Scottish crime writer Val McDermid is to have a mortuary at Dundee University named after her.
McDermid was one of a group of leading crime writers who lent their support to the university’s Million for a Morgue campaign. That saw the public asked to donate money to the campaign and vote for which of the writers they would like the morgue to be named after.
The other authors who lent their support were Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Jeff Lindsay, Stuart MacBride, Tess Gerritsen, Peter James, Kathy Reichs, Mark Billingham, Harlan Coben and Caro Ramsay.
McDermid was today named as the winner.
She said: “This is a very proud moment for me. I’ve known and admired Sue Black for nearly 20 years and it’s a privilege to be associated with her and her department in this pioneering venture.
“The work that’s being done in this mortuary and the knowledge it will communicate means better life chances for all of us. For once, we crime writers have had a chance to put life ahead of death and I’m thrilled to have been part of it.
“Million for a Morgue was a mad idea, but it’s borne more fruit than any of us could imagine. A huge thanks to everyone who put their hands in their pockets to support the campaign.”
Professor Sue Black heads the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification (CAHID), where the new morgue has been built.
She said: “The Million for a Morgue campaign has been a tremendous adventure for all of us and I am inordinately grateful to all of the authors who graciously gave of their time and their reputations to support Dundee.
“Val is a great friend to the centre and the work we do and so I am truly delighted that the mortuary will be named after her.”
The university has also named a dissecting room in the new morgue after another of the writers, Stuart MacBride, who has been a passionate supporter of the campaign throughout.
Professor Black added: “Stuart has been so pivotal in our success that we have also now chosen to name the dissecting room after him.”
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