Liam McIlvanney - The Good Father

For the latest Scots Whay Hae! podcast Ali caught up with writer and academic Liam McIlvanney to talk about his superb new novel The Good Father, which is published with Zaffre (and which is rightly longlisted for this year's Bloody Scotland McIlvanney Prize).

It's a novel which is difficult to discuss without offering spoilers, but they just about manage it. After giving a brief description, Liam explained why this was right time for him to tell this story, and that while it felt easier than previous novels in terms of speed of writing, the subject matter was as challenging as anything he has undertaken to date.

Liam then explained the epigraph from Robin Robertson, why he prefers to read poetry when writing fiction, the challenges in creating his characters (particularly the central figure of Gordon Rutherford), and why this is his most personal novel yet.

The two then talk through the themes and ideas, the pacing and structure, and the very nature of writing about crime, before an in depth discussion about the importance of the Scottish Ballad tradition to Scottish literature, from Hogg and Stevenson, through to Muriel Spark and beyond. And there's so much more!

The Good Father is arguably Liam's best novel to date and it was such a pleasure to be able to talk to the writer in person about it, and we consider this episode a must listen, not only for fans of Liam McIlvanney's writing, or even crime fiction, but anyone with an interest in the world of books.

Full details, including all the ways to listen, are over at https://www.scotswhayhae.com