Longlist for award features two crime writers living in the Ross-shire
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Historical crime novelist Shona MacLean from Conon Bridge and Cromarty crime-writing resident Ian Rankin have both made the 12-strong longlist for top Scottish book award The McIlvanney Prize.
The names on the longlist were announced today with Shona MacLean – who writes as SG MacLean – included with her most recent historical crime novel, The Bookseller Of Inverness, set just after the Battle of Culloden.
And Ian Rankin's A Heart Full Of Headstones is his latest to feature his ageing police detective Rebus.
The other 10 books and their writers also on the longlist are: D V Bishop – Ritual of Fire (Macmillan); Heather Darwent – The Things We Do To Our Friends (Penguin); Kate Foster – The Maiden (Mantle); Mark Leggatt – Penitent (Fledgling Press); Callum McSorley – Squeaky Clean (Pushkin); Val McDermid – 1989 (Little, Brown); Denise Mina – The Second Murderer (Vintage); Robbie Morrison – Cast A Cold Eye (Macmillan); Craig Russell – The Devil’s Playground (Little, Brown); and Douglas Skelton – An Honourable Thief (Canelo).
The McIlvanney Prize shortlist will be revealed at the end of August.
Alongside Ian Rankin, another bestselling Scottish crime writer is Val McDermid and the list features two previous winners of the McIlvanney Prize – Craig Russell and Denise Mina. Robbie Morrison is a previous winner of the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize for first crime novel. There are also three first-time crime writers on the list – Heather Darwent, Kate Foster and Callum McSorley.
This year the McIlvanney Prize will be judged by BBC Scotland presenter, Bryan Burnett; former editor of The Sunday Times Scotland, Jason Allardyce and category manager for Waterstones, Angie Crawford.
The full shortlist for the 2023 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize is:
Fulton Ross with The Unforgiven Dead (Inkshares) about a Highland Constable who is reluctant to embrace his gift of second sight. Inspired by Gaelic folk tales it is a fresh take on gothic crime noir. Fulton Ross is originally from the Highlands, went to Glasgow University and now lives in Northern Ireland.
Heather Critchlow with Unsolved (Canelo) – a cold case mystery about two women who disappeared 35 years ago which was inspired by a true crime podcast. Heather Critchlow grew up in rural Aberdeenshire. She lives in St Albans.
Heather Darwent with The Things We Do To Our Friends (Penguin) – a suspense debut about a toxic friendship in first year at Edinburgh University. Originally fromYorkshire, Heather Darwent, now lives outside Edinburgh.
Kate Foster with The Maiden (Mantle) – set in the 17th Century is a reimagining of true historical events in which Lady Christian Nimmo is charged with the murder of her lover James Forrester. Kate Foster won Pitch Perfect at Bloody Scotland in 2020 with her outline for the book. She lives in Edinburgh.
Callum McSorley with Squeaky Clean (Pushkin) featuring DI Ally McCoist the least popular detective in the Glasgow police. A thriller filled with pitch-black humour. Callum McSorley graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2013 and since then his stories have appeared in Gutter magazine and New Writing Scotland.
All of the shortlisted authors have been invited to appear on a Debut Prize panel on the opening day of the festival in Stirling.
The McIlvanney longlist and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize shortlist will be promoted in bookshops throughout Scotland from this announcement and the presentations of both awards on Friday, September 15.
