Warrington Crime Festival

This is the 1st Warrington Crime Festival. Taking place on Sunday 19th April 2026 at the amazing Village Hotel, Warrington. This highly anticipated event will bring together 20 of the North West's most prolific dark fiction authors for a day filled with thrilling discussions and literary celebrations.
Join us for a fantastic lineup featuring confirmed guests such as Simon McCleave, the acclaimed author of the Ruth Hunter seriessoon to be adapted into a television seriesand local favourite Conrad Jones, a prolific writer with 36 novels to his credit, including the best-selling Cuckoos on the Mersey and The Anglesey Murders Series, currently reigning number one in the British Horror genre.Heres a sharp, engaging advert for the Warrington Crime Festival you can use on social media, websites, or posters:
The 1st Warrington Crime Festival Sunday 19th April 2026 | Village Hotel, Warrington
Step into the shadows Warrington's biggest dark fiction event is here!
Join 20 of the regions most prolific crime & thriller authors for a day packed with sinister stories, gripping panels, and exclusive behind-the-scenes insights into the world of dark fiction.
Confirmed guests include:Simon McCleave A literary phenomenon and bestselling creator of the Ruth Hunter series (soon to be adapted for TV!)One of the UK's top-selling authors has confirmed to attend. Simon McCleave is currently a crime writing phenomenon. Simon McCleave is a multi-million-selling crime novelist who lives in North Wales with his wife and two children.
Before he became an author, Simon worked as a script editor at the BBC and a producer at Channel 4, before working as a story analyst in Los Angeles. He then became a script writer, writing on series such as Silent Witness, The Bill, EastEnders and many more. His Channel 4 film Out of the Game was critically acclaimed and described as an unflinching portrayal of male friendship by Time Out.
His first book, 'The Snowdonia Killings', was released in January 2020 and soon became an Amazon Bestseller, reaching No 1 in the UK Chart and selling over 400,000 copies. His twenty subsequent novels in the DI Ruth Hunter Snowdonia Series have all been Amazon bestsellers, with most of them hitting the top of the digital charts. He has sold over 3 million books to date.
The Dark Tide, Simons first book in an Anglesey-based crime series for publishing giant Harper Collins (Avon), was a major hit in 2022, becoming the highest-selling Waterstones Welsh Book of the Month ever.
This year, Simon is releasing the first in a new series of books, Marshal of Snowdonia with several more planned for 2025.
Simon has also written a one-off psychological thriller, Last Night at Villa Lucia, for Storm Publishing, which was a major hit, The Times describing it as well above the usual seasonal villa thriller with its empathetic portrayal of lives spent in the shadow of coercion and abuse.
The Snowdonia based DI Ruth Hunter books are now set to be filmed as a major new television series, with shooting to begin in North Wales in 2025.
www.simonmccleave.com
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Ramsey Campbell - One of the most decorated authors of all time.
We have one of the UK's most decorated authors joining our event. Ramsey Campbell was born in Liverpool in 1946 and now lives in Wallasey. He has received the Grand Master Award of the World Horror Convention, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Horror Writers Association, the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild and the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2015, he was made an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University for his outstanding services to literature.His first book was published by the legendary Arkham House when he was eighteen years old. His later work draws on the British and American traditions of horror fiction. It ranges from the psychological to the ghostly, from the subtly uncanny to the cosmic, from the quietly disquieting to the terrifying, from the poignant to the darkly comic. His Flame Tree books include Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach, in which a family on holiday encounters an ancient horror on a Greek island, and Think Yourself Lucky, in which the internet unleashes the monsters lurking within people just like us. In Somebodys Voice, a writer finds his memory and personality threatened by trying to write the memoir of a victim of abuse. The Three Births of Daoloth trilogy The Searching Dead, Born to the Dark and The Way of the Worm pits three childhood friends against a terror as vast as time and space.Three of Campbells novels have been filmed The Influence (available from FLAME TREE PRESS), Pact of the Fathers and The Nameless (in development as a Netflix series). He reviewed films for the local BBC for nearly forty years and is currently working on an appreciation of the Three Stooges, the Six Stooges, and Counting.Awards and nominations, what a list! The Height of the Scream 1977 World Fantasy Award Collection Nominated Superhorror 1977 World Fantasy Award Anthology/Collection Nominated The Doll Who Ate His Mother 1977 World Fantasy Award Novel Nominated The Companion 1977 World Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated The Chimney 1978 World Fantasy Award Short Fiction Won Loveman's Comeback 1978 World Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated In the Bag 1978 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Won The Changer of Names 1979 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated Mackintosh Willy 1980 World Fantasy Award Short Fiction Won The Parasite (aka: To Wake the Dead) 1981 Balrog Awards Novel Nominated [51]1981 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won New Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos 1981 Balrog