David H Headley
David H Headley is a visionary entrepreneur who transformed his passion for books into a multifaceted career at the forefront of the literary world. Originally from a working-class background in York, David studied theology in London and Durham before he found his true calling among books. In 1999, he co-founded and became Managing Director of Goldsboro Books, a boutique bookshop in London’s historic Cecil Court. Over more than two decades, David has grown Goldsboro Books from a small collector’s shop into a leading independent bookstore admired worldwide. He spent the last 25+ years establishing Goldsboro’s reputation and, along the way, became a well-regarded literary agent, forging strong relationships with publishing houses across the UK. David’s knack for spotting quality stories early led him to create the UK’s largest collectors’ book club through Goldsboro, a first-edition Book-of-the-Month club, which has influenced the sales of hardback fiction. His achievements as a bookseller earned him industry awards and regular inclusion in The Bookseller’s “Top 100” most influential people in publishing, reflecting his impact on the book trade.
Ever the innovator, David H. Headley also co-created a groundbreaking festival to celebrate his favourite genre. In 2019, he co-founded Capital Crime, London’s first major crime and thriller festival. Capital Crime was conceived as a festival with a difference, a high-energy, two-day celebration that brings authors, filmmakers, and fans together in the heart of the city. As host and co-founder, David infuses the festival with the same enthusiasm and vision that define his other ventures. Capital Crime has quickly grown into one of the world’s largest gatherings devoted to crime fiction, offering an unprecedented level of access to beloved crime and thriller creatives. Each year, thousands of readers mingle with superstar novelists and screenwriters, enjoying panel discussions, interviews, and memorable conversations. Under David’s leadership, the festival has been an entrepreneurial triumph, by 2023 it was lauded as the “most successful yet,” drawing record crowds of attendees and international authors to London.
Across all his endeavours, David’s driving force is a love of storytelling and a desire to connect creators with audiences. He has an infectious energy for innovation: whether curating collectable editions, negotiating publishing deals, or launching an immersive festival, David approaches each project with creativity and professionalism. His journey from theology student to award-winning bookseller, literary agency, and festival founder showcases unwavering commitment to the literary community. Today, David H Headley is not only a successful entrepreneur but also a thought leader in the book world, a champion of books and storytelling at every turn.
Not content with revolutionising bookselling, David expanded his influence by founding the DHH Literary Agency in 2008. As Managing Director of DHH, he has leveraged his insight as a bookseller to nurture an eclectic range of best-selling and award-winning authors. David’s agency is editorially led and run by passionate book lovers, known for its commercial awareness, connections, and skill in helping authors develop their ideas. In practice, this means David and his team work hands-on with writers, polishing manuscripts and connecting them with the right publishers, a formula that has seen DHH clients soar. Authors represented by David have topped bestseller lists and earned critical acclaim; for example, crime novelist M.W. Craven, one of David’s clients, became a Sunday Times bestseller and won the CWA Gold Dagger, among other honours. David’s dual perspective as a bookseller and agent gives him a unique ability to identify stories that readers crave, and he is renowned for championing original voices and new talent in fiction.
Goldsboro Books is an internationally renowned independent bookseller that began as a humble London shop with a big vision. Founded in 1999 by two friends and book collectors, David Headley and Daniel Gedeon, Goldsboro opened its doors on London’s historic Cecil Court, a street aptly nicknamed “Bookseller’s Row”. From the outset, Goldsboro’s mission was clear: to interest and inspire readers and collectors by providing the finest quality signed first-edition books, both in its central London shop and online. What started as a niche bookstore for rare and collectable modern fiction has since grown into a world-famous destination for bibliophiles, driven by an unwavering passion for bookselling excellence.
Over the years, Goldsboro Books has built a reputation for discovering outstanding new authors and future classics. David Headley and his team developed an expert eye for spotting quality books early, often championing debut novels that other retailers might overlook. This foresight paid off spectacularly in 2013, when Goldsboro became the only bookshop in the world to secure signed copies of The Cuckoo’s Calling by the then-unknown “Robert Galbraith”, who later turned out to be J.K. Rowling. Choosing that debut crime novel on its merits, without knowing the author’s true identity, exemplifies Goldsboro’s ethos of curating based on quality and instinct. Such moments have solidified Goldsboro’s status as a much-admired hub for collectors and authors alike, where the next significant voice in fiction might be waiting on the shelf.
