THE APRIL DEAD by Alan Parks Longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021

We are thrilled that Alan Parks’ THE APRIL DEAD, the fourth book in the Harry McCoy series, has been longlisted for the Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021.

Also longlisted are THE CUT by Chris Brookmyre, THE SILENT DAUGHTER by Emma Christie, BEFORE THE STORM by Alex Gray, DEAD MAN’S GRAVE by Neil Lancaster, THE COFFIN MAKER’S GARDEN by Stuart MacBride, STILL LIFE by Val McDermid, BAD DEBT by William McIntyre, THE LESS DEAD by Denise Mina, HOW TO SURVIVE EVERYTHING by Ewan Morrison, THE EDGE OF THE GRAVE by Robbie Morrison, HYDE by Craig Russell and WAKING THE TIGER by Mark Wightman.

The winner of the £1,000 prize will be revealed in Stirling and online on 17th September during the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival.

THE APRIL DEAD was published by Canongate in hardback in March 2021 and was a chosen as a Times Crime Book of the Month and was a Sunday Times Crime Club Star Pick. Europa publish in the US and the Harry McCoy series has been translated into 9 languages.

In a grimy flat in Glasgow, a homemade bomb explodes, leaving few remains to identify its maker.

Detective Harry McCoy knows in his gut that there'll be more to follow. The hunt for a missing sailor from the local US naval base leads him to the secretive group behind the bomb, and their disturbing, dominating leader.

On top of that, McCoy thinks he's doing an old friend a favour when he passes on a warning, but instead he's pulled into a vicious gang feud. And in the meantime, there's word another bigger explosion is coming Glasgow's way – so if the city is to survive, it'll take everything McCoy's got…

Praise for the Harry McCoy series

‘The meticulously described setting is so suggestive readers may even catch whiffs of stale cigarette smoke and patchouli. Fans of Scottish noir will be satisfied.’ ― Publishers Weekly

‘Parks’ sprawling plot offers not tidy whodunit puzzles but a wide-angle view of a gritty city in the grip of crime, home to an entertaining cross section of characters. Broad-shouldered McCoy is suitably unflappable as he walks Glasgow’s mean streets.’ ― Kirkus Reviews

‘Parks captures the feel of a city long vanished in a breathless and tense retro crime caper.’ ― The Sun

‘A series that no crime fan should miss: dangerous, thrilling, but with a kind voice to cut through the darkness.’ ― Scotsman

‘Pitch-black tartan noir, set in 70s Glasgow . . . Compelling . . . with an emotional heart that’s hard to ignore.’ ― Daily Mail

Photo: Euan Robertson

About Alan Parks

Alan was born in Scotland and attended The University of Glasgow where he was awarded a M.A. in Moral Philosophy. He has worked in the music industry for over twenty years. His debut novel BLOODY JANUARY was shortlisted for the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France and FEBRUARY’S SON was nominated for an Edgar Award in the US.  He still lives and works in the city that is so vividly depicted in the 1970s setting of his Harry McCoy thrillers.

Visit Alan’s website

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GRACE NOMINATED FOR TWO NATIONAL TELEVISION AWARDS

GRACE, the Television adaptation of Peter James’s bestselling Detective Superintendent novels starring John Simm, has been nominated in two categories for the 2021 National Television Awards.

GRACE has been nominated in the ‘New Drama’ category, and John Simm has been individually nominated in the ‘Drama Performance’ category. The shortlist will be announced in August 2021 and the National Television Awards will be broadcast live on ITV on 9 September 2021. Keep up with the nominations here: https://www.nationaltvawards.com/about

Co-starring Richie Campbell as DS Glenn Branson and Rakie Ayola as ACC Vosper, the first GRACE film DEAD SIMPLE (which aired on ITV in March) achieved consolidated ratings of 8.8m viewers and received glowing reviews from critics, becoming the 5th most watched of BBC and ITV shows in March 2021. DEAD SIMPLE is currently being rolled out around the rest of the world along with the second episode, LOOKING GOOD DEAD.

The new Roy Grace dramas set to be filmed later this year are NOT DEAD ENOUGH, DEAD MAN’S FOOTSTEPS and DEAD TOMORROW. The three 120-minute films are produced by Second Act Productions and Tall Story Pictures, both part of ITV Studios, and Vaudeville Productions.

Writer Russell Lewis commented: ‘After the overwhelmingly positive audience response to the seaside noir of DEAD SIMPLE, (tabloid trauma tales notwithstanding!) and LOOKING GOOD DEAD cued up ready to go, all at Team Roy Grace are delighted to have been given the opportunity by ITV to return to Brighton (& Hove, actually!) to continue Roy's story with a new series of films based on Peter James’ best-selling novels.

Executive producers are Andrew O’Connor and Paul Sandler for Second Act Productions, Patrick Schweitzer for Tall Story Pictures, Michael Vine for Vaudeville Productions, Russell Lewis and Peter James.

ITV Studios are responsible for the international distribution of Grace and recently streamed DEAD SIMPLE and LOOKING GOOD DEAD via Britbox North America, where the new series will also be exclusively available in North America. Further international streaming plans will be announced soon.

Watch GRACE on ITV Hub now: https://www.itv.com/hub/grace/2a7610

The latest Detective Superintendent Roy Grace novel, LEFT YOU DEAD, flew straight to the Number 1 position in the Sunday Times hardback bestseller chart after only three days on sale in May, giving Peter his eighteenth Number 1 on the British charts. The stellar three-day sales also make LEFT YOU DEAD the biggest hardback fiction title launch of the year.

Peter’s most recent standalone, the Top Ten bestseller I FOLLOW YOU, will be published in paperback by Macmillan on 24 June.

About Peter James:
Peter James is an international bestselling crime and thriller writer. In 2015 WHSmith customers voted him the Greatest Crime Author of All Time and in 2016 he was awarded the coveted CWA Diamond Dagger, a lifetime achievement award for sustained excellence. In 2018 he received a Specsavers Honorary Platinum Bestseller Award.

Successful nationwide tours of the stage plays of THE PERFECT MURDER (2014), DEAD SIMPLE (2015), NOT DEAD ENOUGH (2017) and THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL (2019) have played to packed theatres in dozens of British cities, and garnered magnificent reviews. The newest Roy Grace theatre production, LOOKING GOOD DEAD, will tour in 2021.

In addition to his career as a novelist, he has produced several films, including THE MERCHANT OF VENICE starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. He also co-created the hit Channel 4 series Bedsitcom, which was nominated for a Rose d'Or.

Praise for GRACE series:
‘Excellent, with engaging, complex mysteries and a main character that gets us on their side. Simm, who has played both good and bad guys just in the last few years, hooks us immediately as Roy Grace... It certainly made us look forward to the second episode in the limited run of the first season.’ — Decider

'What the Brits do so well is to create real, human, flawed but likable detectives... I could not stop watching. I think I held my breath for an hour. Brilliant acting from John Simm and the sort of jigsaw puzzle cinematography that is the hallmark of British TV... Everybody go and watch.' — Rhys Bowen, Jungle Red

‘A very effective appetite-whetter… The unpretentious storytelling makes this an easy watch, helmed by the always watchable Simm.’ – The Mail on Sunday, Pick of the Day

‘It’s a good’un... John Simm was pleasingly understated as Detective Superintendent Roy Grace and the adaptation was well done by Russell Lewis, creator of ENDEAVOUR. Richie Campbell was great as Roy’s colleague, DS Branson, bringing just the right amount of energy to proceedings... If ITV can find room in the schedules, another Grace instalment would go down nicely.’ – Anita Singh, The Telegraph

‘Roy Grace doesn’t have any obvious gimmick to mark him out, but he swiftly establishes himself as a solid addition to the Sunday-night pack… Chilling.’ – James Jackson, The Times, Critic’s Choice

‘Grace and Branson’s race to find Michael made for truly nail-biting TV and there were great performances, with Simm as watchable as ever as the shrewd, yet vulnerable Grace… With more to come later this year… I’ll certainly be tuning in.’ – Gwendolyn Smith, The i

‘The intricate, twist-laden plot, atmospheric south-coast location and impressive performances mean that GRACE is likely to be a hit with fans of the books and newcomers alike.’ – The Sun, Pick of the Day

ORENDA BOOKS ACQUIRE WORLD ENGLISH LANGUAGE RIGHTS TO TWO WILL CARVER THRILLERS

We are delighted that Orenda Books will publish two more thrillers by Will Carver. Karen Sullivan acquired World English Language rights from Kate Burke in a two-book deal. Orenda will publish PSYCHOPATHS ANONYMOUS in late 2021, followed by a currently untitled thriller in 2022. 

In order to quit, you have to hit rock bottom. Most nights, Maeve drinks two bottles of wine and falls asleep in front of America’s Next Top Model. But she’s not dependant on alcohol. She attends Simply AA because the men there are vulnerable and easy to pick up for the evening. But she doesn’t have a sex habit. And she goes to Emotional Sobriety and Women’s Reflections and New Beginnings, not because she wants to quit, not because she enjoys a twelve-step program, but because she is addicted to other people’s misery.  She also likes to kill men. But there’s no support group for that. 

