PD James Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction

Debut novelist William Ryan has been given the public’s seal of approval today, as one of the chosen few to make this year’s shortlist for the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. One of the most prestigious crime writing prizes in the country, the newcomer will be battling for the coveted prize amongst five crime fiction stalwarts.

Also on the shortlist is Mark Billingham, looking to make this year a hat-trick after winning the prize in 2005 and 2009 (for Lazy Bones and Death Message respectively). Lee Child, meanwhile, will be hoping that this will be his lucky year; the bestselling author has yet to win the prize, despite the fact that one of his Jack Reacher novels sells somewhere in the world every few seconds. Both authors will go head to head with last year’s Festival Chair Stuart MacBride, and Andrew Taylor, whose Cambridge-set historical chiller Anatomy of Ghosts won much critical praise upon publication.

Lancashire-born SJ Bolton is the only woman to have made the cut with Blood Harvest. Having burst onto the crime scene in 2008, she has been hailed the “high priestess of rural gothic crime”.

The shortlist in full:

• From The Dead by Mark Billingham (Sphere)
• Blood Harvest by SJ Bolton (Corgi Books)
• 61 Hours by Lee Child (Bantam Books)
• Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride (Harper Fiction)
• The Holy Thief by William Ryan (Pan Books)
• The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor (Michael Joseph)

Now in its seventh year, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, in partnership with Asda, and this year in association with the Daily Mirror, was created to celebrate the very best in crime writing and is open to British and Irish authors whose novels were published in paperback between 1^st January 2010 and 31^st May 2011.

The winner of the prize will be announced by radio broadcaster and festival regular Mark Lawson on the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate on Thursday 21^st July. The winner will receive a £3,000 cash prize, as well as a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakstons Old Peculier.

On the same night, a special presentation will be made to the winner of the second Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award, which this year is presented to P.D. James.

Born in Oxford in 1920, Baroness James of Holland Park began writing in the 1950s. Her debut novel, Cover Her Face, was published in 1962 featuring her now famous investigator, Adam Dalgliesh. Many of her books have been adapted for film and television, including her 1992 novel Children of Men, which in 2006 was adapted for Hollywood, starring Clive Owen and directed by Alfonso Cuarón.

P.D. James said: “It is always a satisfaction and an encouragement for a writer to win a prize, but I am particularly proud to be honoured by the Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award because it comes from Harrogate, a town which it is always a delight to visit and which is the home of one of the most distinguished and pleasurable English literary festivals. I look forward very much to being in this beautiful town again and to receiving an award which, coming in my 91st year, means a great deal to me.”

Simon Theakston, Executive Director of T&R Theakston, said:

“I’m delighted to see that the public have recognised the talents of a broad range of authors in this year’s shortlist, from a debut novelist to names that have been bestsellers for several years. This list reflects the wealth of crime fiction talent we have within the UK and Ireland that continues to grow each year.

“We are also hugely honoured and excited to welcome the crime fiction grandmaster P.D. James to Harrogate this year, to collect her Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award. Few are as prolific as she, dominating the genre for over 50 years. This award acknowledges that immense achievement.”

Simon Theakston presents winner Mark Billingham with the Award

The brightest and best of Britain’s crime writing fraternity flocked to Harrogate this weekend for the announcement of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. As Mark Billingham’s novel Death Message beat strong competition to scoop this sought after prize on the opening night of the 2009 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Mark is repeating his success from 2005 when he won the very first award with LazyBones. He is a prolific and extremely popular writer, and Bloodline, the newest Tom Thorne novel is out on August 6^th. Open to British crime novels published in paperback in 2008, this is the only award of its kind to be voted for by the general public and this year over 5000 votes were cast online.

Mark Billingham today said ‘To even be on the shortlist with such fantastic authors was amazing and then to win was absolutely amazing!’

