Laidlaw (novel)

Last updated

Laidlaw
Laidlaw (novel).jpg
First edition
Author William McIlvanney
LanguageEnglish
SeriesLaidlaw #1
Genre crime fiction
Publisher Hodder and Stoughton
Publication date
1977
Publication placeScotland
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages224
ISBN 0340207272
OCLC 3108663
823/.9/14
LC Class PZ4.M1498 Lai PR6063.A237
Followed by The Papers of Tony Veitch  

Laidlaw is the first novel of a series of crime books by William McIlvanney, first published in 1977. [1] It features the eponymous detective in his attempts to find the brutal sex related murderer of a Glasgow teenager. Laidlaw is marked by his unconventional methods in tracking the killer, immersing himself in a 1970s Glasgow featuring violence and bigotry.

When Laidlaw was released in 1977, McIlvanney was known for recently winning the Whitbread Prize with his historical family novel, Docherty; as a complete departure from that genre, it surprised many of his readers. [2]

This novel is considered the first 'Tartan Noir' and is cited as being inspiration for the Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. [3] Alan Massie wrote that "Hemingway used to say that all American literature came out of Huckleberry Finn; all Scottish crime writing — ‘tartan noir’ — comes out of Laidlaw." [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Rankin</span> Scottish writer

Sir Ian James Rankin is a Scottish crime writer and philanthropist, best known for his Inspector Rebus novels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William McIlvanney</span> Scottish novelist, short story writer, and poet (1936-2015)

William Angus McIlvanney was a Scottish novelist, short story writer, and poet. He was known as Gus by friends and acquaintances. McIlvanney was a champion of gritty yet poetic literature; his works Laidlaw, The Papers of Tony Veitch, and Walking Wounded are all known for their portrayal of Glasgow in the 1970s. He is regarded as "the father of Tartan Noir" and as Scotland's Camus.

Roy James Laidlaw is a former Scotland international rugby union player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Mina</span> Scottish crime writer and playwright

Denise Mina is a Scottish crime writer and playwright. She has written the Garnethill trilogy and another three novels featuring the character Patricia "Paddy" Meehan, a Glasgow journalist. Described as an author of Tartan Noir, she has also written for comic books, including 13 issues of Hellblazer.

Allan Johnstone Massie is a Scottish journalist, columnist, sports writer and novelist. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He has lived in the Scottish Borders for the last 25 years, and now lives in Selkirk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Stewart of the Glen</span> Scottish clan leader

James Stewart of the Glen, also known as James of the Glens, was a leader of the Scottish Clan Stewart of Appin. He was wrongfully accused and hanged as an accessory to the Appin Murder, the assassination of Colin Roy Campbell.

Tartan Noir is a form of crime fiction particular to Scotland and Scottish writers. William McIlvanney, who wrote three crime novels, the first being Laidlaw in 1977, is considered the father of the genre.

William Knox was a Scottish author, journalist and broadcaster, best known for his crime novels and for presenting the long-running STV series Crimedesk.

<i>The Papers of Tony Veitch</i> Crime novel by William McIlvanney

The Papers of Tony Veitch is a crime novel by William McIlvanney. This book is the second in the series featuring the character Laidlaw. This series of books is recognised as the foundation of the Tartan Noir genre.

<i>Strange Loyalties</i> 1991 novel by William McIlvanney

Strange Loyalties is a 1991 crime novel by William McIlvanney. This book is the third in the series featuring the character Laidlaw. This series of books is recognised as the foundation of the Tartan Noir genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Novel in Scotland</span> Aspect of literature in Scotland

The novel in Scotland includes all long prose fiction published in Scotland and by Scottish authors since the development of the literary format in the eighteenth century. The novel was soon a major element of Scottish literary and critical life. Tobias Smollett's picaresque novels, such as The Adventures of Roderick Random and The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle mean that he is often seen as Scotland's first novelist. Other Scots who contributed to the development of the novel in the eighteenth century include Henry Mackenzie and John Moore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Literature in modern Scotland</span>

Literature in modern Scotland is literature written in Scotland, or by Scottish writers, since the beginning of the twentieth century. It includes literature written in English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots in forms including poetry, novels, drama and the short story.

<i>The Kiln</i> 1996 novel by William McIlvanney

The Kiln is a novel by William McIlvanney, first published in 1996.

Europa Editions UK is an independent British publishing house. It was founded in 2011 by Sandro Ferri and Sandra Ozzola Ferri, the owners and publishers of the Italian press company Edizioni E/O. In a 2013 interview, Sandro Ferri said the company was "born with the intention to create bridges between cultures."

Isobel Murray is a Scottish literary scholar, Emeritus Professor at the University of Aberdeen. She edited the work of Oscar Wilde and Naomi Mitchison. She also edited a series of interviews which she and her husband Bob Tait carried out with Scottish writers, and wrote a biography of the writer Jessie Kesson.

Mary Paulson-Ellis is a Scottish writer and novelist. She writes across the genres of literary, crime and historical fiction. Her work has appeared in the Guardian and been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Her books have received a number of awards. Paulson-Ellis’ first novel, The Other Mrs Walker (2016) became a Times bestseller and was named Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year in 2017.

<i>The Dark Remains</i> 2021 Scottish crime novel

The Dark Remains is a Scottish crime novel of the tartan noir genre set in Glasgow. Part-written by William McIlvanney who left a half-finished handwritten draft when he died in 2015, the novel was completed by Ian Rankin and published in 2021. See Canongate website, with interview with Ian Rankin:

Bloody Scotland is a Scottish international crime writing festival, held annually in Stirling, Scotland. It was founded in 2012 by Tartan Noir writers Lin Anderson and Alex Gray and describes itself as "the literary festival where you can let down your hair and enjoy a drink at the bar with your favourite crime writer". Its sponsors include the University of Stirling and Stirling Council. In 2022 most events were held at the Albert Halls or the Tolbooth.

Alan Parks is a Scottish crime writer in the Tartan Noir genre. His fifth novel May God Forgive won the 2022 McIlvanney Prize as the best Scottish crime book of the year.

<i>How to Survive Everything</i> 2021 novel by Ewan Morrison

How to Survive Everything is a 2021 speculative fiction novel by Ewan Morrison. It was longlisted for the 2021 McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year.

References

  1. Dickson, Beth. "William McIlvanney's Laidlaw Novels". The Association for Scottish Literary Studies. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 Massie, Alan (6 July 2013). "Laidlaw by William McIlvanney - review". The Spectator. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  3. Johnstone, Doug (11 August 2013). "How William McIlvanney invented tartan noir". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2015.