FRIDAY 23 - SUNDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2018ABERDEEN’S CRIME WRITING FESTIVAL RETURNS WITH AUTHOR CONVERSATIONS,

WORKSHOPS, WALKING TOURS, EXHIBITIONS AND MORE.facebook.com/granitenoirfest@granitenoirfest #GN2018www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/granitenoir

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FRIDAY 23 -SUNDAY 25

FEBRUARY 2018Welcome to the second Granite Noir, Aberdeen’s crime writing festival. Join us once again as we plunge headfirst into the dark recesses of the human psyche, asking what motivates us to do our worst — and see how brains, brawn, and yes, a bit of luck, restore justice. (Well, most of the time. . . )

This year we’re bringing more authors, and more variety. The Granite Noir weekend features writing workshops for adults and young people; a unique words-and-music book launch; and panels delving into everything from unreliable narrators to the surprisingly deadly perils of publishing. See some of the biggest names in crime fiction and discover talented first-timers and much more, including spotlight readings from local authors. Our crime scene exhibition offers insights into Aberdeen’s substantial archives, and the creator of the exhibition will share secrets on how to use them to ferret out your own exciting stories from the past. We’re screening three classic Noir films chosen by our writers, running a Granite Noir guided walk and hosting special events such as our famous Poisoned High Tea and brand new Poisoned Cocktail Party.

At our inception, we pledged space in our programme for the best of Nordic Noir, and remain dedicated to this vision, welcoming bestselling writers from Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, telling stories guaranteed to shoot icicles of fear through your hearts. And we’re introducing Granite Noir TV to this year’s festival, a live stream and pay per view service for many of our events.

We can’t wait to welcome you to Granite Noir!

Granite Noir is produced by Aberdeen Performing Arts in partnership with Aberdeen City Libraries, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives and the Belmont Filmhouse and programmed by Lee Randall @randallwrites

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contentsMOST WANTED -

GRANITE NOIR HEADLINERS ................... PAGE 4

INTERROGATIONS ................................. PAGE 8

LOCALS IN THE LIMELIGHT ................... PAGE 14

SPECTRA ........................................... PAGE 15

GRANITE NOIR WORKSHOPS .................. PAGE 16

DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE AT HMT ............. PAGE 18

GRANITE NOIR TV ............................... PAGE 19

CRIMEWATCH .....................................PAGE 20

YOUNG CRIMINALS ..............................PAGE 22

UNUSUAL SUSPECTS ...........................PAGE 24

LATE NIGHT NOIR ................................PAGE 28

INFO ................................................ PAGE 30

AT A GLANCE ...................................... PAGE 31

“Granite Noir is setto become one of

the “must-do”book festivals”

Stuart MacBride,Granite Noir Festival Ambassador

Friday 23 February 8pm – 9pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge £9.50

Tony and Carol are Back:in Conversation withval mcdermid

The one, the only, the magnificent Val McDermid joins us to talk about Insidious Intent, the tenth in her series featuring Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. This story of a clever murderer targeting single women will make your pulse race — and the novel’s astonishing ending will stop you in your tracks.

“ The queen of crime is at the top of her game.” — Independent

“ Grisly and great, the work of a master crime writer deftly pulling the strings of plot and character.” — Allan Massie, The Scotsman

“ McDermid keeps [her] pots simmering, raising the heat in agonisingly tiny increments, until she’s ready for a finale guaranteed to leave you reeling.” — Kirkus Reviews

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BSL

Chaired by Fiona Stalker

MOST WANTEDour granite noir headliners

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Saturday 24 February 5.30pm – 6.30pm

The Lemon Tree Studio £9.50

Familiar Faces, Fantastic BooksIn Conversation withhugh fraser and robert daws

Hugh Fraser will always be adored for playing Poirot’s sidekick, Captain Hastings, as well as the Duke of Wellington in Sharpe. His first novel, Harm, introduced us to

compelling, complex assassin Rina Walker. The latest in this series, Threat, sees Rina going head to head with Soho gangsters in 1960s London. It’s a tough assignment hitting close to home, and forcing her to confront unspeakable depravity. RADA trained Robert Daws has appeared in Midsomer Murders, New Tricks, Death in Paradise and Father Brown, to give just a few of his screen credits. He co-created and wrote the long running BBC Radio detective series, Trueman and Riley. The Poisoned Rock, is the third of his Sullivan and Brock novels, set in Gibraltar.

Chaired by Fiona Stalker

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Saturday 24 February 7.30pm – 8.30pm

The Lemon Tree Studio £9.50

Out of This WorldCrime WritingChris Brookmyre Fabulous, funny Chris Brookmyre is back to talk about Want You Gone and Places in the Darkness!

In the former, Jack Parlabane and a hacker known as Buzzkill must pull off an impossible heist, or lose everything they love most. Places in the Darkness, set on the first colony ship in outer space, introduces irreverent, irresistible sleuth Nikki Fixx, who never met a rule she wouldn’t break.

Chris’s novel Black Widow, won 2016’s McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year, and 2017’s Theakston Crime Novel of the Year. He sold out at 2017’s Granite Noir — don’t miss your chance to see him in 2018

Chaired by Craig Sisterson

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Sunday 25 February 12pm – 1pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge £9.50

Meet the Creator ofShetland and Vera:Ann Cleeves in Conversationwith Dr James GrieveAnn Cleeves has been called the successor to Ruth Rendell’s alter ego, Barbara Vine. She recently received the CWA’s Diamond Dagger, honouring contributions to the genre and a career of sustained excellence, and was the first writer to receive Iceland Noir’s Honorary Award for Services to the Art of Crime Fiction. She is the only living crime writer to have two different adaptations on television at the same time. In 2016, she published Cold Earth, the penultimate Shetland novel featuring Jimmy Perez. More recently, The Seagull, pit DI Vera Stanhope against an old enemy, former DS John Brace, investigating a cold case that’s bristling with fresh danger. With Ann is Dr James Grieve, Emeritus Professor of Forensic Pathology at the University of Aberdeen, and a frequent consultant to crime writers, who appears as himself in Ann’s Shetland novels.

BSL

Chaired by Fiona Stalker

Friday 23 February Noon – 1pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

The Truth is Out There — Or Is It? In Six Stories, Matt Wesolowski probed the nature of truth, telling the story of a murder from multiple perspectives via investigative journalist Scott King, whose Serial-like podcasts have made him a cult figure. King returns in Hydra, examining the chilling “McLeod Massacre” through the memories of another clutch of unreliable narrators. Film rights for this popular series have been sold to Fox Searchlight. Michael J Malone’s House of Spines also asks whether we can believe its central character’s version of the truth. At its heart is a writer with mental health problems who uncovers secrets about his late mother and her family. As he roams the corridors of the family’s spooky mansion, readers may wonder whether Ran McGhie has lost his grip on reality.

Friday 23 February 2pm – 3pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Breathtaking ThrillersSet in Reykjavik, against the backdrop of the financial crash and the volcanic eruption, Snare is the fast-paced, chilling tale of a desperate mother caught up in a world of ruthless criminality. Lilja Sigurdaróttir is a star in her native Iceland, but Snare, the first in her Reykjavik Noir trilogy, is her first novel to be translated into English. It’s already an international bestseller, with film rights sold to Palomar Pictures. Catherine Ryan Howard’s compelling thriller, The Liar’s Girl, takes us to Dublin, where the emergence of a copy-cat serial killer forces a young woman to return to the homeland — and identity — she abandoned, and confront her worst nightmare. Ryan’s debut, Distress Signals, was an Irish Times and USA Today bestseller, shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger 2017. It won Best Mystery at the US Independent Press Awards.

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IN CONVERSATIONInterrogations

Chaired by Timothy Baker

Chaired by Sarah Ward

Friday 23 February 6.30pm – 7.30pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge £8.50

May the (Police) ForceBe With You We’re delighted to welcome back author, reviewer, blogger, and Scandi Crime aficionado Sarah Ward, talking about her new DC Connie Childs novel, A Patient Fury, which sees Childs investigating the murder of an entire family. Her toughest case yet, it might spell the end of her cherished career. Mari Hannah is a former probation officer, whose award-winning, Northumberland-set Kate Daniels novels — now in development with Stephen Fry’s production company — vaulted her into crime fiction’s top tier. The Lost is the first in her exciting new series, introducing CID officers David Stone and Frankie Oliver, who are racing the clock to find a missing ten-year-old boy. Jørn Lier Horst, author of the successful William Wisting series, has won the Riverton Prize, the Glass Key, the Martin Beck Award, and the Petrona Award. When It Grows Dark is set at Christmas, in 1983. It finds a young, ambitious Wisting edged out of an investigation by more experienced officers, but quickly reassigned to a baffling case destined to shape the rest of his professional career.

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Chaired by Lesley Anne Rose

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Saturday 24 February 11.30am – 12.30pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Publish And PerishThink publishing is a genteel pursuit? Think again! Meet three

novelists whose compelling tales are set in the cut-throat world of books. Louise Hutcheson’s debut, The Paper Cell, examines the deadly potential of literary envy — and its bitter, lifelong aftertaste. In The Night Visitor, by Lucy Atkins, a high-flying telly presenter and bestselling historian is tormented by her socially awkward researcher, who is privy to the most dangerous

secret of her career. Sarah Stovell’s Exquisite is a claustrophobic psychological thriller about obsessive love, featuring one writer at the top of her game, and another still dreaming of success. Each of these novels asks: How far would you go to save your reputation? Or make it?

