May 21, 2026
New talent named on shortlist
Some of the most exciting new talent in the crime fiction genre has been named in the shortlist for the McDermid Debut Award, whose winner will be revealed at the opening ceremony of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate on Thursday July 24, 2026
The judges say that the six authors on the shortlist represent ‘original and assured’ new voices writing across a broad range of subgenres, including serial killer thrillers, detective fiction, cosy crime and dystopian chillers.
They are:
A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford (Transworld, Penguin Random House)
The Exes by Leodora Darlington (Penguin Michael Joseph)
Innocent Guilt by Remi Kone (Quercus)
The Quiet by Barnaby Martin (Pan Macmillan)
A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant (Baskerville, John Murray)
How to Get Away With Murder by Rebecca Philipson (Transworld, Penguin Random House)
All shortlisted authors receive a full weekend pass to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and the winner will receive a £600 cash prize and an engraved, handcrafted beer barrel from T&R Theakston.
Crime writer Val McDermid, after whom the prize is named, said: “This festival has a rich and long-established reputation for plucking out the debut gems from the crime writing pack. This year is no exception. Dive into the Debut Award shortlist and I guarantee you’ll find six novels with something special to offer.”
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston, said: “The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has always celebrated the very best in crime fiction and thriller writing, and we are proud to turn the spotlight on a new generation of rising star debut authors. Readers are in for a real treat with these six new extraordinary novels to enjoy.”
You can find out more at https://www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com/
May 20, 2026
Publisher targets hardcopy sales increase
Joffe Books has announced that it is working on an initiative designed to increase its hardcopy sales.
With ebooks and Kindle Unlimited so dominant in many genres, Joffe is working to build up a print channel in the UK ‘non-trade space’, such as garden centres.
Working with sales partner John Waters, it has offered a selection of titles to non-trade retailers across the United Kingdom.
Joffe Books, which I am delighted to say is my publisher, says: “This broadens the reach of Joffe Books and positions our titles in places where many of our readers already shop, beyond traditional bookshops and into everyday retail spaces where our books can find new audiences. We are working with fantastic partners at The Works, Baker & Taylor and several others.
“In just a few months, and across only a small number of authors, the response has been tremendous. We are particularly delighted to share that copies of books by Margaret James and Joy Ellis are now appearing in gardening centres across the country, as well as on the shelves of The Works, and the numbers are already exceeding our expectations.
“This is only the beginning. We are actively working to expand the range of titles being pitched, and our ambition is to grow this channel significantly in the coming years. As we build these relationships with retailers and refine our approach, we expect the opportunity to open up across a much wider selection of our authors and genres.”
May 16 2026
September 18-20, 2026 Bloody Scotland.
Dates have been announced for the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival which will be held in Stirling between September 18-20, 2026.
Headlining the festival will be Lee Child, creator of Jack Reacher, on the evening of Friday September, 18, 2026 in conversation with crime writer Denise Mina.
Bloody Scotland established itself as the leading Scottish International Crime Writing Festival in 2012 with acclaimed writers Lin Anderson and Alex Gray at the helm, then joined by Craig Robertson and Gordon Brown. Based in Stirling, Since then, Bloody Scotland has brought hundreds of crime writers new and established to the stage. More information is available at www.bloodyscotland.com
May 14 2026
Comic creators facing tough times despite success of sector
A report has revealed the challenges facing the creators of comics, even though the sector is enjoying commercial success.
The UK Comics Creators Research Report presents findings from a survey conducted by the Comics Cultural Impact Collective, the Association of Illustrators(AOI) and the Society of Authors (SoA), which showed that almost 90% of respondents who earn an income from traditional publishing do not earn the national living wage from their comics work, and 13% are relying on state benefits.
Alongside low pay, comics creators are experiencing rising pressures on their time as they juggle multiple jobs and administrative tasks, as well as rising costs. Other challenges include the threat from AI and the lasting impact of Brexit.
This is set against a picture of an industry which includes figures from the NielsenIQ BookScan, showing that in 2025 the UK comics market reached its highest-ever total sales, making £78.7 million, an increase of 13.9% from 2024. Children’s comic strip fiction and graphic novels hit £25.9 million – a 28.7% increase on the previous year, and the biggest sales year the category has ever recorded in the UK.
The report makes seven core recommendations for funders, policymakers and industry bodies. These include developing comics-specific vocational training and apprenticeships, creating practical guidance resources, and recognising comics as a cultural art form in UK policy.
Josie Dobrin OBE, Chair of the AOI, said: “Comics are a rapidly growing part of our creative industry, yet this report clearly demonstrates that many creators are not sharing in the success of this growth. We urgently need to address the gap between a booming market and the reality of low pay, insecure work and increasing pressures experienced by many comic artists. By bringing these experiences together, the report strengthens the case for meaningful action – from fairer funding and recognition to targeted support to make comic creation a sustainable career. Comics are playing an increasingly important role in engaging readers and reflecting our society, so it’s time that the people behind them are properly valued and supported.”
Event will celebrate the magic of books
Author, actor and activist Cerrie Burnell has been announced as the keynote speaker for the Society of Authors’ Awards and Summer Party in June.
More than £100,000 will be awarded for novels, non-fiction, children’s books, short stories and poetry. The winners of nine prizes will be announced at an event at Southwark Cathedral in London on June 18.
Cerrie said: “Storytelling is such a crucial and vibrant part of our cultural heritage. In a time where reading for enjoyment is dipping and there are many competing factors, I couldn’t be happier to be championing the necessary magic and power of books, celebrating authors from all different genres at a legendary summer party that looks to raise the bar for literary joy.”