Awards Collection/Anthology Nominated [52]New Terrors 1981 Balrog Awards Collection/Anthology Nominated [53]1981 World Fantasy Award Anthology/Collection Nominated The Nameless 1982 World Fantasy Award Novel Nominated1982 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [54]Incarnate 1985 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won The Other Side 1986 British Fantasy Award Short Story Nominated Scared Stiff: Tales of Sex and Death 1987 Bram Stoker Award Fiction Collection Nominated 1988 Locus Award Collection Nominated [55]1988 World Fantasy Award Collection Nominated The Hungry Moon 1987 Locus Award Fantasy Novel Nominated 1988 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won The Influence 1989 Locus Award Horror Novel Nominated 1989 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won Ancient Images 1989 The Dracula Society Children of the Night Award Won [56]1990 Locus Award Horror Novel Nominated Best New Horror(with Stephen Jones)1991 Locus Award Anthology Nominated 1991 World Fantasy Award Anthology Won 1991 British Fantasy Award Collection Won Waking Nightmares 1991 Bram Stoker Award Fiction Collection Nominated Midnight Sun 1991 British Fantasy Award2024 Most Terrible Festival (Russia)August Derleth AwardBest Foreign Book (translated)Won The Count of Eleven 1992 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [57]Alone With the Horrors 1993 Bram Stoker Award Fiction Collection Won 1994 Locus Award Collection Nominated 1994 World Fantasy Award Collection Won Best New Horror 3(with Stephen Jones)1993 Locus Award Anthology Nominated The Long Lost 1994 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won Best New Horror 4(with Stephen Jones)1994 Locus Award Anthology Nominated Best New Horror 5(with Stephen Jones)1995 Locus Award Anthology Nominated Nazareth Hill(aka The House on Nazareth Hill)1997 International Horror Guild Award Novel Won [58]1998 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [59]The Word 1997 International Horror Guild Award Long Form Nominated 1997 Bram Stoker Award Long Fiction Nominated 1998 British Fantasy Award Short Story Nominated The Entertainment 1999 Bram Stoker Award Short Fiction Nominated 2000 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated Ghosts and Grisly Things 1999 British Fantasy Award Collection Won Never to Be Heard 1999 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated Silent Children 2000 International Horror Guild Award Novel Nominated 2000 Bram Stoker Award Novel Nominated 2001 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated No Story In It 2000 International Horror Guild Award Short Story Nominated 2001 British Fantasy Award Short Story Nominated Worse Than Bones 2001 International Horror Guild Award Short Fiction Nominated Meddling with Ghosts: Stories in the Tradition of M.R. James 2001 International Horror Guild Award Anthology Nominated Ramsey Campbell, Probably: Essays on Horror and Sundry Fantasies 2002 Bram Stoker Award Non-Fiction Won 2002 International Horror Guild Award Non-Fiction Won 2003 British Fantasy Award Collection Won The Darkest Part of the Woods 2002 International Horror Guild Award Novel Nominated 2003 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [60]Told by the Dead 2003 Bram Stoker Award Fiction Collection Nominated 2003 International Horror Guild Award Collection Nominated 2004 British Fantasy Award Collection Won Gathering the Bones(with Jack Dann and Dennis Etchison)2003 International Horror Guild Award Anthology Nominated 2003 Bram Stoker Award Anthology Nominated 2004 Locus Award Anthology Nominated 2004 World Fantasy Award Anthology Nominated Fear the Dead 2004 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated The Overnight 2004 International Horror Guild Award Novel Won Secret Stories 2006 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [61]Just Behind You 2006 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated Just Behind You(Collection)2010 British Fantasy Award Collection Nominated The Grin of the Dark 2007 International Horror Guild Award Novel Nominated 2008 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Won Digging Deep 2007 International Horror Guild Award Short Fiction Nominated 2008 British Fantasy Award Short Fiction Nominated Thieving Fear 2009 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [62]The Kind Folk 2013 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [63]The Last Revelation of Gla'aki 2014 Shirley Jackson Award Novella Nominated [64]Holes for Faces 2014 British Fantasy Award Collection Nominated Letters to Arkham: The Letters of Ramsey Campbell and August Derleth, 1961-1971 2015 British Fantasy Award Non-Fiction Won The Searching Dead 2016 The Dracula Society Children of the Night Award Won [65]2017 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [66]The Way of the Worm 2019 British Fantasy Award August Derleth Award Nominated [67]1992 World Fantasy Special AwardProfessional For writing & editing Nominated 1994 Liverpool Daily Post & Echo Award Literature Won 1999 World Horror Convention Grand Master Award Won 1999 Bram Stoker Award Lifetime Achievement award Won 2006 International Horror Guild Award Living Legend Award Won [68]2015 World Fantasy Award Lifetime Achievement Award Won2024 British Fantasy Award Karl Edward Wagner Award Won Other received awards1995 Premio alla Carriera a Ramsey Campbell (Prize for the Career of Ramsey Campbell), Fantafestival, Rome2006 Howie Award of the H P Lovecraft Film Festival for Lifetime AchievementIn 2015, he received the Honorary Fellowship of John Moores University, Liverpool, for "Outstanding services to literature"2017 Premio Sheridan Le Fanu for Campbell's career (given in Madrid)Conrad Jones local legend & author of 36 thrillers, including Cuckoos on the Mersey and The Anglesey Murders (currently #1 in British Horror!)
