June 2003

In April/May there was a UK tour for The Distant Echo. I did events in Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, London, Aberdeen and Dundee, with a slew of radio and newspaper interviews scattered in between gigs and trade events. I also spent two days at the HarperCollins warehouse in Glasgow, where I signed something like 3,500 books. The idea behind the warehouse signing is that bookshops can get access to signed copies without me having to visit them. And while I love to hang out in bookshops, if I went to every shop that would like to have signed books, I’d be on the road 365 days a year, which I suspect might have an impact on the number of books I’d be able to produce.

I had a great time on the tour. It was heartening to see so many familiar faces and to meet new readers who have only come to the books after seeing the TV series. And for fans of the TV, there was a special treat at the Newcastle event. After a long day in front of the cameras, Robson Green came along to the gig and signed books too! (I've told him not to sign on the title page, but will he listen?) I wasn't expecting him there, because I knew they were filming till late, but he came straight off set to Waterstone's. But that's the kind of guy he is - generous and supportive to his mates. You can get a flavour of that on the extra material on the Wire in the Blood DVD which is now on sale in the UK. It features interviews with Robson and Hermione. Oh, and an interview with me, if you're a glutton for punishment...

The Distant Echo has got off to a great start, climbing from 9 to 6 in the national bestseller list over the past two weeks. (It's no.1 in the Scottish charts, so a special thank you to my readers north of the border!) The reviews have started to come in, and so far they've been terrific.

'Without flinching from the pain inflicted on murder victims and their families, or any of the manifold sorts of misery human beings can visit on each other, Val McDermid has used the crime genre to write a novel that, above everything else, celebrates life and loyalty.'
Times Literary Supplement

'Another cracker from McDermid... a substantial and riveting read... There's no doubting the sheer quality of the storytelling and the thrill that McDermid delivers.'
Manchester Evening News

'A powerful psychological thriller... Her novels have become increasingly atmospheric and complex... She is firmly in control of her intricate plot... her characters are believable and sympathetic if often flawed.'
Daily Express

'A long, spiralling denouement ensues, with an ending as neat and strong as a reef knot... Normal life is something to be cherished and protected from harm; as is this splendid thriller.'
The Herald

July 2003

Ever wanted to write a story in a hurry? If so try our labour saving story-creating machine..

Val says..
'The truth about how I write...
If you've ever wondered where my books come from, you should check out the new feature on the Fun Stuff page. Authormatic will demonstrate vividly just how I do it...'

Have fun.

August 2003

Val says:
Jon Jordan, whose interview with me is on this website, is publishing a collection of his crime writer interviews which includes an expanded version of his interview with me - For more info. about the book and how you can get a copy, go to
www.mysteryone.com/Interrogations.htm

Interrogations by Jon Jordan
Interrogations by Jon Jordan is the first book from Mystery One Books publishing. It is a book of 25 author interviews with new questions, pictures and bibliographies.

Interrogations by Jon Jordan
ISBN 0-9744665-0-6

 

Published November 4 2002, the official anthology of the Crime Writers' Association features a brand new short story by Val McDermid, White Nights, Black Magic, set in St Petersburg. The anthology, called Crime in the City, is edited by Martin Edwards and published by the Do-Not Press, priced £6.99. Other authors in this splendid collection include Ruth Rendell, Reginald Hill, John Harvey, Carol Anne Davies, Cath Staincliffe and John Baker.

June 2003

I went off to Wales to the writer's centre at Ty Newydd just outside Cricieth. It's run by the Taliesin Trust and organises courses for aspiring writers along the same lines as the Arvon Foundation. I tutor one of these courses most years, because I enjoy the stimulus of working with enthusiastic people to help them improve their work. Writers spend remarkably little time actually talking about the craft and technique of their work, and these courses provide a rare chance for us to get down and dirty about this strange thing that we do. My co-tutor for the week was Denise Mina. (if you haven't read her Garnethill trilogy, you should do so immediately!) Denise is not only a remarkable talent, she's also great fun, and it was a joy to work with her. Our guest reader was Andrew Taylor, who entertained us royally. He read from his own excellent work, provided insight into how to get a publisher or agent to take notice of a typescript, and also shared with us the recently rediscovered Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie manuscripts with their inconveniently missing words. Thankfully, the course members were able to fill in the blanks. I will never forget the image of Miss Marple and the crocheted lace basque... 'Woof,' said Timmy. Indeed.

