GLANCEFESTIVAL ATA
Thursday 17 July
9.00am Crea�veThursday
8.00pm TheakstonOldPeculierCrimeAwards&Party
Friday 18 July
9.00am A�ca Locke,interviewedby Ma� Nixson
10.30am Post-MortemPostcodeLo�ery
12.00pm KeepingitintheFamily
2.00pm TheWritersStayingoutintheCold
3.30pm OnBehalfofmyClient
5.00pm Mark Billingham,interviewedby Mick Herron
Ballroom
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
6.15pm FridayNight’sAuthorDinner Wedgewood
6.30pm TheWayWeLivedThen
8.30pm Irvine Welsh,interviewedby Abir Mukherjee
10.00pm TheFunLovin’CrimeWriters
Saturday 19 July
9.00am InConversa�on: Paula Hawkins and Kate Mosse
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Ballroom
WELCOME
Summer is party season, which for crime writers means the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val, this year enjoying its twenty-second appearance on our calendars. So welcome to Harrogate, where the genre blossoms in all its forms, whether this involves suffoca�on with a tea-cosy in a Cotswold co�age or being ba�ered to death in a fish-shop in Whitley Bay.
As ever, we have an enormous variety of killer talent to help you navigate the mystery and mayhem that’s wai�ng. There’ll be new faces, old hands, and a sca�ering of other body parts; there’ll be familiar fun and games, alongside some twists you might not see coming; there’ll be diversity, inclusion, and a bar that stays open late. And most importantly, there’ll be a warm welcome for all, as we gather in readers from near and far and lure writers from their creepy garrets, and together find new ways of doing what we do best – celebra�ng crime fic�on as a community.
A very happy Harrogate to you all.
Mick Herron
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage 10.30am TrueGrit
12.00pm Cri�cs’NewBlood
2.00pm GoneButNotForgo�en
3.30pm WhatPlanetAreTheyOn?
5.00pm Mick Herron & Will Smith:InsideSlowHorses
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage
6.30pm SaturdayNight’sAuthorDinner Wedgewood
7.00pm WhateverHappenedtotheLikelyLadsandLasses?
8.30pm Lee Child & Andrew Child interviewedby Paddy O’Connell
Theakston’sStage
2025
Fes�val Programming Chair
Theakston’sStage 10.15pm LateNightQuiz
Sunday 20 July
9.00am Kate Atkinson,interviewedby Lee Child
Theakston’sStage
Theakston’sStage 10.30am It’sTheWayYouTell‘Em
Theakston’sStage 12.00pm InConversa�on: Val McDermid & Steph McGovern
Key
Theakston’sStage
eventsincludedaspartofaWeekendRover�cket eventsincludedaspartofaFridayRover�cket eventsincludedaspartofaSaturdayRover�cket
There is something reassuring about the permanency of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val in today’s tumble dryer world in which we live. By the �me you get to read this goodness alone knows what will be going on as geopoli�cal seismic shi�s con�nue to baffle and confuse! We can be sure however that whatever unknown circumstance conjured up and thrown at us it will be nothing in comparison to those of the crea�ve genius and master plot-planning of our panoply of world-starring Crime Writers a�ending this year’s Fes�val. Under the expert direc�on of Mick Herron, this year’s mul�award-winning Programming Chair, we have got the most incredible line up of literary giants of the genre from all over the world for you to meet and hear over the four days in Harrogate, the home of crime wri�ng!
In the mean�me, I will seek the comfort of con�nuity in my pint of Theakston Old Peculier in �ngling an�cipa�on of my favourite four days of the year and mee�ng friends old and new. There’s Nowt Peculier about that – or is there? I might myself, have a li�le secret twist to unveil! What on earth is going on, I hear you say? Come and find out!
Thank you all for coming and here’s to a great 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val.
Simon
Theakston
Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd
WELCOME
I love this �me of year - the moment we finally get to reveal the programme for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val. It’s like cracking the spine of a new book, filled with fresh adventures, unexpected twists, and thrilling discoveries.
Our grateful thanks to the Programming Commi�ee for cura�ng this year’s excep�onal lineup and to our brilliant Programming Chair, Mick Herron, whose vision and dedica�on have shaped an outstanding programme. We’re also immensely grateful to our �tle sponsor, T&R Theakston, whose unwavering support makes this Fes�val possible.
Fes�vals like ours are vital cultural and economic assets. Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals has been a cultural cornerstone for 60 years as one of the UK’s longest-running arts fes�vals. We know that fes�vals are powerhouses of crea�vity - nurseries for both authors and audiences. They provide pla�ormsforwriterstotestideas,engagereadersinnewways,andsparkconversa�onsonpressing social, cultural, and environmental issues. They amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard, fostering dialogue, debate, and innova�on within the literary world.
