@BloodyScotland End Of Festival News #BookFestival #BloodyScotland

BLOODY SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL, CO-PROGRAMMED BY SIR IAN RANKIN, CELEBRATES BEST YEAR YET COMBINING LOCAL ENGAGEMENT WITH INTERNATIONAL REACH

The Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival closed its 14^th edition with a huge thanks to its first guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin. Not only did Ian invite a star guest list to the festival, he tirelessly volunteered to interview them too and was on stage for a total of six events. Audiences responded to his eclectic choices and in person ticket sales were the highest recorded in the festival’s history. The festival started earlier on Friday this year and ran until Sunday afternoon, with over 150 authors visiting Stirling over the weekend, which according to data collected by Go Forth Stirling increased footfall to the historic city by 20,788 from the previous week.

Waterstones reported that book sales, already up by a staggering 41% last year increased by a further 29% this year. Some of the bestsellers were Mick Herron, J D Kirk & L J Ross, Jo Nesbo and Kate Atkinson, Kathy Reichs and the Reverend Richard Coles (all guests of Sir Ian Rankin). However, it is the smaller events at more intimate venues like Trinity Church and Central Library showcasing the up and coming authors which are at the heart of the festival. This year Dark Islands featuring Scottish author Morag Pringle and two debut authors Ronnie Turner and Chris Barkley was one of the sell outs, as was the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Panel.

The digital component increased the festival’s international reach, while the buzz on the ground included BBC Radio Scotland’s Nicola Meighan broadcasting live from the green room with her Kick Up the Arts podcast and Susie Green, host of In My Good Books podcast, recording an excellent overview of the festival – https://open.spotify.com/show/0PFPUtW7wcI36rDkGaHSq1

Collaboration is a key aspect of the festival. In addition to an ongoing relationship with The Glencairn Glass (sponsors of both the prizes), Bloody Scotland partnered with Lumo to celebrate the imminent new route between London and Stirling by sending three of Bloody Scotland’s crime writers on a trip to London and back the day before while writing a new collaborative story, signing books and engaging new audiences en route.

The festival encourages local engagement. On the opening night a new ‘Day of the Deid’ procession led by Stirling and District Schools Pipe Band and actors from local theatre group, Rubber Chicken Theatre Company, carried an effigy of guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin to his event at The Albert Halls. Ian himself walked at the front of the procession with the Lord Provost Elaine Watterson and Council Leader Gerry McGarvey accompanied by the winners of the McIlvanney Prize and Bloody Scotland Debut Prize.

Stirling Central Library is the focus for supporting up and coming writers with the Debut Prize panel on the Friday and Pitch Perfect and a Poacher turned Gamekeeper panel which this year featured E C Nevin discussing her new book, A Novel Murder, set appropriately at a crime fiction festival. The winner of Pitch Perfect – which for the second year had a prize of £1,000, in memory of journalist Rae Stewart – was won by Edinburgh based author, Marco Rinaldi with Dark Waters. The festival drew to an end with the entire team on stage at The Albert Halls presenting Sir Ian Rankin with an engraved bottle of his favourite whisky to thank him for his outstanding work as guest programmer.

Stirling Council’s venues team managed box office and ticket sales for all events. The historic Albert Halls was again the largest venue at the festival and the team welcomed over 7,000 ticket holders through its doors over the three days.

Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Gerry McGarvey said:

‘Bloody Scotland 2025 was another wonderful celebration of the best crime writing talent around. Authors and visitors from around the world mingled with residents in Stirling’s venues, bars and restaurants to create a fantastic atmosphere across the city, not only boosting the local economy but also enriching our cultural life.

The colourful ‘Day of the Deid’ parade on the Friday evening, led superbly by the Stirling and Schools District Pipe Band, was an enjoyable new addition to the programme and added to the buzz in the city.

Stirling is proud to host this world-class international festival that continues to grow in popularity and prestige year on year, which is testament to the hard work of all those involved. My congratulations to all the prize winners and we look forward to welcoming everyone back again for Bloody Scotland 2026 and to our other cultural events and festivals.’

