Ross join previously announced headliners Nadine Matheson, Gillian McAllister, Steve Cavanagh, Alice Feeney and David Baldacci on a thrilling line-up of crime writing legends and international bestsellers from the UK, Australia, Ireland and the US, curated by 2026 Festival Programming Chair, Lisa Jewell.

Now in its twenty-third year, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (23–26 July 2026) is the jewel in the crown of the global crime fiction community, offering readers from around the world a unique opportunity to hear from literary superstars and discover stunning new talent. Taking place at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate, a packed programme of fascinating panels, talks and inspiring creative workshops showcases the very best of the world’s most popular genre.

Headline events include:

An unmissable event for Vera fans as writer Ann Cleeves and actor Brenda Blethyn, who played DCI Vera Stanhope for fourteen years, take an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the much-loved TV series, and Cleeves unveils her latest Vera Stanhope novel.

Hugely successful author and TV writer Anthony Horowitz returns to the Festival hot on the heels of smash-hit BBC TV dramas Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders to showcase his latest novel.

Making her Festival debut Holly Jackson, mega bestselling author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, introduces her new unputdownable thriller, Not Quite Dead Yet.

‘Queen of the psychological thriller’ and 2026 Festival Chair Lisa Jewell in conversation with Lee Child, iconic creator of the Jack Reacher novels.

Two of the most original voices in crime fiction, and previous winners of the Theakston Old Peculier Novel of the Year, Chris Whitaker and Chris Brookmyre make a welcome return to the Festival to discuss their latest novels, as Chris Brookmyre celebrates his 30th year as a published author.

Homegrown phenomenon LJ Ross and internationally celebrated Australian author Jane Harper, both multi-million-copy sensations, showcase their much-anticipated new novels.

Lisa Jewell, 2026 Programming Chair of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival says:

“I came to my role as this year's Chair of programming for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival with a golden wish-list of crime writing superstars, and I can barely believe how many of them we have now confirmed as headliners. It's a brilliant mix of new faces, perennial favourites and a surprise or two and I think readers are going to be blown away by this year's line-up. I am so excited to be there, in the moment, sharing this programme in all its glory with our attendees; so many incredible headliners, so many fascinating conversations, so much to look forward to. Roll on Harrogate 2026!”

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is delivered by the north of England’s leading arts Festival organisation, Harrogate International Festivals, and forms part of their diverse year-round portfolio of events, which aims to bring immersive cultural experiences to as many people as possible. Harrogate International Festivals celebrates six decades of arts Festivals in 2026, marking the milestone with more headline names than ever and exciting developments, set to make it the biggest Festival yet.

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

“It is a huge honour to support the world’s biggest and best crime writing Festival for an incredible twenty-third year. After our most successful year ever in 2025, we are delighted to welcome a bumper crop of exceptional Special Guests who include icons of the genre, chart topping authors and writers behind some of the most watched TV adaptations in recent years to our one-of-a-kind Festival this summer.”  

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

“I’m so proud of the incredible roster of Special Guest headliners curated by Lisa Jewell and the team. Readers have always been at the heart of the Festival and in the National Year of Reading, the 2026 programme is unapologetically reader-led, celebrating some of the most-read authors in the world whose books showcase the enduring appeal of crime fiction. Watch out for some more big reveals when we share the full programme in April and we hope you’ll join us at the Festival in July!”

Weekend Break Packages are on sale now. To book, please call the Festivals team on +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. Rover tickets and individual event tickets go on sale in Spring 2026. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026 announce Chair

‘Queen of the psychological thriller’ Lisa Jewell 

to chair

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026

with first headliners announced

Festival Dates: 23rd to 26th July 2026

www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com

#TheakstonsCrime

Wednesday 26 November 2025: Harrogate International Festivals today announced bestselling psychological thriller writer Lisa Jewell as Festival Programming Chair for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the globally renowned celebration of crime fiction which will take place from 23 to 26 July 2026.

