Granite Noir Brochure 2024 by Aberdeen Performing Arts

For announcements and updates visit: aberdeenperformingarts.com/granite-noir

welcome

It’s our pleasure to bring the best crime fiction and noir writing to the North-east of Scotland across six fascinating days. We look forward to hosting the legendary David Suchet, see Sophie Hannah’s new film in an exclusive premiere, hear from Ireland’s first female state pathologist Marie Cassidy, listen to New York Times and Sunday Times number one best seller Lisa Jewell, and much, much more. Granite Noir is inspired by Aberdeen with its story interwoven through the festival. Hosted in venues such as the Lemon Tree, Music Hall, His Majesty’s Theatre, Cowdray Hall and Anatomy Rooms, Granite Noir is a chance to experience our beautiful and atmospheric city and immerse yourself in its history. Look out for our commissioned drama with Ten Feet Tall Theatre, Scared To Death, to dissect the details of a true crime and a pivotal moment for forensics in the justice system. We have exhibitions, workshops, family events, theatre and dining experiences...but that’s not all! We are pleased to be launching a short story competition with partners the Press and Journal and Evening Express with prizes to be awarded to one lucky winner who will be announced at Granite Noir 2024. So take a look through our full programme and book your tickets for an enthralling weekend of crime writing...do you dare to be there? Granite Noir is produced by Aberdeen Performing Arts on behalf of Aberdeen City Libraries and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives.

“ oNE OF THE COUNTRY’S LEADING LITERARY FESTIVALs”The Scotsman

contents Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation: Exhibition.................................................... 4 Tuesday 20/Wednesday 21 February........ 6 Short Story Competition............................ 9 Thursday 22 February.............................. 10 Locals in the Limelight............................. 13 Scared to Death........................................ 14

Multibuy Offer The more shows you enjoy at Granite Noir, the more you save!

Buy 5 or more events and save 10%* Buy 10 or more events and save 20%* *Applies to author conversations only

Friday 23 February................................... 16 Saturday 24 February............................... 22 CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation.............. 28 Sunday 25 February................................. 32 Twelve Angry Men.................................... 38 2:22 A Ghost Story.................................... 39 Meet Our Chairs........................................ 40 Festival Info.............................................. 42 Granite Noir At-a-Glance.......................... 43

Tuesday 20 - Sunday 25 February 2024

GUNPOWDER, TATTOOS AND TRANSPORTATION: ABERDEEN’S INKED CONVICTS Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives The practice of tattooing is deeply rooted in the ancient world, transcending time and cultures. Nineteenth century European criminologists were fascinated with attempting to establish a connection between tattoos and the criminal underclass. With a spotlight on the Perth Prison Register and Register of Returned Convicts held within the Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, this exhibition brings back to life the tattoos of some of the city’s most notorious criminals. Sentenced to transportation or hard labour for crimes ranging from thievery to murder, the exhibition explores the history and meanings of these distinctive tattoos. FREE EXHIBITION IN THE MUSIC HALL

Tuesday/Wednesday david suchet: poirot and more the mystery of mr e - film screening

“the weekend was a sheer delight. I love having this festival on my doorstep” Granite Noir 2023 audience member

David Suchet: Poirot and More A RETROSPECTIVE

Additional show added due to demand

tUEsday

Tuesday 20 & Wednesday 21 February

We invite audiences to experience a rare opportunity with one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating actors of our time. Join us in conversation with the man, the actor and his many roles in an unmistakably unique event. A retrospective look at David’s career will have you witness some of his most beloved performances in a new and intimate light. liza mclean, andrew kay an d jonathan ch urch th eatre productions present

For over 25 years he captivated millions worldwide as Agatha Christie’s elegant Belgian detective. Beyond Poirot, this Emmy award-winning actor has been celebrated for his portrayal of iconic roles such as Lady Bracknell, Cardinal Benelli and Freud. David has also graced the world’s stages bringing literary greats to life, including Shakespeare, Wilde and Albee. Meet the actor behind the detective and the many faces he’s portrayed on stage and screen over a career spanning five decades. Discover why David Suchet is renowned for not only becoming the role, but also taking on the personalities of some of television, film and theatre’s most fascinating characters.

