Ann Cleeves and Peter May join line-up for 2014 Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate

Ann Cleeves and Peter May to appear In Conversation at the 2014 Festival

We are delighted to announce that Ann Cleeves and Peter May, two outstanding crime writers who have made island life their own with their beautifully crafted location themed novels, will appear together on the Harrogate stage for a very special In Conversation event next year. They join our star-studded 2014 line-up, which already includes the likes of Gillian Flynn, Sophie Hannah, Lynda LaPlante and S.J. Watson.

Best-selling author Ann Cleeves, the writer behind the hugely successful ITV's Vera series and BBC One's Shetland series, has written over twenty-five novels, and is the creator of the brilliant detectives Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez – characters loved both on screen and in print. Her books have now sold over 1 million copies worldwide. Harbour Street, the sixth book in Ann Cleeves’ crime novel series VERA (now a major TV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn) is released in January 2014. Murder-mystery drama Shetland has been re-commissioned by BBC One for a second series in collaboration with BBC Scotland and produced by ITV Studios, with filming taking place this Summer. Following its successful two-part debut earlier this year, Shetland will return for a second run next year as a bigger six-part series with Douglas Henshall returning to the lead role as Detective Jimmy Perez.

Ann Cleeves will appear In Conversation with the multi award-winning author Peter May, the man behind the internationally best-selling Lewis Trilogy set in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, the China Thrillers featuring Beijing detective Li Yan and American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell and the critically-acclaimed Enzo Files featuring Scottish forensic scientist Enzo MacLeod which is set in France, as well as several standalone books. Entry Island, a standalone crime thriller, is also set for release in January 2014.

Join our journey to Shetland and to Lewis, and beyond, as Cleeves and May discuss the fascination and the restrictions of studying the dark deeds of Island life.

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