She is perhaps best known for her work on CBeebies, a role which earned her critical recognition and a devoted fan base. During her time on CBeebies she has broken down barriers, challenged stereotypes and overcome discrimination to become one of the most visible disabled presenters on children’s television. She is also the author of 16 children’s books, a number of them award-winners.
You can find out more, including how to buy tickets, at https://societyofauthors.org
A treat for Aline Templeton fans
There’s a real treat on offer for fans of bestselling Scottish crime novelist Aline Templeton, many of whose novels are based in Dumfries and Galloway.
Her new novel, Truth to Tell, is published by Allison & Busby on May 22, 2026: ‘It is a bitterly cold night, with rain falling and an edge of snow. Under the sickly yellow lighting in the lorry park, three men are looting precious cargo from the tarpaulined trailers – but the crack of a gunshot pierces the night, and everything changes.’
It is the seventh book in the DCI Kelso Strang series is set in Torridon, in north-west Scotland, where the dramatic peaks are an uncompromising backdrop as Strang contends with seismic events that will change many lives to get at the truth.
Also, Joffe Books is re-issuing titles from Aline’s hugely popular Galloway Series, starting with Murder in Galloway. ‘Death is in the air. Death is on the ground. Death is everywhere for the people of Galloway. As the catastrophic Foot and Mouth virus devastates the Scottish countryside, killing cattle and destroying lives, DI Marjory Fleming finds herself at the stormy heart of a troubled, trapped community.
A dead body, a missing girl and a mysterious family’s dangerous obsession with bull-running provides a sinister background to Fleming’s first murder investigation.
The first in the series is republished by Joffe Books and available on Kindle and in paperback. The second, Murder in Knockhaven Harbour, is also available on Kindle with paperback to follow.
May 13 2026
Workshops explore a sense of place
As someone who lived in Darlington for many years, including more than two decades running creative writing classes in the town, I am delighted to be able to give this excellent initiative a mention:
Creative Storytelling Workshops Darlington library, every Thursday 12:00- 2:00
Join a series of welcoming creative workshops at the Centre for Local Studies, Darlington Library, exploring stories of place, memory, and belonging.
Connected Communities is led by the Institute for Collective Place Leadership at Teesside University, in collaboration with Creative Darlington, Darlington Library, and Darlington Assistance for Refugees.
The project is supported by the AHRC Impact Acceleration Account and Creative Darlington and uses local photographs, maps, and archival materials. Participants will create visual responses through creative activities, including collage, zine-making, visual storytelling and reminiscence boxes. These sessions invite people to reflect on personal memories, migration stories, neighbourhood histories, and connections to Darlington.
No artistic experience is needed – just curiosity and a willingness to share.
Who can join? Everyone is welcome, including:
- Local residents
- Library users
- People interested in local history
- People from migrant and refugee backgrounds
- Anyone who enjoys creative activities and storytelling
Translation support can be arranged if needed. Childcare support is provided on site.
Weekly sessions: Thursdays from April 9 onwards. 12:00 – 14:00
Location
Centre for Local Studies
Darlington Library
Crown Street
Darlington, DL1 1ND
You can book a place at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/connected-communities-creative-storytelling-workshops-tickets-1985929337107
May 12, 2026
Festival biggest and best yet
The Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival will take place in Harrogate between July 23-26, 2026, and will feature more than 140 crime and thriller writers, making it the biggest event in the Festival’s twenty-three-year history.
The line-up of bestselling authors and crime fiction names includes Richard Armitage, Ardal O’Hanlon, Denise Mina, Val McDermid, M.W. Craven, Ann Cleeves, Brenda Blethyn, Anthony Horowitz, Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre and David Baldacci. Taking place at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel, the festival will also feature up-and-coming authors.
Lisa Jewell, author and 2026 Festival Programming Chair, said: “This year marks Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s twenty-third year. Every year it gets a bit better, a bit bigger, more polished and more exciting, and 2026 promises to be the best Festival yet. We were spoiled for choice when we compiled this year’s programme; never before have there been as many rich pickings in the fields of crime, thrillers and debuts, and this year’s programme is overflowing with new voices, old voices, literary legends and Festival favourites.”
Among the awards which will be announced are the festival’s crime novel of the year with a longlist including Mick Herron’s Clown Town, Belinda Baeur’s The Impossible Thing and Kia Abdullah’s What Happens in the Dark, plus many more. The public voting ends just before midnight on May 28.
You can find out more, and purchase tickets for events, at https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com
April 30 2026
Festival details announced
Details have been announced for one of Scotland’s major literary festivals.
Borders Book Festival began in June 2004, when Alistair Moffat had the idea of creating a small literary gathering in Melrose and was joined by Paula Ogilvie for an event that welcomed a handful of speakers and an audience of about 400.
Today, it has grown into one of the UK’s leading book festivals, attracting around 40,000 visitors each year for four days of ideas, entertainment and conversation.
This year’s festival will take place on June 11-14 with appearances including Gordon Brown, Eve Muirhead and Stuart Maconie.
More information, including how to book tickets, can be obtained from https://bordersbookfestival.org/
April 29 2026
Joffe Books wins major award
Delighted to report that Joffe Books, which is my publisher, has won Trade Publisher of the Year in the IPA Awards!
The team deserve every accolade they deserve for their skill, energy and innovative approach to publishing
April 26, 2026
And the best-sellers are….
Some interesting findings from Writers of the West, a firm specialising in publishing and ghostwriting services in the USA, Canada, and Europe.
Looking at what readers are buying in 2026, using data including that from Circana and NielsenIQ, Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Audible, BookTok, Kindle Unlimited and indie sales figures, they say that the leading genres are:
Romance and Romantasy:
“Romance has always been a giant in publishing, but in 2026 it is not just strong, it is unstoppable. Readers are hungry for happily-ever-afters, enemies-to-lovers arcs, slow burns, and epic declarations. Add fantasy to the mix and you get romantasy, a hybrid genre that has exploded into the spotlight. The formula is irresistible. Readers get lush magical worlds, high-stakes conflict, and relationships that keep them turning pages late into the night. Romantasy is not just a trend, it is a cultural wave. If you are looking at the most profitable book genres, romance and romantasy sit right at the top.”
