Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Here |
2012 |
Buy |
Jack Laidlaw Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Laidlaw |
1977 |
Buy |
| The Papers of Tony Veitch |
1983 |
Buy |
| Strange Loyalties |
1991 |
Buy |
| The Dark Remains |
2021 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Shades of Grey |
1993 |
Buy |
Poems/Short Story Collections Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Longships In Harbour |
1970 |
Buy |
| Landscapes & Figures |
1973 |
Buy |
| These Words |
1984 |
Buy |
| Walking Wounded |
1989 |
Buy |
| Surviving the Shipwreck |
1991 |
Buy |
Saltire Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Artist and Nationality |
2013 |
N/A |
| Dreaming Scotland |
2014 |
N/A |
| Nevertheless |
2014 |
Buy |
| Second Wind |
2015 |
N/A |
| Ploughing the City |
2021 |
N/A |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Remedy is None |
1966 |
Buy |
| A Gift From Nessus |
1968 |
Buy |
| Docherty |
1975 |
Buy |
| The Big Man |
1985 |
Buy |
| In Through the Head |
1988 |
Buy |
| The Kiln |
1996 |
Buy |
| Weekend |
2006 |
Buy |
William McIlvanney (1936-2015) was a Scottish writer whose work spanned novels, poetry, essays, and crime fiction. He is best known for the Laidlaw trilogy, starting with Laidlaw in 1977, which helped establish the genre that would later be called Tartan Noir. Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, and other Scottish crime writers have cited him as a direct influence.
His literary novels, including Docherty (1975) and The Big Man (1985), explored working-class Scottish life with the same attention to language and moral complexity that marked his detective fiction. His poetry and essay collections round out a body of work rooted in Glasgow and the broader Scottish experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has William McIlvanney written?
William McIlvanney has written 23 books across six series.
What was William McIlvanney's first book?
William McIlvanney’s first book is Remedy is None, published in 1966.
What is the Laidlaw series?
The Laidlaw series follows Detective Inspector Jack Laidlaw of Glasgow CID. It comprises Laidlaw (1977), The Papers of Tony Veitch (1983), Strange Loyalties (1991), and the posthumous The Dark Remains (2021), completed by Ian Rankin from McIlvanney’s notes.