For the first of our Bloody Scotland podcasts - Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival - Ali spoke to the five shortlisted authors for this year’s Scottish Crime Debut of the Year. They include May Rinaldi - Liar Thief, Zoë Rankin - The Vanishing Place, Linda Duncan McLaughlin - Original Sins, Frances Crawford - A Bad, Bad Place, and Kirsty Lockwood - We Know What You Did.

They each give a brief summary of their shortlisted novels before the chat turns to the inspirations behind each book, different ways to approach writing a debut, the welcoming world of the crime fiction community, what it means to be shortlisted, the importance of festivals such as Bloody Scotland, and why being part of the first all-female shortlist for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize is so significant and exciting.

There is also a fascinating chat about the ups and downs on their roads to getting published and many more tips on, and tales about, becoming a published writer.

It’s a podcast which will be of interest to readers, writers, and book lovers of all kinds, but especially if crime is your thing.

Bloody Scotland is on between 18th - 20th September. Tickets are on sale now.

For full details, and all the ways to listen, head over to scotswhayhae.com