The Reading Agency.

launches landmark prison reading campaign celebrating 20 years of Quick Reads during the National Year of Reading

The Reading Agency today announces a landmark UK prison reading campaign, made possible with the generous support of The Henry Smith Foundation during the government-backed National Year of Reading.

The Reading Agency today announces a landmark UK prison reading campaign, made possible with the generous support of The Henry Smith Foundation during the government-backed National Year of Reading.

Marking the 20th anniversary of its flagship Quick Reads programme, The Reading Agency will work in collaboration with prison partners to deliver 480,000 books into prisons across the UK, ensuring that every person in prison has access to high-quality, accessible reading. The prison campaign forms part of The Reading Agency’s wider ambition to gift one million Quick Reads titles during its 20th anniversary year, ensuring accessible books reach communities and readers who face the greatest barriers to reading.

Thanks to funding from The Henry Smith Foundation, this ambitious campaign will bring Quick Reads directly onto prison wings and into cells, embed reading within education and rehabilitation programmes, and create sustainable reading pathways that continue beyond release.

The campaign comes at a pivotal time. The UK is facing a challenging reading landscape, with reading enjoyment and confidence in decline across all age groups.  Research consistently shows that reading for pleasure plays a powerful role in shaping life outcomes. Studies link regular reading with improved literacy, stronger educational attainment, better mental wellbeing and increased social mobility.  People in the criminal justice system are particularly affected by reading challenges: Ministry of Justice data shows that 65% of adult prisoners struggle to read unfamiliar text, with significant numbers requiring support to improve literacy and work-related skills.

Inspection bodies have repeatedly highlighted the vital role reading plays in rehabilitation - enabling prisoners to build confidence, develop skills, strengthen family relationships, and prepare for employment.

Launched in 2006, Quick Reads publishes short, compelling books by brilliant (bestselling and emerging) authors, specifically designed for adults who find reading challenging or who struggle with concentration. Over the past two decades, the programme has published 147 titles, sold or gifted more than 5.6 million copies, and generated nearly 6.4 million library loans - providing a vital gateway into reading for people who might otherwise be excluded.

Launching in the autumn, the project will:
Distribute nearly half a million Quick Reads titles across the prison estate.
Deliver reading packs to people entering and leaving prison to support continuity beyond the prison gates.

Embed Quick Reads within existing prison education and supported reading programmes

Provide activation toolkits and engagement materials.

Deliver author visits and ambassador events in prisons.

Work with prison leaders and education teams to champion reading for pleasure.

The programme aligns with inspectorate recommendations on strengthening reading provision in prisons. A key feature of the campaign will be co-production with people in prison, ensuring that the titles made available reflect their interests, experiences and reading needs, and helping to shape future commissioning.

To mark the 20th anniversary of Quick Reads, The Reading Agency will expand its author ambassador programme in prisons, working with leading writers to inspire reading engagement in prisons. The campaign will also be championed by Lee Child, internationally bestselling author and the UK’s first Prison Reading Laureate, who will support the initiative and contribute a new Quick Read to the programme’s collection, helping bring accessible stories to readers across the prison estate.

Lee Child, author and Prison Reading Laureate said: “Reading matters in prison. It offers escape, but it also offers something more powerful: focus, confidence and the sense of achievement that comes from finishing a book. Quick Reads are an ideal bridge for people who may have lost the habit of reading or never had the chance to develop it. Short, compelling stories can spark a renewed interest in books — and that spark can lead anywhere. Making sure that every prisoner has access to engaging, well-written books during the National Year of Reading is not just symbolic. It’s practical, purposeful and potentially life-changing.”

Karen Napier MBE, CEO of The Reading Agency, said: “As we celebrate 20 years of Quick Reads, we are proud to place some of the UK’s most marginalised readers at the heart of the National Year of Reading. Reading is a powerful tool for rehabilitation, wellbeing and opportunity. By bringing books onto wings and into cells, and by working in partnership across the prison system, we aim to spark new reading journeys that continue far beyond the prison gates.”

THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL 2026

Simon Theakston and Lisa Jewell © Gerard Binks

 

Festival Dates: 23 – 26 July 2026

www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com

#TheakstonsCrime

Tuesday 14th April: Harrogate International Festivals today revealed the full programme for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival at a special reception at Hachette, Carmelite House in London.

This year’s programme has been curated by bestselling psychological thriller writer Lisa Jewell and features over 140 crime and thriller writers, making it the biggest event ever in the Festival’s illustrious twenty-three-year history. An all-star line-up of bestselling authors and crime fiction names including
Richard Armitage, Ardal O’Hanlon, Andi Osho, Denise Mina, Adam Kay, Abir Mukherjee, Elly Griffiths, Vaseem Khan, Val McDermid and M.W. Craven join Special Guest headliners Ann Cleeves and Brenda Blethyn, Anthony Horowitz, Holly Jackson, Chris Brookmyre, Chris Whitaker, Jane Harper, LJ Ross, Nadine Matheson, Gillian McAllister, Steve Cavanagh, Alice Feeney, and US crime superstar David Baldacci, on the packed programme.

Taking place at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from 23-26 July, this year’s Festival offers crime fiction fans even more opportunities to hear from superstar writers and discover new talent with the launch of the Swift Half Stage. This innovative new space championing brilliant storytellers, rising stars and boundary-pushing creatives in a series of bite-size events, features authors including Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall, Mick Herron, Ahana Virdi, Will Carver, Clare McGowan, Kia Abdullah and Traitor’s star Harriet Tyce. 

Festival highlights include the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Awards Ceremony and the much-anticipated Critics’ New Blood panel showcasing four extraordinary debut novelists, Anna Maloney, Leodora Darlington, M.K. Oliver and Mel Pennant, selected by leading crime fiction critics. For aspiring writers, Creative Thursday offers an immersive day of workshops and talks led by industry experts and bestselling writers including
A.A Dhand, GR Halliday and Julie Mae Cohen, with the rare opportunity to pitch work in the ‘Dragon’s Pen.’  

From dark domestic noir to the impact of technology on the criminal mind and a celebration of Agatha Christie’s enduring influence on the genre fifty years after her death, there is plenty to thrill everyone on this year’s programme. Evenings offer exclusive opportunities for fans to engage with authors at relaxed events, include the hilarious Interview Bingo and the hotly contested Late Night Quiz, compèred by Val McDermid and Mark Billingham. Two Author Dinners will see readers join forces with crime writers K.T. Nguyen, Sean Watkins, Emma Christie, Rupa Mahadevan, William Hussey and many others to solve a fiendishly twisty murder mystery, hosted by Mel Pennant.  

Lisa Jewell, bestselling author and 2026 Festival Programming Chair said:

“This year marks Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival’s twenty-third year. Every year it gets a bit better, a bit bigger, more polished and more exciting, and 2026 promises to be the best Festival yet. We were spoiled for choice when we compiled this year’s programme; never before have there been as many rich pickings in the fields of crime, thrillers and debuts, and this year’s programme is overflowing with new voices, old voices, literary legends and Festival favourites. So, here’s to 2026; let the sun shine, the drinks flow and a bounty of brilliant writers cast their spells as we gather together to enjoy an unmissable year at the best crime-writing Festival in the world.” 

Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:  

“We are extremely proud to support this world class event for an incredible twenty-third year and welcome over 140 writers for what promises to be our biggest and boldest Festival ever. Lisa Jewell and the committee have delivered an outstanding programme packed with legends of the genre, massive internationally bestselling authors, rising stars, thrilling panels and exclusive events. We look forward to an unforgettable Festival as we celebrate the very best in global crime writing this summer.” 

