Murder One 2024 – The Talent

We have a fabulous selection of guests appearing at our 2024 festival, listed here in alphabetical order

GRAHAM BARTLETT

Graham Bartlett is a best-selling and award winning crime writer. In a previous life he was police officer for 30 years, rising to become both a senior detective and chief superintendent and the divisional commander of Brighton and Hove police. His first non-fiction book Death Comes Knocking was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, which he then followed with Babes in the Wood. He co-wrote these books with bestselling author, Peter James, and has since turned to fiction and published Bad for Good, Force of Hate and City on Fire, all starring Chief Superintendent Jo Howe. Graham is also a police procedural and crime advisor helping scores of authors and TV writers inject authenticity into their work.

SAM BLAKE

Sam Blake is a multiple No 1 bestselling crime writer, who has been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year three times.  Her 10th thriller, Three Little Birds, and her second YA novel, Something’s About to Blow Up, are in shops now. Sam is the founder of Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, Murder One. She is the current Chair of the Society of Authors Board and previously a board member of the Crime Writers Association.

BREDA BROWN

Breda Brown is the chairperson of the Irish Writers Centre, the home for writers in Ireland. She presents the ‘Inside Books’ podcast and reviews crime novels for the Sunday Independent. A former journalist, she is a regular contributor to radio and television programmes and is also the co-founder of Unique Media, a strategic communications firm.

SHEILA BUGLER

Sheila Bugler grew up in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. After studying Psychology at University College Galway she left Ireland to work as an EFL teacher overseas. Sheila is the author of ten critically acclaimed crime novels. Her latest, Dark Road Home, is set in Co. Clare where she spent many happy summers as a child. She now lives on the south coast of England.

ANDREA CARTER

Andrea Carter is the author of The Inishowen Mysteries. She grew up in Ballyfin, Co. Laois, and graduated in law from Trinity College, Dublin, before qualifying as a solicitor and moving to the Inishowen peninsula. Having practised law for twenty years, more recently as a barrister, she now writes full time. Her short story The Lamb was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2019. Death Writes, the latest Inishowen mystery, was published in July. The series is in development for  television. Her first standalone will be published in 2025.

JANE CASEY

Jane Casey is the author of the Maeve Kerrigan series as well as stand-alone The Killing Kind which was adapted for television in 2023. Her latest book, A Stranger in the Family, has been a number one bestseller in Ireland this year, and stayed on the bestseller lists for eleven weeks.

AMANDA CASSIDY

Amanda Cassidy is a freelance journalist, commissioning editor and former Sky News reporter. She’s a frequent contributor to national radio, print and television and holds a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin. Her debut novel Breaking was shortlisted for last year’s CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Awards. The Returned, her second novel, was published last year and received rave reviews. The Perfect Place, Amanda’s latest novel, was published in August and went straight into the bestseller list.

STEVE CAVANAGH

Steve Cavanagh is a critically acclaimed, Sunday Times best-selling author of the Eddie Flynn series which has sold a million copies in the UK. His third novel, The Liar, won the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the year 2018. Thirteen won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime novel of the year 2019. FIFTY FIFTY was a Richard and Judy Book club choice, and the BBC Between The Covers book club choice. All of his novels have been nominated for major awards. His last four novels have all been Sunday Times Bestsellers

EDEL COFFEY

Edel Coffey is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. She has worked as editor of the Irish Independent Weekend Magazine, and Books Editor of the Irish Independent. She is a regular contributor to The Irish Times and Books Editor with The Gloss magazine. Her debut novel Breaking Point won the An Post Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction Book Of The Year and was a number one bestseller in Ireland. In Her Place is her second novel.

CLAIRE COUGHLAN

Claire Coughlan worked as a journalist in Ireland for many years, most recently writing for publications including BookBrunch.co.uk and the Sunday Independent. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD and was previously the recipient of Arts Council funding, as well as a literature bursary from Dublin City Council. Claire’s first novel, Where They Lie, was published in February 2024 by Simon & Schuster UK and Harper US.

CLARA DILLON

Clara Dillon is a doctor living in South Dublin with two children. She is author of The Playdate which published in February 2024. Clara is currently trying to write another psychological drama set in a hospital.

PROFESSOR JOHN DEANE-O’KEEFFE

John Deane-O’Keeffe is a Forensic Criminologist and Lecturer in Criminal Law. He is also a Lay Anglican Minister and Lectures in Theology. Additionally John works as a Journalist and Radio Broadcaster, where he hosts a weekly programme, ‘Law Matters,’ on Dublin City FM. John is currently Dean, Faculty of Criminology & Policing Studies at City Colleges, Dublin where he also lectures in Criminal Law. He was also a Magistrate in the UK where he sat on the Northumbrian Bench and is currently a Tutor in the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oxford [Christ Church], where he teaches on a range of courses across forensic criminology & theology. John is a Lay Minister in the Church of Ireland and works as a Hospital and Prison Chaplain and has undertaken undergraduate studies in History, Law and Theology at UCD, TCD, Bristol and the University of Oxford. He holds post graduate degrees in Forensic Criminology and Law from TCD, London Met and the University of Cambridge. His book, ‘Christ Alive!’ will be published at the end of 2024 and is a lively and humorous series of polemics exploring how we find God’s presence in places where we least expect.

