This is a guest post by Doug Johnstone

OK, so I’m launching my fourth novel, Hit & Run (Faber), on Thursday 15th March. If you’re within stabbing distance of Blackwell’s on South Bridge in Edinburgh, please do come along at 6.30pm and help me set it free into the world.

There will be a short reading, some banter, a few thank-yous, some free wine, good vibes, and maybe a couple of tunes. If no one can talk me out of playing my guitar, which they usually can’t.

But how do you know if this is the kind of book you’ll like? Well, here’s the official blurb:

You hit someone. You run. But what if you have to go back?

Driving home from a party with his girlfriend and brother, all of them drunk, Billy Blackmore accidentally hits a stranger in the night. In a panic, they drive off.

The next day Billy finds he has to cover the story for the local paper. Turns out the dead man was Edinburgh’s biggest crime lord. As Billy struggles with what he’s done, he is sucked into a nightmare of guilt, retribution and violence.

This is a pitch-black psychological thriller. Taut and pared down, in the tradition of the great noir novels, it is a dizzying portrait of a young man’s freefall towards psychosis.

Still not sure? Then ask yourself these questions:

• Do you like car crashes?
• Or cerebral aneurysms?
• Or a dog called Rebus?
• Or disturbing sex?
• Or sexy widows?
• Or an epileptic dog?
• Or Nissan Micras?
• Or beetroot schnapps?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then this could be the book launch for you.

And if you don’t fancy it, just come meet us in The Holyrood 9A round the corner afterwards for a proper drink.

And if you can’t make it at all, fear not, you’ll be able to catch me talking nonsense at Bloody Scotland itself in September in Stirling. I’ll be the one with the guitar who won’t shut up. Looking forward to it!

This event is ticketed, but tickets are FREE. Tickets are available from the front desk at Blackwell’s. Please contact Ann Landmann on 0131 622 8222 or events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk