THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

A Highland scandalLady Jenna must marry if she is to claim her lands. Only there is a complete lack of eligible suitors in the Highlands! But then Niall Gilvry is assigned to watch over Jenna, and there’s no denying she finds this handsome Scot most distracting! Niall knows Jenna is too fine a lady for the likes of him. With danger lurking, Niall stays close. But it would be just oh, so easy to pull her into his arms…*Disgraced Lady Charity West lives in the dark world of the city’s seedy underbelly. She’s used and abused, yearning for freedom, and her distrust of men runs deep… until she meets Highland rogue Logan Gilvry. Whisky runner Logan lives outside the law and is used to looking danger in the eye. But Charity may just prove to be his most dangerous challenge yet…

Deception. Theft. Murder. All you need is confidence. When Lisa Lee, a vulnerable young woman, vanishes from a pretty Scottish seaside town Anna and Fin find themselves at the centre of an internet frenzy to find her. But Lisa may not be the hapless victim her father thinks. She had an unsuccessful YouTube channel and her last film showed her breaking into an abandoned French Chateau with other UrbExers and stumbling across a priceless Roman silver casket. One day after Lisa vanishes that casket gets listed for auction in Paris, reserve price fifty million euro and a catalogue entry that could challenge the fundamental principles of a major world religion. On a thrilling chase across Europe, Anna and Fin are caught up in a world of international art smuggling, billionaire con artists and religious zealotry. Confidence, is a thrill of a novel from one of crime writing’s most accomplished authors.

THE SIX-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE LEWIS TRILOGY, THE ENZO FILES AND THE CHINA THRILLERSAWARD WINNING AUTHOR OF THE CWA DAGGER IN THE LIBRARY 2021’Peter May is one of the most accomplished novelists writing today.’ Undiscovered Scotland’No one can create a more eloquently written suspense novel than Peter May.’ New York Journal of BooksA detective is haunted by the feeling he knows his murder suspect – despite the fact they have never met.IF YOU FLEE FATE…When Detective Sime Mackenzie is sent from Montreal to investigate a murder on the remote Entry Island, 850 miles from the Canadian mainland, he leaves behind him a life of sleeplessness and regret.FATE WILL FIND YOU…But what had initially seemed an open-and-shut case takes on a disturbing dimension when he meets the prime suspect, the victim’s wife, and is convinced that he knows her – even though they have never met.And when his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant Scottish past in another century, this murder in the Gulf of St. Lawrence leads him down a path he could never have foreseen, forcing him to face a conflict between his professional duty and his personal destiny.LOVED ENTRY ISLAND? Read the first book in Peter May’s acclaimed China thrillers series, THE FIREMAKERLOVE PETER MAY? Buy his new thriller, THE NIGHT GATE

‘Magisterial … Immensely readable’ Douglas Alexander, Financial Times’Insightful, productively provocative and downright brilliant’ New York TimesA compelling history of catastrophes and their consequences, from ‘the most brilliant British historian of his generation’ (The Times)Disasters are inherently hard to predict. But when catastrophe strikes, we ought to be better prepared than the Romans were when Vesuvius erupted or medieval Italians when the Black Death struck. We have science on our side, after all. Yet the responses of many developed countries to a new pathogen from China were badly bungled. Why?While populist rulers certainly performed poorly in the face of the pandemic, Niall Ferguson argues that more profound pathologies were at work – pathologies already visible in our responses to earlier disasters.Drawing from multiple disciplines, including economics and network science, Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe offers not just a history but a general theory of disaster. As Ferguson shows, governments must learn to become less bureaucratic if we are to avoid the impending doom of irreversible decline.’Stimulating, thought-provoking … Readers will find much to relish’ Martin Bentham, Evening Standard

Malachy Tallack has been passionate about fishing since he was young.Growing up in Shetland, with its myriad lochs, he and his brother would roam the island in search of trout, and in so doing discovered a sense of freedom, of wonder, and an abiding passion.But why is it that catching a fish – or simply contemplating catching a fish – can be so thrilling, so captivating?Why is it that time spent beside water can be imprinted so sharply in the memory?Why is it that what seems such a simple act – that of casting a line and hoping – can feel so rich in mystery?Illuminated by Water is Malachy’s personal attempt to understand that freedom, and to trace the origins and sources of that sense of wonder. He shares the appeal of fishing, its intense joys and frustrations, the steadying effect it has both at water’s edge and in the memory, and the contemplation of nature and landscape that comes with being an angler. He writes about fishing expeditions, from English canals and Scottish lochs to lakes in Canada and New Zealand, and he reflects on other aspects of angling, from its cultural significance and the emerging moral complexities to the intricacies of tying a fly.Beautifully written and hugely engaging, this book both articulates the inexplicable lure of the river and the endless desire to return to it, and illuminates a passion that has shaped the way so many see and think about the natural world.

