Victim by Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger (translated by Megan Turney)

Firstly, an apology. I have been pretty non existent on the blogging front in recent weeks and months. Partly life stuff, partly just having lost my mojo a bit. So apologies if you missed me. And if you didn't, that probably shows I haven't been around enough for a while. Working on that. But I am back today with my review for Victim, the new book in the Blix and Ramm series by Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger, translated into English by Meagan Turney. I am so thrilled to see this pair back (both authors and protagonists) as I love this series! Many thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. I will be buying my own paperback copy. 

The Blurb

Two years ago, Alexander Blix was the lead investigator in a missing person’s case where a young mother, Elisabeth Eie, was kidnapped. The case was never solved.

Blix’s career in law enforcement is now over, but her kidnapper is back, leaving evidence of Elisabeth's murder in Blix’s mailbox, as well as hints that there are other victims.

At the same time, Emma Ramm has been contacted by a teenage girl, whose stepfather has been arrested on suspicion of killing a childhood friend. But there is no body. Nor are there any other suspects…

Blix and Ramm can rely only on each other, and when Blix’s fingerprints are found on a child’s drawing at a crime scene, the present comes uncomfortably close to the past.

A past where a victim has found their own, shocking form of therapy.

And someone is watching...

 

My Review

This is the fifth book in the series featuring, policeman (now ex-policeman) Alexander Blix and young journalist (now ex-journalist) Emma Ramm, following Death Deserved, Smoke Screen, Unhinged and Stigma, and I think the collection get s better. Across the previous four books our protagonists have fair been through the wringer and nothing changes here. No longer in the police, an old case comes back to haunt Blix and someone is making things very personal. Emma, meanwhile, is curious after teenager Carmen asks for help proving her much loved stepfather is not guilty of the murder of which he is accused. 

Emma's case is intriguing for the reader as she follows various lines of enquiry. Her investigative journalistic background is very evident and I suspect she's picked up a few tips from Blix. And she brings him on board to help her. But she knows how to follow a trail of clues, and can think creatively. This storyline is suitably twisty and ultimately pretty sad. 

But, in this book, it's Blix's storyline that provides the meat and, of course, Emma gets involved here too. This is a personal case for him, a crime that remained unsolved when he left the police. But the apparent perpetrator is targeting Blix personally. Very personally. And it's frustrating for Blix that now he's no longer on the force, his former colleagues are unwilling to share the details of the investigation with him. But he carries out his own enquiries to bring him closer to the truth. But those enquiries take him places he really doesn't go... There is a feeling of dread throughout and the tension increases as events move towards the explosive denouement. 

I loved the glimpses we got into Alexander Blix's personal life. He's a private, closed man, but we see into the sessions he has with his psychologist and the relationship with his father  and we get a peak at a possible happiness. It all helps the reader view him as a rounded character. And I'm excited as it looks like things are changing or Blix and Emma as they go forward. Hopefully it means many more books! 

I'm always amazed when two people can write a book together. I can't get my head around how it works and how they can deliver a seamless book which feels like it was written by a single author. It's such a skill. And these two are both skilled writers in their own right so it's a joy when they come together, always a cause for celebration. And I can't go without mentioning Megan Turney, the translator - I am so grateful to her because without her efforts I wouldn't be able to read these books at all.  

Victim is a well written, well plotted crime thriller full of dread and rising tension featuring two brilliant protagonists who have such an interesting connection and dynamic. And as someone who has followed this series from the beginning, I have really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. I hope Lier Horst and Enger continue with this excellent series for a long time to come! 

The Authors

Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger are both internationally bestselling Norwegian authors. Jørn Lier Horst first rose to literary fame with his no. 1 bestselling William Wisting series. A former Detective Chief Investigator in the Norwegian police, Horst imbues all his works with an unparalleled realism and suspense. Thomas Enger is the journalist-turned-author behind the acclaimed Henning Juul series. Enger’s trademark is his dark, gritty voice paired with key social messages and tight plotting. Besides writing fiction for both adults and young adults, Enger also works as a music composer. Death Deserved, the first book in the Blix & Ramm series, was Jørn Lier Horst and Thomas Enger’s first co-written thriller, and all five books in the series have hit no. 1 on bestseller lists worldwide.

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen (translated by David Hackston)

Anyone who has been following my blog for a while will know I'm a fan of Finnish writer Antti Tuomainen - search under his name on the blog and you will see my previous reviews. So I was delighted to have the opportunity to read his new book, The Burning Stones, translated into English by David Hackston. Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invite and to the publisher for my review copy. I will be buying a paperback copy of my own in due course. 

The Blurb

Saunas, love and a ladleful of murder…

A cold-blooded killer strikes at the hottest moment: the new head of a sauna-stove company is murdered … in the sauna. Who has turned up the temperature and burned him to death?

The evidence points in the direction of Anni Korpinen – top salesperson and the victim’s successor at Steam Devil.

And as if hitting middle-age, being in a marriage that has lost its purpose, and struggling with work weren’t enough, Anni realizes that she must be quicker than both the police and the murderer to uncover who is behind it all – before it’s too late…

My Review

As I mentioned earlier I'm a big fan of Antti's work and absolutely loved The Rabbit Factor trilogy. Here we have a very different setting and completely different characters, but the quirkiness of the individuals is still there, and I love that. And his trademark humour is there but I do feel The Burning Stones has a darker feel than his recent books. 

Steam Devil is a successful company selling sauna stoves. It's a small company with just a few staff and it's just been announced that Ilmo Räty will take over the running of the company as founder Erkki 'The Stove King' Ruusula stands down. Until Ilmo is murdered, quite creatively, I might add. Suspicions fall in the rest of the cast but particularly saleswoman Anni Korpinen, who is now most likely to succeed Erkki. The evidence too, is pointing towards Anni, and she needs to find out who the real killer is... It's potentially dangerous stuff. And Anni's carrying a secret of her own and some shared history with someone else involved in the enquiry which kinda complicates things a little bit. 

I liked Anni, although she perhaps doesn't come across as the warmest character. Maybe I was drawn to her because she's a similar age to me and I like the whole idea of middle aged women having adventures! Although I'm sure Anni isn't enjoying the particular adventure she finds herself in. She's Steam Devil's top salesperson and there is not much she doesn't know about sauna stoves and saunas in general. She's very focused and driven in her work, and that's maybe because her home life is a bit of a mess. Husband Santeri is uncommonly obsessed with Formula One motor racing. I mean, obsessively so, pretty much to the expense of all else. I was not a Santeri fan, and spent much of the book wanting to shake some sense into him! 

All the staff at Steam Devil are quirky and interesting, as Tuomainen's characters often are, eccentric, maybe, and it was fun trying to imagine them in my head. But I think my favourite character was Steam Devil customer, Lauri Kahavouri, with whom Anni is trying to complete a big sales deal. Kahavouri becomes very interested in the murder case and subsequent investigation, maybe even a little bit obsessed and decides to undertake his own under into Ilmo Räty's death. 

As more evidence comes to light (someone please tell me that bumlets are a thing!) which puts suspicion firmly on Anni, she comes into contact with policeman Janne Piirto with whom she hasn't spoken in many years and clearly has some history so that's an interesting addition to the story and fleshes Anni out a bit more. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, there is plenty of dry humour to be found here, the tone of the whole thing felt darker. Maybe it's the setting.

So let's talk about that for a moment. The Finnish countryside sounds beautiful, full of forests and lakes. But this little community does feel quite isolated, with the houses situated in woodlands, overlooking lakes. It's prime country for someone to creep about and Antti uses the setting to help increase the tension, emphasising the dark and denseness of the forest, the expanse of the lake. It works. 