Fantasy
“Closely tied to the rise of romantasy is the resurgence of fantasy itself. Epic sagas, crossover young adult titles, and sprawling multi-book worlds are thriving. Readers are not content with a single adventure. They want series that span years, characters they can grow with, and worlds they can disappear into again and again.”
Thrillers, Suspense, and Crime
“While romance and fantasy grab headlines, thrillers and crime novels remain the reliable backbone of the industry. They may not always go viral on TikTok, but they never leave the charts. Readers crave tension, mystery, and the adrenaline rush of a good twist. Domestic suspense has seen fresh growth, borrowing energy from the true-crime boom. The strength of thrillers lies in their dependability. Readers know they will get a fast pace, a puzzle to solve, and a resolution that leaves them satisfied. For authors, that translates into a stable, evergreen market.”
Science Fiction
“Science fiction holds its ground in 2026, particularly in space opera and near-future dystopias. The genre thrives on series economics. Once readers invest in book one, they often commit to the full journey. Sci-fi also excels in audio formats, with narration and production quality immersing listeners in worlds far beyond Earth.”
The Runners-Up Horror continues to find fresh energy, especially when fused with romance or mystery. Graphic novels and manga remain powerful contenders, boosted by younger readers and strong crossover appeal across print and digital platforms.
It’s not just interesting, it could help emerging writers who are not sure what to write to make up their minds, a point I make in my book on writing fiction, which can be purchased on Amazon.
You can find out more at http://www.writersofthewest.net
April 25, 2026
Booker Prize winner to talk about new book
If you enjoyed Booker Prize winner Shuggie Bain, you’ll want to see its creator Douglas Stuart when he appears on Thursday 28 May at Tyneside Cinema, courtesy of New Writing North. Douglas will be chatting about his highly-anticipated new novel John of John, a ‘tender and unflinching exploration of masculinity, sexuality and unspoken desires in a controlling Presbyterian community on the Isle of Harris’.
Douglas will be in conversation with bestselling Scottish crime author Val McDermid. You can book your tickets at https://newwritingnorth.com
April 22 2026
Hotel to stage crime fiction event
Two popular crime writers and one of the genre’s most respected editors will help authors develop their craft when a hotel in Dumfries and Galloway hosts a specially-organised weekend of events later this year.
Entitled Crime Fiction at the Selkirk Arms in Kirkcudbright, the event will take place at the four-star hotel in High Street between November 27-29, 2026.
The residential event will begin on the Friday evening when those taking part will have an opportunity to talk to Dea Parkin, Ian Robinson and John Dean, who will join them for dinner in an event called Supper and Sleuthing.
Dea is the former General Coordinator and an associate member of the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) through her editorial consultancy Fiction Feedback, of which she is owner and Editor-in-chief. It specialises in critiquing and editing crime and historical fiction, and Dea and her team have worked alongside some of crime fiction’s biggest authors, agents and publishers. This year, Dea is a judge on the Historical Dagger and Fiction Feedback sponsors the Emerging Author Dagger, a competition for unpublished crime writers.
Authors Ian Robinson and John Dean live in Dumfries and Galloway and are published by Joffe Books, which recently took over their publisher The Book Folks and is one of the UK’s most successful publishers of crime fiction.
Ian, a former Metropolitan Police detective, writes the popular DS Sam Batford and Nick Moretti and Pippa Nash London Crimes series. Former newspaper Crime Reporter John created the best-selling DCI John Blizzard and DCI Jack Harris series, of which 25 titles have been published.
The Friday night dinner will be followed by a short talk delivered by Dea, ending with a question and answer session with Dea, Ian and John.
The event will be followed by a weekend crime writing workshop led by Dea, with sessions on Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, covering topics as diverse as the craft of crime writing to how to impress agents and publishers.
The price for the weekend, which includes accommodation, meals and the workshops, is £315pp. Places are limited to 16 and can be booked at The Selkirk Arms Hotel High Street, Kirkcudbright DG6 4JG Tel: 01557 330402 Website: http://www.selkirkarmshotel.co.uk
The event is part of work being done to develop the already-thriving crime writing scene in Kirkcudbright and the surrounding area.
April 22, 2026
Stonehaven prepares for inaugural festival
It’s always exciting when a new crime fiction event is added to the calendar, particularly when it is in Scotland, where I live. So welcome to the Heart of Stone Crimewriting Festival being held in the old fishing town of Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, on May 29-30.
In its pilot year of 2026, the spotlight will fall on local writers as well as bestselling authors from further afield, with a series of talks, events and book signings.
Among those due to appear are award-winning novelist Nina Allan, listed by The Guardian in their list of 50 Writers You Should Read Now in 2018, Arbroath writer Julie Adams, who writes crime and mystery novels set across the Scottish Highlands, Tariq Ashkanani, who won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2025 with his novel The Midnight King, Rachel Bremner, who writes Scottish crime fiction set in Stonehaven, Lexie Conyngham, a historian based in north-east Scotland whose historical crime novels draw on a life spent among Scotland’s old cities, ancient universities and hidden aristocratic estates, Nancy Jardine, who writes mystery thrillers, and Chris Longmuir, the winner of the Dundee International Book Prize for her debut novel Dead Wood, the first in her Dundee Crime Series.
You can find out more at www.heartofstone festival.com
April 20 2026
New website supports town’s crime writing scene
A website has been created to celebrate Kirkcudbright’s developing links with crime writing, which stretch back to the 1931 novel Five Red Herrings, written by legendary crime author Dorothy L Sayers, in which her investigator Lord Peter Wimsey investigated the murder of a local artist.
