Looking for more in Author Directory?

David Goodman

All of the information on this page has been provided by the author. If you need an author to have specialist skills, experience or knowledge please ask for more information about this ahead of booking them for an event. Please note that Scottish Book Trust cannot carry out Disclosure checks on Live Literature authors for most events. It is the responsibility of the person organising the event to carry out the appropriate Disclosure checks.
Other contact method: Contact me through my website contact form: https://www.davidgoodman.net/contact/
Local authority: East Lothian
Languages: English
Author type: Writer
David Goodman's headshot
David Goodman is an award-winning author of thriller and speculative fiction, including the Legends series of espionage novels. His debut novel A Reluctant Spy was released by Headline Books in 2024. The sequel, Solitary Agents, is forthcoming in June 2026.
 
A Reluctant Spy won the McDermid Debut Award and the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize in 2025. It was also shortlisted for the Macavity Award for Best First Mystery. The book has been optioned for television by Carnival Films.
 
David also writes speculative fiction as David W. Goodman, with seven short stories and novellas currently in print magazines, anthologies, online and audio.
 
David was born and brought up in Edinburgh and East Lothian, before living and working in Aberdeen and London. Over the course of his career he's been an officer cadet reservist, barista, accounts payable clerk, IT consultant, copywriter, digital project manager, outdoor skills instructor and now user experience designer for a major UK bank. Throughout, reading and writing have been and remain his twin obsessions. He now lives in East Lothian with his wife Valerie.
 
David is represented by Harry Illingworth at DHH Literary for his literary work, and Emily Hayward-Whitlock of The Artist's Partnership for film and television.

(Photo credit: Valerie Goodman)

Websites featuring the author

Local authorities will visit

Aberdeen City; Aberdeenshire; Angus; Argyll and Bute; Clackmannanshire; Dumfries and Galloway; Dundee; East Ayrshire; East Dunbartonshire; East Lothian; East Renfrewshire; Edinburgh City; Falkirk; Fife; Glasgow City; Inverclyde; Midlothian; North Ayrshire; North Lanarkshire; Perth and Kinross; Renfrewshire; Scottish Borders; South Ayrshire; South Lanarkshire; Stirling; West Dunbartonshire; West Lothian

Events will deliver

Chairing events; Panel event; Reading; Residency; Talk; Workshop

Audience will work with

Adult learners; Care-experienced people; Carers; English as an additional language (EAL); Intergenerational learning; Outdoor learning; Prisoners & young offenders; Reluctant readers; Young people in the community (e.g. Youth clubs, Guides, Scouts)

Topics of work

Class & society; Crime fiction; Editing & editing your own work; Environment & climate; Mystery & thriller; Publishing & getting published; Science fiction; Wars & conflicts

Age groups published for

Adults

Age groups will work with

12-14; 15-18; 18+

Audience size

0-10; 11-30; 31-100; 100-500; 500+