Glasgow Journalist Launches Crime Thriller Murder Central – A Bestseller in the Making?

A Glasgow journalist has started a new chapter in her life – as the country’s newest crime writer. Ashlie McAnally, 36, released her debut novel Murder Central on January 31 – only months after becoming a first-time mum.

Two years after putting her idea into words, former court reporter Ashlie, who now works for the Scottish Mail on Sunday, finally held her self-published paperback book.

As World Book Day approaches, the new author is excited to see people all over the globe as far as Australia and America, are reading her book.

Now, a month after its release on Amazon, Murder Central has already sold more than 400 copies with more than 7,000 pages read on Kindle Unlimited and amassed four and five star reviews.

Ashlie from Glasgow said: “I’m so proud to see my book in print and with glowing reviews.

“It sounds like a cliche but I’ve always loved writing, even before I embarked on a career in journalism.

“I’ve written poetry since I was a child. It’s always been a way to express myself. I’ve also been asked to write personalised pieces to read at friends’ weddings, that was a real privilege.”

As a journalist facts are key so turning her hand to fiction was steep learning curve.

Ashlie said: “Although I was encouraged to try and write a fiction book, I suppressed the notion, not knowing where to start or if I had enough of an imagination to write a full book.

“It was also suggested that I write about my experiences of covering courts for years, but I didn’t want to go down that route.

“Then I went to at an event for the release of Susannah Constantine’s book Ready for Absolutely Nothing in December 2022. Listening to her was totally inspiring and she encouraged me to go for it.

“In January 2023 I sat down and started typing. As I did my idea grew and developed. Then elements changed, some parts were deleted, othe parts regenerated and new ideas added, until it became the book I have today.

“It’s a totally different skillset than writing a news article or feature and it felt strange being able to add drama, twist and embellishments without checking facts.

“I did, however, tie myself in knots making sure everything made sense as though I was dealing with a real case.”

The book is about the murder of a Glasgow gangland figure, an inquisitive journalist who’s quickly on the scene and determined to get to the truth.

It also follows the journey of one of the police officers on duty on the day of the murder.

The author added: “And yes, it’s all fictional!”

Always one to work hard and see things through, Ashlie has taken on the challenge of releasing a book while on maternity leave, after becoming a mum in October.

She joked: “What fun is life if it’s not a little stressful!

“I worked so hard on drafts before I was pregnant and was determined to publish within the time-frame that I set myself, after putting in the hours.

“In fact, I was typing away on my laptop hours before I ended up in theatre for an emergency section!

“The book has been well received so far which I’m thrilled about.”

Although self-published, Ashlie hopes to see it go further than just Amazon.

She added: “I grew up in libraries and worked in them when I was a student.

“I’d love to walk into libraries in Scotland and bookshops and see my novel beside the likes of Marion Todd, Denise Mina, Chris Brookmyre and Alan Parks, to name a few.”

And until then, Ashlie will be working on her next novel and navigating life as a parent before returning to full-time work later in the year.

Murder Central is available for £8.99 from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle for £2.99. And for the time being it’s on Kindle unlimited.