Date/Time
Date(s) - Mon 1st Jun - Sat 6th Jun, 2026
All Day
Location
Moniack Mhor, Kiltarlity, Inverness-shire , IV4 7HT
Crafting Compelling Crime Fiction
This course, with Michael J Malone and Caro Ramsay, offers an opportunity to craft compelling crime fiction. An immersive course to take you from blank page to polishing the final draft with entertaining workshops on the nuts and bolts for creating chilling villains, twisty plots and perfect prose.
Tutors
Caro Ramsay has written eighteen novels and has been short listed for the New Blood Dagger, the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year and been long listed for the McIlvanney. She studied for a Diploma in Forensic Medical Science to enhance her writing, and murder people more effectively.
She started writing after fracturing her spine and in three years she went from an empty page to a two-novel deal with Michael Joseph (Penguin) for a six-figure sum. She was guided in this very steep learning curve by Jane Gregory (agent to Val McDermid and Ann Cleeve) and John Le Carre’s editor. Caro made every mistake possible and from that experience, Caro has created an array of workshops on writing it right.
Michael J Malone is the author of over 200 published poems, two poetry collections, fifteen novels, countless articles, and one work of non-fiction about successful Scots – Carnegie’s Call.
Michael is an experienced workshop leader/ creative writing lecturer to writers’ groups, schools and colleges as well as a personal performance coach and mentor. He is also a Clinical Hypnotherapist and a Reiki practitioner.
he is a regular speaker and chair at book festivals throughout the UK- including Aye Write, Bloody Scotland, Crimefest, and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Guest Reader
Kate began her publishing career at Hodder & Stoughton in 1988. Following spells at David Higham Associates, Simon & Schuster UK, and Severn House Publishers, she joined independent digital publisher, Joffe Books, as Publishing Director in 2021. Having always specialised in crime fiction, Kate is currently on the lookout for twisty psychological thrillers; regional British police procedurals, and charming English village cosies.
Fees
The full fee for this course is £740. This includes your accommodation in a single room with shared bathroom, all meals, hot drinks and snacks from Monday afternoon until Saturday morning, and your tuition. For more information about the format and practicalities of our courses, tutored courses, and retreats, please visit our About the Residential Courses & Retreats page.
A limited number of en-suite rooms are available, which can be booked in advance for a £50 surcharge. We will also reserve an en-suite room for anyone who may need it due to a medical condition. This will be offered out as an upgrade nearer the course start date if it is not needed.
A limited number of Twin Room places are available at a discounted price of £690 per person. When booking a Twin Room place, please tell us in the comments box which gender you are and which gender(s) you are comfortable sharing a room with. This information will remain confidential.
A small single room with a skylight is available at a discounted price of £715. Please note this room does not have an ordinary window, only a small skylight.
A deposit is required to secure your place, which is non-refundable after a 14-day cooling-off period. The balance payment of £590 is due six weeks before the course begins. Please read our Terms & Conditions for full details about our cancellation policy. If you would like to pay the full amount in advance, please email info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Bursaries are always available, and you also have the option to pay in instalments. If you have any problems paying online, or wish to discuss paying in instalments or applying for financial help, or would simply like assistance, please contact us by emailing info@moniackmhor.org.uk.
Access
Please let us know in your booking form if you have any access requirements, for example a ground floor bedroom and / or access to a step-free accessible shower room. We also reserve one en-suite bedroom per course for anyone who may need this due to a medical condition. For more information about access to our courses, please visit our Access page.
Terms and Conditions
Please read our Terms & Conditions before booking.