The winner will be announced at the opening reception of the Bloody Scotland crime festival at Stirling Castle on Friday 8 September and the prize of £1000 and nationwide promotion in Waterstones.
Here are the finalists along with a note from the judges on their selection.
Out of Bounds by Val McDermid
The Queen of Scottish crime adds yet more jewels to her crown with Out of Bounds and shows us why she’s writing at the very top of her game… Karen Pirie is one of the most engaging and charismatic of all the fictional Scottish Detectives.’
Buy now on Amazon
The Long Drop by Denise Mina
‘This elegantly written novel confirms Denise Mina’s stature among the great Scottish crime writers…The Long Drop transports you to the pubs, grubby back alleys and courtrooms at the heart of this unsavoury chapter of Scottish history.’
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The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid by Craig Russell
‘The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid is an assured riff on a classic noir caper which reveals Glasgow in all its gritty and compelling glory…The writing is as stylish as Lennox’s bespoke suits.’
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Murderabilia by Craig Robertson
‘An intriguing premise in a contemporary setting which tiptoes along the darker edges of crime fiction with an unusual detective at its heart… Murderabilia is a terrific addition to this inventive series.’
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How to Kill Friends and Implicate People by Jay Stringer
‘This unexpected and explosive novel proves that Jay Stringer has reached the major league of Scottish crime fiction…The prose in How to Kill Friends and Implicate People crackles like a roaring campfire and you find yourself rooting for the unlikeliest of heroes.’
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Previous winners are Chris Brookmyre with Black Widow 2016, Craig Russell with The Ghosts of Altona in 2015, Peter May with Entry Island in 2014, Malcolm Mackay with How A Gunman Says Goodbye in 2013 and Charles Cumming with A Foreign Country in 2012. The 2017 winner will be kept under wraps until the ceremony itself.