What's On: Our Top Picks For Maidstone LitFest 2025
- Kate Owen
- Sep 17
- 7 min read
As the summer cools and Autumn rolls in, we head into my favourite time of year - not Halloween, but Maidstone LitFest! Now in its third year, I've had the pleasure of watching this festival flourish, grow and be embraced by locals. It is quickly becoming a hub for bookish types to gather and greet each other.
The brilliant organisers curate a host of talks, Q&As and events to suit every type of avid reader. This year promises more of the same but with bigger venues and greater reach than previous years, expanding into new spaces with the Hazlitt Theatre and The Exchange Studio joining a list of town-centre venues that includes Waterstones, Maidstone Museum, Kent History and Library Centre, The Village Hotel, and Maidstone Town Hall.
Festival co-director of Maidstone LitFest 2025 Becky Grace says: “We’ve worked hard to create a programme that’s bold, inclusive, and engaging for everyone. From gripping thrillers and powerful memoirs to laugh-out-loud comedy and thought-provoking poetry, there’s something for every kind of reader this year.”
She added: “Our passion for engaging young readers continues to drive the festival’s vision. Thanks to generous funding from the William and Edith Oldham Trust, our children’s schools programme will reach classrooms across Maidstone — bringing authors face to face with young people and helping to spark a lifelong love of books.”
So with something for everyone, here are our recommendations of the most anticipated events we think you will love at Maidstone LitFest 2025!
For the thrills:
Wednesday 8 October 2025, 7pm
Waterstones, Fremlin Walk
I had the pleasure of seeing Holly Seddon at last year's Maidstone LitFest and her event was standout for me. An expert in her field, she speaks eloquently about crafting a thriller and her journey from journalist to author.
This year, Holly joins Nadine Matheson for an event perfect for fans of crime and mystery. Holly will discuss her gripping new novel 59 Minutes - a thought-provoking, time-ticking story about the choices we make when everything is on the line. Meanwhile, Nadine will introduce The Kill List, the latest in her explosive DI Henley series, packed with tension, twists and forensic detail.
Together, they’ll talk about their creative processes, the art of writing suspense, and why we’re all drawn to the dark side of fiction. Expect insights, laughter, and a few surprises.
Thursday 9 October 2025, 7pm
Maidstone Museum, St Faith's Street
Join Claire Douglas, the Sunday Times No.1 bestselling author of The Couple at No. 9, The Girls Who Disappeared, and her next gripping novel, The New Neighbours as she shares the inspiration, research, and meticulous plotting behind her brilliant books. Revealing how she transforms everyday domestic settings into haunting landscapes filled with unease, she will discuss how she keeps her audience guessing until the very last page.
Claire is a hugely successful author and is one of the UK’s most beloved voices in psychological suspense. If you attended previous events with the likes of Lisa Jewell, this is an evening you won’t want to miss out on.
For the drama:
Saturday 4 October 2025, 7pm
Maidstone Museum, St Faith's Street
Join bestselling author Harriet Evans and former radio presenter Helen Bell at Maidstone Museum to talk about her spellbinding new novel The Treasures - a sweeping, multi-generational family drama which explores love, legacy, and the secrets that shape us. Harriet and Helen will discuss the inspiration behind the book, its richly drawn characters, and the process of weaving together past and present in this deeply emotional story.
Harriet Evans is the author of fourteen bestselling novels, most recently The Stargazers and The Beloved Girls, her second Richard and Judy Book Club selection. Formerly a publisher, working with many bestselling novelists, Harriet became a full-time writer in 2009.
The interview will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signing as part of Maidstone LitFest 2025.
For the Romance:
Friday 10 October 2025, 7pm
Maidstone Museum, St Faith's Street
Freya North is the author of 16 bestselling books, has sold over two million books worldwide, won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award and earned a Richard & Judy Bookclub selection. So, it's fair to say that she knows what she’s doing when it comes to writing Romance!
Join her as she discusses her latest novel, The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne, which explores friendship, identity and self-discovery, has been praised as “a delightful dose of nostalgia” (HEAT) and “beautifully moving” (Lucy Atkins).
Don’t miss this chance to meet the author and delve into the heartache, hilarity, and hope of modern womanhood. Freya will discuss her writing journey, inspiration, and the themes behind The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne in an engaging live interview, as well as answering your questions during a Q&A session after the talk.
For the memories:
Saturday 11 October 2025, 10am
Kent History & Library Centre, James Whatman Way
Experience an inspiring workshop on memoir writing led by renowned ghostwriter and memoir mentor, Marnie Summerfield Smith.
The session will look at memoir structure and how to get your story - everything that's swirling around in your head - down onto paper. Followed by the three essential types of writing your story needs, plus time for questions to help your project wherever you're at.
