Vera writer reveals a new book at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026 in Harrogate
High emotion, big names and glittering prizes meant this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate had the lot – and a famous author revealed her new book.
In a year in which organisers Harrogate International Festivals celebrated their 60th anniversary, the annual event at the Old Swan Hotel was packed out from start to finish having broken records for ticket sales – a phenomenal 20,000-plus.
One of many highlights of the four-day event was the closing event starring bestselling author Ann Cleeves and award-winning actor Brenda Blethyn in conversation with popular TV presenter Steph McGovern.
Cleeves revealed there will be a new Vera book coming out, as she has already written it.
Blethyn revealed, as the youngest of nine children from an ordinary background, she had had “imposter’s syndrome” for a long time after she first became successful in theatre, TV and films.
The latter also surprised everyone by doing a quick big of Irish dancing with Steph McGovern to entertain the crowd during a slight technical hitch.
The festival’s opening night had seen moving and witty introductions by Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festival’s, Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston, and Lady Victoria Borwick, Advisory Board Chair.
Bestselling US novelist, David Baldacci, gave an outstanding speech on his battle with AI “theft” and his life as a “southern gentleman” in writing after receiving the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award.
The open and honest speech by Frances Crawford from Glasgow who won the McDermid Debut Award for A Bad, Bad Place, her Glasgow-set crime novel, A Bad, Bad Place, almost brought the house down.
The big prize of the night and the most prestigious crime fiction award in the UK and Ireland, was won by Elly Griffiths, from Sussex after being shortlisted for the award eight previous times.
On receiving the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2026 for her time-travelling mystery thriller The Frozen People, Elly said: ‘I’m so excited and just so grateful to everybody. I’ve been honoured to be shortlisted eight times but to win is just incredible.
"It’s a bigger twist than I’ve ever dreamed up in my books.”
The McDermid Debut Award, named in recognition of world-famous crime writer Val McDermid who presented the award in person, was won by Scottish writer Frances Crawford for A Bad, Bad Place.
A gritty and atmospheric thriller set in 1970s Glasgow, A Bad, Bad Place centres around 12-year-old Janey Devine who discovers the body of a murdered woman - the daughter of a local gangster – while walking her dog on a disused railway track and becomes irrevocably tangled up in the police investigation.
Playwright Mel Pennant was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in The McDermid Debut Award for A Murder for Miss Hortense, a mystery novel set in Birmingham featuring a formidable retired nurse turned amateur detective.
Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival runs at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate to Sunday, July 26.