Val McDermid marries partner in Edinburgh

DOWNLOAD THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY

The crime writer wed Professor Jo Sharp in front of a group of family and friends on Sunday. The pair have been dating for more than two years.

Fife-born Val, 61, met the professor of geography at Glasgow University when she moved back to Scotland after splitting with her previous partner.

The former journalist, who has been a vocal supporter of gay marriage, swapped the altar for a bar stocked with whisky bottles as the couple exchanged vows.

Among the guests at the ceremony was First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell.

She later tweeted: “@valmcdermid such a beautiful day. Thanks to you and @ProfJoSharp for letting us share it with you. Congratulations again to you both.”

Also at the service was Harry Potter author JK Rowling, crime writer Mari Hannah and comedian Susan Calman.

Following the ceremony, Val tweeted a photo of the pair wearing their rings and described it as a “wonderful, magical” day.

Miss Hannah tweeted: “A great couple. A very special day. Love and laughter. Super, super friends and family. Wonderful to share in it.”

In 2013, Val moved to Edinburgh after living in England for many years. Previously, she shared a home with civil partner, Kelly Smith, in Northumberland, but they split up.

She spends three days a week, Monday to Wednesday, in a house she owns in Manchester to be with her teenage son from a previous relationship.

McDermid has sold more than 10 million copies of her books and has won a string of awards, including an LA Times book prize and the CWA Dagger.

In addition, her series about the psychological profiler Dr Tony Hill has been turned into the successful ITV drama Wire In The Blood.

Her first novel Report for Murder was published in 1987 but she did not give up her day job as a journalist until 1991 when she finally secured a two-book deal.

The author, originally from Kirkcaldy, is a director of her home-town football club Raith Rovers and published her 30th novel ‘Out of Bounds’ last month.