This Fes�val thrives thanks to the incredible support of authors, publishers, readers, and audiences who bring it to life. Together, we create a magical weekend in Harrogate, united by our love of crime fic�on.
We hope you enjoy every moment of this year’s Fes�val. Here’s to a weekend filled with intrigue, insight, and the shared joy of books!
Sharon Canavar
Chief Execu�ve | Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals
FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL
Enjoy the very best of Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals by becoming a Friend of the Fes�val - from star-studded events to in�mate concerts and hidden gems.
Whether you want to support our arts charity or simply make the most of exclusive benefits at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val and beyond, join today from just £30.
Membership Perks at #TheakstonsCrime:
● Priority Booking Get �ckets up to a week before general sale.*
● Fast-Track Entry Skip the queue with priority access to the events on the Theakston’s Stage.*
● Exclusive Previews Be the first to hear about special publisher and Fes�val partners events.
● Friends Lounge Access Sit back, unwind and enjoy the events from the comfort of the lounge.**
Join today: harrogateinterna�onalfes�vals.com/fes�val-friends or call 01423 562 303
*Ticket availability not guaranteed. ** Applies to selected events and requires a valid event �cket
TICKETS & PACKAGES
Rover Tickets
Friends of the Fes�val: Thursday 3 April, 12pm | General Sale: Tuesday 8 April, 12pm
● Classic Weekend Rover £325 (21 events + Fri & Sat lunch)
● Classic Friday Rover £140 (8 events + lunch)
● Classic Saturday Rover £154 (9 events + lunch)
Individual Event Tickets
Friends: Monday 12 May, 10am | General Sale: Thursday 15 May, 10am (£14–£25)
Site Passes
On sale Monday 2 June, 10am (£10–£30)
Publisher & Partner Tickets
Available late spring.
Please note that dates may be subject to changes. Sign up to our newsle�er to receive the latest news. For more informa�on, visit our website.
Weekend Break packages.
For one long, sultry, summer weekend the temperature in Harrogate rises, whatever the weather, as the world's ho�est celebra�on of crime wri�ng swings into town.
Treat yourself to a weekend at the crime hot spot of the summer by booking a combined �cket and accommoda�on package. Stay in one of our specially selected Fes�val hotels and join over 100 of the world's most celebrated crime authors in conversa�on, in ac�on and at the bar! Not sure which package or hotel suits you best? Our team is happy to help. But be quick - Fes�val Weekend rooms are in high demand!
Our Classic Weekend Break Packages include:
● 3-night stay (arriving Thursday 17 July) with Bed & Breakfast at a Fes�val hotel*
● Classic Weekend Rover Ticket – Access to all 21 events on the Theakston’s Stage
● Full Site Access, including bars, bookshop & author signings
● Fes�val Goody Bag
Prices start from £869.00 per person.
Tailor-made packages for 1, 2 or 4-night stays are also available on request.
* Fes�val Hotel choice subject to availability at �me of booking.
Yourcriminalgetawaystartshere…itwouldbeacrimetomissit!
Plo�ed by HIF
Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals welcomes you to Harrogate for a weekend of thrilling crime fic�on. It’s one of the many Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�val events, crea�vely plo�ed throughout the year, bringing leading global ar�sts and immersive experiences to Harrogate.
January – April
Harrogate Interna�onal Sunday Series
Chamber music concerts and coffee in the magnificent surroundings of the Old Swan Hotel.
June – July
Harrogate Music Fes�val
Featuring the best of interna�onal musical talent spanning classical, jazz and folk, as well as hos�ng the pres�gious Young Musicians Series.
July
Gaia & Children's Fes�val
A special 7m in diameter installa�on of the Earth’s surface to be erected in St Wilfrid’s Church from ar�st Luke Jerram. A season of events Gigs at Gaia will be programmed underneath the earth including chamber music concerts, live DJs and Children’s Events.
Theakston Old Peculier
Crime Wri�ng Fes�val & Awards
Celebra�ng the best in crime fic�on with world-class events, award-winning authors, and the pres�gious Theakston Crime Awards.
September
The Big Read
“The North of England’s biggest book club” Encouraging as many people as possible to read a classic work of crime fic�on, increasing links across the region between libraries and reading groups, and inspiring new readers.
October
Raworths Harrogate Literature Fes�val
Bringing bestselling authors, influen�al poli�cians, and stars of the stage to share their stories.
HIF+ Year Round
Berwins Salon North
A yearly programme of cabaret-style evenings of fascina�ng talks, bringing together expert speakers to share bold ideas and fresh perspec�ves on science, psychology, technology and the arts.