An opening line up of stellar Special Guests including global bestsellers and reader favourites David Baldacci, Nadine Matheson, Gillian McAllister, Steve Cavanagh and Alice Feeney has also been announced, with more headliners to be revealed in early 2026.

Lisa Jewell is the author of twenty-three novels, most recently the dark psychological thrillers Then She Was Gone, The Family Upstairs, None of This is True and Don’t Let Him In. She is a number one bestselling Sunday Times and New York Times author who has sold over ten million books worldwide, been published in more than thirty languages and has had numerous books optioned for film and TV. Previous Programming Chairs include Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Elly Griffiths, Denise Mina, Lee Child, Vaseem Khan, Ruth Ware and Mick Herron.

Lisa Jewell, 2026 Programming Chair of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival says:

“I have been bewitched by the concept of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for as long as I have been writing thrillers and my first visit more than lived up to my expectations. I've been every year since and grown more and more familiar with the special world that is created in Harrogate every July, so to be invited to head up the programming committee for 2026 was an honour beyond my wildest imaginings. I worked in fashion retail before I became an author and was a voracious magazine reader and that is the sensibility that I have applied to the format of this year's panels and author events, focussing on 'real life' issues that affect writers in their day to day to lives and thus in turn, inform the things they write about and the way in which they write about them. I'm delighted to see a stellar line up of writers coming together for 2026 and cannot wait to be there, watching all the behind-the-scenes work come to magical life for another glorious and unforgettable festival.”  

The Headliner events include:

Global crime writing icon David Baldacci - one of the world’s most-loved thriller writers - returns to the Festival for the first time in fifteen years with his highly acclaimed new series featuring undercover spy Walter Nash.

Fan favourites and bestselling authors Nadine Matheson and Gillian McAllister introduce their gripping new high-concept thrillers and discuss how their legal backgrounds inform their fiction.

Steve Cavanagh, bestselling Irish author and former Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Novel of the Year winner, discusses Two Kinds of Stranger, the latest in the Eddie Flynn series, featuring a conman-turned-trial lawyer.

Multi-million copy bestselling author Alice Feeney showcases My Husband’s Wife, her nerve-shredding new psychological thriller that will make readers question all they know about love, identity and revenge.

Now in its twenty-third year, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (23–26 July 2026) is the jewel in the crown of the global crime fiction community, offering readers from around the world a unique opportunity to meet literary superstars and discover exciting new talent. The prestigious Festival offers a packed programme of thrilling panels, talks and inspiring creative workshops, with a special event celebrating the legacy of Agatha Christie, who stayed at the Old Swan Hotel, now the Festival venue, 100 years ago when she mysteriously disappeared.

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

“It is a privilege to support the world’s best crime writing Festival for an incredible twenty-third year, and I’m thrilled that Lisa Jewell is taking on the role of 2026 Festival Programming Chair. After our most successful event ever in 2025, I can’t wait to be back in Harrogate next summer celebrating the world’s best loved genre once again.”

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

“Crime fiction fans around the world love Lisa Jewell’s spine-tingling contemporary thrillers, so we are delighted that she has agreed to be Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s 2026 Programming Chair as it promises to be a landmark year as Harrogate International Festivals celebrates six decades of arts Festivals. With her focus on topical real-life issues and character driven fiction, Lisa brings a unique sensibility to her programming, and we’re excited to reveal five of the exceptional Special Guests headliners she has selected - with more to be announced in January.”

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is delivered by the north of England’s leading arts Festival organisation, Harrogate International Festivals and forms part of their diverse year-round portfolio of events, which aims to bring immersive cultural experiences to as many people as possible.

Weekend Break Packages are on sale now. To book, please call the Festivals team on +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. Rover tickets and individual event tickets go on sale in Spring 2026. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.

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.

