Tartan Noir Reading Group

Welcome to the 'The Mysterious Affair At Topping & Co.'!

Meeting on the last Friday of every month (excluding this meeting, on 23rd August), 'The Mysterious Affair At Topping & Co.' will discuss Scottish crime fiction across the decades.

Join us for an evening of murder, mystery, and a glass of wine. For the next six months we will be tracking A Century of Scottish Crime Fiction, reading and discussing a range of crime novels set in Scotland and written by (mostly) Scottish authors.

We will examine how Scotland’s crime fiction has evolved over the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly the varying depictions of Scotland as a literary setting. How is the landscape of Scotland used to create the perfect atmosphere for a crime novel? Why do so many crime writers keep returning to this country in their crime fiction? Whether you enjoy thrillers, classic whodunits, or the ever popular tartan noir, come along to discover new authors, and to share your own expertise with other fans of the genre.

This group is hosted by Benjamin, who is writing his PhD on 20th century crime fiction.

August's book is: The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey

On his train back to Scotland for a well-earned rest, Inspector Grant learns that a fellow passenger, one Charles Martin, has been found dead. It looks like a case of misadventure - but Grant is not so sure. Teased by some enigmatic lines of verse that the deceased had apparently scrawled on a newspaper, he follows a trail to the remote Outer Hebrides.

And though it is the end of his holiday, it is also the beginning of an intriguing investigation into the bizarre circumstances shrouding Charles Martin’s death…

Reading Group Structure

Ticketing: Each place is £5, which can be redeemed against a copy of a reading group book.

Frequency: Each reading group will meet once a month, on a set day of the week. You do not need to commit to one group, or every meeting! Just book for those you're interested in each month, and we hope to entice you back for another one.