The storyline is great - creepy and tense in places, a little comical in others, full of interesting, eccentric characters. And Antti Tuomainen does what he does so well - taken a very ordinary person and put them in an extraordinary situation. Recently I heard him speaking at a book festival where he said The Burning Stones walkabout 'saunas and middle age'. He's right, of course, it is, but as the blurb says there's also a little bit of love. And death. And a whole lot of suspicion and mistrust. A cracking story which is well worth checking out. 

The Author

Finnish Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007 as a suspense author. In 2011, his third novel, The Healer, was awarded the Clue Award for Best Finnish Crime Novel and shortlisted for the Glass Key Award. Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime-genre formula, and his poignant, dark and hilarious The Man Who Died became an international bestseller, shortlisting for the Petrona and Last Laugh Awards and is now a Finnish TV series. Palm Beach, Finland (2018) and Little Siberia (2019) have both been adapted for the screen, airing shortly, and also shortlisted for the Capital Crime/Amazon Publishing Readers Awards, the Last Laugh Award and the CWA

International Dagger, and winning the Petrona Award for Best Scandinavian Crime Novel. The international bestselling Rabbit Factor trilogy is filming now for Amazon Studios, starring Steve Carrell. Antti lives in Helsinki with his wife.

Sleeping Dogs by Russ Thomas #blogathon

So we've reached the end of our Russ Thomas #blogathon. And that's because the brand new shiny Adam Tyler book, Sleeping Dogs, is out today! I've been lucky enough to get a sneak peak at it and my review is below. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me on the tour and to the publisher for my review copy. 

The Blurb

THE LIES OF THE PAST . . .

When an anonymous tip lands on his desk, DS Adam Tyler is intrigued in spite of himself. The disappearance of a young mother twenty-four years ago was big news, but the case was never solved – this tantalizing new lead is something he simply can’t ignore. But the letter has set in motion a dangerous chain of events, and Tyler’s search for the truth soon leaves him fighting for his life.

. . . LIVE IN THE PRESENT

With Tyler out of action, DC Mina Rabbani must step up to lead the Cold Case Review Unit in his absence, retracing Tyler’s steps and uncovering his secrets to figure out what he was working on. But as she begins to put the pieces together, the case starts to hit frighteningly close to home. Without DS Tyler to protect her, Mina realises that now she’s the one with hard choices to make.

And this time she’s on her own.

My Review

This is the fourth, and latest, outing for DS Tyler and I'm thoroughly enjoying this series. In case you missed them, you can read my reviews of the previous three - Firewatching, Nighthawking and Cold Reckoning on the blog. You could enjoy Sleeping Dogs perfectly well as a standalone but,as with any series, you will get a richer, rounder reading experience starting at he beginning.

An unusual letter lands on the desk of DS Adam Tyler, head of the Cold Case Review Unit. It seems to reference an unsolved kidnapping 24 years previously, and mentions an old criminal. Adam follows the obvious leads, gets nowhere, and puts the file to one side to focus on the next case. Except he can't. Something keeps pulling him back to the letter. He tells nobody but begins to look into things more deeply, and heads down a rabbit hole, closing himself off from colleagues and his new partner, Scott. When he's put out of action, Mina must step into his shoes to run the CCRU, but she can't resist investigating what happened to Adam. What she finds is shocking and uncomfortable for her...

I think this one is probably my favourite of the series so far. It's told over three timelines - there are a few chapters set twenty four years ago, some leading up to now from six months ago, and the main timeline set in the present. It's a great story, starting with an unsolved kidnapping which Adam becomes pretty obsessed with. He's not the most open, friendly guy at the best of times but when he gets obsessed like this he pushes people away. Which is particularly not great when you're embarking on a new relationship! Scott is very patient and understanding but even he has his limits...

It's great to see a couple of returning characters from previous books, whose storylines I had thought to be over, but it's lovely to see Diane and Susan back. I don't think I've mentioned Jim Doggett in my previous reviews but he's a constant in all four books. He strikes me as an old school copper, and he's not the most PC guy around, but beneath his gruff exterior he's a decent guy and always has Adam and Mina's backs. I have a real fondness for him. But this story belongs to Mina. She's been my favourite character since the first book and in Sleeping Dogs we really see how much she's come on. She has to confront some really difficult stuff and she handles things really well. We also see what she really thinks of Adam. I loved that she featured so strongly in this storyline. 

I haven't said much about the actual plot because I don't want to give anything away. But it's enjoyable and satisfyingly complex. Thomas has weaved everything together brilliantly, the timelines come together and it all works. Sleeping Dogs is a well written, character based (my favourite type) of thriller. Plenty of mystery, tension and jeopardy. Another great addition to the series and I'm already looking forward to the next one! 

The Author

Russ Thomas grew up in the 80s reading anything he could get his hands on, writing stories, watching television, and playing videogames: in short, anything that avoided the Great Outdoors. After a few 'proper' jobs, he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Now a full-time writer, he also teaches creative writing classes and mentors new authors.

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðadóttir (translated by Lorenza Garcia)

Today I'm sharing my review of Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir, translated into English by Lorenza Garcia, as part of the blog tour. I love this series! Big thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the invitation and to the publisher for my review copy.

The Blurb

When Áróra receives a call telling her that a child she’s never met is claiming to be her missing sister reincarnated, she is devastated … as ridiculous as the allegations might seem.

For three years she has been searching for her sister without finding a single clue, and now this strange child seems to have new information.

On the same day, Icelandic detective Daníel returns home to find a note from his tenant, drag queen Lady Gúgúlú, giving notice on her flat and explaining that she has to leave the country. Daníel is immediately suspicious, and when three threatening men appear, looking for Lady, it’s clear to him that something is very wrong…

And as Iceland’s long dark nights continue into springtime, that is just the very beginning…

My Review

Dark as Night is the fourth in the five book series, An Áróra Investigation following Cold as Hell, Red as Blood and White as Snow. It can easily be read as a standalone, as can all the books in the collection, but as with any series, you'll find a richer reading experience by starting at the beginning. 

A couple come forward claiming that their three year old daughter believes she's Áróra's missing sister, Ísafold, reincarnated. Áróra doesn't know what to think when she meets the little girl herself as it's a subject that causes her pain. Could this little girl really know what happened to Ísafold? Her boyfriend, policeman Daniel, is not so sure. He has his own worries anyway as his tenant, and friend, has disappeared without notice and Daniel is confused as to why. Especially after receiving some sinister visitors... Áróra and Daniel team up to try to solve both mysteries, whilst trying to keep themselves out of danger...

I love Áróra. She's strong minded and determined, and will keep searching to find the truth. Especially about Ísafold. She's also very fit and physically strong, putting her time in at the gym, although this book finds her taking a few risks with her health, and quicker to anger than usual. Here, she struggles with the whole reincarnation story because it's so close to home and so painful. Helping Daniel find Lady Gúgúlù distracts her and gives her something to focus on. 

Daniel, too, is a great character. He's calm, caring and kind, just what Áróra needs, and a good policeman who works hard to get at the truth. And Lady, what can I say? Such a brilliant character. I'm so glad she's getting her moment in the spotlight in this book. 

The two storylines are super interesting, both going in unexpected directions. I'm generally a sceptic when it comes to reincarnation etc but I know there are well documented stores of children claiming to have lived previous lives. It's an intriguing idea, full of 'What if...?'s. The main story about Lady, and all the details of her own previous life, of Áróra's investigations into Lady's disappearance, the shady men in suits, is fabulous, with a mounting sense of dread and jeopardy. And it's great to see chickens featuring in a story, knowing the author's love of them. All in all, Dark as Night is a very satisfying read, really enjoyed it. Already looking forward to the final book in the series but also sad it'll be the end and I'll be saying goodbye to these characters. 

The Author

Bestselling crime-writer Lilja Sigurðardóttir was born in the town of Akranes in 1972 and raised in Mexico, Sweden, Spain and Iceland. An award-winning playwright, Lilja has written ten crime novels, including Snare, Trap and Cage, making up the Reykjavík Noir trilogy, and her standalone thriller Betrayal, all of which have hit bestseller lists worldwide and been long- and shortlisted for multiple awards. The film rights for the Reykjavík Noir trilogy have been bought by Palomar Pictures in California, and the An Áróra Investigation series is now in production for a major TV series. Cold as Hell was published in the UK in 2021 and reprinted twice, followed by Red as Blood and White as Snow, both number-one digital bestsellers. Lilja lives outside of Reykjavík with her partner and a brood of chickens.

Cold Reckoning by Russ Thomas #Blogathon

We're up to the third book in our Russ Thomas blogathon, in the run up to publication day for  the fourth book, Sleeping Dogs, on 24th October. So welcome to my review of the third book in the DS Adam Tyler series from Russ Thomas, Cold Reckoning. Many thanks to Tracy Fenton for my invitation and to the publisher for my review copy. I also bought my own paperback copy.

The Blurb

THE DARKNESS FROM HIS PAST WILL FINALLY COME TO LIGHT

The death of DS Tyler’s father irrevocably changed his life. As a child, he believed Richard had killed himself but, as the years have passed, Tyler has grown convinced he was murdered.

When a cold case lands on Tyler’s desk, there’s nothing immediately notable about it, apart from the link it has to his father. Richard was investigating the same case shortly before he died.

Finally, Tyler has a tangible link to the past, one that could give him the answers he has been looking for. And while there are dangerous people who will do anything to keep him quiet, he knows he has to keep digging.

Because you’d risk anything for your family – even your life.

My Review

I'm really enjoying this series and if you click through you can read my thoughts on the first two books, Firewatching and Nighthawking. Cold Reckoning finds DS Adam Tyler and colleagues in very wintery, cold conditions with an even colder case to solve. How, if at all, does it link back to the death of Adam's father? There's a current case to trouble the police too, and Tyler's boss, and godmother, has suddenly disappeared. Meanwhile, 13 year old Edith, who is bullied at school and caring for her sick mother at home, finds solace walking in the countryside near her home, even in the cold weather, until the  morning she sees the man with the scary eyes...

There is plenty going on in this book and Adam and his colleagues are certainly challenged, none of them really knowing who they can trust. A new boss has arrived with the absence of DCI Diane Jordan, and that, together with rumours of corruption, has unsettled everyone. 

I'll come back to the action in a moment, but what I love in these books are the people, the interactions, the relationships. Adam Tyler is not an easy man to like (or love, it would seem) - he's quite closed, can be quite blunt and abrupt, doesn't really have relaxed relationships with his colleagues - in short, he's not easy to get close to. But I've enjoyed his changing relationship with Jim Doggett as they look into the circumstances surrounding Adam's father's death, and also in this book we see more of Adam's complicated relationship with his brother Jude. But I think my favourite character is probably DC Amina (Mina) Rabbani. She has really blossomed across the three books and this one, I feel we really see her coming into her own. She's much more confident, and able to respond assertively to her predominantly male colleagues. She's really grown as a police officer and Adam sees that in her and is much more willing to trust her and her instincts. And the story is all the richer for it. 

The storyline is satisfyingly complex, as Adam and Mina investigate a cold case, literally, and Doggett has an interesting current case to deal with. Adam and Jude are trying to build bridges but the past keeps getting in the way. And there's the missing DCI. Slowly things start coming together and interesting links and 'coincidences' come to light. And there is some really interesting information from Adam's nemesis McKenna. It's a lot to tie together but Thomas does it beautifully. And even though this mainly focuses on a cold case, the tension really increases in the run up to the denouement. Cold Reckoning is another strong book in this great series, and I'm looking forward to the release of Sleeping Dogs later this month. 