HIF Player
Our digital pla�orm hos�ng online events, talks and concerts as well as our online crime Fes�val You’re Booked featuring our monthly, Book of the Month.
HIF+
Throughout the year, our diverse HIF+ programmes deliver a wide range of projects, designed to improve lives through access to the Arts.
To see our full year-round programme and be kept up to date, please visit harrogateinterna�onalfes�vals.com
creative
thursday
17 JULY 2025
Includes 2-course lunch, morning and a�ernoon refreshments. 9.00am - 5.45pm
So, you want to be a writer? We have a series of discussion panels, workshops and a mildly terrifying pitching session to help you get there. This immersive day also contains prac�cal advice and insider knowledge from authors, agents, editors and publishers.
CRACKING THE CASE:
Tips for Aspiring Crime Writers| 9am
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion as authors, an editor and a representa�ve from the Society of Authors, lead you through the wri�ng and publishing process from first dra� to naviga�ng the industry’s challenges.
With Will Dean, Theo Jones, Henry Su�on and Julia Wisdom, chaired by Vaseem Khan
THE PITCH: 10.15am
N.J. Cooper delivers a whistlestop tour of how to sell your idea to publishers, editors and agents as delegates prepare to do just that in The Dragon’s Pen, later in the day.
WORKSHOPS
| 11am & 2pm
Crea�ve Wri�ng Bootcamp & Word Sprint
Withwriter and podcaster Lex Noteboom and Orion Publisher Sam Eades
Ready to break a sweat – not from running, but from wri�ng? Join a high-intensity, interac�ve workshop designed for crime writers eager to get their ideas flowing and build stories that will keep readers immersed.
Cra�ing Crimes Across Time
With authors Greg Mosse & Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Step into the shoes of a historical detec�ve and a futuris�c world-builder in this hands-on workshop as two acclaimed authors teach you how to research, invent, and shape compelling crime fic�on worlds.
DRAGONS’
PEN | 4.15pm
Four publishing professionals. Two minutes to convince them your synopsis and first chapter are worth reading. One audience full of fellow would-be writers. Our literary version of Dragons’ Den, hosted by Mark Billingham is not for the faint-hearted.
With Maddalena Cavaciu� David Higham Associates, Ellen Gleeson Bookouture, Manpreet Grewal HarperCollins, Ed Wood The Blair Partnership.
Discover how our Jane Gregory Crea�ve Wri�ng Bursaries support emerging talent, especially writers from underrepresented backgrounds. Learn more on how to apply page 19!
BREWERY VISITOR CENTRE
Theakston Brewing Legends
Since 1827- Step into the heart of Yorkshire brewing history at Theakston Brewery in Masham. As the proud home of the legendary Old Peculier, Theakston have been brewing world-famous ales for nearly 200 years.
Brewery Tour - Join a guided brewery tour and go behind the scenes of one of Britain’s most iconic independent breweries. Discover timehonoured brewing techniques, see a working cooperage, and experience the sights, sounds, and aromas of real ale in the making.
Paradise Bar & Shop - After the tour, relax with a perfectly poured pint in the brewery tap, The Black Bull in Paradise, and explore the well-stocked brewery shop, where you can pick up bottled beers, exclusive merchandise, and unique gifts to take home.
Put Masham on your must-visit list and experience the heritage, craftsmanship, and character of Theakston Brewery.
01765 684333
THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME AWARDS & FESTIVAL OPENING PARTY
The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year is one of the most an�cipated nights of the crime wri�ng calendar. Hosted by broadcaster and author Mark Lawson, who will interview the shortlisted authors before revealing this year’s winner.
Previous winners include Mark Billingham, Denise Mina, Lee Child, Val McDermid, M.W. Craven, and 2024’s winner, Jo Callaghan.
T&R Theakston Ltd, The Brewery, Masham, North Yorkshire, HG4 4YD
The opening night of the Fes�val will also honour an icon in the genre with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribu�on to Crime Fic�on Award and see the presenta�on of The Theakston Old Peculier McDermid Debut Award. First introduced in 2024, this award celebrates new voices in crime fic�on.Marie Tierneywas the inaugural winner.
The celebra�ons con�nue with the official Fes�val Opening Party.
2025 Longlist Announcement
We’ll reveal the 18 longlisted �tles on Thursday 24 April. Get ready and vote for your favourite novel!
Special Guest: ATTICA LOCKE
POST-MORTEM POSTCODE LOTTERY 10.30am
Ain’t no love in the heart of the city, and the countryside is just as bad. Murder is all over the map as four leading writers guide you into crime fic�on’s dark heart.
