National 10 Word Crime Story Competition

Entries have flooded in for our 10 word crime story competition held in celebration of the National Year of Reading. Huge thanks to everyone who entered - the standard across the board has been fantastically high. While it may sound simple, weaving an inventive and often unsettling narrative in so few words is no easy task, so congratulations to the hundreds of entrants who managed to achieve just this.

The competition is now closed and the entries being carefully read to select an overall winner. The announcement will be made soon, so watch this space!

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award

Shortlist Announced

Thousands of votes from all over the country have been cast over the last two months to create the long-awaited shortlist for the 4th annual Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.   Won last year by debut novelist Allan Guthrie for Two Way Split, the 2008 shortlist once again reflects the very best in today’s crime writing scene.

Announced by Waterstone’s and the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the shortlist represents authors from all over the country and all aspects of the crime genre.  Set in places as varied as Norfolk to Aberdeen and from Africa to the wilds of Canada.  With DIs, DCIs, Detective Superintendents and forensic anthropologists to an investigator in the time of Henry VIII, the shortlist represents the very best of crime writing in Britain today.

Simon Robertson, Waterstone's Crime Buyer said ‘This shortlist is a who's who of Crime writers at the moment. Sherlock Holmes couldn't guess the winner from this lot.’

Simon Theakston, Executive Director of T&R Theakston said ‘This is a really strong shortlist and the competition is growing stronger each year.  It represents a broad range of authors and I am really looking forward to the debate.’

The shortlist now goes to panel who will meet to decide the winner along with a readers group block vote, and will be announced at a glittering ceremony on Thursday 17th July at the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.   The winner will receive £3,000 and a handmade Theakstons cask.

The 2008 Shortlist