SHE NEVER CONFESSED. NOW SHE’S READY TO TALK.Twelve years ago DI Monica Kennedy caught the notorious serial killer Pauline Tosh, imprisoning her for life.When Tosh asks Monica to visit her at the remote Highlands Carselang prison, the detective thinks she’s playing games.But then Tosh hands her a hand-drawn map with a cross marking the desolate marsh lands near Inverness and Monica can’t ignore it – she was always convinced there were more victims out there.And when a body is discovered it looks like they’ve found a new name from Tosh’s kill list.But things are never that simple…

DI Clare Mackay is about to face a test of her loyalty…When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?DI Clare Mackay leads the team but has to do without her right hand man; DS Chris West is a cousin to one of the missing prison officers and must not be involved in the case. With a new sergeant at her side plus a previously unencountered DCI, Clare’s people skills are pushed to the limit. Especially once she realises her boss is keeping her on the sidelines. Just what is it that Clare doesn’t know? And if she has to choose between keeping secrets from a friend, or letting slip something that could see a culprit go free, which path will she take?A compelling addition to the bestselling series by a much-loved Scottish crime author, perfect for fans of Caro Ramsay, Lin Anderson and Alex Gray.

Ever since her pet sheep Lulu accompanied her to school at the age of seven, animals and nature have been at the heart of Polly Pullar’s world. Growing up in a remote corner of the Scottish West Highlands, she roamed freely through the spectacular countryside and met her first otters, seals, eagles and wildcats.But an otherwise idyllic childhood was marred by family secrets which ultimately turned to tragedy. Following the suicide of her alcoholic father and the deterioration of her relationship with her mother, as well as the break-up of her own marriage, Polly rebuilt her life, earning a reputation as a wildlife expert and rehabilitator, journalist and photographer.This is her extraordinary, inspirational story. Written with compassion, humour and optimism, Polly reflects on how her love of the natural world has helped her find the strength to forgive and understand her parents, and to find an equilibrium.

Stories do not have to be long. In the space of a couple of sentences – or even a page or two – we can see the human heart exposed in a way that is more powerful than in a novel.In Tiny Tales Alexander McCall Smith explores romance, ambition, kindness and happiness in thirty short stories that range in length from the short to the tiny. The settings are as diverse as the characters – Scotland, England, Australia, the United States – combining to create a rich and always surprising selection. An Australian pope?. A persuasive cosmetic surgeon? The world’s laziest cat. A group of students living together and getting romantically entangled? All human and animal life is here – in miniature.

‘Coffin roads’ along which bodies were carried for burial are a marked feature of the landscape of the Scottish Highlands and islands – many are now popular walking and cycling routes. This book journeys along eight coffin roads to discover and explore the distinctive traditions, beliefs and practices around dying, death and mourning in the communities which created and used them.The result is a fascinating snapshot into place and culture. After more than a century when death was very much a taboo subject, this book argues that aspects of the distinctive West Highland and Hebridean way of death and approach to dying and mourning may have something helpful and important to offer to us today.Routes covered in this book are:The Kilmartin Valley – the archetypal coffin road in this ritual landscape of the dead.The Street of the Dead on Iona – perhaps the best known coffin road in Scotland.Kilearnadil Graveyard, Jura – a perfect example of a Hebridean graveyard.The coffin road through Morvern to Keil Church, Lochaline – among the best defined and most evocative coffin roads today.The Green Isle, Loch Shiel, Ardnamurchan – the oldest continuously used burial place anywhere in Europe.The coffin road on Eigg – with its distinctive ‘piper’s cairn’ where the coffin of Donald MacQuarrie, the ‘Great Piper of Eigg’, was rested.The coffin road from Traigh Losgaintir to Loch Stocinis on Harris – popular with walkers and taken as the title for a best-selling thriller by Peter May.The coffin road on Barra – A detailed study of burial practices on Barra in the early 1950s provides a fascinating record of Hebridean attitudes to dying, death and mourning.