When a work project forces her together with a new client, Maeve feels something she never has before: a connection. But can a psychopath really experience love or is this man another thing Maeve is addicted to that is absolutely no good for her?

Will Carver said ‘I’m thrilled to be working with Karen and the Orenda team again. There’s a reason they won best crime publisher at the CWA awards; Orenda publish consistently high-quality, brave fiction that pushes the boundaries of the genre in new and interesting directions. There is a freedom and support to try something new and I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to increase my output with a series book and a stand-alone story in the same year.’

Will’s most recent novel for Orenda, THE BERESFORD, was published in ebook in May 2021 and will be published in paperback in July 2021. The audio edition is available now, published by Bolinda.  

 About Will Carver
Will Carver lives in Reading, though his younger years were spent in various parts of West Germany. He is the author of four books in the JANUARY DAVID thriller series as well as four thrillers for Orenda Books: GOOD SAMARITANS, NOTHING IMPORTANT HAPPENED TODAY, HINTON HOLLOW DEATH TRIP and THE BERESFORD.

Carver likes to work his body as much as his mind and runs his own fitness and nutrition company, though he prefers to talk about his writing more than how he consumes adequate protein as a vegan.

Praise for Will Carver
‘If you like your comedy pitch black and your thrillers more than a little bit twisted, you’ll love it… So dark, so cool.’ — Heat

‘Totally addictive. Like Fight Club, only darker’ — S.J. Watson

‘A blend of serial killer thriller and domestic noir… An unsettling but compelling mixture of the banal, the horrific and, at times, the near-comic, wrong-footing the reader at every turn.’ — The Guardian, The best recent crime novels – review roundup

'A bleak vision of life - true enough to impart the reader with the thrill of genuine discomfort presented with the chilly conviction of Simenon’s most unflinching romans durs and just as horribly addictive.' — The Telegraph

'Outstanding... Fans of classic downbeat noir from Cornell Woolrich and the like will find Carver has brilliantly translated their themes for the 21st century.' — Publishers Weekly

'Heavy gusts of bedsit nihilism usher in this strange mystery... Weirdly page-turning.' — The Times, November Pick

Follow Will on Twitter.

GRAEME ARMSTRONG WINS TWO SOCIETY OF AUTHORS AWARDS FOR THE YOUNG TEAM

Debut novelist, Graeme Armstrong, has won both a Betty Trask Award and a Somerset Maugham Award, in the annual awards presented by the Society of Authors.

The Betty Trask Award is given to writers under the age of 35, and The Somerset Award recognises books that travel. Judging the Somerset Maugham Award, Fred D'Aguiar said of THE YOUNG TEAM, “The Scottish language thrums and chimes in this novel; the hard lives bang against the anvil of received notions about brutality and vulnerability. The author's ear and empathy align in a universe perfectly pitched to broadcast the best route out of perdition.”

THE YOUNG TEAM was first published by Picador in 2020 to great acclaim, and became a Times Bestseller. Film rights are in development with Synchronicity Films. The novel tells of Azzy Williams, a young man whose character is inspired by Graeme’s own experience:

Azzy Williams is ready. Ready to smoke, pop pills, drink wine and ready to fight. But most of all, he’s ready to do anything for his friends, his gang, his young team.

Round here, in the schemes of the forgotten industrial heartland of Scotland, your mates, your young team – they’re everything.

Azzy Williams is fourteen; a rising star, this is his life and he loves it.
Azzy Williams is seventeen; he’s out of control.
Azzy Williams is twenty-one; he’d like to leave it all behind.
But a way out isn’t easy to find . . .

THE YOUNG TEAM is an energetic novel, full of the loyalty, laughs, mischief, boredom, violence and threat of life on these streets. It looks beyond the tabloid stereotypes to tell a powerful story about the realities of life for young people in Britain today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Graeme Armstrong is a Scottish writer from Airdrie. His teenage years were spent within North Lanarkshire’s gang culture. He was inspired to study English Literature after reading Irvine Welsh’s TRAINSPOTTING at just sixteen. Alongside overcoming his own struggles with drug addiction, alcohol abuse and violence, he defied expectation to read English as an undergraduate at the University of Stirling; where, after graduating with honours, he returned to study a Masters’ in Creative Writing.

He regularly volunteers within the community visiting prisons and schools, giving talks on his experiences of gang-culture and substance abuse. He promotes a message of anti-violence and abstinence-based recovery.

