First ever all-female shortlist for Bloody Scotland debut prize

Now the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize has revealed an all-female shortlist for the first time in its history.

The shortlist for the award, which began in 2019, includes debut novels by a River City screenwriter and another inspired by the author’s love of hiking in the New Zealand bush.

This comes as Richard Osman is revealed as the final headline name for the festival, which takes place in Stirling in September.

Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club, said: “I can’t wait to come back to Stirling and the incredible Bloody Scotland festival. I can 100 per cent guarantee this event will contain mirth, merriment, murder and mayhem, though not necessarily in that order.”

Other big names released so far include Lee Child, who sold out within 24 hours, S A Cosby, Tana French and Lucy Foley.

Denise Mina – a vocal champion of women’s rights and author of award winning novel Garnethill and The Long Drop – is guest programmer for the festival in 2026.

She said: “As a previous judge of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, I am absolutely delighted to see that the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut shortlist is entirely made up of women. For decades, shortlists only had occasional women or none at all. Congratulations.”

On the shortlist is Glasgow writer Frances Crawford, with her novel A Bad, Bad Place, which was acquired by Transworld in a ten publisher auction and has also been shortlisted for the Theakston’s McDermid Debut Prize.

Meanwhile, screenwriter Linda Duncan McLaughlin’s book Original Sins, which was nominated for the Crime Writer’s Association’s Debut Dagger award, has also been shortlisted, alongside former Pitch Perfect participant May Rinaldi, with her psychological thriller Liar Thief.

Journalist Kirsty Lockwood, from Glasgow, has also been shortlisted with We Know What You Did which will be published by Orion on 4 June, while Zoe Rankin, who grew up in Scotland, was inspired by her love of hiking in New Zealand, where she now lives, to write The Vanishing Place.

The judges for 2026 are broadcaster Bryan Burnett and crime writer Vaseem Khan, chaired by Bloody Scotland founder Alex Gray.

Mr Gray said: “Lin Anderson and I decided from the start of Bloody Scotland that we wanted to bring on the crime writers of tomorrow as well as showcasing the best of Scotland and elsewhere.

“Now, as the chair of the judging panel for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, I’m thrilled to read the shortlist and help select the winner each year.”

Kirsty Nicholson, marketing director at Glencairn, sponsors of The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize, said: “We’re always excited to see the shortlist for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and this year it’s particularly encouraging to see so many talented women represented.

“We congratulate all of the shortlisted authors and wish them the very best of luck.”

The winner will be revealed on the opening night of the festival at the Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling, on 18 September.