‘Sweet, funny, and emotional…the perfect escape.’ Reader ReviewEscape to the Highland Coral Beach and let the sunshine warm your heart…Beatrice Halliday needs a holiday. Booking a trip to the Highlands on a whim, Beatrice hopes learning Gaelic in a beautiful Scottish coastal village will be just the change her life needs.But Port Willow Bay isn’t exactly as the website promised… Instead of learning a new language, she’s booked in to learn the ancient skill of willow weaving, her hotel room is Princess and the Pea themed (with a stack of mattresses for her bed!) and her tutor is Atholl Fergusson, grumpy – but utterly gorgeous – landlord of the hotel where Beatrice is staying. Worse still, she’s the only one booked on the course, meaning lots of time spent up close with Atholl (and his mesmerising blue eyes).But as Beatrice finds herself falling in love with Port Willow Bay and its people, and as she discovers the kind heart beneath Atholl’s stony exterior, can she really leave?Escape to the beautiful Scottish Highlands with this utterly romantic, feelgood book; one visit to Port Willow Bay and you’ll want to come back! Fans of Sarah Morgan, Carole Matthews and Holly Martin will be captivated.Readers are loving Summer at the Highland Coral Beach!:’Kiley Dunbar is a wonderful author! She knows how to spin a tale in a way that’ll break your heart but make you stay for the happily-ever-after.’ Reader Review’I absolutely adored this book. The characters were so real that it sucked you in and made you feel a part of the story. You didn’t want it to end!’ Reader Review’This a great and cosy escapism romance, focusing on hope, growth and a whole lot of healing. I really hope this isn’t the end for these characters because I completely fell in love with them!’ Reader Review’A great setting for the book – makes me want to go on holiday there too!’ Reader Review’A sweet and great story, and one I had a hard time putting down. Highly recommend this one.’ Reader Review’This was a beautifully written book…made youwant to visit the places described…I really enjoyed this book and would recommendit to anyone’ Reader Review’The characters were wonderfully quirky and the setting was gorgeous… Sweet, funny, and emotional, Summer at the Highland Coral Beach was the perfect escape.’ Reader ReviewPraise for Kiley Dunbar:’I would easily give this book hundreds of stars’ Little Miss Book Lover 87’this book was just sheer gorgeousness from the first page to the last, and I loved every moment…A really special book, and an author to watch for the future’ Being Anne’What an adorable, emotional, and beautiful read!!…This is certainly one of my favourite holiday reads and a book that will stick with me’ Diary of a Book Fiend’I just adored this book…This is a perfect book to chase away the winter blues and make you dream of love in the summertime. I cannot recommend it highly enough.’ A Little Book Problem’This was one of those books that you smiled reading from the very first page. It is such a feel-good rom-com’ Kelly’s Book Space’A heart-warming and uplifting romantic read about love lost and found, second chances and new beginnings…will leave you with a great big smile on your face.’ Bookish Jottings’a glittering feast of love and happiness that I simply couldn’t put down… I urge you all to add this stunning book to your TBR pile immediately.’ Stacy Is Reading

A passionate campaign brings four best friends back together in a fight to save their school library in this heartfelt tale from the bestselling author of Pages & Co.The library is Hetty’s very favourite place in school, and since falling out with her best friends Ali, Mei and Rocket she’s been spending even more time there. So she’s absolutely horrified when she learns that her head teacher is planning to close it down, claiming there aren’t enough funds to keep the library going.There’s no way Hetty’s going to sit back and let this happen. But can she repair her broken friendships and build support for her library campaign?Let the Battle of the Books commence!

By the time she reached her fifties, Catherine had experienced period pain, childbirth, and early menopause, alongside love and laughter, a career in journalism, and raising two daughters. Like many of her peers, along the way she’d dieted, jogged, sweated, tanned, permed, and plucked-always attempting to conform to prevailing standards of “acceptable womanhood.”But when a medical crisis comes along, she can no longer pummel her body into submission and is forced to take stock. From growing up on a farm where veterinarians were more common than doctors, and where illness was “a nuisance,” she now faces the nuisance of a lifetime.One Body is the demystifying, relatable, often hilarious, and sometimes hair-raising story of how Catherine navigates her treatment and the emotions and reflections it provokes. And how she comes to drop the unattainable standards imposed on her body, and simply appreciate the skin she is in.

Fifty-something librarian Shona is a proud former pupil of the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, but has a deep loathing for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which she thinks gives her alma mater a bad name. Impeccably educated and an accomplished martial artist, linguist and musician, Shona is selected by Marcia Blaine herself to travel back in time for a crucial mission involving Macbeth, the Weird Sisters and a black cat.Unsure which version of history she’s in, Shona tries to figure out who she’s here to save. But between playing the Fool and being turned into a mouse, things don’t always go her way. Shona’s expertise in martial arts is put to the test as family tensions rise and fingers are pointed for murder. Can Shona unravel the mystery in time to complete her mission?Never underestimate a librarian!

