It’s my pleasure to welcome back Leslie Tate to Linda’s Book Bag today. Leslie has been a huge supporter of the blog over the years and has featured here.

Today Leslie provides a thought provoking guest post to celebrate the release of his latest book Ways To Be Equally Human.

Published on 20th May 2024, Ways To Be Equally Human is available for purchase as a signed copy from Leslie’s website, or from The Black Spring Press here.

Ways To Be Equally Human

In Ways To Be Equally Human Leslie Tate tells the inside story of coming out as a non-binary person, from being ‘othered’ in gendered toilets to stepping up on stage & radio and taking action with Extinction Rebellion.

Leslie’s poetic life-fiction takes us on a journey through crazy childhood dreams and gender dysphoria into personal growth. Full of lyrical writing, humour and quirky insights, this is a book for lovers of language, nonconformists and passionate thinkers. It’s a clear-eyed account of how we live today, including computer stress, noisy neighbours, guided meditation and the spirit of rebellion inside the machine.

Ways To Be Equally Human is also a love hymn to Leslie’s partner and the planet.

WHO’S HIDING BEHIND THAT BOOK?

A Guest Post by Leslie Tate

Behind every book there’s an author like me with a story. Sometimes it’s about finding a first-line hook or unique selling point (helped by agents & publishers); at other times it’s the outcome of a creative writing course, or a thesis, or it’s written in a month with NaNoWriMo; sometimes in a few high-profile cases, it follows the money (with goods and merchandise and spinoffs); but in my case, Ways To Be Equally Human wasn’t written to grab C1readers, chase fame or get adapted for TV. (Quick disclaimer: writing best sellers takes a lot of time and skill, it’s just not for me.)

If you want a 16-wordsummary of Ways To Be Equally Human, it’s a ‘no-holds-barred psychological investigation into gender and XRactivism using poetic realism, lyrical essays and behind-the-mask stories’. But in case you’re looking for something shorter and punchier, how about: ‘get down with this must-read book from a 75-year-old member of Gen Z!’.  Blurb-writing, of course, is part of the indie author’s toolkit.

So, is it just a book for literary types? And what’s in it for me, you ask? To give you a flavour, here’s pp.22-24 from the Extinction Rebellion section:

“What are you, man or woman…?”

It was Friday lunchtime and I was with a group outside Barclays speaking to people about fossil fuels. We’d been inside, acted a die-in, filled the pavement with bodies and placards and been taped off by the police. It looked like a crime scene. Now we were preparing for part two of our protest.

The question – or statement – came from a young overweight spectator-man standing at the front of the crowd. He was staring at me with a dirty grin. I could picture him ogling girls and winding up kids at school

Behind me, two demonstrators, one male, one female, were kneeling in front of a large black-and-white sign. They were getting ready.

My answer popped out without thinking. “Neither.”

Part of me had always considered myself male, softened by the non-binary label, but to be neither took it further. I’d become myself, a resister picked out by my difference. I could hear in my mind the words of Where the Streets Have No Name.

It had happened before. I’d been called a lady – sarcastically, aimed from behind – whistled and shouted at, and once, kerb crawled while shopping. Being catcalled was no surprise and the man in the van was a Bluto-type, but it took some getting used to. It was a lesson in what women had to put up with.

“Wha’ the fuck,” my spectator-man said.

In my head, I completed his phrase with …are you?

A thin woman in a red top stepped up to the kneeling demonstrators. She was holding a bottle of thick, dark liquid.

“Climate breakdown,” I called. “This bank funds it.”

I stared at the man. With his bristly chin and leery expression, he was acting a part. I could see him in later life, leaning on a bar and swearing at women on TV.

“Crazy,” he said, screwing one finger into his temple.

Behind me, the woman had raised her bottle to head height. As the spectator-man glared, my thoughts flashed back to a bully at school. It was all about swagger and overstated gesture. There was nothing underneath.

“F… F… bank,” the woman called, anointing the protestor’s head.

As the liquid oozed across flesh, the spectator-man laughed. “Weird,” he shouted, waving one arm. “Weirdo man. Weirdo people.” Choosing his moment, he began to walk away.

“No. Beautiful,” I said, as the liquid spread like gravy. “But also… not beautiful,” I called as it hardened to a crust. “Neither, really,” I added. “Just human and wanting to live.” In my mind I heard the phrase That’s why I’m here.

His question had been answered.

And the story behind that? I poured the oil onto my wife’s head, a crowd gathered and some of them were rude, I was wearing a dress and leggings but no one questioned my gender. The other experience that found its way into the piece was being picked on at school. As a repeat theme in Ways To Be Equally Human, it’s both seminal and formative. It’s also part of the book’s ‘inside report’ on masculinity.

Here’s one example, taken from p.104:

The old one-two

I

Class 5C were playing in the rain.

As they kicked and went down,

they shouted, calling it a dirty match.

Someone got stomped on. With the wind against them

they threw up their arms and yelled PENALTY.

Being 5C they were famous.

So who were their heroes and what did they stand for?

As squaddies they were on target.

As escaped POWs they hit the ground running.

As the team out of hell they took route one.

Between runs they held their sides and scowled.

What did they say, splashing through mud?

Ref. Replay. Wrong. Fix. Offside. Foul. Unfair.

Mostly, they just floundered.

At half time, changing ends,

they dragged their feet as if they’d been wounded.

The rain had filled their boots.

And their names?

Baggy, Messy, Clever Clogs, Chop Chop,

Fidget, Burper, Dodger, Pimple,

Big Foot, Fixer and Lout.

II

All that summer the boy at the back had dreamed

of being in charge.