The Author

Russ Thomas was born in Essex, raised in Berkshire and now lives in Sheffield. After a few 'proper' jobs (among them: pot-washer, optician's receptionist, supermarket warehouse operative, call-centre telephonist, and storage salesman) he discovered the joys of bookselling, where he could talk to people about books all day. Now a full-time writer, he also teaches creative writing classes and mentors new authors.

The Torments by Michael J Malone

 
I'm so delighted to be joining the blog tour for The Torments by Michael J Malone, The follow up to the first Annie Jackson Mystery, The Murmurs. And this one is just as chilling and spooky as that was! Huge thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for inviting me and to the publisher for my review copy. I've since bought my own paperback.

The Blurb

Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.

While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.

Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie's help. Mandy's nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother's home.

Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis' life may be changed forever…

My Review

After coming to terms with the curse that has blighted the women in her family and learning that if she stays inside the sanctuary of her isolated wee cottage, her murmurs stay pretty quiet. She does venture out occasionally to a little part time job in the village cafe, until an incident there isolate her further, and she hides away in the cottage. She is supported by her brother and her adoptive mum, until Mandy asks Annie for help - to find her sister's son, Damien, who has gone missing. Annie agrees to help, together with Lewis, but at the same time is not feeling herself, and is also drawn to a large house they pass one day in their investigations. Neither Annie or Lewis can possibly imagine where their journey will lead them...

Oh, goodness, I feel for Annie. She is doing her absolute best to survive, to make her life bearable by staying out of the way of people when she can as the curse frightens her so much but also because there is nothing she can really do to help. But she is so strong and resilient, especially for such a young woman - I would've folded way before now if it was me! And I love how supportive Lewis is, and Mandy too - I'm not sure Annie would be quite so stable without their support. 

The descriptions of her murmurs and the visions she experiences are so vivid they are really quite chilling. And there is more otherworldly stuff described in this book too : ancient witchcraft and spells, the legend of the Baobhan Sith and the story of the cannibal Sawney Bean - it's all gruesome stuff. And there are some truly awful, evil people featured in the pages of this book - all brilliantly described and sending a chill right through me. 

The story is satisfyingly twisty and tense with an amazing denouement, but it's full of emotion too. Annie and Lewis really care about what they're doing, the people they meet, and it shows. Also, the way Annie is affected, both physically and mentally, by events is brilliantly described. And my opinion of one particular character in the wider cast really changed and he ended up unexpectedly tugging at my heartstrings. 

This is such a fantastic follow up to The Murmurs, I loved catching up with Annie, and Lewis. But I also loved learning about ancient Scottish legends and stories of witchcraft, even if the knowledge might give me nightmares! The Torments is a fantastic peak into that world from a  contemporary standpoint, but also the continuing story of   a very strong young woman and triumph over adversity. 

The Author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines
throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed suit. The Murmurs, first in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, was published to critical acclaim in 2023. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist.

Bloody Scotland 2024

 
A week today I will be heading off to Stirling for the weekend of fun and frolics because it's Bloody Scotland time! Scotland's biggest crime writing festival is now in its 13th year and yet again has a fabulous programme of events lined up. I'm not sure how long I've been going, think this is my eighth time, and it's always a highlight of my year. I'm going to share some of the events I'm looking forward to below. Many thanks to Fiona Brownlee at Brownlee Donald for inviting me to take part. 

I've been asked to talk about the two events I'm most excited about at this year's festival, which I'm going to do, but there are so many brilliant things in the programme, I might sneak in one or two more of the sessions that I'm hoping to catch!


