Denise Mina

There's a real emphasis on being witty in Scotland, even in crime novels.

I think the negative traits are what makes us love other human beings, the foibles and the flaws.

The idea of suicide is of a very set narrative, as if killing yourself is a definitive statement. But it can be just as meaningless as throwing a stone in a river.

Merely implying bias due to a judge's ethnic heritage is wrong as a matter of principle and legally illegitimate.

I wanted to be a teacher, but I was a lousy student, one of the slowest readers. It was a tremendous struggle. But I'm lucky I had some teachers who saw something in me.

I am perhaps unusual in that I came to 'Doctor Who' through the numerous novelisations and not through the television show.