Harrogate International Festivals has announced the shortlist for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024 and the shortlist for the Inaugural McDermid Debut Award.

The Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel prize was created to celebrate “excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction from UK and Irish authors” whose novels were published in paperback during the eligibility period. The winner receives £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by Theakston Old Peculier. 

The McDermid Debut Award showcases six new voices writing across a broad range of subgenres from thrillers to cosy crime, locked room mysteries and historical crime.

THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR

• The Last Dance by Mark Billingham (Sphere; Little, Brown Book Group)
• In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster UK)
• The Secret Hours by Mick Herron (Baskerville; John Murray Press)
• Killing Jericho by William Hussey (Zaffre, Bonnier Books UK)
• None of This is True by Lisa Jewell (Century; Cornerstone)
• Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent (Sandycove; Penguin Ireland)

The public are now invited to vote for the winner here; voting for that closes July 11. The prize winner will be revealed July 18.

MCDERMID DEBUT AWARD

• Crow Moon by Suzy Aspley (Orenda Books)
• Dark Island by Daniel Aubrey (Harper Collins) 
• Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin(Bantam, Transworld) 
• Mrs Sidhu’s Dead and Scone by Suk Pannu (Harper Collins) 
• The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé (Sphere, Little Brown) 
• Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney (Bonnier Books) 

The  winner will be determined by a judging panel of industry experts, including literary, broadcasting and media figures. All shortlisted authors will receive a full weekend pass to the Festival and the winner, announced on the opening night of the Festival, will receive a £500 cash prize.

[Based on a press release.]