THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Ailig is an 8-year-old boy who loves Dr Who. When his teacher arranges a Halloween party in school, Ailig knows that he wants to dress up as a Dalek. There’s only one problem though – his teacher says that the children must dress up as characters who speak Gaelic. Ailig’s mum offers to make him a Spàgan costume (Spàgan is the Gaelic translation of the ‘Monster’ books) but he is determined to go as a Dalek. They reach a compromise – if Ailig can find a Gaelic word for ‘Exterminate’ his mum will let him go to the party as a Dalek.

With full-colour illustrations by Merrill MacWilliam, this adventure story is both exciting and humorous and is sure to be enjoyed by many.

Ailig agus an Dalek Gàidhlig is written in Gaelic and is aimed at children aged 8+.

Tha tidsear Ailig a’ cur partaidh Shamhna air dòigh agus feumaidh e a dhol ann mar charactar aig a bheil Gàidhlig. Chan eil ùidh aig Ailig ann an caractar sam bith, ge-tà, ach iadsan ceangailte ri Doctor Who, agus tha e a’ cur roimhe gun tèid e ann mar Dhalek.

Tha e air culaidh-choimheach a dhèanamh, ach tha aon rud a dhìth air mus leig Mam leis a dhol ann – feumaidh e dearbhadh gu bheil Gàidhlig aig na Daleks. Nis, dè am facal Gàidhlig airson ‘exterminate’?

The beloved fantasy classic for readers of all ages, about a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins who is whisked off on an unexpected journey by Gandalf the wizard and a company of thirteen dwarves. The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children’s fiction.

Seo an sgeul fantasach air leth a tha ionmhainn aig luchd-leughaidh eadar mhòr is beag, mu dheidhinn hobait agus Biolbo Bagainn as ainm dha, a thèid a sguabadh air falbh air turas gun dùil leis an draoidh Gandalf agus còmhlan de thrì troichean deug. ‘S e fìor dhàna-sgeulachd a tha sa Hobat, mu sgrìob a bheir buidheann de throichean air tòir òir a tha fo fhreiceadan le dràgon. ‘S ann gu mì-dheònach a ghabhas Biolbo Bagainn pàirt sa cheann-turais seo, agus e na hobat dèidheil air cofhurt is gun uaill-mhiann air idir. Cuiridh e iongnadh fiù ‘s air fhèin leis cho innleachdach is cho sgileil ‘s a tha e mar ghadaiche. Am measg gach driodfhortan eile, tachraidh Biolbo ri trobhaichean, bòcain, troichean, eilf agus damhain-allaidh aibheiseach, mus bi còmhraidhean aige leis an dràgon, Smòg, agus mus bi e an làthair a dh’aindeoin a thoil fhèin aig Blàr nan Còig Arm. Tha Biolbo Bagainn ga chunntadh am measg nan gaisgeach neo-bhàsmhor ann an uirsgeul cloinne.
Nuair a sgrìobh an t-Àrd-ollamh Tolkien A’ Hobat do chloinn fhèin, choisinn e sàr-chliù cho luath ‘s a chaidh fhoillseachadh. A-nis, tha an leabhar ri fhaighinn sa Ghàidhlig airson a’ chiad uair, ann an eadar-theangachadh iongantach leis an Àrd-ollamh Moray Watson. Tha na dealbhan-tarraing is mapaichean uile aig an ùghdar an lùib an leabhair.

Fair is foul and foul is fair.

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning comes a reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her.

The Lady knows the stories: that her eyes induce madness in men.

The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed.

The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of survival, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive.

But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armour. She does not know that her magic is greater, and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world.

She does not know this yet. But she will.

Ingrained is a love letter to trees, timber and craftsmanship – and to finding your own voice.
The eldest son of a Master Woodworker, Callum Robinson spent his childhood surrounded by wood and trees, absorbing craft lessons in his father’s workshop, playing amongst the sycamore, oak and Scots pine that bordered his home. In time he became his father’s apprentice, helping to create exquisite bespoke objects. But eventually the need to find his own path led him to establish his own workshop; to chase ever bigger and more commercial projects, to business meetings, bright lights and bureaucracy, to lose touch with his roots. Until the devastating loss of one major job threatened to bring it all crashing down. Faced with the end of his business, his team and everything he had worked so hard to build, he was forced to question what mattered most.

