Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2009
Theakstons-Sponsored Event in Harrogate, 23rd - 26th July
Jul 13, 2009
The Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is now in its seventh year, and has become one of the biggest fixtures on the calendar for fans of mystery and detective fiction. As usual, the event is being held over one weekend - this year it's the 23rd - 26th July - at the Crown Hotel in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate.
Programme for the 2009 Festival
The following are some of the highlights of this year's line up.
Thursday 23rd July:
Festival Opening Party, including the announcement of the winner of this year's Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year (see below).
Friday 24th July:
9am: Mark Billingham, best-selling author of the Tom Thorne novels, discusses his work with Laura Wilson. herself an accomplished writer.
8pm: Mark Lawson hosts a discussion on the art of crime writing with Reginald Hill, creator of Dalziel and Pascoe, and Booker proze-winner John Banville, who writes crime novels under the guide of Benjamin Black.
Saturday 25th July:
9am: Bestselling American writer George Pelecanos, who won an Emmy nomination for his work on TV show The Wire, in discussion with UK author Simon Kernick.
2pm: Dangerous Dykes, with Stella Duffy, Val McDermid, NJ Cooper and Manda Scott.
8.30pm: Lee Child, creator of Jack Reacher and draw of the festival's biggest ever crowd on his last appearance in 2007, talks to Peter Guttridge.
Sunday 26th July:
11.30am: The festival closes with "The Wire" - George Pelecanos and David Simon discuss the much-lauded TV show.
Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2009
This prestigious award, first presented in 2005, is open to all British crime paperbacks published in 2008 and carries a prize of £3000. Previous winners include Mark Billingham, Val McDermid and Stef Penney.
This year's nominees are:
Death Message, Mark Billingham
The Accident Man, Tom Cain
Bad Luck and Trouble, Lee Childe
Gone to Ground, John Harvey
Ritual, Mo Hayder
Garden of Evil, David Hewson
A Cure for all Diseases, Reginald Hill
The Colour of Blood, Declan Hughes
Dead Man's Footsteps, Peter James
Broken Skin, Stuart MacBride
Beneath The Bleeding, Val McDermid
Exit Music, Ian Rankin
Friend of the Devil, Peter Robinson
Savage Moon, Chris Simms
The award is the only one of its kind to be voted for by the public, and you can cast your vote right up until 22nd July – the day before the winner is unveiled at the opening event of the festival. Have your say at the festival website, and while you're there, pick yourself up some tickets for any of the great events happening over the weekend.
