Callum McSorley's Blog

I’m really excited to be appearing at Cheltenham Literature Festival this year!

I’ve been picked as one of The Sunday Times Must Reads and will be chatting to Times and Sunday Times literary editor Robbie Millen about PAPERBOY on the 14th October.

I had a brilliant talk with Robbie for a feature in the paper when the book came out earlier this year, so I’m looking forward to picking it back up again, maybe do a wee workshop on Glaswegian swearing or something.

Tickets will be available...

I’m absolutely delighted to announce my second novel, PAPERBOY, has been longlisted for this year’s McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year.

My debut, Squeaky Clean, won this prestigious honour when it was published in 2023, in what has been the most surreal moment of my writing career so far.

It’s lovely to have been nominated once more – and this year’s list is absolutely stacked!

Living legends Ian Rankin and Lin Anderson are on it.

Denise Mina, Liam McIlvanney ...

Now that some programmes have officially been launched I can go up on the roof and yell about the incredible festivals I’m taking part in this year!

First up, on June 22nd I’m off to Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland, where I’ll be chatting to living legend Colin Bateman at the Not-So-Secret Book Festival, the debut fest from the town’s brilliant local book shop, The Secret Bookshelf.

Details and tickets

Abso...

Bok!

As well as going to Croatia for a wee summer holiday, I’ll also be doing a few bookish events while the Scottish sun lasts, chatting about PAPERBOY, shredding, and super rats.

As part of Independent Bookshop Week, I’m absolutely thrilled to be heading to Daydreams Bookshop to chat with the brilliant and gobby Martin Stewart, author of DOUBLE PROOF. We’re both purveyors of Glasgow-based, patter-heavy comedy/tragedy/violenty crime st...

Excited to be taking part in Reading Minds again this year!

Taking place this weekend, I’ll be doing a couple of things at Helensburgh’s new, brilliant, and growing book fest.

First up, on Saturday 29th at 1pm, I’ll be one of the judges for the Pitch Perfect event alongside fellow authors Suzy Aspley and Graham Morgan, editor Rachel Morrell, and director of artists’ residency Cove Park Alexia Holt.

Unpublished authors will be pitching us their ideas and I can’t wait to hear them! T...

Today is finally the day! My new novel PAPERBOY is officially released into the world.

A sequel to my debut crime thriller SQUEAKY CLEAN (2023), it once again sees luckless and disliked detective Alison ‘Ally’ McCoist get herself embroiled in the murders and machinations of the Glasgow underworld.

This time Chuck Gardner is along for the ride. Chuck runs his own confidential paper shredding business. Gambling debts owed to dangerous and impatient people mean Chuck has been selling on p...

PAPERBOY has been chosen as The Times Crime Book of the Month for March!

This is a massive honour, and I’m so pleased about it! Massive thanks to The Times’ crime reviewer Mark Sanderson.

“Paperboy is a brilliant black comedy that repeatedly makes you squirm. Fizzing with energy and full of heart, it’s one of those books you simply don’t want to end.”

Mark Sanderson, The Times

Back in March 2023, my debut novel SQUEAKY CLEAN was published and selected as Crime Book of the Mont...

Swithering about getting a shiny new hardback?

Well, this might tip you over. Waterstones is doing a 25% off sale on preorders of books coming out soon. This weekend only.

This includes my new book, PAPERBOY!

PAPERBOY is the sequel to my debut novel, Squeaky Clean, which won the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2023.

DCI Ally McCoist is back, newly promoted but no more popular.

If you’re keen, click here to preorder, and use the code PREORDER25 to get th...

In just shy of two months time I’ll be launching my new novel, PAPERBOY, into the world with a couple of special events.

The first is on Thursday 13th March at Waterstones Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, where I’ll be talking to the excellent Cailean Steed (Home). You can see the details and book tickets here.

The second is on Tuesday 18th March at Topping & Company in Edinburgh. Info and booking is here. (There is an excellent ‘early bird’ ticket offer which you can take advantage of for t...

I won’t take up too much of your time, I just wanted to share a few words about the year along with some of my favourite reads and some sneaky recs for 2025.

The paperback of Squeaky Clean was launched way back in January and was Waterstones Scottish Book of the Month, which was incredible! It also published in the US in the summer, receiving a wonderful review in the Wall Street Journal (“With its wit, terror, guts and gumption, Mr. McSorley’s first novel is a smash.”), and capped off 2024 b...