Theakston's Old Peculier Harrogate Crime Writing Festival 17 - 20 July 2008

Sample the cream of
British crime writing.
HARROGATE CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL 2007
Crown Hotel, Harrogate

The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival will take place in Harrogate from 17 – 20 July 2008.  Weekend packages are available now by calling (01423) 562303.  Individual tickets will be available from May on 0845 130 8840

LONGLIST ANNOUNCED

Waterstone’s and Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival today announced the longlist for the fourth Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.  Now a firm date in the literary awards calendar, the longlist once again covers an exceptional mix of new and also more established writers covering styles from across the crime genre.

Simon Robertson, Waterstone's Crime Buyer said: ‘This is the strongest longlist yet for the award, which is a real reflection of the fantastic shape British crime fiction is in at the moment.’

Simon Theakston, Executive Director of T&R Theakston said:  ‘Each year this competition becomes more exciting as the profile of the Award and the calibre of the writers grows. I am looking forward to seeing who the public will vote onto the shortlist’

The longlist is, Simon Beckett (The Chemistry of Death), Mark Billingham (Buried), Benjamin Black (Christine Falls), Christopher Brookmyre (A Tale Etched in Blood and Hard Pencil), Sophie Hannah (Hurting Distance), John Harvey (Darkness and Light), Reginald Hill (The Death of Dalziel), Susan Hill (The Risk of Darkness), Graham Hurley (One Under), Peter James (Not Dead Enough) Simon Kernick (Relentless), Patrick Lennon (Corn Dolls), Stuart MacBride (Dying Light), Alexander McCall Smith (Blue Shoes and Happiness), Val McDermid (The Grave Tattoo), Mark Mills (The Savage Garden),  Stef Penney (The Tenderness of Wolves), Peter Robinson (Piece of my Heart), C.J. Sansom (Sovereign), Chris Simms (Shifting Skin)

Voting is open now in all Waterstone’s stores and online at www.waterstones.com and will continue until 17th June.  The shortlist will be released on 26th June and the winner announced on 17th July on the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.  The winner will receive £3,000 and a handmade Theakstons cask. 

A NEW CHAIRMAN FOR 2008

Simon Kernick is one of the hottest names in Crime Fiction at the moment. His latest paperback Relentless has sold over 250,000 copies, was featured on Richard and Judy's Summer Read and reviewed as "pretty much unputdownable" by the Observer.

Book Now for 2008

Sam Bourne, Robert Crais, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen and Peter Robinson have already confirmed for next years Festival and more names to be announced soon.

Join the Friends of the Festival

Make sure you don't miss out on any of the news, gossip and announcements by joining the Crime Festival Friends. Benefits include:

5% off packages for 2008

• Guaranteed first come first served stay at the Crown Hotel (availability dependant)
• Exclusive newsletters from the Chair (e-mail)
• Receive the Event Guide before anyone else
• Exclusive Chair's Reception at the 2008 Festival
• Priority Seating at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award 2008

More reasons to visit the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival

Rather than being just one of many other literary festivals, The Theakston's Old Peculier Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is unique in being a single-strand devotee of the ever-popular Crime Fiction genre. As such, the festival is growing in strength and support from authors and readers alike, simply because there is no other Crime Fiction festival like it, anywhere. The Theakston's Old Peculier Award for the Crime Novel of the Year is a unique literary prize in that it is the only award for crime fiction which is voted on by readers.

The festival continues to attract big name authors in the crime writing world each year. Past visitors include Michael Connelly and Ruth Rendell. The 4-day Crime Writing Festival includes a range of writers & readers workshops, true crime specialists, industry seminars and forensic events.

Harrogate Crime Writing Festival History

Beginning in 2003, The Theakston's Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is the literary arm of the overall Harrogate International Festival, which also covers music, theatre and dance throughout July.

The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is a celebration of the best in crime fiction. It is promoted by the north of England’s leading arts festival, Harrogate International Festival which was founded in 1966. Set in the attractive floral spa resort at the gateway to the North Yorkshire Dales, Harrogate is forever known as the town where the great crime novelist Agatha Christie disappeared and Sherlock Holmes’ creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle regularly visited.

Now acclaimed as the biggest event of its kind in Europe, the Crime Writing Festival - which attracts a large and avid audience - first began at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate.

In 2004, Theakston’s Old Peculier became title sponsors for Harrogate Crime Writing Festival.

Peculier Crime Writing Prize

From March 2006 Crime writing fans have 12 weeks to cast their thousands of votes for the the only crime literary award to be voted for by the general public.

The winner of the 'Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award' will receive £3,000, plus a handmade, engraved beer barrel from Award sponsors Theakston’s Old Peculier. “Theakston’s is proud to be sponsor of what should become a prestigious literary award, and I hope our association with the award will be long and successful,” said Executive Director Simon Theakston.

Theakston's Website

Official Harrogate Crime Writing Festival website

The Official Harrogate Crime Writing Festival Website contains all the latest up to date information about the festival, author information, message board and ticket news. Join the Crime mailing list and they will forward news and information, keeping you up to date with what's coming up next summer.

Email crime@harrogate-festival.org.uk