Fast Show star Charlie Higson talks about his latest thriller at Scarborough's Books by the Beach

The feativa runs at various locations in the town on Saturday June 11 and Sunday June 12 and Charlie will be at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall on the Saturday.

Charlie started writing when he was 10 years old. After university, he was a singer and painter and decorator before he started writing for television.

25His new work, Whatever Gets You Through The Night, is his first crime novel in 25 years and he’ll be discussing it at Scarborough’s Books by the Beach festival.

Most people travel to Corfu to escape the real world for a couple of weeks and embrace the fantasy of olive trees, sandy beaches, and fishing boats bobbing on blue water under a warm sun.

But as Charlie Higson’s new thriller reveals, not everything is as perfect as it appears beneath the picture-postcard surface.

It’s a colourful tale of Albanian gangsters, Greek drug dealers, psychotic bodyguards, flat earthers and spoilt, wealthy teenagers looking for dangerous kicks. With experienced host Gerry Foley interviewing Charlie, an entertaining Saturday night is promised.

The thrills continue the following morning Sunday 12 June,10.30am in the YMCA theatre with festival friend and raconteur Alan Johnson

Alan was a Labour MP for 20 years before retiring ahead of the 2017 general election. He served in five cabinet positions in the Governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown including Education Secretary, Health Secretary and Home Secretary. His memoir trilogy based on his life and career has won a number of awards, and his fourth memoir In My Life is based on his love of music.

Alan’s highly topical debut novel The Late Train to Gipsy Hill is a fast-moving thriller based on Ukrainian espionage, the Russian mafia and mysterious beauty with a deadly secret.

Heather French, festival organiser, said: “ I’m delighted to welcome Charlie and Alan to Books by the Beach. Both novels are brilliant reads and kept me awake late into the night. I encourage everyone to come and listen to how they create such wonderful novels. Thanks for supporting your local festival”.

Tickets at Scarborough YMCA box Office tel 01723 506750 and email [email protected]Full programme:

Saturday June 11

10am: Patrick Gale talking about his new novel Mother’s Boy. Venue - Queen Street Methodist Church Hall

1pm: Lisa Jewell & her biographer Will Brooker - talking about a year in the life of Lisa. Venue - Queen Street Methodist Church Hall

3pm: Nicholas Crane - discussing his book Latitude. Venue - St Mary’s Church

5pm: Prof Lucy Easthope, UK expert on disaster recovery. New book - After the Dust Settles. Venue Queen Street Methodist Church Hall

7.30pm: Charlie Higson - new crime novel - Whatever Gets You Through the Night. Venue - Queen Street Methodist Church Hall

Sunday June 12

10.30am: Alan Johnson - new spy/crime thriller - The Late Train To Gipsy Hill. Venue YMCA Theatre.

1pm: Anita Sethi - newspaper journalist who suffered racial abuse on a train and to help her recovery decided to walk the backbone of England. Her book I Belong Here is her journey of reclamation and identity, whilst walking through nature. Venue St Mary’s.

3pm: John Volanthen, Thai cave rescuer. His book is his memoir, Thirteen Lessons To Save Thirteen Lives. Venue, St Mary’s Church

5pm: Dr Chloe Duckworth - TV book tie-in with Great British Dig. Venue - Queen Street Methodist Church Hall

7.30pm: Keith Brymer Jones - book is Boy in a China Shop, a memoir of his life. Venue - Queen Street Methodist Church Hall