He’d be the cannonball striker who scored

with a high-dive backflip somersault.

Later he blocked all shots

by turning his body into a No Entry sign.

He was the comeback kid who wore the armband

as bully repellent.

Turned Pied Piper, he drew off the other side’s defenders.

And when he launched his tackles

he became the spade that dug up gold.

Afterwards, his legend lived on.

Nicknamed Long Shot, he was in the air

nodding in the equaliser when the ground

came up and hit him.

He missed. Nobody cheered.

As for class 5C: when the final whistle blew

they quick-marched him to the changing rooms

where they all piled in with penalties

while grinning madly

as if their lives depended on it

I’ll end this blog with a confession. You may have noticed that I still haven’t told you the hidden story behind the book. That’s because it’s complex but in its own way simple. So, it’s written in different styles as a series of linked stories & reports, all of them taken from those watershed moments in life, dealing with transformations and metaphors of growth and resistance. On the way, it explores wild childhood fantasies, the highs and lows of coming out, performance anxiety on stage and radio, modern lifestyles, and the inside story of climate rebellion. But what drives the book are the personal fears of my life and others, set against the bigger picture. Or to put it another way, taken from p.192:

In writing, time slows down at the climactic moments. We’ve worked so hard to reach this point we want it to go on. And as we pause at the top, the aim is to see the big picture. That can be through the ripple effect: to maximise an incident and follow what comes next; or it can be through selective focus – a single garment or a closeup from a view – and the rest is for the reader to fill in.

And, however you use them, words are definers. They pinpoint the world. So the task is to hint at something wider while nailing things down. The generic singular. And the flow? That comes with the voice – the stops and starts and sounds that merge; the up and down signals; the own way of putting it.

****

As always, Leslie, it’s a pleasure to read your writing and to note the humanity behind everything that you do. Thank you for sharing this with us. (And apologies that my formatting didn’t do proper justice to your poetry!)

About Leslie Tate

Leslie Tate is a non-binary author and University of East Anglia graduate who interviews creative and community-active people weekly on radio and in writing at https://leslietate.com. Leslie played the lead role in Heaven’s Rage, a film that was screened at 34 international film festivals. Leslie hosts Extinction Rebellion stages, has been shortlisted for the Bridport, Geoff Stevens and Wivenhoe poetry prizes, was British under 21s Chess Champion and is a Quaker. Ways To Be Equally Human is Leslie’s fourth novel.

For further information about Leslie, visit his website, find him on Instagram and Facebook and follow him on Twitter/X @LSTateAuthor.

I’m fast becoming a huge fan of Sarah Morgan’s writing (most recently I reviewed Sarah’s The Christmas Book Club here) and my enormous thanks go to Isabel Williams for sending me a copy of Sarah’s latest book The Summer Swap in return for an honest review. It’s my pleasure to share my review today.

The Summer Swap was published by Harper Collins imprint HQ on 23rd May 2024 and is available for purchase here.

The Summer Swap

A summer escape

When Cecilia Lapthorne’s 75th birthday celebrations take an unexpected turn, she seeks solace away from the festivities and escapes to Dune Cottage – without telling her family where she’s going.

A new friendship

Lily Thomas, a struggling artist, has secretly been staying in the unoccupied cottage. When Cecilia discovers Lily during a late-night visit, an unexpected bond forms between the two women.

A chance to start over

Then Cecilia’s grandson, Todd – and Lily’s unrequited crush – shows up, sending a shockwave through their unlikely friendship. Will it inspire Lily to find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new . . .

My Review of The Summer Swap

Lily has a temporary cleaning job.

It’s only fairly recently that I’ve got round to reading Sarah Morgan’s books and I’m delighted that’s the case because it means I have a whole back catalogue waiting for me. The Summer Swap is just wonderful. 

The story is very much character driven with family, marriage and relationships at the heart of the story, ensuring that we get to know the people here so thoroughly. The Summer Swap works so emotionally well because as Lily, Cecelia and Kristen reveal their innermost thoughts, aspirations and insecurities, they are recognisable and relatable. Sarah Morgan writes with such sensitivity and understanding that on almost every page I found an aspect of Lily, Cecelia and Kristen’s lives that resonated with me. 

I loved the fact that The Summer Swap breaks away from the usual 30 somethings to characters in younger, middle and older adulthood. It’s glorious to find a woman in her seventies like Cecelia having autonomy over her life. I think it says something about the gorgeous quality of the writing that I really didn’t like Kristen at the beginning of The Summer Swap, but by the end I understood her as she gained both my sympathy and empathy.

With the focus on brilliant, layered and vivid characters that doesn’t mean there isn’t a compelling and riveting narrative here too. There are some very dramatic moments, but for me the absolute success of the story comes through the more ordinary aspects of these people’s lives. Cecelia’s reluctance at being bullied into a party she doesn’t want to attend, Kristen’s need to be proficient, noticed and to organise, and Lily’s guilt at not following the path set out for her as she develops her artistic talents is totally convincing. And whilst The Summer Swap is brilliantly resolved at the end as one might hope, there’s a true sense of these lives continuing far beyond the confines of the story. Much of the plot is precipitated before the story starts and will continue after this particular time frame is over. I found this such wonderful storytelling.

The themes of The Summer Swap are equally compelling. Our sense of self and what makes us who we are as we try to accommodate the demands of family, profession, marriage and so on, at the same time as we also strive to be true to ourselves, is at the heart of this warm, compassionate and understanding story. 

