Rising stars of crime and thriller writing vying for top debut prize | Books | Entertainment

Six “highly entertaining” crime thrillers from “rising stars” have been shortlisted for Britain’s most prestigious award for debut authors. The shortlist for this year’s McDermid Debut Award showcases “original and assured” new voices writing across a broad range of subgenres – including serial killer thrillers, detective fiction, cosy crime and dystopian chillers – introducing a range of unforgettable protagonists.

The winner of the coveted award, open to new UK and Irish writers and now in its third year, will be revealed on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, on July 23. Psychological thriller writer Lisa Jewell is this year’s programming chair, and tickets are now on sale.

The books competing for the McDermid Debut Award include A Bad, Bad Place by Frances Crawford, a gritty and heartfelt thriller set in 1970s Glasgow about the far-reaching effects of murder on a community.

Its Scottish writer graduated from Glasgow University aged 60, before starting her writing career. Next on the list is The Exes by writer and editor Leonora Darlington, a serial killer thriller with a twist as a young woman with a history of blackouts begins to wonder if she is responsible when her new husband winds up dead – just like all her exes.

British Nigerian Emmy-nominated producer, Remi Kone, who has worked on TV dramas such as Killing Eve and Spooks, is shortlisted for Innocent Guilt, a suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller where a detective and a journalist compete to solve the puzzling case of woman who appears at a police station covered in blood that isn’t her own and refuses to disclose what’s happened.

Award-winning composer, video essayist and writer, Barnaby Martin, has been shortlisted for engrossing science fiction thriller, The Quiet. Set in a dystopian future where humans are forced to live at night to avoid the deadly daytime heat, a mother must do everything to protect her son from an autocratic government, while keeping the truth about her own past a secret.

Award-winning playwright Mel Pennant is shortlisted for A Murder for Miss Hortense, a warm, witty crime novel introducing a formidable retired nurse turned amateur detective. Her sharp eyes and sharper wit uncover truths buried deep within the quiet Birmingham suburban community she’s belonged to since emigrating from Jamaica in the 1960s.

Completing the list is writer and true-crime blogger Rebecca Philipson, from County Durham, who has been shortlisted for How to Get Away With Murder, a propulsive thriller which follows a detective investigating the connection between the murder of a teenage girl and a chilling manual for aspiring killers written by an elusive serial killer.

Bestselling author Val McDermid, after whom the award is named, said: “This festival has a rich and long-established reputation for plucking out the debut gems from the crime writing pack. This year is no exception. Dive into the Debut Award shortlist and I guarantee you’ll find six novels with something special to offer.”

The shortlist was selected by a panel of established crime and thriller writers, and the winner will be decided by a panel of expert judges, chaired by Val. The two previous winners, Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney (2024), and A Reluctant Spy by David Goodman (2025), both went on to become bestsellers.

All shortlisted authors receive a full weekend pass to the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and the winner will receive a £600 cash prize and an engraved, handcrafted beer barrel from the festival’s title sponsor T&R Theakston.

Simon Theakston, chairman of T&R Theakston, said: “Congratulations to all the talented writers shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award this year. The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has always celebrated the very best in crime fiction and thriller writing, and we are proud to turn the spotlight on a new generation of rising star debut authors. Readers are in for a real treat with these six new extraordinary novels to enjoy.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, added: “We’re delighted to reveal the shortlists for the McDermid Debut Award, celebrating new talent. The six shortlisted books are compelling and highly entertaining novels by truly original and assured rising star authors.

“Supporting and platforming exciting new authors is at the heart of the festival, and we can’t wait for readers to discover these wonderful new novels.”

* Visit harrogateinternationalfestival.com for tickets and more information