Alnwick Story Fest 2025 is running from 28 February-2 March with oodles of top authors heading to the Northumberland town to discuss their latest opuses.

Alnwick Story Fest is really spreading its wings this year with Alnwick Garden, Alnwick Playhouse (and Playhouse Studio Hub), Bailiffgate gallery and Barter Books all geared up to take on hosting duties. And the programme this year features an array of big-hitters who have shifted millions of books between them. I’m talking about people like Sir Alexander McCall Smith (the fella behind the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency) and JL Ross (pictured – author of the best-selling crime books featuring DCI Ryan and others besides.) Also on hand will be Mari Hannah, another author with her finger on the local crime writing pulse. The former Labour MP Chris Mullin has won plaudits aplenty for his books and he’ll be discussing his latest, which concerns the scandal that surrounded the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six. Rachel Cooke is a distinguished journalist and writer and her latest is ‘The Virago Book of Friendship’. She’ll be in conversation with New Writing North’s Claire Malcolm and the pair will be chatting about the power and perils of female friendship. Other names to look out for include psychological thriller supremo Adele Parks, Piers Torday (who will hold a workshop on writing children’s books) and self-help guru Oliver Burkeman. Full programme from the website, below. GM

Alnwick Story Fest, 28 February-2 March, alnwickstoryfest.com