For one long, sultry, summer weekend the temperature in Harrogate rises whatever the weather as the world’s hottest celebration of crime writing swings into town. Once tasted, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival leaves you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the next exciting chapter.

The Festival guarantees thrills, and perhaps a few spills at the hotel bar, at the gathering of crime writing professionals and enthusiasts, authors and readers. Grab a pint of Yorkshire’s finest ale, relax in the hotel gardens, and dip into an intoxicating mix of comedy, cabaret, heated debate, and scintillating socialising.

It’s the friendliest Festival with its feet firmly on Yorkshire ground. Hang out with your heroes, get an exclusive insight into the Next Big Thing, rub shoulders with the UK’s leading agents, editors and publishers. Be inspired and join in the drama at Agatha Christie’s old haunt: the luxurious Old Swan Hotel.

International bestselling novelist Ruth Ware took the reins as Festival Programming Chair in 2024, following in the footsteps of such giants of the genre as Ian Rankin, Elly Griffiths, Denise Mina, Lee Child, Val McDermid and Vaseem Khan. The Special Guests on 2024’s programme included global bestsellers and fan favourites Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee, Liz Nugent and Richard Osman.

Planning is well underway for 2025’s Festival, which will take place 17 – 20 July. Get the dates in your diary and keep an eye out for exciting programming announcements, as we reveal another world class line-up of the biggest names and most exciting new talent in crime fiction.

It would be a murderous misdemeanour to miss it!