Fife’s bestselling author Val McDermid toured Fife with Angela Rippon in the latest episode of The One Show – including a special visit to Kirkcaldy Library.
Airing on Tuesday night, the Kirkcaldy-born author discussed how her roots have inspired several of her characters in novels.
The duo visited a place close to Val’s heart – Kirkcaldy Library – and discussed what sort of role her hometown plays in her storytelling.
They also went into the seacaves in Wemyss and sat on a bench at what appeared to be an East Neuk village
The Sunday Times bestselling author said: “I wouldn’t be a writer if it wasn’t for the public library.
“It was my home from home.
“My mother had encouraged me to read and I couldn’t afford to buy books.
“This is what entertained me, the books in that children’s library.”
Val said it was the discovery of Agatha Christie’s novels when she was nine that set her on her way to becoming a crime writer.
The 68-year-old was one of a selected few crime writers who contributed to a brand new Miss Marple collection in 2022.
She described the feeling of walking into the library and seeing her own books on the shelves as “bizarre”.
The ‘Queen of Crime’ said: “I see all these other books on the shelves, particularly the classic that I read when I was younger, and I’m on the same shelve as them.
“It’s hard to believe sometimes.
“This is not how I expected my life to be.”
Fife plays huge role in Val McDermid’s characters
A young Val cut her teeth by telling stories to her friends of when she holidayed in East Wemyss.
Inspired by the sea caves and stunning views across the Firth of Forth, she honed her skills as a storyteller.
The One Show feature comes as her latest book in the Karen Pirie series Past Lying is released Thursday.
A second TV series involving the character is to start filming next year – set against the backdrop of Fife.
She described heroine Karen Pirie as “a good Scottish lassie, she’s a good Fife lassie”.
Tuesday evening’s show also featured guests Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, Bryan Adams and rising comedian Munya Chawawa.
Previously, Val’s novel 1979 was named Fife’s most-borrowed library book of 2022, beating the likes of Jack Reacher The Thursday Murder Club.
And the best-selling author had murder on her mind when she visited the Silverburn Park project in Leven.
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