MICHELLE DUNNE

Michelle Dunne is a crime writer from Cork whose new psychological thriller, The Hotel Maid, was released in August 24. Her bestselling thriller The Good Girl published in March 24.  Michelle also wrote While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible, a series of thrillers following former soldier and UN Peacekeeper Lindsey Ryan as she tries to adapt to her new life in the clutches of PTSD. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper. Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland’s very own Alcatraz, and a key part of the Murder One team!

R.B. EGAN

R.B. Egan initially worked as an actor in film, television and theatre dividing his time between London and Dublin. At a later point he moved to Tanzania and settled in the north of the country, outside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where he developed a safari lodge and tours business with his wife. Now, together with his young family, he lives in Dublin and writes. One Perfect Stranger is his crime thriller debut. Prior to embarking on his working life R.B.Egan took degrees in literature from Trinity College Dublin and also St Peters College at Oxford University. R.B.Egan has been signed to Hodder UK on a two book deal. One Perfect Stranger came out in hardback in the UK and Ireland in June 2024. It will be released in paperback in spring of 2025. R.B.Egan’s second stand alone psychological thriller will be released in autumn 2025.

PATRICIA FORDE

Patricia Forde – Ireland’s Current Laureate na nÓg- is an award-winning writer from Galway. She has written books for all ages in both Irish and English. She is best known for The Wordsmith and The Girl Who Fell to Earth and for her picture books Fidget The Wonder Dog and Imagine. Her latest novel, Lost Dogs is published in September. She is Ireland’s seventh Laureate na nÓg .

ANDREW HUGHES

Born in Co. Wexford, Andrew Hughes is an author, archivist and historian. His debut novel, The Convictions of John Delahunt, was shortlisted for Crime Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards. His second novel, The Coroner’s Daughter, was the One Dublin One Book choice for 2023. His first contemporary crime novel, Emma, Disappeared, came out in April 2024.

PETER JAMES

Peter James is a UK No.1 bestselling author, best known for his Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now a hit ITV drama starring John Simm as the troubled Brighton copper. He has won over 40 awards for his work including the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award and Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger. In 2024, it was announced that he is the creator of Her Majesty Queen Camilla’s favourite fictional detective. To date, Peter has written an impressive total of 20 Sunday Times No. 1s, sold over 23 million copies worldwide and been translated into 38 languages. His books are also often adapted for the stage, with his six stage shows grossing over £17 million at the box office – One of Us is Dead is his latest Roy Grace thriller.

VASEEM KHAN

Vaseem Khan is the author of two award-winning crime series set in India: the Baby Ganesh Agency series, and the Malabar House historical crime novels. His first book, The Unexpected Inheritance of Inspector Chopra, was a Times bestseller and has been translated into 17 languages. Midnight at Malabar House won the CWA Historical Fiction Dagger in 2021. In 2023 Vaseem was elected Chair of the Crime Writers Association. His latest book is Death of a Lesser God, the fourth in the Malabar House series. He had two books slated for 2025, his first psychological thriller The Girl in Cell A, and the first in series of a new James Bond spin-off featuring Q , Quantum of Menace.

NATASHA MAC A’BHÁIRD

Natasha Mac a’Bháird is a freelance writer and editor and has written twelve books for children, including the Star Club series, two titles in the Great Irish Sports Stars series and the much-loved picture book, Reindeer Down. Originally from Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, she now lives in Dublin. She regularly visits schools and libraries to talk about her books. Natasha’s 2024 book The Tower Ghost brings readers to the first year dormitory at Sycamore Hill. Can Clare, Rose and Molly solve the mystery – before a killer strikes again?

ANDREA MARA

Andrea Mara is a Number One Sunday Times, Irish Times, and Kindle bestselling author, who has been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the An Post Book Awards for four of her books. Someone In The Attic was published in June 2024 and went straight to number 2 on the Irish bestseller list. No One Saw A Thing, was a Number One bestseller in the UK, Ireland and on Kindle, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick, and has sold over quarter of a million copies.  All Her Fault was Sunday Times Crime Book of the Month, a top ten bestseller in the UK and Ireland, and a Kindle Top 5 bestseller. It has been optioned for TV and commissioned to go into production by US streamer Peacock, starring Sarah Snook, in her first TV role since Succession. Hide And Seek charted in the Irish Times bestseller list for five weeks and was shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year in 2022.

NADINE MATHESON

Nadine Matheson’s novels have been described as “gripping, tension filled and breath-taking”. In March 2022, HQ acquired UK and Commonwealth Rights, in another two-book deal, and Hanover Square Press acquired North American Rights. Nadine’s second novel, The Binding Room, featuring D.I. Henley and the Serial Crimes Unit was published in July 2022. The Jigsaw Man was described as “One of the best crime novels to read in 2022” by the London Evening Standard. Her third DI Henley bestseller The Kill List, is out now.

MICHELLE MCDONAGH

Michelle McDonagh’s debut novel There’s Something I Have To Tell You became an Irish bestseller going to Number two in the Top Ten when it was published in 2023 by Hachette Ireland. Her second novel Somebody Knows was published in May 2024. A native of Galway, she has over 25 years experience as a journalist. She was a staff reporter with The Connacht Tribune in Galway for twelve years before going freelance. She worked for all of the Irish national and tabloid papers covering news and courts, before switching solely to features and health, mainly for The Irish Times. She hosts a new books podcast called Natter with writer and broadcaster Kate Durrant.

BRIAN MCGILLOWAY

Brian McGilloway is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve crime novels to date, including the Ben Devlin and the Lucy Black mystery series. His most recent standalone novel, The Empty Room, was a Sunday Times bestseller while his previous, The Last Crossing, won Highly Commended in Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2021. He has also written for BBC Radio and has written several episodes of BBC NI’s Hope Street. His new novel, The One You Least Suspect, will be published in May 2025.

CLAIRE MCGOWAN

Claire McGowan is the author of over 20 novels, mostly in crime fiction where she’s had two no.1 Kindle bestsellers, and sold almost 2 million copies of her books, with publication in over 20 countries. She grew up in Northern Ireland and now lives in London, and also spent six months in LA on a comedy screenwriting fellowship, at Nickelodeon. She has written several radio dramas and had four original TV scripts optioned by production companies, as well as several books in development for TV. She was selected for the Northern Ireland Screen New Writer Focus scheme, and has also won the Stellify Media prize and been a finalist in RTE Storyland and several BBC schemes. She recently took part in the writers’ room for a major TV series. Her latest gripping thriller is Truth, Truth, Lie.

HENRIETTA MCKERVEY

Henrietta McKervey has published four acclaimed novels. Her most recent A Talented Man is a psychological suspense about a forged sequel to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. She has a Hennessy First Fiction Award and won the inaugural UCD Maeve Binchy Travel Award. She curates the ECHOES festival and contributes on culture and entertainment to the Irish Times, Irish Independent and the Brendan O’Connor show on RTÉ Radio 1.

FIONA MCPHILLIPS

Fiona McPhillips is an Irish journalist, author and screenwriter. In 2019, she started an MA in Creative Writing at Dublin City University, graduating with first class honours. Since then, her prose has been published in The Manchester Review, Barren, Hobart and elsewhere and her poetry has appeared in Atrium, Headstuff and The Galway Review. She was awarded a 2021 literature bursary by the Arts Council of Ireland. Her debut novel, When We Were Silent, was runner-up for the 2021 Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger.

JAMES MURPHY

James Murphy is a Northern Irish crime writer with three crime fiction books published (The Rise of Terror, The Terror Within & Dark Light (collectively known as the Terror trilogy) and a crime fiction short story (How To Be Dead– which was part of the Alternative Ulster Noir Anthology). He has also
written a crime fiction screenplay of How To Be Dead, which is currently in development for a short film. He is the host of the podcast, A Life of Crime (Writing) with James Murphy. His latest thriller Write Me a Murder is out now.

KITTY MURPHY

Kitty Murphy lives on the very westerly edge of Co. Clare. Death in Heels, the first book in the Dublin Drag Mystery Series, was published by Thomas & Mercer in 2022. Since then, Death in the Dark and Death in the Holidays have continued the camp, delightfully murdery tales set in Kitty’s fictional Dublin drag scene. Death in Love will follow in 2025. Kitty also writes as CL Murphy for Twisted Literary Things, and as Catherine Murphy for non-fiction. Kitty is bi / queer.

STUART NEVILLE

POLLY NOLAN

Polly Nolan – After almost twenty years’ commissioning and editing children’s books at some of the UK’s top publishing houses, Polly moved to agenting in 2013 and quickly built a talented and successful list of clients.  In 2020, she started her own agency and consultancy, PaperCuts
Ltd, which represents authors writing for adults and children (5 to Young Adult), as well as
offering advice to anyone needing help with their work. Always on the lookout for a good story, arrestingly told, Polly has a particular love of Middle Grade – especially MG that makes people laugh – and, in adult fiction, stories with unforgettable characters.