Blending memoir and nature writing at its finest, Ingrained is an uplifting meditation on the joys and challenges of working with your hands in our modern age, on inheritance, community, and the beauty of the natural world.

‘I shall be a thousand different Marys and, in such manner, shall find the one I wish to be…’

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu longs for adventure, freedom and love, believing that only by truly living can she ever escape the stalking crow of Death…

An aristocratic woman in 18th century England is expected to act in certain ways. But Mary has never let society’s expectations stifle her: she writes celebrated poetry and articles advocating for equality, as well as endless, often scandalous, letters to her many powerful friends.

However, Mary wants more from the world. Using her charm and connections, she engineers a job offer for her husband as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Travelling to Constantinople, Mary finally discovers the autonomous life she dreams of. And when she observes Turkish women ‘engrafting’ children against smallpox, she resolves to bring the miracle cure back to England.

Despite this, Mary’s reputation becomes increasingly tainted. Her inability to abide by the rules, her outspoken opinions on women’s rights, and her search for love and desire at all costs gains her powerful enemies. While Mary tries to ensure her name will live on by arranging the publication of her diaries after her death, her own daughter works against her, afraid of what they might contain…

An illuminating and beautiful novel, A Woman of Opinion gives a voice to the tragically unremembered yet extraordinary life of pioneering poet and feminist, Mary Wortley Montagu.

The electric new fantasy series for fans of Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and Impossible Creatures, perfect for readers aged 9-12.

Life is no fun for Alex Evans. Ever since her dad’s death, her overprotective mother has smothered her with unbreakable rules and unspoken fears. When the frustration inside Alex finally gets too big to bear, it rushes to the surface.

And flames spill from her mouth.

Because Alex is a dragon. One of the many who live among us, unless something awakens their true nature. Led by the mighty Oliphos to the legendary island of Skralla, Alex must now train alongside fierce, frightening dragon children, if she is to unlock the power of her birthright.

But other dragons are rising too. Drak Midna, the greatest dragon of all, is preparing a war against the human world, and Alex has to be good enough for this fight, or we all will burn . . .

Praised by Wayne Rooney and Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the greatest and most passionate players to ever play the game, Duncan Ferguson, or Big Dunc as he is known, is larger than life in every sense. Measuring a towering 6 feet 4 inches in height, from the moment the striker emerged in British football in the 1990s, he was front and back page news.

On the pitch, fans loved Duncan for his roguish charm, his thrilling goals and his total commitment in every game. Fighting tooth and nail, he was a born leader and took no prisoners. Like his rival Roy Keane, he played close to the limit, and often crossed it. Such as the time he was sentenced to 3 months in Glasgow’s toughest prison for headbutting an opponent – the first and only time a footballer has ever gone to jail for a crime committed on a football pitch.

In BIG DUNC: The Upfront Autobiography, Duncan reveals, for the first time, the full story: the truth about his experiences in prison, his partying with African princes and Liverpool gangsters, his fighting with burglars, his making and losing a fortune, and how he turned his life around through his beloved Everton F.C..

In the process, the book sheds light on one of football’s most charismatic but notorious and enigmatic hardmen. Duncan is now a coach and manager at Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.. He is a pillar of the community in Merseyside, giving back to stricken children who share a similar tough upbringing to his own. Duncan’s book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of humour, drama and redemption. Buckle up.

We can fix you.

It’s a promise that Betsy has heard far too many times. From the child psychologist, from her husband, and from the wellness trends that scream at her from her screen.

So far, it’s been a lie.

But this time, she believes it. Because Betsy has been offered a place at Carn – a luxurious, unorthodox retreat, where healing really is possible. At Carn, she discovers that her imperfections make her unique, not weak. She isn’t broken, just special.

All Betsy has to do is follow the rules . . .

DCI Jim Daley is charged with murder – and everyone saw him do it – in the gripping new thriller from the bestselling author Denzil Meyrick.

In the middle of the night in Kinloch, the phone rings…

Detective Sergeant Brian Scott answers. It’s a message from his old friend and partner, DCI Jim Daley, which chills him to the bone:

‘She’s dead, Brian. I couldn’t take it anymore – I killed her! You have to help.’