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals today said: ‘The Award is a fantastic opening to the best crime writing festival around, and I am delighted that Mark won, I remember thoroughly enjoying Death Message when I first read it. A very worthy winner.’

Mark Billingham with his award-winning novel, Death Message

The short list was:

Death Message (Mark Billingham)

The Accident Man (Tom Cain)

Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child)

Gone to Ground (John Harvey)

Ritual (Mo Hayder)

Garden of Evil (David Hewson)

A Cure for all Diseases (Reginald Hill)

The Colour of Blood (Declan Hughes)

Dead Man’s Footsteps (Peter James)

Broken Skin (Stuart MacBride)

Beneath the Bleeding (Val McDermid)

Exit Music (Ian Rankin)

Friend of the Devil (Peter Robinson)

Savage Moon (Chris Simms)

The only award of its kind to be voted for by the reading public, it does represent the reading tastes of the nation. This has been demonstrated by past winners who have ranged from best sellers including Mark Billingham (2005) and Val McDermid (2006) Allan Guthrie (2007) though to Stef Penney for The Tenderness of Wolves in 2008. Mark received £3000 and a hand made Theakstons cask.

T&R Theakstons Executive Director Simon Theakston today said: ““It has been a remarkably strong shortlist representing the very best that the crime writing world has to offer. Once again, the public have chosen a deserving winner.’

The winning book will also have a prominent chart position in most Asda stores though the summer.

A delighted Mark accepts the award from sponsor Simon Theakston

Did you vote for Mark? Did your favourite author win? Tell us what you think by posting a comment below…

Val McDermid and Chris Simms battle for the prize

Award Shortlist On Special Offer In Asda Stores

Holmes and Watson, Morse and Lewis, Daziel and Pascoe – great things often come in pairs. And the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year is thrilled to announce a brand new partnership with Britain’s most popular supermarket: Asda.

Supermarkets and crime novels are two things destined to get the heart racing. The tackle of trolleys, battle for bread and milk mayhem: it’s murder. And now customers can also be gripped and thrilled by some of the best crime novels of the year.

Peter James

After the frozen pea aisle, get chilled to the bone by bagging a Mark Billingham with your beer, a Val McDermid with your McVities or a bit of Daziel and Pascoe with the Tabasco.

Now in its fifth year, the Theakstons Old Peculier award is open to British and Irish paperbacks published in 2008.

Supermarkets can be inspirational to crime authors – and not just because the queues fill them with criminal intent. One of the shortlisted authors is the bestselling (and tall) Lee Child who named his hero Jack Reacher after his wife told him if the novels didn’t sell he could get a job reaching things down from supermarket shelves.

The novels will be promoted in selected stores nationwide from the 7 – 27 July.
Steph Bateson, Books Buying Manager for Asda said: ‘Asda are thrilled to be working with the Festival to promote the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. Crime is our biggest selling genre and the award represents the best novels within that genre.  We are very much looking forward to working with the festival to drive voting and raise national consumer awareness of the Asda book offer.’

Simon Theakston Executive Director of T&R Theakston said:  ‘The award is going from strength to strength and we are delighted to welcome Asda on board, they have fast become a force to be reckoned within book selling, bringing books to an ever wider audience, and I am looking forward to another exciting award.’

Peter Robinson and the Asda book buying team

The shortlist in full:

Death Message (Mark Billingham)
The Accident Man (Tom Cain)
Bad Luck and Trouble (Lee Child)
Gone to Ground (John Harvey)
Ritual (Mo Hayder)
The Garden of Evil (David Hewson)
A Cure for all Diseases (Reginald Hill)
The Colour of Blood (Declan Hughes)
Dead Man’s Footsteps  (Peter James)
Broken Skin (Stuart MacBride)
Beneath the Bleeding (Val McDermid)
Exit Music (Ian Rankin)
Friend of the Devil (Peter Robinson)
Savage Moon (Chris Simms).

Mark Billingham and John Harvey battle it out