Bloody Scotland Festival Unveils Star-Studded Lineup

Strategic Insights -

Bloody Scotland, Scotland's only international crime writing festival, has announced its 2025 lineup, featuring renowned authors, broadcasters, and actors. The festival will take place in Stirling from September 12 to 14, highlighting the city's rich literary and cultural heritage. This year's guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin, has curated an impressive program that showcases established names and emerging voices in the crime genre.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 2025 Bloody Scotland festival features a diverse lineup of 13 authors, including Kate Atkinson, Ian Rankin, and Laura Lippman.
  • The festival will also include broadcasters such as Steph McGovern and Jeremy Vine, as well as actor and musician Joey Batey, best known for his role as Jaskier the Bard in The Witcher.
  • The festival's guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin, will lead a Day of the Deid procession and host a Whisky Night with songs from James Yorkston and Colin Macintyre.
  • The lineup also includes comedian and author Adam Kay, veteran crime writer Christopher Brookmyre, and L J Ross, author of the multi-million-copy-selling DCI Ryan series.
  • The festival will feature a host of other events, including a True Crime Walking Tour and a Crime Family Fortunes quiz, with team captains Steph McGovern and Rev Richard Coles.

Statistics:

  • The 2025 Bloody Scotland festival will take place in Stirling from September 12 to 14.
  • The festival will feature 13 authors, including 4 Scottish-based writers: Ian Rankin, Denise Mina, Graeme Macrae Burnet, and Lin Anderson.
  • 5 authors have won the McIlvanney Prize, including Denise Mina for her novel "Saints of the Shadow Bay".
  • 2 million copies have been sold of the DCI Ryan series by L J Ross.

Sources:

  • Scotsman: "Edinburgh author Kate Atkinson has revealed a secret of her success" (https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-author-kate-atkinson-has-revealed-a-secret-of-her-success-203395)
  • Scotsman: "Best Scottish crime books: Here are all 13 novels to have won the McIlvanney Prize, including Denise Mina" (https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/best-scottish-crime-books-here-are-all-13-novels-to-have-won-the-mcilvanney-prize-including-denise-mina-4786269)
  • Scotsman: "Jeremy Vine criticises social media giants after seeing his stalker jailed" (https://www.scotsman.com/news/crime/jeremy-vine-criticises-social-media-giants-after-seeing-his-stalker-jailed-3847371)
  • Scotsman: "Ian Rankin" (https://www.scotsman.com/topic/ian-rankin)