 

Fatal Shore Festival of Crime Writing – All Day Event

As part of Shoreham Wordfest Festival that is taking place between 3rd and 16th October 2022 a one-day crime writing event is being curated and hosted by William Shaw and Elly Griffiths on Saturday 15t October 2022.

 

Details of the programme for the day can be found here. Further information about buying tickets can be found here.

In The St Hilda's Spotlight:- Nadine Matheson

Name:- Nadine Matheson

Job:- Criminal Solicitor and author

Website:- https://www.nadinematheson.com/

Twitter:- @nadinematheson 

Introduction:-

Nadine Matheson is the author of the best selling D I Henley and the Serial Crimes Unit series. In 2016, she won the City University Crime Writing Competition and in 2019 The Jigsaw Man was won by HQ (HarperCollins) in a six-publisher auction. Her second novel The Binding Room was published in July 2022.

Current book? (This can either be the current book that you are reading or writing)

Reading: The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Writing: Henley Book 3

Favourite book

American Tabloid by James Ellroy 

Which two characters would you invite to dinner and why? 

Aaaron Stampler from Primal Fear. He was accused of murder and his defence was that it wasn’t but him but his other personality. I would like to sitting in front of him to see the moment when he would switch personalities. Stampler is both fascinating and terrifying. A great character.

Bruce Wayne/Batman. I’m the biggest comic book fan and I couldn’t think of a better guest. It would be interesting as to who would turn up to dinner. Bruce Wayne, the billionaire playboy or the world’s greatest detective, the dark knight himself, Batman.

How do you relax?

I love going out to dinner and also lying in my sun lounger in the garden with a good book and a cocktail.

Which book do you wish you had written and why? 

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold by John Le Carré. I just think that its perfect. Perfect characterisation, world building and plot. 

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

Don’t ever give up. Tell your stories and let your imagination fly. 

How would you describe your series characters? 

Authentic but extremely complex who are all trying to create the equilibrium with their careers and personal lives. There’s not one character who hasn’t been affected emotionally by the cases they’ve worked on. 

With Town and Country: Green Lanes to Mean Streets being the theme at St Hilda's this year, Where is your favourite town and where is your favourite country? Why have you chosen these?

London is actually my favourite city because its home but also richly diverse and I love how the past intertwines with the present in its streets and buildings.

Grenada is my favourite country as its where my family are from and its home away from home and the beaches are spectacular. 

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

Spending the weekend with writers that I have admired for years and also passionate crime readers. 

The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson (HarperCollins) Out Now

In this room, no one can hear you scream...The Serial Crimes Unit are called in to investigate when a local pastor is found stabbed to death. As DI Henley assesses the crime scene, she discovers a hidden door that conceals a room set up for torture - and bound to the bed in the middle of the room is the body of a man. When another body is found, also tied down, Henley realises there's someone out there torturing innocent people and leaving them for dead. But why? There's nothing that connects the victims. They didn't know each other. Their paths never crossed. But someone has targeted them, and it's up to Henley and the SCU to stop them before they find another binding room...

Information about 2022 St Hilda's College Crime Fiction Weekend and how to book tickets can be found here.

St Hilda's Crime and Mystery Weekend - Town and Country: Green Lanes to Mean Streets

St Hilda's Crime and Mystery Weekend is taking place from 12 – 14 August 2022.  

We have an homage to Mo Hayder by Nadine Matheson, an expose of rural noir by S.A. Cosby, an evening with Mick Herron (on Slow Horses) and Elly Griffiths (on Cold Comfort Farm).

Peter May is talking about his early influences. 

Ann Cleeves is looking at the Human Geography of Crime.

Philip Gooden has penned our Murder Mystery with roles performed by crime writers, and special prizes to be won.

Plus intriguing and entertaining talks by Imran Mahmood, Abir Mukherjee, Beth Lewis, Greg Buchanan, Leye Adenle, Anna Bailey, Anthony J Quinn, Trevor Wood and William Shaw. 

