About This Event

What makes a writer turn to crime? Guest Curator MJ Arlidge , creator of the DI Helen Grace series, is joined by three bestselling authors whose routes into crime fiction were anything but straightforward. Lisa Jewell moved from fashion and romantic fiction into blockbuster psychological thrillers; Chris Whitaker left banking and began writing after a traumatic experience; and former criminal barrister and TV Traitor Harriet Tyce wrote her first novel during lockdown. Together they discuss the unexpected paths that led them to suspense, the real-life experiences that feed their fiction, and why dark stories can prove so irresistible to write and read. There will be a book signing after this event. Get ahead of your Festival reading and visit the Waterstones Cheltenham Literature Festival bookshop and support Cheltenham Festivals with every purchase.

Staying overnight?

Hotels within walking distance of Cheltenham Town Hall.

Frequently asked questions