Ty Newydd is a strangely atmospheric place to work. It was the last home of the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, who was born in the same village. He died in the upstairs sitting room, with its view across the fields to the sea. His grave is just down the hill, topped with a large rock which is allegedly in place to keep safe the women of the village from his attentions! It hasn't worked, however. Several of the course members reported supernatural experiences during the week, to the extent that those sleeping on the top floor wouldn't go upstairs alone at night. Very spooky. I was glad to be sleeping in a cottage away from the main house!

One of the things I enjoy doing (in moderation - once a year is sufficient!) is leading residential writing courses. In recent years, I've taught four times for the Arvon foundation, which organises week-long courses at its remote, self-contained centres in England and Scotland. I can't recommend these too highly to beginning writers. There are a maximum of 16 students, with two professional writers leading group sessions and holding individual tutorials. The courses are geared to the needs of the students, so there are some general courses and others that are very specifically targeted to subjects such as radio drama or crime fiction.

The camaraderie that builds up is one of the best things about the week, and I know students often stay in close touch afterwards. The cost is very reasonable, and there are bursaries available for those who can't afford the fees. Anyway, this year I'm running a course at the Welsh equivalent of Arvon, Ty Newydd near Cricieth. My fellow tutor is Denise Mina, and the visiting writer, who comes for one night, is Andrew Taylor. So if you're a budding writer and you've got a free week beginning May 12th, sign up now. You can get more details on: http://www.tynewydd.org/index.htm. But remember, this isn't a holiday - you're expected to work hard as well as play hard.

March 2003

'Just imagine trying to get a straight job when you've been a villain all your life. Even supposing I could bullshit my way round an application form, how the fuck do I blag my way through an interview when the only experience I've got of interviews, I've always had a brief sitting next to me reminding the thickhead dickheads on the other side of the table that I'm not obliged to answer? I mean, it's not a technique that's going to score points with the personnel manager, is it?....'

Read this short story - Keeping on the Right Side of the Law

June 2003

As always, I'm very much looking forward to the Edinburgh Book Festival. This year, I have two other events besides the short story anthology launch. I'm doing a solo event on the afternoon of Friday August 15th and on Sunday August 17th I'm taking part in a discussion called Desert Island Books. I hope to see some of you there. Other events I'm participating in this year include the annual St Hilda's Mystery Conference in Oxford (5th, 6th, 7th September) and the Libertas Festival in York (30th October - 2nd November) where we'll be launching the new Lindsay Gordon novel, Hostage to Murder.

I'll be appearing at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival. I don't have my dates confirmed yet, but it's looking likely that my main event will be on Friday, August 15th. I'll also be taking part in the festival's celebration of the short story, which will run over that weekend. And in association with the Arts Council's Save Our Short Story campaign, we'll be launching an online short story anthology which I'm editing.

June 2003

One thing that's been occupying me is my involvement with one of my local primary schools. I'm patron of their Brainforest Appeal, which is a unique and extraordinary project from a school that is also both of those things. For more info, check out their website: http://www.tithebarnschool.co.uk/ And if you or your company want to make an investment in the future, you could do a lot worse than contribute to this project.

As part of the fundraising, I'm hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner at the school on Monday July 14th. There will be a champagne reception, a five course dinner created from recipes donated by TV chef Jamie Oliver, live entertainment from a first-class string quartet and, of course, dead bodies. Threaded through it will be a murder mystery that diners have the chance to solve, with prizes of signed books for the winners. Tickets are £75 each and can be ordered from the school. It's going to be a night to remember...

Well Done to: Monica Meijer, Dayelle P. Cole, Stacey Wadsworth, Jon Jordan, Toni Stanton, Stanley Graham Mellor, Frances Burrill, Coreen Robertshawe, Gretchen Hinman and Anita Hauri

Each will receive a copy of the new Wire in the Blood DVD
Click here to read the winning questions put to Val McDermid and Robson Green

Programme of events

I hope as many of you as possible will come along to the inaugural Harrogate Crime Writing Festival, of which I am the programme chair. It forms part of the prestigious and long-running Harrogate International Festival, and we've got a star-studded line-up, including Colin Dexter, Jeffrey Deaver, Ian Rankin, Denise Mina, Frances Fyfield, Mo Hayder and Alexander McCall Smith. As well as writers talking about writing, there will be industry panels looking at aspects of getting published and having work adapted for film and TV, an Agatha Christie panel game, light-hearted late night slots and an extensive outreach programme ahead of the main festival, bringing crime writing to local schools and communities. For more details, check out the website: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime.

I promise you, it's going to be a great weekend.

The first ever Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is launched this July with a four day extravaganza of murder and mystery writing from the world’s top crime authors.

