It's All About Dundee...Except For The Bits That Aren't

Ewan McGregor has apparently ruled out any possibility of starring in Trainspotting 2 (based on Irvine Welsh's Porno).

Here's a great post from Martin Edwards about David Ashton's Inspector McLevy. Whilst a young Conan Doyle was still toddling about in the 1860s, real-life detective James McLevy, who had a reputation for always getting his man, published collections of the cases he solved. When actor and writer David Ashton (who appeared in the excellent filmThe Last King of Scotland, as well as Dr Who and Monarch of The Glen) discovered the stories he developed the character of McLevy and his colleagues into a radio play and then two (so far) novels. In addition, Ashton is also adapting the books for a film starring Dundee actor Brian Cox (who plays McLevy in the Radio plays).

'Dundee, you say, Donna?' 'Why yes, Dundee.' How serendipitous, since that segues nicely into more Scottish book events (Scotland is, I am happy to say, getting all crime fiction-y these days - and long may it last). First of all, Russel D McLean and GJ Moffat are doing a new writers panel at the Dundee Literary Festival on Fri 26 June. And for those of you thinking of holidaying in Dundee (and why not, indeed) David Peace is appearing the day before.

I read Russel's first book THE GOOD SON at the end of last year and it was excellent. It's a gritty PI novel set in Dundee, featuring an intriguing protagonist called J McNee, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his fiance (sorry can't work out how to do accents). He's hired by a man who has found the dead body of his estranged brother hanging from a tree and doesn't agree with the suicide theory the police are going with. There's a great interview with Russel on Pulp Pusher.

As for Russel's partner in crime fiction at the event, I'd never heard of G J Moffat before, so did a bit of digging. He's a lawyer and he has been described as 'the Scottish John Grisham'. His first novel - DAISYCHAIN - is set in Glasgow. You can read the prologue here.

Dundee is going to be up to its oxters in crime writers over the next month, as I understand that Stuart MacBride and Aline Templeton may be appearing at Waterstones in Dundee on June 16th. More details to follow.

No blog post tomorrow (no, please, at least pretend you will miss me). I have a busy day, culminating in a visit to the theatah dahling to see Ibsen's Ghosts - a tale about 'an upstanding woman in Norwegian society haunted by her dead husband’s adulterous past. Having sent her son Oswald away to protect him from his father’s treachery, his return makes the issues of incest, venereal disease and euthanasia stark realities in her life.' Yes indeedy - I know how to enjoy myself, don't I? :o)

Have a lovely weekend.