Bob McDevitt, Festival Director said:

‘As I walked around the streets of Stirling to attend our events this year, I was struck by the incredibly positive and upbeat atmosphere. From buzzing authors who’d just been on a panel, to our eternally smiley volunteers and from publishers enjoying a cheeky day out of the office to our army of enthusiastic readers, the whole city felt infused with the Bloody Scotland spirit (and I’m not talking about our exclusive whisky bottling!). It’s great to see that so many are looking forward to next year already.’

Alan Bett, Head of Literature and Publishing at Creative Scotland said:

‘Bloody Scotland set the stage in Stirling for a celebration of Scotland’s finest crime writing, thanks to support from The National Lottery. The debut prize shortlist showcased a thrillingly diverse array of murder mysteries – from prison corridors to distillery floors – and across contemporary and historical settings. This, alongside pitching opportunities and spotlight slots, underscores a deep commitment to nurturing talent. That commitment is paying off: former debut winner Tariq Ashkanani clinched the 2025 MacIlvanney Prize, from a shortlist featuring some of Scotland’s best known crime authors.’

Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival is supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Next year it will run from Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September 2026.

#Interview with comedian and actor Lucy Pearman with Lou on new show, Lunartic #LucyPearman #Lunartic @sohotheatre 29th Sept – 4th Oct #comedy #theatre #stage

Interview with comedian and actor, Lucy Pearman Lunartic

Interview by Louise Cannon

It gives me great pleasure to be interviewing about her new comedy show, Lunartic, which is transferring from a sold out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Theatre to Soho Theatre from Monday 29 September – Saturday 4 October 2025 at 9:15pm. Please find how to book at the end of the interview.
Thank you and welcome to Bookmarks and Stages, Lucy Pearman.

Lucy Pearman’s latest show, Lunartic was nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality and nominated for Best Variety Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival Awards.
She has also wrote and starred in BBC Three’s Please Help, which was nominated for a BAFTA following its release. She has appeared on Red Dwarf and other tv shows. She was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards in 2017 for her debut full-hour show Maid of Cabbage.
She has successfully had other shows transfer from the Edinburgh Fringe to SoHo Theatre, such as Baggage.

Before the interview, which contains fascinating and entertaining insights into the themes of the play, the BAFTAs, Red Dwarf and some humour, here is a bit about Lunartic.

In Lunartic, the Moon is putting on a show. But, as the Sun keeps reminding her, the Moon will never be a star – and without him, she’d be invisible altogether. Through her trademark blend of surreal character comedy, joyful audience participation and prop-fuelled silliness, Pearman takes us into a huge-hearted story about loneliness, big dreams, and wanting to be seen. As the Sun threatens to switch off the light altogether with a total eclipse, the Moon faces the dark – and the audience is invited to join her in a wonderfully daft celestial adventure.

Without further ado, here is our interview:

Lunartic, it’s a clever, playful, fun name, what inspired you to call your show this?

I quite like using references to madness because I’ve very often been called those things. My 2018 show was called *Fruit Loop*. So I think the titles just come from all the things I’ve been rightly or wrongly called along the way.

2. Lunartic was a sell-out show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has now transferred to Soho Theatre. How does that feel, to know your show has life beyond a major festival, and what does it take to tour it?

Incredible! I’m so, so happy that I get to make what’s in my brain and people fancy coming to watch it.

I think the key to touring something is being sure people will come. I’ve started a mailing list, maybe that will help!

3. Interestingly, the characters in this play are the sun and the moon, with the moon putting on a show and the sun reminding it that it is also required. What inspired this concept?

Well, I sort of thought about the moon and wondered if she minds that, if the sun switched off, she’d just be a sort of big rock in the dark.

I’ve had times where I’ve felt a bit like a big old rock in the dark, so I sort of connected with that idea.

I like the thought that everybody loves the sun so much and is so happy when it’s around, but what if he was a bit of a dick, the villain of the piece I guess.

4. The themes are loneliness and big dreams. How did you weave these into such a celestial storyline, and why do you feel they’re important themes to focus on?

I have always felt like the moon looks so isolated and sad… I would always talk to the moon after gigs like a really trusty nocturnal colleague.

