Well there’s a real embarassment of riches on the longlist for the McIlvanney Prize 2022 – some old names we’ve seen on it before, some new names I’ve yet to read (and some I’ve read and yet to review!) Anyway, it’s my intention to read them all before September – the shortlist will be revealed at the beginning of September. Without further ado, here they are:
A Matter Of Time, Claire Askew
The Sound Of Sirens, Ewan Gault
The Blood Tide, Neil Lancaster
From The Ashes, Deborah Masson
The Heretic, Liam McIlvanney
Rizzio, Denise Mina
May God Forgive, Alan Parks
A Corruption Of Blood, Ambrose Parry
A Rattle Of Bones, Douglas Skelton
The Second Cut, Louise Welsh
Here’s some stats, courtesy of the lovely Fiona Brownlee from Bloody Scotland‘s organisational committee:
2.5 of the authors have won the prize before: the lovely Liam McIlvanney (2018) and the equally lovely Denise Mina (2017), plus the also charming Chris Brookmyre (2016) in his solo status, whereas Ambrose Parry is a combination of the talents of him and his wife Dr Marisa Haetzman (who is a consultant anaesthetist in her day job – so one talented woman!) Chris has appeared on every longlist either as himself or as Ambrose Parry – quite an achievement! Actually, when I put down the book Black Widow, which won it for him in 2016, I turned round to my partner and declared, “That’s going to win the Bloody Scotland prize!” (as it was then known!) I’ve actually declared in a review that Alan Parks will be a contender. I reckon Louise Welsh is in with a very good shout – not before time! – and despite having only read 100 pages of The Heretic, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Liam McIlvanney lift the prize named after his incredibly friendly and charming father yet again. But there are others I’ve yet to read, so watch this space…I will say this, however – it is only a matter of time before Alan Parks does win the prize!
There are also previous winners of the Debut Novel Prize on this longlist now too – Claire Askew won the first Bloody Scotland Debut Novel Prize in 2019, and Deborah Masson won it in 2020.
Bob McDevitt, Director of Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival said:
‘I’m so pleased to see such an excellent longlist of books in the running for this year’s McIlvanney prize. Police procedurals dominate this year, set all around Scotland and from the 1970s to the present day, along with a few striking historical novels (set before the 1970s!) and some contemporary Glasgow noir. Once again, the judges have their work cut out for them!’
The McIlvanney Prize will be judged by Ayo Onatade, winner of the CWA Red Herring Award and freelance crime fiction critic, Janice Forsyth, presenter of the Afternoon Show on BBC Radio Scotland and Ewan Wilson, crime fiction buyer from Waterstones Glasgow. The Glencairn Glass, the world’s favourite whisky glass, is again sponsoring both The McIlvanney Prize and The Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year for 2022. Kirsty Nicholson, Glencairn’s Design and Marketing Manager commented:
‘This is our third year of sponsoring the McIlvanney Prize with the Glencairn Glass and once again we’re delighted to see such an exciting longlist for the award. Congratulations to all the authors who have made it this far. The books featured on the longlist provide the perfect opportunity to discover the best in crime fiction alongside a wee dram of whisky in the world’s favourite whisky glass.’
Well, one thing is certain – as ever, the judges have their work cut out for them!
crimeworm 