Follow the Clues and Uncover the Story: The Malta Book Festival Programme and Trailer are Now Out! 

The National Book Council (NBC) is proud to unveil the full programme and promotional trailer for the Malta Book Festival, taking place at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre, Ta’ Qali between 4-8 November. Find the full programme here. 

Now in its 47th edition, the Festival is the largest celebration of book culture on the island, bringing together publishers, booksellers and other cultural stakeholders for a rich and inclusive cultural experience targeting visitors from all walks of life. With over 40 exhibitors and a jam-packed programme of activities, the Festival continues to be one of the leading bona fide events of the country’s cultural calendar, attracting approximately 40,000 visitors in 2025 – a number projected to increase for this year’s edition. 

This year, the Festival invites visitors to ‘Uncover the Story’ with a detective-themed visual identity running across its branding and also its video trailer – a charming mini-story crafted in collaboration with Rupture Studio, which draws prospective visitors into a compelling world of mystery, inviting everyone to discover that perfect book that seems to be made just for them. See the trailer here.

Appropriately, among its special guests one will find Ian Rankin, the world-famous Scottish crime writer whose Inspector Rebus can confidently be classed among similar icons such as Salvo Montalbano, Philip Marlowe and Hercule Poirot. Rankin will be delivering a masterclass on writing crime fiction on Thursday, 5 November at 19:00, and will be interviewed by NBC Executive Chairperson and fellow crime writer Mark Camilleri during a public event on Saturday, 7 November at 19:00, which will be followed by a book signing session. 

Also on the programme is Esther García Llovet, the critically acclaimed Spanish author whose novels published in English – Spanish Beauty and Sánchez – continue to attract praise for their refreshingly frank and bracing depiction of the ‘real’ Spain, the kind readers will not find on the tourist trail. García Llovet will be interviewed by interdisciplinary artist, filmmaker and researcher Charlie Cauchi on Friday, 6 November at 19:00, in a conversation that is sure to tap into the author’s keen sense of place – as evidenced in her fictional-but-grounded explorations of cities such as Madrid and Benidorm – and her cinematic sense of narrative style. 

The Festival is also proud to once again host the From Illustration to Book exhibition in collaboration with Arts Council Malta. Now in its fifth edition and something of a staple at the event, the collaboration is a colourful and dynamic tribute to book design and illustration as an integral part of our literary culture. 

This year, audiences will also be able to experience ‘Stejjer li Qatt ma Qrawlek’ – a series of audio adaptations of Maltese literary works created by Teatru Malta in collaboration with the NBC, while More or Less Theatre will be staging three theatrical adaptations of acclaimed works for young readers. 

Apart from these highlights, the programme – numbering to some 60 events – will also feature book launches, roundtable discussions, workshops and much more. 

Be sure to stay updated by following the Malta Book Festival on Facebook, the National Book Council on Instagram, and to check back in on the Festival page on our website here