The night was fine. The roads were clear and no men were abroad. But the women were out and intent on crime and they’d come to Alexandria C.E. Centre to find it.
Enclosed within, were three writers of crime fiction and a forensic pathologist who had been invited to impart their secrets of the black arts.
The hall was full (a rogue four men had snuck in beside the ninety (sic) women) and the first writer to open her hallowed notebooks was Alex Gray. She opened with an extract from her latest book remarking on ‘the beautiful game’, which was indeed being played that night in Manchester. As she continued her reading… “the motor bike roared into action…” art imitated life and a bike roared up Alexandria Main St and her extract ended with the referee being shot. This time art was not imitated…
Denise Mina did not read to us but chose to tell us about her background, remarking that if all writers read their work that night the audience might ‘get a bit scunnered’. She explained that her university studies had led her to study mental illness in women and hence some of their awful crimes that were the result. Her first book ‘Garnethill’ came out of this and subsequently became a trilogy.
She then discussed her various other books including the crime graphic novel ‘Hellblazer’ which has been lavishly illustrated with scenes of Glasgow photographed previously by Denise herself.
“What a buzz! The series was illustrated throughout by Leonard Manco, man of genius, gentleman and all round good guy. Great fun to do and a wee gem of a book.”
Denise then briefly spoke of her new book, with Paddy Meehan, junior reporter in The Scottish Daily News, working the night shift on the calls car. She and Billy, her driver, drift through the midnight city attending casualty wards and police stations, scavenging for stories…. The similarity of the reporter’s name with that of one of Glasgow’s most notorious criminals (not lost on the audience) is not merely a coincidence. The ‘real’ Paddy Meehan was interviewed by Denise at a stall beneath her Mum’s shop, where he was trying to flog his book… long story….
Our next writer, Stuart McBride, a ‘Son of the Rock’ bemoaned his lack of academic qualifications in his inimitable colourful style of language. Within minutes he had the audience giggling and sniggering as he described (in a most convincing American accent) some of the more ‘awful’ scenes from his latest cowboy criminals!
Dr Clark, the forensic pathologist who works from Glasgow University, came across as mild-mannered, sincere and quietly intelligent. He apologised for not matching the stereotypes, either ‘young ,blond and sexy’ or ‘arrogant and middle-aged’ and then sweetly informed us that he had been the forensic pathologist on the ‘body under the church’ case in Glasgow last year.
He explained the differences between English and Scots Law – there always being the need for two pathologists (the second being the ‘Defence’ post-mortem) and the importance of the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland. He quietly alluded to the fact that this is largely ignored in Scottish crime television and novels although ‘evidence’ of it is creeping in.
The evening was then thrown open to the audience who asked varying questions relating to crime writing and the fascinating world of forensics. All questions were answered succinctly and then we all went off for tea!
