Harrogate International Festivals has announced the Special Guests for the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the globally renowned celebration of crime fiction taking place 17-20 July 2025.
Lee and Andrew Child, Irvine Welsh, Attica Locke, Kate Atkinson, Paula Hawkins, Kate Mosse, Steph McGovern, Val McDermid and Mark Billingham feature in a stellar line up of crime writing icons, TV talent and reader favourites in a programme curated by 2025 Festival Chair Mick Herron.
Now in its twenty-second year, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (17–20 July 2025) is the epicentre of the global crime fiction community, offering readers from around the world an unmissable opportunity to meet the superstar writers of today and discover the bestsellers of tomorrow. Taking place at the Old Swan Hotel, Harrogate, the prestigious Festival offers a packed programme of thrilling panels, talks and inspiring creative workshops.
The Special Guest events include:
- International bestseller Irvine Welsh makes his Festival debut talking about Resolution, the final instalment in his ‘Crime’ trilogy, now a hit TV series, starring Dougray Scott.
- Multi-million copy bestselling writing duo Lee and Andrew Child discuss their latest Jack Reacher thriller In Too Deep – and offer an exclusive preview of Exit Strategy the 30th Reacher novel ahead of its publication in November.
- Leading US crime writer and former New Blood discovery Attica Locke will make a welcomereturn to showcase her hard-hitting, topical novel Guide Me Home.
- Unique Festival Double-Acts with ‘Queen of Crime’ Val McDermid teaming up with TV presenter Steph McGovern,wholaunches her debut Deadline at the Festival; Lee Child interviewing literary crime novelist Kate Atkinson about her latest Jackson Brodie novel At the Sign of the Rook, a witty take on a classic murder mystery.
- Fan favourites Mark Billingham, Kate Mosse and Paula Hawkins return to the Festival tointroduce their latest bestsellers.
- Hold your horses as Mick Herron, bestselling author of the Slough House spy thrillers, takes the reins for a very special event, to be announced soon.
Mick Herron, bestselling author and 2025 Festival Programming Chair said:
This year’s Special Guests are an incredible mixture of global bestsellers, familiar friends and writers new to Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, who together guarantee a weekend of thrills, wit and revelations. As ever, though, the Festival will be made by those who attend it: our readers, who constitute the most well-informed and enthusiastic crowds any author could ask for and ensure that every event generates debate, and that the conversation continues long after the panels pack up. It’s a tribute to the Festival’s consistent excellence that so many readers return again and again. I look forward to welcoming them back once more in 2025.
The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is delivered by the north of England’s leading arts Festival organisation, Harrogate International Festivals and forms part of their diverse year-round portfolio of events, which aims to bring immersive cultural experiences to as many people as possible.
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:
It continues to be a joy to support the world’s best crime writing Festival for an incredible twenty-second year. Last year’s Festival was the biggest and most successful ever, and 2025 looks set to top that as Mick Herron and the programming team have put together a truly exceptional line up of Special Guests. I cannot wait to be back in Harrogate – the epicentre of the crime community – again this July.
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 headlining the 2025 Festival. We look forward to sharing the full programme very soon and can’t wait to welcome everyone to Harrogate in the summer – with an especially big welcome to all authors and readers coming to the Festival for the first time this year.
Classic Weekend Break Packages are on sale now. Author Dinners and tickets for Creative Thursday are on general sale from Tuesday 4 February. To book tickets, please call +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.
