Macabradabra
Having written about Glasgow auctioneers and Elizabethan playwrights, Louise Welsh now tells Allan Radcliffe all about the dark side of magic.
Ulli\e Welsh may he a comparatiwl)‘ recent addition to the Scottish literary scene. htit the \xork ol the lidinhurghrhorn. (ilaxgoxx Ahaxed ll()\'L‘il\l already commands tlte kind ol hreathlesx anticipation traditionall) reserVed lor more extahlished authors. Apparently the question most lrettuenll} asked ol the lormet' second-hand hook dealer runs along the lines ol '\\'hat\ a nice girl like _\ott doing \\ riting about such nast} thittgx'." (‘ertainl_\. Welsh has a \\ ell docttmented laxcination with the gothic. her predilection lor all things dark and dex'ilixh linding stunning e\pre\\ion in her hugely acclaimed debut. The (Writing erm. The novel lollo\\ ed promiscuous ga_\ attctioneer Rilke‘x descent into a delicious!) seed} (i|a\go\\‘ underhell}. as he inx'extigated the origin ol some shocking photographs. disco\ered during a house clearance. \\'el\h noxx unleashes her second. lttII‘Iength. e|egant|_\ macahre mastemork. like all the best gothic tales tl)r .lekr/l and Mr lli'r/t'. l-i'uit/u’iixlr'I'nl. The Bullet 'I'ric/t catne to its author in a dreatn. “It “as more ol a nightmare reall}. ol a tnan standing iii a huge empt} “ill‘ehtilhe with a gttn in his hand and dread in his heart. I \tarted to \\ rite domt the image.‘ The \tor} Welsh cralted limit this grisl} \ixion. tells ol a \liglttl} dtmn-at-heel (ii;t\\\c‘g‘l;lli conittret'. \Villiam \Vilxon. \\ ho lindx himsell in serious jeopard} alter disturbing a long huried critne \xhile sojourning in the \xorld ol the Berlin burlesque. l-‘or \Velxh. the \\orld ol cahat‘et is more than \impl) an exciting backdrop to a thriller. hut er} slailises the author's deeper concerns. ‘The protagonist is an
30 THE LIST .‘t" Jul 3 Alb} .‘t\ '5
‘THE MAGIC CIRCLE HAS NOTHING TO FEAR FROM ME'
expert ol illusion. but he\ not so great at e\er'\da'\ lile. iiillxltlli and realit} blur and William hax to disentangle his oun ittttttcdiate past. and make amends lor it h} t‘exolx ing a .10 _\ear \anixhing act.‘ :\.\ \xith her no\'e|la. 'Iitiii/itri‘lrti'iit' .lluxl /)lr‘ la thrilling imaginatixe accottnt ol the linal day iii the lile ol Iili/ahethan pla_\‘\\'right. ('hristopher Marlo“ cl.
\Velsh was required to carry ottt a lair degree ol
research. ‘I did a lot (it \xalking around |,ondon. (ilaxgou' and Berlin tr_\'ing to get the settings \ll‘ttlgiil in in} head. I alxo I’e\i\iletl some ol the Berlin caharetx. The magic circle has nothing to lear lrom
tne: I met \\ ith a conittrer \\ ho \hou ed me the kittd ol
tricks a \i\—_\ear-old cart master; hut I couldn‘t.‘
like her earlier \\tit'k. III/Iv HUI/('1 Ilil’lit'lx has :1 contemporar} setting. httt mostl} inhabits a \inl} created atmosphere that is timeless. lntriguingl}. \Vclxh liillik\ ol these books as being \et‘} lirm|_\ rooted itt their time. il thematicall) unnerxal. 'l don't deliherateh tr} to a\oid contemporar} detail. i’el'hap\ it'x \illtpl} that m} characters aren‘t \a\\_\ enough to he in\ol\ed \\ ith the latest laxhiotts or musicf
Ha\ing also scored a success \xith her pla} 'I'ltr' [HI/ml'lullt'r' (if HUI-N2 .-\/fl't’r/. \Veish l\ currentl} \triting a lull-length production lor the 'l‘t'amua}. ('learl}. success hasn't dampened her desire to e\tend her literar) tentacles into dillerent media and genres. For now. though. T/It’ Bullet 'I'rir'lt reallirms her reputation as a purxeyw ol intelligent chillers. The Bullet Trick is published by Canongate on Thu 20 Jul.
CS 8 EVENTS
* Louise Welsh The latest thriller from this rising star of the Scottish literary scene follows a downatheel magtcran‘s investigations into a thirty-year-old crime. See preview, left. Waterstone's, Glasgow, Tue 25 Jul; Ottakar's, Glasgow, Thu 27 Jul; Borders, Glasgow, Fri 28 Jul,- Canongate.
* Michael Cannon The Glasgow writer delivers a complex, vividly evocative portrait of Scottish smalltown life. set during World War II. See review. Viking.
* Frank Esplnosa The first issues of Rocketo. created by animator turned comic book author Espinosa. introduces his retro—futuristic post-apocalyptic New New World to a grateful readership. See review. Image. * Put the Book Back on the Shelf A collection of comic strips by various artists. inspired by none other than ‘Scotland's best band' Belle and Sebastian. See review. Image.
* Robin Hardy As the Wickerman Festival prepares to get underway down the road in Dundrennan, the director of the original 703 horror classic pops into Glasgow to provide the lowdown on his new novel, Cowboys for Christ. Ottakar's, Glasgow, Thu 20 Jul.
* Jeffery Deaver The bestselling American crime writer crosses the pond to thrill and terrify with his latest novel. which features a time- obsessed serial killer nicknamed 'The Watchmaker‘. Waterstone 's, Sauchiehall Street, Edinburgh, Mon 24 Jul. * The Bridge Readings: Al. Kennedy The Paradise author and fledgling stand-up (pictured) is the first major literary figure to read and answer questions as part of this new series. National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, Thu 27 Jul.