A prestigious annual reading month will be launching this year’s festival in York.
National Crime Reading Month is a UK-wide celebration of crime fiction taking place in June each year, with events, book groups and workshops in libraries, bookshops and communities happening across the country.
And for 2026, the launch of this national initiative will take place in York on Saturday 30 May.
Hosted by the Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and independent York bookshop Criminally Good Books, the launch event will take place at All Saints’ Church, Pavement, York, from 6.30pm to 9pm.
The evening will feature live readings, book signings and the announcement of the Margery Allingham Short Mystery Competition winner.
The line-up includes Gay Marris, Tom Mead, Gemma Denham, Chris Lloyd, Antony Johnston, Diane Saxon, Lesley McEvoy, Clare Grant and Tim Major.
Tickets for the launch event are £5, and includes complimentary wine, and are free for CWA members. Tickets can be booked here.
National Crime Reading Month brings readers and writers together through author events, book groups and workshops across the UK, with this year’s programme being part of the Department for Education’s National Year of Reading.
Nadine Matheson, chair of the CWA, said: “Crime fiction continues to captivate readers because it offers something for everyone, from psychological thrillers and historical mysteries to cosy crime and noir.
“National Crime Reading Month celebrates that range and invites even more people to discover the genre.”
The reading month is hosted by the CWA in partnership with The Reading Agency.
Karen Napier MBE, CEO of The Reading Agency, said: “Crime fiction is a powerful gateway into reading, pairing irresistible storytelling with real wellbeing benefits.
“Through National Crime Reading Month, we want to help more people across the UK rediscover the joy of reading.”
The Reading Agency’s research found that just 53% of UK adults describe themselves as regular readers, underlining the value of campaigns like NCRM in helping more people reconnect with books.
Find out more about National Crime Reading Month at their website.