It is going to be spectacular!

You can book to attend in person, either the whole weekend or just Friday night with Mick and Elly (and a three-course dinner). 

Accommodation is available, and meals can be booked at the college (where the food is delicious and vegan options are available).

The full programme is here.

More details and links to ticket sales can be found here.

SlaughterFest 2022

Slaughterfest the crime writing festival curated by internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter is back! 

2022 Thriller Award Nominees

The International Thriller Writers have announced the 2022 Thriller Award Nominees.

Congratulations to all the nominated authors.

BEST HARDCOVER NOVEL

The Turnout by Megan Abbott (Penguin/Putnam)
Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (Flatiron Books)
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (Flatiron Books)
These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall –(Thomas & Mercer)
Red Widow by Alma Katsu (Penguin/Putnam)
I Am Not Who You Think I Am by Eric Rickstad – (Blackstone Publishing)

BEST AUDIOBOOK

Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (Macmillan) Narrated by Adam Lazarre-White
Sleeping Dogs Lie by Samantha Downing (Audible Originals) Narrated by Melanie Nicholls-King and Lindsey Dorcus
How it Ends by Rachel Howzell Hall - (Audible Originals) Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Prodigal Son by Gregg Hurwitz (Macmillan) Narrated by Scott Brick
The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson (HarperCollins) Narrated by Davine Henry

BEST FIRST NOVEL

Girl A by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins)
Repentance by Eloísa Díaz (Agora Books)
My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa (Berkley)
Damascus Station by David McCloskey (W.W. Norton & Company)
Bones of Hilo by Eric Redman (Crooked Lane Books)

BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL NOVEL

Flight Risk by Joy Castro (Lake Union)
Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark (Thomas & Mercer)
The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke (Berkley)
Bloodline by Jess Lourey (Thomas & Mercer)
My Mistress' Eyes are Raven Black by Terry Roberts (Turner Publishing Company)

BEST SHORT STORY

“Not My Cross to Bear” by S A Cosby (Down & Out Books)
“Demon in the Depths” by William Buron McCormick (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
“The Lemonade Stand” by Scott Loring Sanders (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
“The Interpreter and the Killer” by Jeff Soloway (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
“Bad Chemistry” by John Wilmer (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)

BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson – (HarperCollins)
Calculated by Nova McBee (Wolfpack Publishing LLC)
Dark and Shallow Lies by Ginny Myers Sain (Penguin Young Readers)
The Project by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books)
House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (Penguin Young Readers)

BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL

The Dark Side: Alex Hunter 9 by Greig Beck (Pan Macmillan)
Where the Wicked Tread by John Connell – (John Connell)
The Little Girl Taken by Wendy Dranfield (Bookouture)
Blood Parish by E.J. Findorff (E.J. Findorff)
Mother May I by S. E. Green (S. E. Green)
Blue Madagascar by Andrew Kaplan (Andrew Kaplan)
Last One Alive by Karin Nordin (HarperCollins)

ITW will announce the winners at ThrillerFest XVII on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, New York City.

Hat tip to Mystery Fanfare for the information.

A New Detective on the Block by Nadine Matheson

 

Last year I contributed to the growing list of crime thrillers when my debut novel ‘The Jigsaw Man was published. I’ve been a fan of crime fiction for as long as I can remember and there were many occasions when I would be nose deep in a copy of Patricia Highsmith’s ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ instead of studying the required Shakespearean text or Wuthering Heights for my English class. In fact, I may just be a fan of crime in general as in my non-writing life, I’m a lawyer specialising in Criminal Law. 

There are two reasons why I’m drawn to crime fiction. The first is that crime thrillers allow us to access to a slice of life that is out of bounds to morally and law complying people. For a brief period, we can indulge in the pages of a crime story and then safely, and maybe self-righteously, close the pages and get on with our lives. The second reason is that I have an innate desire to uncover what motivates people to commit crimes. One of the main reasons why I practice criminal law is that I want to understand what makes people tick and why, for example, someone would murder their next-door neighbour, bury their body in the garden and assume their identity. 