Is There a Pigeon in the Room? is a deeply personal book about Cameron Wyllie’s remarkable four-decade career in teaching. It’s a tapestry of anecdotes and reflections on topics like drugs, parenting and sex education, laced with stories about memorable individuals.What did he say to the Third Year after drinking too much gin with the Head? Who was Adolf? What happened to the horrible bus driver? While the intention is to make the reader laugh plenty, Cameron also deals with discipline, refugees, tragic events, his own status as a gay man and tells us the story of Tes, an Eritrean boy who inspired hundreds of young people with his love of education.Cameron taught over 8,000 students in his career. Having been once described as ‘the place where Jean Brodie meets Kenneth Williams’ the book also charts the surprising trajectory of a career which culminated in his appointment as Principal of George Heriot’s, one of Edinburgh’s most prestigious schools.

The Fife Flyers have played ice hockey for over ten decades and are the oldest team currently playing at the highest level of the game in Britain. During that time the sport has witnessed radical change which has resulted in periods of boom and bust, from fully professional status to strictly amateur and combinations in between. But for almost 85 years the team from the Gallatown Rink in Kirkcaldy, Fife, has endured. Such longevity is a naturally rich source of stories and memories for those who have either played for, supported or indeed been in opposition to the Fife Flyers. Or simply for hockey fans in general. The stories come from the diligent reporting by local journalists, without whom much of the detail of the game would have been lost. Ice Hockey is not a sport that enjoys an extensive archive of data. Much of the history of the Fife Flyers has never been documented, and this book is not a full history. What it does aims to do is to give an insight into both the different eras of hockey and the fortunes and misfortunes of one Club along the way.

A gripping serial killer thriller with a twist – from No. 1 bestseller Stuart MacBrideThis time the serial killer picked the wrong family…’MacBride is a damned fine writer’ Peter JamesThey call him Sawbones: a serial killer touring America kidnapping young women.The FBI’s investigating – but getting nowhere.The latest victim is Laura Jones. Sixteen years old. Pretty. Blonde. And the daughter of one of New York’s most notorious gangsters. Laura’s Dad doesn’t care about the law. What he wants is revenge. And he knows just the guys to get it.This time, Sawbones picked on the wrong family…

Touching the Heights gives us a look into the thirteen Scottish sportspeople who have inspired Archie Macpherson in his fifty years of broadcasting. He invites the reader to join him around a fantasy dinner table as he explores what makes all of these people special in their chosen sport and why he became so fixated on their careers.

The Bruces of fourteenth-century Scotland were formidable and enthusiastic warriors. Whilst much has been written about events as they happened in Scotland during the chaotic years of the first part of the fourteenth century, England’s war with Robert the Bruce profoundly affected the whole of the British Isles. Scottish raiders struck deep into the heartlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire; Robert’s younger brother, Edward Bruce, was proclaimed King of Ireland and came close to subduing the country; the Isle of Man was captured and a Welsh sea-port was raided; and in the North Sea Scots allied with German and Flemish pirates to cripple England’s vital wool trade and disrupt its war effort.Packed with detail and written with a strong and involving narrative thread, this is the first book to link up the various theatres of war and discuss the effect of the wars of the Bruces outside Scotland.

‘Denise Mina gets to the heart of what crime really is. You feel like you are right there, in all the dark nooks and crannies that her characters inhabit’ Sunday Times and international bestselling author, Karin SlaughterDeception. Theft. Murder. All you need is confidence.When Lisa Lee, a vulnerable young woman, vanishes from a pretty Scottish seaside town Anna and Fin find themselves at the centre of an internet frenzy to find her.But Lisa may not be the hapless victim her father thinks. She had an unsuccessful YouTube channel and her last film showed her breaking into an abandoned French Chateau with other UrbExers and stumbling across a priceless Roman silver casket. One day after Lisa vanishes that casket gets listed for auction in Paris, reserve price fifty million euro and a catalogue entry that could challenge the fundamental principles of a major world religion.On a thrilling chase across Europe, Anna and Fin are caught up in a world of international art smuggling, billionaire con artists and religious zealotry.Confidence, is a thrill of a novel from one of crime writing’s most accomplished authors.PRAISE FOR CONVICTION:’If you loved Killing Eve, you’ll devour Conviction’ Erin Kelly’Such a delight: playful, fast-paced, and entirely compulsive’ Ann Cleeves’A dark star of a novel, blazingly intense, up-to-the-minute fresh, and exciting as all hell’ A. J. Finn, author of The Woman in the Window