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:

“We are thrilled to reveal the full programme for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, curated by Lisa Jewell and the Programming Committee. As we celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Harrogate International Festivals, we are excited to expand the Festival by introducing the Swift Half Stage to offer even more for our community of crime fiction fans to discover and enjoy this year. Whether you are a reader or a writer – and whether you’ve been coming to the Festival for twenty-three years or this will be your first time - we look forward to welcoming you to Harrogate in July.” 

Weekend and Day Rover tickets on sale from 16 April, with individual events on sale from 13 May. To book tickets, please call +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.   

‘The Faces of the Dead’ by Chris Nickson

Published by Severn House,
7 April 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-4483-1630-4 (HB)

 It is 1944 and the war with Germany is going more positively for Britain and her allies, because America has entered the war. In Leeds, Police Sergeant Cathy Marsden is still finding that her secondment to the Special Investigation Branch (the SIB) is a satisfying way to serve her country during wartime. Cathy was seconded to the SIB because of her extensive knowledge of the Leeds community, including the criminal elements, and she has consistently provided valuable information to assist investigations. After a slightly awkward start when she first joined SIB, she has been fully accepted as a worthy member of the team by her male colleagues. Cathy has been allowed a week’s leave because her boyfriend, Tom, has just returned after a long tour of service abroad, and her happiness increases when Tom asks her to marry him. 

Unfortunately, Cathy’s leave is cut short because she is summoned back by her boss, Sergeant Adam Faulkner. Cathy is surprised that the urgent crime that has curtailed her leave is the death of a minor villain. Eric Carr, and his girlfriend, Nina Cordell, have been killed in a car crash, and even if foul play was suspected, this would be a case for the regular police force, not SIB. 

However, all becomes clear when Faulkner explains that, in the boot of the car, there was a large amount of food stolen from the NAAFI, and also chocolate and cigarettes that must have been stolen from the American military stores. This American involvement means that an American military investigator is sent to temporarily join the team. Warrant Officer Frank Graves gets off to a bad start with Cathy when he assumes that she is an office assistant who is there merely to type, file and make drinks. Graves is slightly embarrassed when it is made clear that Cathy is a sergeant, the same rank as the boss of the SIB, but Cathy is unimpressed by his initial attitude, and this makes her feel wary when she is asked to work with Graves. Cathy’s task is to talk to all her contacts and find out all she can about the two accident victims in an attempt to discover how they acquired the stolen goods. She finds this very stressful, especially because she had known Nina, who had worked as a prostitute when Cathy had been a police officer, and viewing the accident scene and Nina’s body had been distressing even for a seasoned policewoman. 

With the help of the SIB, Graves manages to identify the American soldier who was responsible for the thefts from the military stores, but the man has deserted and gone on the run. While Graves is determined to hunt down the American thief, the SIB team have a serious situation developing, which threatens to overwhelm law and order in their city. It appears that a minor villain has decided to become a criminal overlord who will rule Leeds, even though this involves eliminating the potential opposition of other small-time criminals. The team are surprised that any of the men they know of are clever enough to run such an operation, and they struggle to identify the villain who has emerged from the ranks. They attempt to prevent brutal murders in the criminal fraternity, even though the criminal always seems to be one step ahead of them. Tension in the local community rises as people lose trust in the police and SIB’s ability to control the situation. Life on the streets becomes increasingly dangerous and Cathy finds herself thrust into taking more responsibility than she had ever expected. 