A picturesque Dorset village harbours secrets and a killer in Death at the White Hart by Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall. Belinda Bauer’s extraordinary new novel The Impossible Thing is set in the shadowy world of egg trafficking. Yorkshire’s urban underbelly is the se�ng for a drugs turf war in AA Dhand’s taut thriller, The Chemist. Mel Pennant serves up a highly original protagonist from a quiet Birmingham suburb in her compulsive debut, A Murder for Miss Hortense. A remote Sco�sh island is the se�ng for Trisha Sakhlecha’s atmospheric new novel The Inheritance. Simon Mayo will chair proceedings.
Home is where the heart is but it’s also where the secrets lie, resentments fester, and the most likely person to murder you is your nearest and dearest. There’s nothing like a bit of a domes�c!
A�ica Locke’s astounding 2009 debut Black Water Rising announced the arrival of an exci�ng, urgent new voice in crime fic�on. With five subsequent novels including the Edgar, Anthony and CWA Steel Dagger winning Bluebird, Bluebird, she is firmly established as one of America’s finest writers.
Her latest novel, Guide Me Home, the third in her terrific Highway 59 series, is a blistering portrayal of Trump’s America and sees the search for a young woman whose familydon’twantherfound.
A�ca is also a television powerhouse, wri�ng for and producing a succession of hit shows including Empire, Li�le Fires Everywhere, When They See Us, and From Scratch.
Shewillbeinterviewedby journalist Ma� Nixson. Ma� Nixson
Claire Douglas delivers another twisty masterpiece with The New Neighbours, in which the perfect couple next door might not be all that they seem. Anonymous videos of your home showing that there is Someone in the A�c form the nightmare-inducing premise of Andrea Mara’s latest charttopper. A dream trip to Paris is just too good to be true in Sam Blake’s glamorous and gripping thriller The Killing Sense. Deadly domes�c drama lies at the heart of Kia Abdullah’s poignant new novel What Happens in the Dark. Journalist Lisa Howells will chair.
Simon Mayo
Belinda Bauer Chris Chibnall
AA Dhand
Mel Pennant
Trisha Sakhlecha
Lisa Howells
Kia Abdullah Sam Blake Claire Douglas Andrea Mara
THE WRITERS STAYING OUT IN THE COLD 2pm
Old spies never die, they just become spooks forever. The Cold War has turned lukewarm, and the Berlin Wall is a pile of rubble, but spy fic�on is as popular – and highly prescient – as ever.
Alan Judd’s No. 2 Whitehall Court blends his trademark flair and authen�city as a new MI6 recruit tries to uncover a mole and prevent catastrophe. Spymaster Charles Cumming returns with Icarus 17, the gripping fourth instalment in his highly-acclaimed Box 88 espionage series. Nick Harkaway takes on the mantle of his late father, John le Carré, as he resurrects George Smiley in the extraordinary thriller Karla’s Choice. Louise Doughty, bestselling author of Apple Tree Yard, weaves tangled webs in the twisty and propulsive A Bird in Winter. Double agent N.J. Cooper is in charge.
Many crime novels end with the guilty party arrested – but what happens next? We ask four lawyers-turned-novelists to plead the case for some wellknown fic�onal villains. Can they make the best possible defence for the worst possible people?
In Dugald Bruce-Lockhart’s immersive new espionage novel Second Skin, deadly secrets emerge on a high-stakes chase across the Mediterranean. Imran Mahmood's gripping yet profoundly moving Finding Sophie dives deep into parents’ grief and their search for the truth. The Death of Us is the breathtaking new release from Abigail Dean, a heartbreaking novel of murder, of survival, of love. A Trial in Three Acts is a whip-smart, mul�-layered legal mystery by Guy Morpuss that will have you engrossed �ll the final verdict. Chaired by Nicola Williams.
Special Guest: MARK BILLINGHAM
2025 is a very special year for one of the UK’s most talented and popular authors –and it presents a silver lining for crime fic�on fans everywhere. It is 25 years since Mark Billingham stormed the bestseller charts with his brilliant debut Sleepy Head, and this year also sees the publica�on of his 25th novel, What the Night Brings, and the return of his beloved protagonist Tom Thorne.
Twice a winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award; a former actor, stand-up comedian and scriptwriter; a member of the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers; and with a string of number one releases, Mark has enjoyed a phenomenal career.
He will discuss his terrific twenty-five in the company of the 2025 Programming Chair, Mick Herron.