Saturday 24 February 1.30pm – 2.30pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Here’s Looking at You, Kids

Three authors, three gripping takes on the complicated relationship between parents and children. In Melanie McGrath’s Give Me The Child, a doctor confronts her husband’s past infidelity, and his love child. With her family in peril, she wonders if you can be born evil, and whether violent behaviour is genetic. An Act of Silence, by Colette McBeth, questions how far a mother will go to protect a son who is accused of murder. Is she

desperate enough to risk other’s lives to save his? In The Stolen Child, Sanjida Kay portrays a frightened family threatened by the arrival of a man claiming to be their adopted daughter’s biological father — and he wants her back.

Chaired by Sarah Ward

Chaired by Diarmid Mogg

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Saturday 24 February 3.30pm – 4.30pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Page and Screen

Discover how two authors juggle work as novelists and screenwriters, and how those disciplines compare and contrast. MJ Arlidge writes the bestselling DI Helen Grace thrillers, the newest of which is Love Me Not. He’s an equally successful screenwriter, whose first job was writing for Monarch of the Glen. He’s currently writing for Silent Witness, and a US-set supernatural thriller, The Last Rites. Sweden’s Stefan Ahnhem will talk about his Stockholm-set Fabian Risk thrillers, The Ninth Grave and Eighteen Below. His 2014 debut, Victim Without a Face, won Crimetime’s Novel of the Year in Sweden. As a screenwriter, he’s best-known for his work on adaptations of Henning Mankell’s Kurt Wallender series. A TV series of his Risk novels is in development.

Sunday 25 February 10.30am – 11.30am, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Petrifying Psychological Noir The mind may be the most devastating weapon of them all. Torkil Damhaug, author of the best-selling Oslo Crime Files series, was a psychiatrist, and brings specialist knowledge to his taut thrillers. In Certain Signs That You Are Dead, forensic pathologist Jennifer Plåterud is called in to investigate the death of a hospital patient, and discovers she has personal links to this baffling case. Louise Voss has been writing psychological thrillers, police procedurals and contemporary fiction for 18 years. Her twelfth novel, The Old You, asks: How well do we know our spouses? What if your husband isn’t the man you think he is, but harbours a devastating secret, instead?

Chaired by Sarah Ward

Sunday 25 February 2pm – 3pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

When Bygones Aren’t BygonesIntroducing two mysteries hinging on deadly secrets from the past. French native Johana Gustawsson, now married to a Swede and living in London, co-authored the bestselling On se retrouvera, whose television adaptation in 2015 drew over 7 million viewers. Block 46 is her unforgettable solo debut, set in present-day Sweden and London, and in Buchenwald in 1944. Can a profiler and a true-crime writer discover what links deaths in different countries to one of the most horrific tragedies of the past? Clare Carson’s The Dark Isle, set in Orkney, finds Sam, daughter of an undercover agent who was killed in the line of duty, struggling to piece together the puzzle of his past. Clare, an anthropologist and international development specialist working in human rights, is herself the daughter of an undercover policeman.

Sunday 25 February 4pm – 5pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

The Write InvestigatorMeet two authors putting fellow writers front and centre to solve crimes. Will Dean grew up in the Midlands but has lived in Sweden since 2012. His acclaimed debut, Dark Pines, offers a unique take on Scandi noir. When hunters are killed and mutilated in an isolated Swedish forest, Tuva Moodyson — a deaf reporter terrified of nature — realises this story could make her career. If she lives to write it. Eva Dolan’s newest, This is How It Ends, is a gritty stand-alone thriller explores topical issues such as gentrification. It finds an idealistic blogger and a seasoned campaigner joining forces to reveal who’s forcing people out of their homes — and who hid a corpse in a lift shaft. Eva’s one of the most accomplished young voices in crime fiction, and her Zigic and Ferreira series has been optioned by ITV Studios.

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Sunday 25 February 6pm - 7pm, The Lemon Tree Studio £8.50

Who Do You Think You Are?

Two of the most talked-about recent debuts feature protagonists with unstable identities. Stuart Turton’s The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, has been called “Gosford Park meets Inception by way of Agatha Christie.” In this high-concept caper, the eponymous victim will die every day unless Aiden can identify the killer. But each day Aiden wakes in a new body — a doctor, a butler, a banker, and so on. Can Aiden retrieve his true identity in time to save a life? Stuart won the Brighton and Hove Short Story Prize, and was long-listed for BBC Radio 4’s Opening Lines competition. Felicia Yap, named one of the Observer’s Rising Stars of 2017, is sure to be one of the biggest names

in crime fiction for years to come. Her debut, Yesterday, asks: how do you solve a murder when you can only remember yesterday? Can you trust your husband if he’s accused of murder? Can you trust the police? Can you trust yourself? Chaired by Timothy Baker

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LOCALS INTHE LIMELIGHTGranite Noir is proud to offer a stage to North-east writers. This year five of the region’s most talented authors will read extracts from their noir fiction ahead of some of the festival’s main events.

