Earlier this year, crime drama channel Alibi teamed up with world-renowned publisher HarperCollins, TV Times and the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival to unearth some of the country’s hottest new crime-writing talent and we started by asking you to submit your very own crime fiction short story. The story had to begin with award-winning crime writer and 2010 Festival Programme Chair Stuart MacBride’s first line:

“In my experience, those who beg for mercy seldom deserve it.”

The competition is now closed – many thanks to everyone who entered. We had a fantastic response with hundreds and hundreds of entries and we’ve now whittled all these stories down to three finalists and we’re asking you to vote for your favourite.

Read all three stories and cast your vote here!

Congratulations to the three finalists: Revell Cornell, Ed Harvey and David Jack Smith.

Each finalist wins the opportunity to attend the Festival’s Crime Fiction Creative Writing Workshop, Creative Thursday, on Thursday 22nd July at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate.

On Thursday evening the overall winner will be revealed by Stuart MacBride at an exclusive reception hosted by Alibi at the Crown Hotel.