Eighth time lucky as author Elly Griffiths wins crime writing gong | Books | Entertainment

A bestselling author nominated a record eight times for one of crime writing’s most prestigious awards was finally crowned winner last night for her thrilling new book about a time-travelling cop. Elly Griffiths, creator of the Norfolk-set Dr Ruth Galloway series, won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, supported by the Daily Express, for her “highly original” new series opener, The Frozen People.

It features cold case Detective Ali Dawson – who goes back to Victorian London to investigate a series of murders with 21st century implications. Griffiths, 62, from West Sussex, received the £3,000 prize, as well as an engraved beer cask handcrafted by one of Britain’s last coopers from award sponsors Theakston’s Brewery, at a ceremony hosted by broadcaster Steph McGovern at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

She has previously been shortlisted for the Award eight times and was Highly Commended in 2023 for The Locked Room. She received the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in 2025. As well as the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries, Griffiths is author of the Brighton Mysteries and the Detective Harbinder Kaur series. Her intricately plotted novels told with wry humour and featuring engaging characters have sold more than five million copies worldwide, winning her fans across the globe.

Griffiths described herself as “blown away” by her win. She paid tribute to her husband, Andy, an archaeologist who she said helped inspire her story, and their two children. She also thanked long-time editor, Jane Wood, who she said should be on the stage with her as she had edited all her books and helped make them a success. Griffiths added to wannabe authors in the 800-strong audience, “never stop believing”.

The Frozen People was selected from an incredibly strong shortlist that also included The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani; The Death of Us by Abigail Dean; Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney; Clown Town by Mick Herron; and Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan.

The third annual McDermid Debut Award, named in recognition of world-famous crime writer Val McDermid, went to Scottish writer Frances Crawford for A Bad, Bad Place.

A gritty and atmospheric thriller set in 1970s Glasgow, A Bad, Bad Place centres around 12-year-old Janey Devine who discovers the body of a murdered woman – the daughter of a local gangster – while walking her dog on a disused railway track and becomes irrevocably tangled up in the police investigation. Scottish writer Frances Crawford graduated from Glasgow University’s Creative Writing program aged 60 with distinction before becoming a published author.

Crawford told the audience winning the prize was a dream, before saying: “I’d better not mention dreams in case I wake up on stage in my pyjamas and you really don’t want to see me in my pyjamas.” She added that every one of the books on the shortlist reflected “all that was good about crime writing” and that the award bearing Val McDermid’s name made it extra special.

Crawford, 63, received a £600 cash prize and an engraved beer casket. The award was presented by Chair of Judges, Val McDermid, and Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston.

Playwright Mel Pennant was Highly Commended for A Murder for Miss Hortense, a mystery novel featuring a formidable retired nurse turned amateur detective, whose sharp eyes and sharper wit uncover truths buried deep within her quiet Birmingham community.

McDermid said: “The 2026 shortlist for the McDermid Debut Award was exceptional, and the judges struggled to say goodbye to any of the contenders. But we couldn’t resist Frances Crawford’s A Bad Bad Place, a moving and engaging thriller set in Glasgow’s Possilpark in the 1970s. It’s an engrossing read, and a remarkable debut from a first-time author in her 60s. The judges also wanted to give a Highly Commended nod to A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant.”

Globally bestselling US novelist, David Baldacci, received the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition for his exceptional contribution to the crime thriller genre, honouring a remarkable career that has captivated millions of readers worldwide and helped shape modern suspense fiction.

In a video message, Baldacci’s fellow US author John Grisham paid tribute to their long friendship. Lawyers were generally boring, he said, but not the “sleazy guys and corrupt judges that me and David write about”.

For his part, Baldacci, 65, said: “Having cut my youthful teeth on British crime fiction, this award has special significance for me. Having read and loved The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, I recall hoping at the time that this Conan Doyle person had written more stories. A lot more.

“To join a group of some of the finest writers of any genre is humbling but also immensely thrilling. It’s also a reminder that we need to continue our collective mentorship and inspiration of new voices in our writing community. Indeed, we need storytellers from across the human spectrum perhaps now more than ever, for reasons that are all too apparent for anyone who has lifted a pen or turned a page.”

It was fitting, he told the audience, that he should be at Harrogate as he had been “reading British crime fiction most of his life and I consider it the gold standard”. He continued: “This is the 30th anniversary of my first novel, Absolute Power. Coincidentally the main character is an American president who is a narcissistic sociopath.” Without naming anyone, he added: “I apologise that we’ve foisted him on you, I did not vote for the gentleman myself”.

The former trial lawyer is a globally bestselling thriller writer, with more than 200 million books sold worldwide. His first book, Absolute Power, became an instant international hit, with the movie starring Clint Eastwood a major box office success. His most recent novel is Hope Rises, the sequel to Nash Falls, featuring anti-hero Walter Nash who is out for revenge after his daughter’s murder. “Thank you again for such an honour,” he added.

Simon Theakston, Chairman of title sponsor T&R Theakston, said: “Congratulations to all of our brilliant winners. This was another outstanding year for crime fiction, and we judges faced a difficult task selecting winners from phenomenal shortlists, which truly showcased the depth, breadth and originality of the genre.”

Sharon Canavar, Chief Executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said: “Awards night is always a special way to open the Festival and we are thrilled to celebrate the work of all of our winners and shortlistees. Elly Griffiths’s ‘The Frozen People’ is a corker of a mystery and a huge achievement by a writer at the top of her game. Huge congratulate to Elly for winning the Novel of the Year Award! The McDermid Debut Award has already established a successful track record for discovering emerging talent, and we congratulate Frances Crawford and Mel Tennant on their outstanding novels, which captured the judges’ hearts.”