Give us five words to describe Paying For It?

Gritty, edgy, Edinburgh crime thriller.

Which authors should be more famous than they are now?

Ken Bruen and Allan Guthrie, two razor-sharp exponents of Celtic Noir. We are blessed with a wealth of crime writing talent in Scotland.

What do you love about Edinburgh in August?

Jerry Sadowitz is here kickin’ ass like only he can. And the traffic’s too heavy for stretch Hummers! Which does mean fewer pished-up Geordie lasses in pink cowboy hats, but hey, we can’t have it all, eh?

Which dead author do you wish was still alive today?

George Douglas Brown. The one book he put his name to, The House with the Green Shutters is a masterpiece. I read that book again every year and it never ceases to amaze me how brilliant a writer he was.

What would you change about the publishing world?

There are too few independent retailers in this country now to give us a really vibrant literary scene. I really miss the small stores, staffed by tweedy, pipe-smoking bibliophiles. The big retailers have some fantastically well-stocked stores and great staff, but they just can’t capture that small store, indie vibe. There’s room for both.

15 Aug (with Jonny Glynn), 4.30pm, £6 (£4)