The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths won the £3,000 (about $4,005) Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award, which "celebrates crime fiction at its very best" by U.K. and Irish authors. The judges described The Frozen People as "bold," "superbly plotted," and
"highly original."
The £600 (about $800) McDermid Debut Award went to Frances Crawford for her novel A Bad, Bad Place (with a Highly Commended going to Mel Pennant for A Murder for Miss Hortense).
The prize is run by Harrogate International Festivals and sponsored by T&R Theakston. Both winners also receives an engraved beer cask handcrafted by one of Britain's last coopers from Theakston's Brewery.
David Baldacci received this year's Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition for his "exceptional contribution to the crime thriller genre, honoring a remarkable career that has captivated millions of readers worldwide and helped shape modern suspense fiction."