Caroline England
I'm delighted to announce that the Dark Duchess of Noir, will be attending the Warrington Crime Festival! I'm excited to announce another talented author, dubbed 'The Duchess of Dark Noir...' The amazing Caroline England; Caroline England was born in Sheffield and came over the border to study Law at the University of Manchester. As well as her latest release, THE RETURN OF FRANKIE WHITTLE, Caroline is the author of six other psychological suspense thrillers, THE STRANGER BESIDE ME, THE SINNER, TRUTH GAMES, BETRAY HER, the bestselling MY HUSBANDS LIES, and her debut, BENEATH THE SKIN. She also writes gothic-tinged thrillers under the pen name CE Rose, namely THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN SECRETS, THE HOUSE ON THE WATER'S EDGE, THE SHADOWS OF RUTHERFORD HOUSE and THE ATTIC AT WILTON PLACE. Dubbed the Duchess of Dark Domestic Noir, Caroline writes multi-layered, dark and edgy domestic suspense stories in South Manchester and the surrounding areas that delve into complicated relationships, secrets and the moral grey area. Drawing on her days as a divorce and professional indemnity solicitor, she loves to create ordinary, relatable characters who get caught up in extraordinary situations, pressures, dilemmas or crime. She admits to an obsession with the human psyche, what goes on behind closed doors and beneath peoples faades. She also enjoys performing a literary sleight of hand in her novels and, hopefully, surprising her readers!To find out more about Caroline, visit her website or follow her on social media:Website: https://carolineenglandauthor.co.ukAmazon: https://amzn.to/4aC9BGeX: https://x.com/CazEnglandFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CazEngland1/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cazengland1/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cazengland.bsky.socialTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cazengland1Linktree: https://linktr.ee/carolineengland1Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-england-35888064/DON'T miss this great event!. Grab a ticket today...; https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/.../warrington.../e-ykaxxo...Paul FinchWelcome to Paul Finch! Paul Finch is an ex-cop and journalist turned best-selling author. He first cut his literary teeth penning episodes of The Bill, and has written extensively in horror and fantasy, including for Dr Who. He also wrote the script for the 2011 horror movie, The Devil's Rock.
MJ Lee.We are delighted to have 2 more authors published by Canelo! This stellar lineup is growing. Welcome to MJ Lee! M J Lee is the author of the DI Ridpath, DI Danilov and Jayne Sinclair novelsHe has spent most of his life writing in one form or another, mostly as the creative director of international advertising agencies.When hes not writing, he takes pleasure in playing with his daughter, researching family history, single-handedly solving the problem of the French wine lake and wishing he were George Clooney.
www.writermjlee.com
M. J. Lee BibliographyThe DI Emma Christie Series
The Coffin in the WallDeath on the Dee The Bones of ChesterThe Dead of Deva
The Jayne Sinclair Series
The Irish InheritanceThe Somme LegacyThe American CandidateThe Vanished ChildThe Lost ChristmasThe Sinclair BetrayalThe Merchants DaughterThe Christmas CarolThe Missing FatherThe Irish ConvictThe Salford Sioux
The Inspector Danilov Series
Death in ShanghaiCity of ShadowsThe Murder GameThe Killing Time
The DI Ridpath crime thrillers
Where the Truth LiesWhere the Dead FallWhere the Silence CallsWhere the Innocent DieWhen the Past KillsWhen the Evil WaitsWhen the Guilty CryWhen the Night EndsWhat the Shadows HideWhat the Dead Want What the Dark Whispers What the Dying See (July 2026)
Other Fiction
Samuel Pepys and the Stolen Diary
He is best known for his crime/thriller novels from HarperCollins, Orion and Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing), of which there are 16 to date, several of which have been official best-sellers, and one of which, Strangers, made the Sunday Times Top 10.
