Death in the Dales – Festival of Crime 2026
Death in the Dales 2026 is the third annual Festival of Crime Writing in Sedbergh, England’s Booktown.
Sedbergh is proud to welcome distinguished members of the Crime Writer’s Association to guide our audience through the pleasures and difficulties of crafting brain teasing who-dun-its!
The weekend kicks off on Friday 16th October with Detour a 1945 Film Noir introduced by expert Matthew Booth who will explain why this is a cult classic. The evening includes a Pie’n’Peas supper.
Saturday 17th October offers a morning session including: Crafting Puzzles with Martin Edwards and Anthony Johnston; Hidden Histories, is truth stranger than fiction? with Carrie da Silva; and The Long Arm of the Law, three policemen-turned-writers give you the inside story, Roger Price, Nick Oldham & Simon Dinsdale.
Saturday’s afternoon session from 3pm includes: My Local Murder, The Gorse Hall Mystery with Dolores Gordon Smith; Haunted Places with Tom Mead, Victoria Dowd, & Kate Ellis; A Murder Mystery with Martin Edwards, an experience!
On Sunday 18th October we have:. Killer Thrillers with Simon Michael, Catherine Yaffe & David Beckler; The Lady Killers with Deborah Swift, Fiona Veitch Smith, & Priscilla Masters; A Mystery, The Secret History Of Crispin Darke with Matthew Booth.
The following authors will be appearing in the festival. Click on each writer below for more information.
Matthew Booth
Martin Edwards
Victoria Dowd
Tom Mead
Kate Ellis
Antony Johnston
Fiona Veirch-Smith
Deborah Swift
Simon Dinsdale
David Beckler
Roger Price
Priscilla Masters
Nick Oldham
Dolores Gordon-Smith
Simon Michael
Christine Poulson
Catherine Yaffe
Carrie de Silva
Marsali Taylor
Jean Briggs – Festival organiser