'I know who done it, the Burnside murders, and it wasn't William Watt.'

Glasgow, 1957. A family destroyed. A man who insists he knows why.

Through stale-aired bars and shadowed backstreets, William Watt and Peter Manuel share a night of whisky-soaked confessions and half-truths. A night that will lead to one of the most notorious trials in Scottish history.

Adapted from Denise Mina's critically acclaimed crime novel, The Long Drop is a gritty and gripping descent into a world of gangsters, gossip and betrayal. Linda McLean's stage adaptation was originally commissioned by and premiered at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, in 2026, directed by Dominic Hill.

'A masterpiece by the woman who may be Britain's finest living crime novelist' Daily Telegraph on Denise Mina's original novel

About the Author

Denise Mina is an award-winning novelist whose other work includes the Garnethill trilogy and the Paddy Meehan series. Linda McLean is a celebrated playwright whose other work for the stage includes Any Given Day, Glory on Earth, Sex & God, Riddance and strangers, babies.

Reviews

'Horribly gripping... adapted with equal parts wit and horror... darkly compelling'

* Guardian *

'Superbly dark and knowing... a magnificent, brooding film noir of a stage play'

* The Scotsman *

'Does a brilliant job of bringing to life the Glasgow of the late 1950s... the characters are brought to life spectacularly by McLean's script'

* WhatsOnStage *

'Intricately constructed... full of deceit, doubt and double-crossing... so atmospheric you expect to see the soot-stained slums and shipyards still standing when you leave the theatre'

* The Stage *

'McLean's adaptation of The Long Drop is gripping and evocative... thrilling to watch... Even if you're familiar with the story, you'll still be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens as the tension is so well built throughout'

* Broadway World *

'A darkly funny play that keeps the audience completely gripped... The tension is palpable, but the script also lands the laughs with real confidence... genuinely spectacular'

* Reviews Hub *

'A slow-burning noir that starts off like some Runyonesque caper, but ends up as a collective nervous breakdown... The sense of menace that pervades is leavened by an underlying gallows humour... a brilliantly realised rendering of a tightly wound post-war world that simmers with secrets'

* The Herald *

'Equal parts thrilling and comedic... intensely compelling... a powerful reflection on morality, justice, truth, and violence in all its forms'

* A Youngish Perspective *

'A deliciously envisioned Glaswegian noir... strikes an impressive balance between bleak melodrama and biting gallows humour'

* Theatre & Tonic *

'Astonishing, multifaceted, multilayered, exquisite... a brilliant piece of theatre'

* British Theatre Guide *

'Thrilling... magnificent... an atmospheric and sharply executed piece of theatre - one that leans into its darkness without losing its grip on human detail'

* Corr Blimey *



Book Information
ISBN 9781839045950
Author Denise Mina
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Weight(grams) 115g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 7mm