Paul lives in Wigan, Lancashire, with his wife and business partner, Cathy.
https://paulfinch-writer.blogspot.com/
Bibliography
Mark Heckenburg series
Stalkers (2013)Sacrifice (2013)The Killing Club (2014)Dead Man Walking (2014)Hunted (2015)Ashes to Ashes (2017)Kiss of Death (2018)Rogue (2024)No Quarter (2025)
Lucy Clayburn series
Strangers (2016)Shadows (2017)Stolen (2019)
Crime and thriller standalones
One Eye Open (2020)Never Seen Again (2022)The Island (2025)The Lodge (2026)
Sean Watkin.We are delighted to welcome Sean Watkin on board! Sean Watkin is the author of Black Water Rising, which was shortlisted for the prestigious McDermid Debut Award 2025. His crime fiction is celebrated for its atmospheric Merseyside settings, layered psychological insight, and intricately plotted investigations. Blending social realism with compelling procedural narratives, Seans work explores grief, loss, and the human cost of secrets. His second novel, Better Off Dead, was published in January 2026, continuing the series featuring DCI Winifred de Silva.
Drawing on his deep connection to Liverpools history and character, Sean crafts stories that combine psychological acuity with a strong sense of place. He currently lives in Liverpool, where he is at work on the next novel in the DCI de Silva series.
Sean was born and raised in Liverpool and attended Liverpool John Moores University, where he earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing. His short fiction has been shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize, the Fresher Writing Prize, and the Book a Break Prize. Passionate about nurturing new writers, Sean has guest-lectured with undergraduate and MA Creative Writing students and has taught writing courses within the local community.
Awards, Nominations, and ShortlistingsSean was shortlisted for the Fresher Writing Prize in 2015 with his short story, Hes Gone an early draft of Newquay and The Seekers, which you can read here. You can purchase a copy of the Fresher Writing Prize 2015 anthology here.
Sean was shortlisted for the Book a Break Prize in 2017 with his short story, Piece of Tin. You can purchase a copy of the With Our Eyes Open: Book a Break 2017 anthology here.
Sean was shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize in 2019 with his short story, I Walked There. You can purchase a copy of the Bristol Short Story Prize anthology volume 12 here.
Sean was shortlisted for the McDermid Debut Award at the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in 2025 with his debut novel, Black Water Rising. You can read Seans solo interview for this shortlisting here, listen to two interviews featuring all of the 2025 shortlistees here, and can purchase a copy of Black Water Rising here.
Liz Mistry.This week, we have acquired a host of amazing authors, and we will announce one per day. We're delighted to welcome the incredible Liz Mistry to our event. A crime writing favourite! BioLiz Mistry moved to West Yorkshire in the late 1980s. Her gritty crime fiction police procedural novels set in Bradford embrace the city she describes as Warm, Rich and Fearless whilst exploring the darkness that lurks beneath. Yet, her heart remains in Scotland, where childhood tales of bogey men, Bible John and grey lady ghosts fed her imagination.
Her latest work, The Solanki and McQueen crime series, is set in West Lothian, where she uses the distinctive landscape, historic heritage, and Scottish culture as a backdrop for her gritty yet often humorous stories.
Struggling with clinical depression and anxiety for many years, Liz often includes mental health themes in her writing. She credits her MA in Creative Writing from Leeds Trinity University with helping her find a way of using her writing to navigate her ongoing mental health struggles. The synergy between creative and academic writing led Liz to complete a doctorate in creative writing, researching the importance of representation of marginalised groups within the genre she loves.
