- Thriller Festival runs 8–11 November at Expo Centre Sharjah.
- 13 speakers across crime, mystery and psychological suspense.
- Headliners include Chris Pavone, Jennifer Hillier and Stacy Willingham.
- Premiere of Murder at the Majlis, an interactive Sharjah-set mystery.
- Panels, masterclasses and workshops span page-to-screen, cultural context and TV writing.
Sharjah’s Thriller Festival returns to the Sharjah International Book Fair for its fourth edition from 8 to 11 November. It’s a compact four-day run with 13 guests from North America, Europe, South Asia and the Arab world. Expect panels, signings, a slate of practical workshops and a new interactive play set in Sharjah. All sessions take place at Expo Centre Sharjah in collaboration with Thriller Festival New York.
The essentials: dates, venue and scope
The basics you need, minus the fluff.
- Dates: 8–11 November 2025
- Venue: Expo Centre Sharjah
- Format: panels, workshops, signings and a live mystery
- Partner: Thriller Festival New York
- Speakers: 13 writers and industry names
The festival sits inside SIBF and keeps a tight focus: suspense in all its forms. The partnership with Thriller Festival New York returns, and the four-day schedule is loaded with talks and practical sessions. It’s designed for readers, aspiring writers and anyone curious about how thrillers move from page to screen.
Who’s coming: the headline names
A mix of bestsellers, screenwriters and regional voices.
- Chris Pavone (The Doorman, Two Nights in Lisbon)
- Jennifer Hillier (Things We Do in the Dark, Jar of Hearts)
- Stacy Willingham (A Flicker in the Dark)
- Daniel G. Miller (The Red Letter series)
- Matt Witten (Law & Order, House, Pretty Little Liars; The Necklace)
- Ragnar Jónasson and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (Nordic noir)
- Araminta Hall (Imperfect Women adaptation on Apple TV in early 2026)
- Clare Whitfield (Poor Girls)
- S. Hussain Zaidi; Omar Shahid Hamid; Mirna Al Mahdi
It’s a genuinely international spread. North American names lead the commercial end, Iceland’s duo bring the Nordic noir craft lens, and South Asia’s Zaidi and Hamid root stories in lived crime and policing. Regional author Mirna Al Mahdi rounds out the list and keeps the conversation anchored in the Arab world.
New this year: Murder at the Majlis
A Sharjah original built for audience participation.
- Interactive murder mystery set in Sharjah
- Written by AUS alumna Bhoomika Ghaghada
- Directed by Tarun Shyam
- Cast features American University of Sharjah students
The festival premieres Murder at the Majlis, a live whodunnit where the audience helps crack the case. It’s community theatre, local setting, and proper crowd energy rolled into one. Expect cultural detail layered into a classic mystery structure.
The sessions: page, screen and psychology
Panels balance craft talk with real-world context.
- Scene One, Chapter One: translating novels to screen with Matt Witten and Ragnar Jónasson
- Writing Thrillers Through a Cultural Lens with Eva Björg Ægisdóttir and Omar Shahid Hamid
- Inside the Underworld with S. Hussain Zaidi
- Crafting Fear in Thrillers with Araminta Hall and Mirna Al Mahdi
- Where Trauma Lives with Stacy Willingham and Jennifer Hillier
Expect frank discussions on what changes in adaptation, how place and history shape tone, and how emotion, grief and fear drive thriller characters. The line-up signals equal time for industry nuts-and-bolts and deeper character work.
Workshops: from pilots to pitches to marketing
Hands-on sessions if you’re building or selling your own work.
- Five and a Half Steps to Pilot Writing Success with Matt Witten
- Real Life, Real Stories with Shirley Jump
- Making a Killing: Marketing Your Thriller with Daniel G. Miller
These sessions look useful if you want to get an idea to screen, draw fiction from lived experience, or sell your finished book. They cover pitching, outlining, scripting and audience development.
Scale of SIBF 2025: the wider context
SIBF keeps breaking its own records.
- 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries
- 1,200+ activities led by 251 guests from 66 countries
- 300+ cultural events and 750 workshops for all ages
The numbers explain the mood: SIBF is one of the world’s most influential book gatherings, which gives genre-specific programmes like the Thriller Festival a serious platform. Plan for crowds and book your sessions early.
Planning tips for UAE readers
- Sessions run at Expo Centre Sharjah; check registration details for workshops
- Aim for evening panels to dodge weekday traffic
- If you want a screen fix between panels, our review of a recent Netflix thriller is a quick read: The Woman in Cabin 10 review
- Stock your e-reader before you go; if you’re upgrading, see: Kindle Colorsoft now in the UAE
- Into community reading programmes? See Dubai Culture’s Reading Box at City Centre Mirdif
When is the Thriller Festival at SIBF 2025?
It runs from 8 to 11 November 2025 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Who are the headline authors?
Chris Pavone, Jennifer Hillier, Stacy Willingham, Ragnar Jónasson, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Araminta Hall and more.
What’s new this year?
Murder at the Majlis, an interactive Sharjah-set murder mystery performed by AUS students.
Are there practical workshops?
Yes. Sessions on pilot writing, turning real life into fiction, and marketing your thriller are on the schedule.
How big is SIBF 2025 overall?
2,350 publishers from 118 countries and 1,200+ activities, including 300+ cultural events and 750 workshops.
