Some of the world's top authors and illustrators will head to Chiddingstone Castle this weekend for its third literary festival.

Held from Sunday, May 6 and Tuesday, May 8, it kicks off with the chance to hear the UK's No.1 bestselling crime writer, Ian Rankin, talking to crime reviewer from the Daily Telegraph Jake Kerridge, about the inspiration behind his Rebus novels.

Anna Pasternak – author of Lara: The Untold Love Story that Inspired Dr Zhivago will talk about her great uncle Boris Pasternak and his remarkable life with its many parallels in his writing, while other authors speaking include John Sutherland, author of Blue: Keeping the Peace and Falling Apart and a Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police, Diana Henry, cookery writer for the Daily Telegraph.

Anne de Courcy will be conjuring up Downton Abbey as she talks about her latest book The Husband Hunters: Social Climbing in London and New York, at the end of the 19th century.

On Bank Holiday Monday, which is also a family day, physicist Jim Al-Khalili will be in conversation with Sir Nigel Shadbolt author of The Digital Ape: How smart machines are transforming us all and what we should do about it, an expert in the field of Artificial Intelligence.

Bestselling author Kate Mosse will talk about her new historical novel The Burning Chambers with local author Deborah Lawrenson while BBC2's Newnight anchor Evan Davis will discuss his new and talking current affairs with Channel 5's Andy Bell.

Leigh Ladies Choir will perform for the first time, a choral piece specially written for them, while the programme for the family day includes a visit from Charlie & Lola author Lauren Child, who is also the new children's laureate.

Pericles Theatre Company will be performing a musical show, The Promise of Everlasting Youth, in the Orangery, while David Melling, author of Hugless Douglas, will read, draw and entertain three to five-year-olds.

Aardman Animations, the creators of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep will be holding modelling workshops based on their film Early Man.

There will be a schools' day on Tuesday, May 8 when Really Big Pants Theatre Company return with Plundered! a show featuring pirates, puppets and audience participation and Cressida Cowell, the author of How to Train Your Dragon will talk about her new children's series, The Wizards of Once.

DETAILS

For details of all the events taking place at the festival, sponsored by the Tunbridge Wells office of investment management firm Brooks Macdonald, go to chiddingstonecastle.org.uk/literary-festival