The town in South West Scotland has a track record for continuing to promote crime writing and the site will build into a guide to crime writing events in Kirkcudbright and the wider Dumfries and Galloway.
The website, which has been created by Chris Walker, owner of the Selkirk Arms in the town, and local crime novelists Ian Robinson and John Dean, can be found at at www.kirkcudbrightcrimewriting.com
Kirkcudbright picture used courtesy of John Smith
April 10, 2026
Joffe Books shortlisted for second award
I am delighted see that Joffe Books, which publishes my crime novels, had been shortlisted for another award.
Already shortlisted for Independent Publisher of the Year, part of the British Book Awards 2026, the fast-growing company has now been shortlisted for Trade Publisher of the Year in the Independent Publishing Guild (IPG) awards, which it won 2023.
There are 14 categories this year with a record 68 nominations and the winners will be announced on April 29 2026
You can find out more about Joffe Books at https://joffebooks.com
April 2, 2026
Joffe Books completes takeover
Rapidly-expanding Joffe Books has completed its takeover of respected publisher Severn House, which was founded in 1974 and whose specialties include crime fiction, as does Joffe Books, as well as horror and ghost stories.
Severn House’s crime writers include Simon Brett and the company has a particularly strong presence in the United States.
March 28 2026
Funding secured for new centre
New Writing North and Northumbria University have announced that funding is in place for their new centre for writing and publishing in Newcastle.
They hope to buy the Old Post Office in Newcastle for the centre, which will be a public building hosting events and courses for writers based in the north, everyone from professional authors to aspiring writers.
The centre will strengthen Newcastle’s ambitions to become a national hub for writing and publishing and there will be a dedicated space Northumbria University students of English, Creative Writing, and Publishing.
Funding secured for the project includes £5 million from Department for Culture, Media, and Sport as part of its Cultural Development Fund, £1 million from Newcastle City Council, with a further £4.5 million from regional backers to be announced.
As well as significant funding from central and local government, the centre is a key part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ Cultural Strategy, and backed by publishers including Hachette UK, Faber and Simon & Schuster.
March 16 2026
Publisher is shortlisted for award
I am delighted to hear that Joffe Books, which publishes my books, has been shortlisted for Independent Publisher of the Year, part of the prestigious British Book Awards 2026.
The shortlisting is acknowledgement of a year which saw Joffe continue to grow rapidly, publishing both establishing authors and exciting new talent.
It also saw the company make acquisitions including The Book Folks and Severn House, with the end result that more than three million ebooks, hardcopy books and audio books were sold, and 1.8 billion pages were read on subscription platforms. The results will be announced on May 11, 2026.
You can find out more about Joffe Books at https://joffebooks.com/
March 13 2026
| 2027 CWA Daggers are now Open for Submission |
| The Crime Writers’ Association has announced that the 2027 Daggers awards are open for submission. The Daggers, which have been synonymous with quality crime writing for more than half a century, are judged by independent expert panels. There are thirteen categories, including: The KAA Gold Dagger for Novel of the Year The Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for Best Thriller The CWA Twisted Dagger for psychological thrillers and suspense The CWA Whodunit Dagger for cosy, traditional, and Golden-Age inspired mysteries The ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger The CWA ALCS Gold Dagger for Nonfiction The Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger in Honour of Dolores Jakubowski The CWA Historical Dagger The CWA Short Story Dagger You can read more about the different Daggers and the submission guidelines at https://thecwa.co.uk// |
March 11 2026
Events organised to launch author’s new book
A series of events have been organised across Northern England to mark the launch of the remarkable new book written by author Tracey Iceton.
Sparky: My Barn Owl Tale (2026, Cinnamon Press) is the bird’s account of life before, and since, she and Tracey met in 2022. Hatched in the UK in August 2017, Sparky is a captive-bred barn owl. Raised by humans, she accepts them as essential to her life, benefiting from the security they can provide, but suffering under the uncertainty they can inflict.
By turns heartwarming and disturbing, Sparky offers an owl’s-eye view of her relationship with her human mates and her search for a special human to bond with lifelong.
The book is very different from Tracey’s previous works, which included her Celtic Colours Trilogy (2016-2019, Cinnamon Press ), which tell the story of a hundred years of Troubles in Ireland, following one family through four generations of the conflict from the Easter Rising to the Brexit Vote, and Rock God Complex: The Mickey Hunter Story (2020, Cinnamon Press), which recounts the exploits of Crown & Kingdom’s legendary guitarist.
Formerly an English and creative writing teacher, Tracey continues to work with emerging writers, offering mentoring and editing, but most of her time is divided between home life with her husband, cats and birds of prey, animal rescue volunteering and running.
Events organised to launch the new book include:
Book Launch Friday 22nd May, 7-9pm Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington. Special guest appearance from Sparky. Free event but places limited so anyone wanting to come should email traceyiceton@hotmail.co.uk
Meet the Author,
Sunday 24th May, 10am-4pm Baytree Owl and Raptor Centre, Spalding, Lincolnshire. Entry fee to Baytree applies. Book signing and author talk
Book stall and owl flying display
Sunday 7th June, 8.30am-12pm Sedgefield Farmers Market, The Green, Sedgefield. Free event. Another chance to buy a signed book and see Sparky in action.
Meet the Author
Saturday 20th June 10.30am-3.30pm Potters World, Lanchester Garden Centre, County Durham. Entry fee to Potters World applies. Chance to chat to the author and buy a signed book.
Online Book Launch – Memorable Fiction & Memoir
Tuesday 23rd June 7.30pm BST. Free event, register via the Cinnamon Press website www.cinnamonpress.com Author talk, reading, Q&A plus video footage of Sparky in action.
