Renowned author Lee Child, best known for his bestselling Jack Reacher series, has been announced as the headline guest for the first-ever Whitby Lit Fest, scheduled to take place this November.
Child will appear in conversation with television personality Rob Rinder during the festival, discussing his latest Reacher novel, Exit Strategy, which he co-authored with his brother Andrew Child. The event will also highlight Child’s debut autobiographical collection, The Stories Behind the Stories.
Kate Fenton, festival patron, author, and former BBC Radio 4 producer, praised Whitby as an ideal location for book enthusiasts. “Whitby is a book lover’s playground,” she said. “I’ve even marched protesting family members up the 199 steps at midnight to sit, as Bram Stoker’s fictional Lucy does, on a lonely bench in the gale-blasted churchyard, daring a bat to sweep down.”
The festival will celebrate Whitby’s rich literary heritage, spotlighting connections to Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Charles Dickens, who historically stayed at the White Horse and Griffin hotels during his visits to the town.
Lois Kirtlan, chair of the Whitby Lit Fest committee, expressed excitement about the festival’s launch. “We’re thrilled to welcome a literary giant like Lee Child to launch a landmark event for readers and writers alike,” she said.
Whitby Lit Fest is set to run from Thursday, 6 November to Sunday, 9 November. Organizers plan to release the full programme and ticket details later this year.
