The Wire at Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate
George Pelecanos, David Simon, Laura Lippman Discuss BBC2 Hit Show
Apr 25, 2009
The Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, held every summer in the North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate, is the biggest crime writing event in Europe. Held over four days in late July, it attracts writers and readers, publishers and agents, from all over Britain as well as the most renowned crime writers from the USA and elsewhere.
The 2009 guests include David Simon, creator of the smash-hit TV crime series The Wire, as well as the earlier TV series Homicide. With him in Harrogate will be crime novelist and writer on The Wire, George Pelecanos, as well as Simon's wife Laura Lippman, herself a multi award-winning writer of detective fiction. The three will appear together in the Festival's final event on Sunday 26 July, discussing The Wire, which has been called the greatest TV series ever made.
Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award
A feature of the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival since 2005 has been the announcement of the winner of the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. As well as the prestige, the winner receives a handsome cheque and an equally handsome small oak beer cask, hand-carved by one of the coopers working for the award sponsors, Theakston's Brewery in Masham.
The first winner of the Crime Novel of the year was Mark Billingham for his novel Lazybones. In 2006 the winner was Val McDermid, in 2007 Allan Guthrie, and in 2008 the winner was debut crime novelist Stef Penney for The Tenderness of Wolves. The 2009 winner of the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award will be announced at the opening dinner, on Thursday 23 July.
Harrogate Crime Writing Festival 2009 Guests and Events
Among the famous crime writers appearing at the 2009 Festival are Mark Billingham, Val McDermid, Frances Fyfield, John Harvey, Gyles Brandreth, CJ Sansom, Reginald Hill, John Banville, Christopher Brookmyre, Simon Kernick, Ken Bruen, Allan Guthrie, Stella Duffy, Jasper Fforde, and Lee Child. Movie buff Barry Norman hosts a panel discussing the turning of adapting crime novels for the screen, while another exciting event should be a look at Irish crime writing: Emerald Noir.
Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2009 Dates
The 2009 event launches in Harrogate with the Crime Novel of the Year Award and Opening Party on Thursday 23 July at 8pm. There are nine events on Friday, ten further events on Saturday, and the Festival is brought to a close with two events on Sunday, including that panel discussion on The Wire with creator David Simon and scriptwriter George Pelecanos.
Further Information
Get further information about all events and booking online at the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival website.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
