Husband and wife team behind best-selling Ambrose Parry novels to appear at Kirkcudbright Book Week 2025

Dr Marisa Haetzman and Chris Brookmyre are behind the Ambrose Parry series
-Credit: (Image: Bob McDevitt Photography)


The husband and wife team behind the best-selling Ambrose Parry novels will be appearing at Kirkcudbright Book Week 2025.

Award-winning crime novelist Chris Brookmyre and Dr Marisa Haetzman are heading to the Artists' Town in March to talk about the Raven and Fisher series, which is set in Victorian Edinburgh.

They said: "As the winter starts to close in, it's a comfort to know the unique light of Kirkcudbrightshire is beckoning in the Spring. Really looking forward to talking about medicine, mesmerism and murder in the new year."

READ MORE: Young Queen of the South fans offered free tickets for December clash with Stenhousemuir

Kirkcudbright Book Week 2024 will run from March 3 to 9, with more than 40 events in a dozen venues across the town.

Other writers due to appear include Sara Sheridan, who wrote about Scottish women’s history in her David Hume award-winning book Where are the Women, and Castle Douglas' Rachael Fulton, who will be in conversation with Rosie Ilett.

Aline Templeton
Aline Templeton

Rachael’s short story Call was shortlisted in The Sunday Times prize and she won Elle Magazine’s New Talent Award and came second in the Bridge Awards Emerging Writer Award in 2023.

She said: “Kirkcudbright Book Week has a fantastic programme of authors and publishing experts lined up, and I’m so excited to be a part of it. It’s a particularly special festival to me, as it’s so close to my hometown of Castle Douglas.

"Dumfries and Galloway's landscape and culture has always had a huge influence on my writing, so it’ll be wonderful to return and chat about my short stories and upcoming novel in the region, where most of the ideas began.”

Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin

Other highlights include one of Scotland's most celebrated crime fiction authors Aline Templeton and also Jenny Colgan, whose award-winning novels have sold 10 million copies worldwide.

Also appearing will be former Government minister and diarist Chris Mullin, author and political commentator Gerry Hassan and poet, editor, publisher and fiction writer James Robertson, who will be in conversation with novelist Karen Campbell.

Kirkcudbright Book Week is organised by the Kirkcudbright Book Week Society, a non-profit organisation which is supported by a number of local organisations and venues in the town.

READ MORE: Susan Calman visits Dumfriesshire for hit Grand Day out TV show

Society chairman, Chris Walker, said: "We are very excited by this year’s programme, which we think is the best yet and which has something for everyone of all ages.

"Book Week attracts audiences from the town itself, as well as from further afield, and we know that increasing numbers of people are using it as an opportunity to take a holiday in the area, which is good for local businesses."

More information is available at www.kirkcudbrightbookweek.org