The Faces of the Dead is the second book in the series featuring Cathy Marsden. It has a multilayered, beautifully constructed plot and an engaging protagonist who is part of a diverse and likeable team. The historical background is superb, embracing the weariness and pain of Britain in the last stages of the Second World War, and the strong, determined, female protagonist reveals the challenges facing a working-class woman trying to make her way in a male dominated world. The Faces of the Dead is a fascinating read, a page turner, which I wholeheartedly recommend.
------
Reviewer: Carol Westron

 

Chris Nickson was born and raised in Leeds. He is the author of historical mysteries set in Leeds. The Richard Nottingham books are set in the 1730’s. The books are about more than murder. They're about the people of Leeds and the way life was - which mean full of grinding poverty for all but the wealthy. They're also about families, Nottingham and his and Sedgwick, and the way relationships grow and change, as well as the politics, when there was one law for the rich, and another, much more brutal, for everyone else. Chris has penned a further six series, and to date has published 37 books. For full details visit his web site. In addition to this Chris is also a music journalist, reviewing for magazines and online outlets

http://chrisnickson.co.uk/ 

Carol Westron is a Golden Age expert who has written many articles on the subject and given papers at several conferences. She is the author of several series: contemporary detective stories and police procedurals, comedy crime and Victorian Murder Mysteries. Her most recent publications are Paddling in the Dead Sea and Delivering Lazarus, books 2 and 3 of the Galmouth Mysteries, which began with
The Fragility of Poppies. 

www.carolwestron.com

‘The Importance of Being Murdered’ by Debbie Young

Published by Boldwood Books,
26 March 2026.
ISBN: 978-1-83518581-O (PB)

The chances of persuading a well-known actor to take part in a production by a village dramatic society are remote to say the least – but Bertram Manchester retired (or possibly was retired) from his long-running TV show some time ago, and work has been thin on the ground ever since. So, when he's offered the opportunity to play the lead in the Bunbury Players' production of The Importance of Being Ernest, he can't resist, even though he's pushing seventy and the character is a young late-Victorian blade. 

The rest of the cast aren't exactly ecstatic. Evan Bevan the gamekeeper, usually the leading man, resents being demoted to the role of butler. Rose Truffle isn't looking forward to being Bertram's love interest. Geoffrey Bunch the director nurses bitter memories of past encounters. Even Millicent Peach the wardrobe mistress and village shopkeeper is disappointed that his groceries are delivered from Fortnum and Mason instead of boosting her ailing bank balance.   

When Bertram's body is found in his dressing room shortly before curtain-up on the first night, Detective Inspector Whistler and his subordinate (his word) DC Windermere are presented with a stage full of suspects, all with solid alibis and ample motive. The question is, who hated Bertram enough to do the dastardly deed?  

This is cosy crime at its cosiest: a Marple-esque village replete with quirky characters, an old-school detective who can't even remember the suspects' names, his bright young sidekick keen to make her mark. Geoffrey Bunch is an old pro fallen on hard times; the Truffle sisters are giggly and flighty; Tristram Shaw the vicar carries a torch for the oblivious shopkeeper; the gamekeeper and the vet are in a constant state of good-natured feuding.  

In the end, of course, the murderer could be anyone. So, will DC Windermere solve the crime before exasperation with her comically dimwitted boss drives someone to make a confession? Will the play go ahead without its new star? Would he have been up to the job in any case? And most important of all, will the shop, the centre of village life, survive to tell the tale? That would be telling!
------
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick 

 

Debbie Young was born and raised in Sidcup, Kent. When she was 14, her family relocated to Germany for her father’s job. Debbie spent four years at Frankfurt International School, broadening her outlook as well as gaining the then brand new IB (International Baccalaureate). She returned to the UK to earn her BA (Hons) in English and Related Literature at the University of York, then lived and worked for a while in London and the West of England as a journalist and PR consultant.  In 1991 she moved to the Cotswolds. In 2002, she married a Scot named Gordon whom she met in Swindon – and not, as village rumour once had it, a Swede named Scottie.  She has written four series. Her most recent one is Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mysteries. Death at the Village Christmas Fair, is the fifth book in this series. 

https://authordebbieyoung.com  

Lynne Patrick has been a writer ever since she could pick up a pen, and has enjoyed success with short stories, reviews and feature journalism, but never, alas, with a novel. She crossed to the dark side to become a publisher for a few years and is proud to have launched several careers which are now burgeoning. She lives in Oxfordshire in a house groaning with books, about half of them crime fiction. 

