131: Linda Duncan McLaughlin – Original Sin | Bloody Scotland 2026

Linda Duncan McLaughlin joins me to discuss her debut crime novel, Original Sins, which has been shortlisted for the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize.Linda shares the inspiration behind a story that explores identity, adoption and the age-old question of nature versus nurture. We discuss the challenge of writing a protagonist whose birth father is a serial killer, why the novel blends psychological suspense with family drama, and how a manuscript that sat unfinished for years eventually became her debut novel.Linda also tells us about appearing on the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Panel, taking place Friday 18 September at 3:00pm, and shares the festival events she's most looking forward to attending. Her recommendations include the Two Crime Walking Tour, From Screen to Page, You the Jury, Every Breath You Take, Glesga, Murder at the Edge of the World, and Pitch Perfect.