Crime fiction has long been one of the widely consumed literary genres, yet it has rarely received the same cultural legitimacy as so-called ‘serious’ literature. Now, the Bangalore Literature Festival (BLF) hopes to change that with Dead Write, Bengaluru’s first dedicated crime literature festival, curated as a celebration of mystery, true crime and psychological storytelling.

Srikrishna Ramamoorthy, co-founder of BLF, says the idea behind the festival emerged from a simple realisation of how crime fiction was already dominating popular culture; however, India still lacked a literary platform devoted entirely to the genre. “We have always believed that every form of storytelling deserves its moment in the spotlight. Crime fiction, despite being one of the widely read and culturally resonant genres in the world, has long been dismissed as mere entertainment. Dead Write is our attempt at changing that,” he says.

Crime and thriller fiction dominated international book markets in 2025, while Indian streaming audiences flocked to crime-inspired series such as Delhi Crime and Murder in Mahim. “Crime fiction isn’t a trend. It is a cultural phenomenon. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and is the most democratic of literary forms. It draws in readers who might not otherwise pick up a book, and it holds them with a grip that purely ‘literary’ fiction sometimes cannot match,” Ramamoorthy notes.

But beyond suspense and entertainment, he believes crime stories endure because they probe the deepest questions about society and human behaviour. “At its heart, every crime story asks the questions that all great literature asks: What drives a person to do the unthinkable? What does justice really mean? Who has power, and who is made vulnerable by it?” he says.

Dead Write hopes to bring this layered approach to audiences over two days (May 23 and 24) at the Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. The lineup includes novelists, investigative journalists, historians, IPS officers, former police commissioners and discussing everything from underworld networks to Mughal-era mysteries.

Among the key sessions are In Cold Blood, featuring real-life police officers and former criminals; Daggers and Darogas, which revisits historical detective fiction; and The Dawood Saga Continues with noted crime writer Hussain Zaidi. Bengaluru readers can also expect a homecoming of sorts with Inspector Gowda on the Trail, focused on Anita Nair’s popular fictional detective.

Perhaps the festival’s most theatrical offering is its Murder Mystery Dinner, an interactive whodunit where diners become investigators themselves. “You don’t just read about the murder, you investigate it. Think Cluedo meets Agatha Christie, served with fine food,” he points out, adding, “Every conversation promises the kind of behind-the-scenes access to crime.” According to him, this immersive format mirrors changing audience habits, especially among younger readers.

Ramamoorthy sees Dead Write as part of a larger evolution in Indian crime fiction itself. “Contemporary writers are becoming more geographically diverse, more politically conscious and more willing to examine institutions like the police, the courts, the family and the state than ever before,” he emphasises.

With free entry to the main festival and conversations spanning literature, policing, history and true crime, the festival aims to put crime fiction beyond escapist entertainment. As Ramamoorthy puts it, crime writing is often ‘literature’s sharpest mirror’ and one that is a reflection of society back at itself, however uncomfortable the image may be.

(Register on deadwrite.bangaloreliteraturefestival.org)

This story has been written by Anjali Ram.