Rankin, Welsh and Cleeves to headline Capital Crime festival

Ian Rankin, Irvine Welsh and Ann Cleeves will be headlining the Capital Crime crime and thriller festival led by Goldsboro Books’ co-founder and managing director David Headley.

The festival will be returning to the Leonardo Royal Hotel from 30th May until 1st June 2024, with speakers including Anthony Horowitz, Kellye Garrett, Rob Rinder and Elly Griffiths. Hugh Howey, Alex Michaelides and Paula Sutton have also been confirmed as speakers, with the full line-up to be announced early next year.

Also returning are the festival’s Fingerprint Awards and the social outreach initiative, which aims to demystify the industry for young state-school Londoners considering a career in publishing.

Headley, said: "Next year’s line-up is already shaping up beautifully, with some of the most talented writers from all around the country signed up – and from the US, we’re delighted to welcome the enormously exciting Kellye Garrett and Silo creator Hugh Howey.

"I’m so delighted that Capital Crime champions authors not only on stage, but with our Fingerprint Awards where the readers vote for their winners in each category — every year our line-up reflects what fans are reading and this year’s line-up is very exciting."

Capital Crime festival director Lizzie Curle added: "We loved our brilliant new venue in St Paul’s, and from the feedback we’ve received from authors and attendees, so did everyone else! I’m honoured that we’ll be welcoming some of the best crime writers from around the world to join us in London, to celebrate crime and thriller writing with the authors, readers and fans who make Capital Crime possible. Our 2024 festival promises to be bigger and better than ever before."