A key to Goldsboro Books’ success is the vibrant, global community it has cultivated. In 2005, the bookshop launched the UK’s largest First Edition Book-of-the-Month Club called Prem1er enabling readers around the world to build personal libraries of hand-picked new titles. Each month, subscribers receive a carefully selected first edition, often by an emerging author, allowing them to share in Goldsboro’s long-established instinct for identifying books that matter. This spirit of innovation has continued to evolve. Goldsboro later introduced GSFF (Fellowship), its dedicated science fiction and fantasy subscription, and Crime Collective, a specialist crime fiction community that brings readers closer to the genre they love through exclusive editions, events, and early access to standout titles.
From its flagship shop in Cecil Court, now complemented by a second location in Brighton, to its robust online presence, Goldsboro Books delivers a highly personalised book-buying experience that resonates with committed readers and collectors alike. Every detail is handled with care; dust jackets are protected in clear film, and books are packed professionally to ensure they arrive in pristine condition. Goldsboro’s dedication to quality and service has earned it widespread recognition. It has been named among London’s best bookshops and was a finalist for Independent Bookshop of the Year in 2025. Beloved by authors, Goldsboro has even been praised by Lee Child as “the best bookshop in London”.
David Headley’s role as co-founder and managing director has been central to this success. His creative vision, commercial instinct, and relentless enthusiasm for storytelling have shaped Goldsboro into far more than a bookshop. Today, Goldsboro Books stands as a testament to entrepreneurial ambition in the literary world: a business that sells books, certainly, but more importantly discovers talent, builds communities, and continually reimagines what an independent bookseller can be.
Goldsboro’s role as a cultural connector extends beyond bookselling alone. In 2017, the company launched the annual Glass Bell Award, which honours outstanding contemporary fiction across all genres and has become a respected marker of literary excellence. Goldsboro has also expanded into original content through its podcast, Confessions of a Book Collector, hosted by David Headley. The podcast offers candid conversations with some of the most celebrated voices in publishing, giving listeners rare insight into the creative lives behind the books and reinforcing Goldsboro’s position as a trusted, authoritative voice within the industry.
David Headley’s ambition for Goldsboro Books does not stop with what has already been built. In January 2026, he launched Fresh Ink, a new subscription programme created to champion debut literary authors at the very start of their careers. Designed to give emerging voices the visibility, care, and readership they so often struggle to find, Fresh Ink reflects David’s long-held belief that the future of bookselling lies in discovery, trust, and advocacy. It is the latest evolution of Goldsboro’s founding instinct: to spot talent early, back it wholeheartedly, and bring readers with you on that journey. More than twenty-five years on, Goldsboro Books remains a business in motion, continually reimagining what an independent bookshop can be, led by a belief that the next great book is always still to come.
The DHH Literary Agency is a boutique literary agency founded in 2008 by David H. Headley, born from his desire to champion writers as wholeheartedly as he champions books. After nearly a decade of running a bookstore, David recognised a new opportunity: to guide talented authors through the publishing journey. He established DHH Literary Agency as an editorially focused, author-centric agency; one run by people who are, first and foremost, passionate readers. This creative, entrepreneur-led firm began with the principle that behind every great book is a partnership between a writer with a vision and an agent who believes in that vision. DHH’s mission has always been to cultivate those partnerships. The agency combines David’s commercial savvy and market insight (forged from years of bookselling) with a hands-on approach to editing and developing manuscripts, helping each author craft their best work before it reaches publishers’ desks.
Since its inception, DHH Literary Agency has grown into a dynamic team representing an eclectic range of fiction, from crime thrillers and historical epics to uplifting book-club reads. Under David’s leadership as Managing Director, DHH has built a roster of best-selling and award-winning authors. The agency’s clients have appeared on the Sunday Times and international bestseller lists and have clinched some of the industry’s top honours. Notably, DHH played a key role in launching the career of crime writer M.W. Craven, a client who went on to win the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger and became a breakout star in the genre. This is just one example among many. Such successes underscore DHH’s reputation for discovering distinctive voices and nurturing them to their full potential. Publishers know that a submission from DHH comes with the Headley seal of approval: a mark of quality storytelling with broad reader appeal.
