A Glasgow mother has won Scotland’s crime book of the year with her debut novel — published when she was 64.
Frances Crawford also made history as the first writer to claim both the McIlvanney Prize and the prestigious Bloody Scotland Debut Prize in the same year.
Her murder mystery, ‘A Bad, Bad Place’, was the standout winner on the opening night of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival in Stirling.
Crawford, who lives in Glasgow, wrote the whodunnit after taking a creative writing course at the University of Glasgow at the age of 60. She has described herself as an ‘accidental author’.
Although she had long been an enthusiastic reader, Crawford had never intended to write a novel. That changed when her tutor urged her to expand a short story from the course into a full-length book.
She said she was ‘shocked’ by the response, having believed the novel would be read by only a small number of people. She said: ‘I didn’t have much hope for the novel. I’m shocked at the success I’ve had.
‘I used to go to book festivals and listen to the authors and now I’m one of them.’
Crawford began writing later in life, graduating at 60 with an MLitt with Distinction. The short story that inspired her debut crime novel won the Glencairn Glass Crime Short Story competition in 2023.
Frances Crawford (right) receives the Bloody Scotland debut prize and the McIlvanney Prize from guest programmer Denise Mina
Set in 1979, ‘A Bad, Bad Place’ is partly narrated by 12-year-old Janey, who finds a murdered woman on a disused railway line in Possilpark — the Glasgow neighbourhood where Crawford grew up.
Following a ten-way auction, Transworld acquired the rights to the book, which was published to great acclaim in February this year.
It has already collected a string of awards including the McDermid debut prize at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate this summer.
Ms Crawford now joins an illustrious list of McIlvanney Prize winners including names such as Peter May, Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina and Tariq Ashkanani.
Bloody Scotland’s guest programmer, leading crime writer Denise Mina, said of Ms Crawford’s double success: ‘This is a spectacular debut from a wonderful new voice.
‘She is the very first double winner and it could not be more deserved.’
The festival’s co-founder, author and chair of the Debut Prize judges, Alex Gray, said: ‘A Bad, Bad Place captured my heart from the first mention of Janey’s dog, Sid Vicious.
‘From then on the Glasgow patter and the different characters wound around me like a familiar – though not so comfy – blanket.
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Ms Crawford joins an illustrious list of McIlvanney Prize winners including Chris Brookmyre
‘Beautifully written, thoughtfully perceived from a child’s perspective, this is one novel that will remain with me for a long time to come.’
It is the first year Bloody Scotland has had an all-woman shortlist for the Debut Prize, with four of those women making it onto the longlist for the McIlvanney Prize, and the first time the same author has won both the Debut and McIlvanney prizes.
The latter comes with a Glencairn Crystal Decanter, £1000 and nationwide promotion in Waterstones.
Ms Crawford said of her success: ‘It’s very hard to put into words just how honoured I am. It wasn’t something I expected, to be in my sixties and have this whole new life.
‘It’s like a dream and I keep expecting to wake up any minute.’
Crawford was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, which causes muscle weakness, nearly 40 years ago.
In a remarkable twist, her two-book deal coincided with being accepted to trial a new immunosuppressant drug, which she says has been ‘life changing’.
Alongside a life changing advance, it has allowed her not only to come off benefits but to travel and discuss her story at festivals, which she would not have been able to do previously.
The acclaimed prize was named after Laidlaw author William McIlvanney
She said: ‘It’s like the stars have aligned and I’m so grateful.’
After collecting her gongs, Ms Crawford said it had never crossed her mind she would win one, let alone two awards.
She added: ‘It’s beyond my wildest dreams.
‘When I was growing up, we never had books in the house – there wasn’t space to keep them – it was only library books.
‘My mum and dad liked different authors but the one they both loved was Laidlaw (by William McIlvanney).
‘For me to win the prize in McIlvanney’s name would have made them both very proud indeed.’