There will also be pop-up readings by these authors in the Central Library café throughout the weekend.

Friday 23 February

2pm Gavin Gilmourbefore Breathtaking Thrillers, (page 8)

Sunday 25 February

10.30am Jan Simpsonbefore Petrifying Psychological Noir, (page 11)

Saturday 24 February

11.30am Jo Gilbertbefore Publish & Perish, (page 10)

5.30pm John Bollandbefore Familiar Faces, Fantastic Books, (page 5)

7.30pm Shane Strachanbefore Chris Brookmyre, (page 6)

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King Orpheoby IlluminosKing Orpheo is a newly created projection artwork exploring the medieval retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. His Majesty’s Theatre is transformed into the Above and Below, as the Faery King steals away Lady Isobel while she sleeps in an orchard. The King laments, and heads into the wild to search, turning mossy as the trees as the years pass. And each night he leans against a tree to play his harp notes of woe, notes of joy and notes of dancing that are powerful enough to release a Queen…

Based on ancient ballad melody through lost until it was rediscovered in 1947, and reimagined in contemporary form, this is a timeless tale of the power of music and light over shadow. This is a joint commission between Granite Noir and Spectra Festival.

Granite Noir is delighted to also be partnering with SPECTRA - Aberdeen’s Festival of Light to present a conference panel discussing the role of literature and writers in defining place and cultural identity. The event will take place on Friday 9 February 2018 as part of SPECTRA’s wider conference and feature Eliza Reid, Iceland’s First Lady alongside a selection of Scottish writers. Join us as we discuss the cultural life and creative voice of Aberdeen, Scandinavia and the North.

For more information see:http://spectraaberdeen.com

Granite Noir WorkshopsLearn from the best and develop your skills

Saturday 24 February 10am - 11am, The Lemon Tree Lounge FREE

How to Get Ahead in PublishingWith Orenda Books’ Karen Sullivan Meet the powerhouse publishing phenomenon that is Karen Sullivan. In 2014 she founded Orenda Books, an independent press dedicated to literary and crime fiction, many of them works in translation. Her authors include Thomas Enger, Agnes Ravatn, Gunnar Staalesen, and Amanda Jenning. Karen will give an informal talk offering top tips to aspiring writers about how the publishing industry works, how to pitch, what to expect if a publisher asks to see your work, whether you need an agent, and what happens after a book is accepted for publication.

Saturday 24 February 3.30pm - 4.30pm, Central Library £8.50

How to Plan Your Novel (and get it finished)Perfecting Plot, with Killer Women’s Colette McBethThis masterclass demystifies the process of novel writing, helps you break down your story into manageable chunks, and shows how plotting will not only get you started, but take you all the way from the beginning to “THE END”. Learn about storyboarding techniques, outlining, character arcs and how to weave suspense into your novel. There will be useful tips (and hacks) for creating and managing multiple timelines and points of view, as well as ways to avoid the dreaded midway dip, and power through to the final chapter.

Colette McBeth is a former BBC TV News Correspondent, whose novels include Precious Thing, The Life I Left Behind, and An Act of Silence. Her peers say:

“An Act of Silence is intricately plotted and emotionally tense. I loved it.” — Clare Mackintosh“Superbly written and compelling. . . with fabulous plotting.” — Amanda Jennings “Vivid characterisation, great plotting, and a denouement to freeze the blood.” — Liz Nugent

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Sunday 25 February 11am - 12pm, Central Library £8.50

Crafting Compelling CharactersWith Killer Women’s Melanie McGrath Learn how to develop convincing, compelling characters, and discover how to use relationships between characters, story and setting to really make a character sing, dance — and murder. Discover how to craft likeable and unlikeable characters for stand-alones and series, and how to avoid the five most common pitfalls. This is a practical class. Be prepared for solo and team exercises. You’ll leave having created two characters of your own from scratch.

Melanie McGrath is a bestselling, award-winning writer of fiction and nonfiction, and a cofounder of Killer Women. Her first psychological thriller, Give Me The Child, was described as a ‘triumph’ by the Financial Times and is a USA Today bestseller. As MJ McGrath she writes the Edie Kiglatuk series, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker, twice long-listed for the CWA Gold Dagger, and picked as Times and Financial Times thrillers of the year. Her Edie Kiglatuk series is currently being developed for TV.

Sunday 25 February 11am - 12pm, Town House £8.50

willliam hepburn: Crime in Medieval Aberdeen What crimes were committed in medieval Aberdeen? Who committed them? What measures did the authorities take to prevent and punish crime? This talk will draw on the work of the Law in the Aberdeen Council Registers (LACR) project to shed light on those who fell on the wrong side of the law in the streets of Aberdeen 500 years ago. It will look at the many acts of violence and breaches of the peace recorded in the UNESCO-recognised Aberdeen Council Registers. It will also focus on rare evidence for more serious crimes such as murder. It will show how crime was tried in Aberdeen’s courts and what kind of punishment people faced if they were found guilty. The talk will also showcase the work of the LACR project and offer tips for those keen to research Aberdeen’s history or find inspiration for creative writing.

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Tue - Sat 7.30pm, Thu 2pm, Sat 2.30pm

Tickets £31.50 - £21.50 inc. bf R

Premium seats £36.50 - £31.50 inc. bf

H APA Friends 2 for 1 opening night £4 off all other performances

Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 FebruaryHis Majesty’s Theatre

dr jekyll and mr hydeRobert Louis Stevenson’s classic thriller starring Phil Daniels (Les Miserables, This House, EastEnders) as the eponymous character, tells the gripping tale of Dr Jekyll and his alter-ego Mr Hyde.

During one of his audacious experiments trying to separate good from evil, the mild-mannered Dr Jekyll inadvertently unleashes an alternate personality of pure evil… the fiendish Mr Hyde.

As this sinister figure starts causing terror and havoc in foggy London, Jekyll must race to find a cure for his monstrous alter-ego before it takes over for good.

Directed by Kate Saxon and adapted by Tony Award-winning David Edgar (Continental Divide, Written on the Heart and Playing with Fire), Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde is a co-production by Touring Consortium Theatre Company and Rose Theatre Kingston.

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granite noir tvlive streaming

INTRODUCING GRANITE NOIR TV, OUR LIVE STREAMING AND PAY PER VIEW SERVICE, NEW FOR 2018! WATCH SELECTED TALKS ALONG WITH EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND INTERVIEWS

Check aberdeenperformingarts.com/granitenoir for further details.

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crimewatchGranite Noir screenings at the Belmont Filmhouse

Val McDermid chose The Big Clock:

“ When I read Kenneth Flaxner Fearing’s novel, The Big Clock, I was blown away by the cleverness and the originality of the plot. The film ratchets up the suspense, the performances are edgy, and because it’s told in flashback, it’s real edge-of-the-seat stuff. I’ve never understood why it doesn’t usually make the lists of ‘10 best noir films.”

Chris Brookmyre chose The Big Easy:

“ In a decade synonymous with morally simplistic, big-budget action thrillers, here was a gem of a crime movie in which all the lines are blurred. You will love the characters, you will love the music, you will love the food, and you will even love the bad guys.”

Robert Daws chose Double Indemnity:

“ A classic tale where the fool falls for the psychopath, it’s as fresh and as terrifying today as it was on first release. Film Noir at its best.”

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Friday 23 February 6pm, The Belmont Filmhouse

double indemnity £10/£8 concession

Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), a salesman for Pacific All-Risk Insurance, staggers into the office late one night to record a memorandum regarding the recent death of a policyholder: “I killed Dietrichson… for money, and a woman. I didn’t get the money, and I didn’t get the woman.”

There’s nothing but a towel and a staircase between Neff and the woman when they first meet; Neff pays a house call on Dietrichson’s Spanish-revival pile in LA, and encounters the oil executive’s bored, platinum-blonde wife, Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck). She’d like to know if she can secretly procure a life insurance policy for her spouse; Neff knows she’s conscripting him for her husband-disposal unit, and he knows that claims manager Barton Keyes (Edward G Robinson) will smell a putrefying rat, but they’ve got power-surge chemistry, and that’s a honey of an anklet she’s wearing… With diamond-hard repartee by Wilder and Raymond Chandler (by way of James M Cain’s novel) and ghoulish cinematography by the great John Seitz, this is the gold standard of ’40s *noir**, straight down the line.

PG; 107 Mins; Director Billy Wilder; Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G Robinson; 1944; US.

Saturday 24 February 8.45pm, The Belmont Filmhouse

the big clock £10/£8 concession

Just 24 hours ago his life was perfect. Oscar-winning Best Actor Ray Milland stars in this smart and stylish thriller based on Kenneth Fearing’s novel and precursor to 1987’s No Way Out starring Kevin Costner. Milland portrays hotshot crime magazine editor George Stroud, who inadvertently becomes the subject of a murder investigation after spending an evening with his boss’ (Charles Laughton) mistress. She ends up dead and he is being framed by the actual killer. Meanwhile, at the publishing office, Stroud’s competent staff scurries for clues while he finds himself in a race against the clock. It seems the prime suspect they are seeking matches an all-too-familiar description…his own! Maureen O’Sullivan and George Macready co-star in this richly told, often humorous story The New Yorker hailed as “slick and entertaining.” Known for its intriguing film noir cinematography and featuring beautiful costumes by Edith Head, this is one suspense classic you won’t want to miss.

