A BURNSIDE writer whose debut novel scooped Scotland’s biggest crime fiction prize has said he is “floored” to have won.

Callum McSorley, whose darkly comic book Squeaky Clean was awarded the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2023, said it was a “big, big surprise.”

Fellow finalists included Denise Mina, Craig Russell and Robbie Morrison.

Callum said: “It's absolutely incredible. My jaw hit the floor when I heard my name being read out. I was sitting next to the other finalists, all of them previous prize-winners, so I felt it was quite unlikely to be me.

“I've been floating about dazed since then.”

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Like his central character in the book, Callum worked in a carwash, and as a student he took a string of jobs while he kept his dream of being a writer alive.

Squeaky Clean, which also features “Glasgow’s least popular police detective, Ally McCoist”, is about a car wash employee who takes the wrong customer’s motor for a ride and finds himself up to his neck in the city's criminal underworld.

Glasgow Times: Callum on stage at the awardsCallum on stage at the awards (Image: Callum McSorley)

Fans, including renowned Scottish novelist Christopher Brookymre, Sweet Little Lies author Caz Frear and comedian Kevin Bridges, who described Callum as “a serious talent", have been raving about the book since it was published by Pushkin Press in March and Callum has revealed is now planning a sequel.

"I have an outline for the next one, just need to get writing," he told the Glasgow Times.

Callum grew up in East Kilbride and after graduating from Strathclyde University with a degree in creative writing and journalism, he was selected for the Hermann Kesten Writing Scholarship in Nuremberg.

Since then, his stories have appeared in various publications, including Gutter Magazine and New Writing Scotland.

He lives in Burnside with his wife Lisa, who is a paediatrician, four-year-old son Elliot and daughter Nina, who is one. After the presentation, Callum made a touching tribute to his wife and his mum, Marion.

“I may not have written anything at all if it wasn’t for my wife, Lisa, whose love and support keep me going, always,” he said.

“And my extremely proud maw and guerilla marketeer, Marion, who you probably heard screaming on Friday night if you were in attendance at the Albert Halls in Stirling, has been my first reader since I first started scribbling as a child. Love you, mum.”

He added: “I have received so many wonderful messages and I apologise for not replying personally to them all but they really are so much appreciated. I am grateful to everyone who has reached out – friends, fellow authors, readers alike. It’s been really heart-warming.”