Author Event
Thursday 9th July 7-9pm Drakes Bookshop Stockton on Tees. Contact Drakes directly to attend, places limited. Author talk, reading, Q&A plus special guest appearance of Sparky.
Meet the Author
Saturday 18th July 10.30am-3.30pm Potters World, Lanchester Garden Centre, County Durham. Entry fee to Potters World applies. A second chance to catch Tracey at Potters World
Meet the Author
Tuesday 4th August 10.30am-3pm World of James Herriot, Thirsk. Entry fee to World of James Herriot applies. Celebrate International Owl Awareness Day by joining Tracey and Sparky.
More information is available from Tracey’s website at www.traceyiceton.co.uk
February 27, 2026
Jerwood Fellowship recipients announced
New Writing North has announced that Kym Deyn, Katherine Horrex and J.A.Mensah have been selected as the recipients of the Jerwood Fellowships. The Fellowships support early career published writers of fiction, poetry and narrative non-fiction with a £10,000 cash bursary and a bespoke package of support and mentoring, funded by the Jerwood Foundation.
Kym Deyn is a poet and writer of weird fiction who moonlights variously as a tarot reader, a librarian, and the editor of The Braag CIC, a micro-press based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. They have been widely published in anthologies and journals for their poetry and prose, have been shortlisted for awards including The Bridport Prize and recently came third in the 2025 Oxford Poetry Prize. Their debut poetry collection Folkish is published by Nine Arches.
Katherine Horrex’s first collection Growlery is published by Carcanet. It was shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney First Collection Prize in 2021, and featured a poem called ‘Parliament, Fallen’, which was Highly Commended in the Forward Prizes Best Poem category.
Her poems have featured in a variety of publications, such as The Guardian,The Times Literary Supplement, The Poetry Review, and Poetry London. They have also been anthologised in The Forward Prizes Anthology 2021, and The Emma Press anthology Some Cannot Be Caught.
J.A. Mensah’s debut novel, Castles from Cobwebs, was nominated for the Desmond Elliott Prize and won the NorthBound Book Award. Her short stories have been published by Comma Press, New Writing North, Dead Ink and Bloomsbury. Her plays have been produced by companies including Pilot Theatre and Live Theatre, among others.
February 2 2026
A new take on the life of a great showman
Author Carol Dean has published the life story of one of the most colourful figures in the American Old West – and readers may be in for a surprise.
The reader may think that they know Buffalo Bill’s story already but Carol’s meticulous research adds immeasurably to our knowledge of the great showman for her book Buffalo Bill The Legend, which takes in everything from his film career to his enlightened politics, including his support for women’s suffrage, and his progressive approach to conservation.
Carol has covered extensively that era of history as part of her Native American series and does not always focus on the better-known individuals – see, for example, her excellent biography of the last Comanche chief Quanah Parker entitled One Man – Two Worlds and her account of the role of the Navajo as World War Two codebreakers.
Famous as Buffalo Bill may been, this latest book in the series is bound to add immeasurably to the reader’s knowledge. The books can all be purchased on Amazon.
.January 30 2026
Crime writers’ honour goes to Mark Billingham
One of the most prestigious honours in the crime writing world has been awarded to Mark Billingham, in recognition of his twenty-five year contribution to the genre.
The author, whose debut novel Sleepyhead was a bestseller, the first of many, has been awarded the Diamond Dagger by the Crime Writers’ Association.
January 15 2026
Sequel to thriller is published
He’s back! One of the fictional world’s most unusual killers has returned in the sequel to the novella Koki, by thriller writer Malcolm Beadle.
The first book in the series by Malcolm, of Darlington, County Durham, which was published in 2025, introduced readers to former rodeo clown/turned Army sniper Trent Blane.
Blane has been a hunter since he was aged eight and moved on from hunting animals to hunting human beings when he enlisted in the American Army and became a sniper in the Vietnam War.
Blane is no ordinary sniper. Having left behind his family and abandoned the only job he has ever known, working as a clown called Koki in Rodeo shows across the United States, he paints his face as a clown before he goes out hunting the enemy in the steamy jungles of Vietnam.
The sequel, Koki’s Last Dance, which is a full-length novel, follows him into Civvy Street where, having worked for the CIA, he transfers to rival agency the FBI.
In the novel, Koki, whose complex all-action character will appeal to fans of Jack Reacher, the creation of global best-selling thriller author Lee Child, finds himself in trouble when, having solved a case involving missing children, he makes an innocent comment to his beautiful neighbour and he and his friends become the targets of dangerous people seeking to extract revenge.
What their pursuers do not know is that Koki will do anything to protect his friends, who he regards as family, and that, just because he has hung up his sniper’s rifle, it does not mean that he is not prepared to kill to defend those people whom he cherishes.
The series can be traced back twenty years to when Malcolm, now 65, who works in a recycling centre, took screenwriting classes at Darlington Arts Centre in the South Durham town, followed by writing classes run at the centre by crime writer John Dean, now a best-selling crime novelist living in South West Scotland, and one of a number of authors who have continued to work with Malcolm down the years.
Malcom said: “The first book took twenty years to be published so I am delighted that there are now two of them. For the cover designed by Mark Etherington for Koki’s Last Dance, I wanted an image depicting a couple having a slow dance. Maybe if they were doing a quick-step, I might have finished it faster!”
John said: “The most impressive thing about Mally as a writer is the sheer variety of ideas that pour out of his fertile imagination and onto the page. In the early days of his writing career, he had trouble concentrating on just one book but he gradually the learned the author’s art of ‘focus’ and, clearly, Koki has captured his imagination, as he has with readers.”
The sequel has a stunning front cover, created by book designer Mark Etherington, who has provided an equally striking image to replace the one used in the first book.