PG; 95 mins; Dir John Farrow; Ray Milland, Maureen O Sullivan; 1948; US

Sunday 25 February 3.30pm, The Belmont Filmhouse

the big EASY £10/£8 concession

In New Orleans, Remy McSwain, a lieutenant in Homicide finds that he has two problems, the first of a series of gang killings and Ann Osborne, a beautiful attorney from the D.A.’s police corruption task force in his office. He begins a relationship with her as the killings continue only to have charges filed against him for accepting bribes as he stumbles on a police corruption Sting. While this is happening, the criminals insist that none of the crime gangs are behind the killings.

15; 96 mins; Dir Jim McBride; Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, Ned Beatty, John Goodman; 1986; US

Tickets booked through Belmont Filmhouse box office or www.belmontfilmhouse.com

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young criminalsGranite Noir events for young people

Saturday 24 February 11am - 12pm, Central Library FREE - Recommended age: 8-10

Writing Workshop with Elen Caldecott Award-winning Elen Caldecott is the author of children’s mysteries such as The Great Ice Cream Heist, Operation Eiffel Tower, and The Mystery of Wickworth Manor. In this hour-long workshop she’ll help aspiring young writers explore their creativity and look at how to develop an idea. She’ll cover characterisation, point of view, and pace. Bring your inspiration — we’ll supply pens and paper

Saturday 24 February 2pm - 3pm, Central Library FREE - Recommended age: 11-14

Steve & FranDan Take on the WorldWith Ron ButlinPoet, playwright, novelist, and former Edinburgh Makar Ron Butlin unveils this rollicking rollercoaster of a novel, packed with adventure and adversity. Steve is sick of being cyber-bullied, and of adults messing up the world. His best friends, twins Fran and Dan, agree. The trio sets off to solve the world — but wind up in hot water. They’re captured, but Fran manages to escape, and realises it’s up to her to mount a one-woman rescue. Guaranteed giggles and gasps in this hour with one of Scotland’s most engaging authors.

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Sunday 25 February 1pm - 2pm, Central Library FREE

Magic, Mystery and Mayhem with Meg McLaren Recommended age: 0+

Be mystified by amazing magic tricks as Meg McLaren introduces the characters from her book Life is Magic. Then hear from Meg’s new mystery story, Pigeon P.I. Can you help find out who’s stealing all the feathers?

Sunday 25 February 3pm - 4pm,

Central Library £15

SFX make up workshop Age 16+

Join theatre make-up artist specialist and teacher Raymond Wood for a hands on SFX make up workshop. Over the course of the session Raymond will demonstrate a number of stage make up special effects that could be found on a body at a scene of a crime. We’ll be imagining crime scene scenarios and teaching you how to create though make up the trauma wounds they might lead to. There’ll also be an opportunity to create your own special effects. This workshop is fun and packed with information. All materials and products are included.

unusual suspectsOther Events From Granite Noir

Wanted: exhibition of police wanted postersThe Lemon Tree

In a time before Crimewatch and the photo-fit, police ‘wanted’ posters were a common sight. They were one of the principal ways in which information about suspects, lost property or missing persons was disseminated. Their short-term purpose meant that they were often disposed of after the case had been solved. This exhibition draws on a collection of such posters that, instead of being thrown away once they had served their purpose, accumulated at Dufftown police station over many years and which now form part of the Grampian Police archive held by Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives.

They cover a multitude of cases from petty theft and stolen motor vehicles through to missing children and violent crimes, including some notorious cases of murder, including those committed by Dr. Crippen. They are fascinating social documents with each one telling a vivid story.

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Friday 23 - Saturday 3 March Seventeen, 17 Belmont Street, Aberdeen

Crime Scene Aberdeen: Exhibition of Crime Scene Photographs Photography has been a useful tool in the police’s armoury almost since the invention of cameras, and photographs of a crime scene can prove vital to solving a case or securing a conviction. They may also inadvertently capture a wealth of detail that makes them fascinating to modern-day viewers.

This exhibition displays a selection of crime-scene photographs from the Grampian Police archive, held by Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives, and tells the fascinating stories of the cases, ranging from burglary and petty theft to murder. Crime Scene Aberdeen has been created by writer and researcher Diarmid Mogg.

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Friday 23 February 3.30pm - 4.30pm

Seventeen, 17 Belmont Street, Aberdeen £8.50

Hidden Treasures:Narrative Non-Fiction From Historical Archives Writer and researcher Diarmid Mogg shares his experience of delving into historical archives to uncover fascinating but forgotten crimes and explains how he brought them to life in the Granite Noir exhibition – Crime Scene Aberdeen - and through Small Town Noir, his online exploration of the stories behind a unique collection of salvaged mug shots. https://smalltownnoir.com

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Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 February Times TBC

Crime and Punishment in Aberdeen: walking tourJoin Chris Croly and the [M]apping team from the University of Aberdeen and Andrew Sage Art and Entertainment to take an interactive tour of sites associated with medieval and beyond crime and punishment in Aberdeen. Discover historic gaols, the Gallow Hill, learn about piracy, witchcraft, beheading and hanging. This tour will meet at Castlegate.#aberdeensdarkpast

Sunday 25 February 8.30pm, 1906 Restaurant at HMT £25

poisoned cocktail partyJoin us for a refreshing tipple at our not to be missed Poisoned Cocktail Party. Under the expert guidance of Dr Kathryn Harkup, author of A is for Arsenic and Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, we’ll treat you to three specially concocted cocktails, all inspired by some of Agatha Christie’s favourite poisons. Our very own Granite Noir cocktails will feature on the menu and non-alcoholic versions will be available.Drink them if you dare!

