The stage at the Winston Churchill Theatre will turn toward murder plots, manuscript craft and bestselling crime fiction on Saturday 13 June, when the Hillingdon Libraries Crime Festival returns for a full-day programme.
The event runs from 10am to 5pm, tickets cost £12, and it is aimed at readers and aspiring writers who want to hear directly from crime authors about books, writing and the genre’s pull. Hillingdon Council says more than 15 bestselling authors are due to take part, making this year’s line-up the festival’s biggest so far.
Saturday at Winston Churchill Theatre
The Hillingdon Libraries Crime Festival will take place at the Winston Churchill Theatre in Hillingdon on Saturday 13 June. The confirmed running time is 10am to 5pm, giving the event a full-day format rather than a single author talk.
Tickets are priced at £12. Booking details listed by the organiser direct readers to discover.hillingdon.gov.uk/crime-festival.
For local book lovers, the practical appeal is straightforward: one venue, one day, and a programme built around live talks, book discussions and writing insights. The audience is not limited to established crime-fiction fans. The source notice also frames the festival as a draw for aspiring writers, particularly those interested in how working authors build stories, characters and suspense.
The event follows last year’s sell-out festival, when more than 200 visitors heard from nine leading crime writers. A related demoduck.co.uk guide to the Hillingdon crime festival also tracks the return of the event for local readers.
More than 15 crime authors on the bill
Hillingdon Council says this year’s festival features more than 15 bestselling crime authors. Names highlighted for the 2026 programme include Tom Hindle, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, TM Logan, Louise Candlish and Araminta Hall.
The format is built around live talks and book discussions, with writing insights threaded through the day. That mix matters for the likely audience: readers can follow the authors behind the books, while writers can listen for practical detail on storytelling, plotting and the publishing life.
The festival grew out of the regular Coffee and Crime events held at Hillingdon libraries. That background gives the day a local library connection rather than the feel of a touring commercial book event dropped into the borough for one appearance.
Part of the National Year of Reading programme
The crime festival sits within a wider programme of Hillingdon library events during 2026, linked to the National Year of Reading. The campaign is focused on promoting literacy, encouraging reading for pleasure and helping people discover books and authors.
Daniel Kennedy, Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Director of Residents Services, said the festival was “a fantastic event for book lovers” and described it as part of the council’s work to connect people with reading.
He added that Hillingdon libraries are “welcoming community spaces that bring people together” and said residents and visitors would have more opportunities during the National Year of Reading to enjoy events and activities around books.
Tickets and next dates for readers
The confirmed event details are:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | Hillingdon Libraries Crime Festival |
| Date | Saturday 13 June |
| Time | 10am to 5pm |
| Venue | Winston Churchill Theatre, Hillingdon |
| Ticket price | £12 |
| Booking | discover.hillingdon.gov.uk/crime-festival |
Hillingdon Council also points readers to discover.hillingdon.gov.uk/author-events for more upcoming author events.
Young readers aged four to 11 are being directed toward the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, which launches on Saturday 4 July. Sign-up details are listed by the council at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/summer-reading.
Source: Hillingdon Council
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This event preview is based on the organiser notice and keeps the date, venue, price and booking details to the published information.
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- Hillingdon Council
- Scope
- Hillingdon
- Updated
- 2026-06-04 19:45
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