Caron McKinlay
Emma Christie
Emma Christie was born and raised in a book-filled house in Cumnock, an Ayrshire coal-mining town.
After quitting her law degree to study literature and medieval history at Aberdeen University, she spent five years working as a news reporter with one of the UK’s top-selling regional daily newspapers, The Press and Journal.
Her debut novel THE SILENT DAUGHTER was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021, shortlisted for the Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021 and longlisted for the Crime Writers Association John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award 2021.
Her second novel FIND HER FIRST will be published by Welbeck in January 2022.
Both novels are standalones but based in one of Emma’s favourite places: Portobello, Edinburgh’s captivating seaside community.
Emma is founder of the popular Diary Of A Debut Novelist festival – a series of online events aiming to promote and inspire new UK authors. She also established the Caledonia Crime Collective, a group of seven Scottish writers hoping to support new voices in the tartan noir genre - and beyond. She’s also a member of the Crime Writers Association.
She lives in Barcelona with her girlfriend, Maria Jose, and their campervan, Jarry. When she’s not writing she can be found up a mountain, in the sea or sipping vermouth in a dusty bodega.
My debut novel The Silent Daughter was published in September 2020 and was shortlisted for two prizes. My second novel Find Her First will be released on Jan 20th, 2022. The blurb reads – A missing wife. A guilty husband. But it’s not what you think…
Where is Stef Campbell? And who can be trusted to bring her home? 
Paramedic Andy Campbell has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police. But when his missing wife's image is found at the home of a suspected killer, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones . . .  The race for the truth leads them far from their Edinburgh home – but who will find her first, and will they save her life or take it?
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Praise for Find Her First:
'Compelling, captivarting and so clever' – Marion Todd
'Christie is a master storyteller' – Penny Jenkins
'A shocking end. Highly recommend!' – Andrew Greig
'Clever, intriguing and full of twists' – Lauren North
'Another triumph from one of the UK's brightest, freshest voices' – Jonathan Whitelaw
'I became instantly obsessed with this book' – Victoria Dowd
'Pulse-pounding and heartbreaking' – Philippa East
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Tell us about yourself?
Are you working on something now?
I’m currently working on the first draft of my third psychological thriller novel. It’s very early days and will no doubt change massively before it’s ready to be published. The only thing I can confirm is that it will be based in the same place as my first two books – Portobello, Edinburgh’s glorious seaside community. It may also feature a few cameo appearances of characters from previous novels!
Which six books will you take to the Island?
A Biography of Silence by Pablo D’Ors
It’s a really short book about meditation and writing but I’ve returned to it many times. It’s simply written but beautiful.
On Wilder Seas by Nikki Marmery
I absolutely loved this book set aboard Francis Drake’s ship the Golden Hynd. I’ve only read it once so far but I’m sure I could read it `bring me hope to be reading about ships!
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
Absolutely nowhere as bleak as it sounds, this is another book I often return to. The author is an American divorcee turned Buddhist nun and this book is brilliantly insightful, and written in very own to earth language. Think it would be a good one to turn to on long days!
Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes in Spanish.
This was one of the first novels ever written and yet I’ve never read it! I speak Spanish fluently but don’t read much in any language apart from English so it would take me forever, I’m sure. But I’ve been meaning to read it for years and never got round to it, so…
One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marequez
I’ve read this in English and loved it but I’ve been told it’s even better in Spanish. Again, I’m sure I’d struggle but if I had all that time I’d love to give it a try.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
This is one of the most beautifully written and fascinating books I’ve ever read. It’s hard to describe but the blurb says it’s all about Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. I promise that if you read it, you’ll never see the natural word in the same way again. Utterly fascinating and a wee bit mind-blowing at times!
Which disc will you take to the Island?
My ‘Learning Greek’ CD by Michel Thomas! He’s an absolute genius when it comes to language learning, using a totally original approach that really works. I’m already fluent in Spanish but started learning Greek a few years ago when I was sent to work there as a tour guide. I love etymology and learning Greek made me feel like I know the source of every single word in both English and Spanish! Absolutely fascinating and at least if I was stranded on a Greek island I could then chat with the fisherman who rescued me!
What will be your luxury item?
Without any doubt my guitar. If my CD choice is language learning, I’ll make my own music! Plus I love singing and writing songs and I’m always more prolific when I’m a bit stressed so I’d probably have enough material for a good few albums by the time I got off the island!
Which fictional character will you meet?
I’d love to meet Jimmy from The Man On The Street series by Trevor Wood – but only if he brought his dog called Dog! I’m sure he’d help me stay calm and brings things into perspective if I started getting stressed out. Plus he’d make me laugh, I’m sure.
For the record the third book in the Jimmy trilogy is released on the same day as Find Her First and Trevor and I will be doing a wee tour together of Newcastle, Edinburgh and Stirling. That’s not why I chose his character
Thank you Emma