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Check online for more partner offersaberdeenperformingarts.com/granitenoir

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Sunday 25 February 3pm

1906 Restaurant at HMT £20/£27 inc. Prosecco

poisoned high teaWhat could be more inviting on a chilly Sunday afternoon than a plate piled high with warm scones, pastries and dainty sandwiches, washed down with strong coffee or aromatic tea? But beware! Dr Kathryn Harkup, author of A is for Arsenic, is here to remind us that in the hands of literary Grande Dame Agatha Christie, everything on the menu could — and did — become a lethal weapon.

While you dine, Dr Harkup will talk about some of Christie’s favourite poisons, describing how the Queen of Crime deployed them, and where she found her inspiration. It all adds up to one unforgettable meal!

Sunday 25 February 5.30pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge £5 per person

criminal mastermind -crime writers pub quizwith russel d mcleanPit your wits against some of the festival authors and other crime enthusiasts in our Granite Noir pub quiz. Think you know your crime writing? Looking for a mental challenge? Looking for a fun activity to enjoy with friends? This quiz is for you. With some rounds specifically written by our authors, lots of prizes and friendly competition this will be a fantastic event for all our Granite Noir fans!Max 6 per team or we can put you in teams on the night.

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Saturday 24 February 9pmThe Lemon Tree Lounge £5.50

folkWhen Grace discovers her estranged mother has died, she journeys back to her island home. But the circumstances of her mother’s death unlock a strange new world that challenges everything Grace believes in. Led through a dark journey by a talking crow, a pedantic husband, a rebellious minister and spirited daughter, Grace’s scientific mind is overwhelmed by mythology, religion and spiritualism.

A new musical play which unites multi-disciplined artists Annie Grace, Alan McHugh and Morna Young with director Dougie Irvine. Co-written, co-composed and co-performed by the artists, FOLK is a contemporary folktale - a story of faith and love – exploring human existence in our modern world.

late night noirin the lounge

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Sunday 25 February 9pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge FREE ENTRY/CASH BAR

noir at the barHost Russel D McLean (founder of Glasgow’s Noir at the Bar) hosts this informal gathering of festival and local talent for a night of readings and hijinks. The format originated in Philadelphia and has sprung up around the world, becoming an international phenomenon. Anything can happen: you may hear new work, readings from published novels, maybe even a song or two. Get up close and personal with some of your favourite writers in a relaxed setting.

Sunday 25 February 8pm - 9pm

The Lemon Tree Lounge FREE

Words and Music Scandi Style.An Evening with Thomas EngerWe’re delighted to launch the UK publication of Killed, the final instalment of Norwegian bestseller Thomas Enger’s internationally renowned Henning Juul series. Packed with tension and twists, here is the long-awaited conclusion to the drama of this conflicted, disillusioned crime reporter, as he finally comes to grips with shocking revelations about who set the fire that killed his six-year-old son — and why.

As well as talking about his writing, Thomas will play some of his stirring, original piano compositions, including the lullaby written to accompany Henning’s story.

Chaired by Lesley Anne Rose

How to bookTickets can be booked by visiting the box office at His Majesty’s Theatre and The Lemon Tree, by calling 01224 641122 or through www.aberdeenperformingarts.com, deals and discounts are available.Tickets for the film screenings can be booked by visiting the Belmont Filmhouse, calling 01224 343500 or visiting www.belmontfilmhouse.com.

Travel detailsBy air:Aberdeen has an international airport located in Dyce on the North-west of the city. The city centre can be accessed by taxi or bus from the airport.

By train:Aberdeen train station is conveniently located in the city centre and is walking distance from Union Street and all Granite Noir venues. Regular services arrive from south and west of the city.

By bus:Aberdeen bus station is situated next to the train station and in convenient walking distance from the city centre. Buses and coaches arrive regularly from all cities providing good access to Aberdeen.

