Val McDermid
Encyclopedia
Val McDermid is a Scottish
crime writer, best known for a series of suspense
novels starring her most famous creation, Dr. Tony Hill
.
, Fife
, and was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford
, where she was the first student from a state school in Scotland (Kirkcaldy High School
), and became President of the Junior Common Room. After graduation she became a journalist
, and worked briefly as a dramatist. However, her first success as a novelist, Report for Murder: The First Lindsay Gordon Mystery, did not appear until 1987.
Gold Dagger
for Best Crime Novel of the Year. The Hill/Jordan series has been adapted for television under the name Wire in the Blood
, starring Robson Green
. McDermid states that Harper Lee
's To Kill A Mockingbird
is her favourite novel.
McDermid considers her work to be part of the "Tartan Noir
" Scottish crime fiction genre. As well as her novels, McDermid contributes to several British newspapers and often broadcasts on BBC Radio 4
and BBC Radio Scotland
.
Her novels, in particular the Tony Hill series, are known for their graphic depictions of violence and torture
.
, Raith Rovers ground in Kirkcaldy. She often invests in billboards there for her newest books. This endeavour was in honour of her father, a scout for the club. She has lately become a board member of the club, a year after sponsoring this stand.
. She and her former spouse share custody of their son Cameron (conceived to McDermid's ex via donor insemination). She is a Raith Rovers supporter. She lives in Manchester
and Northumberland
with three cat
s.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
crime writer, best known for a series of suspense
Suspense
Suspense is a feeling of uncertainty and anxiety about the outcome of certain actions, most often referring to an audience's perceptions in a dramatic work. Suspense is not exclusive to fiction, though. Suspense may operate in any situation where there is a lead-up to a big event or dramatic...
novels starring her most famous creation, Dr. Tony Hill
Dr. Tony Hill
Dr Tony Hill is a fictional character created by Scottish crime writer Val McDermid. He is portrayed by actor Robson Green in the ITV television series Wire in the Blood based on her Tony Hill series of novels.-Overview:...
.
Biography
McDermid comes from KirkcaldyKirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, and was educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College, Oxford
St Hilda's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.The college was founded in 1893 as a hall for women, and remained an all-women's college until 2006....
, where she was the first student from a state school in Scotland (Kirkcaldy High School
Kirkcaldy High School
Kirkcaldy High School is a comprehensive state school in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland.Kirkcaldy High school was admitted to the "Schools of Ambition" programme in 2007....
), and became President of the Junior Common Room. After graduation she became a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, and worked briefly as a dramatist. However, her first success as a novelist, Report for Murder: The First Lindsay Gordon Mystery, did not appear until 1987.
Work
McDermid's notable characters are a lesbian journalist, Lindsay Gordon; a private investigator, Kate Brannigan; and a psychologist, Tony Hill, who suffers from sexual dysfunction. Her books mainly fall into three series: Lindsay Gordon, Kate Brannigan, and, beginning in 1995, the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series, the first entry in which, The Mermaids Singing, won the Crime Writers' AssociationCrime Writers' Association
The Crime Writers Association is a writers' association in the United Kingdom. Founded by John Creasey in 1953, it is currently chaired by Peter James and claims 450+ members....
Gold Dagger
Gold Dagger
The Gold Dagger Award was an award given annually by the Crime Writers' Association for the best crime novel of the year.For its first five years, the organization's top honor was known as the Crossed Red Herring Award....
for Best Crime Novel of the Year. The Hill/Jordan series has been adapted for television under the name Wire in the Blood
Wire in the Blood
Wire in the Blood was a British crime drama television series, devised and produced by Coastal Productions for the ITV network that ran from 2002 to 2009. The series is based on characters created by Val McDermid; a university clinical psychologist, Dr Anthony "Tony" Valentine Hill , is teamed with...
, starring Robson Green
Robson Green
Robson Green is an English actor, singer–songwriter and presenter.-Biography:Robson Golightly Green was born in Hexham, Northumberland, and baptised in Bethel Chapel, , and named in Northeast tradition as first son after family surnames: Robson is his grandmother's maiden surname, while Golightly...
. McDermid states that Harper Lee
Harper Lee
Nelle Harper Lee is an American author known for her 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama...
's To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee published in 1960. It was instantly successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature...
is her favourite novel.
