MURDER, mystery and a bit of mayhem were on the agenda as much-loved authors came to Ayrshire for a talk at a special over-50s event.
Scottish author Chris Brookmyre and Prestwick-born romance novelist Jenny Colgan visited Vennel Gardens Engagement Hub in Irvine for a thrilling encounter.
The writers gave a fascinating talk to a group of over 50s at a Tidelines Book Festival event, chaired by Troon author Martin Stewart.
The new community initiative set out to bring well-known writers to those who ordinarily wouldn't get the chance to visit book festivals.
And the audience in Irvine were thoroughly entertained by the witty and engaging talk from the three wordsmiths.
Introducing his fellow authors, former English teacher and lecturer Martin described them as "two real giants of international fiction".
Famed for his writing for children and young adults, Martin's first adult crime novel Double Proof came out last year.
Chris Brookmyre is one of Britain’s leading crime authors. His latest book The Cracked Mirror merges two stands of crime fiction - the cosy Miss Marple staple and the hardboiled Los Angeles Noir.
He said: "I had this image in my head of a sort of Miss Marple village, with a SWAT team descending in full body armour with helicopters in the air. That sparked the whole story.
"It is Miss Marple meets Harry Bosch. It is all about these characters solving a problem for each other."
He later added: "I get fed up with the relentless gloomy version of Scotland in crime books. I always try to write happy books with murder in them.
"There's a murder in this book sparked by a proposal to open a certain bakery franchise in a well-to-do Perthshire village. I didn't mention the 'G' word...
"But I got emails from both Ian Rankin and Val McDermid when they both reached that point in the book."
As well as her romance and 'gentle' crime stories, she's also written a number of Dr Who tie-ins.
Brought up on the Prestwick seafront, she now lives on the east coast of Scotland with her husband and family.
The former Queen Margaret Academy pupil won the Romantic Novel of the Year award in 2013 and has been a bestselling author in the UK and US.
Her latest novel Close Knit is a heartwarming story about community, love, and the joy of knitting.
Describing her "cosier" approach to the crime novel, she said: "A few years ago I wrote a romance about two people who never met. And at the very end I killed off the guy just before they finally got together.
"It didn't get published. My agent told me, 'Never tell anyone that novel exists...'"
She added: "When I write about a small place, I make it up. Otherwise people who live in the real place get really annoyed if you get something wrong."
The talk wasn't the only treat in store for those who attended the event. They tucked in to book themed muffins, made by local baker Kathleen Mccauley, which featured the work of the authors themselves.
It was the first event of its kind in the area and was sponsored by Cunninghame Housing Association and Scottish Book Trust.
Catherine Beck, co-ordinator of community learning and development at Vennel Gardens, said she was delighted to have the opportunity to make authors accessible to all.
Tidelines is a community-run charitable trust bringing world-class literary events to Ayrshire.
They run events over the year, as well as an annual book festival which will be held from September 25-28 in 2025.
Follow them on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube for programme updates and exclusive event footage.
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