Some of the biggest names in crime writing are heading to Rothesay for this year’s Bute Noir festival.
Ian Rankin, Ann Cleeves and Denise Mina are among the authors heading to the three-day event, which takes place from Friday August 2 to Sunday August 4, with the line-up also including Mark Billingham, Stuart MacBride, Chris Brookmyre, Ruth Ware, Alex Gray, Lin Anderson and Craig Robertson and Mick Herron.
As well as writers from Scotland and the UK, organisers have signed a host of others from across the world, including Mexico’s Oscar de Muriel, Lilja Sigurdardottir from Iceland, Thomas Enger from Norway, Alexandra Sokoloff from the USA, and Liz Nugent from Ireland.
Events are held in Rothesay Library, Bute Museum, Print Point bookshop, and the Discovery Cinema.
The Clyde island will also host a crime writers’ putting competition on Rothesay’s famous greens for The Brookmyre Cup.
Bute Noir director and crime writer Craig Robertson said he was thrilled to persuade so many leading authors to take the trip ‘Doon the Watter’.
He said: “I know almost all of the authors personally and that made the process much easier. But I was still amazed at so many of them agreeing to come. I just started at the top, asked them to take part and they just kept saying yes.
And here's the programme schedule for #ButeNoir 2019. Get your tickets from @PrintPoint97 on 01700503389. Hurry, they're going fast! pic.twitter.com/LJ33FUtCdy
— Craig Robertson (@CraigRobertson_) May 16, 2019
“I think a big part of it is that the writers who have come to Rothesay in previous years have enjoyed themselves so much that they’ve gone out and spread the word. The likes of Chris Brookmyre and Steve Cavanagh have been evangelical advocates for us.
“The festival has grown and grown since our first Bute Noir in 2016. We’ve had a great line-up of authors every year, but I think it’s safe to say this is the best yet. I’m not sure how we’re going to top it.”
Bute Noir may be unique in being partly sponsored by the namesake of one of its star participants.
Rothesay plumber Ian Rankin backs the festival and is looking forward to meeting the other, slightly better known, Mr Rankin in August.
Other sponsors of the festival include Argyll and Bute council, Live Argyll, Bute Island Foods, For Bute, Careplus and Caledonian Macbrayne.
Tickets are all priced £5 (apart from the quiz and the round-Bute bus tour) and can be bought from the venues or by telephone from Print Point on 01700503389.
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