Great News: Diamond Dagger recipient Val McDermid to visit four New Zealand cities this month

Further to my post from last month revealing that 2010 CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger recipient Val McDermid would be touring New Zealand in late August, including public events in Auckland and Christchurch, in support of her latest thriller TRICK OF THE DARK, the full schedule for McDermid's visit has now been released. And in good news for crime fiction fans around the country, McDermid is appearing in all four main centres; Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

McDermid has written dozens of bestsellers, sold more than 10 million books, won and been shortlisted for many awards (including winning the prestigious CWA Gold Dagger for THE MERMAIDS SINGING, and also winning the LA Times Book of the Year Award and the Stonewall Writer of the Year Award), and had her stories adapted into acclaimed TV shows like Place of Execution and Wire in the Blood. In 2009 she was also inducted into the Hall of Fame at the ITV3 Specsavers Crime Thriller Awards.

She will be in New Zealand from 21-24 August. You can see her at the following public events:

See her at the following public events:

Saturday 21 August, 5.30pm – Dunedin
The Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Otago and the Otago Settlers Museum are pleased to host an event with Val McDermid
The Otago Settlers Museum,
31 Queens Gardens, Dunedin.
Free ticketed event.
Tickets available from The University Book Shop and The Otago Settlers Museum.

Sunday 22 August, 4.30pm – Christchurch
An evening with Val McDermid in conjunction with Plains FM
Our City O-Tautahi,
Oxford Terrace, Christchurch
Tickets $12.
Contact Ruth on (03) 384 4721 or Morrin on (03) 329 9789

Monday 23 August, 6.00pm – Wellington
Rainbow Wellington Event in conjunction with Unity Books
Unity Books,
57 Willis Street, Wellington
$10 for members $15 for non-members for entry, free nibbles and two free drinks.
Pay at the door.

Tuesday 24 August, 6.00pm – Auckland
An evening with Val McDermid at The Women’s Bookshop
105 Ponsonby Road, Auckland
Entry $5 at the door.
RSVP (for catering purposes) to: (09) 376 4399, email books@womensbookshops.co.nz or secure website: http://www.womensbookshop.co.nz/

The Dunedin event features McDermid in conversation with Scots-turned-Kiwi thriller writer Liam McIlvanney, so that should be fantastic for those of you in the deep south.

I will be heading along to the Auckland event. I'm very much looking forward to meeting McDermid in person, having had a fantastic phone interview with her recently (there will be an article coming out in the Weekend Herald the weekend she arrives, as well as a 9mm interview published here on Crime Watch). She comes across as very smart, opionionated, and open - unafraid to 'talk straight', she's blunt and boisterous. A great combo. Should be a lot of fun at her events. I've also just recently finished reading TRICK OF THE DARK, which I really enjoyed.

You can read an extract from TRICK OF THE DARK here.

So, what do you think of McDermid's dark crime novels? Are you a fan of 'Tartan Noir'? Have you watched the Wire in the Blood TV series? Will you head along to one of her events here in NZ? Thoughts and comments welcome.