THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

1579, St Andrews. When Hew Cullan, a young lawyer, returns home after studying in Paris, he arrives to find a close friend accused of murdering a thirteen-year-old boy. For the first time, Hew finds himself plunged headlong into a Pandora’s box of lies and deception, starting his journey as a reluctant mystery solver. From the chilling austerity of university life to the shores of Flanders and the court of King James, Hew must unravel the subterfuge and murder that pervades sixteenth-century Scotland. This bestselling series is a must-read for fans of thrilling historical fiction, expertly researched and utterly enthralling.

Titles included in this bundle are: Hue & Cry; Fate & Fortune; Time & Tide; Friend & Foe

Uncover the story of Scotland with Alistair Moffat’s history collection. From the Ice Age to the modern day, this bundle leaves no stone unturned. Journey through the long-lost kingdoms of Roman times and the Dark Ages, uncover the bloodshed wrought by the Border Reivers for two centuries, track down the true King Arthur, and learn the true story of how Scotland became the nation it is today.

‘Moffat plunders the facts and fables to create a richly-detailed and comprehensive analysis of a nation’s past’ – Scots Magazine

Titles included in this bundle are: The Faded Map; Arthur and the Lost Kingdoms; The Reivers; Scotland: A History From Earliest Times

Sherlock Holmes returns in these tributes to the classic 1940s Universal Pictures Sherlock Holmes film series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. When unspeakable and unexplainable crimes strike the streets of wartime London, in desperation Scotland Yard turn to Sherlock Holmes, the world’s greatest detective. From a serial killer emulating the murders of Jack the Ripper, to the spontaneous combustion of high-profile figures in science and the military, only Sherlock Holmes and the redoubtable Dr Watson can uncover the culprits. For fans of The Golden Age of Detective Fiction and Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

‘Harris’s take on the iconic characters is outstanding’ – Bruce Tierney, BookPage (US)

Titles included in this eBook bundle are: A Study in Crimson; The Devil’s Blaze

Snap up a pair of Isla Dewar’s feel-good novels in this exclusive bundle from Polygon. First, delve into a feel-good summer reading mystery with It Takes One to Know One, where Charlie Gavin, abducted as a baby, joins the Be Kindly Missing Persons Bureau to help lost souls like himself. Then indulge in the lifelong friendship of Anna and George in A Day Like Any Other, a novel that shows it’s never too late to find yourself, packed with humour, insight, depth and honesty.

‘A realist, observant and needle-sharp, Isla Dewar can be very funny’ – The Times

Titles included in this bundle are: It Takes One to Know One; A Day Like Any Other

Introducing Alice Rice, Edinburgh detective. Smart and capable, but battling disillusionment and loneliness, she must solve a string of brutal murders, set against the well-to-do background of Edinburgh’s New Town. Thrilling, chilling, and packed with author Gillian Galbraith’s own experience as an advocate to give a realistic portrayal of the medical and legal worlds that Alice Rice must navigate, this series is not to be missed.

‘There is not a dull page from start to finish’ – Alexander McCall Smith

Titles included in this eBook bundle are: Blood in the Water; Where the Shadow Falls; Dying of the Light; No Sorrow to Die

Spanning three different cities across the United States, Stuart Cosgrove’s bestselling Soul Trilogy blends history, culture and music to paint a vivid picture of social change through the last years of the 1960s. Strap in for a journey through urban riots, escalating war in Vietnam, police corruption, the assassination of Martin Luther King, the rise of musical pioneers such as Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, the arrest of the Black Panther members and their controversial trials, and much, much more. Award-winning and critically acclaimed, these are books that no soul music enthusiast should be without.

‘Cosgrove’s lucid, entertaining prose is laden with detail, but never at the expense of the wider narrative’ – Clash Magazine

Titles included in this bundle are: Detroit 67; Memphis 68; Harlem 69

The Thirty-Nine Steps is the original spy thriller, and the inspiration for countless books, films and games. Buchan’s most popular novel is the first to feature adventurer Richard Hannay. Here you can get all five of Richard Hannay’s continent-spanning adventures, from the Scottish Highlands to the Western front of the First World War. Polygon’s editions of John Buchan’s novels are the only publications which are authorised and endorsed by the John Buchan estate. Each one comes with a specially commissioned introduction by renowned writers.

Titles included in this bundle are: The Thirty-Nine Steps; Greenmantle; Mr Standfast; The Three Hostages; The Island of Sheep

Take a trip to the expat community of the sun-drenched Spanish coast with Morgan Cry and the Daniella Coulstoun thrillers. With suspicious deaths, police corruption, gangland politics and Daniella caught in the middle, strap yourself in for a rollercoaster ride of coastal crime. These books are perfect summer reads for crime fans, set on Spain’s Costa Blanca with a colourful cast of double-crossing characters. A criminally good cocktail of sun, crime, escapism and dark humour.

