It’s that time of year when you will be packing your suitcases ready to head off somewhere lovely to relax. If you’re staying in Scotland or flying out further, here are some book recommendations for you to consider . . .

Firstly, it’s time to go back to St Kilda for another thrilling tale of forbidden romance. 

The Stolen Hours by Karen Swan
Publisher: Macmillan / Contemporary Fiction
Paperback / ISBN 9781529084436 

The Stolen Hours is the second book in Karen Swan’s Wild Isle series that takes in the final years of life in St Kilda before the island was evacuated. Here, Mhairi Mackinnon is betrothed to businessman from Harris, her father no longer able to have her under his roof. What should be a simple arrangement turns complicated when Mhairi falls deeply in love with someone else. When word comes that St Kilda is to be evacuated, the lovers are granted a few months’ reprieve. But will a summer of stolen hours together just lead to more heartbreak . . . ? 

We stay with romance and a classic enemies-to-lovers story from the bestselling Julie Shackman. 

The Bookshop By The Loch by Julie Shackman
Publisher: One More Chapter / Romance
Paperback / 9780008614317 

Lexie Dunbar is a book lover. And her favourite place in the world is her local bookstore, Book Ends. So when she hears that it’s going to be sold, Lexie decides she needs to do something to help. Enter the grouchy-but-gorgeous artist Tobias Black who has other plans. As sparks fly, can Lexie and Tobias work together, or will opposing ideas get in the way of them finding their very own happy ever after… 

Now, a time-travelling love story that will have readers’ hearts lift, break and skip a beat! 

The Echoes of Us by Emma Steele
Publisher: Mountain Leopard Press / Romance
Hardback / 9781802795332 

Robbie and Jenn are meant to be. They’ve finally reconciled after eight months spent apart and both know that, this time, it’s forever. But forever might not be as long as they think. As a truck hurtles towards their car on their way home, Robbie is thrown back into Jenn’s past and he finds himself spectator in the most important moments of her life. Can he right the wrongs in their past? Can he get to the bottom of what drove Jenn away eight months ago? Most importantly, can he change their present in order to save their future? 

Next, a tale of a Scotsman living La Dolce Vita in small-town Italy, yet still has hankering for the rain-soaked streets of Glasgow! 

The Newspaper Man by David Belcher
Publisher: Into Books / Contemporary Fiction
Paperback / 9781738514915 

Tony Moscardini has given up his career in journalism on the mean streets of Glasgow for fulfilment in photography and film-making, and true love, in Italy. When he is invited back to his home city, he jumps at the chance – but will he find on his return to Glasgow? Old foes? New adventures? Overwhelming temptations? 

The circus is in town and the locals don’t know quite what to do. Roll up for a Dionysian dazzler of a novel! 

Freakslaw by Jane Flett
Publisher: Transworld / Horror Fiction
Hardback / 9780857529541 

It’s the summer of ’97 and the Scottish town of Pitlaw is itching for change.

Enter the Freakslaw – a travelling funfair populated by deviant queers, a contortionist witch, the most powerful fortune teller, and other architects of mayhem. It doesn’t take long for the Freakslaw folk to infiltrate Pitlaw’s grey world, where the town’s teenagers – none more so than Ruth and Derek – are seduced by neon charms and the possibility of escape.

But beneath it all, these newcomers are harbouring a darker desire: revenge. 

For those who love short stories is the latest collection from a master of the form, Kirsty Gunn. 

Pretty Ugly by Kirsty Gunn
Publisher: Rough Trade Books / Short Stories
Paperback / 9781914236419 

Contradictions, oppositions, enigmas, provocations, challenges – Kirsty Gunn’s stories embrace the complexities of human existence with strength, imagination, rationality. She is not afraid of ‘reading and writing ugly’, of real life, and leaves the reader exhilarated. 

Looking for a feelgood story? Then may we present this fantastic debut . . . 

Bucket List by Russell Jones
Publisher: Polygon / Contemporary Fiction
Paperback / 9781846976544 

Dot is a lonely pensioner. Max is a young offender. But a chance meeting in their local park changes everything for this unlikely duo. Then Dot wins the lottery, and Max helps her make a bucket list of all the things she’s always wanted to do but never had the chance. 

The pair gradually realise that it’s not just expensive gadgets, fast cars and fun fairs that make them happy. And that the secret to living a rich life isn’t money . . . 

Murder, Mayhem, Manipulation – here is a gothic thriller you won’t be able to put down! 

The Burial Plot by Elizabeth MacNeal
Publisher: Picador / Historical Fiction
Hardback / 9781529090949 

London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear. 

She finds a position as a maid in an eccentric family’s grand house and starts to realise that she may not have found this place to hide by accident . . . 

