After a quiet few weeks, it was nice to be back at a couple of events in the last week – one as an audience member, and one as a host.

Callum McSorley has quickly become a leading author of the Scottish Crime Fiction scene, and I was delighted when he invited me to host an evening talking about his new book ‘Rat Race’ at our local Waterstones in East Kilbride. A fun evening chatting about his upbringing in the town, early influences, his career so far and his writing process.

Noir at the Bar, hosted by the Daydreams Bookshop in Milngavie, are becoming regular events. I was lucky enough to be invited to read at the inaugural one last October, and I went along to take in the latest, entitled ‘The Dead of Summer’.

Hosted by crime authors Daniel Sellers and Emma Christie, there was a stellar line up to enjoy, with readings and laughter from Denise Mina, Andrew Raymond, Louise Welsh, Caro Ramsay, Douglas Skelton, Eva Macrae, RD McLean, DV Bishop and Heather Critchlow.