Harrogate Crime Writing Festival: Exclusive video and full-length interviews

Hear exclusive full-length interviews with these authors. Click the links to play now or download to your iPod.

• MARTINA COLE

Play Now | Download For Later (Right-click > Save Target As...)

• TESS GERRITSEN

Play Now | Download For Later (Right-click > Save Target As...)

• HOWARD MARKS

Play Now | Download For Later (Right-click > Save Target As...)

• DREDA SAY MITCHELL

Play Now | Download For Later (Right-click > Save Target As...)

• MORE CRIME AUTHORS

Val McDermid

Also visit our OUTLOUD section for interviews with dozens of other best-selling authors.

____________________________________

Lee Child won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award for the latest in his series of Jack Reacher thrillers, 61 Hours.

The author, whose real name is Jim Grant, was born in Coventry and grew up in Birmingham.

He started writing after losing his job with Granada Television in 1995 and has since sold more than 50 million books worldwide featuring the adventures of the former American military policeman.

Broadcaster Mark Lawson presented the £3,000 prize to Child at Harrogate’s Old Swan hotel.

The brewery’s executive director, Simon Theakston, said: “All the novels on this year’s shortlist were of an exceptionally high standard but 61 Hours was a clear winner.

“The appeal of the eternal wanderer Jack Reacher is hard to resist as he travels the frozen landscape of South Dakota, fighting the good fight. 61 Hours is a great example of Lee Child’s immense talent, and we’re thrilled to present him with this much deserved award for the first time.”

The award comes after Child was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters at De Montfort University in Leicester.

PD James was given an award for the her outstanding contribution to crime fiction.

This year, Dreda Say Mitchell, author of Geezer Girls and more recently Gangster Girl, is the programming chair, and features in our opening video. Click the screen above to watch.

She said: “It’s such an honour to be selected to chair the crime festival and I’ve had great fun helping to choose the themes and authors who will all be descending upon Harrogate, the crime-writing capital of the world.

“At a time when funding for the arts and libraries in particular is ever decreasing, it’s even more important to have a festival that encourages people to pick up a book and get reading.”