
Attention bookworms! The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) is returning in March! From 1 to 8 March, get ready for a series of talks, panel discussions, readings, book launches, signings, workshops, and other literary experiences taking place across the city. Alongside the main events of HKILF, the Young Readers Festival Schools Programme also returns from 24 February to 7 March where it continues to nurture healthy reading habits among local youths.
Highlights of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival
1. Marquee event: An Afternoon With Alka Joshi

The headliner for this year’s HKILF is internationally bestselling author, Alka Joshi, best known for her Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. Embarking on her literary journey at age 50, Alka shatters age and gender norms in the industry. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, became an immediate New York Times bestseller and a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub Pick. The book is now available in 29 languages and is currently in the process of being adapted as a Netflix TV series. Get your tickets for an insightful afternoon in conversation with Alka.
About Alka Joshi
Born in India, Alka has lived in the U.S. since the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. She was selected as Forbes Magazine’s “50 Over 50” women for her prominent entry into the world of publishing. Her fourth novel, Six Days in Bombay, is due to release on April 15, 2025.
Event details
- Date: 2 March
- Time: 4-5:30pm
- Venue: Miller Theater, Asia Society Hong Kong Centre, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, Hong Kong
- Ticket price: $298
2. Marquee Event: Butter, A Novel of Food and Murder

Here’s one for those with a penchant for mystery and the goreyer things in life. Butter (2024) is a Japanese bestseller that begins with Manajo Kaiji, a gourmet cook convicted of seducing and murdering lonely businessmen. Arrested and now locked away in the Tokyo Detention Centre, Kaiji refuses all interview requests, until journalist, Rika Machida, reaches out asking for her beef stew recipe. What begins as a culinary exchange quickly evolves into something deeper. As an ordinary workaholic who rarely serves herself homemade food, Rika is immediately drawn into Kaiji’s world of food, desire, and power. As she savours her way across Kaiji’s criminally addictive creations, Rika finds herself questioning her own appetites and person. Inspired by the real-life events of the Konkatsu Killer of 2007-2009 Japan, Butter explores misogyny, obsession, and the forbidden pleasures of food in modern Japan. Get your tickets here.
Event details
- Date: 4 March
- Time: 4-5:30pm
- Venue: Miller Theater, Asia Society Hong Kong Centre, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, Hong Kong
- Ticket price: $298
3. Lunch with Bernardine Evaristo

Bernardine Evaristo is a major English language author, academic, and public figure. After 40 years of publishing and writing, Evaristo rose to international fame in 2019 by scoring the Booker Prize with her eighth book, Girl, Woman, Other. As the first black woman to win the esteemed award, Evaristo was propelled into the forefront of the public consciousness and global literary landscape as one of the most watched authors of all time. A writer of novels, short fiction, drama, poetry, essays, literary criticism, and projects for stage and radio, she is Professor of Creative Writing at Brunel University London. Evaristo is also President of the Royal Society of Literature, the second woman and the first black person to hold the role since it was founded in 1820. She has received more than 80 honours, awards, fellowships, nominations, and other tokens of recognition.
Evaristo will host the lunch as speaker with Jo Lusby as moderator.
Event details
- Date: 5 March
- Time: 12-2pm
- Venue: Soho House Hong Kong, 2/F 33 Des Voeux Rd W, Sheung Wan Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
- Ticket price: $698
Visit Eventbrite for more events of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival.