There’s something about crime fiction that makes it truly international. As well as reaching readers in all corners of the world, the writers themselves are often rooted in their homelands, opening up new vistas, street corners and backdrops, always writing themes that are universal, and increasingly so today in our shrinking world in which villains have no boundaries. 2016’s Festival will have a truly international flavour. Harrogate will fling its charming doors open to authors from America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Canada, and more. There will be the Giants of the Genre we’ve come to expect from a Festival as brilliant as Harrogate, and we’ll be exploring that enticing world of the page turner. Page turners have that magical ability to transport you elsewhere. To keep you hooked, desperate for the next chapter, a little bereft when it’s all over, because you want more. A bit like the Festival really…Prepare to be gripped! Peter James, 2016 Festival Programming Chair
Welcome once more to our old, and new, partners in crime. It never ceases to amaze me how it is possible to keeping building on the previous year’s success of our Festival but with Peter James as our Festival Programming Chair this year, the lineup looks incredibly exciting once again. Peter has given this year’s Festival an international flavour. Crime books, like good beer, travel well. No matter what country in the world you’re in, a pint and a book are reliable companions. There’s no doubt that the Festival has helped the Theakstons name travel across the world. Now in its 14th year, 2016’s programme is not only international in its breadth, but intelligent in design. It’s an honour and delight for us all that Peter is Programming Chair. He was voted the Best Crime Author of All Time in a WHSmith poll, so who better than to take the helm of the best crime writing festival of all time. We may be biased saying it’s the best. But it so happens that just about everyone who attends, agrees. What makes Harrogate so special is its friendliness, the mingling of authors and readers, and of course the down to earth Yorkshire charm. Let’s raise a glass to that! Have a great time! Simon Theakston, Executive Director, T&R Theakston
Booking Fees Apply
2016 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Programme Thursday 21 July 2016 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year & Festival Opening Party The six authors shortlisted for the prestigious prize battle it out for supremacy. Broadcaster Mark Lawson hosts as the 2016 award is presented to the lucky winner. 8.00pm | Tickets: £16
Dead Good Reader Awards
France Noir - Le Roman Policier
Join Dead Good for drinks as they present the Reader Awards as voted for by you. Best Series, Favourite Classic and Tantalising Twist are up for grabs with all attendees walking away with a goody bag full of this season’s best crime novels 6.30pm | Tickets £12
The French have a certain je ne sais quoi, when it comes to the crime genre. Authors Pierre Lemaitre, Bernard Minier and SJ Parris will transport France to Harrogate with chair Barry Forshaw. 3.30pm | Tickets : £10
Special Guest: Linwood Barclay interviewed by Mark Billingham The Hard Yards
Kill me Quick
How many years does it take to become an overnight success? Talking about their journey up, and staying on top of, that greasy pole, join Sophie Hannah, Simon Kernick, Laura Lippman, Martyn Waites and Laura Wilson. 10.00pm | Tickets: £10
Roll-up your trousers, pop on some sun cream…* No.1 bestselling author Peter James is bringing the dark side of Brighton to Harrogate. Creator of the unstoppable Detective Roy Grace will host an evening of seaside themed food and fun. Includes 2 course murder mystery dinner and a glass of wine 6.15pm | Tickets: £30
Saturday 23 July 2016
You Couldn’t Make It Up. Or Could You?…
Special Guest: Jeffery Deaver interviewed by Mark Lawson
Does life imitate art far more than art imitates life? Peter James discusses the role of real life cases with former Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett and authors Sharon Bolton, Mari Hannah and Ysra Sigurdardottir. 10.30am | Tickets: £10 Home is where the heart is… and where the bread knives live! Join Julia Crouch, Helen Fitzgerald, Paula Hawkins, Clare Mackintosh and Alex Marwood, for a focus on grip lit. 12.00pm | Tickets: £10
Special Guest: Gerald Seymour interviewed by Joe Haddow Gerald Seymour was a high-profile reporter and foreign correspondent at ITN before becoming an acclaimed novelist. His groundbreaking thriller Harry’s Game was an instant hit in 1975; he recently published his 32nd book, No Mortal Thing. Joe Haddow, Producer of the BBC Radio 2 Book Club, interviews. 10.30am | Tickets: £13
Is the Legacy Of The Golden Age Still Alive? Ah, those were the days. Weren’t they? Reminisce with our ‘cosy crime’ panel featuring Simon Brett, Frances Brody, Ann Granger, Catriona McPherson and Ruth Ware. 2.00pm | Tickets: £10
Set A Scientist To Catch A Killer
From Book to Stage and Screen How do bestsellers translate to different mediums? Find out with playwright Shaun McKenna and actors Robert Daws and Jamie Lomas. 5.00pm | Tickets: £13
Box Office | 01423 562 303
Special Guest: Tess Gerritsen
Jeffery Deaver, the award winning author of 33 internationally bestselling novels, will be interviewed by broadcaster and author Mark Lawson. One of the world’s most successful thriller writers, Deaver is best known for his Lincoln Rhyme thrillers. 9.00am | Tickets: £13
Domestic Suspense – The Killer Behind The Front Door
Forensics has transformed detecting crimes. Taking the genre from the puzzle in the library to the minutia under the microscope will be Dave Gaylor, Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Haydn Kelly, Brooke Magnanti and Kate Medina. 3.30pm | Tickets: £10
Programming chair Peter James, CWA Diamond Dagger Award winner and ‘King of the police procedural’ best known for his Roy Grace detective series, will be In Conversation with hard-hitting author Martina Cole, the first British female novelist for adult audiences to surpass the £50 million sales mark. 5.00pm | Tickets: £13
Continuing the success of injecting comedians into the mix, ‘Queen of Crime’ and co-founder of the Festival Val McDermid will be In Conversation with comedian Susan Calman, a familiar face on shows such as Have I Got News for You, 8 out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You. 8.30pm | Tickets: £13
Friday 22 July 2016
The American-born Canadian Linwood Barclay, a former journalist and columnist, is the bestselling author of 13 detective novels including Trust Your Eyes, A Tap on the Window and No Time for Goodbye. He’ll be put under the forensic spotlight by bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham. 9.00am | Tickets: £13
Special Guests – Martina Cole In Conversation with Peter James
Special Guest: Val McDermid In Conversation with Susan Calman
New Blood Val McDermid introduces her pick of the four sparkling new talents of 2016 – Martin Holmen (Clinch), JS Law (Tenacity) Beth Lewis (The Wolf Road) and Abir Mukherjee (A Rising Man). 12.00pm | Tickets: £10
Murder Out of Africa Homicide figures in South Africa are akin to a country at war. NJ Cooper, Paul Mendelson, Deon Meyer, Margie Orford, Michael Sears and Stanley Trollip navigate the heart of South Africa’s darkness. 2.00pm | Tickets: £10
Book Online | www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
Tess Gerritsen, a physician turned author dubbed the ‘medical suspense queen’, is published in 40 countries with more than 30 million copies of her books sold worldwide. 8.30pm | Tickets: £13
Late Night Quiz Test your criminal knowledge with quiz masters Val McDermid and Mark Billingham and vie to get your hands on the coveted quiz cup! 10.00pm | Tickets: £10 Sunday 24 July 2016
Political Corruption Everyone loves a scandal - except the victims! Charles Cumming, Frank Gardner, Mark Lawson, Kate Rhodes and Gillian Slovo explore how the world of politicians has become rich fodder for the crime genre. 10.00am | Tickets: £10
Special Guest: Neil Cross on Luther Award-winning novelist and screenwriter Neil Cross is best-known as the creator of the international hit BBC series, Luther, starring Idris Elba, as well as a writer on Spooks and Doctor Who. 11.30am | Tickets: £13
Box Office | 01423 562 303
DON’T MISS OUR FREE EVENTS!
Festival Weekend Break Packages: Make The Perfect Getaway!
Creative Thursday A day-long series of crime fiction creative writing workshops focusing on how to get published.
Friday 22 July Join the Thin Blue Spine team and experts from Think Forensic for a Forensics Experience. Visit a crime scene, gather the evidence and examine it using real techniques such as fingerprint lifting, shoeprints and hair and fibre analysis.
