In my heart Im just a lucky waitress.

Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when she gets older; she is going to be worried about her brother and sister; she will be making a living while bringing up kids.

I'm terrified to get married. I'm not getting married till my gay friends can.

I love Mikhail Bulgakov. He is very original and takes the story to unexpected places. I didn't realise political writing could be so funny.

I came from this very traditional background and I benefited hugely from feminism. I felt privileged going to university and doing a PhD. Most people of my background don't get to do that.

There's a real emphasis on being witty in Scotland, even in crime novels.

I think the negative traits are what makes us love other human beings, the foibles and the flaws.