Crime fest book prizes will live on
Bloody Scotland hopefuls
The coronavirus may have killed off Stirling’s Bloody Scotland gathering this year, but two of the festival’s prizes have survived.
The longlist for the McIlvanney Prize and the shortlist for The Bloody Scotland Debut Scottish Crime Book of the Year were both announced this week.
Finalists for the McIlvanney Prize will be announced at the beginning of September and the winner of both prizes will be revealed on Friday, September 18.
Kirsty Nicholson of Glencairn Glass, which is sponsoring the prizes, said: “There has never been a better time to immerse ourselves in a gripping book and enjoy a little escapism during these uncertain times.
“We would like to congratulate all the talented authors who’ve been successful in securing a place on this year’s McIlvanney Prize longlist, as well as the new writers who have been shortlisted for The Bloody Scotland Debut Scottish Crime Book of the Year.”
In April Bloody Scotland announced this year’s festival, which takes place in Stirling every September, would not be going ahead due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
However, there are plans to resurrect the popular event next year. The festival has been running since 2012 and has brought hundreds of crime writers to the city.
The organisers said: “The safety of our team, participants and audiences is paramount and even if social distancing restrictions are lifted by September, we feel we cannot proceed as normal without knowing safety can be absolutely assured.
“Though we will greatly miss celebrating the finest local and international crime writing at the festival, we hope to bring you a wee taste of that classic Bloody Scotland atmosphere in the form of online events which we are currently in the process of plotting.”
Highlights of last year’s Bloody Scotland included a torchlight procession from Stirling Castle Esplanade through the city centre with a host of top authors, followed by a gala reception at the castle, plus a sellout interview with Rebus author Ian Rankin by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Dates for Bloody Scotland 2021 are currently scheduled as September 17-19.
■ The shortlisted authors are: Deborah Masson, Hold Your Tongue (Transworld); Stephen O’Rourke, The Crown Agent (Sandstone); Marion Todd, See Them Run (Canelo); Francine Toon, Pine (Doubleday).
■The longlist for the McIlvanney Prize: Lin Anderson, Time for the Dead (Macmillan); Lisa Gray, Bad Memory (Thomas & Mercer); Andrew James Greig, Whirligig (Fledgling); Doug Johnstone, A Dark Matter (Orenda); Val McDermid, How the Dead Speak (Little, Brown); Ben McPherson, The Island (HarperCollins); James Oswald, Bury Them Deep (Headline); Ambrose Parry, The Art of Dying (Canongate) (aka Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman); Mary PaulsonEllis, The Inheritance of Solomon Farthing (Mantle); Caro Ramsay, The Red, Red Snow (Severn House); Craig Robertson, Watch Him Die (Simon & Schuster); Francine Toon, Pine (Doubleday).