Bestselling author Ian Rankin will be among the headliners at next year’s Granite Noir crime festival.
Now in its fourth year, the event inspired by the Granite City will take place in February 2020.
Rankin will be making his first appearance at the festival in conversation with comedian Phill Jupitus.
Also confirmed are legendary American author Sara Paretsky, Norway’s best-selling female crime writer Anne Holt and Ben Aaronovitch – author of the hugely popular Rivers of London urban fantasy series.
The north-east’s own Stuart MacBride will be taking part and there will be explorations of Peterhead Prison and a look at female criminals drawing from the archives of Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils.
And Locals in the Limelight will return, with ten of the north-east’s most talented new writers reading extracts from their noir fiction at the Lemon Tree and Aberdeen Central Library.
Councillor Marie Boulton, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokeswoman, said: “Next year’s line-up is possibly the strongest yet with a host of household names appearing.
They include the doyen of Scottish crime novelists, Ian Rankin, who we are delighted to welcome for his much-anticipated festival debut.
“His appearances with the wonderful Phill Jupitus are sure to sell-out quickly.
“The sheer breadth of events this year, including courtroom re-enactments and even crime-related musical interludes, is breath-taking.
“It’s no exaggeration to say there is something for everyone with an interest in crime fiction.”
Rankin and Jupitus will be discussing the crime books they would take to a desert island.
Then, in a special treat for fans, they will head for the Lemon Tree to play a series of tunes from their own music collections.