Nicola Williams Dugald Bruce-Lockhart Abigail Dean Imran Mahmood Guy Morpuss
N.J. Cooper
Charles Cumming Louise Doughty Nick Harkaway Alan Judd
Mick Herron
literature festival
Bringing bestselling authors, influen�al poli�cians and stars of the stage
HIF @HOME
AUTHOR DINNER 6.15-8pm
The first of two fantas�c opportuni�es for crime fic�on fans to get to know authors in a relaxed, but fun, dinner environment – and solve a mystery! Leading crime writers will each host a table of diners and together they’ll try to unravel a tale penned by Slow Horses creator Mick Herron. The dinner includes a glass of wine on arrival, a two-course meal, plus tea or coffee. There are prizes to be won by the top detec�ves among our tables of diners – ably assisted by their author for the evening – but only if they can work out “whodunnit”!
DV Bishop
Angela Chadwick
Ajay Chowdhury
Emma Chris�e
Rebecca Collomosse
Will Dean Carmel Harrington
Samantha Hayes
David Hewson
Ruth Mancini
A J McDine
Lesley McEvoy
L K Pang
Paula Su�on
Bridget Walsh
Sean Watkin
A. J. West
Clare Whi�ield
Judith Woolf
THE WAY WE LIVED THEN 6.30pm
… And the way we died. Four bestselling historical crime writers explain how different crime was in the past – and yet how it’s very much the same as it’s always been.
Andrew Taylor’s A Schooling in Murder is an eerie mystery set in the dying days of WWII, told with trademark elegance and authen�city. The Rush, Beth Lewis’s bold and brilliant gold fever novel set in 1898 Yukon, tells of three women whose fates and fortunes hang in the balance. Traitor’s Legacy, the first in a dazzling new series from SJ Parris, features murder at the court of Elizabeth I and introduces us to agent Sophia de Wolfe. Shylashri Shankar’s breathtaking debut Blood Caste sees two unlikely allies inves�gate Jack the Ripper-like killings in Victorian India. Author TE Kinsey will chair.
£16
TE Kinsey
Beth Lewis SJ Parris Shylashri Shankar Andrew Taylor
Sponsored by
Special Guest: IRVINE WELSH
8.30pm
Few writers have captured both the voice and the imagina�on of a genera�on in the way that Irvine Welsh has.
Armed with a remarkable ability to tell the stories of society’s underbelly, he has delivered a succession of astounding books. From the iconic 1989 novel Trainspo�ng through groundbreaking works such as Filth, Porno and Dead Men’s Trousers he has earned a stellar reputa�on across the globe.
Is he a crime writer? He might not think so, but his creden�als have been firmly established with his deliciously dark crime series featuring DI Ray Lennox. In the latest, the Sunday Times bestseller Resolu�on, Lennox has le� Edinburgh for Brighton but soon learns that he can’t run from his past.
Irvine will be interviewed by bestselling author Abir Mukherjee. Abir Mukherjee £18
The world’s greatest crime wri�ng superband – aka Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone, Val McDermid, Stuart Neville and Luca Veste – will strut their stuff for your delecta�on and delight. As ever, they will murder songs for fun as they come armed to the teeth with killer tunes that will rock your socks off. Note – please bring spare socks as you’re going to need them for dancing. Tel: 01423 530630
The gods of rock n’ roll have smiled upon crime fic�on fans and sent their noblest and best to the Old Swan Hotel to entertain them with songs of murder and mayhem. Turn the amplifiers up to eleven and let The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers demonstrate why the Devil really does have all the best tunes.
Unlock Your Crime Wri�ng Poten�al with the Jane Gregory Bursaries
Are you an aspiring crime writer from an underrepresented background? The Jane Gregory Bursaries are here to open doors, offering a life-changing opportunity to a�end the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val.
These bursaries are designed to support writers who may face barriers to access, including individuals of the global majority, those with disabili�es, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Gain inspira�on, learn from top authors, and build connec�ons in the literary world.
The three bursaries available offer a range of opportuni�es to a�end the Fes�val. All cover access to Crea�ve Thursday, helping to ensure that talent, not circumstance, shapes your wri�ng journey.
Apply now! The deadline for applica�ons is Friday 18 April 2025 Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/JGBursary to find out more.
IN CONVERSATION: PAULA HAWKINS & KATE MOSSE
9am
£18
Join us bright and early on Saturday morning for an hour in the company of two of the brightest stars in contemporary crime fic�on. Paula Hawkins and Kate Mosse are engaging, insigh�ul, and not to be missed.
Paula broke all sorts of records with her extraordinary psychological thriller Girl on the Train and has con�nued to maintain stellar levels of quality in three subsequent novels. Her latest, The Blue Hour, is set on a Sco�sh �dal island with only one house, one inhabitant, and one way out.
Kate’s beau�fully cra�ed novels have delighted readers for twenty years since the publica�on of her wildly successful debut Labyrinth, the first of her bestselling Languedoc trilogy. Her historical thrillers including The Burning Chambers and City of Tears are rich in intrigue and suspense.
