Harrogate 2008 - CRIMESQUAD sponsors Balloon Game

Alongside all the serious panels and author interviews, The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is famous for its late-night entertainment featuring celebrated crime and thriller writers in a lighter vein.

2008 saw the launch of a new event, and literary festival stalwart, the Balloon Game. CRIMESQUAD.COM was delighted to sponsor the event, which featured Martyn Waites (aka Raymond Chandler), Mark Billingham (aka Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), John Rickards (aka Mickey Spillane), Val McDermid (aka Dame Agatha Christie), Dreda Say Mitchell (aka Chester Himes) and Stuart McBride (aka Edgar Allan Poe). Chaired by Radio 4's Mark Lawson the event was hard fought and ended up in a stand-off between the two titled authors, Conal Doyle and Christie. The eventual surprise winner was Conan Doyle, and Mark Billingham proudly collected his winning balloon-decked bottle of champagne from Chris Simmons, CRIMESQUAD.COM online editor, on his behalf.

Our picture shows (l-r) Martyn Waites, Mark Billingham, John Rickards, Mark Lawson, Val McDermid (nice hat!), Dreda Say Mitchell and Stuart McBride.