Monday 17 October 2016

Prepare to Lose Sleep - Scottish Field review : NONE BUT THE DEAD


The Orkney Island of Sanday in the middle of winter becomes a character in its own right in Lin Anderson's latest novel in the Rhona MacLeod series.

As if the discovery of human remains in the grounds of a former primary school and thirteen flowers representing the souls of dead children in the attic of the nearly schoolhouse isn't enough, the Glasgow-based forensic expert, and her team including the dogged DS MacNab have the additional challenge of weather as inhospitable as some of the island's inhabitants.

Without a police station and with an intermittent Internet connection and no access to the usual tools for solving crime such as CCTV, the investigation team have to use their knowledge and gut instincts to piece together crimes that see the past and the present collide in a way that threatens to rip apart this small island community, which is overly keen to keep its secrets.

Anderson superbly ratchets up the tension as the team race to rescue a missing girl before the approaching storm hits the island.

Prepare to lose sleep.

~o~

Related links:-

Hearing the singing of long-lost children - None But The Dead review on Undiscovered Scotland

Shades of The Wicker Man with a touch of Agatha Christie - Daily Mail review

The Write Stuff: None But The Dead by Lin Anderson (extract from book)

Monday 3 October 2016

Crime Writers Do Porridge

http://www.goldenspurtle.com/

Coming up in Carrbridge on Saturday 8th October 2016 - the 23rd annual Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship, this year with two Bloody Scotland crime writers involved!

http://www.bloodyscotland.com

Master of Ceremonies for the 23rd Championships will be myself, Lin Anderson, with Carrbridge being my home village, and one of this year's judges will be Craig Robertson from Stirling. Both Craig and myself are Directors of the Bloody Scotland crime writing festival.

Lin Anderson                                                   Craig Robertson

Craig has previously been a judge at the Scottish Haggis Championship, the Scottish Steak Pie Championship, and the World Black Pudding Championship (in Mortagne, France), so the Golden Spurtle on 8th October will fill an obvious gap in his CV!

'Queen of Crime' Val McDermid was keen to enter, but her schedule would not permit this year, so maybe next year!

Things will kick off around 10:00am on Saturday, entry is free, it looks like being fine weather, so come along for the day, and enjoy the fun, tastings, and competitions.


Related links:-

The Golden Spurtle
Competition Rules
Carrbridge website
CNN film of 2013 Golden Spurtle
Mary's Meals - World Porridge Day