Crime festival news: Winslow to Wow at World’s Biggest Celebration of Crime Writing

Crime author Don Winslow has been announced as the first headliner in Harrogate.

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has announced the New York King of Crime, Don Winslow, will be a Special Guest.

In the first announcement from the festival’s 2018 Programming Chair – the fellow blockbusting author Lee Child - Winslow will join the line-up of up to 90 authors at the festival, which takes place 19-22 July in Harrogate.

Winslow has sold over 100 million books worldwide. His latest, The Force, about a corrupt New York cop, has earned him the best reviews of his career.

Don Winslow said: “I’m really thrilled to be coming to the UK. I’ve heard great things about the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival from my dear friend Lee Child who was kind enough to invite me to come this year. It's always great to hang out with Lee and I look forward to meeting the authors, readers and booksellers who will be attending the festival.”

Dubbed ‘America’s leading crime writer’ he has been profiled in Rolling Stone magazine;

Hollywood directors like Oliver Stone and Ridley Scott promptly turn his novels into blockbusters.

Variety recently announced The Force will be released by Fox in March 2019, with Logan’s James Mangold slated to direct, and Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet as screenwriter, whose credits include Glengarry Glen Ross, The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Untouchables. Leonardo DiCaprio is set to star in a £40 million Hollywood version of another of his books, The Cartel, to be directed by Ridley Scott.

Lee Child, who lives in New York, is a long-time supporter and fan of the Festival. Lee said: “I have access to people in America so we’re going to see some big names from America, and I think people are going to be thrilled with the line-up when we reveal the full list of names, I think everyone’s going to say ‘wow’.”

Title sponsor and executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “As a festival that seems to get better each year it’s hard to know how to top the previous year, but 2018 looks like it will be a very special year indeed. It’s a testament to the programming committee, chaired by the legendary Lee Child, and Harrogate International Festivals that the event has secured Harrogate at the centre of the international literary map.”

Giants of the genre have featured over the years including JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith, Ian Rankin, Jo Nesbo, PD James and Ruth Rendell.

The festival was co-founded by crime author Val McDermid, agent Jane Gregory and arts charity, Harrogate International Festivals in 2003. It has grown into the biggest celebration of the genre in the world.

The event features the coveted Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award supported by media partner, the Mail on Sunday.

Fans of Winslow’s The Force, include Stephen King, who said it was: “Mesmerizing, a triumph…Think THE GODFATHER, only with cops. It's that good.”

Winslow spent five years researching the novel on NYPD stakeouts. He said, it was “the book I’ve wanted to write my whole life.”