And blood… and muck and feathers and anything else that might be found at a crime scene. Four experts who’ve dedicated their lives to knowing where the bodies are buried will discuss the facts behind the fic�ons.
American forensic anthropologist Clea Koff digs deep into her experience inves�ga�ng crimes against humanity in her chilling second book, Deadly Evidence. Kate Bendelow’s fi�een years as a crime scene inves�gator lends gri�y authen�city to her latest novel, Flesh and Blood. Historian Hallie Rubenhold, bestselling author of The Five, returns with Story of a Murder, an epic examina�on of the crimes of Dr Crippen. Russell Wate was senior inves�ga�ng officer on scores of high-profile murder cases; his gripping fourth novel is Body Overboard. Lawyer and crime writer Nadine Matheson will chair.
CRITICS’ NEW BLOOD 12pm
Always a sell-out, the New Blood panel provides a showcase for the year’s outstanding debuts as selected by the UK's top crime fic�on cri�cs. It gives today’s readers a unique opportunity to discover the stars of tomorrow as the authors of four brilliant first novels discuss their books with Programming Chair Mick Herron.
A winter storm on Orkney’s Atlan�c coast exposes a body and old wounds in Daniel Aubrey’s haun�ng thriller Dark Island A.E. Goldin’s Murder in Constan�nople is an immersive historical murder mystery set on the eve of the Crimean War. Tensions and suspicions broil murderously in suburban Australia in The Grapevine, the atmospheric debut from Kate Kemp. The unforgiving Antarc�c landscape is the brutal se�ng for R.S. Burne�’s ingenious survival-thriller Whiteout. £16
Nadine Matheson
Kate Bendelow Clea Koff Hallie Rubenhold Russell Wate
Mick Herron Daniel Aubrey A.E. Goldin Kate Kemp R.S. Burnett
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
The trauma of loved ones going missing is many people’s worst nightmare and so it’s not surprising that it’s also a frequent source of inspira�on for authors who love to mess with their readers’ minds.
A vanished husband and a lying wife create a chilling Icelandic mystery in One True Word, the exhilara�ng debut from Snæbjörn Arngrímsson. The last wri�en words of a serial killer are key to finding a missing child in Tariq Ashkanani’s dark masterpiece The Midnight King. Simon Mason’s mismatched detec�ves Wilkins and Wilkins seek an absent professor in the riotously entertaining A Voice in the Night. Buried secrets, emerging truths and a family missing without a trace lie at the heart of Rob Parker’s atmospheric thriller The Troubled Deep. Bestseller Sarah Hilary is in the chair.
2.00pm
£16
Not all crime writers have their feet on the ground. Some are up amongst the stars or disappearing through wardrobes into other dimensions. But no ma�er how far they travel, and what new worlds they conquer, some things remain the same. Like murder.
In Ben Aaronovitch’s Stone and Sky, the tenth in his remarkable Rivers of London series, DS Peter Grant tackles myth and murder on holiday in Scotland. Sarah Pinborough always delivers the unexpected and that’s certainly the case in her spine�ngling Gothic horror-crime cross, We Live Here Now. Adam Oyebanji bends genres and history as he weaves an extraordinary thriller about the Atlan�c slave trade in Esperance. The Cure is worse than the disease in Eve Smith’s disturbing thriller about an injec�on that wards off ageing. Doug Johnstone will chair.
MICK HERRON & WILL SMITH: INSIDE SLOW HORSES
5pm
The dubious denizens of Slough House – Jackson Lamb, River Cartwright, Roddy Ho, Catherine Standish et al – have thrilled readers since they first flowed from Mick Herron’s pen in 2010. In recent years, they’ve reached and entertained new audiences via Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, brilliantly adapted by screenwriter (and comedian, actor and novelist) Will Smith.
The show has been widely hailed as one of the best-ever television adap�ons and the two crea�ve geniuses behind the show will come together to discuss the inspira�ons and challenges of bringing such a well-loved series to the small screen. That task might be like explaining Norway to a dog but if anyone can do it, these two master storytellers can. Expect insight, anecdotes and secrets from behind-the-scenes.
Doug Johnstone Ben Aaronovitch Adam Oyebanji Sarah Pinborough Eve Smith
Sarah Hilary
Snæbjörn Arngrimsson Tariq Ashkanani Simon Mason Rob Parker
THE BEST IN CRIME FICTION FROM PAN MACMILLAN
Visit our Dead Giveaways tent throughout the festival to grab some free goodies, meet our authors and discover more about the finest crime fiction coming in 2025 and 2026.
