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Featuring: Lin Anderson, Lorna Dawson, Niamh Nic Daeid, Professor James Grieve and Martin Hall.

Few writers can ignore how forensics has transformed detecting crimes, taking the genre from the puzzle in the library to the minutia under the microscope. Join, author Lin Anderson, creator of forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod, with a panel of professors.

Lorna Dawson is a Principal Soil Scientist who has worked on case investigations with the police and Forensic Science Service, as well as advising on TV shows ‘Vera’ and ‘Silent Witness’. Niamh Nic Daeid is Professor of Forensic Science and Director of Research at the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee.

Professor James Grieve was a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Medicine and a Police Forensic Pathologist. And forensic entomologist Martin Hall has worked as an expert witness on over 30 criminal cases, looking at how maggots can provide vital clues to murder.

'Forensics' was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Arnuldar Indridason gives interviews rarely and guards his privacy fiercely, and has admitted he’d rather be home writing than touring on book promotions. It’s a huge privilege then to welcome the Icelandic author, whose macabre thrillers starring the introspective Scandinavian inspector Erlendur Sveinsson, have been translated into 20 languages and enjoy huge sales worldwide.

Having worked for many years as a journalist and film critic for the Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid, he began writing novels aged 34. The son of the prominent Icelandic novelist Indridi Thorsteinsson, he hid his writing at first from his father. By the summer of 2003, his crime novels occupied the top five spots in the Icelandic bestseller list and the following year his books made up seven of the 10 most borrowed from the Reykjavik library.

He speaks to writer and journalist Barry Forshaw.

'Special Guest: Arnaldur Indridason Interviewed By Barry Forshaw' was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Featuring: Steve Cavanagh, Stuart Neville, Brian McGilloway, Eoin McNamee and Adrian McKinty.

Is it the luck of the Irish? Behold the emerald jewels of crime fiction!

Steve Cavanagh, a practicing lawyer, is guilty of being criminally good. His debut US-based legal thriller, The Defence, became the subject of an international bidding war. Stuart Neville also had a brilliant debut when The Twelve became one of the LA Times’ top crime novels in 2009, and introduced a major new voice to the genre.

New York Times bestseller, Brian McGilloway attracts critical acclaim for his fast-paced and incisive prose in his admired Inspector Benedict Devlin and Lucy Black series. Eoin McNamee, who writes under the pseudonym John Creed for the Jack Valentine series, is no stranger to praise, with The Blue Tango longlisted for the Booker Prize. Described as ‘genre to the core’ Adrian McKinty has been compared to David Peace and James Ellroy for his fast-paced prose.

Irish Noir was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Adrian McKinty's book The Chain has been shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Of The Year 2020. Vote for The Chain, and discover the shortlist at www.harrogatetheakstoncrimeaward.com

Scottish comedian and presenter, Fred MacAuley delves into M.C. Beatons extraordinary career.

Marion Chesney is known primarily for the more than 100 historical romance novels. M.C. Beaton is the pseudonym she reserves for crime fiction, including the much-loved Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth novels.

Born in Glasgow, she was a bookseller, theatre critic and fashion editor before joining the Scottish Daily Express, where she mostly reported crime. A move to Fleet Street followed with the Daily Express before leaving for America, working for The Star in New York.

She took up writing romances to spend more time with her son. A holiday in Sutherland at a fishing school inspired her first Hamish Macbeth story. Beaton returned to Scotland, where husband Harry reared black sheep, before a move to the Cotswolds, which inspired the brilliant Agatha Raisin.

Special Guests: M.C. Beaton In Conversation With Fred MacAuley was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Mark Billingham and Eddie Izzard first met more than twenty-five years ago as struggling stand-up comics.

Mark continued to struggle then later chucked in the comedy and went on to write the hugely successful series of crime novels featuring DI Tom Thorne. Eddie meanwhile became the mot acclaimed comedian of his generation, on top of which he is now a hugely successful actor, activist, and campaigner.

In this very special guest event, they will discuss the overlap between crime and comedy, the art of storytelling and of course Eddies many TV and film appearances.

