The King of Bloody Scotland Returns

Submitted: 15th September 2026

The King of Bloody Scotland – Craig Robertson

Honoured to be in the presence of Royalty today….one of the Kings of (Bloody) Scotland Craig Robertson. This post is a mixture of one from 2025 with a few updates!

Bloody Scotland has a warm and bloody place in my heart. It’s given a platform to so many writers and provided a lot of great memories for readers and authors alike. It’s such a fun weekend, whether we’re singing, carrying flaming torches or playing football. For me, it’s a chance to catch up with friends and make new ones, and sometimes we even talk about books!

Books by Craig Robertson

Why is Tartan Noir so darn good?

Scots are naturally argumentative, combative, funny and brooding. So it’s no surprise that those of us who want to be storytellers find a natural home in crime fiction. I think it’s the perfect platform to tackle social issues without being preachy, and while being entertaining. We’ve also had some fabulous trailblazers. The likes of William McIlvanney, Sir Ian Rankin and Val McDermid have shown us how it’s done and made it possible for us lesser literary mortals to follow in their footsteps.

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Books by Craig Robertson

Journalism Days

You can’t work in Glasgow for as long as I did without seeing your share of terrible things, it comes with the territory. However, the most truly disturbing moments weren’t from seeing things but from interviewing those who suffered them. People who’d suffered terrible losses, often high profile and public bereavements, were willing to open up and talk about that, and it was an insight into the human psyche and our capacity to deal with unimaginable trauma. That’s been invaluable in writing crime novels.

“Authors are like thieves, pickpocketing anecdotes and insights, and journalism was a great starting point for a lifetime of larceny.”

Books by Craig Robertson

I spent time on Death Row in America, I was pilloried on breakfast television, beat Oprah Winfrey to a major scoop, interviewed three Prime Ministers, reported on major stories including 9/11, Dunblane, the Omagh bombing and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, and I dispensed polio drops in the backstreets of India. I met people from all walks of life and learned something from every one of them. Authors are like thieves, pickpocketing anecdotes and insights, and journalism was a great starting point for a lifetime of larceny.

What’s next for Craig Robertson?

Next up for me is something quite different. I’ve written two books with my wife, Alexandra Sokoloff, and the first of those is out NOW. It’s the story about a 50-something mom whose 19-year-old daughter has been missing for a year and the police have given up. She goes on the road in the family RV to find her daughter and the predator she believes has taken her.

And here is that book!