Harrogate International Festivals this week proudly presented the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Awards – a trio of honours celebrating the very best in crime fiction across the UK and Ireland.

From household names to thrilling new voices, these awards are a cornerstone of the literary calendar, championing storytelling that chills, captivates and inspires.

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025

Hunted by Abir Mukherjee was named Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025. The award was presented by Harrogate International Festivals at a ceremony on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival Thursday, 17th July.

Mukherjee received a £3,000 prize, as well as an engraved beer cask made by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakston Brewery.

Hunted was selected by a judging panel made up of journalists, broadcasters and representatives from the award’s sponsors, with the public vote counting as the eighth judge.

It won the award from a stunning shortlist that also included

The Cracked Mirror by Chris Brookmyre. A LoveReading Star Book: "Crime sub-genres are shaken to their core to create a hugely enthralling and exciting corkscrewing rollercoaster of a ride."

The Mercy Chair by MW Craven. A LoveReading Star Book: "Sending a clarion call out into the world, this crime novel is an absolute humdinger of a read as it throws down a challenge to the reader."

The Last Word by Elly Griffiths. A LoveReading Star Book: "A perfect novel for the armchair detective as this hugely entertaining read is set within the world of aspiring and published authors as they attempt to survive murder and mayhem."

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney. A gripping, darkly atmospheric crime thriller: part coming-of-age, part procedural, and wholly unforgettable, anchored by a unique young protagonist and a chilling killer.

All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. A LoveReading Star Book: "Beautifully readable, moving, and quite simply described as a masterpiece, this LoveReading Star Book is one that we will spend the rest of our lives recommending."

LoveReading's Liz Robinson described LoveReading Star Book Hunted as "an intelligent, thrilling, firecracker of a read set during presidential elections in the USA and deep-diving into the reasons behind a suicide bombing."

The McDermid Debut Award 2025

The McDermid Debut Award, named in recognition of Val McDermid, was won by David Goodman for A Reluctant Spy. Goodman received a £500 cash prize. McDermid said: “If you think you’ve read every twist in every area of the genre, think again. Our winner has found a new take and delivers it with pace and propulsive storytelling. David Goodman’s A Reluctant Spy is a sparkling new entry in the canon, with a vivid and unfamiliar setting as well as a gripping cast of characters. Don’t start it last thing at night, or you might miss breakfast.”

Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award

Bestselling novelist Elly Griffiths received the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her remarkable crime-fiction writing career and “unwavering commitment to the genre”. 

Simon Theakston, chairman of Theakston Brewery, said: “It is fantastic to have two highly original thrillers winning top honours at the Theakston Old Peculier Awards. Our Novel of the Year winner, Hunted by Abir Mukherjee, is a high-octane masterpiece with a rollercoaster plot that will stay with me for a long time, while the McDermid Debut Award winner A Reluctant Spy by David Goodman is an engrossing and highly entertaining novel that had me hooked right from the start. We are delighted that Elly Griffiths has been awarded the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her exceptional contribution to crime fiction and unwavering commitment to the genre over a remarkable career.”

Griffiths said: “It means the world to me to receive this award. Sixteen years ago, when I wrote my first crime novel, I received such a warm welcome from the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival and from other, more established, authors. Now, 32 books later, I’m thrilled to be honoured in this way and humbled to join the ranks of previous winners. I hope to continue the tradition of welcoming new writers and giving back to the crime-writing community.”

We adore Elly here at LoveReading: we invited her to be one of our Guest Editors in 2024. You can read the piece here.

To find out more about The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Awards at the Harrogate Festivals visit: https://www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com/

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