McIlvanney Prize longlist revealed with Brookmyre, McDermid and Mina

The McIlvanney Prize for Scottish crime novels longlist has been revealed, with Chris Brookmyre, Val McDermid (pictured) and Denise Mina among the chosen 13.

Previously called the Scottish Crime Book of the Year Award, it was renamed in memory of William McIlvanney five years ago. This year his final book, The Dark Remains, completed with the help of Ian Rankin, will be published on 2nd September by Canongate, coinciding with the announcement of the prize shortlist.

McDermid, who was also nominated last year, returns to the 2021 longlist with Still Life (Little, Brown), alongside The Cut by Brookmyre (Little, Brown), who has featured on every previous longlist either under his own name or alter ego Ambrose Parry. Previous winner Mina joins them with The Less Dead (Vintage).

Also making the list is previous winner Craig Russell with Hyde (Constable), The Silent Daughter by Emma Christie (Wellbeck), Before the Storm by Alex Gray (Little, Brown), Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster (HQ) and The Coffinmaker’s Garden by Stuart MacBride (HarperCollins)

Bad Debt by William McIntyre (Sandstone), How To Survive Everything by Ewan Morrison (Saraband), Edge of the Grave by Robbie Morrison (Macmillan), The April Dead by Alan Parks (Canongate) and Waking the Tiger by Mark Wightman (Hobeck Books) complete the list.

Bob McDevitt, director of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, said: “The McIlvanney Prize longlist once again reaffirms that our crime readers love great books by well-loved authors they are familiar with but are always on the look-out for new voices and new ways to tell a crime story. It's a testament to the breadth and depth of Scottish crime writing.”

The prize will be judged by Karen Robinson, formerly of the Times Crime Club, Ayo Onatade, winner of the CWA Red Herring Award and freelance crime fiction critic, and Ewan Wilson, crime fiction buyer from Waterstones Glasgow.

The winner will be revealed in Stirling and online on 17th September during the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival, with a prize of £1,000 and nationwide promotion in Waterstones. For the second year running the sponsor is The Glencairn Glass.