Crime Writers’ Association Announces 2026 Dagger Awards Longlists

The Crime Writers' Association (CWA) reveal the longlists for the prestigious 2026 Dagger Awards, celebrating the very best in crime writing.

Created in 1955, the world-famous CWA Daggers are the oldest awards in the genre and have been synonymous with quality crime writing for over half a century.

This year’s longlists showcase the breadth of talent from internationally bestselling authors to emerging debuts.

Nadine Matheson, Chair of the CWA, said: “Congratulations to every author who appears on this year’s Dagger Awards longlist. A longlist recognition is no small thing and speaks to the dedication, craft, and ambition that goes into every book. This year's longlist also reflects something that excites me deeply as Chair of the CWA; the extraordinary range and evolution of crime writing today. The genre continues to grow in breadth, in voice, and in ambition, and this longlist is a testament to that.”

The coveted KAA Gold Dagger, sponsored by Kevin Anderson & Associates, is awarded for the best crime novel of the year. The longlist includes Abigail Dean, longlisted for The Death of Us, a powerful psychological novel also longlisted in the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and Twisted Dagger categories.

Also longlisted are British crime writers Vaseem Khan with Quantum of Menace, and Laura Shepherd-Robinson for The Art of a Lie, alongside international authors, James Lee Burke, and the late Martin Cruz Smith.

The Ian Fleming Steel Dagger honours the best thriller of the year. The longlist includes global bestseller Karin Slaughter, alongside Robert Crais and Julie Clark. The Historical Dagger features acclaimed writers such as Graeme Macrae Burnet and Ariel Lawhon on the 2026 longlist.

The Twisted Dagger for psychological suspense longlists bestselling authors Lisa Jewell, Alice Feeney, and Sarah Pinborough.

The Whodunnit Dagger for books with an intellectual challenge at the heart of a good mystery, sees SJ Bennett, Clare Mackintosh and
Guy Morpuss in the running.

The global reach of the genre is showcased in the Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger. International authors longlisted include
Antti Tuomainen and Kotaro Isaka. Their translators are also recognised in the award, which is sponsored in honour of Dolores Jakubowski.

Maxim Jakubowski, Chair of the CWA Daggers’ committee, said: "Once again the Daggers longlists come up with a tasty menu full of surprise inclusions and omissions, established authors and a diversity of newcomers, evidence yet again of the independence of thought of our various juries."

The ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction includes The CIA Book Club by Charlie English and The Spy in the Archive by Gordon Corera, reflecting the enduring fascination with espionage and true crime.

The Short Story Dagger features crime-writing heavyweights such as Denise Mina and Peter Swanson, and is one of the few high-profile awards celebrating short-form storytelling.

The Dagger in the Library, voted for by librarians, recognises authors whose bodies of work have resonated with readers over time. This year’s longlist includes bestselling names such as the Death in Paradise creator Robert Thorogood, Paula Hawkins, Reverend Richard Coles,
and Abir Mukherjee.

The CWA Daggers are also known for providing a platform for emerging talent, with the much-anticipated ILP John Creasey First Novel Dagger and the Emerging Author Dagger competition, sponsored by Fiction Feedback; over two dozen past winners and shortlisted debut authors have signed publishing deals to date.

The Best Crime and Mystery Publisher category recognises the publishers behind the genre’s success, with leading imprints including Faber & Faber, Pan Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster among those longlisted.

The CWA Diamond Dagger, sponsored by Karen Baugh Menuhin, is awarded to an author whose crime-writing career has been marked by sustained excellence, is announced in early spring and in 2026 was awarded to Mark Billingham.

The shortlists will be released on 28 May, and the winners announced at the CWA gala dinner awards night in July.