I fear there will be those readers who dismiss The Summer Swap without ever picking it up because they assume it is too lightweight for their intellect. They could not be more wrong. The Summer Swap is absorbing and diverting as a story, but it is also a sensitive, mature insight into what makes us human. Sarah Morgan teaches tolerance, empathy and acceptance even as she entertains us so fabulously. I’d defy anyone reading The Summer Swap not to love it just as much as I did. 

About Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She has sold more than 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe. Sarah lives with her family near London, England, where the rain frequently keeps her trapped in her office.

For further information, visit Sarah’s website. You can also find Sarah on Facebook or Twitter/X @SarahMorgan_ and on Instagram.

As I hurtle through my 60s, it’s always a pleasure to discover books that feature more mature protagonists. With The Unretirement by Penny Mirren out today and waiting for me on my TBR pile, I simply had to chat with Penny all about it. My huge thanks to Laura Sherlock for putting us in touch with one another.

Here’s what Penny told me:

Staying in with Penny Mirren

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Penny and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Hi Linda! Thanks for inviting me along.

Tell me (as if I didn’t know!), which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought along my debut novel The Unretirement. It’s published today, the 23^rd May with Avon Books UK, and I’m hugely excited to share the book with readers everywhere. It’s an uplifting story, that will hopefully appeal to anyone looking for feel-good fiction.

Happy publication day Penny. So, what can we expect from an evening in with The Unretirement?

What I really hope readers will come away with after reading the book, are lovely warm feelings and a renewed zest for life, because it’s a book about new beginnings, about community, family, love, resilience and chasing your dreams – no matter your age.

That sounds like a really important message. Tell me more about Maggie.

I think many readers will empathise with Maggie, the main protagonist, as she grapples with her new and unexpected status as a recently widowed retiree. Because, although Maggie might be grieving, she is still very much alive and kicking and the story follows her and her daughter Hannah (who has also found herself at a crossroads in life), as they both grab life by the horns and redefine themselves. And as Maggie sets out to save her beloved local restaurant from closure and follows her dream to return to a long abandoned catering career, she embarks on an unexpected adventure with new friends and old, that becomes so much bigger than saving a small business.

The Unretirement sounds lovely. What was it like writing it?

I had so much fun writing this story, with its large and diverse cast of characters. They became like friends I still expect to see whenever I visit Saffron Walden, the characterful medieval Essex town that I used as the setting for the book. And I hope readers will love Maggie as much as I do, with her no-nonsense ways and mischievous sense of humour. I’ve been so thrilled with early reviews, which have described The Unretirement as a ‘big hug of a book’ and ‘funny, heartwarming and hopeful’, which is exactly what I was hoping to achieve in these often, trying, times. It’s also very important to me to give a voice to older protagonists who have so much to say, teach and inspire us.

Absolutely – don’t write off we oldies! I have a copy of The Unretirement waiting for me to read and I’m very much looking forward to it.

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought along a hearty plate of piping hot, aromatic and richly bubbling Keema Shepherd’s Pie, which becomes Maggie’s signature dish as she breathes new life into the restaurant in the book.

That looks scrummy. You can come again!

Food plays a huge part in The Unretirement, so be prepared for that if you read it whilst hungry! And as anyone who knows me will testify, I love my food too, so believe me – it was no hardship to devise dishes for the book, then go off and (ahem) research them. My long-suffering husband was subjected to many tasting sessions of the dishes as I experimented and I thought it would be a shame for all that ‘research’ to go to waste, so I’ve included some of the recipes in the back of the book in case readers fancied having a go at recreating them.

Should your husband need a break, I could be persuaded to help out… just saying!

I’ve also brought along a Mango Mojito if you fancy a tipple? It’s tropical and summery and features in the book. Such a chore practising and perfecting those, as I’m sure you can imagine.

Oh I imagine so. Again, I’ll help relieve you of the chore…

If we’re putting a bit of background music on as we chat, I’m partial to a bit of disco (huge Abba fan over here), or anything from the 80’s and 90’s. Nostalgia is another theme explored within the book, particularly the 90’s, as being back in her hometown reminds Hannah of her teenage years, and whilst both food and music have the power to transport us back to happy times, as well as sad ones, they are often instrumental in creating new memories too. After all, is there anything more special than sharing good times, and great food, with the people you care about? (Other than settling down with a good book, that is!)

Wise words indeed! Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about The Unretirement Penny. You’ve made me desperate to read the book and ravenous! You dish up some shepherd’s pie and I’ll give readers a few more details:

The Unretirement

Meet foodie Maggie Lawford.

After spending her retirement travelling the world, she’s home again – and ready for a new adventure.

When Maggie’s daughter, Hannah, takes her to visit their favourite local restaurant, Maggie is heartbroken to find the place empty. But the last straw comes when Maggie realises the chef is at his wit’s end – she can’t resist charging into the kitchen and taking matters into her own hands.

Never one to give up without a fight, Maggie resolves to save their beloved restaurant from failure, and it’s not long before she has a military-grade plan to turn the place around again. Finding herself back at work, all she’ll need is support from Hannah and her cheeky granddaughter, Alice, as well as a little help from her neighbours.

After all, Maggie’s golden days aren’t behind her just yet…

The Unretirement is published today, 23rd May 2024, by Harper Collins imprint Avon and is available for purchase through the links here.

About Penny Mirren

Penny Mirren is the pen name of Samantha Pennington. Sam writes light-hearted, uplifting fiction and romantic comedy. She was selected for the inaugural Kate Nash Literary Agency Mentorship program in 2020 and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association. Sam lives in North Essex and when she’s not writing, enjoys being first mate on her husband’s tiny fishing boat and reading books for her wine club.