The long weekend gets under way with Colin Dexter giving a rare platform interview to Christopher Burt, producer of the Inspector Morse series, at 7.30 pm on Thursday 17th July. Jeffery Deaver and Peter Robinson fly in from the States to join Ian Rankin, Mo Hayder, Frances Fyfield and Val McDermid, just some of the names taking part in this feast of discussion, debate and entertainment.

Whether it's historical or contemporary crime, the pathology lab or the law courts that fascinate you, the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival 2003 provides a rollercoaster ride of back to back events to enthral. Think you know your Agatha Christie? Simon Brett chairs a panel quiz game with television presenter Kate Mosse and Christie expert Bob Barnard. Why does one writer chose the streets of inner city Glasgow, another the romantic alleyways of Venice as their canvas for writing? Join the discussion with Paul Johnston and Mo Hayder. What about period? Woman's Hour presenter Jenni Murray interviews four writers about their choices. Val McDermid and Denise Mina talk about their influences over tea on Friday, Reginald Hill starts the day off on Saturday morning while Ian Rankin is in conversation with Peter Robinson that same evening. What do you know about crime writing from northern Europe? Come and hear Leif Davidsen, Karin Fossum and Pernille Rygg read from their work. Stretch your legs with a guided walk around Harrogate's crime spots or push back your chair for late night slots of comedy with Stella Duffy, Mark Billingham and Fidelis Morgan. And if, after all this, your secret thought is still 'But how do I get published?' there are industry forums which can answer your every question.

The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is set to become one of the world's best crime festivals.

Harrogate International Festival: The Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is the first and long-envisioned literary strand to the Harrogate International Festival. This multi-arts festival of music, theatre and dance has run every July in the spa town of Harrogate for 37 years and is a must on the international circuit for performers as well as for audiences from around the world. Its director, William Culver-Dodds, put plans to develop a bookish theme to the Harrogate International Festival into action two years ago. With the help of ex-literary agent Jane Bradish-Ellames, the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival is the complementary and exciting result.

Harrogate:
Harrogate developed as a spa town after the discovery of mineral springs in 1571. By the 1840s 10,000 visitors taking the waters augmented its 4,000 residents each season and by the late 19th and early 20th century royalty from across Europe made Harrogate and its restorative baths an annual destination. An elegant and cosmopolitan town for its locals, Harrogate is still incredibly popular with tourists from around the world. Outstanding Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, swathes of garden in the town centre, an abundant choice of restaurants and wine bars and the renowned Betty's Tea Room combine to make a weekend in Harrogate itself the perfect break. And then, of course, there is the wilderness of the Yorkshire Moors just a step away...

Information on the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival and Harrogate International Festival can be found at www.harrogate-festival.org.uk

HARROGATE CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL
Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 July 2003
Majestic Hotel, Harrogate

Programme of events

OPENING EVENT
DAY ONE: THURSDAY 17TH JULY 2003

8pm
THE GHOST OF MORSE
Colin Dexter is our Guest of Honour, opening the Harrogate Crime Writers' Festival. Together with Chris Burt, the TV producer of Morse, he will conduct the staged talk which will include a selection of film clips of Colin's cameo roles in every episode of Morse! A great opening even for the inaugural Festival.

10am
INDUSTRY FORUM:
How to Get Published in the Crime World
Have you ever wondered exactly how the world of publishing works? How crime novels are chosen and sold to the wider public? 

On this panel, chaired by Margaret Kinsman, lecturer at South Bank University, publishers, Maria Rejt from Macmillan and David Shelley from Allison and Busby, agent, Broo Doherty and Ottakars bookseller, Ewan Wilson discuss the issues involved and answer the questions you've always wanted but never dared to ask.

Sponsored by Macmillan Publishers Ltd

11.30am
AGATHA CHRISTIE: WHODUNIT?
A light-hearted panel game on the life and works of Agatha Christie.
Test your own knowledge against the experts. Leading the two teams are television presenter and novelist Kate Mosse along with Christie expert and author Robert Barnard. Fellow contestants are leading crime writers Stella Duffy, Simon Kernick, Natasha Cooper and Mark Billingham.Trying to keep some semblance of order, the infamous broadcaster Simon Brett.

1pm
SCENE OF CRIME - LOCATION AS INSPIRATION
What inspires a writer to chose a particular location? Discover the murderous and mysterious charms of Edinburgh, Greece, the Peak District, Glasgow and South London with panellists Paul Johnson, Stephen Booth, Louise Welsh and Mo Hayder. They discuss their choice of settings with chair, Margaret Murphy.

