Revealed: Former soldier wins top award at Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate

M.W. Craven is this year’s winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023, presented by Harrogate International Festivals.

He wins for The Botanist, a thriller featuring D.S. Washington Poe which has become an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

The award was presented last night at the opening night ceremony of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival held at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

The event also saw Elly Griffiths highly commended by judges for her book The Locked Room, the latest instalment of her bestselling Dr Ruth Galloway series.

Ann Cleeves, author of Vera, Perez and Venn series, was recognised with Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award.

On receiving the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Award, Cleeves said: “The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate has always been a very special festival for me because I was in at the beginning.

"I'm delighted to accept this award and to help the team celebrate 20 years of brilliant crime writing.”

Cleeves is the latest in a line of acclaimed authors who have received the coveted award, with previous winners including Sir Ian Rankin, Lynda La Plante, James Patterson, John Grisham, Lee Child, Val McDermid, P.D. James and Michael Connelly.

As for the top winner, M. W. Craven was born in Carlisle but grew up in Newcastle.

He joined the army at 16, leaving ten years later to complete a social work degree.

Seventeen years after taking up a probation officer role in Cumbria, at the rank of assistant chief officer, he became a full-time author.

His winning book, The Botanist, follows a disgraced detective as he is tasked with catching a poisoner sending the nation’s most reviled people poems and pressed flowers, while his close friend, pathologist Estelle Doyle, seeks his help when she is arrested for the murder of her father.

The ceremony saw him receive a £3,000 prize and an engraved beer cask handcrafted by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakston’s Brewery.

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “The judges had a tough job to pick just one winner for Crime Novel of The Year as the shortlist was incredibly strong.

"Following a lot of discussion, the panel finally selected the incredible M.W. Craven and his locked-room mystery The Botanist, and recognised the incredible Elly Griffiths’ achievement with Highly Commended for The Locked Room.

“We’re also thrilled to celebrate the work of Ann Cleeves with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award.

"Ann is a beacon of brilliance in this genre, and has captivated readers around the world, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of crime literature.”

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year is run by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with Waterstones and Daily Express, and is open to full-length crime novels published in paperback between May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023 by UK and Irish authors.

Simon Theakston, Executive Director of Theakston, said: “This year’s winners truly represent Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Awards' well-earned reputation for showcasing the very best crime writing talent.”

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival runs until Sunday, July 23.