'The Festival has now been running for twelve years, my third visit and there certainly appears to be no letup in its popularity evidenced by full houses at every event.I arrived on Thursday in plenty of time before the award ceremony and opening party. The Crime Novel Of the Year went to Belinda Bauer for 'Rubbernecker,' which I bought but haven't read yet, but the story sounds interesting with a young lad with Asperger's who sets out to solve a murder.
The Outstanding Contribution Award went to a very special lady, Lynda La Plante.
For the following two and a half days I had a hectic schedule of one gig after another with a celebrated list of authors in conversation or being interviewed including the BBC's Mark Lawson who estimated he has interviewed some 3000 authors in his time, was now being interviewed as a crime novellist himself with his book 'The Deaths.'
On Friday evening, I was lucky enough to have a complimentary ticket to the sellout session of 'Robert Gailbraith in Conversation with Val McDermid' at the Royal Hall Harrogate. I was in the second row.
Denise Mina as ever was sheer joy to listen to and very inspirational. John Harvey announced he had just written his last crime novel and we were given insights into the world of publishing, screenwriting and film and TV production. The 'Special TV Panel: Broadchurch,' consisted of the creator, writer and executive producer Chris Chibnall, actors Olivia Colman and Jodie Whittaker, and the writer who turned the screenplay into the official novel, Erin Kelly.
my personal favourite just had to be Lynda La Plante. On a wet Sunday morning she brought the sunshine to Harrogate. She was inspiring, hugely entertaining and loved by all. A most worthy winner of the Outstanding Contribution Award to Crimewriting.
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