Daley has been arrested for murder, and everyone saw him do it. The police have all the evidence they need to put him behind bars for life, but Scott still believes he’s innocent.

Join Little Puffling on an adventure!

Little Puffling watches the other birds soaring high above the cliffs as they prepare to fly away in the autumn and worries if he will ever be ready to join them.

But Puffling’s mummy takes him on an adventure to see how all the other young animals take their first steps – from seals and otters to orcas and deer – during which he gains confidence to make his first flight, sure in the knowledge there is always someone there to help him on the way.

Scotland in 100 Buildings by architect Roger Emmerson is a captivating journey through the architectural marvels of Scotland, seen uniquely through Emmerson’s personal experiences. This isn’t a dry history or textbook – it’s a lively, intimate account where each building tells its own story. Emmerson has visited every site featured, offering first-hand insights that bring these places to life, from iconic landmarks to hidden gems. His reflections aim to inspire readers to explore for themselves, rather than simply inform, making this book easy to pick up at any page.

Ideal for architecture enthusiasts, travellers and locals alike, Scotland in 100 Buildings will appeal to anyone curious about Scotland’s diverse buildings and the personal tales they inspire. It’s perfect for those seeking an approachable and authentic look at Scotland’s architectural legacy.

The Lady of Hirta by W.C. Mackenzie is an engaging historical novel that offers a fresh and thrilling exploration of 18th-century Scotland through the mysterious story of Lady Rachel Grange.

Readers are immersed in the perspective of Reverend Ferchard Ross, minister of the Kirk of Scotland, as he sets out to uncover the truth behind Lady Rachel’s infamous kidnapping and the events that led her to be imprisoned on the secluded Hirta, the largest island in the St Kilda archipelago. The novel’s rich detail and atmospheric setting bring the isolated island to life, celebrating Scotland’s heritage with authenticity and reverence.

Fans of historical mysteries, psychological thrillers and tales of complex relationships will find The Lady of Hirta irresistible. The layered characters and morally ambiguous relationships offer a deep, thought-provoking reading experience, appealing to those interested in character-driven narratives that question social norms and justice. Through Ross’ eyes, readers experience the secrets, power struggles and betrayals that define Lady Grange’s life and her tumultuous marriage to Lord Grange.

With vivid landscapes, a carefully crafted plot and the exploration of human complexity, The Lady of Hirta promises to captivate lovers of historical fiction, Scottish culture and anyone seeking an evocative story that lingers long after the final page.

This captivating memoir plunges readers into the raw beauty and challenges of life on rugged moorland. Our narrator’s unflinching portrayal of daily hardships, from caring for eccentric animals (an epileptic hare, a needy duckling) to tackling a stubborn bull, makes for a heartfelt and often humorous exploration of rural solitude and determination.

Ideal for readers of nature writing, memoir lovers and fans of rural tales, this book will attract those drawn to the works of James Rebanks and Raynor Winn. It offers readers an immersive story of survival, humour and hope amid hardship – a perfect recommendation for anyone yearning for an evocative, authentic slice of British countryside life, where every day holds its own simple, profound wonder.

The mystery of St Kilda’s residents are all revealed in the epic conclusion to Karen Swan’s historical series set in Scotland.

Jayne Ferguson has always been a keeper of secrets, most especially her own . . .

If there’s one thing Jayne Ferguson has learnt in her life, it’s that every blessing comes with a curse. She married the most handsome man on the isle of St Kilda – but he’s a bully. She inherited her mother’s gift of second sight – but only ever foresees her fellow islanders’ deaths. She has learnt to keep to herself, treading in the shadows and shirking the highs for fear of the lows.

When a needless death strikes at the heart of her home, Jayne’s bad marriage becomes worse and she finds solace with an unlikely friend. Glimmers of happiness tantalise her, though there’s no possibility for anything more, especially once word comes of St Kilda’s evacuation.

But as the day draws near, tensions on the island rise. Secrets are being forced to the surface, passions and enmities erupting with equal violence. A man is killed, as Jayne knew he would be, and her closest friends Effie, Mhairi and Flora are each implicated.

On the mainland, the villagers scatter into new lives, hoping distance means refuge. But then Jayne has another of her dreams and she knows the past isn’t done with them yet.

