With over 30 authors confirmed! This is the 1st Warrington Crime Festival. Taking place on Sunday, 19th April 2026 at the amazing Village Hotel, Warrington. We will bring the most prolific crime fiction authors from the North West and North Wales to their readers. Join us for a day of interaction, stories and laughter with bestsellers and rising stars from the dark fiction community.
Doors will open at 11.00am, panels will start at 11.30am and will finish about 4.30. The running time is TBC.
Included in your ticket price:
Access to all panel discussions and a chance to ask the authors those burning questions
Book signings with your favourite authors
Onsite bookshop, courtesy of the authors
Tote bag with a signed book and bookish goodies
Access to the onsite bar, Starbucks and restaurant.
Free parking in the venue’s secure car park
The first authors to be announced are:
Crime writing 'phenomenon' Simon McCleave (author of 34 gripping crime novels.)
Simon McCleave is currently one of the top-selling authors in the UK.
A multi-million-selling crime novelist who lives in North Wales with his wife and two children.
Before he was 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’, Simon’s first book in an Anglesey-based crime series for publishing giant Harper Collins (Avon), was a major hit in 2022, becoming the highest-selling Waterstone’s 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
Prolific multimillion-selling Conrad Jones (author of 35 dark and gruesome novels.) Biography of Conrad Jones
Name: Conrad Jones
Age: 59 (born in 1965)
Residence: Warrington, England
Conrad Jones is a prolific author renowned for his mastery of crime-horror fiction. With an impressive portfolio of 36 best-selling novels, he has captivated readers worldwide, achieving remarkable milestones that include over 3 million sales and 120 million subscription page reads. His compelling narratives have led to 19 of his works reaching number one in various charts, showcasing his consistent popularity in the genre.
Currently, Conrad has six books listed in the top 20 of the UK horror charts, further solidifying his status as a leading figure in horror literature. His ability to blend thrilling crime elements with sinister horror has garnered a loyal following among fans of both genres.
Beyond his writing, Conrad is a passionate pool player, often spending his leisure time honing his skills at the table. He draws inspiration from the world around him, and his current work in progress, titled The Nest, reflects his creative evolution. This novel is notably inspired by The Rats by James Herbert, a classic in the horror genre that has influenced many writers, including Jones himself.
As he continues to craft stories that both terrify and enthrall, Conrad Jones remains a dynamic voice in contemporary horror literature, maintaining a strong connection with his readers and the ever-evolving landscape of the genre.
Also confirmed;
CSI and author, the amazing Andrew Barret.
Author biography – Andrew Barrett
Andrew Barrett has been a CSI since 1996, and one way or another, his life has revolved around crime ever since.
In 1997 he finished his first crime thriller, A Long Time Dead, and it’s still a readers’ favourite today, some 150,000 copies later, topping the Amazon charts several times. Two more books featuring SOCO Roger Conniston completed the trilogy.
Today, Andrew still produces authentic crime thrillers with a forensic flavour that attract attention from readers worldwide. He’s also attracted attention from the Yorkshire media, having been featured in the Yorkshire Post and interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds a couple of times.
He’s best known for his lead character, CSI Eddie Collins, and the acerbic way in which he roots out criminals and administers justice. Eddie’s series is seven books and five novellas in length, and there’s still more to come.
But don’t forget the new four-part series starring the feisty DS Regan Carter – it’s wowing readers worldwide.
He’s a proud Yorkshireman and sets his novels there, using his home city of Leeds as another major, and complementary, character in each of the stories.
You can find out more about him and his writing at www.andrewbarrett.co.uk
Also confirmed; Ghost Story master, ML Rayner.
Born and bred in the county of Staffordshire. Matt is a keen reader of classical, horror and fantasy literature and enjoys writing in the style of traditional ghost stories. During his working life, Matt joined the ambulance service in 2009, transporting critically ill patients all over the UK. His hobbies include genealogy and hiking.
Also confirmed. Axl Malton. Author Biography
Axl Malton is a bestselling author hailing from the picturesque town of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. He burst onto the literary scene in 2022 with his debut novel, Cries of Joy, which captivated readers and quickly climbed the bestseller lists. Since then, Axl has published two additional titles, solidifying his reputation as a powerful voice in the world of fiction.