PROOFS CHAPTER SAMPLERS
SNACKS AND TREATS PRIZES
POP-UP EVENTS
And don't miss our fantastic author events at the festival
£55
The second of two fantas�c opportuni�es for crime fic�on fans to dine with leading autors in a relaxed yet fun se�ng - and put their detec�ve skills to the test! Once again, top crime writers will each host a table of diners as they work together to solve a brand-new mystery, penned by Slow Horses creator Mick Herron. The evening includes a glass of wine on arrival, a two-course meal, plus tea or coffee. Prizes await the sharpest sleuths among our diners – with their author hosts guiding them – but only if they can crack the case!
A. K. Benedict
Chris Brookmyre
A A Chaudhuri
Nicci Cloke
R.N. Cogley
Kerry J. Donovan
Hannah Hendy
Tom Hindle
William Hussey
Jill Johnson
Ellie Keel
Ambrose Parry
Heidi Perks
Leah Pi�
David F. Ross
Bee Rowla�
Lily Samson
CL Taylor
Xaviere Musih Tedji
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY LADS AND LASSES? 7pm
Val McDermid’s New Blood was the Holy Grail of debut panels, the crime de la crime, and much sought a�er by authors and publishers alike. Starry-eyed hopefuls, fresh faced and innocent, were called to the stage for their first moment in the spotlight. Years later, they are grizzled veterans of the crime world with a trail of bloodied bodies in their wake. So how did it go?
Four stellar graduates of Val’s academy return to talk about how their careers have flourished or floundered (Spoiler Alert: they flourished) since their daun�ng debuts. Fiona Cummins, Chris Hammer, Abir Mukherjee and Stuart Neville will return to the scene of the crime armed with a shelf-load of awards, acclaim and anecdotes. This event will be chaired, of course, by Val McDermid
Val McDermid
Fiona Cummins Chris Hammer Abir Mukherjee Stuart Neville
Special Guests: LEE CHILD &ANDREW CHILD
8.30pm
If you’re holding out for a hero then he’s got to be strong, he’s got to be fast, and he’s got to be fresh from the fight. Accept no subs�tutes – only Jack Reacher will do.
The Reacher novels are nothing short of a literary and publishing phenomenon. The series has sold an astonishing 100 million copies worldwide, establishing Reacher as arguably the most iconic protagonist in contemporary fic�on. Springing from the crea�ve genius of Lee Child, the series is now a family business with brother Andrew Child joining Lee at the helm.
To celebrate the landmark 30th Reacher novel, Exit Strategy, there will be a brother and Child reunion as Lee and Andrew discuss their outstanding collabora�on. They will be interviewed by TV and radio presenter Paddy O’Connell.
Paddy O’Connell Sponsored by
There are quizzes and then there is the Theakston Old Peculier Late Night Quiz. It’s more Murdermind than Mastermind, more Who Wants to Rob a Millionaire or Family Misfortune, much more Universally Challenged. It’s iconic, it’s late, it’s a lot of fun and a must-do for crime writers and readers. Form a team with friends or find some new ones, take on your favourite authors and beat them at their own game.
Your inquisitors will be the Renee and Renato of quizzes, the Han Solo and Chewbacca of music, yes it’s the deadly duo of Val McDermid and Mark Billingham. Like all good female-male duos, one of them will do it all backwards and in high heels. Sharpen your pencil and your wits, and let ba�le commence.
SPECIAL GUEST: KATEATKINSON
Few authors have transcended genres with the skill and success of Kate Atkinson Whether wri�ng historical novels or literary fic�on, Kate’s work has been met with cri�cal and popular acclaim, and a mantlepiece laden with awards. However, it is her six dazzling novels featuring private inves�gator Jackson Brodie that have most endeared her to the crime fic�on community.
Brodie, the tough former soldier and policeman with an empathe�c heart, is a beau�fully drawn protagonist much loved by readers, and was brought to life by Jason Isaacs in two series for the BBC. The latest Brodie novel, Death at the Sign of the Rook, is a fiendishly clever mystery that pays homage to the Golden Age but comes seared with Atkinson’s signature inven�on and wit.
Kate will be interviewed by Lee Child.
Lee Child
Sponsored by
IT’S THE WAY YOU TELL ‘EM 10.30am
Crime is a serious business – but hell, we’re here to enjoy ourselves. Helping you �e yourselves in knots, and (hopefully) set you free again, are some of the twis�est minds in the business.
