Morpeth Book Festival 2027 Programme

Elaine Cusack

Elaine is an officer of the Business & IP Centre, North East, who likes to support local writers.

Three leopards on my shirt. 100 reasons why Scotland founded modern world football.

Ged O'Brien

Ged O’Brien is the Founder of Europe’s first national Football Museum at Hampden Park, Glasgow. He is the discoverer of Andrew Watson: the world’s first black international Footballer. Last year he caused an international stir by announcing Anwoth: the world’s oldest known Football pitch. He is the most vociferous promoter of the idea that Scotland - not England - invented modern world Football. Based on ‘100 Reasons’, his talk will explain how a nation’s genius created Scottish Combination and the Scotch Professor, turning the North-East of England into a Scotch Professor stronghold.

Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

Mari Hannah, Tim Sullivan and Suzy Aspley

Three of the UK's most compelling crime writers come together for a fascinating discussion about creating suspense, unforgettable detectives and shocking twists. Join Mari Hannah, Tim Sullivan and Suzy Aspley as they reveal the secrets behind their bestselling novels and the art of keeping readers guessing. A must for crime fiction fans. Mari Hannah is a multi-award winning, bestselling author/screenwriter and is the creator of the Kate Daniels series, the Ryan & O'Neil and the Stone & Oliver series. She lives in a small Northumberland village with her partner, a former murder detective. Tim Sullivan is a crime writer, screenwriter and director. His critically acclaimed crime series features the brilliantly persistent DS George Cross who has Autistic Spectrum Condition. The clever, twisty, touching and funny series has won an army of fans, sold over one million copies and is the winner of the 2026 CWA Dagger in the Library award. Tim’s film credits include A Handful of Dust, Jack and Sarah, and Cold Feet. Early in his career he directed Jeremy Brett’s iconic portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in ITV’s The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, cementing his lifelong passion for crime fiction. Tim Sullivan lives in London and sets his crime series in Bristol and Somerset where he grew up and his family hails from. Suzy Aspley is a former journalist whose debut novel Crow Moon was published by Orenda Books in 2024. It was the first in a series of gothic thrillers featuring journalist Martha Strangeways and set in remote and rural parts of Scotland. Originally from South Shields, Suzy has lived in Scotland for more than thirty years and draws inspiration from the landscapes in which her novels are set. She won Bloody Scotland’s Pitch Perfect competition in 2019, Crow Moon was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland and Theakston's McDermid debut prizes. Her second novel in the Martha Strangeways series The Bone Mother, was released on May 7th 2026. She is currently writing a thriller set in the Arctic and inspired by her Danish great grandfather’s role in the Arctic Convoys during World War Two. He left Denmark alone as a teenager and boarded a ship, arriving in South Shields where he made his home and married a local lass. She can be found on instagram @suzyaspleybooks and her website is www.suzyaspleywriter.com

AI: Friend, Foe or Future?

Chris Stokel-Walker

Artificial Intelligence is changing our world at breathtaking speed. Award-winning journalist and author Chris Stokel-Walker explores the opportunities, risks and realities behind one of the most talked about technologies of our time. Discover what AI means for all of us, and what could come next. Chris Stokel-Walker is a technology journalist and author, described by LBC's Nick Ferrari as "One of the best technology journalists on the planet", and "the UK's leading technology journalist" by Jane Garvey on Times Radio. His work appears in outlets including the BBC, New Scientist, Wired, The Guardian, and The Economist, covering the intersection of technology, society, and culture. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, he is the author of four books and writes regularly about AI, social media platforms, and digital regulation.

Life, Death and Laughter

Rev Richard Coles

Broadcaster, bestselling author and former parish priest Richard Coles brings his unique blend of wit, warmth and wisdom to the festival. Reflecting on his life, writing and much-loved books, he shares stories that are by turns moving, amusing and deeply human. An unforgettable afternoon with one of Britain's most engaging storytellers.

Reporting from the Front Line

Jeremy Bowen

For more than three decades Jeremy Bowen has witnessed history unfold across the world's most challenging regions. Drawing on his acclaimed books and extraordinary experiences, he offers a compelling insight into war, diplomacy and the people whose lives are shaped by conflict. A rare chance to hear from one of Britain's most respected journalists. Jeremy Bowen is the BBC's International Editor, previously the Middle East Editor for almost twenty years. He has covered hostilities from over seventy countries, covering thirteen wars including those in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Chechnya, Somalia, the Middle East, Rwanda and former Yugoslavia. A seasoned war correspondent, Jeremy Bowen provides audiences with riveting anecdotes from a life reporting on the front line at some of the most fraught conflicts of the past twenty years. He has witnessed endless wars between individuals, religious groups and full-sized states, jostling for military, political and economic power. He has interviewed dictators, fanatics and fundamentalists as well as the ordinary people caught up in their dangerous games. Drawing from his extraordinary life and career, he has published numerous bestsellers to critical acclaim. His books include Six Days, War Stories, and The Arab Uprisings. His most recent title, The Making of the Modern Middle East (in part based on his popular podcast Our Man in the Middle East) takes us on a journey across the history of the Middle East. With his deep understanding of the political, cultural, and religious difference between countries as diverse as Erdogan's Turkey and Netanyahu's Israel, he offers readers an invaluable guide to the modern Middle East, how it came to be, and what its future might hold. It was both a Spectator and New Statesman Book of the Year and a year on from publication, it hit the Sunday Times bestseller charts.

Words that Wander

Caroline Powell

Poet and writer Caroline Powell explores the beauty of language, landscape and memory through her acclaimed work. Combining readings, reflections and conversation, she shares the inspirations behind her poetry and writing. An uplifting event for lovers of literature and the spoken word. Caroline Powell is a photographer and poet from Northumberland — a coastal county whose windswept beaches and ever-changing skies inspire much of her work. With a keen eye for seascapes and landscapes, Caroline captures the quiet beauty of the world around her. Her poetry and verse reflect a deep love of life’s simple moments, touched by memory and the warmth of nostalgia. Through both image and word, she celebrates the passage of time — when reflection was gentle, and looking back was a good thing. Her debut book The Shining Light Of Art was published by Owl Write Publishing on the 3rd of February 2026 and her second collection of photos, art, poetry and short stories is due to be published in early 2027.

Doctor or Soldier? A Life on the Front Line

Retired Major General Tim Hodgetts

From battlefield medicine to humanitarian emergencies, Major General Tim Hodgetts has spent a remarkable career saving lives in the most demanding circumstances. Hear the extraordinary story of a doctor, soldier and leader whose experiences have taken him across the globe. Inspirational, thought-provoking and deeply personal. This a follow-up to Major General (rtd) Professor Tim Hodgetts CB CBE DL DSc DUniv PhD successful 2026 session, taking us through fascinating new material from his professional life, delivered in a very engaging way. Tim retired from active duty in 2024 after 41 years of Army service. His military career culminated as the Surgeon General of the UK Armed Forces, Master General Medical, elected senior medical adviser within NATO, and Honorary Surgeon to His Majesty the King. Tim is a Professor of Emergency Medicine by trade: he established the military specialty and has served to save lives in numerous zones of conflict, disaster and war. An author of 37 books, Tim is also an original war poet and has used poetry to reflect on his many challenging experiences, some shocking or absurd, and some humorous. This session is some of Tim’s stories and poems. They will make you both laugh and cry. He uses actors and the local community to help present them.