For further information about Penny visit her website, follow her on Twitter/X @sjpenno or find her on Facebook and Instagram.

My enormous thanks to Caitlin Raynor for sending me a surprise copy of The Toffee Factory Girls by Glenda Young in return for an honest review. I’m delighted to share that review today. 

The Toffee Factory Girls is published by Headline on 23rd May 2024 and is available for purchase through the links here. 

The Toffee Factory Girls

Discover the engaging new trilogy from the author of The Sixpenny Orphan, about three women working in a WWI toffee factory in the North-East!

In 1915 three women start work at a toffee factory in the market town of Chester-le-Street, Durham.

Anne works for the enigmatic owner Mr Jack. She is highly efficient and whips Mr Jack’s disorganised office – and Mr Jack himself – into shape. However, behind her business-like façade, Anne hides a heart-breaking secret.

Elsie is feisty, fun and enjoys a good time. However, her gadabout ways get her into trouble when she falls for the wrong man in the sugar-boiling room. 

And there’s dependable Hetty, who’s set to marry her boyfriend when he returns from the war. But when Hetty is sent on an errand by the toffee factory boss, her life changes in ways she could never imagine and a whole new world opens up.

The toffee factory girls begin as strangers before forging a close bond of friendship and trust. And, as the war rages on, they help each other cope through the difficult times ahead.

My Review of The Toffee Factory Girls

The first book in a brand new trilogy. 

The Toffee Factory Girls is a total smasher of a book. Set in the early days of WW1 there’s a sense of history underpinning the narrative, especially with the Belgian village of Elisabethville, but it doesn’t over dominate. Rather, Glenda Young allows her characters to tell their own stories. 

The plot is wonderful. Three very different woman, Anne, Elsie and Hetty forge a friendship that is ripe for further adventure by the end of the book. Their lives are very different as Anne hides a terrible secret, Elsie finds her flirtatious personality leads to all kinds of trouble and Hetty struggles with a difficult family life with her unloving mother and wayward brother. As Jack’s toffee factory needs to adapt to the challenges of rival toffee makers and the constraints of a global conflict, the story is entertaining and absorbing. I loved learning about the process of toffee making as I got to know the people working in the factory.

I also loved meeting Anne, Hetty and Elsie because they are actually quite ordinary which makes them hugely relatable. The events that befall them ensure the reader cares for them and is completely invested in the story. By the end of The Toffee Factory Girls, their personalities and friendships are brilliantly established, leaving the reader desperate to find out more. 

It’s quite hard to review The Toffee Factory Girls because Glenda Young is setting up what promises to be a fantastic trilogy and I don’t want to spoil the story for others. Let’s just say there are themes of war and industry, family, marriage and friendship, romance and prejudice that create a layered, varied and totally absorbing read. 

I really enjoyed The Toffee Factory Girls because it’s filled with charm, realism and huge potential for the following books. It’s a perfect example of its genre and deserves to be a huge success. 

About Glenda Young

Glenda Young credits her local library in the village of Ryhope, where she grew up, for giving her a love of books. She still lives close by in Sunderland and often gets her ideas for her stories on long bike rides along the coast. A life-long fan of Coronation Street, she runs two hugely popular fan websites.

For further inf0ormation about Glenda visit her website, find her on Instagram and Facebook or follow Glenda on Twitter/X @flaming_nora.

My enormous thanks to Jess Barratt at Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy in return for an honest review. It’s my total pleasure to share that review today.

Already available in other formats, The Porcelain Maker will be released in paperback by Simon and Schuster on 23rd May 2024 and is available for pre-order through the links here.

The Porcelain Maker

Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history
A daughter’s search for the truth

Germany, 1929.
When Max, a Jewish architect, and Bettina, a beautiful and celebrated German avant-garde artist, meet at a party their attraction is instant. In love with each other and the art they create, their talent transports them to the dazzling lights of Berlin. But Germany is on the brink of terrible change, and their bright beginning is soon dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism.

When Max is arrested and sent to the Dachau concentration camp, it is only his talent at making the exquisite porcelain figures so beloved by the Nazis that stands between him and certain death. At first, Bettina has no idea where Max has been taken but when she learns of his fate, she is determined to rescue him whatever the cost.

Now, a lifetime later, Bettina’s daughter, Clara, sets out on a journey to uncover the truth about her identity. As she weaves together the fabric of her past, she discovers the terrible secret her mother wanted hidden forever.

For fans of Heather Morris and Kristin Hannah, The Porcelain Maker is a sweeping, epic story of love, betrayal and art, set across Europe from the 1920s Weimar Republic, to dark and glittering 1930s Berlin.

My Review of The Porcelain Maker

Max is about to meet the love of his life, Bettina.

The Porcelain Maker is an affecting, immersive story that totally captivates the reader. I found it such an authentic read that I had to research the characters in more detail afterwards and was surprised that, other than historical figures like Himmler, these vivid, artistic and rounded people are invented by Sarah Freethy.

There’s such a plethora of fiction based on World War Two that I wasn’t anticipating such a fresh approach as we have in The Porcelain Maker. Of course there are mentions of the treatment of Jews, the power of the Reich and the depiction of the Arian ideal. However, instead of a focus on the horrors of concentration camps, instead there’s an intelligent, carefully researched and imaginative consideration of art underpinning the story. With references to real life works and artists, it becomes even more difficult to accept that Max and Bettina are not real people. I found the way the story was constructed around Max and Bettina’s separation and the art of the time was fascinating.

I loved meeting these two creative artists. The sense of passion that Max and Bettina have for one another and their absolute loyalty to each other are deeply emotional aspects. Whether it’s because Sarah Freethy is writing about artists I’m not sure, but her prose has a painterly atmosphere, enabling the reader to picture both character and setting so clearly. As Clara researches her past, discovering what happened to her mother Bettina, she becomes more real too and every element of this story feels assiduously researched and authentically presented.

I thought the balance between the two timelines in The Porcelain Maker was really well achieved. There’s far more about the 1930s and 40s than the 1993 era. This is as it should be because it is very much that past that has shaped Clara’s present life, and the effect is achieved with sophistication and without sentimentality.

There are themes one might expect, such as the brutality of the Nazi regime, but The Porcelain Maker is more about the nature of family, of true love and of courage and creativity. Alongside the making of porcelain artifacts is an impactful iterative image that we all have feet of clay, that we can be turned to dust in an instant, but that we can create our own destinies too. In amongst the grief, the pain and loss presented here is a true sense of the endurance of the human spirit.

I picked up The Porcelain Maker expecting that I would appreciate yet another war story. What Sarah Freethy gave me was so much more. She has delved into a neglected area and produced a compelling narrative that is immersive, convincing and that feels written with uncompromising integrity. I thought The Porcelain Maker was excellent.

About Sarah Freethy

Sarah Freethy worked as a producer and script consultant in television before turning her hand to fiction. The Porcelain Maker is her debut novel. She lives in Hampshire, England with her family.

For further information, visit Sarah’s website, follow her on Twitter/X @freethy and find Sarah on Facebook and Instagram.

THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL 2024
LOOKS TO THE FUTURE AS IT REVEALS 21ST ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMME LINE-UP
CELEBRATING NEWCOMERS AND TITANS OF THE GENRE
Festival Dates: 18 – 21 July 2024

On Tuesday 14th May Harrogate International Festivals revealed the full programme for this year’s 21st Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s most prestigious celebration of crime fiction and thriller writing, at a special reception at Hachette in London.

It was my absolute pleasure to attend the launch of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival for 2024. Not only was it a fantastic evening with wonderful authors, but the full programme for the festival was announced. As tickets for individual sessions go on sale at 10AM today, Thursday 16th May, it’s my pleasure to share the following press release.

****

The Festival, which takes place at Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from 18-21 July, has been curated by 2024’s Festival Chair, bestselling crime novelist Ruth Ware, and reflects a Festival looking firmly to the future while celebrating the rich heritage of the crime fiction world. From cutting edge AI and technology’s impact on criminal investigation, to the complexities and capabilities of neurodivergent
sleuths; from the shadowy world of spies and twisty whodunnits, to boundary-pushing psychological thrillers, there is plenty to surprise and thrill in this year’s programme.

Untitled design – 1

Programme highlights include an all-star lineup of acclaimed writers and global bestsellers including Mick Herron, Louise Candlish, M.W. Craven, James Comey, Lucy Foley, Femi Kayode and Saima Mir joining Special Guest headliners Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Peter James, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee, Liz Nugent and Richard Osman,
the crowning of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and the much anticipated Critics’ New Blood panel which showcases four talented debut novelists. This year’s cohort, selected by a panel of the UK’s leading crime fiction critics, are Jonny Sweet, Martta Kaukonen, Claire Coughlan and Colin Walsh.

For aspiring writers, Creative Thursday offers an immersive day of workshops and talks led by bestselling writers and industry experts, with the unique opportunity to pitch work in the ‘Dragon’s Pen’.

A Festival for everyone, the evening events offer a host of opportunities for readers to engage with their favourite writers and include the hotly contested Late Night Quiz hosted by Val McDermid and Mark Billingham and the highly anticipated Confessions of a Crime Writer where well-known authors disclose deliciously dreadful secrets from their past and the audience decide if they should be forgiven, or not.

Two hot-ticket Author Dinners will see readers join forces with crime writers Kia Abdullah, Chris Brookmyre, Sunny Singh, Imran Mahmood, Lesley Thomson, Syd Moore, John Sutherland, Trevor Wood, Araminta Hall and many more to solve a murder mystery with a twist.

Ruth Ware, bestselling author and 2024 Festival Programming Chair said:
“After so many months of plotting and planning, I’m thrilled with the incredible showcase of crime writing talent the Festival committee has put together. From newcomers to titans of the genre, from cosy crime to hard-boiled whodunnits, from psychological thrillers to forensic procedurals, there really is something for everyone at this year’s Festival. But for me the true joy of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival has always come down to one thing: the sheer pleasure of being among so many fellow book lovers, in a festival that puts the reader at the heart of everything. If you’re a booklover, this Festival is for you.”

Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:
“This year’s Festival celebrates crime fiction’s rich heritage while looking firmly to the future of the genre, with extraordinary debut writers appearing alongside legends of their craft, and boundary pushing events exploring bold new ideas. As an avid crime fiction fan and reader, as well as headline sponsor, I am looking forward to an unforgettable Festival.”

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:
“The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival marks its twenty-first anniversary this year and we are incredibly proud of this world class event which is so warmly anticipated by authors, visitors and locals alike. Ruth has put readers at the centre of her brilliant programme and there is so much for everyone to discover and enjoy. Whether you are a reader or a writer we look forward to
welcoming you to the Festival in July.”

Tickets for individual events are on general sale from 10am on Thursday 16 May. Classic Weekend Break Packages, Author Dinners and tickets for Creative Thursday are on sale now. To book tickets, please call +44(0)1423 562 303 or email info@harrogate-festival.org.uk.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

THURSDAY 18th JULY

Creative Thursday: Crime Fiction Writing Workshops
An immersive day of workshops and talks for aspiring crime writers with bestselling authors including Isabel Ashdown, Penny Batchelor, Mark Billingham, Adele Parks, William Shaw, K.L. Slater, Ruth Ware, Russell Wate, and publishing experts including N.J. Cooper, Sam Eades, Francesca Pathak, Phoebe Morgan, Jon Wood and Madeleine Milburn.

Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award
A celebratory event as the winner of crime fiction’s most prestigious prize is announced, with the inaugural McDermid Award for debut fiction and the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award also presented.

FRIDAY 19TH JULY

Special Guests in Conversation: Abir Mukherjee and Vaseem Khan
Crime fiction authors Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee talk about their latest novels, Vaseem’s insightful thriller Death of a Lesser God, and Abir’s gripping stand-alone Hunted.

PANEL: The Past is a Foreign Country
Authors S.J. Parris, Ambrose Parry, Amy Chua and Anna Mazzola discuss murder most horrid – and historical – with chair Laura Shepherd-Robinson.

PANEL: Welcome to the Mind Palace
Authors Stef Penney, Nita Prose, Joanna Wallace and Sarah Hilary celebrate neurodivergence and the complexities and capabilities of minds build differently, chaired by N.J. Cooper.

PANEL: Cops and Robbers  

Writers of detective fiction M.W. Craven, Simon Mason, Christie J. Newport and Nadine Matheson put the police under the microscope with chair Mark Billingham.

PANEL: The Letter of the Law
From courtroom wrangles to breathless whodunnits, some of today’s best crime writers have their roots in the legal system. James Comey, Harriet Tyce, Kia Abdullah and Tony Kent will discuss what makes lawyers great storytellers with chair Imran Mahmood.

Special Guests in Conversation: Shari Lapena and Liz Nugent
Internationally bestselling authors Shari Lapena from Canada and Liz Nugent from Ireland reveal the tricks to crafting twisty thrillers and creating uniquely memorable characters.

Author Dinner
A unique opportunity for crime fans to take part in a murder mystery with host crime writers Kia Abdullah, Heidi Amsinck, M.J. Arlidge, Penny Batchelor, Katherine Faulkner, Heather J. Fitt, Dugald Bruce Lockhart, Louise Hare, Jackie Kabler, Simon Marlowe, John Marrs, Rachel North, Nadine Matheson, Imran Mahmood, Helen Phifer, Rod Reynolds, Tim Sullivan, Lesley Thomson, B.P.
Walter, Bridget Walsh.

Special Guest: Peter James
Celebrating his milestone twentieth Roy Grace book One Of Us Is Dead, Peter James will be in conversation with TV presenter Louise Minchin.

Confessions of a Crime Writer

Favourite crime writers including, Mark Billingham, Gytha Lodge, Val McDermid, Richard Osman and Luca Veste, confess dark and dreadful secrets from their past as the audience decides if they should be forgiven – or not!

SATURDAY 20TH JULY

Special Guest: Chris Carter

Former clinical psychologist and professional musician Chris Carter, bestselling author of the Robert Hunter series, will be interviewed by crime fiction critic Lisa Howells.

Psycho Thrillers 

Explore the genre that keeps getting darker and more ingenious, with boundary-pushing psychological thriller writers A.A. Chaudhuri, Abigail Dean, C.M. Ewan and T.M. Logan, interviewed by Luca Veste.

Critics’ New Blood
Showcasing four outstanding debut novelists, selected this year by a panel of the UK’s top crime fiction critics, actor and writer Jonny Sweet, Finnish bestseller Martta Kaukonen and Irish writers Claire Coughlan and Colin Walsh will be in conversation with Festival Programming Chair Ruth Ware.

I Spy
Masters of the genre Mick Herron, Ava Glass, Terry Hayes and Kim Sherwood will discuss all things espionage with chair Charlotte Philby.

From AI to PI: Detectives in a ChatGPT World
Explore mind-bending innovation, AI and post-apocalyptic worlds with writers putting the ‘tech’ into ‘detection’, Sarah Moorhead, Helen Fields, Jo Callaghan and Stuart Turton, with chair Ajay Chowdhury.

Special Guest: Dorothy Koomson
Bestselling thriller writer and ‘Queen of the Big Reveal,’ Dorothy Koomson will be interviewed about her latest novel Every Smile You Fake by Magic FM’s Bookworm Natasha Knight.

Author Dinner
‘Who dunnit?’ A second murder mystery dinner with authors Suzy Aspley, Kate Bendelow, Lauren Beukes, Chris Brookmyre, Emily Freud, Araminta Hall, Peter Hanington, David Hewson, Jane Jesmond, Alex Kane, Ruth Kelly, Bonnie MacBird, Syd Moore, Kristina Perez, Sunny Singh, John Sutherland, Russ Thomas, M.J. White, Michael Wood and Trevor Wood.

The Tangled Web
Plotters extraordinaire Lucy Foley, Louise Candlish, Catherine Ryan Howard and Jack Jordan reveal how they craft the perfect whodunnit and what makes for a truly killer reveal. Chaired by C.L. Taylor.

Special Guest: Richard Osman
Global bestseller Richard Osman will discuss his much-loved Thursday Murder Club novels and previews his new series We Solve Murders, interviewed by Festival Programming Chair Ruth Ware.

Late Night Quiz
Join popular quizmasters Val McDermid and Mark Billingham as teams of authors and readers go head-to-head in a battle of crime fiction wits.