2.30pm
FACE TO FACE
While writing her bestsellers, Frances Fyfield works as a solicitor for the Crown Prosecution Service. Here, she gives us an insight into how she carries out her extensive research by interviewing Professer David Bowen, eminent forensic pathologist and author of Body of Evidence, his exclusive take on forty years of post-mortems.

4pm
TEA WITH INFLUENCE – MEET MY HERO
Every writer has influences, conscious and unconscious. For Denise Mina, one of those was Val McDermid. Here the two best-selling writers discuss the importance of their respective literary heroes and the impact they had on their work.

6.30pm - CELEBRITY EVENT
MAGNA CUM MURDER INTRODUCES JEFFERY DEAVER
American guest of honour, Jeffery Deaver, authour of bestsellers such as The Bone Collector and, more recently, The Vanished Man, will seduce you with this famous presentation of his work. Certain to entertain and guaranteed to inform, this session will also include time for questions from the floor.
Sponsored by Magna cum Murder

8pm - HARROGATE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OPENING CONCERT
Cleo Laine, John Dankworth & Friends.

9am
BREAKFAST SPECIAL
An interview with Reginald Hill the award-winning bestselling creator of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries and of the fictitious Mid-Yorkshire.

10.30am
INDUSTRY FORUM:
Making it on to the small screen: original script or adaptation?
Sandra Jobling, executive producer at Coastal Productions; Robson Green, also of Coastal Productions, who played Dr Tony Hill in the recent adaptation of Val McDermid's Wire in the Blood; Stuart Hepburn, who has adapted Ian Rankin's and Christopher Brookmyre's work and written original screenplays including The Planman; and Bill Boyes, Head of Development at BBC Wales will discuss TV crime drama and take questions from the audience.

12pm
BLOODY HISTORY: A lunchtime panel discussion
What inspires a writer to chose a particular period? Historical writers C J Sansom, Jane Jakeman, Edwin Thomas, Andrew Taylor and Fidelis Morgan discuss their specific era with crime fiction enthusiast and Radio 4 presenter, Jenni Murry.
Sponsored by Transworld Publishers Ltd.

A FORENSIC DOUBLE HELPING:
1.30pm - Murder, Myths and Mayhem
Forensic scientist with Lothian and Borders Police, Shirley Thomson examines DNA and other laboratory material and goes out to scenes of crime. In this session she gives us a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of her work.

3pm - Sleeping Crimes: somnambulists and the criminal law
Is it possible to commit a crime while sleepwalking and escape scot-free? Alexander McCall Smith, Professor of Medical Law at Edinburgh University and writer of the intriguing series of novels involving the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, gives us a remarkable insight into the strange world of the criminal sleepwalker.

5pm
THE HARVILL/VINTAGE INTERNATIONAL CRIME WRITERS' FORUM
Norwegians Karin Fossum and Pernille Rygg, together with Dane Leif Davidsen give us a facinating insight into the increasingly popular contemporary Scandinavian crime fiction world. Chaired by Val McDermid.
Sponsored by Random House Group Ltd..

6pm
A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE
An opportunity to walk around Harrogate with local historian, Malcolm Neesam and visit the town's crime hot spots.

7.30pm - CELEBRITY EVENT
IAN RANKIN in conversation with PETER ROBINSON
The creators of Inspector Rebus and Chief Inspector Banks are old friends. Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson get comfortable for what promises to be a chilling fireside chat.

10am
A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE
Another opportunity to see Harrogate's darker side while our walking with local historian, Malcolm Neesam.

The Weekend Break package includes 3 nights accommodation and tickets to all main Harrogate Crime Writing Events. As well as the Weekend Break, the Festival offers a range of accommodation packages at further hotels tailored to suit your requirements and budget.

Day Rover tickets are also available for the Friday and Saturday,

In June, I'll be touring abroad. I'm going to Canada first - I'll be in Toronto for a few days before the Bloody Words festival in Ottawa from June 12th to 15th where I'm International Guest of Honour. Then I fly on to Auckland for my first visit to New Zealand since 1997. Next it's Australia - Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth are on the itinerary. I'm really looking forward to going back Down Under, where I've always been made very welcome.