Marnie Summerfield Smith is a well-known for her encouraging approach and insightful workshops. With years of experience in writing and teaching, Marnie brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to help you uncover and articulate your own unique story
For the laughs:
Monday 6 October 2025, 7pm
Junipers, High Street
Join comedian Cally Beaton at Junipers for an evening of cocktails, craft gin and candid conversation!
The host of the hit podcast Namaste Motherf**kers, Cally cleverly combines laugh-out-loud comedy with take-no-prisoners wisdom about life, work, and not falling for every wellness fad going. In this live event, she’ll dive into her new book, her journey from career queen to comedy circuit regular, mixing outrageous stories with genuinely useful life lessons (and possibly some yoga breathwork, if you ask nicely).
Cally Beaton is a comedian, writer and podcaster whose sharp, hilarious take on midlife, reinvention and the madness of modern life has made her a regular on QI, Live at the Apollo, and BBC Radio 4, as well as the creator of the hit podcast Namaste Mother*ckers.
For the historians:
Sunday 5 October 2025, 4pm
Hazlitt Theatre, Earl Street
Join acclaimed actress and bestselling author, Celia Imrie (Thursday Murder Club, Calendar Girls) and director and writer Fidelis Morgan for a fascinating discussion about their collaboration on Meet Me at Rainbow Corner - a novel inspired by true stories from wartime London.
Set in 1944, the book follows Dot Gallagher, a young nurse who discovers the vibrant world of Rainbow Corner, a legendary American Red Cross club in Piccadilly where US soldiers and British women found joy, friendship and love amid the turmoil of the Second World War. Drawing on a treasure trove of letters, diaries and personal memories - including those of Morgan’s own mother, who was engaged three times to American GIs - the novel is a vivid tribute to the unsung women who served, danced, and lived through the war with courage and heart.
In this event, Imrie and Morgan will discuss the real-life inspirations behind the book, their shared fascination with this extraordinary chapter of history, and the creative journey of bringing these stories to life. This event promises to be full of laughter, discovery and powerful storytelling.
For the kids:
Saturday 4 October 2025, 3.30pm
Invicta Grammar School For Girls, Huntsman Lane
Meet Author Nathanael Lessore for laughs, mysteries & misadventures as he talks about the wacky mysteries in his hilarious Solving Crimes Is Not My Superpower series!
Nathanael will be sharing how he creates his brilliantly bold characters, where he gets his wild ideas from, and why anyone (even someone with no superpowers!) can be the hero of their own story. He’ll also be doing a Q&A so your curious kids can find out everything they’ve ever wanted to know about reading and writing books.
Nathanael Lessore is the author of Steady For This and King of Nothing teen novels that allow him to show life in South East London as the funny, warm, adventurous world that wasn’t always represented as such when he was a child.
For the writers:
Saturday 4 October 2025, 11am
Village Hotel Maidstone, Forstal Road
Husband-and-wife psychological thriller writers Amanda Wills (aka AJ McDine) and Adrian Wills (aka AJ Wills) host an honest, engaging look at the self-publishing journey - from taking the plunge to building a full-time author career.
Both former journalists, the Kent-based duo swapped the newsroom for the writing room and now spend their days crafting gripping stories. Between them, they’ve published works including When She Finds You, No One I Knew, The Invite and The Husband Before You.
In this candid session, they’ll share their experiences of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, including the pros, cons, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Expect practical tips, a dose of inspiration, and maybe even a plot twist or two…
For a night out:
Saturday 11 October 2025, 7pm
Village Hotel Maidstone, Forstal Road
Join two of the UK’s leading voices in contemporary thriller writing for an evening dinner, drinks and dark storytelling.
Known for his page-turning plots and jaw-dropping twists, TM Logan is the Sunday Times bestselling author of nine high-concept thrillers including The Holiday, The Catch, The Mother, and The Dream Home. His breakout debut Lies became one of Amazon’s biggest eBooks of 2017 and has sold over half a million copies in the UK.
Tim Weaver is the Sunday Times bestselling author of the David Raker thrillers, including The Missing Family, No One Home, and The Blackbird — dark, intricately plotted mysteries featuring missing persons investigator David Raker. His books have been shortlisted for the National Book Awards, nominated for the Crime Writers’ Association Daggers, and selected three times for the Richard & Judy Book Club.
The pair will be in conversation throughout the evening, sharing the secrets behind their bestselling thrillers, how they build tension that grips from the first page, and what it takes to craft a truly unforgettable ending. Guests will enjoy a delicious two-course meal while soaking up exclusive insights from two masters of the genre. There’ll also be a chance to purchase their latest books and get them signed.
The Maidstone LitFest runs from October 4–11, 2025.
For the full programme, event details, and tickets, visit: www.maidstonelitfest.org
For updates, follow @maidstonelitfest
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