“My boys are aware of what I do and they sometimes spot me on the telly – sometimes, they’re even quite impressed! But they just need me to be a big idiot, ladling out beans on toast!”ĭenise’s partner, Steve, is a forensic scientist, which she admits comes in handy when she’s researching a crime novel.

Also, I just accept that our house will always be messy! “I’m lucky – I’m very well supported by my mum and my partner and we have a childminder who comes in for an hour after school. With two sons aged 10 and 8, I suspect Mina knows only too well how difficult it can be to combine family and work (and solving crimes!). Her latest series centres around Detective Alex Morrow, a police detective with a complex investigation on her hands and a young family to look after. The proud Glaswegian pauses and, perhaps recalling the high number of Glasgow-based crimes in her books, laughs.

There are so many creepy places in Edinburgh – I blame it on the weight of hundreds of years of history and the narrow closes.

When I took my mum there a few years ago, she was freaked out by it. “Mary King’s Close is another brilliant experience. “There are exhibits such as the spine of a woman who was almost doubled over with osteoporosis – and died giving birth to her seventh child – and a man with a growth on his face which was bigger than his head, which highlight just how much people had to contend with in days gone by. With grisly murders, menacing criminals and grim locations, Denise’s novels reflect her love of the macabre, as does one of her favourite days-out – a visit to the museum at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. “I used to write comedy but I never got anything bought because the characters always ended up killing each other, which destroys the feel-good angle!” “I’m a bit of a ghoul,” reveals Scottish crime writer Denise Mina, who, in her pretty summer dress and bright yellow baseball boots, certainly doesn’t look like she has a ghoulish disposition.

The best-selling crime writer talks family, inspiration and branching out into graphic novels… Subscribe to our magazine for more great content

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