A total of six books have been nominated for the £3,000 prize.
Whitaker has been nominated for We Begin At The End, while bestselling author Lupton’s novel Three Hours was also picked by the judges.
Rosamund Lupton (Vicki Knights Photography/PA)
Also shortlisted are The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths, Brian McGilloway’s The Last Crossing, Death In The East by Abir Mukherjee and Trevor Wood’s The Man On The Street.
Simon Theakston, executive director of T&R Theakston, said: “This is it: the creme de la creme of crime.
“This shortlist really does showcase the breadth and depth of the genre.
Unveiled: Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Shortlist myweekly.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from myweekly.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Newcastle crime writer beats Pointless star Richard Osman to top national prize
Author Trevor Wood has won a series of awards for his debut crime novel The Man On The Street set in Newcastle
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Top North East crime writer Trevor Wood has beaten popular Pointless star Richard Osman to claim first prize in a prestigious national competition.
A look through the Brainerd Dispatch archives with Terry McCollough combing the microfilm for tidbits of history through the decades going back to 1921.