A 64-year-old mother from Scotland has won the McIlvanney Prize for Scotland’s crime book of the year with her debut novel.
Frances Crawford, from Glasgow, has also made history by becoming the first author to win both the McIlvanney Prize and the prestigious Bloody Scotland Debut Prize in the same year.
Her murder mystery, A Bad, Bad Place, claimed both honours on the opening night of the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival in Stirling.
Ms Crawford began writing the whodunnit after completing a creative writing course at the University of Glasgow at the age of 60. She now describes herself as an “accidental author”.
A passionate reader, she had never intended to write a novel. But after her tutor encouraged her to expand a short story written for the course, the idea for her debut book began to take shape.
Ms Crawford said she was “shocked” by the novel’s success, having expected only a small number of people to read it. She added: “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.”
Ms Crawford entered the literary world later in life, graduating at 60 with an MLitt with Distinction. Her original short story 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 beside a disused railway line in Possilpark, the Glasgow neighbourhood where Crawford grew up.
After a ten-way auction, Transworld bought the rights to the novel, which was published to widespread acclaim in February this year.
The book has already secured several awards, including the McDermid Debut Prize at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate this summer.
Crawford now joins an illustrious roll call of McIlvanney Prize winners, including Peter May, Chris Brookmyre, Denise Mina and Tariq Ashkanani.
Denise Mina, Bloody Scotland’s guest programmer and a leading crime writer, praised Crawford’s double victory. She said: “This is a spectacular debut from a wonderful new voice.
“She is the very first double winner and it could not be more deserved.”
Alex Gray, the festival’s co-founder, author and chair of the Debut Prize judging panel, 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.
Ms Crawford joins an illustrious list of McIlvanney Prize winners, including Chris Brookmyre
“Beautifully written and thoughtfully seen through a child’s eyes, this is one novel that will remain with me for a long time to come.”
This is the first year Bloody Scotland has featured an all-woman shortlist for the Debut Prize. Four of those authors also appeared on the McIlvanney Prize longlist, while Crawford’s victory marks the first time one writer 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.’