TOUR ITINERARY

The Distant Echo
Published: May, 2003
ARP: $ 29.95
ISBN: 0007142838

EVENTS SCHEDULE

17 June 2003 - 6pm - 7pm
Auckland
Event with Women's Bookshop

April 2003

ITINERARY

Tuesday 29th April - 6.00pm

Talk and signing session:
The Arches (off-site venue just down from the Waterstone’s shop)
253 Argyll Street
Glasgow
Telephone number: 0141 248 4814

Wednesday 30th April - 6.45pm

Event and signing at:
Ottakars
57 George Street
Edinburgh EH2 2JQ
Telephone number: 0131 225 4495

Thursday 1st May - 6.00pm

Event and signing at:
Waterstone's
Emerson Chambers
Blackett Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Telephone number: 0191 261 7757

Friday 2nd May - 7.00pm

Event and signing at:
Waterstone's,
Deansgate
Manchester
Telephone number: 0161 837 3000

Wednesday 7th May - 6.00pm

Talk and signing at:
Waterstone's
236 Union Street
Aberdeen
Telephone number: 01224 571655

Thursday 8th May - 6.00pm

Talk and signing at:
Waterstone's,
35, Commercial Street
Dundee
Telephone number: 01382 200322

Read chapter 1 of the Distant Echo

Well, it's been a busy few weeks for me lately. I've been correcting the proofs of The Distant Echo, the new standalone novel which will be published in the UK in May and in the US and Canada in September. Everyone seems very excited about it - they're saying it has the same feel as A Place of Execution, although it's a very different kind of book. I now have the UK tour dates for TDE, though not all the venues and times yet. They'll be posted on the site when they're confirmed.

• Tuesday, April 29th: Waterstone's, Glasgow (venue TBA)
• Wednesday, April 30th: Ottakar's, Edinburgh (venue TBA)
• Thursday, May 1st: Waterstone's, Newcastle upon Tyne (venue TBA)
• Friday, May 2nd: Waterstone's Manchester Deansgate 7pm
• Wednesday, May 7th: Waterstone's, Aberdeen
• Thursday May 8th: Waterstone's Dundee

Previous updates about The Distant Echo..
I'm happy to report that The Distant Echo is now ready to go into production and will be published in the UK in May. I don't know quite why it should be, but this has been an extremely taxing book to write. Maybe because it's set in Fife, where I grew up. It takes place partly in 1978/79 and partly in the present and features a group of characters who are about the same age as I am. I suspect it's forced me to deal with a lot of stuff from my own late adolescence that I had been neatly avoiding for so long, and that has made it all much harder to work through. I always hate rewrites, but this time they do seem to have been rather like squeezing blood from a stone. There's been a lot of lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling. (This earned me very peculiar looks from a stranger who walked into my office in error. He looked as if he'd accidentally broken into the asylum. I've since taken to locking the door...).
---------------------------------
...The most important thing was finishing the first draft of the new book, The Distant Echo. Much to my astonishment, I actually completed it on deadline. Of course, there are rewrites to come, since it's never quite right first time. But it's a relief to have finished it. It's scheduled for UK publication next May (2003), and in the US next September.
----------------------------------
This time, it's going to be a standalone thriller called The Distant Echo. Those of you who were around in the punk era will recognise it as the first line from one of The Jam's hits, and that's because the book shifts between 1978/9 and the present day. It centers around the unsolved murder of a 19-year-old barmaid on a snowy night in St Andrews. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

We've teamed up with RobsonGreen.com and Revelation Films www.revfilms.co.uk to celebrate the launch of the first series of Wire in the Blood on DVD and Video.

We're offering you the chance to grab one of ten copies of the new Wire in the Blood DVD whilst getting your very own questions answered by Val McDermid and Robson Green. They will then be published on both sites. The DVDs are "Region Code 0" which means they can be played in any DVD player - regardless of the country you reside in.

Click here for more info - Go on have a go!

For those of you lucky enough to live in the Granada TV area and old enough to stay up past the watershed, there's a chance to see Val in action on The Last Word, a new late-night current affairs talk show. She's appearing on Thursday April 10th at 11.30pm.

Hope some of you can catch it!

The Last Temptation gets a starred review in Publishers Weekly, US
The Last Temptation, which Minotaur publish in hardback this month (Sept. 2002), has received a coveted starred review from Publishers Weekly, the authoritative trade magazine. This is a great kickstart to the US launch. I always enjoy visiting the US - my readers there invariably make me feel welcome, and I feel I have so many friends there now, it's almost like a continuous party. And we know how I like those...

The US paperback of A Place of Execution has reached No.2 on the Book Sense national bestseller list in the mass market paperback category. It's also been highly placed on regional and independent bestseller lists, even reaching the No.1 slot on the New England Booksellers' list.

Val says, "It's very exciting for me finally to break out in the American market, and I'm sure that has been helped by A Place of Execution winning the 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category. Killing The Shadows is about to come out in hardback in the US."

"This is the summer of murder for me in the US. My American publishers, Minotaur, are determined to make it impossible to avoid my books over there. The Mermaids Singing comes out in paperback this month (June 2002), followed by the paperback of The Wire in the Blood in July, Killing The Shadows in paperback in August and then The Last Temptation in September. I'll be visiting the US in late September/early October. Stay tuned for more details of tour dates nearer the time."

