Marsali Taylor, and introducing Sarah Smith

Marsali Taylor is a successful writer of puzzle-style mysteries set in contemporary Shetland. The stars of these books are a sailing, live-aboard sleuth called Cass Lynch and her love interest, DI Gavin Macrae. The plots are lively, page-turning and always have a surprise who-dun-it twist. Marsali’s writing beautifully showcases the local life, land and seascapes of Shetland. A retired teacher, still living next door to her former school, Marsali loves sailing around the voe in her boat.

Death at a Shetland Festival is the latest in the Cass Lynch series and will be published in April.

Sarah Smith is a writer from Glasgow whose debut novel, Hear No Evil, was published in 2022 and is inspired by the landmark case of Jean Campbell, the first deaf person to be tried in the High Court.

1817, Glasgow: Jean Campbell – a young deaf woman – is witnessed throwing a child into the river Clyde. If found guilty, she faces one of two fates: death by hanging or incarceration in an asylum. But Jean’s deafness leaves her isolated and unable to defend herself, until the authorities call in Robert Kinniburgh, a talented teacher from the Deaf & Dumb Institution. As Jean grows to trust Robert, she reveals what really happened on that bridge over the river Clyde. And Robert, now embroiled in this dark case, must act quickly to ensure justice is served, before it is too late.

Hear No Evil was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel 2022, the Historical Writers Association Debut Crown 2022, and the CWA Historical Dagger 2023. It was Waterstone’s Scottish Book of the Month in February 2023.

Marsali Taylor - photograph by Joan Baxter