Liz is represented by the Lorella Belli Literary Agency. For rights enquiries, contact lorella@lorellabelliagency.com
You can contact the agency at: info@lorellabelliagency.com
You can connect with Liz here:
Website: lizmistry.com/
X (Twitter): LizMistryAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizMistrybooks
Instagram: @lizmistry
Bibliography
The Gus McGuire series (set in Bradford)Unquiet SoulsUncoiled LiesUntainted Blood Uncommon CrueltyUnspoken TruthsUnseen EvilUnbound TiesUnjust Biashttps://amzn.to/3TeVz6w
The Nikki Parekh Series (set in Bradford)Last RequestBroken SilenceDark MemoriesBlood GamesDying BreathEnd Gamehttps://amzn.to/42WgTAH
The Solanki & McQueen series (Set in West Lothian, Scotland)The Blood PromiseThe Revenge PactDeadly Reckoning
Twitter: @LizMistryAuthor / Facebook: @LizMistryBooks
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KD Sherringford.We have another decorated author to announce! KD SHERRINFORD BIBLIOGRAPHY The Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mysteries.Song for Someone. Christmas at The Saporis. Meet Me in Milan The Whistle of Revenge. Stand-alone short stories. A Bit of a Do- was published as part of Marla Bradeens Anthology, Malice, Matrimony and Murder.Contributor to Annalee Admas Wonderland Anthology 2024. Pending works- The Changing Man- Book Five of The Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mysteries.
KD Sherrinford- BIO. Born and raised in Preston, Lancashire, KD Sherrinford now lives on the UKS Fylde Coast. She is best known for her popular i-award-winning Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mysteries. An avid reader from an early age, KD was a huge fan of the mystery writers, Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, were amongst her favourites. She was fascinated by the iconic character Irene Adler and felt disappointed when her idol failed to appear in any of Doyles other works, after her unforgettable introduction in A Scandal in Bohemia.It was after an impromptu visit to the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street in October 2019, and after encouragement from her daughter, that KD finally found the inspiration to start work on her award-winning tetralogy. KDs debut novel, Song for Someone, launched in November 2022. Song received The Editors Gold Seal and earned praise from numerous Editorial reviewers, including being described as an evocative masterpiece by Dee Marley of The Historical Fiction Company. Song for Someone isnt just a book; its an experience. The novel was a Finalist in 2023 at the Chanticleer International Book Awards, a Crimson Quill Nominee, a Top Award pick at Author Shout and an International Impact Award winner.Book two of the Sherlock and Irene series, Christmas at The Saporis, launched in December 2022, and was a recent winner at The Chanticleer International Book Awards, securing First place and Best in Category for SEA Shorts and Novellas. Plans are underway to develop the novella into a screenplay.Book three, Meet Me in Milan, was published in September 2023 and reached the CIBA Semi Finals for SEA Shorts and Novellas in April 2024. Book four, the latest of the series, is The Whistle of Revenge, which launched in January 25. This Jaw-dropping, enthralling follow-up to Doyles Hound of the Baskervilles, was a recent Finalist at The Readers Favorite International Literary Competition. Semi-Finalist at The Ciba Clue Award, Crimson Quill Nominee, Gold Award from Literary Titan, and an Eric Hoffer Nominee.The Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mysteries were Short-Listed by CIBA for Best Series. KD has contributed two Anthologies for Marla Bradeen and Annalee Adams. Her short story, A Bit of a Do, is currently being adapted into a novella, while work has already begun on book five of the Sherlock and Irene Series, The Changing Man.KD is a member of CWA and the LWA, and a friend of The Harris Library in Preston. Her Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler Mysteries have been read and reviewed by Peter E Blau, for the Red Circle of Washington, Sherlock Holmes Society.You can contact KD on social media. Facebook Author Page KD Sherrinford. https://www.facebook.com/people/KDSherrinford/10007831933010 bhttps://www.bookbub.com/author/kd-sherrinford https://twitter.com/KDSherrinford https://www.amazon.com/author/sherrinfordbooks https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23093327 https://allauthor.com/author/KDSHERRINFORD WEBSITE https://emilydaniel16.ag.sites.net Or just email kdsherrinford@gmail.com or bernice.leahy@yahoo.co.uk
Tickets available; https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/.../warrington.../e-ykaxxo
Axl Malton
Cheryl Elaine
Simon Gould - best-selling author of Playing the Game
Donna Morfett - The Disappearance of Peter Markham : DI Cora Snitton Book 1 (DI Cora Snitton Series)
and many more to be announced!Whats happening on the day? Hosted by the amazing Ian 'Zippy' Lees!Panel interviews with bestselling authors
Interactive Q&A sessions
Book signings & meet the authors
Exclusive on-site bookshop
Tote bag + signed book & bookish goodies included with every ticket!Doors open 11:30 am | Panels 12 4:30 pm Access to the onsite bar, Starbucks & restaurant Free secure parking at the venue
Tickets are on sale NOW but numbers are limited. Dont miss your chance to be part of the very first Warrington Crime Festival.
Like, share, and tag your crime-fiction-loving friends this is one day you wont want to miss!
#WarringtonCrimeFestival #CrimeFiction #ThrillerWriters #MeetTheAuthors #DarkFiction