It seems almost inevitable that after working in criminal law, for nearly twenty years, and having a love affair with crime thrillers that I would write my own book. There was an expectation that because I work in criminal law that I would write a legal thriller but that wasn’t the specific sub-genre of crime that thrilled me. Police procedurals have always been my first port of call. A police procedural promises the thrill of the chase and pits good against bad. The best police procedurals makes the reader feel as though they’re part of the investigation and isn’t just a passive observer. 

My job as a criminal lawyer has never been to prosecute and to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person standing in the dock is guilty or to put it more colloquially “Bang to Rights”. I’ve always represented those who have been accused of the crime. My job has been to put the prosecution to proof, to find holes in their case and to also defend my client to the best of my ability. Writing a police procedural was a complete adventure for me because I had to switch the gears in my head. I had to put myself in the mind of both a prosecutor and a detective and become the person who was building a case against a suspect, which brings me onto the first person that you meet in my book, The Jigsaw Man, Detective Inspector Anjelica Henley. 

Books are the best form of escapism in which we’re able to experience different lives and different worlds, but with certain genres of books i.e., crime thrillers we should be able to recognise our own worlds within the pages. Take a moment right now and think of four fictional detectives. I’m prepared to put money on it that the four detectives that you chose were white males. Like the popular fictional detectives that we know, and love (Holmes, Thorne, and Rebus) Henley is committed and complex, but she occupies a unique place in crime fiction because she is also a Black British woman. Henley takes the lead in her professional life, as a Detective leading an investigation and in her personal life as a wife and a mother. There are not many detectives in crime fiction that look like Henley. In my profession as a lawyer, I’ve lost count of the times that I have sat opposite a female detective of colour in a police interview room. It always seemed strange to me that the stories of these detectives of colour were not being in the books that I was buying. 

Too often characters of colour have been relegated to the cliched roles of criminal, victim or supporting role in a story. Fortunately, the last couple of years have noticeably seen a rise in the number crime thrillers books that are written by authors of colour and feature characters of colour in main roles. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to recommend books by Saima Mir, S.A. Cosby, Amer Anwar, Rachel Edwards, Femi Kayode, and myself to readers. My hope is that the name Detective Inspector Henley becomes iconic in crime fiction, and I cannot wait for you to read the next chapter in her story.

The Jigsaw Man by Nadine Matheson. (HarperCollins) Out Now

There's a serial killer on the loose. When bodies start washing up along the banks of the River Thames, DI Henley fears it is the work of Peter Olivier, the notorious Jigsaw Killer. But it can't be him; Olivier is already behind bars, and Henley was the one who put him there. The race is on before more bodies are found. She'd hoped she'd never have to see his face again, but Henley knows Olivier might be the best chance they have at stopping the copycat killer. But when Olivier learns of the new murders, helping Henley is the last thing on his mind . . . Will it take a killer to catch the killer? Now all bets are off, and the race is on to catch the killer before the body count rises. But who will get there first - Henley, or the Jigsaw Killer?

The Binding Room by Nadine Matheson (Published July 2022) HarperCollins.In this room, no one can hear you scream... The Serial Crimes Unit are called in to investigate when a local pastor is found stabbed to death. As DI Henley assesses the crime scene, she discovers a hidden door that conceals a room set up for torture - and bound to the bed in the middle of the room is the body of a man. When another body is found, also tied down, Henley realises there's someone out there torturing innocent people and leaving them for dead. But why? There's nothing that connects the victims. They didn't know each other. Their paths never crossed. But someone has targeted them, and it's up to Henley and the SCU to stop them before they find another binding room...

More information can be found on her website. You can follow her on Twitter @nadinematheson, on Instagram @queennads and on Facebook.