SIR IAN RANKIN REVEALED TO BE GUEST PROGRAMMER FOR BLOODY SCOTLAND INTERNATIONAL CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL 2025

For the first time ever, Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival has invited a guest programmer to join the festival team. 

International bestselling novelist, Sir Ian Rankin, is working alongside the programming team - which includes fellow authors, Abir Mukherjee, Lin Anderson, Craig Robertson and Gordon J. Brown - to bring another world class line-up of authors and special guests to the prestigious Festival, which will return to the historic city of Stirling 12-14 September 2025

 Ian Rankin, who has sold over 35 million books and was awarded a Knighthood in 2023 for services to literature and charity, is working closely with Festival Director, Bob McDevitt to share his personal passions and put his unique spin on one of the UK’s largest crime fiction festivals.

All will be revealed when the programme launches in June 2025.

Festival director Bob McDeviit said:
"Ian has been one of the foremost supporters of Bloody Scotland since the beginning and he has brought imagination and enthusiasm to the programming process. He is a much loved and respected writer around the world and has friends and contacts in all sorts of places which have delivered some unique events for us this year."

Sir Ian Rankin said: “Bloody Scotland manages to remain the world’s friendliest and most inclusive crime fiction festival while also attracting the biggest and brightest names in the business to the city of Stirling. It’s epic!”

Ian Rankin has been involved in Bloody Scotland since its inception. He has captained the Scotland football team, led the torchlit procession through the streets of Stirling and in 2021 his warmup act ‘Crime in the Spotlight’ was Graeme Macrae Burnet who went on to be shortlisted for the Booker. It is a pleasure to welcome him back at the helm of the festival and we are excited to see what 2025 will bring.

Bloody Scotland | International Crime Writing Festival