Since its inception, the Manx Litfest has prided itself on attracting some major names from international literature to the island.

This year’s festival promises to be no different.

With less than a month to go to the start of the increasing popular event, the organisers have released the names of seven guest authors who will be making appearances at talks and writing workshops throughout the weekend.

The biggest name on the bill is that of Alexander McCall Smith.

He is perhaps one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors, and is best known for his popular series of novels, the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, featuring Botswana-based private eye Mma Precious Ramotswe.

These alone have sold more than 20 million books throughout the world.

His other popular series include 44 Scotland Street and the Isabel Dalhousie Mysteries, and he’s also written numerous children’s novels, including ’White Hippo’ and the ’Harriet Bean’ series.

The Evening with Alexander McCall Smith will be held at King’s Court Theatre, at King Williams College, on Sunday, October 1, beginning at 8pm.

Elsewhere, internationally recognized crime author and former Manx resident Chris Ewan will return to the island.

The author of the ’Good Thief’ series of crime capers, along with his thrillers Dark Tides, Dead Line and Safe House, all of which are set in the Isle of Man.

The former Douglas resident moved back to the UK in 2013, but has retained close links to the island.

This year Chris has been named as the second patron of the festival, alongside Canadian crime author Alan Bradley, who now lives in Peel.

Safe House was nominated for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

His ’Good Thief’ series of books are currently being made into a TV series by ABC television, in the USA.

Mystery Mann: An Evening with Crime Author Chris Ewan takes place at 8pm on Saturday, September 30 at Noa Bakehouse in Douglas.

Chris will be joined at Noa Bakehouse by Wendy Moore, a freelance journalist, whose latest book is The Mesmerist, the true story of the mania for mesmerism (hypnotism) that gripped Victorian Britain.

Wendy will be discussing her book from 6pm.

Other authors who are to appear at the literary festival are Sally Nicholls, the author of ’Things a Bright Girl Can Do’, a story set in the time of the Suffragette movement who will be holding a talk in the Castletown Civic Centre on Sunday, October 1 at 11.30am, and Melinda Salisbury, whose book ’The Sin Eater’s Daughter’, was the bestselling UK young adult debut novel of 2015 and nominated for multiple national and international awards. She will be appearing at Waterstones Bookshop on Friday, September 29, from 6.45pm.

Journalist and writer Chris Arnot will be discussing his book, ’Small Island by Little Train’, which is about travelling around the UK’s narrow gauge steam railways, in St Catherine’s Hall, Port Erin, from 7.30pm on Friday, September 29.

Continuing the crime thriller theme, but with added dragons, will be author Josh Lacey and illustrator Garry Parsons , who will bring their latest adventure, The Dragonsitter Detective to the Island, and will be appearing at the Family Library in Westmoreland Road, Douglas, at 10.30am on Saturday, September 30.

Festival Director John Quirk believes this year’s festival may be the best yet.

’Once again, the Litfest team has tried to bring together visiting authors who cover a wide range of genres and styles, and appeal to readers of all ages,’ he said.

’We are thrilled to have Chris Ewan returning, particularly as he has agreed to become our second patron, alongside Peel-based crime author Alan Bradley. In turn, Alan has agreed to run a mystery-writing workshop, which we expect will sell out very quickly.’

There are many other events over the course of the festival, which will run from Tuesday, September 26 to Sunday October 1, including a family day based around the Mr Men books, by Roger Hargreaves, at St John’s Arboretum, on Saturday, September 30, the popular short story and poetry slam competitions.

For more information on events, schedules and details on how to obtaintickets, visit manxlitfest.com