Cleeves officially launches Shetland Noir

Ann Cleeves.

Author Ann Cleeves officially opened Shetland Noir – the literary crime festival – last night (Thursday).

Cleeves, the author of the Shetland crime novels, is patron and curator of the event, which is taking place over the weekend at Mareel in Lerwick and is headlining Richard Osman of The Thursday Murder Club series and Queen of Crime Val McDermid.

Speaking to The Shetland Times following the official launch, Cleeves said: “We might kill each other on the page, but we are actually good friends when we get together.”

Ironically, filming of the latest series of Shetland was taking place just a few hundred yards away on Commercial Street in Lerwick.

Cleeves said she was delighted the success of Shetland had helped attract crowds to Shetland Noir, adding: “It is not only the stories, but the lovely landscape.”

She told the audience: “I first came to Shetland in 1975 and people made me so welcome then, and I feel very, very welcome now. I hope you get the same reception.”

The author revealed she has released a new short story featuring detectives Jimmy Perez and Alison McIntosh, inspired when she lost her laptop in a wintery Shetland.

While the laptop was found, it had been run over by a vehicle.