THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

Things haven’t been easy for Eiley but she’s finally stepping into the light. With a new flat above the local bookshop, Thistle & Thorn, and a job that lets her indulge her bookworm fantasies, Eiley is on the path to rediscovering who she is – until her village of Belbarrow gets an annoyingly self-important new fireman called Warren, who it seems is always there to throw cold water on her plans.

Warren, with his hot looks and cool lines, is the last thing Eiley wants. Cocky, flirty and superior, she’s not about to be another notch on his belt. But when chaos sweeps through Eiley’s life, forcing her and Warren to team up to save the shop, sparks fly in ways she never expected.

As autumn leaves swirl and the village gears up for their annual fireworks display, Eiley must navigate the smoking chemistry between them while facing the ghosts of her past. She knows that sometimes love hurts – but other times, it burns…

In a town full of whispers, silence speaks volumes…

When three teenagers track down a missing chihuahua to an abandoned theme park, they discover a corpse strangled by his own camera strap and find themselves caught up in a murder investigation. The victim was supposed to be 400 miles away in London. He’d promised a lot of people a lot of money. And every single one of them has an alibi. Haigh, Cherry, and Sunrise soon discover that their rural village isn’t quite as dull and predictable as they thought it was.

WHEN A CHILD DISAPPEARS, NO SECRET IS SAFE . . .

THE POIGNANT AND BRILLIANTLY CLEVER NEW THRILLER FROM AWARD-WINNING CRIME AUTHOR, LIAM McILVANNEY.

Gordon and Sarah Rutherford are normal, happy people with rich, fulfilling lives. They have a son they adore, a house on the beach and a safe, friendly community in a picture-postcard town.

Until, one day, Bonnie the labrador comes in from the beach alone. Their son, Rory, has gone – the only trace left behind is a single black sandal.

Their lives don’t fall apart immediately. While there’s still hope, they dig deep and try to carry on.

But as desperation mounts, arms around shoulders become fingers pointed – at friends, family, strangers, each other. Without any answers, only questions remain. Who can they trust? How far will they go to find out what happened to Rory?

And the deadliest question of all: what could be worse than your child disappearing?

When the truth begins to emerge, they find themselves in a world they could barely have imagined.

1857, Glasgow.

A young socialite named Madeleine Smith stands accused of murdering her lover. Thousands wait outside the court to hear the result. The scandalous nature of the affair, detailed explicitly in letters published in newspapers across the world, has made her case a worldwide sensation. But when the jury find themselves unable to decide whether she is guilty, they render a verdict of ‘Not Proven’ – and Madeleine is freed.

1927, New York.

Harry Townsend, a handsome Hollywood film scout believes he has found the woman once known as Madeleine Smith. He wants to tell her story on film for the new ‘talkie’ generation. Since her trial she has lived under many names, as a glamourous society hostess in bohemian Bloomsbury to the likes of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, George Bernard Shaw and William Morris. Until suddenly, in 1890, when she disappeared off the face of the earth.

Could this quiet, secretive widow of an Irish labourer be the same Madeleine Smith who once stood trial for murder and escaped?

She has one last secret to reveal. Will Harry persuade her to tell it?

This far north, they say the dead are with us… 

Hogmanay, the far north of Scotland. Alone on the shoreline, lobster fisherman Rob Sinclair pours a dram into the freezing waves of the North Sea. It’s a family tradition; an offering to the sea spirit, the Selkie.

That same night, a stranger arrives in Rob’s village. A young woman, Mairi, charged by her dead mother to carry out three acts of vengeance. Bitter revenge for deeds done before Mairi was born.

Lonely and damaged, Rob and Mairi are drawn to one another. Rob is beguiled by Mairi, but she is elusive, frustrating, her personality shapeshifting. The only certainty is that Mairi is not who she says she is…

Acclaimed nature writer Neil Ansell has suffered from progressive hearing loss his whole life. As his world is becoming ever more silent, he suddenly hears something quite unexpected – the haunting call of the great northern diver. It is this extraordinary experience which makes him realise that there might still be remarkable sounds in nature within his reach – if he can only find himself in the right place at the right time.

