A Criminally Good Night
Great Dunmow BookFest Launch
Friday 12 June
Foakes Hall, Foakes House, 47 Stortford Road, Dunmow, CM6 1DG
We are delighted to be launching the Great Dunmow BookFest with a Criminally Good Night featuring best-selling crime-writing duo Nicci French, and Traitors’ Faithful, Harriet Tyce.
Ticket Deal
Make a night of it with our Criminally Good Night ticket deal!
Both events for £20 / £17 concessions (students, under 27s and unwaged)
Discount automatically applied at checkout when tickets for both events are booked:
6.30pm – Nicci French in conversation with Linda Stratmann, What Happened That Night
8.15pm – Harriet Tyce in conversation with Samantha Lee Howe, Witch Trial
Event information
🚗 There is free on-site parking for up to 40 cars. The nearest public car park is Chequers Lane Car Park (67 spaces), CM6 1EQ which is free after 6pm.
🍷 There will be a paid bar serving drinks throughout the evening.
📚 Maldon Books will be selling the books at this event. There will be an opportunity to get your book signed by the authors at the end of the events.
♿ There is disabled parking and step-free access and there is an acoustic loop in the main hall. Please let us know if you have any access requirements.
📸 We will be filming and taking photos at this event. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please let a member of the Essex Book Festival team know when you arrive.
🪑 Seats are unallocated
Nicci French in conversation with Linda Stratmann
What Happened That Night
Friday 12 June 2026, 6.30pm
Legendary crime-writing duo Nicci French will be discussing their 27th novel, a new psychological thriller, What Happened That Night, with fellow crime-writer Linda Stratmann.
This event is sponsored by The Happy Ladder.
Tickets: £12 / £10 concessions (students, under 27s and unwaged)
A Criminally Good Night ticket deal both events (Nicci French and Harriet Tyce) for £20 / £17
Book tickets: essexbookfestival.org.uk or Mercury Theatre 01206 573948
Harriet Tyce in conversation with Samantha Lee Howe
Witch Trial
Friday 12 June 2026, 8.15pm
Traitors’ Faithful and best-selling author of Blood Orange, Harriet Tyce will be discussing her page-turning extraordinary new novel, Witch Trial. with multi-award winning screenwriter and USA Today best-selling author, Samantha Lee Howe.
This event is sponsored by The Happy Ladder.
Tickets: £12 / £10 concessions (students, under 27s and unwaged)
A Criminally Good Night ticket deal both events (Nicci French and Harriet Tyce) for £20 / £17
Book tickets: essexbookfestival.org.uk or Mercury Theatre 01206 573948
Great Dunmow BookFest
Saturday 13 June 2026, 12.00pm – 5.00pm
For one day only, Great Dunmow, the town without a bookshop, will be transformed into the Essex Book Town with author events, writing workshops and other bookish delights taking place in shops and other venues along the closed-off High Street.
Don’t miss this new, unique and magical event celebrating books, reading and the local community.
Visit talliston.com/great-dunmow-bookfest for details.