Debut Prize Panel

I am really, really looking forward to this year's Debut Prize Panel. Every year, Bloody Scotland awards two prizes - The McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year and The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. The shortlisted authors for the latter will be taking part in a panel on Friday afternoon. The five contenders this year are Doug Sinclair for Blood Runs Deep, Daniel Aubrey for Dark Island, Suzy Aspley with Crow Moon, Martin Stewart for Double Proof and Allan Gaw for The Silent House of Sleep. I've read all of them - all very different - and they're all great reads and I'm excited to see such strong finalists. I loved Daniel Aubrey's Orkney set thriller Dark Island featuring a young neurodivergent main character and a very dark storyline, and Blood Runs Deep by Doug Sinclair introducing us to haunted main character Malkie McCulloch - a well written police procedural, laced with dark humour. I'm glad I'm not the one picking a winner from this talented bunch - we'll be hearing a lot more from all these authors, I'm sure! Unfortunately, the Debut Prize Panel is sold out but tickets are still available for the Opening Reception and Prize Ceremony where the winners will be announced and interviewed on stage. Tickets are also still available for Saturday's panel in which author Alex Gray's New Crimes, picks her choice of debut authors from the last year, It features Marie Tierney, CL Miller, Tom Baragwanath and Roxie Key. 

Abir Mukherjee & Chris Whitaker

The second event I am super excited about is on Saturday morning - Abir Mukherjee and Chris Whitaker in conversation. These authors have written two of my favourite books of the year so far, and I'll be bringing my copies along to get them signed! Hunted is the first book by Abir I've read (hangs head in shame!) and I know it's very different to his other books. I loved it - super pacy, very tense, incredibly relevant, covering radicalisation and terrorism, but also the unwavering love and commitment of two very different parents for their respective children. It's brilliant, and one of the books shortlisted for this year's McIlvanney Prize. I'd been waiting for Chris's new book, All the Colours of the Dark, ever since finishing We Begin at the End. I loved that book, but it also broke me! Heartbreakingly beautiful, or maybe beautifully heartbreaking. Whichever, All the Colours of the Dark gave me the same chills. Spanning twenty plus years and crossing the US, it's a story of a terrible crime and the ripple effect of that one act but also a tale of friendship, love and devotion . I was crying ugly tears by the end of it! It's going to be fascinating listening to these two authors chat and I fear an hour won't be long enough!

There are lots of other panels I'm hoping to see over the weekend - there are three events for every timeslot so absolutely tons to choose from. So here are just a few that caught my eye.



Henry Hemming: Four Shots in the Night

Although I read a load an awful lot of crime fiction, true crime has never really been my thing. But investigative journalist Henry Hemming's session in the opening slot sounds absolutely fascinating. Four Shots in the Night discusses the murder of a British agent in Northern Ireland in 1986, which thirty years later was rumoured to have been carried out by another British agent, leading to a massive murder inquiry. I'll be making every effort to arrive early enough for this one.

The Rest is History: Eleni Kyriacou, David Greig & AJ West

A panel that I unfortunately can't attend due to a time clash is Saturday morning's The Rest is History featuring Eleni Kyriacou, David Greig and AJ West. I've read AJ's The Betrayal of Thomas True, about love and betrayal in the molly houses of 18th century  London and loved it - London and it's characters are so richly described and the story deeply affecting. The other two authors have written novels set in different times and places but both The Unspeakable Acts of Zuma Pavlou and Columba's Bones sound fascinating and this is sure to be an interesting panel.

Capital Offences: Emma Christie, Helen FitzGerald & Doug Johnstone

My final quick pick is towards the end of the festival on Sunday lunchtime. Capital Offences features Emma Christie, Helen FitzGerald and Doug Johnstone, authors who have all set their books in Edinburgh. I'm lucky enough to have read and enjoyed all three of these books - all very different, and you can find my reviews of Halfway House and Living is a Problem on the blog. I think this session will be a lot of fun.

There you have it - a very brief look at some of the things I'm looking forward to next weekend but you'll find the full run down of all the events on the Bloody Scotland website. I hope to see some of you there - there's a really warm and welcoming atmosphere and you're sure to come away having made new friends.