A Taste of Ashes
The west coast town of Ayr is the backdrop to A Taste of Ashes, the second of Tony Black’s novels featuring DI Bob Valentine. He is a cop who places himself – literally – at the sharp end, as he is just returning to duty…
A Taste of Ashes by Tony Blank
Detective Inspector Bob Valentine has recently returned to work in the West Scotland town of Ayr after being stabbed in the heart on a previous case. A rare night out with his long suffering and concerned family is interrupted by a murder. A man has been discovered…
Interview: Val McDermid
Val McDermid is something of a media personality these days, often popping up on TV and radio. She was even asked about writing an opera recently on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions. But it is her crime writing that has garnered a legion of fans who snap up…
A gazetteer of British crime: Scotland
A sense of place is one of those vital ingredients which can be crucial in a crime fiction novel. Maigret’s rainy Paris suburbs, Marlowe’s neon-lit LA, Harry Hole’s snowy Oslo streets – the locations are inseparable from the characters. Here in Britain we have our own…
Splinter the Silence by Val McDermid
Trust the high-priestess of crime writing to take a headline-grabbing phenomenon and turn it to her nefarious advantage. Not long ago, the only trolls anyone talked about were in Tolkien books or fairytales. But we live in the 21st century, the internet is king and…
First look: Rebus is back!
Just a couple of days ago Ian Rankin tweeted to us that his new book was read to go to the printers, but we had no idea it would arrive with us so quickly. So, feast your eyes on the latest Rebus novel, Even Dogs…
The Jump by Doug Johnson
One day Ellie’s teenage son, Logan, committed suicide by stepping off the apex of the Forth Road Bridge and plunging to his death. Less than six seconds from stepping over the railing to smashing into water as hard as concrete. In the intervening six months Ellie…
Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina
Alongside Ian Rankin and Val McDermid, the award-winning Denise Mina is one of the authorial voices who has helped shape Tartan noir over the last decade or so. A new book by her is always a cause for celebration and, unlike some crime series, her…