John Finnemore’s The Researcher’s First Murder will exercise your detec�ve skills in this new instalment of the puzzle hit Cain’s Jawbone. Janice Halle�, the queen of intricate mysteries, brings all her fiendish trickery to The Examiner, a brilliantly cra�ed puzzle that will keep you guessing un�l the very last page. In Antony Johnston’s deligh�ul The Dogsi�er Detec�ve Plays Dead, Gwinny Tuffel has to find a killer while looking a�er a troublesome Jack Russell. Cara Hunter, fresh from stunning success with Murder in the Family, returns with the mys�fying thriller Making a Killing. The Reverend Richard Coles will help solve the puzzles.
£16
CONTACT US & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
By Phone 01423 562 303 or Online harrogateinterna�onalfes�vals.com Email: crime@harrogate-fes�val.org.uk
In Person: Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals, 32 Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1DB
Our office is open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Opening dates and �mes may vary during the Fes�valsseason.
TicketCollec�on: Tickets for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Wri�ng Fes�val must be collected from the Box Office at the Old Swan Hotel from 3pm on Thursday 17 July. They cannot be sent or collected in advance. Crea�ve Thursday a�endees will receive collec�on details closer to the event.
BookingFee: Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals charges a £2.50 transac�on fee per booking. Ticket sales alone do not cover the costs of our Box Office, and these fees are essen�al for the development, maintenance and opera�on of our in-house Box Office. For more informa�on and full Terms and Condi�ons, visit our website.
Visitors with Addi�onal Access Requirements: The Old Swan Hotel is fully wheelchair accessible. We offer free �ckets for carers and can arrange special provisions for visitors with addi�onal access requirements. To obtain a blue badge, please call or email us. A large print version of the event guide can be ordered by calling us.
For more informa�on about the Fes�val and our Frequently Asked Ques�ons, please visit our website or contact us.
Scan or visit: h�ps://bit.ly/TOPCWF25-FAQs
The informa�on in this guide is correct at the �me of prin�ng, but changes may occur. Updates will be communicated in advance and signposted on-site. Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals is a registered charity no. 244861.
IN CONVERSATION: VAL McDERMID & STEPH McGOVERN
The final event of the Fes�val can be a bi�er-sweet moment but in 2025 we wrap things up in grand style with an hour of fascina�ng conversa�on in the company of two wonderful raconteurs, one undeniably the Queen of Crime and one of the UK’s most beloved crime writers, the other a familiar Fes�val face but when it comes to novel wri�ng, very much the ‘new kid on the block’.
Val McDermid is the creator of over 40 acclaimed novels translated into as many languages. With more than 19 million sales worldwide, she is an iconic figure of the crime fic�on genre. She’s fully deserving of her regal status, and long may she reign over us.
In comparison, award-winning journalist and TV presenter Steph McGovern is a new voice in the genre, but what a start she’s made. Her debut, Deadline, is a blistering thriller drawing on Steph’s television career to deliver a pacy, authen�c drama that’s a surefire ra�ngs winner.
Reverend Richard Coles
John Finnemore Janice Hallett Cara Hunter Antony Johnston
ABOUT US SPONSORS
Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals is the flagship Arts Fes�val for the North of England. A charitable organisa�on, our passion and ambi�on maintain our posi�on as an arts organisa�on delivering Fes�vals of na�onal importance and drama�cally increasing the cultural opportuni�es for Harrogate and the wider region.
Patron
His Majesty King Charles III
Honorary President
Peter Blackburn CBE
Vice Presidents
Mrs Frainy Ardeshir
Mrs Liz Bramall CBE
Dr Terry Bramall CBE
Lesley Garre� CBE
Jane Gregory
David Haxby
Julian Lloyd Webber OBE
Val McDermid
David Salter
Chris�ne Woods
Board of Trustees
Fiona Movley, Chairman
Ma�hew Osbourne, Treasurer
Rod Findlay
Jenny Harris
Lucy Hind
Iain Jenkins
Craig Ratcliffe
Susan Rumfi�
Programming Commi�ee
Mick Herron
2025 Programming Chair
Mark Billingham
N.J. Cooper
Vaseem Khan
Steve Mosby
Laura Sherlock
Julia Wisdom
Sharon Canavar
Marc Dunleavy
Clemence Roux
2025 Reader in Residence:
Luca Veste
Support Services
Avenue Prin�ng House | Charlo�e Wilkinson | Chris Bond PR
Conrad Davies Crea�ve | Dot & Diode | ED Public Rela�ons | Karen Sweeney
Marc Dunleavy | Tim Garbu� Events
Thanks
With special thanks to the Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals team and all our volunteers, without whom the Fes�val could not happen.
Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals | 32 Cheltenham Parade | Harrogate | HG1 1DB
harrogateinterna�onalfes�vals.org.uk | 01423 562 303
Registered Charity No. 244861. Company Registra�on No. 828029
Harrogate Interna�onal Fes�vals would like to thank the following organisa�ons for their support
Theakston Old Peculier