The longlists in full:

CWA KAA Gold Dagger

D.V. Bishop Carnival of Lies (Pan Macmillan/Macmillan)

James Lee Burke Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie (Orion Fiction/Orion Fiction)

S. A. Cosby King of Ashes (Headline)

Abigail Dean The Death of Us (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Holly Jackson Not Quite Dead Yet (Penguin Random House/Michael Joseph)

Vaseem Khan Quantum of Menace (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

Ariel Lawhon The Frozen (River Swift Press)

Beth Lewis The Rush (Profile Books/Viper)

Simon Mason A Voice in The Night (Quercus/riverrun)

Liam McIlvanney The Good Father (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

Martin Cruz Smith Hotel Ukraine (Simon & Schuster UK)

Laura Shepherd-Robinson The Art of a Lie (Pan Macmillan/Mantle)

Sally Smith A Case of Life and Limb (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

Tariq Ashkanani The Midnight King (Profile Books/Viper)

Julie Clark The Ghostwriter (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

S. A. Cosby King of Ashes (Headline)

Robert Crais The Big Empty (Simon & Schuster UK)

Abigail Dean The Death of Us (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

A A Dhand The Chemist (HarperCollins/HQ Fiction)

Robert Dugoni A Dead Draw (Amazon Publishing/ Thomas & Mercer)

Mark Ezra A Sting in her Tale (Bedford Square Publishers/ No Exit Press)

William Hussey Burying Jericho (Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre)

Noelle Ihli Such Quiet Girls (Pan Macmillan/ Pan)

Liam McIlvanney The Good Father (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

Karin Slaughter We Are All Guilty Here (HarperCollins Publishers)

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

Jake Adelstein The Devil Takes Bitcoin (Scribe)

Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee Shadow of The Bridge: The Delphi Murders and The Dark Side of The American Heartland (Pegasus Books/Pegasus Crime)

David Collins Saffie (Silvertail Books)

Gordon Corera The Spy in the Archive: How One Man Tried to Kill the KGB (HarperCollins/ William Collins)

John Curran The Murder Game (HarperCollins/Collins Crime Club)

Charlie English The CIA Book Club: The Best-Kept Secret of the Cold War (HarperCollins/ William Collins)

Caroline Fraser Murderland (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

Thomas Harding The Einstein Vendetta: Hitler, Mussolini, And A True Story of Murder (Penguin/ Michael Joseph)

Paul Henderson and David Gardner, A Spy in the Family (Mirror Books)

Neil Root The Cleveland Street Scandal (The History Press)

Susannah Stapleton That Dark Spring (Pan Macmillan/Picador)

Shaun Walker The Illegals (Profile Books)

Historical Dagger

Nina Allan A Granite Silence (Quercus/riverrun)

Robin Blake Spoiler's Prey (Severn House)

Graeme Macrae Burnet Benecula (Birlinn Ltd/ Polygon)

Kate Foster The Mourning Necklace (Pan Macmillan/Mantle)

Ariel Lawhon The Frozen River (Swift Press)

Beth Lewis The Rush (Profile Books/Viper)

Rob McInroy Barvick Falls (Tippermuir Books)

Donna Moore The Devil's Draper (Fly on the Wall Press)

Alan Parks Gunner (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

SW Perry Cairo Gambit (Atlantic Books/Corvus)

Laura Shepherd-Robinson The Art of a Lie (Pan Macmillan/Mangle)

Sally Smith A Case of Life and Limb (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Crime Fiction in Translation Dagger

Eva Björg Ægisdóttir Home Before Dark (Orenda Books) translated by Victoria Cribb