McDermid considers her work to be part of the "Tartan Noir
Tartan Noir
Tartan Noir is a form of crime fiction particular to Scotland and Scottish writers. It has its roots in Scottish literature but borrows elements from elsewhere, including from the work of American crime writers of the second half of the twentieth century, especially of the hard-boiled genre, and of...
" Scottish crime fiction genre. As well as her novels, McDermid contributes to several British newspapers and often broadcasts on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
.
Her novels, in particular the Tony Hill series, are known for their graphic depictions of violence and torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
.
The McDermid Stand
The McDermid Stand, which she sponsors, is in Stark's ParkStark's Park
Stark's Park is a football stadium in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. It is the home ground of Raith Rovers F.C..-History:The ground was opened in 1891 and seats 10,104. It is located in Kirkcaldy, Fife...
, Raith Rovers ground in Kirkcaldy. She often invests in billboards there for her newest books. This endeavour was in honour of her father, a scout for the club. She has lately become a board member of the club, a year after sponsoring this stand.
Personal life
McDermid is lesbianLesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. She and her former spouse share custody of their son Cameron (conceived to McDermid's ex via donor insemination). She is a Raith Rovers supporter. She lives in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
with three cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s.
Lindsay Gordon series
- Report for Murder (1987)
- Common Murder (1989)
- Final Edition (1991) US Titles: Open and Shut, Deadline for Murder
- Union Jack (1993), US Title: Conferences are Murder
- Booked for Murder (1996)
- Hostage to Murder (2003)
Kate Brannigan series
- Dead Beat (1992)
- Kick Back (1993)
- Crack Down (1994)
- Clean Break (1995)
- Blue Genes (1996)
- Star Struck (1998)
Tony Hill and Carol Jordan series
- The Mermaids SingingThe Mermaids SingingThe Mermaids Singing is a crime novel by Scottish author Val McDermid, the first featuring her recurring protagonist, Dr. Tony Hill. It was adapted into the pilot episode of ITV1's television series based on McDermid's work, Wire in the Blood, starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris.The title is...
(1995) - The Wire in the Blood (1997)
- The Last TemptationThe Last Temptation (novel)The Last Temptation is a crime novel by Scottish author Val McDermid, the third in her acclaimed Dr. Tony Hill series, which has been adapted into the ITV television drama Wire in the Blood, starring Robson Green...
(2002) - The Torment of OthersThe Torment of OthersThe Torment of Others is a crime novel by Scottish author Val McDermid, and is the fourth entry in her popular Carol Jordan and Dr. Tony Hill series, which has been successfully adapted into the television series Wire in the Blood. The novel was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Gold...
(2004) - Beneath the BleedingBeneath the BleedingBeneath The Bleeding is a crime novel by Scottish author Val McDermid, the fifth featuring her recurring protagonist, Dr. Tony Hill and his police partner Carol Jordan. The books were successfully adapted into the television series Wire in the Blood., starring Robson Green and Hermione Norris.The...
(2007) - Fever of the BoneFever of the BoneFever of the Bone is a novel written by noted Scottish crime author Val McDermid. It was published by Little, Brown in Great Britain and HarperCollins for the United States and Canada , and is the sixth novel in the series featuring psychologist Dr. Tony Hill and Detective Chief Inspector Carol...
(2009) - The Retribution (2011)
Other books
- A Suitable Job for a Woman (1994); non-fiction
- The Writing on the Wall (1997); short stories, limited edition of 200 copies
- A Place of ExecutionA Place of ExecutionA Place of Execution is an acclaimed crime novel by Val McDermid, often cited as her magnum opus, first published in 1999. The novel won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the 2001 Dilys Award, was shortlisted for both the Gold Dagger and the Edgar Award, and was chosen by the New York Times as one...
(1999) - Killing the Shadows (2000)
- The Distant Echo (2003)
- Stranded (2005); short stories
- The Grave Tattoo (2006)
- A Darker DomainA Darker DomainA Darker Domain is a 2008 psychological thriller novel by Scottish crime writer Val McDermid. Reviewers often noted the fast paced style of the novel as it flashes back and forth between two plot lines, a contemporary crime in 2007 and the investigation of a cold case from 1984. The novel is set in...
(2008) - Trick of the Dark (2010)