We stay with deceit and duplicity in bygone eras with this fabulous Edinburgh-set mystery . . . 

Murder Ballad by Lucy Ribchester
Publisher: Black and White / Historical Fiction
Hardback / 9781785305375 

Edinburgh, 1791. Isobel Duguid and her friend, the famous castrato Clessidro, are stars of the Edinburgh Musical Society. One night a note arrives from the mysterious Mrs Abercorn, regarding Isobel’s most notorious song, The Fiddler’s Wrath. It’s the tale of a prima donna who died of heartbreak after her husband committed murder and was sent to the gallows. Isobel is intrigued, but her investigations uncover a once buried secret. 

Here, we travel to Florence for more espionage escapades from the CWA Historical Dagger-winning author D V Bishop. 

A Divine Fury by D V Bishop
Publisher: Macmillan / Historical Crime Fiction
Hardback / 9781529096538 

Florence. Autumn, 1539. Chasing a suspect in the rain, Cesare Aldo discovers a horrifying scene beneath Michelangelo’s statue of David. Lifeless eyes gaze from the face of a man whose body has been posed as if crucified. It’s clear the killer had religious motives.

When more bodies appear, Aldo believes an unholy murderer is stalking the citizens of Florence. Watching. Hunting. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike again . .  

Next we take you to Victorian Glasgow for tale of secrets, scandal and shame. . . 

The Secrets of Blythswood Square by Sara Sheridan
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton / Historical Fiction
Hardback / 9781399701570 

Glasgow, 1846. When Charlotte Nicholl discovers that the fortune she has been bequeathed by her father is tied up in a secret collection of erotic art, she is faced with a terrible dilemma: sell it and risk shaming her family’s good name or lose her home.

An encounter with Ellory Mann, a talented working-class photographer newly arrived in Glasgow, leads Charlotte to hope she has found not only someone who might help her, but also a friend. Yet Ellory is hiding secrets of her own – secrets that become harder to conceal as she finds herself drawn into Charlotte’s world. 

A wondrous tale of bonds forged between two men pitted against each other on a remote island during the Highland Clearances. 

Clear by Carys Davies
Publisher: Granta / Historical Fiction
Hardback / 9781803510408 

Ivar leads a life of quiet isolation until the day he finds a man unconscious on the beach below the cliffs. The newcomer is John Ferguson, an impoverished church minister sent to evict Ivar and turn the island into grazing land for sheep. Unaware of the stranger’s intentions, Ivar takes him into his home, and in spite of the two men having no common language, a fragile bond begins to form between them.  

Against the backdrop of the Highland Clearances this is novel that explores solitude and connection with generosity and crisp lyricism. 

Next, a tale of trauma, the power of kindness and the wonder in the natural world. 

Lost People by Margaret Elphinstone
Publisher: Wild Goose / Contemporary Fiction
Paperback / 9781804323175 

Margaret Elphinstone brings us a short, lyrical, and fable-like story that follows Rue, a young casualty of war, who has lost everything – identity, family, home and community. Still, a connection with the living world is forged, and Rue finds the courage to rediscover hope and meaning. Kathleen Jamie, our current Makar calls the novella a ‘gem-like wisdom-tale of perfect clarity and depth.’ 

Now, a visionary, audacious eco-thriller by the bestselling and McIllvanney Prize-winning Manda Scott! 

Any Human Power by Manda Scott
Publisher: September Publishing / Dystopian Thriller
Hardback / 9781914613562 

As Lan lies dying, she makes a promise that binds her long into the beyond. Fifteen years later, her teenage granddaughter, Kaitlyn, triggers an international storm of outrage that unleashes the rage of a whole betrayed generation. For one shining fragment of time, the world is with her. But then the backlash begins and soon she and those closest to her find themselves facing the wrath of the old establishment, who will use every dirty trick in the book to fight them off. Nothing less than the future of humanity stands in the balance. 

We move onto an irresistible, mindbending tale of magic and adventure – and a novel about the wonder of books! 

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
Publisher: Bantam / Fantasy Thriller
Hardback / 9781787637245 

New York bookseller Cassie Andrews is not sure what she’s doing with her life. Then a favourite customer gives her an old book – a book that bestows extraordinary abilities on whoever possesses it. And because this book is worth killing for, Cassie is now in danger. Who can help her escape from the nameless evil that now hunts her? You’ll be racing through each page to find out! 

Next, we find ourselves in the fantastical, underwater world of Tiankawi in a must-read novel inspired by East Asian mythology and folk tales . . . 

Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan
Publisher: Orbit / Fantasy
Hardback / 9780356522395 

Welcome to Tiankawi – shining pearl of human civilization and a safe haven for those fleeing civil unrest. Or at least, that’s how it first appears. But in this semi-flooded city, humans in their towers peer down to the fathomfolk – sirens, seawitches, kelpies and kappas – who live in the polluted waters below. For half-siren Mira, promotion to captain of the border guard means an opportunity to help her downtrodden people, but when rebel violence erupts she has big decisions to make for her own survival. 

Can’t get enough of the sublime world-building in Fantasy? Here’s another fast-paced, thrill ride with witches, monsters, and an honourable detective. 

Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova
Publisher: Wildfire / Fantasy
Paperback / 9781035420995 

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice with the creatures that cause problems. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex, the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. Betrayed by someone close to her, Kosara’s only choice is to trade her shadow – the source of her powers – for a quick escape. And she only has twelve days…

On the look out for a new favourite detective? It’s time to acquaint yourself with Solanki and McQueen. 

The Blood Promise by Liz Mistry
Publisher: HQ Digital / Crime Fiction
Paperback / 9780008686451 

Imogen Clark wakes up on her 16th birthday to find her parents dead at the breakfast table, along with a message from their killer. When Solanki discovers the connection between the killer and the stalker who has been following her for years, she is forced to confront the dark past she was desperate to keep hidden. She must stop at nothing to solve the case, before she becomes the next victim… 

Time now for a little bit of peace and quiet, and love for the natural world . . . 

Be a Birder by Hamza Yassin
Publisher: Gaia / Nature Writing
Paperback / 9781856755108 

If you’ve always wanted to find out the joys of birdwatching, the wonderful Hamza Yassin takes you through his most memorable encounters with his favourite winged creatures as well as sharing hints and tips for becoming a Twitcher yourself. Once you start looking for birds, and with Hamza as your guide, your world will be forever changed. 

In those restful moments on holiday, sometimes its poetry that is what is needed to create that magic moment. Here is a debut collection perfect for reflection. 

Time Cleaves Itself by Jeda Pearl
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press / Poetry
Paperback / 9781845235888 

Landscapes and bodyscapes are brought into focus through lenses of race, illness, disability and womanhood. Ancestral languages of Scots, Patois, Geordie and English critique ableism, colonialism and Scottish exceptionalism; they ask ‘Who gets the trees?’, honour Caribbean and Scottish heritages and move from the bed as universe to fantastical and science-fictional imaginings. 

And here’s some recommendations for your youngsters. 

Keedie is a brilliant and much-anticipated prequel to Elle McNicoll’s award-winning and bestselling A Kind of Spark. 

Keedie by Elle McNicoll
Publisher: Knights Of / YA Fiction
Paperback / 9781913311988 

Here, we follow Addie’s big sister Keedie as she approaches her fourteenth birthday with twin sister Nina. As Keedie feels her connection to Nina shake, she becomes closer to – and more protective of – her younger sister Addie in a tale that celebrates kindness, justice and being true to yourself. 

This page-turning thriller is sure to get your kids interested in Scotland’s bloody past! 

The Boy, The Witch, and The Queen of Scots by Barbara Henderson
Publisher: Luath Press / Middle Grade Fiction
Paperback / 9781804251317 

12-year-old Alexander Buchan was once content, training as a falconer at Strathbogie Castle in Huntly. But when his Earl sends him to Edinburgh to the court of the newly arrived Mary, Queen of Scots, the boy finds himself lured into a world of intrigue, terror and treachery. Alexander knows right from wrong, but how can he hope to outwit his master’s murderous messenger? 

Heart of a tiger, strength of a dragon, body of a … schoolboy? A thrilling action-adventure series with the magical power of the Chinese Zodiac. 

Clash of the Dragon Masters: Tiger Warrior by Maisie Chan
Publisher: Orchard Books / Middle Grade Fantasy
Paperback / 9781408371008 

It’s time for the ultimate battle! The Dragon King has stolen the coin that gives Jack the magical powers of the zodiac animals. Is the Tiger Warrior finished? Or is it time to fight dragon with dragon? 

We end where we began, back in St Kilda with a picture book that celebrates the island’s history and culture. 

Not the End of the World by Talya Baldwin
Publisher: Birlinn / Picture Flat
Paperback / 9781780278889 

This is a true story, with stunning illustrations, about a real place. A place hidden behind the waves. The Vikings saw it in their dreams, and sometimes sea birds call its name. It’s a dot on a map. The blink of an eye. The beat of a wing. Storms and songs and stickleback stop by on their travels. 

This is St Kilda. A tiny group of islands; an archipelago: Hirta, Boreray, Soay, Dùn. They call them The Islands at the End of the World.