SUNDAY 21ST JULY

Special Guests in Conversation: Erin Kelly and Jane Casey
Jane Casey introduces her new Maeve Kerrigan novel After the Fire in conversation with Erin Kelly, whose latest thriller is The House of Mirrors, as they discuss crafting addictive mysteries and creating compelling characters.

The Lie of the Land
Saima Mir, Ian Moore, Femi Kayode and Chris Whitaker discuss the importance of place and identity in crime fiction, with chair C.S. Robertson.

Special Guest: Elly Griffiths
Festival favourite Elly Griffiths discuss her new standalone mystery The Last Word with Stig Abell.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL VISIT
Harrogate International Festivals

About the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is the world’s largest event dedicated to the celebration of crime fiction. Taking place annually over four days each July at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, the Festival programmes over 100 best-selling UK and international crime authors and over 30 events. It is delivered by the north of England’s leading arts Festival organisation, Harrogate
International Festivals. The event features the prestigious Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Awards.

Get involved on Twitter/X @HarrogateFest with #TheakstonsCrime #TheakstonsAwards

About T & R Theakston Ltd

Festival sponsor since 2004, Theakston Old Peculier beer is a world-famous, multi-award winning beer brewed by T & R Theakston Ltd. The company is one of the UK’s most famous and highly regarded traditional beer brewers. Theakston was established in Masham, North Yorkshire in 1827 by Robert Theakston and today is still controlled and managed by his direct descendants. Theakston Old Peculier is one of several, nationally available beer brands in their portfolio. The Company is renowned for its support in the community in cultural, sports and legacy activity, of which the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is the most prominent.
For further information, visit the Theakstons website.

My enormous thanks to Ajay Tegala for sending me a copy of his new book Wetland Diaries: Ranger Life and Rewilding of Wicken Fen. I was supposed to be interviewing Ajay with Lev Parikian at the Deepings Literary Festival on Sunday 5th May but was devastated when I was hit by Covid and couldn’t make any of the festival sessions. I was, however, able to send across my questions to Kelham Cooke who stood in for me and, I’m told, did a brilliant job. At least I’ve been able to read Wetland Diaries by way of compensation and I’m delighted to share my review today.

Wetland Diaries was published by The History Press on 2nd May 2024 and is available for purchase here.

Wetland Diaries

‘Ajay’s passion for conservation and his encyclopaedic knowledge of Wicken Fen ooze out of every single page’ – Iolo Williams

Tucked away in the flat lands of rural East Anglia lies Wicken Fen, so loved for its big skies and tiny creatures, boasting over 9,000 recorded species. For 125 years, this wildlife sanctuary has been cared for by the National Trust. A dedicated team look after this precious wetland of international importance, working with herds of free-roaming horses and cattle and weathering the elements to cope creatively with the dramas of a life outdoors at the cutting edge of conservation.

Wetland Diaries is a seasonal account of ranger life on Wicken Fen, saving a once widespread landscape and revealing the spectrum of emotions experienced in the process. Ajay shares the spirit and atmosphere of the Fens, offering an insight into the privileges and pressures of managing semi-wild animals in one of the country’s first wetland restoration projects, creating precious breathing space for nature and people alike.

My Review of Wetland Diaries

An account of the life of ranger Ajay Tegala at Wicken Fen.

Now, I might be biased because I live quite close to Wicken Fen, this book has references to the Deeping area where I live and Ajay Tegala grew up in the next street along from my home, just beyond the small primary school, but I absolutely loved Wetland Diaries. It’s written with such honesty and compassion, mixed with humour and knowledge, so that I think I fell a little bit in love with the author and his dog Oakley.

Wetland Diaries is carefully illustrated with photographs, line drawings and an iterative cattle image. Initially I wished some of these aspects had been presented in colour but grew to understand that the black and white nature reflects to perfection the starkness of the landscape, the occasional harshness of life at Wicken Fen and the ethereal quality of fenland countryside. I went from a hesitancy about the images to feeling they were quite wonderful. I also thoroughly appreciated the bibliography and appendices as they add to the sense of authority and authenticity present throughout Wetland Diaries.

The text is smashing. The author’s first person tone is warm, accessible and conversational and Ajay Tegala incorporates everything from facts to the supernatural in a diffident, thoroughly engaging and often simultaneously poetic and pragmatic style. Reading Wetland Diaries feels as if the author is chatting personally with the reader, confiding all manner of things from the pressures of being part of the television Springwatch team to the potentially unsettling effect a phallic shaped Shiva Lingam stone might have on an unruly cockerel. Indeed, when chapter subheadings contain everything from a first day as a ranger through dung sampling to vasectomies there’s a real sense of the eclectic nature of Wetland Diaries.

And it is the natural world that glues this book together. There’s everything here from flora to fauna, climate change to animal husbandry, weather to walking, in a glorious celebration and appreciation of nature. It’s no exaggeration to say that reading Wetland Diaries has changed my life. Prior to this book, when asked where I come from I would usually reply, ‘Nowhere. Just flat, boring fenland.’ Now, I have an enlightened understanding of what a diverse and important area I live in. As Wicken Fen, the setting for the majority of the book, celebrates its 125th birthday, Ajay Tegala has written it a passionate love letter – but a love letter that encompasses and includes us all.

Wetland Diaries is a triumph. It’s engaging. It’s educational. It’s entertaining. It is also the kind of book that makes the reader feel as if the world has not gone to Hell in a handcart after all, but rather is filled with a varied and important natural world and wonderful people – like the author –  who care about it. I found Wetland Diaries uplifting, hopeful, witty and warm. I loved it.

About Ajay

Ajay Tegala is a Wildlife Presenter, Conservationist, Countryside Ranger, Naturalist, Author and Voice-Over Artist. He has a degree in Environmental Conservation and has worked in nature conservation for over a decade. A natural communicator, his enthusiasm is infectious.

