When the nights become darker, and we stoke up the fire against the cold, there’s nothing better than settling down with a good book. Don’t get too comfortable though, because there is a dark thread that runs through the literary heart of Scotland, and it’s called ‘Tartan Noir’.
From murder mysteries to historical whodunnits, and gritty police procedurals, Scottish readers and a growing global audience can’t get enough of the grim and gruesome tales coming out of Scotland.
The history of Tartan Noir
This isn’t a new literary genre. Edinburgh-born ‘Treasure Island’ author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), set the template back in 1886. He published his truly ground-breaking Gothic novella, ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’. Set around the dark and confined closes and wynds (narrow passages and alleyways) of Edinburgh's old town, it’s a story that still speaks to the potential for good and evil in all of us.
Fast forward to the late 1970s, and teacher turned author, William McIlvanney, became the father of modern Tartan Noir. His three ‘Laidlaw’ novels, following the cases of a Glaswegian police detective, set a template for a whole new generation of Scottish crime writers. Today, from tiny bookstores to the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Tartan Noir titles grab the reading public’s imagination like no other fiction genre.
With established Scottish Noir stars such as Ian Rankin, Dame Denise Mina and Val McDermid and exciting newcomers, such as comedian-turned-author Frankie Boyle, the genre is growing in global popularity.
Scotland's Noir Stars
Every year, in the city of Stirling, Scotland’s top crime authors and their fans gather to celebrate the dark delights of Tartan Noir. The Bloody Scotland Festival isn’t your usual literary festival. You can attend readings, hear work in progress, and meet the next generation of crime writers.
In 2024, the Bloody Scotland Festival will take place between 13 – 15 September. The festival covers a variety of criminal subjects such as fictional forensics, psychological thrillers, tartan noir and cosy crime.
Torchlit parade through Stirling
The festival kicks off every year with a dramatic torchlit parade through the atmospheric streets of old Stirling. Not only does it celebrate established authors, but it also acts as a hothouse for new writing talent. Through its Debut Prize and New Crimes Panel, fans of Tartan Noir get to discover new books and authors.
The festival shines a spotlight on both new and established authors. One of those was first-time Glasgow author, Sarah Smith. Her novel, ‘Hear No Evil’, was short-listed for the Bloody Scotland debut prize. The book is based on a landmark case in Scottish legal history when Jean Campbell, a young deaf woman, was accused of murder. ‘Hear No Evil’ is an atmospheric exploration of early 19th century Edinburgh and Glasgow. A core theme throughout the novel looks to give voice to the marginalised.
Sarah said: “I first came across the real-life case that inspired ‘Hear No Evil’ while working at the Deaf Connections charity in Glasgow. I read about the trial in Robert Smith’s ‘The City Silent’. When I tried to find out more information about her in the transcripts of the trial, I found that she’d never been able to tell her story. So, I made one up; it’s not true but I hope it’s authentic.”
A PERFORMANCE FOR DEAF AND HEARING AUDIENCES
In 2022, as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Sarah worked with a deaf director, and deaf and hard-of-hearing actors, to bring scenes from the book to life for both a hearing and deaf audience.
Sarah said: “It was exciting, scary, and ultimately incredibly moving to bring the story and characters to life. I knew I wanted to deliver something that had the deaf experience – then and now – at its centre. It was also important to me that the deaf community would feel the performance belonged to them. They gave me Jean and Robert’s story in the first place."
Sarah explained: “I knew that the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland had a unique degree programme for deaf and hard of hearing students, so I got in touch with them, and their staff and students took it on board. What they came up with made the story jump off the page and change into something completely new.”
Turn The Page
So, wherever you are in the world, pour yourself a dram, sit down, and dive into the dark world of Tartan Noir.
Don’t have nightmares!
To find out more about Scotland’s Tartan Noir stars, and the Bloody Scotland Festival, visit Bloody Scotland.
Discover more about accessibility at Bloody Scotland