What truly sets DHH Literary Agency apart is its personal touch and industry foresight, hallmarks of David Headley’s influence. The agency’s agents are known for being well-connected and proactive, often securing deals that propel debut authors to prominence. David himself remains deeply involved in the day-to-day championing of his authors’ careers, from negotiating major publishing deals to celebrating their launch events. He has forged strong relationships with editors and publishing houses throughout the UK, relationships built on mutual trust and a shared enthusiasm for great stories. Internally, David fosters a collaborative and mentoring culture at DHH, training new agents (many of whom come from backgrounds in bookselling or publishing) to uphold the agency’s high standards. The result is an agency that marries creative passion with professional rigour. For authors represented by DHH, this means having a dedicated advocate who will go the extra mile to find the right home for their book and guide them at every step. For David, the agency is an extension of his entrepreneurial spirit, another way to innovate in the literary space. DHH Literary Agency carries forward the energy and vision of a creative brand led by a book lover who truly understands both the art and business of publishing.
Capital Crime is a bold and innovative crime fiction festival that showcases David H Headley’s talent for bringing stories and people together on a grand stage. Co-founded by David in 2019, Capital Crime was envisioned as “a crime and thriller festival with a difference” – a high-profile gathering in London where creators and fans of the genre could mingle free. From the beginning, Capital Crime set out to offer something fresh in the literary event landscape. It invites the world’s best crime and thriller writers, filmmakers, and creative minds to spend two exhilarating days with readers in England’s capital. The festival’s format is packed with entertaining and thought-provoking events, ranging from panel discussions with bestselling authors to film screenings and immersive experiences. Thanks to David Headley’s vision, what could have been a traditional convention feels like a lively cultural celebration, one in which engaging characters and gripping plots leap off the page and onto the stage.
Since its inaugural edition in September 2019, Capital Crime has quickly become an unmissable fixture on the literary calendar. It was the first major festival of its kind in London dedicated to crime and thriller storytelling, and it has grown each year exponentially. Attendees at Capital Crime can meet their literary heroes face-to-face and even discover the next generation of crime writers debuting their work. The programming spans all corners of the genre, from classic whodunits and spy thrillers to cutting-edge psychological noir – reflecting the full diversity of crime fiction. The festival’s commitment to accessibility and fun has resonated with fans: early festivals drew hundreds, and by 2023 the event was attracting thousands of enthusiasts and was hailed by David as the most successful year yet. In fact, Capital Crime is now regarded as one of the UK’s largest crime fiction festivals, distinguished by the unique fact that it is owned and run by an independent bookseller. (It remains the only festival of its scale in Britain to be born out of a bookshop, a point of pride that speaks to its grassroots, reader-focused origins) This entrepreneurial approach has paid off in spades, as the festival continues to unite a growing community of writers and readers.
Beyond the annual event, Capital Crime has embraced a year-round mission to celebrate and expand the crime fiction community. The festival is built on a diverse and inclusive ethos, running initiatives that reach beyond the two-day gathering. For example, Capital Crime launched a Social Outreach Initiative to support students in London who aspire to careers in publishing, opening doors for the next generation of literary talent. In partnership with Sharjah Book Authority, Capital Crime has developed an innovative reader-voted awards program, the Fingerprint Awards, that gives the power of choice back to the fans. Festival-goers and the reading public vote on their favourite books, films, and TV shows of the year, ensuring that the winners truly reflect the audience’s love for the genre. All of these efforts align with Capital Crime’s core purpose: to create a home for crime and thriller enthusiasts where they can celebrate stories together and engage with the creatives who inspire them. As David Headley himself says, “Capital Crime is all about the readers… we are here to entertain and engage with fellow fans, a philosophy that has been woven into every aspect of the festival.
In just a few years, Capital Crime has earned a reputation as a welcoming, brilliantly run festival that balances star power with support for new voices. It has hosted headliners from iconic authors like David Baldacci and Martina Cole to acclaimed newcomers who later became household names. Each edition of the festival features an unrivalled mix of world-class talent and rising stars, often pairing bestselling veterans with debut authors in the same panel, to the delight of attendees. Under David’s energetic guidance (in partnership with festival director Lizzie Curle), Capital Crime continues to push creative boundaries, from staging events in unique London venues to organising interactive mystery experiences for guests. The atmosphere is one of community and excitement, as many attendees note. More than just an event, Capital Crime is a movement within the crime fiction world. This pioneering spirit, blending entrepreneurial innovation with a genuine love of the genre, makes Capital Crime a perfect extension of David H Headley’s literary vision. In championing authors and delighting fans, Capital Crime exemplifies the creative, forward-thinking brand of storytelling enterprise that David brings to life.
