Writer Bert taking sixth book on tour
Author delighted to be meeting public again
Stirling crime writer RJ Mitchell will commence a short spring book signing tour this month.
The WH Smith tour starts at their store in the city’s Thistle Centre this Saturday, May 7.
The author, better known as Bert Mitchell, will be bringing out the sixth in his award-nominated DS Thoroughgood Glasgow crime fiction series ‘The Hammer’ later this year – and will be handing out introductory taster booklets of the novel, set in 1990, while also signing and selling his previous books in the series.
Mitchell’s Stirling signing, which starts at 11am and runs until 3pm, will be the first book signing promoted by the high street retailer since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic at the start of 2020.
The former Wallace High School pupil is excited to be heading out on tour again after a three-year hiatus.
Mitchell, whose books are based on his career as a Glasgow cop, said: “It seems amazing that it’s taken almost three years to get back out on book signing duty but obviously a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I was last on tour in 2019 with my previous book‘the Blood Acre’.
“So, I’m really looking forward to the signing in Whsmith Stirling and I would just like to thank them for their continued support of myself and my titles and in particular Craig Sinclair, their Scotland director.
“It will be great to share the taster booklet of Thoroughgood VI: The Hammer and I’m confident this will really whet people’s appetite for the book itself which will be out in autumn but I’m also looking forward to hopefully catching up with a few familiar faces.
“Ever since I started touring with WH Smith I’ve always had a good response at the Thistles store and hopefully with things returning to normal I will be able to share with people, in a safe environment, the inspiration and a bit of the background to where ‘The Hammer’ originated from as well as hand out the freebee taster with any purchase of my previous titles.”
The four-date spring tour also takes in appearances at the retailer’s outlets in Argyle Street, Glasgow, The Gyle Centre, Edinburgh, and Paisley.
Whsmith Scotland director Craig Sinclair said: “After a long time without any events, I’m delighted to welcome RJ Mitchell back to Whsmith stores for what will be our first book signing events since the advent of the pandemic.
“RJ has a proven track record with his back catalogue and meeting him is a very engaging experience, one I’d recommend to all our book customers.”
It’s taken almost three years to get back out on book signing duty Author RJ Mitchell