Granite Noir 2024: Everything you need to know about Scottish crime writing festival
Granite Noir is set to return to Aberdeen in February, celebrating the best of crime fiction and noir writing.
Now in its eighth year, the literary festival has been expanded into a six-day event for 2024 with a bumper line up planned.
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Hide AdWith guests including best-selling author Lisa Jewell and Poirot himself, David Suchet fans of the genre can expect to be thrilled with the events on offer throughout the festival.
Here's what you need to know about Granite Noir 2024.
When is Granite Noir 2024?
Granite Noir 2024 will run from Tuesday, February 20 until Sunday, February 25.
Which authors are taking part in Granite Noir?
Best-selling author Lisa Jewell with headline Granite Noir for 2024, with other special guests including Marie Cassidy, Ireland's first state pathologist, who follows up her memoir with debut novel Body of Truth.
In addition, authors such as Alice Slater, Lynsey May, Adam Oyebanji, Maud Woolf, Briar Ripley Page, Callum McSorely, Sophie White and DV Bishop will discuss their work. International guests include Jean Kwok as well as Norwegian noir writers Agnes Ravatn and Jørn Lier Horst, a former investigating officer in Norway, and Icelandic noir authors Sólveig Pálsdóttir and Óskar Guðmundsson.
Granite Noir 2024 schedule
Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation Exhibition
Tuesday, February 20 - Sunday, February 25 – The Music Hall
Running throughout the festival, Gunpowder, Tattoos and Transportation: Aberdeen’s Inked Convicts will explore the history and meaning behind the tattoos of the city’s most notorious criminals. The free exhibition will be held in Aberdeen Music Hall throughout the six day festival.
Tickets: Free
Twelve Angry Men
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Hide AdTuesday, February 20 - Saturday, February 24 – His Majesty’s Theatre
As part of Granite Noir, Twelve Angry Men will be at His Majesty’s Theatre. Following a record-breaking West End run, Reginald Rose’s courtroom thriller stars Jason Merrells, Gray O’Brien, Tristan Gemmill, Michael Greco, Ben Nealon and Gary Webster.
Tickets: £21 - £43
David Suchet: Poirot and More
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Hide AdTuesday, February 20 & Wednesday, February 21 – The Music Hall
This retrospective conversation with David Suchet will see the actor discuss his career and celebrate Poirot.
Tickets: £32.50–£37.50
The Mystery of Mr E – Film Screening and Q&A with Sophie Hannah
Wednesday, February 21 – The Lemon Tree
Award-winning writer Sophie Hannah will celebrate her new musical murder mystery film, The Mystery of Mr E, followed by a Q&A with the author who will also chat about the latest instalment of Poirot, Hercule Poirot’s SIlent Night.
Tickets: £13.50
Literature at Lunchtime with Michael J Malone
Thursday, February 22 – Big Sky Studio, Music Hall
Set to be interviewed by Fiona Stalker, Scottish author Michael J Malone will discuss his latest gothic thriller, The Murmurs.
Tickets: £7.50
Norwegian Noir with Agnes Ravatn & Jørn Lier Horst
Thursday, February 22 – The Lemon Tree
Agnes Ravatn will discuss her latest psychological drama, The Guests, while Jørn Lier Horst takes audiences on a man hunt for an escaped prisoner with Stigma, which was written with Thomas Enger in this event, which is chaired by Katalina Watt.
Tickets: £9.50
Unsettling, Unnerving, Sublime with Caroline Hardaker, Lynsey May & Camilla Grudova
Thursday, February 22 – The Lemon Tree
Discussing their recent work, Caroline Hardaker, Lynsey May and Camilla Grudova are three authors whose books leave readers creeped out. The conversation with the authors will be chaired by Eris Young.
Tickets: £10.50
Zine Workshop
Thursday, February 22 – Big Sky Studio, Music Hall
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Hide AdThis workshop will allow attendees to create their own zine’s inspired by the themes of Granite Noir.
Tickets: £7.50
Writers of Colour Workshop with the Scottish BPOC Writers Network
Thursday, February 22 – Online Event
Learn the basics of writing with this online workshop hosted by the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, for Black writers and writers of colour based in Scotland.
Tickets: £7.50
Scared to Death
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Hide AdThursday, February 22 - Sunday, February 25 – The Anatomy Rooms
Aberdeen based Ten Feet Tall Theatre return to Granite Noir for the third time with Scared to Death, a production based on the historic true crime case which saw Aberdeen thrust into panic when the lifeless body of a child is discovered. Audiences will dissect the case which marked a pivotal moment for forensic science in the justice system.
