Shetland Noir returns this week

9 June 2026

We're looking forward to the return of Shetland Noir later this week.

It’s been 3 years since the last time the festival was held at Mareel, and Shetland Noir’s return has been eagerly awaited.

The festival will once again bring Shetland’s unique voice to the global stage of crime writing, with a programme packed full of author talks, workshops, panel discussions and special events. We are delighted that award-winning crime-writer and creator of the world-famous Jimmy Perez Shetland novels, Ann Cleeves OBE is returning as Patron of Shetland Noir 2026. Shetland’s own queen of crime, Marsali Taylor, been curating the programme, ensuring an unforgettable weekend for crime fiction fans.

This year, 6 headline authors are taking part in the festival: Lee Child, Louise Penny, Vaseem Khan, Professor Lorna Dawson, Yrsa Sigurdardottir and Ann Cleeves. They will be joined by a vast lineup of other authors and crime professionals throughout the weekend for a deep dive into everything crime writing.

There is also an accompanying exhibition to Shetland Noir in Mareel’s Cafe Bar – Eerie Isles, exhibiting local photography. For the exhibition, we invited local photographers to capture the haunting, mysterious, and atmospheric side of Shetland. In line with Shetland Noir, we wanted images that evoke intrigue, drama, and the island’s unique character. We selected ten photographs, from a varied range of entrants across ages and abilities, from hobbyists to professional photographers.

Mareel will be closed to the general public for the duration of the festival, Thursday 11 June (from 4pm) – Sunday 14 June. Only Noir Card, Day Card or individual event ticket holders will have access to the venue.