Tuesday 24 August 2010

A Scottish Crime Writers' Festival? Yes, please

Peter Guttridge with a report from the Edinburgh Book Festival, including the exciting snippet that Alex Gray and Lin Anderson are planning a crime writers' festival in Scotland. Marvellous. And so, dear reader, who would you like to see on a panel and what would the topic be?

Ian Rankin reviews the Edinburgh Festival. And Lisa Dempster on the British Council's Bookcase Conference.

An excellent piece on Ann Cleeves' Scottish based Shetland quartet.

The Herald reviews Caro Ramsay's DARK WATER (and a headline that needs editing) and Reading Journal enjoyed Nicola Upson's ANGEL WITH TWO FACES, featuring Josephine Tey as detective.

More on the Vic Godard and Irvine Welsh collaboration.

100 Degrees at Midnight reviews IF THE DEAD RISE NOT by Philip Kerr, and an excellent post from Alastair Rickard on Kerr's Bernie Gunther novels. I'll say it again - whatever my Mum says about the internet (or 'the microwave' as she calls it) it's brilliant that people who feel passionate about books take the time to share that passion.

And, a propos of absolutely nothing, I found this story fascinating (hat tip to @ZiggyKinsella). It reminds me of the wonderfully funny LUST LIZARD OF MELANCHOLY COVE by Christopher Moore. I wonder if any serious crime fiction has been written on the same topic - anyone got any thoughts?

6 comments:

  1. I'd like Karen Campbell to be very prominently featured at a Scottish crime fiction festival. I think she is excellent, I have just finished her third, Shadowplay. She is right up there with the top series authors, in my view (eg Ian Rankin level).

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  2. Most definitely, Maxine. I love her books and she's really interesting to listen to. Good call!

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  3. Soooooo many good Scottish authors, you could have a lot of great panels. I just met Val McDermid yesterday actually (she was in Auckland). Good times.

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  4. Craig - Val's great fun both on panels and in person. Always massivley entertaining.

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  5. We have an embarrassment of riches, it is fair to say. Your pal Al and Denise Mina are always worth listening to. You YOU, Donna, YOU!

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  6. An embarrassment of riches indeed. Apart from your last suggestion - not so much an embarrassment of riches as just...well...an embarrassment :o) No, NO, Michael, NO

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