Scarborough's Books by the Beach takes places this weekend - June 11 and 12

This year the event is launched by one of the UK most loved novelists, Patrick Gale.

Patrick will be introducing his new work Mother’s Boy at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall Church on Saturday June 11 at 10am.

It’s a superb historical tale of Cornwall, desire and two world wars. His most recent works are the Costa-shortlisted A Place Called Winter and Sunday Times top 10 bestsellers Take Nothing With You. His 2017 original BBC television drama Man in an Orange Shirt won an International Emmy Award.

Patrick is followed at 1pm by global success Lisa Jewell. Lisa has sold more than 5 million copies of her books worldwide.

The Family Upstairs was the crime novel hit of 2020 and a sequel The Family Remains is due for release in July. Lisa will share the stage with her biographer Will Brooker. Will has written an in-depth analysis of Lisa, her career and the creative process of how a novel is formed.

Audiences then head to St Mary’s Church at 3pm to see TV presenter of Coast and geographer Nicholas Crane, who will be discussing his new book Latitude.

Set in 1735 it follows 12 unruly men bound for South America. Their mission - to discover the true shape of the world. It’s the greatest scientific adventure ever told and Nick is a distinguished speaker.

On Saturday June 11 at, 5pm the festival welcomes Prof Lucy Easthope, the UK’s leading authority on disaster recovery.

Lucy lives with disaster every day. When a plane crashes, a bomb explodes, a city floods or a pandemic begins, she’s the one they call. Lucy is an inspirational speaker and her personal story was a BBC Radio 4 book of the week. She will be discussing her memoir When the Dust Settles, taking the audience behind the police tape to find hope in the most difficult times.

The Saturday night headliner, Charlie Higson, is creator and star of comedy series The Fast Show. Charlie has appeared in a number of TV acting roles and written widely for radio and television

. At Books by the Beach he will be discussing his colourful new thriller Whatever Gets You Through the Night - his first adult crime novel in 25 years. Charlie will be appearing at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall at7.30pm.

Leading Sunday’s lineup is former Home Secretary and festival friend Alan Johnson.

His memoir trilogy based on his life and career has won a number of awards. Appearing at the YMCA Theatre on Sunday June 12 at 10.30am, Alan will be talking about his move into fiction.

His debut novel The Late Train to Gipsy Hill is a fast-moving and topical thriller based on the Russian mafia and mysterious beauty with a deadly secret…

Prizewinning journalist Anita Sethi follows at 1pm. Anita was on a train journey through Northern England when she became the victim of a race-hate crime.

Determined not to let this brutal experience stop her travelling freely and without fear, Anita turned to nature and outdoor exercise to heal herself. She walked the ‘backbone of Britain’, exploring place, identity and belonging. Listen to her inspiring story on Sunday at St Mary’s Church.

Heather French, organiser said, “I’m delighted to include such a wealth of personal stories of hope and humanity this year and none more miraculous than that of John Volanthen, the leader of the famous Thai cave rescue.

"In 2018 the world held its breath when torrential rain trapped the Wild Boars youth soccer team and their coach deep underground in Thailand. On Sunday June12 at 3pm at St Mary’s Church John tells his enthralling story of courage and calm under extreme pressure."

"I’m thrilled too to welcome two presenters of highly popular TV shows. Dr Chloe Duckworth and Keith Brymer Jones complete this year’s festival line-up on Sunday.

"Chloe is a lecturer in archaeology at Newcastle University and an expert on Channel 4’s The Great British Dig. She will be discussing her TV tie-in book and the fun the team had excavating the back gardens of Britain, plus the fascinating objects they unearthed. Catch her at Queen Street Methodist entral Hall on Sunday June 12 at 5pm."

In the festival finale Keith Brymer Jones reveals his inspirational journey from a North London boyhood to a global success.

Dancer, front man in an almost famous rock bank, master potter and lead judge of The Great Pottery Throw Down - it promises to be an entertaining and emotional event.

Join Keith at Queen Street Methodist Central Hall on Sunday June 12 at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available at The Scarborough YMCA Theatre box office, tel 01723 506750 and can also be purchased on the door.