PRAISE FOR THE YOUNG TEAM

“Sharp yet tender and mischievously funny, The Young Team pitches Armstrong straight into the first division of Scottish writers.” - The Guardian

‘Dialect that fizzes off the page’ – Observer

‘One of the most admired young voices in British fiction’ – The Times

PRAISE AND CHART SUCCESS FOR THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL BY SHEILA O’FLANAGAN

Sheila O’Flanagan’s new novel THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL (Headline) jumped straight to Number Two in the Irish Times Bestseller list in its first three days of sale last weekend, and holds that slot after the first full week of sales. The audio edition, read by Aoife McMahon, is also available from Headline.

Head to Sheila’s Facebook page to watch all the wonderful Facebook Lives she’s been hosting, including talking about THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL and her most recent paperback, THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY. In her next video (7pm on Friday 4th June), Sheila will chatting with Aoife McMahon about the audio editions of Sheila’s books.

Authors and readers have responded with praise:

 ‘Reading a Sheila O'Flanagan novel always feels like sitting down for a cup of tea with a friend — she writes with such warmth and empathy.’ — Beth O’Leary, author of THE FLATSHARE

‘THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL is an involving, thought-provoking novel and a masterclass in storytelling. I was drawn in from page 1.’ — Sue Moorcroft

Delphine is at a wedding when the shocking news comes. Suddenly her life changes for ever.

Delphine has worked hard for her success, and she knows she's got everything she wants. But not everyone agrees. Her opinionated family aren't convinced that living alone with no plans to 'settle down' could possibly make her truly happy, and no one appreciates it when she drops everything, day or night, whenever her boss Conrad calls. Yet Delphine wouldn't change a thing. And when Conrad makes her a surprise offer, it's clear that her hard work is going to pay off.

A few short days later, Delphine's life is unrecognisable. The man who once broke her heart has suddenly reappeared, and a shocking tragedy turns her world on its head.

Delphine must rethink everything that matters to her, and to those around her, and decide, once and for all, if love, family and a little compromise should come before career, security and independence...and if she's prepared to make that choice.

Sheila’s most recent paperback, THE WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY, had double chart success after it flew to Number Five in the Irish Times bestseller list in March, and Number Seven in the Sunday Times bestseller lists.

About the author

Sheila O’Flanagan is an international bestselling novelist, with more than 9 million copies sold. Numerous novels have been immediate and long-lasting No 1s in Ireland and, UK Top 10 Sunday Times Bestsellers, and she is published in more than 20 languages around the world. Her books have been Number 1 bestsellers in Sweden. She is the recipient of the prestigious Irish Tatler Literary Woman of the Year Award.

More praise for THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL

‘Ideal for the lazy days of summer.’  — What to listen to, read and watch this summer, Irish Examiner

‘With nearly 30 best-sellers, she knows what her readers want . . . A perfect deckchair delight.’ —Peterborough Today

‘A brilliant read from one of our favourite authors.’ – New Must-Reads, Bella Magazine

‘This book had me jumping this way and that, trying to decide which characters could be trusted . . . and then changing my mind. A highly enjoyable read.’ — Imogen Clark

‘As a lover of all things Irish, how is it possible that I hadn’t discovered Sheila O’Flanagan’s books before THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL? Thanks to this wonderful story of a woman’s journey of self-discovery, I can’t wait to read more by this very talented author.’ — #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods

‘Shelia O’Flanagan delivers the perfect summer escape with THREE WEDDINGS AND A PROPOSAL. Engrossing, entertaining, and emotional—and featuring a protagonist you can’t help but root for—this one will keep you turning the pages.’ - Farrah Rochon, USA Today Bestselling author of THE BOYFRIEND

‘Great characters and many twists and turns make this page turner thoroughly enjoyable.  A great read!’ — Katie Fforde

Praise for Sheila O’Flanagan

‘'O'Flanagan doesn't skirt the pain of heartache but embraces it along with the humour (and imperfect judgment) that give her characters their aching credibility... Despite some dark themes, the book's overall tone is light and hopeful.' - Irish Independent on HER HUSBAND’S MISTAKE

‘O'Flanagan is one of our best-known, best-loved and most prolific women's fiction authors’ – Irish Independent

‘One of my favourite authors’ – Marian Keyes

‘O'Flanagan's writing is crisp and concise and her plotting deft’ – Belfast Telegraph

'One of our best storytellers' – Irish Mail on Sunday

Visit Sheila’s website.

Follow Sheila on Twitter.