The Sunday Round-Up on a Sunday? How novel.

First of all, this weekend's film viewing. We saw THE FIGHTER with the always excellent Christian Bale. Really good film. Then it was a film that was so horrible that I don't even want to mention its name. I didn't watch most of it. Instead, at one point, I rushed out of the room saying "I can't watch this" and went and lay down on the bed and had a good cry. Silly cow, but it was truly horrible. After that, I needed a cinematic scouring brush to scrub my brain clean of that one, so we saw the quirky and touching GET LOW with Robert Duvall and Bill Murray.

I also spent some very pleasant kindle time with the lovely boys and girls from Radgepacket. I read volumes 1 and 2 while travelling on trains over the weekend and most excellent they were too. Reviews to follow. In the meantime, they are both over at Amazon for less than a quid.

And now, on to the Scottish crime fiction news.

The Mutant Bookshelf reviews Philip Kerr's FIELD GREY. And a review of the audio version of Charles Cumming's THE TRINITY SIX .

Congratulations to Alex Gray on her new book deal, and to Doctor Val McDermid.

Chris Ewan's audiobook narrator talks about the Good Thief series.

An interview with Jason Isaacs about his role as Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie.

Finally, a plea - if anyone has any suggestions for either writing exercises or groupwork exercises for both teenagers (from age 15-ish) and adults, please e-mail me! I'm looking for things which are fun and interesting and not too heavy.

Just Another Manic Monday

This weekend's film viewing - Michael Haneke's FUNNY GAMES. Brrrr. Creepy. And great fun. Haneke is definitely playing games here and it made me want to lock the door and take a long bath and scrub my skin off.

The Guardian enjoyed Chris Ewan's THE GOOD THIEF'S GUIDE TO VENICE. And Chris has some excellent news re a TV deal for the Good Thief series. Wonderful.

The Washington Post reviews Philip Kerr's FIELD GRAY, as does the New York Times. I Meant To Read That loves Stuart MacBride's BLIND EYE, The Trib Live reviews Charles Cumming's THE TRINITY SIX.

JSOnline interviews Ian Rankin. And a great interview with Barry Graham over at Allan Guthrie's Criminal-E.

The National Post finds Alexander McCall Smith pert and punchy. A review of his opera in The Scotsman. And he's interviewed in The Guardian.

A thoughtful piece in the Guardian by Sara Sheridan on how genre and literary writers should just try to get along.

A rather excellent video for Helen Fitzgerald's LETZTE BEICHTE (MY LAST CONFESSION to you and me).

Still Playing Catch-Up

Val McDermid is interviewed over at Droemer Knaur (but don't worry, it's in English). And Val will be on BBC World Service's World Book Club on 4th May.

Catch Denise Mina in Dundee on 19th May.

Alexander McCall Smith takes more risks in his new book and says that getting into Mma Ramotswe's head is easy.

BND.com on Ian Rankin's THE COMPLAINTS. Another review, in the MCHerald, and an interview with the man himself over at WYSO. And Rebus may be coming back to a TV near you - but who will it be?

And the Calgary Herald looks at both Ian Rankin and Russel McLean.

J Kingston Pierce interviews Philip Kerr. And a review of FIELD GRAY.

A review of Kate Atkinson's STARTED EARLY, TOOK MY DOG. And another one. And a third.

I Meant To Read That... loves Allan Guthrie's KILLING MUM.

The Guardian talks about the forthcoming Sherlock Holmes novel, written by Anthony Horowitz.

Have a lovely weekend, Dear Reader.

It's That Friday Feeling

The latest stage of The Great Russel McLean Blog Tour sees the lovely Russel being interviewed by Steve Hockensmith. And it's great fun.

NPR on Ian Rankin's THE COMPLAINTS.

A look at the new Sherlock Holmes film.

See Iain Banks at Aberdeen's Word Festival on 28th March, Quintin Jardine's launching his new book at Tranent Library on March 31st and Alexander McCall Smith will be at the Fayetteville Public Library on April 8th.

Eurocrime reviews Peter May's THE BLACKHOUSE.

Dominic West talks to Charles Cumming about THE TRINITY SIX.

And, finally, crime writers dominate the list of most borrowed books in Scotland.

The Bookpage would like you to meet Philip Kerr. And The Daily Beast talks to Kate Atkinson about not taking her characters too seriously.

Sunday Summary and Monday Winner

First of all, thank you for the good wishes! Back from a weekend in Bristol where we finalised the programme for Crimefest without too much stress (mine) and pain (Adrian's). Lots of great authors going and I'm really looking forward to it.

An excellent article in the music magazine Hot Press in which Doug Johnstone talks whisky and crime fiction. And here is his list of forthcoming events. I can't wait to get my hands on SMOKEHEADS.

Read 'Em, Don't Weep reviews Alexander McCall Smith's THE CHARMING QUIRKS OF OTHERS, PhiloBiblos with a few words for Charles Cummings' THE TRINITY SIX - which gets a few more words in The Scotsman, and Paul Brazill with a small but perfectly formed review of the small but perfectly formed KILLING MUM by Allan Guthrie.

Alexander McCall Smith talks to the Mail Online.

Over at Travelling Booky, a run down of M C Beaton's Hamish MacBeth mysteries.

The Museum of The Macabre talks about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the History of Spiritualism.

Philip Kerr will be appearing in Toronto on April 20th.

And, finally, after putting all the names in my favourite pair of Docs, the winner of Tony Black's TRUTH LIES BLEEDING is Janet. Janet - if you send me your address I'll forward it to the lovely people at Random House.