I liked the idea that she worked nights but also love the way she pops out in the day sometimes, and I imagined the sun being a bit cross about that, like she’s stepping on his shift a bit.

5. Since your show covers big dreams, what is one of your big dreams and why?

I had an actual dream that I was a clown wobbling around Liberty, that was quite nice, that feels within my reach. But career dreams… I would love to work with Julia Davis or make film, but also, hand on heart, I’d like to buy a pig.

6. What do you hope people take away from the show?

Well, nothing, because I will need all the props for the next night. It’s too stressful when people take everything home with them.

7. You were BAFTA nominated for Channel Three’s *Please Help*. Did you go to the party, what was that like? If you didn’t, what did it feel like to know you were nominated for such a prestigious award?

I did go to the party and I felt like a competition winner, but it was bonkers and amazing.

My mum lost her shoe, not because she’s such a liability, but the cloakroom threw them away, which wasn’t ideal, to be honest with you.

8. You starred in Dave’s Red Dwarf feature-length special. What was your best experience within this show?

Oh God, walking on set, meeting the cast, wearing fake custom made fang teeth, pretending I was in space. But my favourite bit was probably eating croissants with Craig Charles.

9. What’s next for you in your successful career?

I think it’s: buy a pig, then off to Hollywood… with the pig. Me and the pig, the pig’s flying and I’m holding on for dear life… could happen!

You can take a trip to the moon, via Soho theatre by checking out the box office here: https://sohotheatre.com/

Follow her Lucy Pearman here:
Instagram: lpeaman
Website: lucypearman.com

#Review by Lou of The Impossible Fortune By Richard Osman @richardosman @penguinrandom #TheThursdayMurderClub is back with #TheImpossibleFortune #CrimeFiction @VikingBooksUK

The Impossible Fortune
5th in The Thursday Murder Club series

Review by Louise Cannon (Lou)
Bookmarks and Stages

What joy, what excitement that Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, Bogdan, Ibraham are back doing what they do best in The Impossible Fortune, the latest warm, humorous, wise book in The Thursday Murder Club series. Richard Osman’s writing is top-notch!
Find out more in the blurb and my full review below. Thanks to Penguin for sending me a copy and a fox pin-badge. My opinions are entirely my own.

Blurb

Who’s got time to think about murder when there’s a wedding to plan?

It’s been a quiet year for the Thursday Murder Club. Joyce is busy with table plans and first dances. Elizabeth is grieving. Ron is dealing with family troubles, and Ibrahim is still providing therapy to his favourite criminal.

But when Elizabeth meets a wedding guest who fears for their life, the thrill of the chase is ignited once again. A villain wants access to an uncrackable code and will stop at nothing to get it. Plunged back into their most explosive investigation yet, can the gang solve the puzzle and a murder in time?

Review

From the minute the first page is opened, the dark humour begins. No one can write about bombs the way Richard Osman can and he’s on top form with his writing of this latest Thursday Murder Club Mystery. From the first to the last page, you’re drawn back into Cooper’s Chase and don’t want to leave. Oh, what I’d give to be part of that gang, in quite a lot of years, when I am old enough.
They always seem the best retirees ever! They may just need to live forever.

The way Richard Osman has his retirees relate and speak to each other is so highly observed, it sounds natural and is so realistic, even when solving a case. He truly breaths life into them and makes them relatable, whether you’re their age or not. I happen to be quite a lot younger. The way he’s captured so much into this book, from the tech world, gangs, even therapy in a way, without overcrowding the book and keeping a great pace and flow is highly skilful.
The depth of character and storylines, with also humour with great comedy timing is fantastic. The realms of hot topics covered, where Richard Osman goes in the genre of crime fiction, which isn’t quite as cosy as you may think with its edge, makes this series highly readable. The series so far is highly compulsive reading at any time of day.

Joyce is planning a wedding for her daughter, Joanna and there’s plenty to do so it’s a day of celebration and champagne. There’s one small problem, which, rather originally done, isn’t a vanishing groom, but a vanishing best man! This sets the stage for another juicy high stakes mystery to be solved by the Cooper’s Chase retirees.
There’s quite a fortune lurking around, the world of bitcoins, codes and a whole lot of red herrings and misdirection along the way.