His latest work, The Devil's Tree, masterfully blends elements of crime and supernatural horror, showcasing Axl's knack for weaving intricate plots filled with suspense and unexpected twists. With each publication, he continues to enthrall a growing audience, earning a dedicated following among horror and thriller aficionados.
As Axl Malton's profile rises, he is becoming a notable figure in contemporary literature, carving out a space for himself as a dynamic storyteller celebrated for his thrilling narratives and rich character development.
Also confirmed! I'm excited to announce another talented author, dubbed 'The Duchess of Dark Noir...' 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 HUSBAND’S 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 people’s façades. 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.uk
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aC9BGe
X: https://x.com/CazEngland
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CazEngland1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cazengland1/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cazengland.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cazengland1
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/carolineengland1
Linkedin: 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...
Also confrimed. Cheryl Elaine. I am excited to announce another author of dark fiction. Cheryl Elaine. Her novels are dubbed darker than dark...in fact pitch black and certainly not for the faint-hearted.
Author Bio:
Cheryl Elaine was born on a military base camp, but her heart has always belonged to the rolling hills and vibrant landscapes of West Yorkshire. A British author known for her gripping narratives, Cheryl has penned five compelling fiction novels that delve into the realms of horror and psychological thrillers. Her writing is celebrated for its intensity, with her stories often described as "darker than dark"—truly pitch black and definitely not for the faint-hearted.
In addition to her fiction work, Cheryl has skillfully turned her talents toward dark fantasy, weaving intricate tales that captivate readers and leave them breathless with anticipation. As an award-winning scriptwriter, she brings a cinematic flair to her storytelling, crafting narratives that resonate long after the final page is turned. With a penchant for exploring the depths of human emotion and the shadows lurking within, Cheryl Elaine continues to enthral audiences, inviting them into her hauntingly vivid worlds. Her books are the following titles –
No Ordinary Girl …https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Ordinary-Girl-tainted-broken-ebook/dp/B072C7YVFJ
Stitched … https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stitched-gruesome-tale-control-brutality-ebook/dp/B07N89QYTN
Camp Hell …
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08K7MVFTG
Cult https://www.amazon.co.uk/CULT-Daughter-Sin-Cheryl-Elaine/dp/1999620453, A Daughter of Sin
Dragged to the Depths -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DL8MF17
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV1Y8W18
And When not absorbed in writing the latest gripping page turner, Cheryl Elaine loves to read, walk her dogs, or indulge in binge watching crime documentaries, and horror movies.
You can find out more about her, at the following places -https://m.facebook.com/CherylElaine15/
https://m.facebook.com/cherylelaineauthor/
https://www.instagram.com/cherylelaine15/
https://mobile.x.com/CherylElaine15
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Breaking News
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 Somebody’s 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 Campbell’s 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 Nominated
1982 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 Award
2024 Most Terrible Festival (Russia)
August Derleth Award
Best 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 Award—Professional 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 Won
2024 British Fantasy Award Karl Edward Wagner Award Won
Other received awards
1995 Premio alla Carriera a Ramsey Campbell (Prize for the Career of Ramsey Campbell), Fantafestival, Rome
2006 Howie Award of the H P Lovecraft Film Festival for Lifetime Achievement
In 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)
As we confirm, the lineup of the North West's crime writing best sellers will be announced. TBA
Also confirmed! Bio
Liz 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 around West Lothian, where she uses the distinctive landscape, historic heritage and Scottish culture as a backdrop to 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 been 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 Lorella Belli literary agency. For rights enquiries contact [email protected]
You can contact the agency at: [email protected]
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 Souls
Uncoiled Lies
Untainted Blood
Uncommon Cruelty
Unspoken Truths
Unseen Evil
Unbound Ties
Unjust Bias
https://amzn.to/3TeVz6w
The Nikki Parekh Series (set in Bradford)
Last Request
Broken Silence
Dark Memories
Blood Games
Dying Breath
End Game
https://amzn.to/42WgTAH
The Solanki & McQueen series (Set in West Lothian, Scotland)
The Blood Promise
The Revenge Pact
Deadly Reckoning
Twitter: @LizMistryAuthor / Facebook: @LizMistryBooks
/ Website: lizmistry.com
Event Venue
The Village Hotel Warrington, Village Gym, Warrington, WA1 1, United Kingdom
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