Tickets: £13.50
The Makings of a Murderer
Thursday, February 22 – The Music Hall
Audiences can gain a detective’s insight into true crime cases and serial killers such as Jack the Ripper, Harold Shipman and Peter Sutcliffe as well as Scottish murderer Peter Tobin, in this show by David Swindle, a detective who worked with Strathclyde Police for more than 30 years.
Tickets: £30.50-£34.50
Literature at Lunchtime with Alex Nye
Friday, February 23 – Big Sky Studio, Music Hall
Discussing Gallow Falls, her latest mystery adventure, Alex Nye will be interviewed by Bryan Burnett.
Tickets: £7.50
Laugh Out Loud Mystery with Alice Bell & Olga Wojtas
Friday, February 23 – The Lemon Tree
Alice Bell will lead audiences through a classic murder mystery party through the eyes of Claire and Sophie – investigators with a difference – in Grave Expectations, while Olga Wojtas takes audiences on a fresh caper with Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Gondola of Doom.
Tickets: £10.50
Poisoned Afternoon Tea with Dr Kathryn Harkup
Friday, February 23 - Saturday, February 24 – The Terrace
An Agatha Christie inspired afternoon of food and puzzling poisons hosted by Dr Kathryn Harkup who will explain how to spot potential poisons.
Tickets: £30
A Damaged World with Kate Simants, Lauren James & Oisin McGann
Friday, February 23 – The Lemon Tree
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Hide AdKate Simants’ discusses her thriller Freeze, which follows a group of reality TV contestants trapped on an Arctic ice-breaking ship as they are picked off one by one. Also taking part in this panel are Lauren James, the editor of Future Hopes which features Oisin McGann.
Tickets: £10.50
Food and Its Place in Fiction
Friday, February 23 – Aberdeen Arts Centre
Sue Lawrence will explore how to best work food into your writing and the impact and lasting legacy it can have.
Tickets: £7.50
Taking The Law Into Their Own Hands with Catherine Kirwan & Ruth Mancini
Friday, February 23 – The Lemon Tree
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Hide AdLawyers Catherine Kirwan and Ruth Mancini will discuss their own novels as well as law in crime fiction.
Tickets: £10.50
Hidden Darkness with Charles Cumming, Denise Mina & Louise Welsh
Friday, February 23 – The Music Hall
Three of the most celebrated authors who are part of the Granite Noir line up, Charles Cumming, Denise Mina and Louise Welsh will take part in a group discussion about their latest works.
Tickets: £13.50
Cocktails - Shaken not Stirred with Dr Kathryn Harkup
Friday, February 23 - Saturday, February 24 – The Terrace
Discussing James Bond’s adventures and exploits, Dr Kathryn Harkup will help you figure out the best plan to take over the world, all over 007’s favourite cocktails.
Tickets: £30
Into the Dark with Shane Strachan & Hannah Lavery
Friday, February 23 – The Lemon Tree
Enjoy poetry readings from Scots Scriever Shane Strachan and the 2021 Edinburgh Makar Hannah Lavery.
Tickets: £10.50
Robots and Dinosaurs – What Could Go Wrong?
Saturday, February 24 – Central Library
Alan Windram, the award winning author of the One Button Benny picture books, will bring his interactive, fun filled book event full of stories, songs and his new book One Button Benny and the Dinosaur Dilemma to Granite Noir. Recommended for ages 3-6.
Tickets: £7.50
Bold New Voices with Adam Oyebanji, Briar Ripley Page & Maud Woolf
Saturday, February 24 – The Lemon Tree
These three emerging authors will discuss their latest works in a panel chaired by Jacky Collins.
Tickets: £10.50
Writing Workshop with Shane Strachan
Saturday, February 24 – Central Library
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Hide AdLed by author and poet Shane Strachan, this workshop will see you using Aberdeen-themed artworks as inspiration for new prose or poetry set in the city.
Tickets: £7.50
Is There a Killer In You? With Alice Slater & Matthew Blake
Saturday, February 24 – The Lemon Tree
Chaired by Peggy Hughes, this author discussion will see Death of a Bookseller author Alice Slater discuss her work alongside Anna O author Matthew Blake.
Tickets: £10.50
The Case of the Chaos Monster with Patrice Lawrence
Saturday, February 24 – Central Library
Patrice Lawrence – The Case of the Chaos Monster
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Hide AdIn this child friendly event, recommended for ages 9-10, Patrice Lawrence will discuss the Elemental Detectives with chair Adanna Shan.
Tickets: £7.50
An Introduction to Publishing
Saturday, February 24 – Aberdeen Arts Centre
The Society Of Young Publishers Scotland will help answer any questions you have around how books get published.
Tickets: £7.50
Twitchers with M.G Leonard
Saturday, February 24 – Central Library
Best-seller M.G Leonard will share what she discovered about birdwatching when writing her Twitchers series, which is perfect for young nature enthusiasts and detectives in the making. Recommended for ages 7-12 years, it will be chaired by Amy Liprott.