The characters are as wonderful to read as ever. Elizabeth is grieving for her husband, which joins on from book 4, The Last Devil to Die. She now, however wants to heal and really wants to help Joyce more as she plans for the wedding of the year. The way she’s written really draws you, emotionally, towards her.
The friendship between the characters is deeply touching.

Joyce’s spark in her diary writing is just sublime, bringing more terrific humour.
You really feel for Ron and his family troubles and as for Ibrahim, he’s fascinating in how he is giving therapy to our favourite criminal.

From beginning to end, it’s quite hard to leave this lot and Richard Osman’s page-turning, utterly engrossing, suspenseful, humorous writing.

Not read The Thursday Murder Club yet or wondering in what order to read them in, here they are:

Please note that the cover isn’t actually blue. This is the reflection of the sky hitting the white cover, no filters. Its true cover colour is white. I thought it fun to show anyway, since the Thursday Murder Club are a bit rebellious and full of surprises.

#Review of An Academic Affair by Jodie McAlister @JodiMcA @BookMinxSJV #AnAcademicAffair

An Academic Affair
By Jodie McAlister

written by Louise Cannon

An Academic Affair was more than I had hoped for. I hadn’t expected to be swept away by it, but I was engrossed in it. Thank to Sara Jade Virtue for surprising me with this book a little earlier in the year.
Check out the blurb and my full review below.

Blurb

From rivals in the classroom. . . to partners in real life?

Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have known each other for fifteen years – and they’ve disliked each other for every one of them. It started with a minor altercation in an undergrad literature class, but as their academic careers developed, so did the intensity of their arguments. By the time they graduate with their doctorates, they’re embroiled in a full-on rivalry.

So when a position comes up that Sadie and Jonah are both perfect for, their ongoing enmity explodes into a red-hot competition. But as Sadie fights to secure her future, she realises there might be a way for both of them to get their dream job. There’s just one catch – they’ll have to get married first.
When things get personal, though, Sadie will have to keep her eye on the prize. A fake marriage isn’t worth jeopardising her real career over, is it?

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers Marriage of convenience
One Bed He falls first

Review

An Academic Affair turns into more of a compulsive read than I’d ever imagined. The characters are well-developed and ones I reckon many readers will actually want to read about. The attitudes and intensity of arguments are written in such a way that you do care and wonder what happens next.

As for the plot, it is taken from both Sadie and Jonah’s points of view. There are also footnotes, which would perhaps make academics smile a bit. This feature was interesting and went well with the story and setting. Set in an English Literature class, there are some aptly placed bookish references throughout. You’ll learn a bit about the precariat social class as you go along, if you aren’t sure about it yet. It also provides some of the feel and positioning of some characters.

An Academic Affair is one of the strongest, deepest of its kind and one of the stronger, more readable and likeable books to be set in Australia, in my opinion.

How will a fake marriage go? Is it worth it for a job? Will real romance prevail? How will Sadie and Jonah’s lives play out?

I recommend you finding out from your local libraries and bookshops.

#Review of The Bad Women by Jennie Ensor @Jennie_Ensor @HobeckBooks #TheBadWomen #CrimeFiction

The Bad Women
By Jennie Ensor

Review by Louise Cannon

The Bad Women see a return to The Brampton Village Mysteries in book 2 of this twisty series. Check out the blurb and my review below as I join the Hobeck Books Blog Tour.
Please note, all opinions are my own and nor am I affiliated to anything or anyone.

Blurb

It is a new year and the Covid pandemic is a distant memory for the residents of Wilton Close. If only the sudden death of neighbour Tara Sanderson wasn’t still haunting some of them. But Tara is very much alive in memories, and consciences – in particular, those of friends Ashley Khan, Elspeth Chambers and Clare ‘Bird Woman’ Titchfield.

Then a young woman from a nearby caravan park is found dead in a local quarry. Police conclude it was suicide; she was gravely ill when she died. But is there more to the tragic death than meets the eye?

