The Scottish author Denise Mina has clinched one of the top accolades in UK crime fiction by winning the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award at the Harrogate Festival late last week. Her book, The End of the Wasp Season, sees DS Alex Morrow, pregnant with twins, and at the same time trying to solve the murder of Sarah Enroll. The woman was violently dispatched in her home Glasgow.

The award was based partly on a public vote, and partly on the decision of a panel of judges which this year included DI Tom Thorne actor David Morrissey; festival chair Mark Billingham; Daily Mirror literary editor and crime novelist Henry Sutton; Asda fiction buyer Ruth Lewis; and Simon Theakston, executive director of the main sponsor. The author won £3000.

At the same time, the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter, was handed the Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award. Millions have enjoyed Dexter’s work on the page, and on the screen, and some would say the award is a tad overdue. He first started writing Morse in 1973.

Each writer was given a very special handmade Theakston’s cask. For more detail, read the press release here. Plus, we also have a report from the event by Stav Sherez right here.