About

We're very excited to say the Greenway Literary Festival will be back in 2020!

Following last years success of the first ever Literary Festival at Greenway, the National Trust and Literature Works are partnering up again to bring more writers together to Agatha Christie's holiday home.

From Monday 8 - Sunday 14 June 2020, there'll be writers to suit every reader. You can keep an eye on here for the latest news, headline writers and see how you can get involved.

Booking not needed

Free event

10:30 - 17:00

Why not stay over for this event?  Click here to search for accommodation availability.

Who's at this year's festival

Monday 8 June 2020  

To kick off 2020's Greenway Literary Festival, Kim Sherwood will be talking about her latest novel, award winning travel writer Philip Marsden and Sunday Times book of the month writer Nicola Upson will be the afternoon highlights. In the evening, join highly acclaimed bestselling writer Joanna Trollope as she talks about her latest novel, Mum & Dad.

Tuesday 9 June 2020  

Tuesday gets off to a spine chilling start with acclaimed horror writer Adam Nevill. Rebecca Fraser will be talking about her book and the commemoration of the Mayflower 400, and BBC Chief News Correspondent Kate Adie shares her experiences of what it’s like reporting from the front line in the afternoon.

Wednesday 10 June 2020  

Feature writer for The Guardian Patrick Barkham kicks off Wednesday at the festival, followed by local writer Matt Newbury talking about Agatha Christie's Devon. Thriller writer Nicola Martin will be in the tent in the afternoon, and in the evening BBC Radio Devon's David Fitzgerald is back to talk crime with writer JS Monroe.

Thursday 11 June 2020  

Simon Brett OBE starts off Thursday with his latest novel, followed by an exciting launch of Natasha Carthew's new book, Song for the Forgotten in collaboration with Falmouth University and published by National Trust Books. Historian Alison Weir shares her latest book in the Six Tudor Queens series in the afternoon, and in the evening international bestselling author Kate Mosse will be discussing her latest book in the Burning Chambers series, City of Tears.

Friday 12 June 2020  

Friday sees young adult writer Patrice Lawrence in the morning discussing her latest novel, followed by author and humanitarian Terry Waite. Christopher Tugendhat, politician and writer is in the marquee in the afternoon, before we sit down to an evening with Mark Aldridge in conversation with Miss Marple producer Guy Slater.

Saturday 13 June 2020  

Working class writer Kit de Waal opens Saturday at the festival discussing her latest work and Christopher William Hill will bring deliciously dark tales to his children's event at lunchtime, perfect for lovers of Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket. To finish, award winning writer Virginia Bailey discusses her latest novel, The Fourth Shore, set in beautiful Italy on a backdrop of war and repression.

Sunday 14 June 2020  

It's the final day of the Greenway Literary Festival. Radio and Television presenter Jonathan Dimbleby starts the morning as he discusses his life and writing, followed by a fantastical children's event with Abie Longstaff and The Fairytale Hairdresser. Closing the day is Ruth Ware, an author of twisty whodunnit crime thrillers. The perfect way to end a literary festival at the Queen of Crime's holiday home.

 

The basics

Booking details

Call 01803 842382

Individual events will require booking, these will be available to book shortly.

Suitability

Children are welcome at most activities, please check individual events

Assistance dogs are welcome.

Meeting point

The main talks will take place in the festival marquee, situated in the tennis court. Please ask at Reception on arrival for individual event details.

Accessibility

Agatha Christie described Greenway as “the loveliest place in the world”. It was here that she had her holiday home, on the banks of the River Dart. With a long history dating back to the 1490s, the house still retains features added by all generations of occupying families. Now managed by the National Trust, the property offers visitors an extraordinary glimpse into the private life of the Queen of Crime and her family.

Greenway is a magical place to explore, with its rich historical interior and the wildness and mystery of its garden. Agatha Christie set three of her novels here, all of which feature on the Agatha Christie Literary Trail: Five Little Pigs, Dead Man’s Folly and Ordeal by Innocence. In Dead Man's Folly it appears as Nasse House, and the boat house was the scene of a murder. In Ordeal By Innocence, the house appears as Sunny Point House, and the Greenway Quay bell is used to summon the ferry to Drymouth (Dartmouth). Even the Baghdad Chest in the hallway of the house makes an appearance in The Body in the Library.