Treat yourself to a long weekend at the crime hot spot of the summer by booking a combined ticket and accommodation package. Stay in one of our specially selected Festival hotels and join over 80 of the world’s most celebrated crime authors in conversation, in action and in the bar!
Saturday 23 July Join the Crime Files team and their authors at the Sperry Tent on as they travel around the world with some of the biggest names in crime and thriller fiction.
Weekend Break packages include 3 nights’ accommodation and a Weekend Rover ticket, start from only £350 per person.
Thursday 21 July | 9am – 5.30pm | £99 per person
For details: www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/crime
2016 programme includes:
To book, call tel: 01423 562 303 or email: crime@harrogate-festival.org.uk
- Intensive Writing Workshop: How To Write a WhyDunnit
HOW TO BOOK Phone: Online: In Person:
01423 562 303 www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com Harrogate International Festivals, 32 Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1DB
Opening Times: Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm Payment: Please note that all bookings are subject to a £1.75 transaction fee. A £1 fee is charged for postal orders, or we offer free ticket collection. TITLE SPONSOR
SUPPORTERS
Weekend Rover Ticket Indulge your criminal tendencies and get great value for money with a Festival Rover ticket: Weekend Rovers include:
+
+
Access to all Festival events* from 8pm on Thursday 21 July to 12.30pm on Sunday 24 July. Delicious lunches at the Old Swan Hotel on Friday and Saturday
+ THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR PARTNERS
A complimentary Festival goody bag Price: £220 per person
Day Rover Ticket Day Rovers include: EVENT SPONSORS
+ + +
Access to all Festival events* throughout the day A delicious lunch at the Old Swan Hotel
A complimentary Festival goody bag Friday Rover (22 July) - £94 per person Saturday Rover (23 July) - £88 per person PREMIER PARTNERS
Box Office, tel: 01423 562 303 Book Online: www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/crime
* Rover tickets DO NOT include the following: Creative Thursday (Thu 21 July) and Dinner event (Sat 23 July). These events must be booked separately, please check event listings for details.
COMMUNITY PARTNER Harrogate International Festivals is a registered charity, no. 244861. All information correct at time of going to print. Harrogate International Festivals reserves the right to make such alterations as may become necessary. T&Cs apply. Please see our website for details.
Booking Fees Apply
Box Office | 01423 562 303
The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s creative writing course for aspiring writers. Creative Thursday gives you the chance to hone your writing skills with industry professionals and real-life crime experts.
The psychological thriller is nothing new, although its popularity is soaring. But what elements distinguish a “WhyDunnit” within the broad and varied world of crime fiction? And how do you go about writing a successful thriller where the focus is on drama rather than punishment, and where the culprits and victims take centre stage? Award-winning writers Sarah Hilary and Alex Marwood talk you through the basics from their very different perspectives. Expect insider secrets, and tips on getting published.
HARROGATE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS
Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 21-24 July 2016 | Harrogate home of crime
- Intensive Writing Workshop: Psyche your Character
This session with Danuta Kean will enable you to get deep under the skin of your characters. You will experiment with your own characters, creating full, plausible people with deep backstory and related character traits. You will examine the pit-falls of over-writing a character’s quirks and issues, while finding creative ways to show and not tell the array of possibilities that an understanding of human psychology can generate.
- Intensive Writing Workshop:
Turning Good Ideas into Commercial Crime Novels William Ryan and M.R. Hall will deliver a workshop aimed at writers who have completed or are working on a first draft and want to take it to the next level and for beginners aiming to turn promising ideas into great novels. Focusing on how to construct and test a solid crime fiction plot, how to make sure your characters are working together to push your story forward, how to ensure each chapter develops the story while delivering drama and tension and how to sell your book with a great opening scene.
- The Dragons’ Pen
Four brilliant publishing professionals. Two minutes to convince them your synopsis and first chapter are worth reading. One audience full of your fellow would-be writers. Our literary version of the popular TV show, the Dragons’ Den, is not for the faint-hearted.
Book Online | www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
Featuring: Linwood Barclay Martina Cole | Neil Cross Jeffery Deaver | Tess Gerritsen Peter James | Val McDermid Gerald Seymour and 12th Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year
Box Office: 01423 562 303
harrogateinternationalfestivals.com