The King of Bloody Scotland – Craig Robertson

Submitted: 10th September 2025

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.

Bloody Scotland and the McIlvanney Prize

Murderabilia was shortlisted, and The Photographer, Watch Him Die, and The Trials of Marjorie Crowe were longlisted for the McIlvanney prize.

Prizes are weird things. It’s always flattering to be longlisted for awards, and I’ve been lucky enough to be listed for a few CWA Daggers and a couple of times for the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year as well as the McIlvanney. It’s lovely to be on lists with people you admire, and it’s a nice ego boost, but you can’t get too carried away with them. Would I like to win one? You better believe it, but the key thing to remember is that a book doesn’t become better or worse depending on a judge’s view, you can only tell the best story you can.

Bloody Scotland

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

We’ve grown as a festival, as an organising committee, and as a board of directors. It’s been a lot of work, but the rewards are in the people who come to Stirling for the weekend and leave with a smile in their face and a pile of books in their tote bag. We’re trying to do our bit for crime fiction, for authors, for the city of Stirling, and we’re having fun doing it as a team.

For 2025, I think we’ve got possibly our best line-up to date. Sir Ian Rankin is our guest programmer and that’s helped deliver Kathy Reichs, Jo Nesbo, Kate Atkinson, Richard Coles, Laura Lippman, Mick Herron, Ruth Ware, Elly Griffiths and many more. There’s karaoke in the Coo, processions and puppets on the street, laughs in the bar, prizes on the stage, and a true crime walking tour.

Come for the books, stay for the castle and Stirling’s other medieval attractions. It’s a fascinating city with lots to see and do, and you’ll be made welcome.

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 in summer 2026, first of all in the USA. 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.

BookTrail – Can’t wait for that!