The Scottish crime novelist Christopher Brookmyre is to talk about his new psychological thriller is to take part in this year's Glasgow book festival, Aye Write!

Brookmyre will be discussing Black Widow, which is hot off the presses, as the festival returns to the Mitchell Library in Glasgow on March 10 and run until March 20,

Other famous faces at the event include the former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis will be at the festival with her debut novel The Butcher’s Hook.

Other authors and well known names at the festival include comedian Brian Limond, also known as Limmy, actress Kirsty Strain, Joan Bakewell, Alexei Sayle, Stuart Cosgrove and the Rev. Richard Coles.

Aye Write!, for whom The Herald and Times are media partners, is also to have a new strand of events aimed at people who read comics and enjoy gaming, called Aye Con, and another new theme will see literary figures introducing new talent.

Wee Write!, the book festival for children and young people, running from February 29 to March 5.

Councillor Archie Graham OBE, Depute Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow Life said: "Aye Write! and Wee Write! are firmly established festivals which attract some of the finest literary talent to the city.

"We try and make improvements each year and the development of new themes like Aye Write! Introduces and Aye Con will help bring fresh audiences to the festivals.

"The programme is broad and ambitious and will be of huge interest to everyone who loves reading and losing themselves in great stories."

The leaders of Scotland’s five biggest political parties will also take part.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Patrick Harvie, co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party, will all discuss The Books that Made Me as part of Aye Write!

Aye Write! is also to present a conversation about the role Scotland played in the Easter Rising in Ireland, featuring James Kelman, Sean Bell, Kirsty Lusk and Dr Maria-Daniella Dick.

The festival will also hear from the artist Graeme Fagen and writer Louise Welsh as they discuss Graeme’s new exhibition Come into the Garden, and Forget about the War.

The former Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, will discuss Money, Banking and the Future of the Global Economy and writer George Monbiot will look at politics, equality and nature.

Tickets for Aye Write! and Wee Write! go on sale tomorrow, January 30, and details of the full programme are available at www.ayewrite.com and www.weewrite.co.uk

Other writers include Graham Hancock, author of Fingerprints of the Gods while James Harkin and Andrew Hosken will discuss Isil or the Islamic State.

Limmy will be talking about his first book Daft Wee Stories.

The TV and radio presenter and former NME journalist Stuart Cosgrove will be discussing Young Soul Rebel: A Personal History of Northern Soul.

Louis De Bernieres, the writer of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, will be at the festival to talk about his new collection of poems “Of Love and Desire”.

Craig Robertson introduces Matt Johnson and Michelle Davis to Aye Write! for the first time to talk about their debut crime novels.