Kirkcudbright Crime Writing

Visitors to our website may be interested in finding out more about the crime novels of Evelyn Hood, who was inspired by the Dumfries and Galloway landscape.

Evelyn, who died in 2023 and whose books are now managed by her son Simon, was a Sunday Times bestselling author best known for her Scottish family sagas set in her hometown of Paisley (Renfrewshire) and on the Clyde Coast, where she also lived. Throughout her distinguished career, she published more than 40 novels, numerous short stories, as well as plays, pantomimes, musicals, and poems.

Her seven-volume ‘Prior’s Ford’ series of crime novels are set in a modern-day fictitious village in Dumfries and Galloway. These books follow the lives of some of the inhabitants of the village. Although each book can be read independently of the others, Simon tells us that readers will get the most enjoyment from reading them in order of publication; ‘Secrets in Prior’s Ford’, ‘Drama Comes to Prior’s Ford’, ‘Trouble in Prior’s Ford’, ‘Scandal in Prior’s Ford’, ‘Mystery in Prior’s Ford,’ Return to Prior’s Ford’, and finally, ‘Festival in Prior’s Ford’.

Evelyn also authored “Forward by Degrees,” a commissioned history of the University of Paisley, and “Mill Memories; Interviews with Former Employees of Paisley’s Thread Mills,” which preserves the legacy of the town’s textile industry. A former journalist, Evelyn wrote under several pen names, including Eve Houston, Elizabeth A. Webster, Louise James, and Evelyn Steel.

Passionate about literature and the arts, she frequently adjudicated competitions, gave public readings, and mentored emerging writers. She was also deeply involved in amateur dramatics in Paisley, directing musicals and plays.

Evelyn passed away in Ayrshire in 2023 but the legacy of her writing continues, inspiring a generation of saga writers and touching readers hearts worldwide.

A full list of Evelyn Hood publications is available on the website, evelynhood.com.