Report: Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026

Between July 23 and 26, 2026, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival took place in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK, and I visited for two days on the 25th and 26th.

I left my room around 6:00 AM and took an LNER train from King's Cross Station to York, where I transferred to a local line and arrived at my destination, Harrogate Station, at around 10:30 AM. The atmosphere around the station wasn't surrounded by tall buildings like the Capital Crime Literary Festival 2026 in London, but it wasn't as quiet as the Newark Book Festival 2026 either; instead, a continuous row of shops lined the street.

I walked toward the venue, The Old Swan Hotel, and arrived about 15 minutes later. Along the way, I noticed promotional boards for the event and various crime novels attached to the lampposts. At the hotel's main entrance, there was a reception tent. After showing staff the tickets for the talks I planned to attend, I was handed a "SITE PASS," which granted me entry. Unlike in London, I didn't receive a logo tote bag filled with free merchandise, but this was likely because I hadn't purchased a Weekend Pass or Rover Pass (both were already sold out by the time I decided to attend).

Upon entering the grounds, the first thing that caught my eye was a massive marquee set up in the garden. Inside, a long bar counter stretching almost from one end of the tent to the other served beer, alongside dining tables and benches where people were enjoying drinks and conversation. (The "Theakston" in the event's name comes from the long-established brewery based in Masham, North Yorkshire, which also serves as the main sponsor—making the impressively large bar counter all the more fitting.) Outside the tent, numerous deck chairs were lined up on the lawn.

Inside the hotel, framed newspaper articles detailing Agatha Christie's famous disappearance—during which she stayed at this very hotel under an assumed name—were hanging on the wall. Several rooms inside the hotel were being used for the event, featuring spaces for collecting book samplers, listening to audiobooks, and taking photos. Some talks were being held in other rooms, but since I hadn't bought tickets for those, I stepped back outside and entered the adjacent building. Inside, the space was spacious and bright, flooded with natural light from large windows. Much like the festival in London, vast stacks of crime novels were on display and available for purchase, with an author signing area set up toward the back.

The main venue for the talks, the THEAKSTON STAGE, was located a short walk up the slope on the hill behind the hotel. It consisted of a huge marquee packed with folding chairs, a stage, and a large display screen showing the stage live. There were other talk venues as well—a smaller tent a short distance from the bar, and another further up a different path on the hill—but I couldn't enter those without tickets.

Although it is billed as the world's largest crime writing festival, the venue never felt uncomfortably crowded, and the overall atmosphere remained relaxed and welcoming. And while I didn't get a welcome tote bag at the entrance, I was able to pick up a tote bag from one of the booths and fill it with plenty of samplers and bookmarks throughout the day.

Lecture 1: YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME

Speakers

Moderator

Discussion Highlights

*Please note that these highlights are a broad summary of the main points.

Q (Moderator): When we talk about "unlikeable characters," whether a character is likeable or not doesn't really matter—isn't the most important thing whether the reader can actually believe in their existence? What do you all think?

Liz: "I completely agree. I've written every single one of my characters in the first person across all my books. So when I’m writing an unlikeable character, I am her. I justify every single stupid decision she makes through her own internal logic. And honestly, the best plots are born when characters make the absolute worst, wrong decisions!"
Araminta: "I couldn't agree more! Character is undoubtedly the key to any novel, and that's what readers truly care about. When you watch someone wrestle with life choices and struggle, that's where the suspense, drama, and tension come from. Humans constantly make wrong decisions and do foolish things, and that's precisely what makes it so fascinating. The conflict within us—torn between the desire to be a good person and the unsettling urge toward bad behavior—is the exact reality we want to capture. I'm convinced that's the core of writing a thriller."
Chris: "Ultimately, it comes down to how you spark the reader's curiosity."
Liz: "What matters is crafting characters that possess an overwhelming power to compel the reader. Whether it's her alcoholism, her cocaine addiction, or her endless mistakes, the battle is making it impossible for readers to look away as they watch how she tries to climb back out. And as writers, we have to completely understand the 'why'—the reason behind who they became. Every single action must be grounded in a reason."

Q (Moderator): So when you're crafting an unpalatable character, what specific approach do you take to build them?

Araminta: "Like Liz mentioned, once I come up with a situation, I ask myself: 'Who is the worst possible person to put in this situation—someone who would suffer the most disastrous impact and have the most dramatic reaction?' Then, I need to know everything about them, from their mundane, boring background to the life-shattering events. That’s because there is always a 'central wound.' That wound shapes their personality and acts as the direct trigger for their unraveling during the event. Creating a wound that perfectly aligns with the story's trajectory is the absolute key to character development."