Tue 7:30pm, Wed 2pm, Music Hall

Tickets £37.50 - £32.50

wednesday Wednesday 21 February

Film screening followed by Q&A

The Mystery of Mr E with Sophie Hannah

Award-winning writer Sophie Hannah is here to celebrate her new musical murder mystery with you! Come along to see the film and delight in the Mystery of Mr E screened at Granite Noir. Sophie will also take audience questions and chat to us about the latest instalment of Poirot - Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night - a dark and baffling Christmas mystery. sophiehannah.com/the-mystery-of-mr-e/

6:30pm - 9pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £13.50

got a headful of great ideas? New for 2024! Granite Noir has teamed up with the Press and Journal and Evening Express for a SHORT STORY COMPETITION. Prizes include: • Story published in the Press and Journal and Evening Express • Book vouchers • Aberdeen Performing Arts vouchers • A framed book cover of your story For full details and how to enter, visit aberdeenperformingarts.com/granite-noir

thursday literature at lunchtime with michael j malone Norwegian noir Unsettling, unnerving, sublime Zine Workshop Writers of Colour Workshop scared to death The makings of a murderer

“it’s a delightful, friendly experience with so many interesting guests and events” Granite Noir 2023 audience member

thursday

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Thursday 22 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Chaired by Fiona Stalker

Literature at Lunchtime with michael j malone

Thursday 22 February

Norwegian noir

Chaired by Katalina Watt

with Agnes Ravatn & Jorn Lier Horst

A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime, harking back to Scotland’s clearances and something closer to home, is about to be unearthed. Join Michael J Malone as he chats about his new gothic thriller.

Afternoon delight with two of Norway’s stars! Agnes Ravatn will introduce her latest psychological drama, The Guests and Jørn Lier Horst takes the reader on a man hunt for an escaped prisoner in Stigma [written with Thomas Enger].

1pm-2pm, Big Sky Studio, Music Hall

3pm-4pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £7.50

Tickets £10.50

thursday AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Thursday 22 February

WORKSHOP

Chaired by Eris Young

Unsettling, unnerving, sublime with Caroline Hardaker, Lynsey May & Camilla Grudova

Three writers whose books leave you with that brilliant creeped out feeling only a great book can create! Mothtown is the strange new novel from celebrated author Caroline Hardaker. Weak Teeth by Lynsey May is a wonderfully astute portrait of a messed-up family - Ellis’s world spins out of control. Camilla Grudova’s latest collection The Coiled Serpent gathers surreal and absurd stories and we wonder if they’re actually very far from our own realities at all.

5pm-6pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £10.50

Thursday 22 February

Zine noir Workshop Join us for a laid-back crafting evening making zines inspired by the theme of our festival. Our workshops have a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and are suitable for accomplished zine makers and beginners alike. Some craft materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own too.

6:30pm-8:30pm, Big Sky Studio, Music Hall

Tickets £7.50

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Thursday 22 February

Writers of Colour Workshop Scottish BPOC Writers Network

Have you always thought about writing but never known where to start? Learn the basics and where to begin at this online workshop hosted by the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, for Black writers and writers of colour based in Scotland.

6:30pm-8pm, Online event

thursday

locals in the limelight Some of the region’s most talented authors and writers will read extracts from their noir fiction ahead of some of our festival events across the weekend. Keep an eye on our website and social media pages to find out about our exciting Locals in the Limelight line-up. Will you be seeing the next big author at Granite Noir?

Tickets £7.50

thursday

Thursday 22 - Sunday 25 February Ten Feet Tall Theatre and Aberdeen Performing Arts present

Scared to Death

Aberdeen is thrust into panic when a lifeless body of a child is discovered, sending shockwaves through the community. Amidst the chaos and with no immediate suspect, the investigation takes a compelling turn as police and forensics meticulously assess what limited clues exist of the heinous crime. Join us at The Anatomy Rooms, the former University of Aberdeen anatomy faculty, as we dissect the details of this historic true crime that marked a pivotal moment for forensics in the justice system. As exploration into the human condition, lurking in the darkest corners of society. Unravelling the mysteries hidden in the shadows, where science, in its silent brilliance; speaks louder than words - we expose the intricacies woven by human hands, and speak truths of who, what, where, when, and perhaps … why. Aberdeen based Ten Feet Tall Theatre return to Granite Noir for the third time following acclaimed productions of See You in Court and Witch Hunt. Trigger Warning: This production explores themes of: murder, abuse, and violence. Viewer discretion is advised. Recommended for audiences aged 16+. Produced by Ten Feet Tall Theatre and commissioned by Aberdeen Performing Arts.

Thu - Sun 7:30pm, Sat & Sun 2:30pm The Anatomy Rooms Tickets £12.50

the makings of a murderer Investigating The UK’s Most Notorious Serial Killers

thursday

Thursday 22 February

Hosted by the Detective Who Brought Serial Killer PETER TOBIN to Justice Join The Scottish Detective, David Swindle, for a chilling, thrilling, night at the theatre. True crime fans, and those with a curious mind, can explore the cases, the circumstances and the detective’s perspective on what really went on, the early warning signs and the clues behind The Makings of a Murderer! What makes a serial killer tick? What are the tell-tale signs? What really goes on behind the scenes? Learn about the biggest British serial killers of all time - including Jack the Ripper, Peter Tobin, Harold Shipman, Peter Sutcliffe and ‘Killer Couples’ – Fred and Rose West and The Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. With more than 34 years as a senior detective, David shares his unique insight into the minds of the murderers, the famous cases that were never solved, and how the murderer got away with it. . . from someone on the inside. David also looks at the connections to the local area of the most famous murder cases.

7:30pm, Music Hall

Tickets £37 - £33

friday literature at lunchtime with alex nye Laugh Out Loud Mystery poisoned afternoon tea A Damaged World food and its place in fiction taking the law into their own hands hidden darkness cocktails - shaken not stirred into the dark

“a very good line up and mix of opportunities to choose from, well done APA” Granite Noir 2023 audience member

friday

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Friday 23 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Chaired by Bryan Burnett

Literature at Lunchtime with Alex Nye

Friday 23 February

Chaired by Fiona Stalker

Laugh Out Loud Mystery with Alice Bell & Olga Wojtas

A young archaeologist discovers bones at the site of her Bronze Age Broch on Gallows Hill, the community of Kilbroch hold their breath. A post-mortem on the remains reveals that the body is that of teenager, Robbie MacBride, missing for more than a decade. It seems that old ghosts have been put to rest. However, the truth is darker still and the tragic reason for his sister’s selfimposed silence is finally revealed. Come on a haunting mystery adventure with Alex Nye and her latest book Gallow Falls.

Who said a murder-mystery can’t be funny? Certainly not these two! Claire and Sophie aren’t your typical murder investigators. In Grave Expectations we attend a classic murder mystery party in an old house with Alice Bell. In her latest instalment, Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Gondola of Doom, Olga Wojtas takes us on another hilarious caper with Edinburgh librarian Shona.

1pm-2pm, Big Sky Studio, Music Hall

3pm-4pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £7.50

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

friday

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Friday 23 February

A Damaged World

Chaired by Katalina Watt

with Kate Simants, Lauren James & oisin mcgann Friday 23 February

poisoned afternoon tea with dr kathryn harkup

An Agatha Christie inspired afternoon of fabulous food and puzzling poisons. The Queen of Crime had a predilection for killing her characters with chemicals and she used her vast toxicological knowledge to tease out clues from their taste, symptoms and detection. While sampling tasty treats, Kathryn Harkup will explain how to spot strychnine in the sandwiches or cyanide in the scones.

3pm-4:30pm, The Terrace Bar & Café, HMT

Tickets £30

Kate Simants’ gripping thriller of obsession, murder and revenge Freeze follows a group of reality TV contestants. Edited by Lauren James and featuring Oisín McGann Future Hopes is rooted in real-world science and technology, the stories offer a roadmap for a future where our planet can thrive. Does fiction offer insight to our future? How does reading about the perils we face and how we might face them leave us feeling empowered or powerless? climate-fiction.org/

5pm-6pm, Lemon Tree Studio

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

friday

WORKSHOP

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Friday 23 February

food and its place in fiction with Sue Lawrence

From the sumptuous dinner in Babette’s Feast to Iain Banks’ description of a simple rowie in Stonemouth – food can be integral to the plot and also add colour to characters associated with it! Sue Lawrence will explore how to best work food into your writing and the impact and lasting legacy it can have.

5:30pm-7pm, Aberdeen Arts Centre

Tickets £7.50

taking the law into their own hands

Chaired by Tim Baker

with Catherine Kirwan & Ruth Mancini Catherine Kirwan’s Cork solicitor Finn is determined to find the conference killer at her alma mater. Will Finn let sleeping dogs lie, in A Lesson in Malice, or risk it all to uncover the truth? Ruth Mancini’s Tate Kinsella is a single, out of work actor working as a temp at a London bank when the police arrest her for murder. How can her lawyer help her prove her innocence in The Woman on the Ledge?

6:30pm-7:30pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £10.50

friday AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Friday 23 February

Chaired by Bryan Burnett

hidden darkness with charles cumming, denise mina & louise welsh Three of our most-celebrated authors join us to chat about their latest books. Charles Cumming has written another blinding espionage thriller with Kennedy 35. When tragedy strikes, Kite must use all his resources to bring down a criminal network with links to international terror. Denise Mina has brought the past to life and to the future in Three Fires which centres on the world around the misogynist, anti-corruption campaigner Savonarola in Florence. To The Dogs is a darkly comic, gritty novel from the awardwinning Louise Welsh, exploring organised crime, institutional corruption and moral compromise in Glasgow.

8pm - 9pm, Music Hall

SIGNED Tickets £13.50 BSLEVENT

friday

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Friday 23 February

into the dark

with shane strachan & hannah lavery

Friday 23 February

cocktails - shaken not stirred with Dr Kathryn Harkup

James Bond’s adventures thwarting the plans of the world’s greatest villains have thrilled and delighted audiences since Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale was published in 1953. Join Kathryn Harkup as she explores 007’s exploits, from the practicalities of building a volcano-based lair, to whether being covered in gold paint really will kill you, and – if your plan is to take over the world – whether it is better to use bacteria, bombs, or poison. This event will give you all the answers over a few glasses of James Bond’s favourite cocktails.

8pm-9:30pm, The Terrace Bar & Café, HMT

Tickets £30

Chill right into the night with Shane Strachan and Hannah Lavery as they bring together friends to thrill us with poems. No topic is off topic as we hear of darkness real and imagined.

9pm-10pm, Lemon Tree Lounge

Tickets £10.50

saturday robots and dinosaurs - what could go wrong? Bold New Voices Writing Workshop Is There A Killer in You? the case of the chaos monster an introduction to publishing poison afternoon tea with twitchers mysteries in time gone by icelandic noir CSI: crime scene improvisation marie cassidy cocktails - shaken not stirred nighttime noir 22

“something of value for all the family” Granite Noir 2023 audience member

SATURDAY

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

with Alan Windram

with adam oyebanji, briar ripley page & maud woolf

robots and dinosaurs what could go wrong?

Bold New Voices

Recommended for ages 3-6 One Button Benny is back in a fantastic new picture book adventure. In this third book, One Button Benny and the Dinosaur Dilemma, Benny and his friends are trapped underground with a hungry dinosaur on the loose. Will Benny have to press his ‘Emergency Button’? Can they escape being crushed and eaten by the dinosaur? Will they make it back in time for the Friday dance party? Join award-winning author Alan Windram for this fantastic, interactive, fun-filled picture book event, with stories, specially-written songs and even some robot dancing. This book is all about friendship, working together, inclusiveness and uniqueness – everyone is special and has something to give.

11am-12pm, Central Library

Tickets £7.50

Chaired by Jacky Collins

In Adam Oyebanji’s A Quiet Teacher we meet Greg Abimbola - a language teacher at the prestigious Calderhill Academy in Pittsburgh. Jesse Greer discovers troubled older sister Crys’ remains. Traumatised, Jesse runs to his parents for help in The False Sister by Briar Ripley Page. Imagine copy upon copy of yourself! This is exactly what’s dealt by Maud Woolf to her characters in Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock.

SIGNED 11am-12pm, Lemon Tree Studio Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

SATURDAY

WORKSHOP

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

with shane strachan

with alice slater & matthew blake

Writing Workshop

Chaired by Peggy Hughes

Is There A Killer in You?

Led by author and poet Shane Strachan, this creative writing workshop will inspire you to use Aberdeenthemed artworks as stimuli for writing new prose or poetry set in the city. You will be led through the process of how to ‘read’ an artwork and then how to ‘write’ one with examples from Strachan’s writing practice, before selecting a work to respond to creatively. In line with Granite Noir, many of the Aberdeen artworks to choose from will have a dark twist! No previous writing or visual art experience is required, and you will be very welcome to write in Doric, English or both.

Alice Slater has rocked the book world and beyond with Death of a Bookseller - a potential friendship blooms into morbid obsession, Roach becomes determined to be a part of Laura’s story - whether Laura wants her in it or not. In the tale of Anna O, a woman famed for having murdered her two best friends in her sleep falls into a 4-year long coma herself. Is she guilty? Can a sleep psychologist wake her and find out? Matthew Blake will keep you up at night well after you’ve devoured the book.

11:30am-1pm, Central Library

1pm-2pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £7.50

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

SATURDAY

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Chaired by Adanna Shan

Saturday 24 February

the case of the chaos monster

an introduction to publishing

Marisee and Robert – the Elemental Detectives – are back to solve another mystery on the streets of eighteenth century London. An orchestra explodes in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and suddenly the music of London disappears… and a terrifying monster stirs off the Greenwich peninsular, threatening to trample London underfoot. The detectives must track down the thief behind the music’s disappearance – via the Whispering Gallery of St Paul’s Cathedral, a Windmill-with-teeth on the Isle of Dogs and the dark streets of Soho… where a shadowy villain and his mechanical animal spies live.

