The Noirwich Crime Writing Festival is the region’s largest annual celebration of crime writing and one of the fastest-growing literary festivals in the UK.
Many incredible crime writers have attended the festival in recent years, including Val McDermid, Sara Collins, Yrsa Sigurdardottir, Louse Doughty, James Runcie, Lee Child, Ian Rankin, Peter James, Anthony Horowitz, Nicci French, Paula Hawkins and Benjamin Black.
Noirwich is about the reading and the writing of crime fiction. We explore how the genre works and where it is going, thanks to our unique connection with the University of East Anglia's creative writing department. Our crime writing workshops provide attendees with the opportunity to enhance their own skills.
The festival is a co-production by the National Centre for Writing and the University of East Anglia, bringing together our expertise to deliver a celebration of crime writing like no other.
In 2020 the festival took place online for the very first time. You can catch-up on our video and audio events for free here.
Looking for a simple programme overview?
Download our Noirwich 2020 one-page guide here
More details ⟶
For the first time, the 2020 Noirwich Crime Writing Festival will take place online rather than within some of Norwich's most treasured cultural venues.
However, Norwich is still the perfect destination for a weekend getaway! It is a compact Medieval city built on a river, running over with stories. Small enough to walk around on foot, while still offering the vibrancy and variety of a large metropolitan city.
From the winding Tudor streets of Elm Hill, to the peaceful Cathedral Close and through to the bustling Market, alive with bright colours and delicious smells, this vibrant and beautiful city is the beating heart of the east of England. Whether you're travelling hundreds of miles to be with us or are just around the corner, Norwich is a city where there is always another secret to uncover.
More details ⟶Bringing together two of Hercule Poirot’s biggest fans for a conversation spanning the 100-year history of one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved creations.
Read more ⟶We are delighted to welcome award-winning US author and screenwriter Attica Locke for the annual Noirwich Lecture, in which she explores the ways that crime writing can challenge the distribution of power and authority at a structural and individual level.
Read more ⟶Read 'The Love Boat', a short story by novelist and Noirwich UNESCO Virtual Writer in Residence Anita Terpstra. It has been translated by Danny Guinan.
Read more ⟶Read 'Solstice', a short story by novelist and Noirwich UNESCO Virtual Writer in Residence Anita Terpstra. It has been translated by Sarah Timmer Harvey.
Read more ⟶Arts Council England
Norwich City Council
Dead Good Books
The Crime Vault
Norwich BID
Norfolk county council
Jarrold
Visit Norwich