'Special Guests: Mark Billingham In Conversation With Eddie Izzard' was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Featuring: Larsson’s publisher, Christopher MacLehose; Eva Gedin, Larsson’s original editor and publisher at the Swedish firm Norstedts; Mark Lawson and Barry Forshaw.

The phenomenon returns.

Exactly 10 years after publication of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, August 2015 saw a new story based on Larsson’s universe and characters, written by the brilliant David Lagercrantz. His publishers have compared the planned release across 35 countries to the global splash made by Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code in 2003.

Stieg Larsson’s Millennium books have sold more than 75 million copies in 50 countries featuring the punked-up, troubled, but resourceful Lisbeth Salander. Dissect Larsson’s legacy and the brand new fourth book with chair Mark Lawson, Scandi-crime connoisseur Barry Forshaw and Larsson’s publisher, Christopher MacLehose and Eva Gedin, Larsson’s original editor and publisher at the Swedish firm Norstedts.

'Millennium - She's Back!' was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Featuring: Val McDermid, Renee Knight, Clare Mackintosh, Ben McPherson and Lucy Ribchester.

The return of the panel dedicated to showcasing the year’s most dazzling debut authors! Always a sell-out, this event will see Queen of Crime Val McDermid in the hot seat to hand-pick four of the brightest new talents ready for a new crime wave.

She’ll be inviting Renee Knight, Clare Mackintosh, Ben McPherson and Lucy Ribchester to discuss their debut novels. Eager readers on the lookout for the next big thing will be given the chance to discover a sure-fire list of ‘ones to watch’. Not to be missed!

New Blood With Val McDemid was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Chicago meets Kirkcaldy. Two Queens of the genre. One stage.

Before there was Lisbeth Salander there was V I Warshawski. Sara Paretsky revolutionised the mystery world when she introduced V I in Indemnity Only. By creating a believable investigator with the grit and the smarts to tackle problems on the mean streets, she challenged a genre in which women typically were either vamps or victims.

Paretsky put fire in Warshawski’s eyes and in the process inspired a generation of women crime writers, including Val McDermid. One of the biggest names of the genre, Val’s creations include Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan and the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series.

Two passionate, electrifying authors with a passion for social justice. Expect sparks to fly.

Special Guests: Sara Paretsky In Conversation With Val McDermid was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Featuring: Belinda Bauer, Wiley Cash, Jonathan Freedland, Nicci French and Cath Staincliffe.

Is the crime novel essentially an up-dated morality tale? The crime genre can help us contemplate some of the most important questions of our time. How can the press spend so many column inches on the tragic overdose of a Hollywood star when hundreds of drug-related deaths go unreported every year? Is murder ever justified? And where does euthanasia fit into the debate? Belinda Bauer, Wiley Cash, Jonathan Freedland, Nicci French and Cath Staincliffe chew over the rights and wrongs, with sensitivity, passion, and a dash of black humour.

The Morality Of Murder was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.

Featuring: Lee Child, Steve Mosby, Peter Robinson, Nick Quantrill and Frances Brody.

It's known as God's own county. Naturally. Aside from the best beers, proper brews and rollicking Dales, Yorkshire 'appens to be murderously good for the crime genre. As Harrogate is the epicentre for crime writing's biggest celebration of the genre we celebrate local folk and devotees of the county.

Lee Child may be the cool blockbusting author with the trans-atlantic drawl hanging with the likes of Tom Cruise, but he used to buy his toffee in Harrogate with his grandma as a lad before studying in Sheffield. Steve Mosby stalks the mean streets of Leeds, and Peter Robinson's DCI Banks novels starring Stephen Tompkinson were lovingly filmed on location in Yorkshire.

Born and raised in industrial Hull, Nick Quantrill's Joe Geraghty novels have been dubbed as 'Hull's answer to Ian Rankin', and Frances Brody sets her Kate Shackleton mystery novels in Yorkshire.

By 'eck what a treat!

Yorkshire Pride was recorded live at Harrogate International Festivals' Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July 2015.