Ever wondered about the journey of a book? What are publishers looking for? How do you get noticed? Whether you’re a writer or keen to work with books, SYP Scotland aim to answer the many questions you have about how it all works in bringing together a panel of experts.

1pm-2pm, Central Library

1:30pm-2:30pm, Aberdeen Arts Centre

with Patrice Lawrence Recommended for ages 9-10 years

Tickets £7.50

Society of Young Publishers scotland

Tickets £7.50

SATURDAY

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

Chaired by Amy Liptrott

with m.g leonard

Recommended for ages 7-12 years

twitchers

Join bestselling author M. G. Leonard as she shares what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her award-winning Twitchers series.

Saturday 24 February

Full of mystery, adventure, friendship, bravery and the magnificent wonder of birds, this event is perfect for young nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and detectives in the making.

poisoned afternoon tea with dr kathryn harkup

3pm-4:30pm, The Terrace Bar & Café, HMT

Tickets £30

3pm-4pm, Central Library

Tickets £7.50

SATURDAY

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Chaired by Bryan Burnett

mysteries in time gone by

with phil miller, es thomson & ajay close When her best friend’s wedding in the mountains of Argyll ends in tragedy, reporter Shona Sandison is drawn into a mystery decades in the making in The Hollow Tree by Phil Miller. Corruption, secrets and murder to the forefront in ES Thomson’s latest Jem Flockhart tale – Under Ground set in London, 1854. Ajay Close’s heartfelt, action-packed and darkly funny, What Doesn’t Kill Us reveals just how much the world has changed since the 1970s – and how much it hasn’t.

3pm-4pm, Lemon Tree Studio

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

Saturday 24 February

Icelandic Noir

Chaired by Jacky Collins

with solveig palsdottir & oskar gudmundsson Sólveig Pálsdóttir has written eight crime novels and one memoir, all have reached the top ten bestseller lists in Iceland. Skaði (Harm) was one of the most popular audiobooks on Storytel in 2022. One of the rising stars of Icelandic crime fiction, Óskar Guðmundsson has been writing since he was a youngster. The first of his books to be published in an English translation, The Commandments, is a standalone novel which appeared in Iceland in 2019.

5pm-6pm, Lemon Tree Studio

Tickets £10.50

SATURDAY Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 February

CSI: crime scene improvisation

No one knows who the killer is, not even the cast! Following multiple five-star sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, ‘CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation’ returns with the rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot. Who? What? How? The choice is yours in this fully-improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery where the audience creates the crime. “A spectacular must see” ★★★★★ Bunbury Magazine “Innovation and top tier entertainment” ★★★★★ The Wee Review WINNER “Best improv/musical show” Leicester Comedy Festival 2023

6pm & 9pm Saturday, 2pm & 6pm Sunday, Big Sky Studio, Music Hall

Tickets £10.50

Chaired by Alex Gray

in conversation with marie cassidy

SATURDAY

Saturday 24 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Hailing from Scotland, Marie Cassidy was Ireland’s first female state pathologist. Following a remarkable career and insightful memoir, Marie has now turned her hand to fiction – and what a debut! Body of Truth is a page-turning thriller, a gripping story of the secrets of the mortuary that is uncovered with scalpel-like precision. Join Alex Gray as she chats with Marie about her career, her work with writers and now as one in her own right.

7:30pm-8:30pm, Music Hall

SIGNED Tickets £13.50 BSLEVENT

SATURDAY

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Saturday 24 February

nighttime noir

Scottish BPOC Writers Network

Saturday 24 February

cocktails - shaken not stirred with Dr Kathryn Harkup

8pm-9:30pm, The Terrace Bar & Café, HMT

Tickets £30

An evening of darkness curated by Scottish BPOC Writers Network. Expect another thrilling evening with Granite Noir partners and friends. Followed by a DJ set by Arusa Qureshi – featuring dark vibes and bookish themes – chill into the night.

9pm-11pm, Lemon Tree Lounge

Tickets £10.50

sunday queen of codes Children’s workshop missing girls chats and drawing award winners Lisa Jewell Gunpowder, tattoos and Transportation

“a cultural highlight” Granite Noir 2023 audience member

sunday

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Sunday 25 February

queen of codes

WORKSHOP

Chaired by Nasim Rebecca Asl

with jackie ui chionna

Sunday 25 February

Recommended for ages 9+ years

Children’s Workshop with Patrice Lawrence

When the history of British codebreaking is told, the story is often a men-only preserve. That perception completely ignores the fact that the vast majority of codebreakers were in fact women. And foremost among them was one who is largely unknown to the public, and whose activities were a secret even to her closest contacts – Emily Anderson. Jackie Uí Chionna chats about her account of a woman who may have appeared to the world as the epitome of ordinary, but was in truth anything but.