Attempting to lay ghosts to rest, Ashley becomes obsessed with solving the mystery, finding an unlikely ally in the local police. Her friends insist on helping, too. Clare must make amends after she carelessly let the local vicar snatch her drawing of the scene of Tara’s death. Elspeth seeks atonement for her role in Tara’s unfortunate demise – while doing her best to quell suspicions that the three friends are guilty of a heinous crime.

The trio find themselves trailing the young woman’s suspected killers, pitching them against powerful men determined to keep their own secrets hidden. To stand a chance of defeating their adversaries, the women must find a courage beyond their imagination.

Review

Villages are a great place for a murder mystery. Even in reality, the sleepiest village probably harbours its secrets. None quite as dark as Little Brampton though. There are strong feelings, some which is grief for someone our main characters knew and some because a suicide just might not be that at all…

Ashley Khan, Elspeth Chambers and Clare ‘Bird Woman’ Titchfield are friends whose points of view, along with DC. Kate Peters readers will follow in each chapter. They take it upon themselves to look for murder suspects for a young woman found in a quarry. The search takes you to some interesting places, such as Dolphin Clinic for alternative therapies, it isn’t something you read everyday. There are a few original ideas, such as this one within the plot that stand out an pique interest.

The book has that sinister, cosy crime feel, with many twists, intriguing characters and a whole lot of clues and red-herrings to keep you guessing and turning those pages.

#Review by Lou of In Conversation: Belinda Bauer and Elly Griffiths #BelindaBauer @ellygriffiths @BloodyScotland #TheImpossibleThing #TheFrozenPeople #CrimeFiction

In Conversation: Belinda Bauer and Elly Griffiths
A Bloody Scotland Event

Review and pics by Louise Cannon

This concludes my reviews of Bloody Scotland event reviews for 2025, since returning from Stirling, I’ve had many family things to handle, so, the reviews have taken a little longer than normal to all be written out. So, last but not least, here is my review of Belinda Bauer and Elly Griffiths talking about their latest books and more… The Crime In The Spotlight author was Allison Meldrum with Keep Me Safe.

Listening to Elly Griffiths and Belinda Bauer talk about books, films and more, was very insightful, especially when it came to book adaptations and their latest books. If you ever have the opportunity to see them together, they entertain in their expertly, flowing chat.

Belinda Bauer has previously won the CWA Gold Dagger with her debut, Blacklands and the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year for Rubbernecker. She now has a new novel called, The Impossible Thing.
For this latest thriller, Belinda Bauer was inspired by a guillemot’s egg and bird egg crimes being committed. She weaves, what was a real mystery about what happened to this valuable egg, into her thriller.
Her thrillers are stand-alone in a sense, but she does sometimes, overlap some characters as she builds her worlds.

Belinda Bauer has worked on major films and has some interesting anecdotes about Jaws. It was insightful about how she turns books into films, since so many are adapted.

Elly Griffiths (you will also find books under Domenica de Rosa, Elly isn’t her real name), is best known for The Ruth Galloway books. Fear not, readers of this series, she will return someday to them, for now, she has a brand new exciting sounding series to get your teeth into. It all starts with The Frozen People. Central to this series is Ali Dawson, a detective working on cold cases. She has travelled back in time, but the book also has a grounding in the present day. It sounds intriguing. I bought the book and will some time get chance to read an review it. Currently other family members have snatched it away to read…

They talked about writers and publishers can never quite guess the market. From an author’s point of view, they write what they’d like to read themselves.
They spoke about constantly having to play off the book and the reader in the process, making the relationship between reader and writer an active one.
Their drive to write never disappears, they divulged, even after all these years.

There was much laughter in the room, and I’d heard this at another panel too, that someone, in their case a different book festival, mistaken the words plotter and pantser for Otter and Panther. I’ll leave it up to you readers to guess which author is which.

Belinda Bauer talked about watching films and reading The Famous Five before turning to writing novels.

Elly Griffiths also read Enid Blyton, Agatha Christie, Nancy Spain, Wilkie Collins, Kate Atkinson, William Shaw and more…