As one of the UK's most successful and prolific crime writers, whose tartan noir novels have sold millions around the world, Edinburgh-based "Queen of Crime", Val McDermid, has admitted she would enjoy setting her mind to plotting murders on TV's The Traitors.
McDermid, who has written 40 crime novels, revealed she's a fan of the smash hit BBC reality show.
And she admitted she would be up for a crack at a future celebrity edition - whether plotting murders or using her powers of deduction to identify and banish the Traitors in her midst.
Speaking ahead of her headline event at the Granite Noir international crime writing festival in Aberdeen this week, McDermid told how she watched episodes at home "with bated breath".
She said she had admired the traitorous tactics of series four winners Stephen Libby and Rachel Duffy, who split the £95,750 prize pot.
And she revealed she may have a possible Traitors advantage, as she is known for her poker face.
She said: "Claudia has not tapped me on the shoulder, but I would be quite tempted by The Traitors. It's fascinating. We all sit and watch it with bated breath and form our own opinions.
"You watch these people on screen for an hour or two and think 'oh, I don't like him' or 'she's smart'. We make these instant judgments based on almost nothing but I think it's really challenging to do it well.
"In the last series I thought a lot of people did really well. The pair who got through to the end, Rachel and Stephen, were terrific. They played a good, cool game.
"People I've played poker with say I've a good poker face. But you can't know how well you would do until you're in the thick of it."
McDermid has sold more than 19 million books worldwide, translated into more than 40 languages, and won a series of awards.
She is best known for her award-winning Wire in the Blood series featuring clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and detective Carol Jordan -- played by Robson Green and Hermione Norris in the TV adaptation.
Her latest novel Silent Bones was the eighth in her Karen Pirie series, adapted for TV starring Lauren Lyle, and she is currently working on 1999, the third instalment in her series of novels featuring female news reporter Allie Burns.
Quiz shows
But she also has a remarkable record of success on TV quiz and game shows.
She has won celebrity editions of Mastermind, Eggheads and Only Connect and proved a formidable contestant on Richard Osman's House of Games and Pointless Celebrities.
She also captained the winning alumnae team for Oxford on the 2016 University Challenge Christmas special.
Asked if she would prefer to be a Traitor or faithful if invited to take part in a future Celebrity Traitors, she replied: "I don't know, there are pluses and minuses to both.
"Probably the ideal situation would be to go in as a faithful and be recruited as a traitor towards the end.
"I would request a sick note for some of the challenges though - I'm 70 years old and in the last two years I've had major back surgery and major heart surgery so I think I'd be entitled to a sick note."
The Traitors already featured one crime writer in its most recent series.
Edinburgh-born Harriet Tyce was able to use her skills as a barrister and published novelist to pinpoint Hugo and Rachel as traitors, before revealing her professional background to the group over breakfast in the castle. Despite being one of the group's faithfuls, her tactics backfired as she was banished at the round table, and Rachel went on to share the prize pot with fellow traitor Stephen.
McDermid said: "I think it would have to be a celebrity one (for me) because I couldn't pretend not to be me."
Ms McDermid is appearing at Granite Noir in Aberdeen on Friday with Dame Denise Mina. Click on the image below for ticket information.