This moving book charts Neil’s mission to hear rare and elusive creatures that he had not previously encountered. This journey takes him from the mountaintops and islands of the Scottish Highlands to the marshes of England and the hills of Wales. Many of these species are in grave danger of extinction, so the future Neil faces, devoid of their distinctive calls, is one we all must fight to prevent.

LOCATIONS AND AND ANIMALS:

Great northern diver (Nether Lochaber, Scottish Highlands), Ptarmigan (Ardgour, Scottish Highlands), Little Grebe (Ardgour, Scottish Highlands), Bittern (Morecambe Bay, Lancashire), Natterjack toad (The Wirral), Red-throated diver (Ardgour, Scottish Highlands), Corncrake (Coll), Snipe (Coll), Black grouse (North Wales), Greenshank (Ardgour, Scottish Highlands), Puffin (Canna and Sanday), Storm petrel (Mousa, Shetland), Whimbrel (Shetland), Red kite (Perthshire), Otter (Sunart, Scottish Highlands), Manx shearwater (Rum)

Kristie De Garis spent years running – from places, people and parts of herself. But chaos always followed.

When she moved to rural Scotland, she hoped to find peace. Instead, in the space and silence, she was forced to confront everything she had tried to escape: racism, trauma, undiagnosed ADHD, addiction and the stark realities of motherhood.

Then, in the land around her – and in the slow, stubborn craft of drystone walling – she began to see a different life. One that was quiet, deliberate, and her own.

Drystone: A Life Rebuilt is unflinchingly honest and unexpectedly funny. A story about the weight of the past, resilience and the hard work of living on your own terms.

Some things may never change. What matters is the life you build anyway.

Frankly is no ordinary political memoir. Remarkable for its honesty and self-reflection, this is the story of Nicola Sturgeon, one of our most influential and successful leaders.

The enduring popularity of Nicola Sturgeon, the first female and longest-serving First Minister of Scotland, was a rare constant in an era marked by Brexit, Covid and five different UK prime ministers. Previously, as ‘Yes Minister’ and Deputy Leader of the SNP, she helped to bring Scotland to the brink of self-rule, overseeing the Yes campaign in the Scottish independence referendum of 2014.

In this deeply personal memoir, Sturgeon recounts her journey from working-class Ayrshire to the steps of Bute House. Revealing the person behind the politician, she explores the schism between her private and public personas: one painfully shy and self-critical, the other a consummate public performer. And yet, she pulls no punches, candidly recounting her interactions with figures including Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, and Alex Salmond – her mentor and, ultimately, her staunch adversary.

Full of the verve and wit that made Sturgeon one of the most high-profile politicians in the UK, this is a unique blend of personal insight and captivating vignettes. Infused throughout with a love of Scotland and its people, it honestly discusses Sturgeon’s mistakes, her battles, and her triumphs. Frankly is the compelling story of no ordinary politician.

This is a collection of short stories. Some of them are very short, some of them are even shorter than that, and a few are quite long. What they all have in common is that they are a bit odd. There’s science fiction, there’s horror, there’s at least one fairy tale, and there are some Christmas stories, not all of which are heart-warming. None of them are entirely conventional.

David wrote all of these stories for his own entertainment, He wrote them to see if he could write them, or because he had an interesting idea, or because he wanted to see what would happen if the dead could talk to us through car stereos, if gerbils were cell phones, or if if time was an ocean.

Now you can see what he sees, too. We hope you like it.

You better. David knows people, and not all of them are very nice.

Bel’s joined the tiny Manchester office of a national paper from her indie podcast.

Thirty-something Connor is going to back to the start as the new intern.

The latest office news? They can’t stand each other.