Both titles can be purchased in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk.
Novella given new cover
The thriller novella Koki has been given a bold new front cover ahead of the publication of its sequel Koki’s Last Dance
The books by Malcolm Beadle tell the story of Trent Blane, clown turned Vietnam War sniper who paints his face before going out hunting the enemy in Vietnam. The sequel, a full-length novel, follows him into Civvy street. The covers were designed by Mark Etherington and the first book is available to buy in ebook and paperback format on Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk
The publication date for the sequel has not yet been announced.
January 8 2026
Plenty of excitement as new reading year begins
Members of the Goodreads review website team have been tracking the most eagerly-anticipated books of 2026 and now the list is out.
The 68 books are all to be published in the United States in 2026 but the list will be similar elsewhere in the world.
They were selected on the back of factors including early reviews and how many site users are adding titles to their ‘Want to Read’ shelves.
Among those books which are eagerly anticipated are the latest from Douglas Stuart, the Booker Prize–winning author of Shuggie Bain, who invites readers to Scotland’s remote Hebrides islands with another Gaelic drama John of John, Ann Patchet continuing her lifelong exploration of the human heart with her new novel, Whistler, coming in June, and Terah Shelton Harris’s latest, a survival story titled Where the Wildflowers Grow.
You can see the full list, which Goodreads will update throughout 2026, at
December 25 2025
Topping the charts
The book review site Goodreads has announced its most popular books of 2025, based on vote from its members.
Among the winners in the seventeenth annual Goodreads Choice awards are Holly Jackson, with Not Quite Dead Yet, which won the Mystery and Thriller category, and Rebecca Yarros with Onyx Storm, topping the Romantasy section.
More than 7.5 million votes were cast and all the results in the 15 categories can be seen at www.goodreads.com
December 17, 2025
Accolade for author’s debut novel
The debut novel by crime writer May Rinaldi, from South West Scotland, has been published – and it’s already an award-winner.
Liar Thief, which won the Black Spring Press Crime Novel 2024, is a psychological thriller with a protagonist, whose voice buries itself into your subconscious and refuses to leave. An emotional, darkly propulsive plot, and a unique storytelling format means this is a book that will be talked about for a long time.
May recently retired from her consultancy job in Health and Safety and, in the past, has worked as a taxidermist, mycologist and lab technician, all useful in crime writing – not only can her protagonist poison her victims, she can turn them into an interesting, mounted specimen afterwards.
She is the co-founder of Moffat Crime Fest, bringing top crime authors to the Dumfries and Galloway town of Moffat. She also runs writing retreats in her secluded home.
She lives in the South-West of Scotland.
December 9 2025
Trust seeks support for books initiative
The Scottish Book Trust (SBT) is seeking donations for its ongoing campaign to provide books for disadvantaged families who do not own them.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, more than a million people in Scotland are living in poverty and a quarter of them are children. The most disadvantaged children are 50% more likely not to own a book than their peers, according to research by the National Literacy Trust.
Sharing books, songs and stories can help give all children in Scotland the best start in life and the Scottish Book Trust works to tackle inequality and break the poverty cycle through access to books and reading.
Since 2020, public donations have gifted more than 380,000 new books to children and families in need through food banks, community hubs and other charities across Scotland.
You can find out more, and donate, at http://www.scottishbooktrust.com
November 28 2025
Capital’s book festival wins top tourism award
The importance of books to the Scottish economy was underlined when a major tourism award was awarded to the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The 2025 Scottish Thistle Awards National Final, whose winners are pictured here, shone a spotlight on Scotland’s tourism offering with events and festivals well represented throughout the evening.
After winning the Regional Final for Central and East, Edinburgh International Book Festival was crowned champions in the Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival category.
There were nineteen awards and more information can be found at https://www.visitscotland.org/
Picture © VisitScotland / Connor Mollison
November 23, 2025
Dates announced for 2026 crime writing festivals
Dates have been announced for two annual crime writing festivals in 2026.
Capital Crime will stage its next three-day festival between Thursday 18 June-Saturday 20 June 2026, when more than 100 authors and specialists will celebrate the crime and thriller genres in the heart of central London. More details can be found at www.capitalcrime.org
Dates have also been announced for the Bloody Scotland festival which will be held in Stirling between September 18-20, 2026.
The website if you wish to find out more is http://www.bloodyscotland.com
November 19 2025
Crime fiction plays starring role in global book sales
NielsenIQ BookData and GfK Entertainment have released their international data for book sales in the first eight months of 2025. The authors of the report say that international book markets witnessed subdued non-fiction sales which declined in many areas, but strong performances in fiction genres including crime and thriller, science-fiction and fantasy.
Covering January to August 2025 show, the figures show that 11 of the 19 territories surveyed reported revenue growth compared to the same period last year. India (+28.6%), Brazil (+10.8%), Colombia (+9.6%), and Portugal (+8.4%) reported particularly strong increases.
France and the United Kingdom, the largest markets in the report with sales of 186 million and 115 million units respectively, ended the first eight months of 2025 with slight revenue declines of -0.8% and -0.4%. The Netherlands (-0.7%), Poland (-1.3%), German-speaking Switzerland (-1.8%), and Italy (-2.6%) also recorded downturns.
Eight of the territories reported an increase in the number of books sold. In addition to growth markets like India (+27.1%) and Brazil (+10.0%), these included Australia (+2.0%) and New Zealand (+8.4%). Elsewhere, sales declined, such as in Italy (-3.0%) and Belgium’s Wallonia region (-2.2%).
Average book prices rose across the board, helping in part to counteract the drop in sales volumes.
As in the previous year, the fiction segment developed positively, with 14 of 19 territories reporting revenue growth. Crime authors including Freida McFadden played a key role. Suzanne Collins dominated children’s and young adult segment.
