Bute Noir 2023 Programme Announced

 

FRIDAY AUGUST 4

5.30-6.30 Bute Yard

The Rest is History: Abir Mukherjee and Ambrose Parry

Meet two – or is it three – of the most entertaining writers of historical crime at work today. Abir’s captivating Wyndam and Bannerjee series, set in 1920s India, has an army of fans. Ambrose Parry, better known as Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman, returns with the brilliant Voices of the Dead.

7.00-8.00 Bute Yard

Pyscho Thriller: Fiona Cummins, Stuart Neville, and Luca Veste

A twisty session with three fine writers who like to mess with your head. Fiona’s new novel All of Us Are Broken is breathtaking; Stuart’s The House of Ashes is haunting and thought-provoking; Luca’s You Never Said Goodbye is an electric thriller with real heart.

8.30-9.30 Bute Yard

Val McDermid and Mick Herron

Spend an hour in the company of two of the best in the business. Val is firmly established as the Queen of Crime and her Karen Pirie series was a huge TV hit last year. Mick’s superb Slough House spy series is a TV smash on Sky as Slow Horses starring Oscar-winner Gary Oldman. 

10.00-11.00 Bute Yard

LATE AND LIVE: Red Hot Chilli Writers Podcast with Special Guests

Authors Abir Mukherjee and Vaseem Khan bring their hilarious podcast to Bute; late, live and dangerous. Expect the unexpected as a line-up of special guests submit to whatever mad scheme, game or quiz that these two fiends dream up to entertain you.

SATURDAY AUGUST 5

11.30-12.30 Bute Yard

The Long Arm of the Law: Claire Askew, Neil Lancaster, Marion Todd

Meet three experts in the art of the police procedural. There are now five books in Claire’s award-winning DI Birch series; Neil Lancaster’s Max Craigie series has stormed the book charts in the last few years; while Marion’s DI Claire Mackay series has gained a deserved army of fans.

1.00-2.00 Bute Yard

Science fact: Lin Anderson and Elly Griffiths

Two authors with a forensic eye for detail and two much-loved, long-running series. The Wild Coast is the 17th novel featuring Lin’s forensic scientist Rhona Macleod, while Elly’s forensic anthropologist Ruth Galloway says a sad farewell in The Last Remains.

2.30-3.30 Bute Yard

Science Fiction: Doug Johnstone and Christopher Priest

Award-winning crime writer Doug has turned his hand to science fiction for the first time with The Space Between Us, while leading sci-fi author Christopher has penned the classic The Prestige, and the much-anticipated new novel Airside.

2.30-3.30 Bute Museum

Blood Still Fresh: Ann Bloxwich, Heather Fitt, AJ Liddle, Christie J Newport

Meet four new(ish) authors who are making their mark in the world of crime writing. Ann Bloxwich’s second novel, Goodnight, God Bless sees abusers become victims; the killer in Heather Fitt’s The Flight is 30,000 feet up; AJ Liddle’s No Way Back is a thriller set in Georgia. Christie’s debut The Raven’s Mark has received the highest praise.

4.00-5.00 Bute Yard

Second Chances: Denise Mina, Liam McIlvanney, and Louise Welsh

Three of Scotland’s finest novelists in any genre get together. Denise’s new novel The Second Murderer features Chandler’s legendary detective Phillip Marlowe in 1920s LA. Liam’s The Heretic, set in Glasgow in the 1970s, is the follow-up to the prize-winning The Quaker. Louise’s The Second Cut is the long-awaited sequel to her astonishing debut, The Cutting Room.

4.00-5.00 Bute Museum

Elly Griffiths Children’s Event

A special event aimed at older primary school children and featuring Elly Griffiths’ acclaimed A Girl Called Justice series.

5.30-6.30 Bute Yard

Mark Billingham and Liz Nugent

Two outstanding authors who have created two memorable new characters. Mark’s first new series for 20 years features the eccentric Detective Miller in The Last Dance, while Liz’s latest offbeat creation is the wonderfullyStrange Sally Diamond.

7.00-8.00 Bute Yard

Not Your Average Crime Novel: Nina Allan, Rachelle Atalla, Susi Holliday

Three writers who are continually trying to push the boundaries of the crime novel. Nina Allan’s Conquest is a triumph of imagination and humanity; Rachelle’s Thirsty Animals is a terrifyingly plausible yet speculative thriller; Susi’s startingly original The Street is a creepy mystery.

9.00-10.45 Bute Yard

The Fun Lovin Crime Writers

The world’s #1 crime writing superband will rock the stage of Bute Yard, murdering songs for fun. Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone, Stuart Neville and Luca Veste come armed with new songs and old jokes, and are sure to get you dancing, and rocking in the aisles.

SUNDAY AUGUST 6

12-1 Rothesay Library

A Little Bit of History Repeating: Vaseem Khan, Anna Mazzola and Douglas Skelton

A trip back in time with three superb historical crime writers. Vaseem ’s Death of a Lesser God is the fourth in his Malabar House series; Anna’s The House of Whispers is set in Rome; A Thief’s Justice is the second in Douglas’s Jonas Flynt series.

1.30-2.30 Rothesay Library

JD Kirk and Johnny Shaw

We present two natural storytellers. Scotland’s JD Kirk has sold over two million copies of his Jack Loganseries, and his new book is the explosive In Service of Death. Award-winning American novelist Johnny Shaw’s latest in the UK is The Upper Hand, a brilliantly wild heist tale.

3-4 Rothesay Library

Heidi Amsinck, Myra Duffy and Alex Gray

Two festival favourites and a newcomer from Denmark. Alex’s Questions For a Dead Man is the 20th book in her DSI Lorimer series. Heidi’s The Girl in the Photo features violent attacks on the streets of her native Copenhagen. Myra’s latest Bute-set novel is Dead Drop at Bute Circus.

4.30-5.30 Rothesay Library

Glasgow Gone By: Gordon J Brown and Robbie Morrison

Two crime writers who’ve set terrific novels in 20th Century Glasgow. Gordon’s thrilling No More Games sees 12-year-old Ginger pursued by a gunman and a criminal in 1974. Robbie returns to 1930s Glasgow for his new Jimmy Dreghorn novel Cast a Cold Eye.