☰OCTOBER 2025

On the road again

I'm always a bit daunted by the thought of a book tour. After sitting on my own at my kitchen table making up stories, the thought of events - with lots of early morning and late-night travel - is exciting but a bit scary. I worry that I'll wilt halfway through and lose focus, that I'll disappoint the readers who have come along to meet me. This time it's a bit special. I'm bringing back Jimmy Perez, moving him to a new home and new role in Orkney. Will people be happy to revisit him in a different setting?

Of course, I have the support of the brilliant Pan Mac team, and more especially my friend and publicist Emma Harrow. Orcadian Stewart Bain travelled with us on the island leg of the visit too. Twenty years ago, I'd have been delighted to have been offered a tour, and I know how lucky I am to have the chance to get out to meet readers, librarians and booksellers. It's a buzz to hear their bookish stories.

Because The Killing Stones is set in Orkney, that's where we started. I wanted to visit Westray, the smaller island where the action begins. We flew in on the little 8-seater Loganair plane that acts almost as a bus for islanders. I was nervous that we might be stranded - that evening we'd be in Kirkwall and the theatre event there had sold out. We chatted to students in the school, and then to some folk who'd come together for coffee and cake. And the plane did arrive in time to take us back to the main event.

What a night that was! Kenny Blyth, who narrates the audio books, did the readings, and Highland Park whisky sponsored the event. At the drinks party afterwards I was surrounded by friends who'd made the trek north to support me, including Moses my US agent, Rebecca my TV agent, my new UK agents Caspian and Sandy from Abner Stein.

Early the next morning, we flew south for the Scottish leg of the tour. Gillian, the Pan Mac rep, has an amazing rapport with her booksellers and wherever we went it felt as if we were among friends. Thanks to everyone who hosted us at literary lunches and evening events.

Emma had slotted in a couple of festival gigs. Durham is local for me, and it was great to be on stage with friends and neighbours Steph McGovern and Vic Watson. Vic is the star behind Bay Tales, which takes place each spring in my hometown of Whitley Bay.

Then I headed down to Cheltenham, one of our grander literary gigs, to discuss Agatha Christie. I'm really not a Christie fan. I like to get inside the characters' heads when I'm reading, to understand what they're thinking and feeling. Christie seems to write from a distance. But David Suchet brought Poirot to life on the screen, and gave him, I think, the emotional depth that's missing in the books. It was wonderful to be on a panel with David, and with chair Mike Gayle and Rachel Kiddey, Christie's biographer (pictured left).

The last (almost) leg of the tour took Emma and me to some beautiful towns in Essex and Suffolk. Again, I was blown away by the warmth of the readers and the enthusiasm of the booksellers.

So, now my travels are almost over. There's a final evening in Edinburgh, and I have a little European rail trip for events in Belgium and Germany. Then it's back to my kitchen table to lose myself in the new novel.

Will I be on the road again for the next publication? Of course! Bring it on!