Welcome to 1764 London... our heroes Marisee and Robert are the Elemental Detectives, chasing clues across the city in order to save the day. Get ready to enter a world where magic sparks just beneath the surface!

11am-12pm, Lemon Tree Studio

11:30am-1pm, Aberdeen Arts Centre

Tickets £10.50

In this session, writer Patrice Lawrence MBE shows you how to create your own magical creatures inspired by the landmarks of your favourite place.

Tickets £7.50

sunday AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Sunday 25 February

missing girls

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Chaired by Alex Clark

with jean kwok & emma christie Jasmine Yang thought her daughter had died but in Jean Kwok’s The Leftover Woman we meet two women in a divided city, separated by wealth and culture, yet bound together by their love for the same child. In Emma Christie’s In Her Shadow a local teenage girl goes missing, Dave is suddenly a suspect. Will he find this girl? And just how is she linked to the secret he’s been keeping all these years? Two missing girls, two very different searches, both full of twists and mystery.

1pm-2pm, Lemon Tree Studio

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

Sunday 25 February

Chaired by Adanna Shan

chats and drawing with oisin mcgann

Recommended for ages 8 upwards

In this lively session, Oisín will talk about how he got started in writing and illustration, how he approaches his work, including coming up with ideas by using weird ways of looking at the world. He’ll also be drawing throughout and showing you how he creates his characters.

2pm-3pm, Aberdeen Arts Centre

Tickets £7.50

sunday

EXHIBITION TALK

Sunday 25 February

GUNPOWDER, TATTOOS AND TRANSPORTATION ABERDEEN’S INKED CONVICTS

A talk by Dr Ashleigh Black, Archive Assistant, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives. Among the remarkable records held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives are the Perth Prison Register and the Register of Returned Convicts. Vivid descriptions of each inmates’ physiological characteristics were recorded including scars, distinguishing marks, and their tattoos. The working class of the Victorian period were too poor to afford jewellery so, tattoos were the next best thing. All you needed was a little gunpowder and a needle! The history of tattooing is ancient, transcending time and cultures. With an in depth insight into some of nineteenth-century Aberdeen’s most notorious criminals, this talk will take a closer look at their lives and the different meaning we can understand from their unique tattoos.

2pm, Cowdray Hall

Tickets £7.50

sunday

Remember to visit one of the Waterstones book stalls at events throughout the festival. Featuring works from our Granite Noir authors.

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

Sunday 25 February

Award Winners

Chaired by Peggy Hughes

with callum mcsorley, sophie white & dv bishop Callum McSorley’s debut novel, Squeaky Clean was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and became the youngest ever winner of the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Sophie White is a novelist, essayist and podcaster from Dublin. Her sixth book, and debut horror, Where I End won the Shirley Jackson Award for best novel. DV Bishop’s The Darkest Sin won the CWA 2023 Historical Dagger Award. Ritual of Fire is the third novel in the Cesare Aldo series.

5pm-6pm, Lemon Tree Studio

SIGNED Tickets £10.50 BSLEVENT

Chaired by Alex Clark

in conversation with lisa jewell

sunday

Sunday 25 February

AUTHOR CONVERSATION

There is twist after twist after twist (or is it a twist? After all, None of This is True... or is it?) in Lisa Jewell’s latest masterpiece with one of the most jaw-dropping, impactful and “didn’t see it coming” moments at the end! Join Lisa and Alex as they chat toxic relationships, manipulation, coercion and family secrets – and learn more about when and where you might see Lisa’s unforgettable stories on screen.

7pm-8pm, Music Hall

Tickets £13.50

BSL SIGNED EVENT

drama

Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 February Tue - Sat 7:30pm, Thu 2pm, Sat 2:30pm

twelve angry men Following a recording-breaking West End season, this powerful production of TWELVE ANGRY MEN is back in session bringing the 1957 three-time Academy Award nominated film to the stage. A jury has murder on their minds and a life in their hands as they decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of killing his father. Reginald Rose’s gripping courtroom thriller stars Jason Merrells (Casualty, Emmerdale), Gray O’Brien (Coronation Street, Peak Practice), Tristan Gemmill (Coronation Street, Casualty), Michael Greco (EastEnders), Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier) and Gary Webster (Minder, Family Affairs).(EastEnders).

