THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Glaswegian-born, Derry-based performance poet Frank Rafferty has shared his spoken word and poetry on stages around the world. His debut collection, Rafferty’s Rules, includes his comic musings coupled with political calls to action captured with his unique style of energy and lyricism.

This volume includes crowd-favourites My Granny Made Me An Anarchist and This Iz Thi Voys.

Rafferty’s Rules/raf:uh:tees ru-ls/slang c. 1910

The phrase, a play on the Irish surname Rafferty, is a way to say you aren’t playing by any rules at all.

Cover illustration by Rachael Johnson.

ContentsAbsent

Notes From The Asylum

Past Lives

I Stopped

Mickey’s Monkey

Your Health

Elephant

Araphel

Templemore

Men Who Can’t Stop Marching

Snake

Mmajin

My Granny Made Me An Anarchist

Jazz

Service 64

Being A Tree

Do Not Belong To Others

This Iz Thi Voys

Nae Pasaran Ya Bass

A Random Selection from 100 things that

keep me awake at night

When I DieRemainder

Lastwurds

Get closer to Scotland with DK Eyewitness

A road trip on the North Coast 500. Whisky tasting in the Scottish Highlands. Days of festival fun in Edinburgh. Scotland offers enough bucket-list experiences to fill a lifetime. Whatever your dream trip involves, this DK Eyewitness travel guide is the perfect companion.

Our updated guide brings Scotland to life, transporting you there like no other travel guide does with expert-led insights, trusted travel advice, detailed breakdowns of all the must-see sights, photographs on practically every page, and our hand-drawn illustrations, which take you inside the country’s buildings and neighbourhoods.

You’ll discover:- our pick of Scotland’s must-sees and top experiences- beautiful photography and detailed illustrations, taking you to the heart of Scotland- the best spots to eat, drink, shop and stay- detailed maps and walks which make navigating the region easy- easy-to-follow itineraries- expert advice: get ready, get around and stay safe- colour-coded chapters to each part of Scotland- a lightweight format, so you can take it with you wherever you go

Want the best of Scotland in your pocket? Try Top 10 Scotland.

James VI and I, the first monarch to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland, has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is simply the homosexual King, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, or the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated Tudor and Stuart forebears.

But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him?

In this new and ground-breaking biography, James’s story is laid bare and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of Elizabeth I’s successor as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign.’A real page-turner for lovers of history’ – Philippa Gregory

*Winner of the Guardian Fiction Prize*

‘Rich, taut and compelling’ – Melvyn Bragg, The Guardian

‘An accomplished display of vocal versatility’ – The Literary Review

The death of legendary jazz trumpeter Joss Moody exposes an extraordinary secret. Unknown to all but his wife Millie, Joss was a woman living as a man. The discovery is most devastating for their adopted son, Colman, whose bewildered fury brings the press to the doorstep and sends his grieving mother to the sanctuary of a remote Scottish village.

Part of the Picador Collection, Trumpet by Jackie Kay is a starkly beautiful modern classic about the lengths to which people will go for love. It is a moving story of a shared life founded on an intricate lie, of loving deception and lasting devotion, and of the intimate workings of the human heart.

‘Kay carefully registers the technical difficulties of transgendered life . . . She leaves us with a broad landscape of sweet tolerance and familial love’ – The New York Times

‘Carol Ann Duffy is the most humane and accessible poet of our time, and Rapture is essential reading for the broken-hearted of all ages’ – Rose Tremain

The effortless virtuosity, directness, drama and humanity of Carol Ann Duffy’s verse have made her our most admired and best-loved contemporary poet. Rapture, her seventh collection, is a book-length love-poem, and a moving act of personal testimony; but what sets these poems apart from other treatments of the subject is that Duffy refuses to simplify the contradictions of love, and read its transformations – infatuation, longing, passion, commitment, rancour, separation and grief – as simply redemptive or destructive.

Rapture is a map of real love, in all its churning complexity. Yet in showing us that a song can be made of even the most painful episodes in our lives, Duffy has accessed a new level of directness that sacrifices nothing in the way of subtlety of expression. These are poems that will find deep rhymes in the experience of most readers, and nowhere has Duffy more eloquently articulated her belief that poetry should speak for us all.

Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literature.

A chance meeting with the manager of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel leads the much-admired and traditionally-built Precious Ramotswe to investigate what is going wrong with this previously successful country hotel. Guests have been unwell, clothing has disappeared from the washing line, and scorpions have found their way into the guest bedrooms. Mma Ramotswe drives out to the hotel with her irrepressible colleague, Grace Makutsi (97 per cent in the final examinations of the Botswana Secretarial College). What they find there are family conflicts that only the investigators of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency will be able to resolve.

Meanwhile, at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mma Ramotswe’s husband, Mr J.L.B. Matekoni, gets a visit from a middle-aged client who wants to purchase a fast Italian sports car. What should the conscientious garagiste do in such circumstances? Should the client’s wife be told? Mma Ramotswe is used to wrestling with such tricky questions, but it is harder for Mr J.L.B. Matekoni.

And in the background is that beautiful country, Botswana, with its wide skies and its courteous people. In such surroundings, big problems soon seem small, and small worries fade away altogether.

When was the last time you remembered your heart’s beating?

In his debut collection of songs and poetry, Seki Lynch presents pieces on love and connection for anyone who’s ever felt like dancing in the face of their fear.

Finding hope in the depths of disconnection, Under The Sun Our Hearts Are Beating is a gathering of consciousness, seeking to dissolve some of the invisible barriers between us. Influenced and inspired by literature, art, science, nature, hip-hop, jazz (specifically), music (generally) and his own experience, these 24 new works sift for meaning and belonging in the chaos of existence.They’re offered as a reminder that when everything gets on top, despite all you’ve been through, you’re here now, and your heart is still beating.

**The spellbinding, bold new retelling of the story of Lord Byron and the Shelleys, from the perspective of Claire Clairmont, the incredible woman that history tried to forget.**

‘Beautifully written, Clairmont tells the sensuous hidden story of an influential historic woman.’ Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year

‘An absorbing, intoxicating page-turner about a woman who deserves to be remembered.’ Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne and Atalanta

‘Riveting – a clever portrait of a fascinating, flawed heroine.’ Sunday Times

‘An intimate and enlightening tale of one of Romanticism’s forsaken muses – an artfully told story that lingers in the mind far beyond the last page’ Susan Stokes-Chapman, author of Pandora

1816. A massive volcanic eruption has caused the worst storms that Europe has seen in decades, yet Percy and Mary Shelley have chosen to visit the infamous Lord Byron at his villa on Lake Geneva. It wasn’t their idea: Mary’s eighteen year old step-sister, Claire Clairmont, insisted.

But the reason for Claire’s visit is more pressing than a summer escape with the most famous writers in the world. She’s pregnant with Byron’s child – a child Byron doesn’t want, and scarcely believes is his own.Claire has the world in her grasp. This trip should have given her everything she ever dreamed of. But within days, her life will be in ruins.

History has all but forgotten her story – but she will not be silenced.

Jim Brennan is flying high. Against all odds, he is a big man at the university, tipped for the head job and an office at the top of the ivory tower. He has a beautiful, accomplished wife and two healthy children. Jim drives an Audi, and his dog is a pedigree bichon frisé. Not bad for the son of a hardman who grew up in a room and kitchen.

But for every person who’s watched his progress and wanted to hitch a lift, there’s someone else desperate to drag him back down. When his son Elliot is arrested on drugs charges, Jim is approached by men he thought he had left safely in his past. Their demands threaten his family, students and reputation.

As the pressure mounts, Jim discovers he is more like his father than he thought. The question is, how far will Professor Jim Brennan go to save the life he built?

From the author of bestseller, Ruxton: The First Modern Murder, comes another deep dive into one of the most notorious cases in Scottish Criminal History.

Tom Wood’s The World’s End Murders: The Inside Story is a new look at a well-known story. In this book, Wood offers the detailed analysis only one of the original investigators could give, and reveals how over nearly four decades, detectives and scientists struggled to deliver justice. The horrific killing of two Edinburgh teenagers in October 1977 sparked a nationwide manhunt that turned into one of Britain’s longest and most famous murder investigations. The book tells the story of two innocent young girls, Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, and of the extraordinary police investigation over almost four decades that eventually led to the discovery of links to their deaths with Angus Sinclair, one of Scotland’s most notorious murderers and sex offenders.

Acquitted after a controversial trial in 2007, changes in the law and new, cutting-edge forensic evidence meant that Sinclair found himself in the court again, and in 2014 he was finally held to account for the notorious World’s End murders.

But this is not a gruesome tale of violent death – the families of Helen and Christine have suffered long enough. It is a story of heroes – of the families of the two girls who, with quiet dignity, have carried an unimaginable burden down the years, and of the police officers, the support staff and the scientists who persisted in their investigations and never gave up. This is the inside story of the World’s End murders.

A LOCAL MYTH. A DEADLY THREAT.

Vera Stanhope, star of ITV’s Vera, returns in the eleventh novel in Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller Ann Cleeves’ acclaimed series.

A body is found by an early morning dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up to work.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. Her only clue is the disappearance of fourteen-year-old resident Chloe. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie are soon embroiled in the case, but when a second body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, folklore and fact begin to collide.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed. . .

A LOCAL MYTH. A DEADLY THREAT.

Vera Stanhope, star of ITV’s Vera, returns in the eleventh novel in Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller Ann Cleeves’ acclaimed series.

A body is found by an early morning dog walker on the common outside Rosebank, a care home for troubled teens. The victim is Josh, a staff member, who never showed up to work.

DI Vera Stanhope is called out to investigate. Her only clue is the disappearance of fourteen-year-old resident Chloe. Vera can’t bring herself to believe that a teenager is responsible for the murder, but even she can’t dismiss the possibility.

Vera, Joe and new team member Rosie are soon embroiled in the case, but when a second body is found near the Three Dark Wives standing stones in the wilds of the Northumbrian countryside, folklore and fact begin to collide.

Vera knows she has to find Chloe to get to the truth, but it seems that the dark secrets in their community may be far more dangerous than she could ever have believed. . .

A SWEET TEMPTATION!

Running her own chocolate shop in a Highland castle is a dream come true for Bonnie. Working with reluctant new boss Ewen is not… The brooding tycoon is infuriating and disarmingly attractive in equal measure, but fragile Bonnie can’t chance her heart again. A fling, however, could be just what they both need… It’s only supposed to be fun-and temporary! Except now Bonnie has begun to wonder if Ewen is the second chance she didn’t see coming…

Discover the essence of Scotland’s cultural brilliance with Demarco’s Scotland, an immersive journey into the heart of one of the world’s most captivating nations. Experience the richness of Scottish identity, woven with threads of history, art and tradition.

This, the compelling sequel to Demarco’s Edinburgh, is where the soul of Scotland is laid bare through the eyes of Richard Demarco and Roddy Martine. Explore the profound connections between art, culture and history as you trace Scotland’s evolution from ancient pilgrimage routes to modern-day artistic endeavours.

Whether you are a seasoned Scot or a newcomer to its shores, Demarco’s Scotland is a celebration of the country?s enduring spirit and timeless quest for meaning. The perfect read for Festival enthusiasts, cultural explorers and history buffs.

The Tenement Revealed is a liberally illustrated guide to the construction of tenement housing across Scotland from 1700 to 1915, with detailed information about the changing methods and materials used. Numerous detailed drawings accompany the photographs, resulting in an attractive and accessible book that is equally relevant as a maintenance guide or historical account with relevance beyond Scotland.

The period covered was a time of considerable social change, reflected through attention to law (e.g. around sanitation), land ownership, transportation (e.g. the development of canals and railways), colonialism, and the coming of fireplaces, oil lamps and electricity. In this context, the book considers the drivers which underpinned improvements such as the risk from fire, dry rot, collapse due to coal mines, and health problems (leading to installation of bathrooms and kitchens). The current and future impacts of climate change and carbon emissions on tenements are assessed and the author makes a plea for attention to breathable insulations, with an example of how this has been achieved in a tenement block in Glasgow.

This comprehensive book is also a plea for good maintenance of this important type of urban housing, particularly in the light of climate change and addresses how maintenance and insulation of tenements can be achieved. This is of vital importance because increased rainfall due to climate change is damaging stone mortar, and the lack of insulation leads to more carbon emissions and to fuel poverty.

Trees and birds go together, and they have done for millions of years, evolving long before we did. Over their long and shared history, they have formed numerous relationships, some of which are basic and obvious to us, like a bird using a tree to perch in whilst searching for food. Others are more intricate, but still noticeable to us, with the classic example being that many tree species use birds to propagate their next generation by providing their seed wrapped in nutritious food parcels that we call berries. But even this relationship can be more involved than it at first seems, with some trees using lethal methods to ensure that they get the seed courier method they want, whilst other trees use ultraviolet signals to inform the birds that the berries are ready and even change the shade of the berry to indicate whether it is best eaten in the evening or the morning.And then there are those relationships that we are only just beginning to discover that lead to a whole host of fascinating questions: can birds identify individual tree species? Can trees ?talk? to birds, can they ask them for help?The intimate links between trees and birds are extremely intricate, they can be invisible to us, they can be incomprehensible to us, but they are always amazing. Of the Trees and the Birds considers how these may have started and where we are today in our understanding of them. Sometimes we misunderstand those relationships and sometimes our actions result in their breakdown ? which can be catastrophic for entire ecosystems.We need to be aware of these relationships ? marvel at and celebrate them ? after all the history of Britain would be very different without them. Nature is amazing in all aspects!

Step into the heart of football’s goals with It’s a Goal! by the legendary commentator Archie Macpherson. Delve into Archie’s captivating stories about what each goal means to him. Some spectacular, some less-so, some not-at-all, but all significant – together with a fascinating backstory to each goal and the match in which it was scored. With each goal comes a riveting backstory, revealing the emotions that fuel the beautiful game.

Archie invites you on a journey through the highs and lows of football, where the simple act of scoring a goal becomes a profound moment of human connection. From the roar of victory to the sting of defeat, Archie captures the essence of football’s emotional rollercoaster with unparalleled insight and passion.

Experience the enduring power of football to unite, inspire and move us all, regardless of our team allegiance or location. It’s a Goal! is a testament to the universal language of football, celebrating the players and moments that have touched the hearts of fans worldwide.

Diverted to Split is Hugh McMillan’s new poetry book, his sixth from Luath. As before, his poetry ranges widely in subject matter, from his friends and family to his travels and his politics, and deals with life’s great issues, love and mortality.

Andrew Greig has noted that McMillan’s poetry finds the universal in the microscopically personal, a platform, a verge, a wake, a train ride.

As ever, humour plays a large part, sometimes bleak, sometimes wholehearted, but you’re never laughing so much you lose sight of the human story, its triumphs, its ultimate failures.

This poetry collection will not only be a hit with fans of Hugh McMillan’s work, but any poetry lover that is seeking for warmth and the wit of humans during these turbulent times.

Small nations and independence have dominated our headlines for many years now. We look towards other countries’ successes in comparison to our own. We watch them chart their own path across the world, flourishing independently. But, what is it about these small states? It is their resilience.

This book delves into the present states of resilience in Scotland and Ireland, placing them within the context of historical and contemporary realities. Taking the analysis to new depths, McLeish and Harrison connect the futures of these nations beyond their existing constitutional differences to the broader archipelago that defines their northern and western boundaries.

The book contends that Scotland’s current emphasis on independence poses a threat to its resilience, presenting a binary political focus. In contrast, it views Ireland as remarkably successful but acknowledges the need for continued efforts to ensure resilience. Furthermore, the authors see the archipelago as an opportunity for a mosaic of resilient nations to forge new cooperative structures and extend ties with their Nordic neighbours.

This book will appeal to citizens interested in independence movements (both Irish and Scottish) alongside readers interested in politics and the relations of small nations.

What if the killer she’s hunting turns out to be the woman she’s falling for? A gripping debut thriller in a unique location, from a major new talent in Scottish crime – pre-order now to read before anyone else!

‘A significant crime debut. Authoritatively authentic, irresistibly pacey and nerve-shreddingly tense’ Chris Brookmyre

Just because the most dangerous criminals in society are caught and locked up, doesn’t mean they stop committing crime.

That’s where Kennedy Allardyce comes in – monitoring not just the prisoners, but also the staff.

And she’s just stumbled across her most dangerous foe yet – rumours of a corrupt guard with lethal influence. And what’s worst, it seems they’ve already realised Kennedy is on their tail.

At least one thing is giving her joy – a blossoming relationship with Molly, a beautiful, enigmatic new guard.

Wouldn’t it be awful if the killer she’s hunting turned out to be the woman she’s falling for?