What is the most unsayable thing you have ever wanted to say to your parents? For newly single food journalist Candice Chung, there’s been one thing on her mind lately: she has never told them, ‘I love you.’ Simple. Reasonable. If only her estranged Cantonese parents weren’t so allergic to the word ‘love’.

Still, she’s determined to tackle what’s left unsaid. To find a way to unscramble what her family has been trying to tell each other all along – not in Cantonese or English, but with food.

As Candice dives into the rituals of family dining, and her parents offer to join her at restaurants she’s due to review, she begins to unravel how a decade of silence and distance have shaped their relationship. Through shared meals and culinary adventures they begin to confront the unspoken, and to unpick what it means to show care when you come from a culture where saying ‘I love you’ isn’t the norm.

Set against the backdrop of a burgeoning new relationship, grasped-at date nights mid-pandemic and an uncertain future across seas, Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You is packed with heart, humour and those bright-hearted moments around a dinner table that bring us together.

Guinness world-record breaking adventurer Mollie Hughes has explored some of the wildest environments on earth, from the top of Mount Everest to the vast frozen wastes of Antarctica, where she skied solo from the edge of the continent to the South Pole in a journey of over 700 miles through storm-force winds, 8-day whiteouts and temperatures as low as -45C.

With reference to her all-extreme experiences, and backed with psychological research, Breathe encompasses tales of bravery, risk and pressure on an epic scale and expertly turns them into valuable lessons that can be applied to our everyday challenges. In doing so Mollie shows how we can unlock our potential, control emotion, overcome fear, cope with psychological pressure and understand the importance of silence and headspace.

In her late twenties, poet Jen Hadfield moved to Shetland to make a new life. Here, in a rugged constellation of islands known for their isolation and drama, she found a place teeming with life, where rare seabirds blow in on Atlantic gales, an ancient language thrives, and a close-knit community is the beating heart of an entire world.

In Storm Pegs, Hadfield transports us to the islands as a local, introducing us to the remote and beautiful archipelago where she has made her home, and shows us new ways of living at the edge.

A gangland slaying. A missing movie star. When an actor goes missing in Glasgow, the clue to his whereabouts could be in the film script itself.

In the dead of night, a man’s body is found strapped to a chair in Glasgow’s Elder Park, his identity unknown. Forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod thinks the violence displayed at the scene suggests a gangland feud. And, when the post-mortem uncovers a bullet engraved with a snake’s head in the man’s stomach, Rhona’s suspicions intensify.

Elsewhere in the city, a major Hollywood movie is being filmed, but production comes to a standstill when the lead actor vanishes without a trace. As the news spreads, DS Michael McNab senses a chilling connection between the two cases – a brutal organized-crime storyline playing out in real life on the streets of Glasgow.

With fact and fiction blurring, all Rhona and McNab know for sure is that there is a vendetta at work that must be paid in blood. Can the script of the movie lead them to the killer before its gruesome finale comes to pass?

A SHOCKING CRIME. A MAVERICK DETECTIVE.
A FINAL CHANCE TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH.

Ray Lennox is determined to escape his darkest days. The former inspector has left Edinburgh for a fresh start in Brighton. Soon, his fixations and addictions have been replaced with quiet evenings and a rigorous fitness regime.

Then Lennox meets Mathew Cardingworth, a rich and smooth-talking property developer. Their encounter reawakens memories that have haunted Lennox for decades.

Lennox has no choice – he must confront the events of his childhood. But as he is pulled into a world of violence and murder, he finds himself asking: what will he sacrifice to achieve resolution at last?

DI Shona Oliver watches in horror as her fellow officer is pronounced dead.

PC Hayley Campbell drowns during a triathlon race in the Solway Firth. The postmortem reveals drugs in Hayley’s system, perhaps self-administered performance enhancers. But a puncture wound in the back of her wetsuit suggests something darker.

Shona makes slow progress on the case. There are other demands on her attention. The death of her old boss brings Shona under scrutiny. And the drug-related death of a teen at a festival – one which Becca is attending – has Shona on-edge.

Multiple people had a reason to want Hayley dead. Can Shona keep her head above water long enough to work out which one?

The latest thrilling installment in the unputdownable police procedural series by Lynne McEwan. Perfect for fans of Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves and Neil Lancaster.