Sharjah gears up for a suspense-filled literary experience as the popular Thriller Festival returns to SIBF

Returning to the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) with its signature blend of suspense, intellect, and intrigue, the 4th edition of the Thriller Festival will take place from November 8 to 11 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Presented in collaboration with Thriller Festival New York, this year’s edition will feature 13 bestselling international and regional writers, screenwriters, and industry experts, uniting global voices in crime fiction, mystery, and psychological suspense.

Global masters of suspense

From North America to South Asia, Europe, and Africa this year’s line-up brings together some of the world’s most compelling thriller voices. Among the headliners are Chris Pavone (USA), author of The Doorman and Two Nights in Lisbon; Jennifer Hillier (Canada), the award-winning author of Things We Do in the Dark and Jar of Hearts; and Stacy Willingham (USA), whose A Flicker in the Dark sold over one million copies in North America. Joining them are Daniel G. Miller (USA), creator of The Red Letter series; and Matt Witten (USA), a novelist and television writer behind Law & Order, House, and Pretty Little Liars, whose novel The Necklace was optioned by Leonardo DiCaprio

From Europe, Ragnar Jónasson and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Iceland’s acclaimed crime fiction duo, will share their insights into Nordic noir and the art of tension. The UK’s Araminta Hall, whose Imperfect Women adaptation starring Elisabeth Moss premieres on Apple TV in early 2026, and Clare Whitfield, author of Poor Girls, will lead sessions on building psychological depth and plot unpredictability

Representing South Asia, S. Hussain Zaidi (India), renowned chronicler of Mumbai’s underworld and author of Dongri to Dubai, and Omar Shahid Hamid (Pakistan), a former counterterrorism officer turned novelist (The Prisoner, The Election), will offer rare insights into how real-life crime shapes fiction. The programme also includes bestselling Arab author Mirna Al Mahdi reinforcing the region’s growing contribution to the global thriller genre.

A Sharjah original: Murder at the Majlis

This year’s festival will premiere Murder at the Majlis, an original interactive murder mystery set in Sharjah. Written by AUS alumna Bhoomika Ghaghada, directed by Tarun Shyam, the play showcases the power of homegrown storytelling and community theatre. Starring students from the American University of Sharjah, the production invites audiences to solve the mystery live, blending suspense, culture, and collaboration in a uniquely Sharjah setting

Panels, workshops, and immersive storytelling

Over four days, the festival will unfold through an engaging programme of panels, masterclasses, and book signings, covering every facet of suspense writing — from character development and narrative tension to cinematic adaptation. Among the highlights is Scene One, Chapter One: Translating Novels to Screen, featuring Matt Witten and Ragnar Jónasson as they explore how literary thrillers transition to television and film. In Writing Thrillers Through a Cultural Lens, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and Omar Shahid Hamid will discuss how geography, culture, and history shape the emotional tone and realism of thrillers.

Audiences will also have the chance to hear from S. Hussain Zaidi in Inside the Underworld, a gripping conversation on crime, conflict, and storytelling, while Araminta Hall and Egyptian author Mirna Al Mahdi will take audiences deep into the psychology of fear in Crafting Fear in Thrillers: Unmasking the Psychopathic Character. Stacy Willingham and Jennifer Hillier will present Where Trauma Lives: Grief, Death and Anxiety in Thriller Writing, offering an intimate look at how emotion and loss drive character and suspense

Adding to the festival’s practical side, Matt Witten will lead Five and a Half Steps to Pilot Writing Success, a hands-on workshop guiding participants through pitching, outlining, and scripting for television. Shirley Jump will host Real Life, Real Stories: Your Journey into Fiction Writing, inspiring aspiring authors to turn personal experiences into powerful narratives, while Daniel G. Miller will share insider strategies on Making a Killing: Marketing Your Thriller.

This year, the book fair will welcome 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries, and will feature over 1,200 activities led by 251 guests from 66 countries, including more than 300 cultural events and 750 workshops for children and adults — solidifying its position as one of the world’s most influential literary gatherings.