The analysis is based on sales of printed books from January to August 2025.
November 18 2025
Author wins top prize
Publisher Joffe Books has announced that the Joffe Books Prize 2025 has gone to T.L. Haseeb, for The Portrait Maker, the first in a new police procedural series featuring Amber Kash, a seasoned British Asian Detective Inspector in her forties.
The author receives a two-book publishing deal with Joffe Books, a £1,000 cash prize and a £25,000 audiobook deal from Audible for the first book. This is one of Britain’s biggest crime prizes.
The Joffe Books Prize for Crime Writers of Colour was established in 2021 to discover talented new writers from Black, Asian, Indigenous and minority ethnic backgrounds.
.”October 30 2025
Poetry collection was inspired by bravery
Poet Kenneth Steven has a knack of picking fascinating subjects and giving them a distinctive treatment and his latest collection A Song Among The Stones adds to that reputation.
Kenneth chose the story of 7th Century Irish hermit monks who left the island of Iona and dared to cross an unforgiving ocean to the wild, unknown shores of Iceland.
Inspired by this incredible journey, Kenneth distilled their experience into this sequence of poems.
The book, which is illustrated by Frances Law, can be purchased in paperback format on Amazon.
October 28 2025
Author’s crime writing career gathers pace
The second crime novel by Castle Douglas writer David L Haigh has been published with the third in the series to be available in November (2025).
Hooked By The Past, the second book in the series, is published by Ingle-Haigh and follows David’s debut crime novel Land Kill, which came out in February 2024.
David is a member of the Stewartry Writers group Dumfries and Galloway in 2019.
David said that other support has included editing by Claire Cronshaw, of Cherry Edits, and proof-reading by freelance book editor Laura Dean. The cover designs were produced by Bespoke Author, who also carried out the formatting for sale on Amazon.
October 3 2025
Writers win awards
The winners of the Channel 4 Writing for TV Awards 2025 have been revealed at an event at Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle.
The awards provide emerging television writers in the North of England with unique professional opportunities to propel their careers.
All four winners will each receive mentoring, a £3,000 cash bursary and a long-term placement with a leading production company, funded by Channel 4’s training and development initiative, 4Skills.
The winners are:
Jack Hartley who will have a placement with Warp Films, which produced the award-winning global hit Adolescence and series This is England.
Chanse Campbell who will have a placement with Rope Ladder Fiction, the production company behind long-running school drama Waterloo Road.
Cai Odu who will have a placement with FilmNation Entertainment, whose recent productions include Chris O’Dowd’s Small Town, Big Story, and the award-winning HBO mini-series I Know This Much Is True.
Tania Ferreyra who will have a placement with Bonafide Films, whose productions include the Bafta-winning Mood, and acclaimed drama The Last Post.
September 29 2025
Dublin Murders boxset hits the heights
The Dublin Murders, a six-book boxed set for Kindle, is a best-seller on Amazon UK and has been welcomed by fans of author David Pearson.
Published by The Book Folks, a Joffe Books company, this compendium of riveting mysteries follows the lives of DI Aidan Burke and DS Fiona Moore as they get to grips with some of the most puzzling mysteries they have ever encountered.
Set in Dublin, each book presents a different view of crime in the capital city, often with international connections.
September 28 2025
Writers’ talent recognised with awards
New Writing North has announced the winners of its Significant Ink awards for 2025.
Jessica Chen, Ali Choudhary and Claire Mi-Son Hennon will each receive £1,000 to support their writing, as well as receiving mentoring, peer support and development sessions.
Significant Ink is the organisation’s writer development and outreach programme for global majority writers (authors from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds) and is funded by the Community Foundation, the North East Combined Authority, and Arts Council England. It offers an award to three selected writers who live in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.
Winner Jessica Chen is a writer of fantasy fiction based in Newcastle. As a long-time obsessive of Chinese epics, she loves to share stories inspired by her culture.
She said: ‘I’m so grateful to win a Significant Ink award. To know that others have enjoyed my work and want to support me in reaching the next milestone really means the world.’
Ali Choudhary is a writer, poet and multi-disciplinary artist exploring the poetics of violence and intimacy. He is the recipient of the Eavan Boland Award, and was shortlisted for the Tempest Prize, part of the Northern Writers’ Awards. Ali is looking forward to developing a project on documentary poetics and folklore, as well as a novel exploring erotic transgression.
Claire Mi-Son Hennon is a former journalist who took up writing for children in lockdown. She has written for local papers and national magazines as well as working for a South Korean TV News station as a writer and editor.
She said: ‘I am so excited to develop my writing with a mentor and really push my manuscript forward. Just winning has already given me the confidence to go full steam ahead and submit my work to agents.’
July 22 2025
Winners announced at festival
Hunted by Abir Mukherjee has won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025, which was presented by Harrogate International Festivals on the opening night of the recent Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.
Hunted is a thriller set in London and the US in the final week of a toxic presidential campaign, as two parents find themselves in a race against time – and the FBI – to track down their children who are suspected of terrorist atrocities.
Abir, who received a £3,000 prize, as well as an engraved beer cask handcrafted by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakston’s Brewery, said: “Hunted was a tough book to write – it took me four years – and it’s such a privilege that the judges and the readers have taken it to their hearts.”
Hunted was selected from a shortlist which also included The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre, The Mercy Chair by M.W. Craven, The Last Word by Elly Griffiths, Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney and All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker.
The McDermid Debut Award, named in recognition of crime writer Val McDermid, was won by David Goodman for A Reluctant Spy, a thriller about a tech executive who agrees to lend his identity to an elite intelligence agency in return for a helping hand through life.
David received a £500 cash prize. The award was presented by Chair of Judges, Val McDermid, and Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston.
