Sponsored by The Glencairn Glass

We are delighted to announce the judges for the 2022 McIlvanney Prize & Bloody Scotland Debut Prize which will be presented at Bloody Scotland this September.

BBC presenter, Janice Forsyth, who previously judged the Debut Prize has stepped up to judge The McIlvanney Prize.

‘I thoroughly enjoyed being a judge of the 2021 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize,’ Janice said. ‘There’s a particular thrill in reading the work of new and emerging Scottish writers, and last year’s shortlisted authors impressed with the range and originality of their work. So it’s a thrill to be back this year as judge of the McIlvanney Prize. It’s been a stellar year for Scottish crime fiction, so I anticipate vigorous debate among the Judges. Without coming to blows of course. Although that could make a good locked room novel…’

Janice will join last year’s judges Ewan Wilson, crime fiction buyer at Waterstones Glasgow & Ayo Onatade, crime fiction critic who has been promoted to chair this year.

Ayo said: ‘Judging the McIlvanney Prize is an incredible honour and I am delighted to be judging the prize for another year. I am very much looking forward to reading the forthcoming submissions. I am in no doubt that we will once again have some very hard decisions to make when it comes to deciding the winner. It is a role that I am looking forward to.’

The longlist, which is selected by a panel of crime fiction fans and booksellers, will be revealed on Tuesday 7 June and the shortlist selected by the judging panel will be announced on Tuesday 30 August.

Janice will be replaced as a Bloody Scotland Debut judge by Arusa Qureshi, a former editor of The List who recently hosted the on-line Bloody Scotland Book Club. Arusa joins Kenny Tweeddale from sponsors, The Glencairn Glass, and Simon Lloyd from Waterstones. 

The shortlist will be revealed on Tuesday 28 June and the following day Bloody Scotland will be hosting a reception at Scotland House in London which it is hoped that many of the McIlvanney longlisters, Bloody Scotland shortlisters and their publishers and agents will attend ahead of the CWA Daggers dinner.

The McIlvanney longlist and the Bloody Scotland shortlist will be promoted in bookshops throughout Scotland in the period between the announcement and the presentation on Thursday 15 September. For the first time the presentation will take place AFTER the torchlight procession through Stirling in order that all shortlisted authors can take their place at the front. 

The procession will conclude with a formal event at The Albert Halls where the two winners will be revealed and Janice Forsyth will interview them live on stage.

Roll on September!