Harrogate International Festivals reveals longlist for most prestigious award in crime fiction

Now in its 21st year, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is widely regarded as the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious crime fiction award.

The winner is revealed each year at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival held each July at the Old Swan in Harrogate.

The 18 books on the longlist have been selected by an academy of journalists, reviewers, booksellers, bloggers and podcasters and representatives from within the industry.

The selection showcases innovative, original and entertaining stories, with global bestsellers and exciting new talent.

Among the notable picks are former winners – M.W. Craven, Chris Whitaker and Chris Brookmyre – with fan favourite Elly Griffiths nominated for a tenth time.

Six talented authors receive their first longlisting, including rising star Marie Tierney for Deadly Animals, which won the inaugural McDermid Debut Award in 2024.

The longlist includes three alumni of the crime writing festival’s celebrated New Blood panel: Abir Mukherjee, Stuart Turton and Stuart Neville.

Full longlist

The Cracked Mirror: Chris Brookmyre (Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere)

Our Holiday: Louise Candlish (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction)

A Stranger in the Family: Jane Casey (HarperFiction, Hemlock Press)

The Mercy Chair: M.W. Craven (Little, Brown Book Group, Constable)

The Wrong Sister: Claire Douglas (Penguin Michael Joseph)

The Last Word: Elly Griffiths (Quercus Books, Quercus Fiction)

Estella’s Revenge: Barbara Havelocke (Hera Books)

Redemption: Jack Jordan (Simon & Schuster UK)

The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby: Ellery Lloyd (Pan Macmillan, Pan Fiction)

Finding Sophie: Imran Mahmood (Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books)

The Woman on the Ledge: Ruth Mancini (Cornerstone, Century)

The Kill List: Nadine Matheson (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction)

Hunted: Abir Mukherjee (Vintage; Harvill Secker)

Blood Like Mine: Stuart Neville (Simon & Schuster UK)

To Die in June: Alan Parks (Canongate)

Deadly Animals: Marie Tierney (Bonnier Books, Zaffre)

The Last Murder at the End of the World: Stuart Turton (Bloomsbury Publishing, Raven Books)

All the Colours of the Dark: Chris Whitaker (Orion, Orion Fiction)

To vote for your favourite novel to reach the shortlist, visit: https://www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com/