A Scottish author – and former Press and Journal reporter – is in the running for a prestigious award for her debut novel.
Crime writing festival Bloody Scotland presents the McIlvanney Prize to the best Scottish crime book of the year.
Emma Christie’s debut, The Silent Daughter, has been longlisted for the accolade – alongside the likes of Val McDermid and Stuart MacBride.
Ms Christie has drawn on her own experiences of the newsroom for her book, which follows the desperate search of Edinburgh news reporter Chris Morrison as he tries to track down his missing daughter Ruth.
Ms Christie covered the Aberdeenshire patch for the P&J before moving to the Elgin’s office as chief reporter before leaving in 2010 to pursue other ambitions.
Originally from Ayrshire, she now splits her time between Scotland and Spain, and when she’s not writing she works as a tour guide and lecturer in history, culture and politics.
Last month she was longlisted for the Crime Writers’ Association New Blood Dagger Award 2021.
Ms Christie’s second novel, Find Her First, will be published in December.
Finalists for the award will be revealed September 2, and the winner will be announced September 17.