Karsten Dusse Murder Mindfully (Faber) translated by Florian Duijsens

Johana Gustawsson Scars of Silence (Orenda Books) translated by David Warriner

Jørn Lier Horst The Lake (Penguin Random House) translated by Anne Bruce

Kotaro Isaka Seesaw Monster (Penguin Random House) translated by Sam Malissa

Jurica Pavicic Red Water (Bitter Lemon Press) translated by Matt Robinson

Satu Rämö The Grave in the Ice (Bonnier Books UK) translated by Kristian London

Leonie Swann Big Bad Wool (Allison & Busby) translated by Amy Bojang

Antti Tuomainen The Winter Job (Orenda Books) translated by David Hackston

Uketsu Strange Pictures (Pushkin Press) translated by Jim Rion

Whodunnit Dagger

Alexandra Benedict The Christmas Cracker Killer  (Simon & Schuster UK)

SJ Bennett The Queen Who Came in from the Cold (Bonnier Books UK/ Zaffre)

Anna Fitzgerald Healy Etiquette for Lovers & Killers (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

Victoria Goldman Little Secrets (Three Crowns Publishing UK/self-published)

Robert Holtom A Queer Case (Titan Books)

Richard Hooton The Margaret Code (Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere)

RL Killmore A Cinnamon Falls Mystery (Simon & Schuster UK)

Clare Mackintosh Other People's Houses (Little, Brown Book Group/Sphere)

Jo Middleton Not Another Bloody Christmas (HarperCollins/Avon)

Guy Morpuss A Trial in Three Acts (Profile Books/Viper)

Mel Pennant A Murder for Miss Hortense (John Murray Press/Baskerville)

CJ Wray Bad Influence (Orion Fiction)

Twisted Dagger

Kia Abdullah What Happens in the Dark (HarperCollins/HQ Ficiton)

Nicci Cloke Her Many Faces (Penguin Random House UK/Harvill)

Fiona Cummins Some of Us are Liars (Pan Macmillan/Macmillan)

Fflur Dafydd The House of Water (Hodder & Stoughton/Hodder Fiction)

Abigail Dean The Death of Us (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Alice Feeney Beautiful Ugly (Pan Macmillan/Macmillan)

Carole Hailey Scenes From A Tragedy (Atlantic Books/Corvus)

Lisa Jewell Don't Let Him In (Penguin Random House/Century)

Sam Lloyd The Bodies (Transworld/Bantam)

Liam McIlvanney The Good Father (Bonnier Books UK/Zaffre)

Sarah Pinborough We Live Here Now (Orion Fiction)

Holly Seddon 59 Minutes (Orion Publishing Group/ Orion Fiction)#

ILP John Creasey (First Novel) Dagger

Natalie Jayne Clark The Malt Whiskey Murders (Birlinn Ltd/Polygon)

Anna Fitzgerald Healy Etiquette for Lovers and Killers (Little, Brown Book Group/Fleet)

Sam Guthrie The Peak (HarperCollins Publishers)

Sue Hincenberg The Retirement Plan (Little, Brown Book Group/ Sphere)

Elspeth Latimer The Lost Detective (Story Machine)

Laura McCluskey The Wolf Tree (HarperCollins/Hemlock Press)

Zoë Rankin The Vanishing Place (Profile Books/Viper)

Bailey Seybolt Coram House (Bloomsbury Publishing/Raven Books)

Jennifer Trevelyan A Beautiful Family (Pan Macmillan/Mantle)

Henry Wise Holy City (Bedford Square Publishers/No Exit Press)

Short Story Dagger

William Boyle ‘Arlene’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

SA Cosby ‘Split Your Silver Tongue’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Ragnar Jónasson ‘Chest’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Denise Mina ‘The Karpman Drama Triangle’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Abir Mukherjee ‘Full Circle’ in Playing Dead: Short Stories by Members of the Detection Club (Severn House)

Ambrose Perry ‘The Apple Falls Not Far’ (Canongate)

Zoë Sharp and John Lawton ‘Once Upon a Time in New Jersey’ in CrimeFest: Leaving the Scene Celebrating 16 Years (No Exit Press)

Peter Swanson ‘Strangers on a School Bus’ in Birds, Strangers and Psychos (No Exit Press)