Bestselling novelist Elly Griffiths received the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her crime fiction writing career and “unwavering commitment to the genre.”
Elly is the author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries; the Brighton Mysteries, the Detective Harbinder Kaur series and a new series featuring time-travelling detective Ali Dawson.
Awards are announced
The Crime Writers’ Association has announced the winners of its prestigious Dagger awards for 2025.
Among the prizes awarded is the KAA Gold Dagger, sponsored by Kevin Anderson Associates, for the best crime novel by an author of any nationality, originally written in English and first published in the UK during the judging period.
The prize was won by Anna Mazzola for The Book of Secrets (Orion Fiction). Among the other prizes awarded was the Dagger in the Library, which is based on nominations by libraries and borrowers in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and went to Richard Osman.
The Dagger in the Library is a prize for a body of work by an established writer of crime fiction or non-fiction who is popular with borrowers from libraries. It also rewards authors who have supported libraries and their users through taking part in library events
You can see the winners for all the Daggers at
.Home – The Crime Writers’ Association
Awards identify talent writers preparing to take the next step in their careers
New Writing North has named 25 writers who are joining England’s largest and longest-running writer development programme.
The charity, which is based in Newcastle and is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, works to develop creative writing and reading in the North of England.
Supported by event sponsor Northumbria University, Arts Council England and a range of partners, the awards includes identifying some of the best unpublished writing in the country and creating opportunities for the authors to take the next step in their careers by attracting the attention of agents, publishers and producers.
Examples are the two writers who have won the Northern Writers’ Awards for
Fiction – Sarah Butler and Kerry Andrew.
Sarah has had three novels published by Picador in the UK and with fourteen international publishers. Her work includes Before the Fire(2015), based on conversations with people living in unsupported temporary accommodation in Manchester.
Her work explores ideas of home, belonging, identity, family, and urban landscapes. She is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University and has an MA in Creative Writing from University of East Anglia, an MSc in Urban Studies from University College London, and a PhD in Creative Writing from the Open University.
She said: “I am beyond delighted to have won a Northern Writers’ Award. It has come at the perfect time: after a particularly tough round of rejections that knocked my confidence as a writer. To have New Writing North demonstrate their belief in me, and in my novel, has lifted my heart and helped me believe in myself again.”
Kerry Andrew is a UK-based writer, composer and performer, and the author of three novels, Swansong, SKIN(both Jonathan Cape) and We Are Together Because(Atlantic Books), which was the New European’s Fiction Book of the Year 2024.
Kerry, who won the Edinburgh Short Story Award 2024 and has been twice shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award, said: “I’m so delighted to have been given a Northern Writers’ Award. It’s really validating for me as a writer and will massively support me as I embark on my first historical novel.”
Other awards go to:
Northern Debut Awards for Fiction
Fuk Ching Wong (Helena)
Sarah Whitehead
Northern Debut Award for Young Adult Fiction
Cat Stobbs
Northern Writers’ Award for Poetry
Ian Humphreys
Northern Debut Awards for Poetry
Princess Arinola Adegbite
Fae Wolfe
Sammy Weaver
Hachette Children’s Novel Awards
Tony Kerr
Camilla Cassidy
Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award
Grace Higgins
Tempest Prize
J.J. Carey
Sid Chaplin Award
Lizzie Lovejoy
Finchale Award for Short Fiction
Valerie O’Riordan
Arvon Award
Xani Byrne
Northern Promise TLC Awards
Ciel Stynes
Tammie Meera Ash
Young Northern Writers’ Awards 11-14
Sophi Su
Eeva Tudor (Highly Commended)
Young Northern Writers’ Awards 15-18
Charlie Jolley
Maisie Mair (Highly Commended)
Matthew Hale Award
Vincent Phillips
Haider Nazir
Eva Ibbotson Award
Lani Lajani
Full details of the other winners can can be found at Northern Writers’ Awards – New Writing North
Jasper Joffe cements its position as UK’s largest independent publisher with acquisition of The Book Folks
Jasper Joffe, the CEO of leading independent publisher Joffe Books, has acquired The Book Folks from previous owner Erik Empson for an undisclosed sum.
The purchase cements Joffe’s position as the UK’s largest independent fiction publisher by title count. In 2023, Joffe bought Lume and Choc Lit, and now publishes across all genres from romance to thrillers, from history to horror to action adventure.
Founded in 2014, The Book Folks specialises in high-quality crime fiction. All Book Folks members of staff will be retained. Joffe will be taking over the list of about 400 books and 40 authors, including crime writer John Dean, 25 of whose novels have been published by the publisher, primarily in the best-selling DCI John Blizzard and DCI Jack Harris series.
Jasper Joffe said: “With this acquisition, Joffe Books continues its astonishing growth and our aim will be to increase sales in the same way we’ve achieved with Lume Books and Choc Lit.”
Erik Empson, who is pictured here, said: “Discovering great storytellers and making their books irresistible to the right readers is what good publishing is all about.
“I’m delighted to have found and helped shape such great talent, even if it kicks and screams some, and connected it with a large literary audience who are eager for more. We’ve always put our authors first and I believe that this transition does just that.”
In 2019, Joffe Books acquired the Robert Hale backlist from The Crowood Press, reissuing and revitalising the sales of authors including Roger Silverwood, Frances Lloyd, David Hodges and Bill Kitson, and in 2022, Joffe Books acquired Ostara Publishing, reissuing and rebranding such classic crime writers as D.M. Greenwood, V.C. Clinton-Baddeley, Frank McAuliffe and Ian Morson. These authors’ works now regularly feature in the Top 100 UK Kindle chart.
In 2023 Joffe bought Lume and Choc Lit. The overall digital sales of many titles have increased tenfold since the acquisitions.
John Dean - Crime Writer 