Glittering shortlist revealed in Harrogate for Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award

The prestigious award – now in its 19th year – celebrates crime fiction at its very best, with this year’s shortlist taking readers on spine-tingling journeys of murder, stalking, ghosts, mysterious disappearances and much more.

Challengers for the trophy – judged by the public - include Elly Griffiths who is in the running for an impressive sixth time for The Locked Room: the penultimate mystery in the series featuring Norfolk’s favourite forensic archaeologist, Dr Ruth Galloway.

Two novelists have made the shortlist for the first time: Gillian McAllister with her Sunday Times Thriller of the Year, Wrong Place Wrong Time, the jaw-dropping, plot twisting, mind bending Groundhog Day style murder mystery and Fiona Cummins – who was selected by Val McDermid for New Blood in 2017 – takes the final shortlist spot for her eerily unnerving thriller Into The Dark.

The winner of the most coveted award in crime fiction crowned at the opening night of the world’s largest celebration of crime fiction and thriller writing – Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival which will celebrate its 20th anniversary from Thursday, July 20 to Sunday, July 23 with a stellar line up of star authors at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

The six novels shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2023 are:

The Botanist by M.W. Craven (Little, Brown Book Group; Constable)

Into The Dark by Fiona Cummins (Pan Macmillan; Macmillan/Pan)

The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths (Quercus)

Black Hearts by Doug Johnstone (Orenda Books)

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (Penguin Random House; Michael Joseph)

The It Girl by Ruth Ware (Simon & Schuster)

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We are delighted to announce this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year shortlist, which features six gripping reads that celebrate the best of the crime genre.

"With an array of subgenres spanning gripping thrillers to murder mysteries, the public have a tricky task ahead choosing only one from this talented bunch.

"We can’t wait to unmask the winner at the 20th anniversary of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival on July 20."

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year is run by Harrogate International Festivals, sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with Waterstones and the Daily Express.

It was 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 T&R Theakston Ltd, said: “What an exceptional line-up of crime writers in this year’s shortlist.

"We raise a glass of Theakston Old Peculier to all of the shortlistees and look forward to awarding the coveted beer cask trophy on the opening night,”

The public is invited to vote for a winner at www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com

Voting will close on Thursday, July 13, with the winner revealed on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival on Thursday, July 20.

The prize includes £3,000 cash and a handmade, engraved beer barrel from T&R Theakston Ltd.

Tickets for Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2023 are available: www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/crime-writing-festival