Tickets: £7.50
Mysteries in Time Gone By with Phil Miller, ES Thomson & Ajay Close
Saturday, February 24 – The Lemon Tree
Chaired by Bryan Burnett, this author conversation will feature Phil Miller, ES Thomson and Ajay Close.
Tickets: £10.50
Icelandic Noir with Sólveig Pálsdóttir & Óskar Guðmundsson
Saturday, February 24 – The Lemon Tree
Featuring bestselling author Solveig Palsdottir as well as Óskar Guðmundsson, a rising star in Icelandic crime fiction, this author conversation will be chaired by Jacky Collins.
Tickets: £10.50
CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation
Saturday, February 24 & Sunday, February 25 – Big Sky Studio, Music Hall
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Hide AdIn this comedy, no one knows who the killer is – not even the cast. After selling out at the Edinburgh Fringe, Crime Scene Improvisation returns to Granite Noir for 2024.
Tickets: £11
Marie Cassidy in Conversation
Saturday, February 24 – The Music Hall
Originally from Scotland, Marie Cassidy was Ireland’s first female state pathologist. Following her career and insightful memoir, she has now turned to fiction and published debut novel Body of Truth. Audiences can join Alex Gray as she discusses Cassidy’s career and writing.
Tickets: £13.50
Nighttime Noir
Saturday, February 24 – The Lemon Tree
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Hide AdAn evening of darkness curated by Scottish BPOC Writers Network, followed by a DJ set by Arusa Qureshi.
Tickets: £10.50
Queen of Codes with Jackie Uí Chionna
Sunday, February 25 – The Lemon Tree
Discussing the history of British codebreaking and the involvement of women, Jackie Uí Chionna discusses the women who helped make history in this panel chaired by Nasim Rebecca Asl.
Tickets: £10.50
Children’s Workshop with Patrice Lawrence
Sunday, February 25 – Aberdeen Arts Centre
Patrice Lawrence shows children how to create their own magical creatures inspired by landmarks in their favourite place.
Tickets: £7.50
Missing Girls with Jean Kwok & Emma Christie
Sunday, February 25 – The Lemon Tree
The Leftover Woman, written by international bestseller Jean Kwok, and In Her Shadow, written by former journalist Emma Christie, are two novels which feature missing women. In this panel chaired by Alex Clark the two will discuss their work.
Tickets: £10.50
Chats and Drawings with Oisin McGann
Sunday, February 25 – Aberdeen Arts Centre
In this session aimed at children aged 8 and up, Oisin McGann will lead the conversation around how he got started in writing and illustration, drawing throughout the discussion chaired by Adanna Shan.
Tickets: £7.50
Award Winners with Callum McSorely, Sophie White & DV Bishop
Sunday, February 25 – The Lemon Tree
Chaired by Peggy Hughes, this event will see three award winning authors discuss their work. Callum McSorley’s debut novel Squeaky Clean saw him become the youngest ever winner of the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year, with her sixth novel Where I End, Sophie White took home the Shirley Jackson Award for best novel and DV Bishop’s The Darkest Sin won the CWA 2023 Historical Dagger Award.
Tickets: £10.50
Lisa Jewell in Conversation
Sunday, February 25 – The Music Hall
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Hide AdChaired by Alex Clark, this discussion will see best-selling author Lisa Jewell discuss toxic relationships, manipulation, coercion and family secrets, as well as an insight into potential adaptations of her work.
Tickets: £13.50
2:22 - A Ghost Story
Tuesday, February 27 - Saturday, March 2
Having received praise from The Scotsman during its Edinburgh run, 2:22 will thrill Aberdeen audiences. Starring Jay McGuiness, Fiona Wade, George Rainsford and Vera Chok it follows Jenny, who believes her new home is haunted while her husband Sam isn’t having any of it.
Tickets: £15-£45
Where to buy tickets
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Hide AdIf you're excited by the 2024 Granite Noir programme tickets can be purchased through Aberdeen Performing Art's website.
Granite Noir ticket discounts
The more author conversations you buy tickets for at Granite Noir, the more money you can save. Log in to your account, add the tickets to your basket and the discounts will apply automatically.
If you purchase 5 or more tickets you can save 10%, and if you're attending 10 or more events you can save 20%. This only applies to author conversations.
Are there family friendly events on at Granite Noir 2024?
Yes, there are several family friendly additions to the programme.
If you're looking to keep the children entertained, the following events are family friendly, and suitable for a wide range of ages.
- Robots and Dinosaurs - What Could Go Wrong?
- The Case of the Chaos Monster
- Children's Workshop with Patrice Lawrence
- Twitchers with MG Leonard
- Chats and Drawings with Oisin McGann
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