Press Release: Shortlist Announced for Crime Novel of the Year 2019

THEAKSTON FESTIVAL ROUNDS UP SIX SUSPECTS ON CRIME NOVEL AWARD SHORTLIST

The shortlist for crime writing’s most wanted accolade, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, has been announced

The shortlist in full:

Belinda Bauer - Snap

Steve Cavanagh - Thirteen

Mick Herron - London Rules

Val McDermid - Broken Ground

Liam McIlvanney - The Quaker

Khurrum Rahman - East of Hounslow

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The shortlisted six were whittled down from a longlist of 18 titles. The prize, now in its 15^th year, was created to celebrate the very best in crime fiction.

Belinda Bauer, a previous winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award for her novel Rubbernecker in 2014, is shortlisted with her 2018 Man Booker longlisted, Snap.

Snap, which is inspired by the murder of a pregnant woman, Marie Wilks, on the M50 in 1988 (the real-life crime remains unsolved), became one of the very few crime-genre novels ever to be considered for the Man Booker prize. The judges described it as “an acute, stylish, intelligent novel about how we survive trauma.”

Bauer battles courtroom drama, Thirteen, by Steve Cavanagh, hailed by Ian Rankin for “plotting that takes the breath away.” Cavanagh is an Irish lawyer and author born and raised in Belfast. Thirteen offers an original twist on the

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courtroom thriller, where the serial killer isn’t on trial - he’s on the jury.

Both Mick Herron and Val McDermid were shortlisted for the 2018 Theakston Old Peculier Novel of the Year - the title went to Stav Sherez withThe Intrusions.

McDermid last won Novel of the Year in 2006. The No.1 bestseller and ‘queen of crime’ could reclaim the title with her latest, Broken Ground. The Karen Pirie thriller digs up a secret buried for 70 years in a Highland peat bog and has been praised for its ‘masterly handling of pace and plot.’

Her novels have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold over 15 million copies. McDermid has won many awards including in 2016 the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing

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Festival.

Mick Herron’s widely acclaimed Jackson Lamb novels have been shortlisted twice for the Crime Novel of the Year and London Rules puts him back in the running. London Rules is the fifth outing for the misfit disgraced band of spies at Slough House with the backdrop of Brexit Britain and a terror plot. Dubbed ‘the UK’s new spy master’ by the Sunday Times, Herron’s writing was praised by critic Barry Forshaw for, “the spycraft of le Carré refracted through the blackly comic vision of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22.”

The Quaker by Liam McIllvanney has already scooped the 2018 McIlvanney Prize which was named to honour his father, the late ‘godfather of tartan noir’, William McIlvanney. Liam, an author

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and a professor of Scottish studies in New Zealand, set The Quaker in Glasgow in 1969 drawing on the real-life, never-caught serial murderer Bible John.

The only debut author on the list is that of Senior IT Officer turned novelist, Khurrum Rahman, with his first novel, East of Hounslow.  Mixing edgy humour and pulse-racing tension, Khurrum was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey Debut Dagger Award 2018. East of Hounslow follows his young hero Jay, a dope dealer who ends up reluctantly working undercover for MI5 while undergoing radical Islamist training. Khurrum lives in Berkshire with his wife and two sons.

Shortlist titles will feature in a dedicated online campaign with WHSmith and a nationwide library promotion.

The overall winner will be decided by the panel of Judges,

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alongside a public vote. The public vote opens on 1 July and closes 14 July atwww.theakstons.co.uk.

Executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “All shortlisted authors are deserving of the title, but there’s only one Novel of the Year. The public vote will be invaluable, readers have real power, so I’d encourage everyone to make their voice heard - it’s free and simple to vote online. It will be fascinating to see which of these remarkable titles prevails, all are simply outstanding.”

The winner is announced on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, on 18 July.

The winner will receive a £3,000 cash prize, as well as a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old

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Peculier.

The awards ceremony, hosted by Mark Lawson, will also reveal the recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award, who will join a roll-call of crime writing giants. Past recipients include Colin Dexter, Reginald Hill, PD James, Ruth Rendell, Lynda La Plante, Sara Paretsky, Val McDermid, Lee Child and John Grisham.

The award is run in partnership with T&R Theakston Ltd, WHSmith, and The Mail on Sunday.

For further media information please contact Ann Chadwick at Cause UK 07534892715 ann@causeuk.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

2019 marks the 15th year of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award. The prize was created to celebrate the very best in crime fiction and is open to UK and Irish crime authors whose novels were published in paperback from 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2019. The shortlist was selected by an Academy of crime writing authors, agents, reviewers and editors.

KEY AWARD DATES

The shortlist of six titles - announced on 19 May – will be followed by a six-week promotion in libraries and in WHSmith stores nationwide. The overall winner will be decided by the panel of Judges, alongside a public vote.

19 May: Shortlist of 6 announced; shortlist promotion in libraries via posters/bookmarks

Shortlisted titles will feature in a 7-week campaign in WHSmith stores nationwide

1 July: Online voting opens to the public for shortlisted titles on Theakston’s website; closes 14 July www.theakstons.co.uk.

THE WINNER

The eventual winner of the Award will be determined by a combination of the results of the public vote (20%) and the deliberation of a judging panel (80%).

The judging panel is comprised of literary and broadcasting/media figures and representatives of T&R Theakston and WHSmith. 2019’s judges are: Festival Programming Chair Mari Hannah, WHSmith’s Assistant Buyer, Fiction, Nick Johnson, John Williams from The Mail on Sunday, and executive director of title sponsor T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston.

WINNER ACCOUNCEMENT

The winner will be announced at the Awards ceremony in Harrogate at the Old Swan Hotel at 8pm on Thursday 18 July 2019, hosted by acclaimed broadcaster Mark Lawson.

THE PRIZE

A cash prize of £3,000 will be provided for the winner. The winning author will also receive a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier.

The winning title will feature in a 2-week campaign in WHSmith stores nationwide.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

2005 – Lazy Bones by Mark Billingham

2006 – The Torment of Others by Val McDermid

2007 – Two Way Split by Allan Guthrie

2008 – The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

2009 – Death Message by Mark Billingham

2010 - A Simple Act of Violence by RJ Ellory

2011 – 61 Hours by Lee Child

2012 – The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina

2013 – Beasts and Gods, by Denise Mina

2014 – Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer

2015 – Someone Else’s Skin by Sarah Hilary

2016 – I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

2017 – Black Widow by Chris Brookmyre

2018 – The Intrusions by Stav Sherez

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is Europe’s largest event dedicated to the celebration of crime fiction. Taking place annually over four days each July (18-21 July, 2019) at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, the Festival programmes over 90 best-selling UK and international crime authors and over 30 events. It is delivered by the north of England’s leading arts festival organisation, Harrogate International Festivals.