Reminder: Cartier Diamond Dagger recipient Val McDermid touring New Zealand over the next four days

Just a quick reminder that 2010 CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger recipient Val McDermid will be touring New Zealand over the next few days, in support of her latest thriller TRICK OF THE DARK. 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.

McDermid's first event is tomorrow (Saturday) in Dunedin, and then she will be appearing in Christchurch, Wellington, then finishing in Auckland on Tuesday evening. For those in the upper North Island, grab a copy of tomorrow's Weekend Herald to read my interview with McDermid (note - my feature will be in the Arts pages of the main newspaper, rather than in the Canvas magazine, this time).

You can see McDermid 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.

As an aside - this Dunedin event features McDermid in conversation with Scots-turned-Kiwi thriller writer Liam McIlvanney (author of the excellent ALL THE COLOURS OF THE TOWN), so that should be fantastic for those of you in the deep south.

Sunday 22 August, 4.30pm – Christchurch (EVENT SOLD OUT!)

An evening with Val McDermid in conjunction with Plains FM

Our City O-Tautahi,

Oxford Terrace, Christchurch

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.

Please note: McDermid is one of ten speakers at the anuual Rainbow Wgtn Book Review Night at Unity Books. She will speak in response to the review for her new book TRICK OF THE DARK. After that everyone will break for a wine and she will sign copies of her book. The annual Rainbow Book Review night celebrates new books by LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bi, trans /intersex) authors.

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/

Personally I will be heading along to this latter Auckland event. I'm very much looking forward to meeting McDermid in person, having had a fantastic phone interview with her recently. It 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 New Zealand? Thoughts and comments welcome.