Shirley McKay

Although born in Tynemouth, author Shirley McKay now lives and writes in Fife. She studied English and Linguistics at the University of St Andrews, and later read Romantic and seventeenth-century prose at Durham University. She writes historical crime fiction set in St Andrews in the 16th century, featuring academic and lawyer Hew Cullan. Her novels are peppered with archaic Scots words.

McKay was shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger for Hue & Cry. She has also written a non-fiction travel guide, The Wee Book of Fife. She works as a freelance proofreader, and is working on the fourth Hew Cullan novel.