Michael Wood ‘Waiting’ in Criminal Pursuits: This Is Me (Telos Publishing)

Dagger in the Library

Ben Aaronovitch

Damien Boyd

Reverend Richard Coles

Rhys Dylan

Paula Hawkins

JD Kirk

Clare Mackintosh

Freida McFadden

Abir Mukherjee

Tim Sullivan

Robert Thorogood

Best Crime & Mystery Publisher

Allison & Busby

Baskerville (John Murray/Hachette)

Bitter Lemon Press

Constable (Little, Brown)

Faber & Faber

Harvill Vintage (Penguin Random House)

Muswell Press

No Exit Press (Bedford Square)

Pan Macmillan

Polygon (Birlinn)

Simon & Schuster

Viper (Profile Books)  

‘A Body in the Village Hall’ by Dee Macdonald

Published by Bookouture,
24 June 2020.
ISBN: 978-1-83888206-8 (PB)

Kate Palmer has moved from West London to Lavender Cottage in Lower Tinworthy in Cornwall with her sister Angie. Apart from the memories of their many idyllic childhood holidays in Cornwall, Kate is hoping that it will give Angie some rehabilitations from the demon drink.  In particular gin. 

Sitting in the Woman’s’ Institute meeting she had hoped that Angie might become interested in the many clubs advertised. However, Angie is fiddling with her phone and ignoring the speaker. Until a piercing scream erupts from the kitchen at the back of the village hall. 

Investigation reveals Fenella Barker-Jones lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with a large knife sticking out of her chest. Kate, a practice nurse at the local medical centre takes charge and calls the police. Detective Inspector Forrest (Woody) she learns is nearing retirement and is determined to crack his last case. He also has kindly brown eyes and a trace of an American accent. 

As Kate gets to know the people of Lower Tinsworthy she quickly becomes aware that Fenella was at the centre of village activity, and there seem to be plenty of people who had reason to dislike her. But did any of them hate her enough to kill her? 

As Woody gets stuck into the case, Kate decides to help with some investigations of her own. She starts to make a list of those present at the meeting and where they were at the time of the killing.  Although she thinks that her personal investigation will not be noticed, she awakes one morning to find a warning note on her pillow. 

Will Kate find out who the killer is before she becomes the next victim? 

This is the first in a series featuring Kate Palmer, and I am delighted to see that there are currently seven books in this series. I have just purchased the second one and can’t wait to get started. 

An intriguing mystery, with some great characters. Highley recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett 

Dee MacDonald left Scotland and headed for London at the beginning of the swinging sixties. For eight years she was an air stewardess on long haul routes with BA (then BOAC). After that she did market research at Heathrow for both the government statistics and for BA. She became a sales rep and was the receptionist at the Thames Television Studios in Teddington. She then ran a small B&B for ten years in Cornwall, where she now lives with her husband. Dee has now written seventeen novels. 

National Crime Reading Month.

The Crime Writers' Association presents the National Crime Reading Month Launch Event in partnership with The Reading Agency and Criminally Good Books.  Join us on Saturday, 30th May at 6.30pm (doors open at 6pm) for Noir at the Bar, when nine talented authors will be reading short extracts from their books. We will also have author signings, a book stand, all things crime fiction, and, of course, great company.  We will also be announcing the winner of the Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition.  Tickets are just £5, but CWA members can book their ticket for free by using the code ncrmlaunch. And that includes a glass of wine!  When: Saturday, 30th May 2026 Where: All Saints' Church Pavement, High Ousegate, York YO1 8RZ (venue is fully accessible) Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM (Doors open 6:00 PM) - The evening will include breaks for guests to network, buy books, and get books signed.  Please note: Tickets are neither exchangeable nor refundable. Should you have any access issues, please email events@criminallygoodbooks.co.uk or hello@criminallygoodbooks.co.uk  You can reserve your ticket using the link below.

Reserve Your Ticket Here