Murrr-durrr, they wrote

Even before Jim Taggart first snarled, "Thuz bin a murrr-durrr" in the early 80s in his long-running eponymous TV drama, Scotland was known for a particularly gritty form of crime fiction.

- Jane Clifton

Tartan Noir's pioneer was William McIlvanney, whose 70s Laidlaw novels depicted crime and policing with a then-groundbreaking combination of jarring frankness and compassion.

A statistical analysis might now show Scotland produces more successful crime writers per capita than anywhere else in the wurr-uld.

This is the motive, means and opportunity of Bloody Scotland, an annual book festival drawing about 13,000 attendees, online or in impressive queues, to Stirling - once home to the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. The festival attracts global headliners, this year including Kathy Reichs, an early populariser of forensics in fiction, Slow Horses author Mick Herron, Kate Atkinson and a key festival supporter, Sir Ian Rankin, whose character, Rebus, concurrently inhabits books, stage shows, TV series and audiobooks.

What gives so many of Britain's far north Gaels such aptitude for inventing evil remains a cliffhanger. A single residential area in Edinburgh once housed Rankin, Atkinson, JK Rowling, Alexander McCall. Smith and Maggie O'Farrell - all contriving death and destruction in their distinctive styles.