Val's other US publisher, Spinsters Ink, is starting to reissue the Kate Brannigan novels in the US, beginning spring 2002 with Dead Beat and Kick Back.
Val says, "I'm very pleased about this. I know how frustrating it's been for my US readers not to be able to get hold of those titles."

"The Last Temptation is now available in the UK - early reviews in The Express and Scotland on Sunday have been very favourable (as of 19.1.02). I've given interviews to the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Herald. They're planning major features, but I don't know yet when they'll be published."

"McDermid masterfully controls her cast as Tony and Carol work against time to bring their cases to a conclusion. The settings in Berlin are vividly evoked...

This is a hugely ambitious novel, involving three police forces, of which the British seem to be the most Machiavellian. ... With a television series on ITV this year starring Robson Green as Tony Hill, it looks as if there'll be a new police investigator to replace the lamented Morse"
Maggie Douglas, The Express

"Val McDermid is one of the few crime authors who can be convincing when it comes to 'writing tough' yet retain a powerful emotional insight... McDermid is doing something quite extraordinary with the crime fiction suspense thriller."
Jane Jakeman, Scotland on Sunday

Click here for more about The Last Temptation

The paperback of The Last Temptation is released in the UK in February. I'm doing an event at Waterstone's in Manchester on Wednesday February 5th at 7pm with the American writers Karin slaughter and Tess Gerritsen to promote the title. I'll also be in Dublin on Thursday 6th and Friday 7th February - more details to follow.

The third Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novel, The Last Temptation, is now available in the UK. Here's what the blurb says:

A white-knuckle ride through a world of corruption, cruelty and violence ...

Mapping the minds of murderers is what Dr Tony Hill does better than anyone. So when a twisted killer starts targeting psychologists across northern Europe, he's the obvious choice to track the executioner's mental and physical journey.

Except that Tony doesn't want to do this any more.

But the case is about to come uncomfortably close to home. The next victim is a friend of his. And his former partner, DCI Carol Jordan, is herself in Germany, working undercover in a world where human life is cheaper than a drugs deal. She needs his help as much as the serial killer hunters do.

Confronting the worst of contemporary crime and struggling to unravel roots that lie deep in the tormented past of Nazi atrocities and Stasi abuses, Tony and Carol are forced to battle for survival against overwhelming odds. In this morass of doublecross and doubledealing, they have no one to trust but each other.

Tony Hill is back. And this time, it's personal.

Click here for more about The Last Temptation

The Last Temptation has been shortlisted for the Barry Award in the Best British Mystery category. This award is voted on by the readers of Deadly Pleasures magazine, and you can also vote online for the books of your choice.

The competition in my category is particularly fierce this year, and though I won the Barry in 2000 for A Place of Execution, I have no expectations this year. You can look at the shortlists - and also subscribe to this excellent publication - on their website at
www.deadlypleasures.com/BarryAwardNom2002.htm

Click here for more about The Last Temptation

It all started back in February when some sixty-odd crime writers across the globe received a mysterious proposition. Would we be interested in participating in a unique project with a major car manufacturer? Now, I'm a bit of a petrolhead...

MISSION MINI Update - January 2003
Mission Mini finally came to a hell-raising conclusion in November in Barcelona. For three days, the city was under siege from 21 teams of contestants, 100 journalists, a massive support team from BMW Mini and 120 Mini Cooper S cars. Everyone learned how to stunt drive at the racetrack outside the city, which was possibly just as well given the experiences some of us had with our GPS navigation systems. They gave me a car with a German GPS system, which meant it shouted at me in German all the time... Once I'd learned the German for 'right, left, straight on, traffic lights, roundabout', I then had to cope with the fact that the GPS program didn't take account of the pedestrianised zone in the middle of the city and it kept trying to direct me down streets that were forbidden to me. At one point, I ended up in the middle of a beautiful medieval square facing a church, surrounded by staring tourists and a policeman... Luckily, he saw the funny side and pointed me in the least criminal direction. Once I'd gone round the Sagrada Familia catherdral for the third time, I switched off the GPS and resorted to the old-fashioned map system. Much better. Anyway, the event was a huge success. The contestants had a ball, the media loved it, and as I told the Mini team, you can sleep when you're dead! The crime was finally solved by one of the two German teams. And before you cry, 'fix!', I have to tell you that they won fair and square because they grabbed the initiative in the final stages and did something really smart that didn't occur to any of the other teams. In fact, it hadn't even occurred to the organisers! All in all, it was great fun, and I enjoyed seeing my characters come to life in the endgame. While I didn't really enjoy the process of working with a corporate giant, I had a great time with the people involved in the project. Nothing like this had ever been attempted before, and I am proud to have been the writer who made it happen for the first time. Mini are planning something similar for next year, but in spite of their pleas, it won't be me who will develop the scenario. Once is sufficient...

MISSION MINI Update - November 2002
Mission Mini is now nearing its climax, which takes place in Barcelona next weekend. Over 25,000 people applied to take part in the competition, and now the 21 teams have been chosen. The teams consist of three participants from each country and one VIP. They'll be arriving in Barcelona on Friday to meet for the first time, when they'll also be introduced to their cars for the event. On the roof of each MINI Cooper S is the national flag for each country. There will be 84 participants in total competing against each other to find the stolen artwork specially created by Peter Halley. It looks like it's going to be a thrill-packed few days; I wonder how many of the cars will survive the stunt-driving training on the Saturday morning???

Salford Museum and Art Gallery,
Peel Park,
Salford,
M5
Tel: 0161 736 2649

Your chance to meet Wire in the Blood creator, Val McDermid and Stephen Booth. Investigate the competitions, web casts and exhibitions from 5.30pm, before the authors arrive at 7.30pm. Limited tickets - available from Salford libraries and from Salford Museum and Art Gallery. 

Date: Friday 7 March, from 5.30pm 
Price: £2.50, £3.50 non-residents

Boothstown Library, 
Community Centre, 
Standfield Drive, 
Boothstown, 
M28 
Tel: 0161 799 6549 

Get your copy of Wire in the Blood by Val McDermid (recently dramatised on ITV) from the library and join us for free drinks and sandwiches - and to chat about the book! 

Date: Thursday 6 March, 5.30pm 
Price: free

Great news from across the Atlantic! BBC America have acquired the rights to Wire in the Blood TV series. They're planning to show it as six one-hour episodes beginning on December 1st 2002. So all of you who have this in your cable package will be able to see it for yourselves. And if you haven't -- make friends with someone who does!

To find out more about this TV series click here

I had a great US tour last month. Of course, I didn't get to all the cities I would have liked to visit, but I was made welcome wherever I went. Thanks to all of you who made the effort to come along and meet me, and thanks to all the booksellers who worked so hard to make the events successful.

The one bad thing that happened all trip was that I got food poisoning in New York - I had breakfast with the excellent NYC crime writer SJ Rozan, and either she decided she wanted to eliminate the competition or else there was something dodgy about the eggs over easy with the corned beef hash! I was pretty ill for a few days, but only had to cancel one reading. To any of you who turned up at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble and were disappointed, I apologise. But trust me, you were better off without me. I know my writing is supposed to be visceral, but I decided that throwing up into a bucket during a reading was probably a bit too visceral for most...

The final date on my tour took me across the border to Canada, where again I was pleased to have the chance to meet up with some of my favourite booksellers. I'm looking forward to going back to Canada next June, when I'm guest of honour at the Bloody Words festival.

US TOUR 2002

Sunday, September 29th
1 p.m. signing
New England Booksellers Assoc.
Rhode Island Convention Center
1 Saben Street
Providence, RI

Monday, September 30th
6 p.m. reading and signing
Kates Mysteries
2211 Mass Avenue
Cambridge, MA

Tuesday, October 1st
6:30 p.m. reading and signing
Once Upon a Crime
604 W. 26th Street
Minneapolis, MN

Wednesday, October 2nd
1 p.m. reading and signing
Mystery Bookstore
1036 C Broxton Ave
Los Angeles CA

arrive 5:15 sign stock
Legends Bookstore
196 Garfield Ave.
Pomona, CA

7 p.m. reading and signing
Vroman's Bookstore 695 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA

Thursday, October 3rd
7 p.m. reading and signing
M is for Mystery
86 East 3rd Avenue
San Mateo, CA

Friday, October 4th
6 p.m. reading and signing with Karin Slaughter
Murder by the Book
2342 Bissonet Street
Houston TX

Monday, October 7th
7:00 p.m. reading and signing
Barnes & Noble
Lincoln Center
1972 Broadway
New York NY

Tuesday, October 8th
6:30 reading and signing
Lenox Hill Bookstore
1018 Lexington Avenue
New York NY

Wednesday, October 9th
6:30 reading and signing
Sleuth of Baker Street
1600 Bayview Ave
Toronto, ON

The TV adaptation of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels, Wire in the Blood, starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris premieres on Friday night (27 Sept. 02) on Australian TV. It's on at 8.30pm on ABC, and they're showing the series as three films rather than as six episodes. It's had rave previews: Here's what the critics have said so far:

Show of the Week
...dont miss it.
Robin Oliver, Sydney Morning Herald

Fans of British writer Val McDermid's crime novels will be thrilled to learn that the television adaptations of three of her best are riveting.
...ought not to be missed by anyone who is a fan of good British crime drama.
...fine acting, writing and direction are united in the first a three part series that looks to be one of the best of its type screened this year.
Nicole Brady, The Melbourne Age

...complex, well-written characters make it a cut above the average whodunit.
Clare Kermond, The Melbourne Age

Robson Green makes a good fist of the offbeat shrink, who likes to analyse out loud and role-play. He is self-deprecating, low key and undeniably appealing in the same flawed way as Robbie Coltrane's Cracker. Based on an award-winning novel by crime writer Val McDermid, the script is tight and clever and makes for a tense psychological tale. This is the first of three in the Wire in the Blood series and well worth watching.
Virginia Addison, Daily Telegraph

Wire in the Blood is a cops-and-killers show in the style of Millennium pulled to bits and re-assembled for a northern England setting. The mood is cellar-dark, off-kilter and with an ending that's unexpected.
James Collie, Courier Mail

I'm told it's been slightly edited for Australian audiences - some of the more graphic scenes have been cut because it's going out ahead of the watershed. But I'm sure it'll still grab viewers by the throat.

To find out more about this TV series click here

I had a great time at this year's Edinburgh Book Festival, always one of the highlights of my calendar. As well as having a solo event, I chaired a fascinating panel of Nordic crime writers - Leif Davidsen (Danish), Anne Holt (Norwegian), Hakan Nesser (Swedish) and Leena Lehtolainen (Finnish). It's always interesting to hear from writers from other cultures, and the debate was lively, to put it mildly. If a bunch of Scottish crime writers had disagreed so violently about the nature of the genre, there would have been blood and teeth on the floor. Thankfully, the cool Northern blood prevailed... I also enjoyed listening to Denise Mina and Manda Scott in conversation, but what bowled me over was hearing Janice Galloway reading from her new novel, Clara. Not a crime novel, but an astonishing tour de force of the fiction writer's art.

Another major pleasure was the St Hilda's Mystery Conference, held at the end of August. This year the theme was Deadlier than the Male, and the wide range of presentations was engrossing. Certainly, women proved to have greatest stamina - in the small hours of the morning, only one member of the other gender hung on to the end of the party - sorry, I mean intellectual discussion, of course.

St Hilda's Annual Mystery Conference takes place at St Hilda's College, Oxford (my alma mater) from Friday 30th August to Sunday 1st September. The theme is 'The female of the species...' Speakers to date include: Elizabeth Corley; Carol Ann Davis; Lindsey Davis; Joyce Holms; Gillian Linscott; Margaret Maron; Val McDermid; Anne Perry; Marcia Talley; Andrew Taylor. Natasha Cooper will be chairing the conference and Colin Dexter will be the 'Guest of Honour' . for more info, check out: http://www.sthildas.ox.ac.uk/news/

If you've never attended a mystery conference before, this is a great place to start. It's an intimate conference in a beautiful setting, and there's a great emphasis on socialising. Writers and fans mix without any barriers between them, and it's famous for its passionate late night discussions.

For UK readers who have had trouble finding the first two Brannigans, the good news is that HarperCollins has acquired the titles from Gollancz and will be publishing them in 2002.

Murder Squad, an anthology devoted to the work of a group of seven Northern crime writers is published with a foreword by yours truly. www.flambardpress.co.uk/books/519.html for more details.

Every writer has their own team of experts whose advice they call on when they need technical information. One of my own stalwarts is a forensic anthropologist, Dr Sue Black, whom I often turn to for pathological advice. Sue was recently awarded the OBE for her work, most particularly for the leading role she has taken in the harrowing exhumations of the mass graves in Bosnia and Kosovo. She's a remarkable woman, and I was delighted to be asked to take part in a BBC TV documentary about the woman and her work. Sue's an amazing person - generous, open, and with very strong views about the work she does. She believes that she owes a duty as much to the living as the dead, that her work in identifying victims can bring much-needed closure to families whose relatives have disappeared without apparent trace. One of the many things I admire about her is her refusal to succumb to the publishers waving cheque books under her nose, trying to persuade her to become the British Kathy Reichs. Sue's view is that she has no right to exploit the dead for her own ends, and I respect her for that. So I was pleased to have the opportunity to express publicly my admiration for her and my gratitude for the help she's given me over the years.