The longlist for the 2026 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award has been announced, featuring 18 titles that span an array of crime fiction sub-genres. Among the nominees are five former winners and six first-time longlisted authors, including bestselling writers A.A. Dhand and Alice Feeney, both of whom have seen their works adapted for television.
Diverse Settings and Investigators
The selected novels transport readers from gangland Yorkshire to a haunted Dartmoor country house, from wartime Glasgow to a remote Scottish island. The list boasts a variety of extraordinary investigators, from the world's first AI detective to a time-travelling cold case sleuth.
First-Time Nominees and Returning Champions
Six authors have received their first-ever longlist nomination: Kia Abdullah, Tariq Ashkanani, Abigail Dean, A.A. Dhand, Alice Feeney, and Callum McSorley. Meanwhile, five former winners are included: Jo Callaghan, Mick Herron, Denise Mina, Belinda Bauer, and two-time champion Mark Billingham.
The Longlist in Full
- What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction)
- The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani (Profile Books, Viper)
- The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer (Penguin Random House, Bantam)
- What The Night Brings by Mark Billingham (Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere)
- Human Remains by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster)
- The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (HarperCollins, Hemlock Press)
- The Chemist by A.A. Dhand (HarperCollins, HQ Fiction)
- Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney (Pan Macmillan, Pan Fiction)
- The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths (Quercus Books)
- The Examiner by Janice Hallett (Profile Books, Viper)
- The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (Penguin Random House, Doubleday)
- Clown Town by Mick Herron (John Murray Books, Baskerville)
- Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan (Bonnier Books, Zaffre)
- Paperboy by Callum McSorley (Puskin Press, Vertigo)
- The Good Liar by Denise Mina (Penguin Random House, Harvill)
- Gunner by Alan Parks (John Murray Books, Baskerville)
- We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough (Orion Publishing Group, Orion Fiction)
- A Schooling in Murder by Andrew Taylor (HarperCollins, Hemlock Press)
Public Voting and Award Ceremony
Public voting is now open, with a shortlist of six titles to be announced on 18 June. The overall winner will be revealed on 23 July during the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, presented by Steph McGovern. The winning author will receive £3,000 and a handcrafted, engraved beer barrel courtesy of sponsor T&R Theakston Ltd.
Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston, expressed delight at the longlist, noting it includes established global bestsellers and rising stars. Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, encouraged readers to vote and highlighted the importance of public participation during the National Year of Reading.
