This year, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival celebrates its tenth year. To mark the occasion, the cream of international crime fiction will once again gather in Harrogate to raise a glass of Theakstons’ finest to the biggest festival in the country championing crime writing, the most popular literary genre in the UK today.

Headlining the festival this summer are heavyweights Jo Nesbo, Harlan Coben, John Connolly, Kate Mosse, Peter Robinson, Peter James … Read More >>

Fancy yourself as the next Ian Rankin or Patricia Cornwell?

Well… Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has teamed up with East Coast to launch the East Coast Crime Story on Twitter and create the first ever short crime story written using the social networking site.

Martyn Waites will launch the East Coast crime story

Award winning author Martyn Waites, who also writes under the alias Tania Carver, and is this year’s reader in residence at the Crime … Read More >>

Thu 19 July 2012, 9am – 5.30pm
The Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate
£99 per person
 
Improve your writing technique courtesy of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s creative writing course for aspiring writers. The full programme for Creative Thursday 2012 has now been confirmed! Hone your novel and short story writing skills with a day-long programme of workshops and seminars led by bestselling crime writers, publishing industry professionals and real-life crime experts.

The programme includes:·        

Intensive Writing Workshop with Stuart MacBride … Read More >>

Riot Communication picked up three gongs at the Publishers Publicity Circle (PPC) annual awards, which took place in central London last night (15th February). Awards were given to the publicists responsible for the best PR campaigns carried out in 2011.

Preena Gadher and Liz Hyder of Riot Communications won the Nielsen Award for a Generic Campaign for their promotion for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. The success story is set to continue, as Riot have been retained … Read More >>

With an astounding line-up of world-class authors appearing as part of our 10th Festival celebrations (click here for names confirmed so far) and Olympic fever in the air, meaning a big boost in UK visitor numbers in July, rooms in Harrogate are filling up fast. We still have availability at a range of Festival Hotels, but we anticipate these will go quickly!

Accommodation packages are available at a range of carefully handpicked hotels across Harrogate, all within easy … Read More >>

Kate Mosse

There has been a change to the line-up of previously announced 2012 Special Guests. Sadly, Charlaine Harris is no longer able to make the trip to the UK this summer due to family commitments. It’s not all bad news though – far from it! – as we are delighted to announce that joining the Special Guest roster in Charlaine’s place is the internationally bestselling author and co-founder of the Orange Prize for Fiction, … Read More >>

We are delighted to announce that internationally bestselling crime writers Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson (pictured below) will be appearing as Special Guests in an exclusive ‘In Conversation’ event at the 2012 Festival.

The event will form part of our 10th Festival celebrations, echoing the two authors now legendary appearance at the very first Harrogate festival in 2003.

The 2012 Festival takes place 19-22 July 2012 at the magnificent Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. Programming Chair Mark Billingham … Read More >>

International bestseller joins Special Guest line-up

We are pleased to announce that bestselling Norwegian crime writer Jo Nesbo will be appearing as a Special Guest at the 2012 Festival. Next year’s event takes place 19-22 July 2012 at the magnificent Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate. Programming Chair Mark Billingham has put together an astounding line-up, with Jo Nesbo joining a stellar line-up of Special Guests including Harlan Coben, John Connolly and Charlaine Harris.

You can book your place at … Read More >>

No. 1 Writer’s Sold Out Harrogate Appearance
The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival was recently delighted to welcome to Harrogate the queen of the forensive thriller, multi-award winning writer Patricia Cornwell, for her only UK appearance outside of London this year. The special event, which took place on 26 November at the Barcelo Majestic Hotel, saw Cornwell talking in depth to BBC Radio Four’s Mark Lawson about her incredible writing career and revealing the secrets behind … Read More >>

Usually it’s a long wait from one July to the next to get the chance to see the world’s greatest crime writers on stage in Harrogate – but this year we are thrilled to be able to bring you some fabulous pre-Christmas criminal cheer. The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is proud to present a very special one-off event this November – an opportunity to spend an evening in the company of the queen of … Read More >>

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
Presents

An Evening with Patricia Cornwell

Saturday 26 November 2011, 7.30pm.
The Ballroom, Barceló Majestic Hotel, Harrogate

See the multi-award winning writer in conversation with BBC Radio Four’s Mark Lawson in her only UK event outside London this year!

‘Forget the pretenders. Cornwell reigns’ The Mirror

The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is proud to present a very special one-off event – an opportunity to spend an evening in the company of … Read More >>