A shortlist has been released for this year's Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, which "celebrates excellence, originality, and the very best in crime fiction by U.K. and Irish authors." The prize is run by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston.
The winner will be revealed July 23, on opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, and receives £3,000 (about $3,970) and a hand-engraved oak beer cask provided by T&R Theakston. This year's shortlisted titles are:
The Midnight King by Tariq Ashkanani
The Death of Us by Abigail Dean
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths
Clown Town by Mick Herron
Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan