The line-up of top authors for next month’s Granite Noir festival in Aberdeen has been unveiled – including Val McDermid, Louise Welsh and Charlie Higson.
Also in the mix for the four-day crime writing festival is a blend of music, drama, talks, film and exhibitions – and even an exploration of the daft and not so daft ways to die in the world of James Bond, complete with 007’s favourite cocktails.
“Granite Noir 2023 will be full of the drama, mystery, music and, of course, cocktails that audiences have come to expect from the festival, as well as plenty of thrills and surprises along the way,” said Ben Torrie, director of programming and creative projects for Aberdeen Performing Arts which produces the event.
“We have some of the most exciting names in crime fiction, with broad themes of the gothic, horror and of course Noir throughout an exciting weekend of author talks, exhibitions and music from the crime fiction supergroup the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers.
Fast Show star Charlie Higson will discuss new novel at Granite Noir
The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers is a band made up of authors – Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Stuart Neville, Doug Johnstone, Luca Veste and Chris Brookmyre – and they will kick off the seventh Granite Noir with a gig at the Lemon Tree on Thursday February 23.
The following night, Val – hailed as the Queen Of Scottish Crime – will take to the Music Hall stage to discuss her triumphant 1989, the second in the Allie Burns series, a favourite of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Meanwhile, Fast Show star and best-selling author Charlie Higson will be in conversation about his new novel, Whatever Gets You Through, at the Lemon Tree on Saturday, February 25.
And on Sunday at the Lemon Tree, writers Louise Welsh and Alan Riach will be discussing Tartan Noir from Robert Louis Stevenson to William McIlvanney to today’s authors.
Three of those authors – Christopher Brookmyre, Denzil Meyrick and Doug Johnstone – will introduce their new books and talk about the secrets of writing at the Lemon Tree on Friday February 24.
The festival this year is exploring a dark and gothic theme in contemporary writing. Taking part will be authors such as Cailean Steed, Kitty Murphy and Rachella Atalla.
Granite Noir offers rich blend of music, drama and special events
As always, Granite Noir has a massive Scandinavian crime thread running through it and this year will see a special event, Coorie In With Scandi Friends, also at the Lemon Tree on Thursday, February 23.
Taking part will be Swedish writer Lina Bengtsdotter and Finnish author Antti Tuomainen to talk about their starkly different but equally intense and thrilling stories.
Granite Noir extends its reach beyond the written word and has exciting offerings in both music and drama and special events.
Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC will delve into six extraordinary cases in Trials of the Old Bailey, a darkly fascinating discussion exploring why we kill, what happens at trial and what we can learn about the society in which we live.
Science communicator and chemist Dr Kathryn Harkup returns with a look at the reality behind the silly, and not so silly, ways to die in the world of everybody’s favourite spy, James Bond.
Audiences can enjoy the ambience at The Terrace, His Majesty’s Theatre’s bar and café, as they lift the lid on the science behind the 007 stories and sample his favourite cocktails along the way.
On the music front, Heal & Harrow, a new project by folk musicians Rachel Newton and Lauren MacColl, pays tribute to some of the 2,000 plus women who were executed as witches in Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries, performed in the haunting surrounds of St Nicholas Kirk on Thursday, February 23.
Kids can join Scaredy Bat at Aberdeen’s Granite Noir
On the stage, the comedy hit CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation is a fully improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery staged at the Music Hall, where the audience inspires the crime, grills the suspects, and ultimately decides who is guilty… or not.
On the screen, Aberdeen Arts Centre will be showing family films Zootropolis and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? As well as Knives Out and Hitchcock’s classic thriller, Vertigo.
A mainstay of Granite Noir is always a major exhibition from Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives.
This year, The Curriculum Of Crime, looks at efforts made in the 19th century to keep children from being drawn into a life of crime.
Using original records it will take a look at the children, some as young as eight, who were incarcerated.
The free exhibition will be at the Music Hall throughout Granite Noir.
On the subject of children, there will be events for younger crime fiction fans, including a session with writer Jonathan Myers and his Scaredy Bat for three to seven-year-olds, while A Detective Adventure will invite eight to 12-year-olds to crack codes and secret messages.
How to find out all the details for Granite Noir
Granite Noir, presented in partnership with Aberdeen City Libraries and Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives, will also feature a number of workshops.
Councillor Martin Greig, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesman, said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Granite Noir back to the city for its seventh year.
“It is good to be able to host this festival which brings writers and enthusiasts together from near and far.”
Details of the full Granite Noir programme can be found at granitenoir.com, with tickets for events on sale from 10am on Thursday January 12, and on sale to Friends Of Aberdeen Performing Arts from Wednesday January 11 at 10am.
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