‘Morgan Cry possesses that rare magic of being able to tell a dark tale with light humour’ – Deborah Masson

Titles included in this eBook bundle are: Thirty-One Bones; Six Wounds

A series of unique stories of hope and love set against a backdrop of political and family turmoil, this trilogy, beginning with The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, has been a smash hit across the globe, selling over one million copies. Set in Burma and spanning the decades between the 1950s and the present, join Sendker’s powerful cast of characters as they uncover tales of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will change their lives.

‘Sendker [is] a mesmerizing storyteller’ – Kirkus Reviews

Titles included in this bundle are: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats; A Well-Tempered Heart; The Heart Remembers

Discover the critically acclaimed Rebecca Connolly thrillers today. From the dark shores of the island of Stoirm to the stunning Scottish Highlands, to the streets of Glasgow and the moors of Culloden, join investigative reporter Rebecca Connolly as she delves into occult murders, family secrets and Scotland’s criminal underworld. For fans of thrilling murder mysteries with a visceral sense of place, look no further than Rebecca Connolly. Douglas Skelton is an accomplished crime writer with real investigative experience, and he has been longlisted for the McIllvanney Award for Scottish Crime Book of the Year.

‘Skelton writes grittily authentic crime novels . . . fast-paced and straight to the point – like a well-aimed literary projectile’ – Times Scotland

Titles included in this eBook bundle are: Thunder Bay; The Blood is Still; A Rattle of Bones; Where Demons Hide

This guidebook describes 30 day walks all over the Isles of Harris and Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides. The walks range from 2 and 14 miles (4 to 22km) in length, and are easily accessible from Stornaway or Tarbet. Routes vary from short strolls to long wilderness hikes, high-level and low-level, and include the An Cliseam horseshoe, visits to ancient historic monuments like the stone circles of Calanais and the famous Butt of Lewis lighthouse, all illustrated with OS 1:50,000 maps and dramatic photography. The routes take in most of the main summits as well as historical and geographical places of interest. A list of all the Marilyns (British hills of any height with a drop of at least 150m on all sides) on Harris, Lewis and St Kilda is included at the back. Tips are also included about walking on St Kilda, Berneray, Taransay, The Shiant Islands and The Flannan Isles, along with a short Gaelic glossary and route summary table, and advice on practicalities to make the most out of any walking trip on Harris and Lewis.

Scenic glens, dramatic mountains, postcard-pretty villages and bustling cities brimming with a rich cultural heritage, Scotland is as diverse as it is breathtaking. Make the most of your trip to Scotland with DK Eyewitness Top 10. Planning is a breeze with our simple lists of ten, covering the very best that Scotland has to offer and ensuring that you don’t miss a thing. Best of all, the pocket-friendly format is light and easily portable; the perfect companion while out and about.

Inside DK Eyewitness Top 10 Scotland you will find:

– Up-to-date information with insider tips and advice for staying safe.
– Top 10 lists of Scotland’s must-sees, including Edinburgh Castle, Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms.
– Scotland’s most interesting areas, with the best places for sightseeing, food and drink, and shopping.
– Themed lists, including the best lochs, walking routes, whisky distilleries, festivals and events and much more.
– Easy-to-follow itineraries, perfect for a day trip, a weekend, or a week.
– A laminated pull-out map of the Scotland, plus nine full-colour area maps.

Looking for more on Scottish culture, history and attractions? Try our DK Eyewitness Scotland.

About DK Eyewitness: At DK Eyewitness, we believe in the power of discovery. We make it easy for you to explore your dream destinations. DK Eyewitness travel guides have been helping travellers to make the most of their breaks since 1993. Filled with expert advice, striking photography and detailed illustrations, our highly visual DK Eyewitness guides will get you closer to your next adventure. We publish guides to more than 200 destinations, from pocket-sized city guides to comprehensive country guides. Named Top Guidebook Series at the 2020 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards, we know that wherever you go next, your DK Eyewitness travel guides are the perfect companion.

Meet Hector Lawless. As a brilliant Edinburgh lawyer, Hector has a reputation for untangling the cases that no other lawyer can handle. But the obsessive-compulsive behaviour that’s made him a master of the law has also left Hector a pariah amongst his peers – a social outcast with crippling anxiety. The man with the perfectly ordered desk, the pristine notebooks, the strictly regimented working day and rituals that make sense only to him. When Hector is approached by his boss, Lord Campbell, with a highly sensitive case that reaches from one of Edinburgh’s most exclusive private schools to 10 Downing Street, he relishes the chance to bring true evil to justice. Hector must call on every one of the skills he has cultivated over a lifetime of being an outsider to survive. Justice will be served. The Penitent must accept their penance. As Hector’s enemies are about to discover, it really is the quiet ones you have to worry about.

