BLOODY SCOTLAND REVEALS INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS CRIME WRITER APPEARING AT PROGRAMME LAUNCH IN STIRLING ON 12 JUNE 2025

The Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival returns to the historic city of Stirling on 12 June with leading international bestseller, Canadian crime writer, Linwood Barclay, appearing on stage at The Golden Lion Hotel in conversation with local celebrity, BBC Radio Scotland’s Nicola Meighan. He will be in the UK launching his new book, Whistle, which will be published by HQ (HarperCollins) on 5 June. Barclay is an international bestselling crime and thriller author with over twenty critically acclaimed novels to his name, including the phenomenal number one bestseller No Time for Goodbye. His books have been sold in more than 39 countries around the world and he can count Stephen King, Shari Lapena and Peter James amongst his many fans.

At the programme launch Cllr Gerry McGarvey, Stirling Council Leader will introduce the 2025 Guest Programmer Ian Rankin at The Golden Lion Hotel at noon on 12 June.  Festival Director, Bob McDevitt, will then reveal the highlights of the 2025 line up immediately prior to the Linwood Barclay event at 1pm. Tickets are deliberately priced at only £6 to encourage a local audience who might normally not attend the festival to give it a go. They are available from www.bloodyscotland.com
or in person at The Albert Halls or Tolbooth (Box office in-person opening hours -
https://stirlingevents.org/box-office-opening-hours/ 

Other guests invited to the programme launch will be the shortlisted authors for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize which will be revealed on
3 June.
The longlist for the McIlvanney Prize will be revealed on 1 July and the shortlist on 26 August. Both prizes will be presented at the opening reception on Friday 12 September which offers crime fiction fans an opportunity to rub shoulders with famous crime writers at
The Golden Lion Hotel in the historic city of Stirling.

News of the Linwood Barclay event will be included in The Bloody Scotland Podcast which goes out this Friday 18 April presented by crime writer and Bloody Scotland board member, Craig Robertson. The podcast which is available on all usual platforms will include special guests C L Taylor (It’s Always the Husband – Avon) and debut author, Tom Spencer (The Mystery of the Crooked Man – Pushkin).