LUCY O’CALLAGHAN

Lucy O’Callaghan penned her first story, Arthur’s Arm, with her father, at the ripe old age of eight.  A self-confessed people watcher, stories that happen to real people have always fascinated her and this motivated her move to writing contemporary women’s fiction. Her writing has been described as pacy, human, moving, and very real. Her debut novel, The Lies Beneath, was published on the 2nd of April and was an instant Irish Times Bestseller. Lucy writes a weekly Really Useful Links column for writing.ie aimed at helping writers with various aspects of writing. She also writes regular feature interviews with literary agents. When not writing, Lucy can be found walking the beaches and hills of the west of Ireland with her husband and dog. Her three almost grown-up children have long ago come up with excuses not to go.

BA PARIS

B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors and her latest thriller, The Guest. Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Three of her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with a film of The Breakdown, titled Blackwater Lane, available to stream in North America. Before becoming an author, B A Paris, who spent most of her adult life living in France, worked in finance as a trader before retraining as an English teacher. She and her husband then ran a language school together whilst bringing up their five daughters. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England. She has a newsletter and is on social media @baparisauthor

KAREN PERRY

Karen Perry is the Sunday Times bestselling author of eight novels including The Worst Thing You Ever Did, Your Closest Friend,  Girl Unknown, Stranger, and The Boy That Never Was which has been made into a four-part TV drama for RTE and aired in September 2024.  She has published four novels writing as Karen Gillece and was a recipient of the European Union Prize for Literature in 2009. She lives in Dublin with her family.

DAVE RUDDEN

Dave Rudden is the author of the award-winning Knights of the Borrowed Dark trilogy, as well as numerous works in the Doctor Who universe. His first horror movie, HELP, is in development with Wild Atlantic Pictures. He has delighted and entertained children and young people all over Ireland with his highly engaging book events and workshops.

CATHERINE RYAN HOWARD

Catherine Ryan Howard is the author of 7 novels, including the no. 1 bestsellers The Nothing Man and The Trap. Her work has been shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Novel, the Crime Writers’ Association New Blood and Steel Daggers, and longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award. Her lockdown thriller, 56 Days, won the Irish Crime Fiction Book of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards and was named a best thriller of the year by the New York Times and the Washington Post, who called it ‘as good as suspense fiction gets’. The screen adaptation, OBSESSION (Amazon MGM Studios/Atomic Monster) will debut on Amazon Prime Video next year.

JO SPAIN

Jo Spain is the author of thirteen top-ten Irish and international best-sellers, including the Tom Reynolds detective series and her latest No.1 Bestseller, The Trial. She is published in over twenty countries. A full-time screenwriter, Jo co-writes and showruns Harry Wild (starring Jane Seymour) with David Logan. She has also written for Sanditon, the ITV/PBS Jane Austen drama and her co-written show The Boy Who Never Was (Subotica/RTÉ/France TV) airs on RTÉ this winter. Jo’s new series Mix Tape (Subotica/Aquarias/Binge) filmed throughout 2024. Jo and her co-writer David Logan are also working on the adaptation of several of her thriller books with production companies including Archery and Yellow Films.

C.L. TAYLOR

C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including The Guilty Couple, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for summer 2023 and Sleep, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2019. Cally’s books have sold over two million copies in the UK alone, hit number one on Amazon Kindle, Audible, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play, and have been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for TV. Her most recent book is Every Move You Make.

MICHELLE TEAHAN

Michelle Teahan is a qualified Medical Scientist but her passion has always been writing stories. She loves creating strong female characters, putting them in the worst types of situations and seeing how they react. She lives in County Cork, Ireland with her husband, two young daughters and a giant ginger cat. Her debut novel Go Seek has been shortlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger and her second novel Knock Knock published June 2024.

SIMON TREWIN

Simon Trewin has spent thirty years working as a literary agent and his authors have been published in over 54 languages and sold many millions of copies. In 2019 he launched his own agency to represent authors, brands and entrepreneurs in the areas of art, culture, digital, literature, and live events. He is also the founder of vintage letterpress studio The Garage Press.

SARAH WEBB

Sarah Webb is an award-winning Irish children’s author and bookseller. She is the Events Manager at Halfway up the Stairs children’s bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow, Ireland, winner of An Post Bookshop of the Year 2023/24. Her books include Blazing a Trail: Irish Women who Changed the World (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and I Am the Wind: Irish Poems for Children Everywhere (illustrated by Ashwin Chacko and co-edited by Lucina Jacob), both winners of Irish Book Awards. Her latest book is The Weather Girls, a novel for children which was inspired by real WW2 events in Ireland.

Sarah is passionate about bringing children and books together and has been awarded both the Children’s Books Ireland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Books, and the Library Association of Ireland President’s Medal for her work promoting children’s books and libraries. She heads up the #DiscoverIrishKidsBooks campaign that aims to raise awareness of Irish childrens book and authors.