Yorkshire crime writer goes up against old favourites for award

Alex North, of Leeds, will go up against the likes of prominent crime writer Val McDermid after The Whisper Man was longlisted, alongside 17 others, for the Theakson Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2020.

Jack Reacher creator Lee Child, who studied at the University of Sheffield, and Ann Cleeves, who wrote the first of her Vera novels while living in Huddersfield, have also made the longlist, which is this year dominated by women.

Of the 18 novels, 10 have been penned by female crime writers with Scotland’s Denise Mina vying to become the first author to win the prize three times with her latest novel, Conviction.

The executive director of T&R Theakston, Simon Theakston, said: “Year on year, I’m astounded and delighted by how this exceptional genre continues to excel – we were deluged with record submissions and these 18 impressive titles demonstrate the quality and power of contemporary crime fiction.

“From the familiar faces to the new voices, we are immensely proud of this year’s longlist and raise a virtual glass of Old Peculier to all the authors, and what will be another fierce contest for this much-wanted award.”

Now in its 16th year, this year the judging panel saw a record number of submissions and the winner is usually announced during the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival which takes place in July as part of the Harrogate International Festivals.

With this summer’s event having been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year, the winner, who will receive £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel, will be revealed at a virtual awards ceremony on July 31.

Open to full length crime novels published in paperback from May 1, 2018, to April 30, 2019, by UK and Irish authors, the public are now being invited to have their say on who goes through to the final shortlist.

To see the full longlist and to vote for the shortlist of six titles, which will be announced on June 8, go to www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com.