Oliver Harris

Oliver Harris

Oliver Harris has an MA in creative writing from UEA and a PhD in psychoanalysis from Birkbeck. He is the author of the Nick Belsey series of crime novels, and the Elliot Kane series of espionage novels, published by Jonathan Cape and Little, Brown. His novels have been Sunday Times thrillers of the week, nominated for the Crime Writers’ Association Daggers awards, translated into over ten languages, and optioned for film and television.

He has taught creative writing at City Lit, Cambridge University and is now senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University. In 2022 his novel, Ascension, was chosen as one of BBC 2’s Between the Covers book club picks.

Oliver Harris’s website →

'Working with Oliver Harris went far beyond my expectations. I have written professionally for many years, but was seeking a new direction in my writing. So I was a little uncertain about working with another writer. However, Oliver was immensely helpful and provided excellent guidance without ever encroaching on the creative process. Our discussions were fascinating and he took a genuine interest in the work. In the end he achieved the near miracle of helping me to write a novel which I love, and yet feel is entirely my own! Not an easy task. Oliver is an immensely talented writer and an equally inspired mentor. I am hugely grateful to him.'
– Conor Corderoy
'Oliver Harris is one of those rare professional writers who are also able to communicate their skills through teaching.  Oliver focused on the task of making my work commercial and I will be forever grateful to him.'
– Myrna Croome
‘I loved working with Oliver Harris. His knowledge and encouragement were extremely motivating and I felt I learnt a great deal from his approach to critique. My writing has certainly benefited from his insight.’
– Sophie Parkes-Nield, author of Out of Human Sight (Northodox, 2023)
‘As a tutor [IOliver] is positive and constructive … His focus is on ensuring that the writer’s work becomes a pleasurable experience for the reader. More than anything else, Oliver has given me the confidence to believe in my writing abilities and to pursue my dream of having a piece of work published.’
– Eirlys Wynne. MA student, MMU 2022