His Majesty’s Theatre 38

Tickets £43 - £21

Tue - Sat 7:30pm, Thu 2pm, Sat 2:30pm

2:22 a ghost story

drama

Tuesday 27 February - Saturday 2 March

The stage phenomenon that has taken the West End by storm comes to Aberdeen! Winner of BEST NEW PLAY at the Whatsonstage Awards, this supernatural thriller stars Jay McGuiness (The Wanted, BIG! The Musical, Rip It Up), Fiona Wade (Emmerdale, Silent Witness), George Rainsford (Call the Midwife, Casualty) and Vera Chok (Hollyoaks, Cobra). 2:22 A Ghost Story comes fresh from recordbreaking seasons at five West End theatres and is a brilliantly funny and adrenaline-filled night out! “A Modern Classic” Sunday Times.

His Majesty’s Theatre Tickets £45 - £15

meet our chairs 40

nasim rebecca asl

alex clark

adanna shan

Nasim Rebecca Asl is a Glasgow based poet and journalist. Her poetry has been published in a range of magazines and anthologies, and she has worked on projects with the likes of The Burrell Collection and the Rugby League World Cup. Her debut poetry pamphlet, Nemidoonam, was released by Verve Poetry Press in 2023.

Alex Clark is a critic, journalist and broadcaster. A co-host of Graham Norton’s Book Club, she is also a regular on Radio 4 and writes on a wide range of subjects for the Guardian, the Observer, the Irish Times and the Times Literary Supplement. She is a patron of the Cambridge Literary Festival, and has judged many literary awards.

Dubbed ‘a name to watch out for in the Teen/YA market’ by Faber, Adanna Shan is an award-winning writer of Young Adult and Children’s fiction. She’s been writing for as long as she’s been reading and has a particular love for stories centering Black and West-African protagonists. She was a mentee in the 2021 All Stories Writing Program.

bryan burnett

jacky collins

peggy hughes

Bryan Burnett is the host of BBC Radio Scotland’s popular evening music programme, Get It On. Aberdeen born Bryan began his career as a teenage magazine journalist before moving into radio and TV presenting. He has presented a wide range of shows over the years from arts and entertainment to quiz shows.

Dr Jacky Collins aka Dr Noir, formerly Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University in Literature, Film & TV and Spanish Language & Culture, is currently based at Stirling University. Jacky established the International Crime Fiction Festival that is Newcastle Noir. and more recently, she has been co-hosting a fortnightly crime fiction programme on SpiceFM.

Peggy Hughes is Head of Programmes at the National Centre for Writing, a literature house dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the artform of writing. Previously, she worked in various literature organisations in Scotland, including Edinburgh International Book Festival, Literary Dundee and the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust.

ALEX GRAY

tim baker

Before joining Aberdeen Arts Centre as Director in October 2022, Amy Liptrott was Associate Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. She has directed classic and new works, lead Artist Development programmes and programmed and chaired writers including Denise Mina, James Crawford and Alexander McCall Smith at Winter Words.

Alex Gray is the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Detective William Lorimer series. Born and raised in Glasgow, she has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing and is the co-founder of the international Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival.

fiona stalker

katalina watt

eris young

Katalina Watt is Literature Officer at Creative Scotland. Her short fiction has been published in various magazines and anthologies including Haunted Voices, Unspeakable, and Extra Teeth. She has appeared at festivals and literary events including Edinburgh International Book Festival, Cymera, and FIYAHCON.

Eris Young is a queer, transgender author of fiction and nonfiction. Their short stories have appeared in Pseudopod, Fusion Fragment, Escape Pod and Metastellar, as well as anthologies such as Uncanny Bodies. They also edit fiction at Shoreline of Infinity magazine and in 2020 received a Scottish Book Trust New Writer Award for fiction.

Fiona Stalker is a Senior Presenter and Reporter at BBC Scotland. She presents programme across TV & radio including Drivetime and The Sunday Show on BBC Radio Scotland and Seven Days on the BBC Scotland channel . She previously worked for Reuters as Scotland Correspondent, lectured in journalism, and managed her own media training company.

Timothy C. Baker is Personal Chair in Scottish and Contemporary Literature at the University of Aberdeen. He is the author of five books, most recently Reading My Mother Back: A Memoir in Childhood Animal Stories and New Forms of Environmental Writing: Gleaning and Fragmentation.

meet our chairs

amy liptrott

festival info

Tickets can be booked by visiting the box office at His Majesty’s Theatre or the Music Hall, by calling 01224 641122, or through our website aberdeenperformingarts.com, deals and discounts are available.

