It’s that time again, bookish peeps — Bloody Scotland 2025 is right around the corner and if you’re anything like me, the countdown has officially begun. (Actually, by the time you are reading this it will only be TWO MORE SLEEPS!!) There’s something so magical about Stirling in September: the cobbled streets buzzing with bookish energy, old friends reuniting, new favourites discovered, and crime fiction conversations you’ll be thinking about for months after. My thanks, as ever to Fiona Brownlee and the amazing behind-the-scenes team at Bloody Scotland for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the blog tour! I am not sure I am a leading influencer, but you know what… I will bloody take it!
As always, the programme is packed with phenomenal events, but two have me grinning like the cat that got the criminally good canary. So, here’s what I’m most excited about — and trust me, you’ll want to mark these down!
Dark Islands
📅 Saturday 13 September at 11:30am
📍 The Holy Trinity Church, Stirling
🎟️ Tickets: £8.00 – £9.00
🔗 Event Details & Tickets
First up is Dark Islands — and oh my word, I could not be prouder (and more excited!) to see Ronnie Turner on the panel. I’ve followed Ronnie’s journey from blogger and reader to published author for what feels like forever — to see her up there as a writer will be everything!
But that’s not all. This panel features three dark, atmospheric thrillers set on remote Scottish islands — and if that doesn’t scream ‘must-read’, I don’t know what does! You’ve got:
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Morag Pringle’s The Final Truth, the third in her Rachel McKenzie series, where a body in a cemetery leads to secrets buried deep in the Outer Hebrides.
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Ronnie Turner’s haunting debut Small Fires, where two sisters fleeing to an unnamed island spark a series of chilling events.
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Chris Barkley’s The Man on the Endless Stair, set in a labyrinthine mansion on a secluded Hebridean isle — and I bet it is as creepy as it sounds.
This is the kind of panel that reminds me why I love this genre. Unsettling locations, and the kind of tension that makes you forget to breathe. Chaired by Ed James, this one’s going to be unforgettable. So grab a boat, hire a helicopter, or swim if you must — just don’t miss this panel! Also, prepare to spend some money as I know these books will immediately be bought and added to my TBR!
Sir Ian Rankin Presents: Kathy Reichs
📅 Saturday 13 September at 8:30pm
📍 The Albert Halls, Stirling
🎟️ Tickets: £11.00 – £12.00
🔗 Event Details & Tickets
Hang on…hang on while I scream my head off! Let’s be honest… this is the event I’m MOST excited about. I’m even dragging my #twinnie with me (though to be fair, I didn’t really need to twist her arm — I mean, come on: two legends, one stage? YES PLEASE!).
Kathy Reichs is a superstar of American crime fiction. With 27 Temperance Brennan novels under her belt — yes, the series that inspired the smash-hit TV show Bones — she’s basically forensic royalty. Her latest, Fire and Bones, weaves together arson, murder, and secrets from a bootlegging gang nearly a century old. Intrigued? SAME.
And she’ll be in conversation with Sir Ian Rankin — creator of the legendary John Rebus. What. A. Pairing. It’s basically the crime fiction version of Glastonbury. This event also features a Crime in the Spotlight reading from Roger Corke (Deadly Protocol), adding yet another reason to be front row. I absolutely can’t wait to see this pair in Stirling and again, will be making sure to get SIGNED copies for my bookshelves because OMFG it is Ian Rankin and Kathy Reichs. I may faint…
Honestly, Bloody Scotland never misses. I’ll be attending as many panels as I possibly can — they’re always thought-provoking, exciting, and just so much fun. Whether it’s a gritty police procedural or a supernatural slow-burn, there’s something here for every kind of crime fiction lover. And more than anything, I can’t wait to catch up with my #booktribe. The hugs, the banter, the laughter and the spontaneous book recs over coffee (or gin) — this community is something special.
So whether you’re a die-hard Rebus fan, a debut hunter, or just love losing yourself in a good mystery or thriller, this festival has your name written all over it. Roll on September!
🎟️ Check out the full programme here: www.bloodyscotland.com