You’re Booked speaks to C&R Crime editorial director Krystyna Green

How long have you been looking after the crime list at Constable & Robinson?

I’ve been editorial director of the Constable & Robinson crime list for fifteen years now but in fact it’s been going for as long as I have – both of us started out in 1964!  So we both have big birthdays coming up and to celebrate fifty years of Constable Crime we’ve … Read More >>

Recently we caught up with Spanish crime writer Antonio Hill to find out what it is like working with a translator, why he decided to write about Voodoo in Barcelona and creating his detective Hector Salgado.

Hi Antonio,

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for You’re Booked.

Firstly, this year was your first visit to the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, what were your top festival moments?

Well, the whole festival was a very good … Read More >>

Following her trip to England for the Festival this July we caught up with Amanda Kyle Williams to find out her Harrogate Highlights, what she is reading at the moment and what a course in ‘Practical Homicide Investigation’ involves!

The first book in her new series, The Stranger You Seek introduces Georgia bail recovery agent and former FBI profiler, Keye Street. With witty dialogue, tense plot twists and a flawed but fascinating heroine … Read More >>

We caught up with David Mark, following his rather brilliant Festival appearance on the annual ‘New Blood’ panel. Now a firm Festival fixture, each year Val McDermid introduces her personal selection of the crime fiction scene’s hottest new talent in this ‘must see’ panel. David appeared in the line-up alongside Elizabeth Haynes, Oliver Harris and Kate Rhodes. If you missed the event, the ‘New Blood’ author showcase panel is now available to download in … Read More >>

Following his appearance at this year’s Festival, You’re Booked caught up with Simon Lelic, author of Rupture, The Facility, and, brand new title The Child Who.  

Hello, Simon. We know who you are, but for readers who have yet to discover your books can you introduce yourself in just 10 words?

I’m a husband, father, writer, Hitchcock fiend and sandwich obsessive.

Your latest book The Child Who centres on a highly emotive and sensitive subject; a child murderer. It’s a brave … Read More >>

Sophie Hannah is an internationally acclaimed author, whose psychological thrillers have sold millions of copies worldwide; she is also an award winning poet and short story writer. Her novels have been televised as the popular crime drama, Case Sensitive, featuring female detective, Charlie Zailer. 

Journalist Sonia Kilvington had breakfast with Sophie in Harrogate at the 2011 Festival, where she hoped that she would share with readers the secret of writing a bestselling suspense novel.

When building up suspense in your … Read More >>

DI Vera Stanhope, the brilliant but erratic detective created by award-winning crime writer Ann Cleeves (and played on TV by Brenda Blethyn) ventured into new territory in January, when the eBook of Hidden Depths was offered as a free download by Starbucks, via their new Pick of the Week card. February takes Vera into the equally unlikely surroundings of a writers’ retreat, with the publication of The Glass Room, the latest book in this hit series. … Read More >>

During the madness and mayhen that was the 2011 Festival, journalist Sonia Kilvington caught up with international bestselling crime writer Val McDermid, whose novels featuring clinical psychologist Dr. Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Val McDermid at 2011 Festival. Photo by Fen Oswin

The early Tony Hill novels were serialised for television and became the highly acclaimed drama Wire in the Blood, featuring Robson Green. Val McDermid is also the author of … Read More >>

During the 2011 Festival, journalist Sonia Kilvington caught up with Mark Billingham. Here’s what he had to say about his experience of the Festival and his new book…  

Mark Billingham takes questions at the Dennis Lehane event

Which events are you involved in?

I did the Dragons Pen and I am hosting the quiz on the Saturday night, which everybody takes very seriously. It’s a real festival tradition that we have this big quiz on Saturday night and there is … Read More >>

No, this isn't a picture of Kevin!!

Kevin Wignall, a regular author at the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, is a man of some mystery. To celebrate the release of his new children’s books (yes, they include vampires!) he’s launched a dedicated Facebook page aimed at the kids (so they don’t have to be exposed to the adult version of the man!). As Kevin said: “And as it’s for teens and has a perpetually young vampire … Read More >>

Radio 4’s Mark Lawson will interview Howard Marks (aka Mr Nice) at this year’s Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival. Marks is a man whose own life story proves reality is always stranger than fiction. During the mid-1980s, Howard Marks had 43 aliases, 89 phone lines, and 25 companies trading throughout the world. Bars, recording studios, offshore banks: all were money-laundering vehicles serving the core activity: dope dealing.

His criminal career saw the Daily Mail dub him … Read More >>