For a reader who loves a carefully laid clue, hearing Anthony Horowitz is a chance to spend time with the person who puts the puzzle together. His writing stretches from young spies to adult detectives, with a substantial screenwriting career alongside the novels. Bath and Harrogate were his festival stops in 2026.
Quick facts
Best known for
Alex Rider, the Hawthorne mysteries and Magpie Murders
Genre or subject
Mystery, crime fiction, young-adult thrillers and screenwriting
Horowitz writes novels, television drama, plays and journalism. His young-adult spy creation Alex Rider has reached the screen as well as the page. In adult fiction, Susan Ryeland and Atticus Pünd inhabit one sequence of mysteries, while investigator Daniel Hawthorne works beside a fictional version of Horowitz himself in another. That self-portrait makes the relationship between writer and detective part of the pleasure of reading.
His authorised Sherlock Holmes novels are The House of Silk and Moriarty. He has also written James Bond novels commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate. Television viewers may recognise his work through Foyle’s War, which he created, and Midsomer Murders. Readers who enjoy both screen drama and detective fiction have plenty of connections to follow across his work.
A Deadly Episode, published in 2026, continues the Hawthorne and Horowitz sequence. A film adaptation of an earlier case sits inside its plot, bringing his interests in crime and screen storytelling together. Save the detailed synopsis until after reading if you like to meet a mystery with as few clues as possible.
Where to start with their books
Magpie Murders
An editor finds another mystery hidden inside a crime writer’s manuscript. Try this if you enjoy the challenge of following a mystery inside another mystery and noticing how the two stories speak to each other.
The Word Is Murder
This is the beginning of the Hawthorne partnership, with the novelist drawn into an investigation beside a detective he cannot easily read. It makes a good starting point if the friction between investigator and storyteller is what attracts you to his adult fiction.
Stormbreaker
The opening Alex Rider adventure recruits a teenager into an MI6 mission. Choose it for espionage, gadgets and the momentum of a young protagonist being pushed into an adult world of danger; it introduces the series without requiring earlier reading.
Festival appearances
For tickets, use the host festival’s official box office. Confirm the date, venue and access details before paying.
He appeared at Harrogate on 25 July, on the Theakston Stage at the Old Swan Hotel. Both visits placed him among adult mystery readers. A fan arriving through the television work could enjoy following the writing back onto the page; someone whose first encounter was a spy adventure could discover another part of the same career.
Where to see them next
No 2027 appearances announced yet. Check the festival guides for programme dates.
Plan your trip
Make a Horowitz visit a shared mystery outing: agree with your companion which books are safe to discuss before swapping theories over lunch. Take one question about a clue or a detective’s decision, leaving the solution out of it for anyone who has not finished.
For an Alex Rider reader, look for a children’s or young-adult session with suitable age guidance. For an adult crime break, leave breathing space between events so the conversation need not end when you leave the auditorium. The linked guides cover places to stay and getting around each festival.
Which festivals did Anthony Horowitz visit in 2026?
The 2026 programmes featured Anthony Horowitz at Bath Literature Festival, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival; follow those guides for event information and practical visit details.
How do I get tickets to hear him?
Use the festival links on Anthony Horowitz’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
Do I need to finish a whole series first?
No. Start with one book that appeals to you and enjoy it at your own pace. If you are midway through a mystery, avoid detailed plot summaries and consider whether you would prefer to finish before hearing a book-centred discussion.
Is every Horowitz event suitable for children?
Use the festival links on Anthony Horowitz’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
What can I read beyond this festival guide?
Use the festival links on Anthony Horowitz’s profile for the event’s own ticket and audience guidance.