Travel Details 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. st We rth

The Anatomy Rooms

Central / Childrens Libraries

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Schoolhill

Aberdeen Arts Centre

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Cowdray Hall

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By 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……..1 hour 30 minutes drivetime Edinburgh…..2 hours 45 minutes drivetime Glasgow…….2 hours 45 minutes drivetime Inverness……2 hours 45 minutes drivetime Elgin…………1 hour 45 minutes drivetime

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How to Book

All day

Venue Pg 1-2pm

Literature at Lunchtime with Alex Nye

MH 17 5-6pm

3-4pm

Laugh Out Loud Mystery

LT 17

7 3-4:30pm

Poisoned Afternoon Tea

HMT 18

LT 27

6pm

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation

MH 28

7:30-8:30pm

In Conversation with Marie Cassidy

MH 29

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

7:30pm

David Suchet: Poirot and More

7:30pm

Twelve Angry Men

HMT 38 5-6pm

A Damaged World

LT 18 7:30pm

Twelve Angry Men

HMT 38

Venue Pg 5:30-7pm MH 4 6:30-7:30pm

Food and its Place in Fiction

AAC 19 7:30pm

Scared to Death

AR 14

Taking the Law into Their Own Hands

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation

MH 28

7 7:30pm 7:30pm LT 8 8-9pm HMT 38 8-9:30pm Venue Pg 9-10pm

Twelve Angry Men

LT 19 9pm 8-9:30pm HMT 38 9-11pm

wednesday All day

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

2pm

David Suchet: Poirot and More

6:30-9pm

The Mystery of Mr E

7:30pm

Twelve Angry Men

Thursday All day

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

Icelandic Noir

Scared to Death Hidden Darkness Into The Dark

Saturday

Literature at Lunchtime with Michael J Malone

MH 11 All day

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

2pm

Twelve Angry Men

HMT 38 11am-12pm

3pm-4pm

Norwegian Noir

LT 11

Robots and Dinosaurs What Could Go Wrong?

5-6pm

Unsettling, Unnerving, Sublime

LT 12

Zine Noir

6:30-8pm

Writers of Colour Workshop

7:30pm

Scared to Death

7:30pm

Twelve Angry Men

7:30pm

The Makings of a Murderer

friday All day

Gunpowder, tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

MH 12

MH 20

Cocktails - Shaken Not Stirred HMT 21

1-2pm

6:30-8:30pm

AR 14

LT 21

11am-12pm Venue Pg 11:30am-1pm MH 4 1-2pm ACL 23

11am-12pm

Bold New Voices

LT 23

11:30am-1pm

Writing Workshop

ACL 24

1-2pm

Is There a Killer in You?

LT 24

Online 13 1-2pm AR 14 1:30-2:30pm

The Case of the Chaos Monster ACL 25

Cocktails - Shaken Not Stirred HMT 30 Nightime Noir

LT 33

Children’s Workshop

AAC 33

Missing Girls

LT 34

2pm

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation

MH 28

2pm

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition Talk

CH 35

2-3pm

Chats and Drawing

AAC 34

2:30pm

Scared to Death

AR 14

5-6pm

Award Winners

LT 36

6pm

CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation

MH 28

7-8pm

In Conversation with Lisa Jewell MH 37

7:30pm

Scared to Death

AAC 25

Twelve Angry Men

HMT 38

Scared to Death

AR 14

Venue Pg 3-4:30pm MH 4 3-4pm

Poisoned Afternoon Tea

HMT 26 AAC.....Aberdeen Arts Centre ACL 26 ACL...... Aberdeen Central Library LT 27 AR.......Anatomy Rooms

Mysteries in Time Gone By

Queen of Codes

An Introduction to Publishing

3-4pm

Venue Pg

Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition

HMT 38 2:30pm MH 15 2:30pm

Twitchers

LT 30

Sunday All day

at a glance

Tuesday

AR 14

CH.......Cowdray Hall HMT....His Majesty’s Theatre MH......Music Hall LT........Lemon Tree

We would like to thank Aberdeen City Council and Creative Scotland for their funding support for Granite Noir. We are also indebted to Waterstone’s for their enthusiastic support.

Granite Noir is produced by Aberdeen Performing Arts on behalf of Aberdeen City Libraries and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives.

Box office 01224 641122 aberdeenperformingarts.com/granite-noir facebook.com/granitenoirfest @granitenoirfest #granitenoir