13 Reasons Why… You’ll Want to Visit the Edinburgh International Book Festival

Worthy panels and academic waffle? No thanks. Here’s the Hood approved line-up.

From the 9th to 24th of August, the 2025 Edinburgh International Book Festival returns to its new home — the Edinburgh Futures Institute (yes, the old Royal Infirmary, beautifully reimagined) — with this year’s theme: Repair. Alongside the usual soul-searching panels and standing ovations, there’s a smart line-up of warm, funny, crowd-ready events. Expect everything from cosy fiction to cracking cookbooks, sharp interviews and properly good conversation. There’s also an enclosed kids’ zone with free and ticketed events (perfect if you’ve got younger guests in tow), plus livestreams, captioning and relaxed sessions that make it all the more accessible.

Your Essential 13

1. Maggie O’Farrell: After You’d Gone

The bestselling novelist revisits her debut 25 years on. A must for long-time fans — and anyone who still thinks about Hamnet twice a week.

Friday 15th August 13:30- 14:30 at McEwan Hall

2. Ruth Jones: By Your Side

Co-creator of some of the best British TV ever made including Gavin & Stacey. Warm, funny and genuinely moving. If you want laughs and heart without a whiff of pretension, this is it.

Tuesday 12th August 13:30 - 14:30

3. Reverend Richard Coles: MURDER in the Parish

Unmissable. Coles is a one-man festival. Part priest, part pop icon, part Agatha Christie homage — all delivered with flair and perfect comic timing.

Saturday 9th August 11:45 - 12.45 Venue T

4. Jenny Colgan: Coming Back Home

Cosy fiction done well. Colgan nails small joys, big feelings and stories that actually stick. Her events always feel like a hug.

Tuesday 19 August 14:15 - 15:15 at Courtyard Theatre

5. Denise Mina: Bloody Murder

Sharp, funny and always up for a bit of genre mischief, Mina is your go-to for a no-nonsense, noir-soaked hour.

Thursday 14th Aug 17:00 - 18:00 Venue T

6. Diana Henry: A Life in Food

This isn’t just about cooking — it’s about memory, mood and meaning. Come hungry and open-hearted.

Tuesday 12th August 15:30 - 16:30 Spiegeltent

7. Alexander McCall Smith: Here’s the Scoop

Charming chaos from one of Scotland’s most beloved authors. You’ll laugh, you’ll nod, you’ll leave smiling.

Friday 15th August 11:45 - 12:45 at Venue T

8. Julian Clary: Behind the Curtain

Gloriously camp, lightly scandalous and always polished. Clary’s literary memoir promises gossip and glamour in equal measure.

Thursday 14th August 12:45 - 13:45 at Venue T

9. Michèle Roberts: Dinner for One

An ode to the quiet rituals of solo living, complete with wine, food and soul-soothing conversation.

Wednesday 20th August 15:30 - 17:00 at Elliott's

10. Dawn O’Porter: Friendship Forever

Candid, funny and refreshingly real. Dawn’s take on modern friendship is heartfelt without being twee.

Tuesday 12th August 11:00 - 12:00 at Venue T

11. Hattie Crisell: In Writing Live

Celebrated journalist Hattie Crisell and podcast host brings her smart, considered interview style to the stage. Writers, readers, and the curious will all come away feeling sharper.

Monday 11th August 19:30 - 20:30 at Venue A

12. Stig Abell: Death in a Lonely Place

Cosy crime with actual bite. Abell’s not just clever — he’s an old-school storyteller who knows how to work a room.

Tuesday 12th August 15:00 - 16:00 at Venue T

13. Jess Elliott Dennison: Have Lunch with Jess

A low-key, high-reward hour of seasonal food, calm conversation and real life you’ll want to copy. Ideal for a gentle reset in the middle of the madness.

Saturday 9th August 13:00 - 16:00 at Elliott's

To get all the news and all those tickets before the rest, head to edbookfest.co.uk