He presented BBC Two’s groundbreaking documentary ‘Inside the Bat Cave’ (BBC Two, 2020) alongside Lucy Cooke, sharing his passion for bats, citizen science and public engagement. His five-minute ‘Springwatch’ 2021 film about the comeback of the common crane received fantastic reviews.

Ajay has chalked-up well over 20 television appearances across the five main channels, including the popular BBC nature programmes ‘Countryfile’, ‘Coast’, ‘Winterwatch’ and a live appearance on ‘Springwatch: Unsprung’ alongside Chris Packham and Will Young. He also featured on ‘Walking Through History’ with Tony Robinson for Channel Four. Ajay took part in the BBC animal quiz show hosted by Kate Humble, ‘Curious Creatures’, appearing on a winning team with Chris Packham. He also took on the BBC ‘Celebrity Eggheads’ as part of a science team, winning his head-to-head round.

Ajay is a regular contributor on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire’s ‘Wildlife Wednesdays’, complimenting his own #WildWednesday TikTok videos. Other radio appearances include ‘Living World’ and Clare Balding’s popular ‘Ramblings’ (both Radio Four).

As a Countryside Ranger, Ajay has earned respect as the ranger on Britain’s first coastal reserve, Blakeney Point in north Norfolk. This is the subject of his first book, which gives an insight into his unique experiences protecting seabirds and seals on a remote stretch of England’s east coast. Ajay has previously worked as reserve manager at Lindisfarne in Northumberland and currently works at Wicken Fen, Britain’s very first nature reserve, alongside 100 Konik ponies and 50 Highland cattle.

Growing up in the East Anglian Fens, Ajay became interested in wetland birds. As a teenager, he volunteered at his local nature reserves, which inspired him to follow a career in nature conservation. Through his career, Ajay went on to work with seabirds, in particular terns; studying their breeding behaviour and contributing to national monitoring programmes. He has also studied wildflowers and seals; managing England’s largest Grey Seal rookery during a period of rapid population growth.

In his spare time, Ajay conducts wildlife surveys on farmland in the Norfolk Broads, championing and monitoring the success of habitat creation for nature on farms.

For further information follow Ajay o Twitter/X @AjayTegala, find him on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to watch Ajay on TikTok and YouTube.

My enormous thanks to Becky Hunter for sending me a copy of The Second Chance by Charlotte Butterfield in return for an honest review. Slightly later than intended, I’m delighted finally to share that review today.

It’s just over two years since Charlotte provided Linda’s Book Bag with a wonderful guest post in celebration of By This Time Tomorrow in a post you’ll find here.

Published by Harper Collins imprint Avon on 9th May 2024, The Second Chance is available for purchase here.

The Second Chance

Nell has always known her expiry date.

After a psychic predicted her death date twenty years ago, she has lived life accepting she would never see forty – embracing adventure and travelling the world, choosing fun over commitment and laying down roots.

So, when the fateful day comes, Nell feels ready. She sends five excruciatingly honest confessions to her sister, parents and past loves, knowing she won’t be around to face the consequences. Then, with her heart laid bare, all that’s left to do is check into a glamorous hotel and wait for the inevitable…

But when Nell unexpectedly wakes up the next morning broke, single and very much alive, she must figure out exactly how to seize this second chance at life. And then it also hits her:

What on earth happens now that everyone knows how she really feels?

My Review of The Second Chance

Nell is preparing to die.

The Second Chance is a super story of what is truly important in life and I enjoyed every moment of reading it.

The plot races along as Nell’s expected demise doesn’t occur and she has to come to terms with the consequences of her past life and her recent actions. There are relatively few truly dramatic moments and that is the absolute strength of the novel because it is in the ordinary and prosaic that Nell discovers the truth about life and herself. I loved the way Charlotte Butterfield mixed both humour and emotion in a pitch perfect balance. There’s a super thread of Nell’s relationships with Tom and Greg that adds a frisson of excitement and great romantic interest too.

Nell is fantastic. At times I loathed her for her selfish and unthinking attitude, at times I admired her vivacity and her ability to find the best in the most desperate of situations, and by the end of The Second Chance I loved and appreciated her unreservedly.

However, it was Juno who appealed to me most. She is the living embodiment of Jenny Joseph’s poem Warning. I loved her unconventional attire, her outrageous stories, her incisive intuition and her vulnerability as dementia affected her. She is so sensitively and authentically developed that I found her quite wonderful.

There’s a great balance too in the men in the story with Greg and Tom contrasting brilliantly with Tony and Ray so that The Second Chance feels populated with real people rather than mere characters in a story.

Add in thought provoking themes of family and friendship, the impact of the past on our present lives, the way fate has an ability to intervene in our lives and scupper our plans and Charlotte Butterfield shows us how life is for living, doing our best but not forgetting those we love. I thought her story was fabulous. 

The Second Chance is a brilliant escapist read. It’s filled with warmth, human understanding and humour. Reading it I was completely absorbed and transported away from the trials of my own life. I have certainly been convinced that we need to be more Nell – and more Juno! 

About Charlotte Butterfield

A former magazine editor, Charlie Butterfield was born in Bristol and studied English at Royal Holloway. She moved to Dubai by herself on a one-way ticket with one suitcase in 2005 and left twelve years later with a husband, three children and a 40ft shipping container. She now lives in the Cotswolds, where she is a freelance writer and novelist.

For more information, follow Charlotte on Twitter @CharlieJayneB and find her on Facebook and Instagram.