Lee Child to Headline Inaugural Whitby Literature Festival

Lee Child, the author behind the global phenomenon,

Jack Reacher, headlines the inaugural Whitby Lit Fest.

Child’s books have been translated in multiple languages, had two Hollywood adaptations starring Tom Cruise, and a hit Amazon Prime series featuring Alan Ritchson, with millions of copies sold worldwide. 

The blockbuster author will be in conversation
with the TV personality, Rob Rinder.

Lee will be discussing the new Reacher book – 
Exit Strategy - co-written with his brother, Andrew Child.
The 30th title in the Jack Reacher series
is published on 4 November.

 Child will also discuss his first ever autobiographical collection, 
The Stories Behind the Stories, 
which is published this September.

 Rinder is a Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author, with a series of novels inspired by his experiences as a barrister: The Trial, The Suspect and The Protest.

Over 40 authors are expected to descend on the coastal town for the inaugural festival, which runs
from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 November.

Alongside bestselling authors, Whitby Lit Fest will champion writers, past and present, who have been inspired by Whitby, and celebrate the coast’s literary heritage.

Whitby is home to one of the world’s most enduring literary legacies: Dracula.

The name Dracula and some of the novel’s most dramatic scenes were inspired by Bram Stoker’s holiday in Whitby in 1890.

The picturesque harbour, abbey ruins, windswept churchyard, and the salty tales he heard from Whitby seafarers all became ingredients in the novel.

Festival Patron, Kate Fenton - the author and former BBC Radio 4 producer - said: “Whitby is a book lover’s playground. I’ve been known to march protesting family members up the 199 steps at midnight to sit, as Bram Stoker’s silly Lucy does, on a lonely bench in the gale-blasted churchyard, daring a bat to sweep down.

“Strolling along West Cliff, I like to imagine I might bump into Jackson Brodie because I’ve noticed brilliant
Kate Atkinson is fond of sending her detective to our town – and I kid myself I’m personally acquainted with the characters in Ben Myers’ The Offing, set just down the coast in Robin Hood’s Bay. I could go on. The place’s clearly an enduring inspiration for writers, and it’s marvellous so many will be gathering here in November, along with us inky-fingered bookworms, young and old. I can hardly wait.”

The anniversary of Bram Stoker’s birthday is on November 8, and the festival has plans to mark the occasion, alongside its links to another literary legend:
 Charles Dickens, who stayed at the White Horse
and Griffin whilst visiting Whitby.

Lois Kirtlan, Committee Chair of the Whitby Lit Fest, said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome a literary giant, like Lee Child,
to launch a landmark event for readers and writers alike.”

A major theme of the first festival will celebrate Whitby’s dramatic coastline and landscapes, with authors focussing on nature, travel, and the outdoors, as well as a wider look at wellbeing.

Lois said: “The landscape, sea, and dramatic skies offer the perfect setting to discuss the big questions books throw up about life. It’s a chance for readers to go on a literary adventure, to discover new authors alongside established and acclaimed writers, with the remarkable backdrop of Whitby in November, with its quieter coastal paths and dramatic sunsets. Throw in our famous fish and chips, and we think it’s every bookworm’s paradise.”

Other themes include crime fiction, gothic horror, and working-class writing.

The festival will also feature a poetry strand to celebrate established and emerging local poets. A bespoke children’s strand is centred on a writing competition for local schoolchildren delivered in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, to ignite a love of writing and reading in young audiences.

The full programme and ticket sales
will be announced later in the year.

The event is an initiative by the Whitby community, with a steering committee of local businesses The Whitby Bookshop and Hetty & Betty, alongside North Yorkshire Council Libraries, Visit North Yorkshire, and English Heritage, who look after Whitby Abbey, with support from Cause UK Public Relations and Hello Technology.

Lois added: “This is a festival rooted in place and community. We want to create something that’s not only world-class in literary programming, but also deeply connected to the people and stories of Whitby. It’s about celebrating creativity and heritage, and bringing people together through the joy of books.”

Whitby Lit Fest is being established as a charity. Ticket prices will be affordable and accessible. The committee welcomes sponsorship and volunteer support. If interested, and to receive other festival updates please contact the festival team via the

website: www.whitbylitfest.org.uk