Q (Audience): For characters that readers, reviewers, or publishers might reject for being "too unlikeable," how do you as authors negotiate with agents and editors to find a middle ground?

Callie: "Writing and publishing are always a collaborative process. Since readers are inherently subjective, everyone involved has their own strong opinion on what a character 'should' be. The key is to engage in dialogue and ultimately prove to them that the character is authentic to you as the author."
Chris: "In one of my earlier manuscripts, I had a character who was so disliked that publishers kept rejecting the book. When I asked the publisher who finally took it on, 'I get a lot of feedback saying she's too unlikeable—how should I fix her?' they told me: 'The issue isn't likeability; it's relatability.' In that moment, it clicked for me: 'She doesn't need to be liked at all. As long as readers can understand her pain and resonate with it, that's enough!'"

Lecture 2: CRITICS' NEW BLOOD

Speakers

Moderator

Discussion Highlights

*Please note that these highlights are a broad summary of the main points.

Q (Moderator): (To Oliver) In your book, you created a true monster in Lalla Rook—a creature composed of selfishness, ambition, and greed. Yet despite her monstrous nature, you write her so compellingly that readers end up rooting for her. Could you explain technically how you pulled that off?

Oliver: "Lalla Rook is a monster, but surprisingly, people feel a sense of closeness to her. That's because she also shows vulnerability. When writing a sociopath that readers love, if they have something they desire, it makes it easier for readers to empathize with them. And if there is someone they genuinely care about, readers want to root for them even more. She's an intense character, but she has a daughter named Nellie—who is effectively a 'mini-me' and a sociopath in the making. Lalla dotes on her daughter, but at the same time, she tries to protect her from following the exact same path. I think that subtle connection to genuine emotion is why readers end up backing her. Another reason is that for those of us who live life repressing ourselves, reading about someone who enjoys having zero regard for consequences offers a real thrill. Especially when she stands up to corrupt organizations or bad men, readers find it cathartic and are willing to forgive her sociopathic tendencies a little."

Q (Moderator): Leodora, do you think a mystery novel truly needs both humor and darkness to succeed?

Leodora: "I don't think it's strictly mandatory, but having both is wonderful. When dealing with heavy themes, humor adds a lightness so that when readers close the book, they aren't left thinking, 'Phew, finally done...' It simply makes the book much more readable."
Moderator: "And a serious shock hits much harder right after you've made someone laugh."
Anna: "It's also much more realistic. In hard times or dark periods, we often retreat into humor. So when you read a book with zero humor, it feels unnatural. Of course, you have to handle heavy topics carefully, but that's just human nature—like unexpectedly bursting into laughter at a funeral."

Q (Moderator): Leodora, you delve deeply into toxic sibling dynamics and how parental favoritism can ruin everything. I hold the theory that 'all violent crime stems from some breakdown in human relationships'—do you agree?

Leodora: "Yes, I agree. Trauma and insecurity often stem from childhood wounds inflicted through relationships with parents or siblings. If I'm going to write a female character who kills a lot of people, I have to make the effort to earn the reader's empathy. The best way to build that empathy is to show *why* she turned out that way. Psychological depth is essential, so I consulted therapists and read academic papers to thoroughly research how someone reaches such a cold-blooded state."

Q (Moderator): Do you think mystery writers have a duty to reflect society as it is—to write a sort of 'State of the Nation' piece?

Mel: "I think putting that level of responsibility on mystery writers is tough. The most important thing is to 'just write.' As you write, elements of reality will naturally surface on their own. If you shoulder the burden from the start thinking 'I must reflect society,' you'll freeze up and won't be able to write a single word. Following the story comes first. By carefully writing the real truths of the community you know, you end up reflecting society as a byproduct."
Oliver: "I think there's a distinction between the 'State of the Nation' and the 'State of the World.' Writers write the latter. By meticulously depicting specific individuals and their worlds, readers deepen their empathy. If you target political analysis or messages too deliberately, you stray from the essence of portraying human nature, and it becomes bland."
Leodora: "I believe a writer's responsibility is to be honest and to write with empathy. If you're depicting people from backgrounds or positions different from your own, you must do thorough research to avoid falling into stereotypes. Precisely because we write from diverse perspectives, we have a responsibility to portray them empathetically."
Anna: "I want to protect the 'right to imagine.' A story doesn't need to be complete reality; it just needs 'authenticity'—a coherence that makes the reality feel believable. What matters most is entertainment value—drawing the reader into that world and keeping them entertained."

Today's Haul

Samplers

Other