One of Britain’s outstanding historical writers delivers a romantic and picaresque masterpiece that tells the fascinating story of William Neilson. In 1720, the young William Neilson leaves Edinburgh to make his fortune in Europe, first sailing to Rotterdam and then on foot to Paris, where he meets and is immediately employed by the banker John Law. A day later he is in the Bastille, but not before he has encountered a young woman of surpassing beauty to whom Neilson will be devoted for the rest of his life. Imprisoned in the Bastille, he has no possibility of seeing or communicating with his beloved. When at last he recovers his freedom, he is despatched at once to sea, bound for the Indies. He will be shipwrecked, become an equerry on the Île-de-France, anon command a disorderly legion in Persia, become a linguist able to hold his own in diplomatic and mercantile circles, all the while anticipating a summons from the Stuart king in exile in Rome, until he is sent back to France, and thence to Scotland in the service of the Young Pretender. This is brilliant, irresistibly entertaining fiction. A whole world of adventure and romance comes alive in the hands of one of our most ingenious storytellers, one of our finest writers.

* THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER *

‘An enthralling read’ GUARDIAN

‘A thrilling blend of fantasy and horror, richly imagined and masterfully executed’ SFX

‘Terrific . . . A book that creeps up on you, wearing brass knuckles’ CONN IGGULDEN

The first in a captivating new historical fantasy series, ORDINARY MONSTERS introduces the Talents with a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world, and the gifted, broken children who must save it. There in the shadows was a figure in a cloak, at the bottom of the cobblestone stair, and it turned and stared up at them as still and unmoving as a pillar of darkness, but it had no face, only smoke . . .1882. North of Edinburgh, on the edge of an isolated loch, lies an institution of crumbling stone, where a strange doctor collects orphans with unusual abilities. In London, two children with such powers are hunted by a figure of darkness – a man made of smoke. Charlie Ovid discovers a gift for healing himself through a brutal upbringing in Mississippi, while Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight, glows with a strange bluish light. When two grizzled detectives are recruited to escort them north to safety, they are confronted by a sinister, dangerous force that threatens to upend the world as they know it. What follows is a journey from the gaslit streets of London to the lochs of Scotland, where other gifted children – the Talents – have been gathered at Cairndale Institute, and the realms of the dead and the living collide. As secrets within the Institute unfurl, Marlowe, Charlie and the rest of the Talents will discover the truth about their abilities and the nature of the force that is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts.

‘A dazzling mountain of wild invention, Dickensian eccentrics, supernatural horrors and gripping suspense’ JOE HILL

‘Expansive in scope and storytelling, Ordinary Monsters builds an electrifying Victorian world’ CARI THOMAS

Sing Auld Lang Syne while you climb to the top of a Castle. Wave to a Highland cow in John O’Groats. Put on a Kilt and avoid those Midgies as you visit a Loch to meet Nessie. Then speed back over the Forth Bridge to Edinburgh Zoo — not forgetting your Umbrella!

Take a whistle-stop tour through the Scottish alphabet! Each letter from A to Z represents the best of everything Scottish: beautiful landscapes, fascinating history and amazing wildlife. Just watch out for the weather!

This charming and fun book is perfect for locals and visitors alike, as illustrator Kate Davies fills each page with humorous Scottish details. Featuring one word per letter, it’s ideal for younger children to enjoy.

A thwarted thespian must use his talents to save his flock from a woolly situation in this hilarious gem from bestselling children’s author Ross Montgomery. William the lamb just can’t stand still. His feet are always tapping, ready to dance, and he loves nothing more than bursting into song. But his talents aren’t always appreciated at Sheep School. Cast out of the flock, he wanders miserably away only to witness the rest of the sheep being captured by the Big Bad Wolf. Can William find a way to put his artistic skills to use to save the day?

A picture book edition of a much-loved classic, with illustrations by award-winning artist, Robert Ingpen. This timeless tale has never been out of print and is one of the best-loved children’s titles in English literature. Kenneth Grahame’s wonderful imagination and quiet humour continue to charm children and adults alike, and Robert Ingpen’s stunning illustrations bring to life the adventures of Toad, Mole, Ratty and Badger. When the Mole leaves his spring-cleaning and heads up into the open air, he embarks on a series of exhilarating adventures with his new friends: the laid-back Ratty, the gruff yet kindly Badger and the self-satisfied, irrepressible Mr. Toad. The impulsive Toad leads the friends from one escapade to the next – from upturned gypsy caravans to stolen motorcars, a daring prison escape and, finally, to a heroic confrontation with the sinister inhabitants of the Wild Wood. Now retold in picture book form by Karen Saunders – with stunning artwork by Robert Ingpen.

Don Colyear has made the transition from his role as a Community Police Sergeant to a new position in Edinburgh’s CID, but the adjustment has not been easy. The workload and paperwork are one thing but being micro-managed by DCI Templeton as well is more than testing. And when Colyear’s investigation into a mysterious death spirals into a complicated case centred on a massive consignment of Class A drugs, a double murder and a clash between low-level and professional criminals, his instincts are put to the test.

A little sausage dog discovers that she has strengths of her very own in this adorable gem from bestselling author Pip Jones, perfect for dog lovers. Peggy the sausage dog feels really sad when she finds she’s too small to really compete with the other dogs at puppy school. Her little legs and long body make it hard for her to jump high or run very fast. But when one of her school friends has a dangerous fall, it’s Peggy who comes to the rescue, proving that heroes come in all different sizes!