Booker Prize 2022: Graeme Macrae Burnet on nomination, Kilmarnock and Mitchell Library

It catapulted his name into the international spotlight while his book Shuggie Bain became a New York Times bestseller.

Now, another Scottish author is in with a chance to scoop the elusive literary award and what comes with it.

Graeme Macrae Burnet was announced on Tuesday as one of the 13 longlisted authors for his critically acclaimed book Case Study.

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The novel follows the story of a woman who seeks out a psychotherapist who she blames for the death of her sister.

While it’s not the first-time Booker Prize judges have found themselves impressed by Burnet’s work (his psychological crime thriller His Bloody Project was nominated in 2016), the author said he “absolutely did not” expect to make the longlist.

He told The National: “I knew Saraband Books, my publisher, was putting my book into contention but there are upwards of 150 books going into the prize.

“And these are not just any 150 books, these are the books that every other publisher thinks have the best chance of winning the Booker.

Douglas Stewart was the second Scot in history to win the Booker Prize for his 2020 book Shuggie Bain

“So you can’t possibly expect it but it’s absolutely brilliant that it’s happened. I’m thrilled. It feels like an amazing achievement.

“For your book to be considered worthy of this kind of accolade is very gratifying.”

Burnet said he felt humbled by the groundswell of support he received following his nomination.

“I think once it’s public knowledge and Nicola Sturgeon is tweeting her congratulations and Ian Rankin and Val McDermid and other writers are being extremely supportive, especially in the Scottish writing community, I think that’s when you really feel humbled.”

It’s still a strange feeling for Burnet that hasn’t quite sunk in, learning of the news while holidaying in Wester Ross.

Nicola Sturgeon called the book Case Study 'excellent'

“I feel a little bit insulated from it,” he said. “If I was home in Glasgow I probably would’ve gone out for drinks with some friends and that would make it feel real so I’m a little distanced from it.”

Burnet said that as well as the public tweet congratulating him on the longlist, the First Minister had messaged him privately to applaud his achievement.

He said: “Regardless of politics, Nicola Sturgeon is genuinely an incredible reader of novels and literature in general. She’s very supportive of Scottish writers.

“I think to have a leading politician who genuinely cares about literature is a brilliant thing. For her to take the time to congratulate me, she’s a busy woman, so it’s genuinely amazing.”

Case Study is Graeme Macrae Burnet's second book to be longlisted for the Booker Prize

The writer was born and brought up in Kilmarnock but moved when he left school to study film, TV and English literature at Glasgow University.

Following his graduation, he taught English as a foreign language in Prague, France and Portugal.

His last job before he published his first book at the age of 46 was a TV researcher for documentaries. But all through that time he knew the written word was his true calling.

“All I’ve ever wanted to do in life was to publish a novel” he said. “By the time I was 40, I finished my TV job and felt like it was time to pursue what I want to do and wrote what would become The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau.”

Burnet’s second book, His Bloody project, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2015 – something he said proved to be a “career and life-changing moment” for him.

Graeme Macrae Burnet said he was 'humbled' by the Booker nomination

“It takes you into the eyeline of every bookshop in the country, of readers and of international publishers who are far more likely to publish your work. The book ended up being published in 20 languages.

“It gave me the opportunity of becoming a full-time writer.”

Burnet didn’t stray too far from his home in the west of Glasgow to pen his award-winning novels. While most people go to the Mitchell Library to read, it’s Burnet’s de facto workplace.

The author revealed that he’d written the majority of his books at various floors of the famous Glasgow institution.

“I started going to the Mitchell when I was writing The Disappearance of Adele Bedeau, I wrote most of that on the second floor, then when I was writing His Bloody Project, I wrote most of that on the fifth floor.

Most of Graeme Macrae Burnet's books were written at the Mitchell library

“Then Case Study, I wrote that entirely on the fourth floor. I can probably point you to the seats I usually use.”

While he may have two Booker nominations along with a wealth of other awards under his belt, the Scottish writer didn’t always feel there was path in the literary world for him.

He said: “When I was 15-16, I started writing. I gave my English teacher some homework, about six or seven pages, and he told me he had never read anything like it before.

“I don’t know if that was a compliment or not but it made me feel really good, really encouraged.

“And then when I came up to Glasgow University I showed the writer in residence my short stories and he asked if I had thought of getting any of them published. Until that time it never crossed my mind that someone like me could have stories published.

“I come from a middle-class background, I’m not underprivileged, but I didn’t know that was a route that was possible for me. I had no idea how you’d go about it.”

Asked what’s next, Burnet, who is currently on holiday, said he planned on getting a fish supper and heading to the beach.

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On the literary front though, he is a third of the way through writing the last instalment of his detective Gorski trilogy, hoping to finish it by the end of the year.

And he revealed a big, new project is in the works. While he was tight-lipped on the details he said he expects it will take around two to three years to complete.

For now though, he awaits to find out if he will follow 2015’s triumph and make the Booker shortlist.

“We’ll wait and see what happens with the Booker Prize,” he said. “But for me, just being able to continue to exist as a writer is a brilliant thing.”