Mark Billingham has twice won the Theakston’s Old Peculier Award for Crime Novel of the Year, and has also won a Sherlock Award for the Best Detective created by a British writer. Each of the novels featuring Detective Inspector Tom Thorne have been a Sunday Times bestseller. Sleepyhead and Scaredy Cat were made into a hit TV series on Sky 1 starring David Morrissey as Thorne, and a series based on the novels In the Dark and Time of Death was broadcast on BBC1. Mark lives in north London with his wife and two children.

It has been 25 years since Chris Brookmyre’s first book was published. Since then, he has established himself as one of the most popular crime writers in Scotland. His enthusiasm for hurling himself into extra-curricular activities, such as the Scotland vs England Writers football, the Caledonian Challenge, Channel 5 Egg Heads, the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers and BBC Question Time, means he has more to talk about than most. At Bloody Scotland last year, he earned bragging rights when Stephen King opened his event by holding up a copy of Brookmyre’s book, Want You Gone declaring it ‘fantastic’. A TV adaptation of The Cut is in development, and Chris and his wife Marisa are currently writing the scripts.

Doug Johnstone is the author of 12 previous novels. Several of his books have been bestsellers and three, A Dark Matter (2020), Breakers (2019) and The Jump (2015), were shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. He’s taught creative writing and has been a writer-in-residence at various institutions over the last decade, including at a funeral parlour. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three solo EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers, a band of crime writers. Follow Doug on Twitter @doug_johnstone and visit his website: dougjohnstone.com.

Stuart Neville, the “king of Belfast noir” (The Guardian), is the author of the short story collection The Traveller, as well as nine novels, for which he has won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and been shortlisted for the Edgar, Macavity, Dilys, Barry, and Anthony Awards as well as the CWA Steel Dagger. He lives near Belfast.

Val McDermid’s best-selling novels have won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award, and the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger and Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for outstanding achievement. She is also a multiple finalist for the Edgar Award, including for the Fact Crime nominee Forensics.

Luca Veste is the author of several police procedurals and standalone crime novels including The Bone Keeper and The Six. He is the host of the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast and the co-founder of the Locked In festival. He plays bass guitar in the band The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Liverpool, with his wife and two daughters. @LucaVeste

Roland Gulliver is the Director of the Toronto International Festival of Authors, and a leading international figure in the literature sector with over 12 years’ experience at the Edinburgh International Book Festival as Associate Director. His programming explores the potential of live performance, alongside commissions for new multimedia storytelling. Gulliver champions communities by facilitating access and empowerment, and creating spaces for authors and audiences to engage in discussion. He is on the Board of Directors for the Toronto Arts Council and Chair of their Literary Advisory Committee, and is a Member of the Academy for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.