- Deadly: the festival of women writing crime takes place at the British Library on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March 2025
- Features Ann Cleeves, Denise Mina, Tess Gerritsen, Hallie Rubenhold, Sophie Hannah, Kia Abdullah, Sarah Phelps and many more
Deadly, the British Library’s inaugural festival celebrating women writing about crime, will take place on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March 2025.
International bestseller Tess Gerritsen will launch the festival (Friday 28 March) talking about her brand new book, The Summer Guests, in which trouble, and martinis, come to a small seaside town. Bespoke “best shaken and stirred” Spy Coast Martinis, inspired by the novel, will be available to purchase at the event.
On Saturday 29 March, there will be a full day of events celebrating contemporary crime fiction and non-fiction written by women, including: Award-winning crime writers Ann Cleeves and Denise Mina revealing the inside track on their craft
- The Five author Hallie Rubenhold launching her anticipated new book, Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistress and Dr Crippen
- A forensic analysis of plot twists at the Killer Endings panel with journalist Saima Mir, author Sam Blake and poet Sophie Hannah in conversation with author Abir Mukherjee
- Confronting cliches and pushing boundaries in The Politics of Crime with writer and journalist Kate Summerscale, novelist and travel writer Kia Abdullah and writer and cultural events programmer Bee Rowlatt in conversation with broadcaster Ayesha Hazarika
- A special showcase of the hottest literary newcomers to the crime scene with Maha Khan Phillips, Blessin Adams, Busayo Matuluko and Mary Watson
- The opportunity to compete against some of the field’s leading experts in The Deadly Sleuth-Off, where Team Vera will take on Team Marple in a literary death match refereed by playwright Sarah Phelps
Deadly: the festival of women writing crime will take place in the British Library Pigott Theatre and is also available to watch online. Tess Gerritsen and The Summer Guests (19.00-20.30 on Friday 28 March 2025) costs £16 to attend in person or £6.50 online. Deadly: the festival of women writing crime (11.00-20.30 on Saturday 29 March 2025) costs £21 to attend in person or £12 online. There are a range of concessions available.
