Jo Callaghan wins Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

‘In the Blink of An Eye’ by debut author Jo Callaghan has been announced as the winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024.

It was presented by Harrogate International Festivals on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival last night (Thursday).

In the Blink of An Eye introduces an intriguing detective double act as bereaved DCS Kat Frank is chosen to lead a pilot programme that sees her paired with AI colleague Lock, as human experience combines with logic to solve a complex missing persons case.

Hugely talented rising star, Midlands-born Jo Callaghan was selected for the Festival’s prestigious ‘New Blood’ panel in 2023 and has used her background as a strategist specialising in the future of work to create an innovative – and at times humorous - story examining the role of AI in criminal investigation. 

The novel, which Callaghan started writing after losing her husband to cancer in 2019, also explores grief and learning to live with loss.

Jo Callaghan receives a £3,000 prize, as well as an engraved beer cask handcrafted by one of Britain’s last coopers from Theakston’s Brewery.

On winning the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, Jo Callaghan said:

“I am so honoured to have won this award - this time last year I sat on the debut panel and I never imagined this is where I'd be now! 

“Huge thank you to everyone on the judging panel, my fellow shortlistees and my biggest thanks go to all the wonderful readers who have taken Kat and Locke to their hearts.”

In the Blink of An Eye was selected by a judging panel made up of journalists, broadcasters and representatives from the Award’s sponsors, with the public vote counting as the seventh judge, from an incredibly strong shortlist which also included The Last Dance by Mark Billingham, The Secret Hours by Mick Herron, Killing Jericho by William Hussey, None of This is True by Lisa Jewell and Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent.

The inaugural McDermid Debut Award, named in recognition of world-famous crime writer Val McDermid was won by Marie Tierney for Deadly Animals, it was also announced.

 Deadly Animals features road-kill obsessed teenager Ava Bonney, who discovers the mauled body of a schoolmate and embarks on a daring quest to unravel the truth behind the string of chilling deaths plaguing her Birmingham community. 

Birmingham-born Marie Tierney, who now lives in the Fens, worked in education before becoming a full-time writer. She receives a £500 cash prize. Nicola Sturgeon presented the award on behalf of Val McDermid, who is Chair of judges and helped select the winner.

On winning the McDermid Debut Award, Marie Tierney said:

“I’m shocked and overwhelmed by winning this incredible award because the competition was incredibly fierce. 

“Thank you to all the readers who appreciated Ava and her quirky ways.”

Legendary writer, Martina Cole received the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her impressive writing career. 

Headline’s publishing director Jennifer Doyle, accepted the award on Martina’s behalf.

‘The undisputed queen of British crime thrillers,’ Martina Cole has forged a unique connection to readers with her powerful storytelling. 

She is the author of twenty-seven bestselling novels with worldwide sales of over 18 million copies. 

Many of her novels, including The Take, The Runaway, Dangerous Lady and The Jump, have been made into hit TV series, capturing the imagination of millions worldwide. 

Her new novel, Guilty, co-written with Jacqui Rose, will be published by Headline in October 2024. 

Cole has appeared at the Festival three times, most recently in conversation with Peter James as a Special Guest in 2016. 

Martina Cole said: 

“It is a tremendous honour to receive this award. I’d like to thank everyone in the crime writing community – my fans, my fellow authors, my publisher, Headline, and my agent, Darley Anderson - for supporting me over the last 32 years. 

“Opening up new worlds to readers, some of whom had never read a book before they picked up one of mine, has always given me a huge sense of pride and pleasure.”

Cole is the latest in a line of acclaimed authors to have received the coveted award, with previous winners including Sir Ian Rankin, Lynda La Plante, James Patterson, John Grisham, Lee Child, Val McDermid, P.D. James, Michael Connelly and last year’s recipient, Ann Cleeves.

2024 AWARD WINNERS:

• WINNER of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024: In the Blink of An Eye by Jo Callaghan (Simon & Schuster)
• WINNER of the McDermid Debut Award: Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney (Bonnier Books)
• Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award: Martina Cole (Headline)

Simon Theakston, Chairman of T&R Theakston, said: 

“Tonight’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Awards winners truly represent the very best of crime and thriller writing. 

“In the Blink of An Eye is a boundary pushing take on the police procedural genre, told with heart and humour and with a plot that kept me hooked until the very last page. 

“I was chilled and thrilled by Deadly Animals, our first McDermid Debut Award Winner, and Marie Tierney really is a star of the future. 

“We are delighted to celebrate Martina Cole’s illustrious career which has inspired readers and writers from around the world with our Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award.”

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 three extraordinary women crime writers this year.

“Jo Callaghan’s In the Blink of An Eye is a truly ground-breaking novel that changes the way we think about policing forever. 

“We are delighted to reveal Marie Tierney as our first McDermid Debut Award winner. 

“Her novel Deadly Animals impressed all the judges with the calibre of the writing and the assured handling of a harrowing story. 

“We are thrilled to celebrate the work of the phenomenal Martina Cole with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award. Truly a crime fiction legend, Martina has amassed a legion of devoted fans over the course of her career, captivating readers with her extraordinary characters and compelling plots.”

The award winners were revealed at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate, during the opening ceremony for the world’s largest and most prestigious celebration of crime writing, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival (18-21 July), which this year features a stellar line up of bestselling authors and fan favourites including Richard Osman, Mick Herron, Elly Griffiths, Vaseem Khan, M.W. Craven, James Comey, Femi Kayode, Saima Mir, Peter James, Dorothy Koomson and Abir Mukherjee.

The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2024 is presented by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston Ltd, in partnership with Waterstones and the Daily Express, and is open to full-length crime novels published in paperback between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024.  

The winner receives £3,000 and a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by T&R Theakston Ltd.