Cultural Matters: Scottish Writers Part 2 (Present)

Scotland has continued its literary tradition in recent years with a slew of best-selling and critically acclaimed authors (especially in the crime fiction realm, which fans refer to as Tartan Noir).

Ian Rankin

Perhaps the best known modern Scottish author, Edinburgh-native Ian Rankin has sold millions of books worldwide. His series of novels about Police Detective John Rebus has attracted a huge following, a popular TV series, and even a walking tour in Edinburgh. My favorite is a recent non-Rebus novel called Doors Open, about a museum art heist in Edinburgh.

Val McDermid

My personal favorite Scottish author is Fife-native Val McDermid, who also writes in the crime ficiton genre. Although not always set in Scotland (she herself currently lives in North England), her novels all reflect her Scottish sensibilities. She is most famous for her Tony Hill novels, about a psychologist with his own mental problems who solves serial killings. It has been made into a successful ITV series called Wire in the Blood.

Here's a trailer:



My recommendation for McDermid, though, is a stand-alone novel about a 20-year old murder called The Distant Echo.

Irvine Welsh

Perhaps the most crticially-acclaimed modern Scottish author, Irvine Welsh best known work is Trainspotting, about heroin use in Edinburgh. It was made into a very successful film in 1995 that launched several film careers.

Trainspotting film trailer

Denise Mina

Another popular and crticially-acclaimed Scottish crime novelist, Denise Mina novels are more about characters and modern Scottish life than they are about the crimes. Her most popualr works are the three-part Garnethill series. My favorite is Field of Blood, the first in another series of novels about a journalist.

She has also recently wrote a successful graphic novel (as has Ian Rankin).

James Robertson

A critically-acclaimed Scottish novelist, James Robertson was originally from Stirling. His 2006 novel about religion, The Testament of Gideon Mack, was shortlisted for Booker Prize. But he began his career with the novel that he is still most known for, The Fanatic. It's about an Edinburgh ghost tour guide who becomes obsessed with the character he plays, Major Thomas Weir, a man accused of and executed for witchcraft in the 1600s.