21
Jul
This article is free to read. We publish about 100 articles a week all exclusively focused on local news. Please support independent local journalism by subscribing here. It costs as little as 14p a day.
The curtain came down on the four-day Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate yesterday (July 20).
Almost 20,000 tickets were sold for what is the biggest event organised each year by the arts charity Harrogate International Festivals.
The event has established itself as the world’s longest-running and most prestigious celebration of crime writing.
Many of the leading names in the genre gathered at the Old Swan, where Agatha Christie famously disappeared to in 1926. Next year’s event will mark 100 years since that happened.
This year’s festival line-up included Lee and Andrew Child, Irvine Welsh, Attica Locke, Kate Atkinson, Paula Hawkins, Kate Mosse, Steph McGovern, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham.
Hunted by Abir Mukherjee was named crime novel of the year on the opening night.
Here are some photos taken over the weekend.
Pic: Richard Maude
Val McDermid (left) and Steph McGovern. Pic: Gerard Binks
Pic: Richard Maude
Pic: Gerard Binks
Pic: Gerard Binks
Pic: Richard Maude
Abir Mukherjee (right) receives the crime novel of the year award from Simon Theakston
Pic: Richard Maude
Mick Herron, Saskia-Reeves and Will-Smith. Pic: Richard-Maude
Pic: Gerard Binks
1