By road:

• South - On the A90 from Dundee• West - On the A96 from Inverness, A944 from Alford, A93

from Braemar/Ballater• North – A90 from Peterhead/Fraserburgh

Dundee ............approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by carEdinburgh .......approximately 2 hours 45 minutes by carGlasgow ...........approximately 2 hours 45 minutes by car

Inverness ........approximately 2 hours 45 minutes by carElgin ..................approximately 1 hour 45 minutes by car

Where to park:

Parking near the Granite Noir venues is available at the Bon Accord Centre (Harriet Street and Loch Street), Denburn Car Park and on West North Street.

info

Schoolhill

Union Street

To Bus & Train StationsBelmont Street

TownHouse

West North St

King Street

Rosemount Viaduct

Bridge St

Market Street

Central/ChildrensLibraries

SeventeenBelmont Filmhouse

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at a glance

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Date Time Venue Event ................................................................................................................................................................................PageFri 23 Feb 12pm LT The Truth is Out There - Or Is It?: Matt Weselowski and Michael J Malone ....................................................8Fri 23 Feb 2pm LT Breathtaking Thrillers: Lilja Sigurdrottir and Catherine Ryan Howard ...........................................................8 Fri 23 Feb 3.30pm 17 Hidden Treasures - Narrative Non-Fiction From Historical Archives: Diarmid Mogg ...............................25Fri 23 Feb 6.30pm LT May The (Police) Force Be With You: Sarah Ward, Mari Hannah, Jorn Lier Horst .........................................9Fri 23 Feb 8pm LT Tony And Carol Are Back: A Conversation With Val McDermid ...........................................................................4Sat 24 Feb 10am LT How To Get Ahead In Publishing: Karen Sullivan....................................................................................................16Sat 24 Feb 11am C/LIB Writing Workshop: Elen Caldecott ..............................................................................................................................22Sat 24 Feb 11.30am LT Publish and Perish: Louise Hutcheson, Lucy Atkins, Sarah Stovell .................................................................10Sat 24 Feb 1.30pm LT Here’s Looking At You, Kids: Melanie McGrath, Colette McBeth, Sanjida Kay...............................................10Sat 24 Feb 2pm C/LIB Steve and Frandan Take On The World: Ron Butlin ...............................................................................................22Sat 24 Feb 3.30pm C/LIB How To Plan Your Novel (And Get It Finished) Perfecting Plot: Colette McBeth .........................................16Sat 24 Feb 3.30pm LT Page and Screen: MJ Arlidge, Stefan Ahnhem .........................................................................................................11Sat 24 Feb 5.30pm LT Familiar Faces, Fantastic Books: Hugh Fraser, Robert Daws................................................................................5Sat 24 Feb 7.30pm LT Out Of This World Crime Writing: Chris Brookmyre ................................................................................................6Sat 24 Feb 9pm LT Folk ........................................................................................................................................................................................28Sun 25 Feb 10.30am LT Petrifying Psychological Noir: Torkil Damhaug, Louise Voss ..............................................................................11Sun 25 Feb 11am C/LIB Crafting Compelling Characters: Melanie McGrath ...............................................................................................17Sun 25 Feb 12pm LT Meet The Creator Of Shetland and Vera: Ann Cleeves, Dr James Grieve ....................................................... 7Sun 25 Feb 1pm C/LIB Magic, Mystery and Mayhem: Meg McLaren ...........................................................................................................23Sun 25 Feb 2pm LT When Bygones Aren’t Bygones: Johana Gustawsson, Clare Carson ...............................................................12Sun 25 Feb 2pm TH William Hepburn: Crime in Medieval Aberdeen ......................................................................................................17Sun 25 Feb 3pm C/LIB SFX Make Up: Raymond Wood ......................................................................................................................................23Sun 25 Feb 3pm 1906 Poisoned High Tea ...........................................................................................................................................................27Sun 25 Feb 4pm LT The Write Investigator: Will Dean, Eva Dolan ...........................................................................................................12Sun 25 Feb 5.30pm LT Criminal Mastermind: Crime Writers Pub Quiz .......................................................................................................28Sun 25 Feb 6pm LT Who Do You Think You Are: Stuart Turton, Felicia Yap .........................................................................................13Sun 25 Feb 8pm LT Words and Music Scandi Style: Thomas Enger ......................................................................................................29Sun 25 Feb 8.30pm 1906 Poisoned Cocktail Party .................................................................................................................................................26Sun 25 Feb 9pm LT Noir At The Bar..................................................................................................................................................................29

LT - The Lemon Tree, Belmont - Belmont Filmhouse, TH - Town House, LIB - Central Library, C/LIB - Children’s Library, 1906 - Restaurant at HMT

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK CREATIVE SCOTLAND AND ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR FUNDING SUPPORT WITH GRANITE NOIR. WE ARE ALSO INDEBTED TO

WATERSTONES FOR THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND HELP WITH THE FESTIVAL.

GRANITE NOIR IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEENABERDEEN PERFORMING ARTS, BELMONT FILMHOUSE, ABERDEEN CITY LIBRARIES

AND ABERDEEN CITY AND ABERDEENSHIRE ARCHIVES.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK FIERCE BEER AND PORTER’S GIN.

facebook.com/granitenoirfest@granitenoirfestwww.aberdeenperformingarts.com/granitenoir Aberdeen Performing Arts is a charity registered in Scotland, No.SC033733