Revealed: Trainspotting author joins headliners for Harrogate's Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2025
The international bestselling author famed for Trainspotting is coming to Harrogate for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
Raised in the tenement homes of Leith, Irvine Welsh is just one name on a stellar bill of writers who not only dominate the book charts but also inspire hit movies and popular TV series.
Other stars who will be festival headliners this year include Lee and Andrew Child, Attica Locke, Kate Atkinson, Paula Hawkins, Kate Mosse, Steph McGovern, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham.
As if that wasn’t thrilling enough, this year’s programme is being curated by Apple TV’s ‘Slow Horses’ creator Mick Herron, the 2025 Festival Programming Chair for the four-day event at the Old Swan Hotel.
Running from July 17-20, Irvine Welsh will be making his Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival debut talking about Resolution, the final instalment in his Crime trilogy, now a hit TV series, starring Dougray Scott.
A cult figure of the modern era, the gritty author first rose to fame with debut novel, Trainspotting, which has sold more than one million copies in the UK and was adapted into a classic movie in 1996 starring Ewan McGregor.
Meanwhile, fan favourites Kate Atkinson, Mark Billingham, Kate Mosse and Paula Hawkins are all set to return to the Festival to introduce their latest bestsellers.
Other exciting visitors set to grace the Old Swan Hotel include multi-million bestselling writing duo Lee and Andrew Child discussing their latest Jack Reacher thriller In Too Deep.
Much-loved ‘Queen of Crime’ Val McDermid teams up with TV presenter Steph McGovern, who launches her debut Deadline.
Leading US crime writer Attica Locke showcases her hard-hitting, topical novel Guide Me Home.
Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “I’m so proud of the incredible programme curated by Mick Herron and the team, with some of the biggest names in crime fiction globally and some firm fan favourites."
The full programme for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival will be announced on April .
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