Noirthern

What makes for a compelling novel that you just can't put down and how does Northern Noir become Noirthern? In this final bonus episode, Katy and Caz speak to HarperNorth's Publishing Director, Genevieve Pegg to find out.

https://twitter.com/noirtherncrime

https://www.noirthern.com/

https://www.harpernorth.co.uk/

It's the last stop on our journey and the final episode of Noirthern (well maybe not the very last) and we've taken the ferry over to Shetland to track down Anne Cleeves' wonderful creation, Inspector Jimmy Perez. While we sip whisky by a peat fire, we contemplate how crime fiction sheds light on life and crime in a small island community and look back over the series before we head home.

Keep in touch with us on Twitter @NoirthernCrime, by emailing [email protected] and via our website where we'll be adding content over the coming weeks: www.noirthern.com

This week, we're heading north, over the Firth of Forth and onward to the Kingdom of Fife, where we'll pay a visit to St Andrews, famous for its golf and its university. We're getting some help from Val McDermid again, as we meet up with her cold case detective, Inspector Karen Pirie.

https://www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/st-andrews/see-do/

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/why/life/traditions/

https://www.theseafoodrestaurant.com/

In this episode, we hit Caz's hometown of Edinburgh, and think about the city's 'Jeckyll and Hyde' persona with the help of Ian Rankin's iconic police inspector, John Rebus. Oh, and Caz drags Katie and Dan along to her favourite Edinburgh bar (or two).

Ian Rankin’s website:

https://www.ianrankin.net/

Ian Rankin’s Edinburgh locations:

https://www.ianrankin.net/landing-page/ian-rankin/ian-rankin-extras/ian-rankin-edinburgh/   

Mary King’s Close:

https://www.realmarykingsclose.com/

Miniature coffins at the National Museum of Scotland:

https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/stories/scottish-history-and-archaeology/mystery-of-the-miniature-coffins/ 

The Dome - Edinburgh: https://www.thedomeedinburgh.com/

This week Katie and Caz cross the border into Bonnie Scotland and head to Glasgow  - the home of Tartan Noir, with guest presenter Mat. They take in the city with the help of Liam McIlvanney's novel, The Quaker, which retells the story of Glasgow's most elusive serial killer, the man they called Bible John.

Show Notes:

Liam McIlvanney website

Len Wanner, Tartan Noir(2015)

William McIlvanney's Laidlaw

Talking till Dawn podcast

The case of "Bible John"

We've reached Newcastle this week and will be spending time with Ann Cleeves' most wonderful creation - Inspector Vera Stanhope. We'll let Vera show us round the city and its most beautiful surrounds, and the ways that the novels and TV drama showcase both the beauty and brutality interwoven into northern life.

Ann Cleeves website; Vera filming locations; Vera location tours; Ann Cleeves talks about Vera; Brenda Blethyn talks about Vera.

We're stopping off at Durham this week to catch up with LJ Ross's heroic protagonist, Detective Chief Inspector Ryan, as he embroils himself in some unsaintly murder and mystery at Durham cathedral. We ask that all-important question: why is religion so often a theme in crime fiction?

L.J. Ross website; St Cuthbert's treasures at Durham Cathedral: History of St Cuthbert

This week we're in Leeds and delve into Ali Harper's feminist crime novels and her two unforgettable private eyes, Lee and Jo.

This week, we drive over the hills to Bradford, where we meet DS Nikki Parekh, Liz Mistry's feisty, fierce, and troubled protagonist.

We kick off our podcast series in Manchester with Kate Brannigan, Val McDermid's fabulously kick-ass private eye.