So of course Bel bumps into Connor when she’s working undercover on the biggest scoop of her career. And of course she’s forced to improvise, pretending they’re a couple. A couple deeply in love.

Two rivals. One fake romance. The headline writes itself…

A one woman show

A one night stand

A one star review

Theatre critic Alex Lyons made his name from his brutal, brilliant reviews.

So when he sees Hayley Sinclair’s dismal one-woman show at the Edinburgh Fringe, he thinks nothing of dashing off another of his trademark one-star pans for the newspaper. He also thinks nothing of taking her home after the performance, failing at any point to mention who he is.

What he doesn’t expect is for Hayley to revamp her show into a review of Alex’s entire life, exposing what an awful person he really is. Worse, the show is a smash hit, and Alex is about to become national news. But can Hayley bring the establishment down without taking herself with it?

Funny and thrilling, Bring the House Down gives you a front row seat to the downfall of the people who tell us what to think. It’s about art, performance, female rage, and how while revenge may be sweet, it can also be perilous.

Jon Attenborough, a visually impaired football fan, embarked on an extraordinary journey across Scotland with his guide dog, Sam, visiting every single one of the 42 Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) grounds. Jon and Sam made each journey by public transport – legends!

This memoir chronicles their shared experiences, blending Jon’s love for football with the profound bond he shares with Sam. As they travel the length and breadth of Scotland, Jon navigates the challenges of accessibility, the unpredictability of live sports, and the warmth of Scotland’s football community. From the bustling cities to the remote, windswept stadiums, Jon and Sam experience the rich tapestry of Scottish football culture, encountering passionate fans, legendary players, and unforgettable moments along the way.

Through candid reflections, Jon shares the emotional and physical hurdles they overcame, the joyous milestones they reached, and the unexpected friendships they formed on this journey. The memoir also delves into Jon’s life before Sam, his struggles with vision impairment, and how Sam not only became his guide but also his closest companion and a symbol of resilience and hope.

This is more than just a football travelogue; it’s a story of perseverance, the power of companionship, and the unbreakable bond between a man and his dog. It celebrates the spirit of the beautiful game and the communities that thrive within it, while also highlighting the importance of inclusivity in sports and society.

This inspiring and heart-warming memoir will resonate with football fans, dog lovers, and anyone who believes in the power of following one’s passion against all odds.

Willie Orr continues his masterful exploration of love, resilience, and the fight for justice in the Scottish Highlands. In the wake of Calum and Catherine MacGillivray’s deaths, the novel follows their daughter Mary, who leaves Scotland to work for the wealthy Buchanan family in Jamaica. Against a backdrop of rebellion and starvation among freed slaves, Mary’s compassion and her father’s legacy of resistance to oppression shine through.
Returning to her homeland years later, Mary is drawn into the political struggles of the crofters, fighting exploitative landlords and pushing for fair rents. She becomes a force of change, embodying her father’s fierce rejection of authority and her mother’s quiet endurance.
Set against the sweeping beauty of the Highlands, Shiaba No More is a richly detailed continuation of the MacGillivray family saga, blending themes of love, hardship, and the unstoppable force of justice. Willie Orr’s deep understanding of the period and the crofters’ struggles shines through, making this a compelling and heartwarming chapter in the fight for their rights.

When one of their own is found unconscious in the boot of her car, Scotland’s Sierra Leonean community is cast into a state of shock. And the young woman’s death a few days later sparks a murder investigation.

Though Hawa Barrie lives on the fringes of that community, which revolves around the Lion Mountain Church, the disappearance of a second woman – her childhood friend Othella Savage – draws her in.

But as the police investigation drags on, Hawa grows increasingly suspicious of the charismatic Pastor Ronald Ranka – and increasingly fearful for her friend, Othella. Desperate, she launches her own search, which will take her from Scotland to Sierra Leone and back again, revealing the true nature of Ranka’s church whilst exposing dark secrets within the fabric of both countries she calls home.

A darkly compelling read inspired by a real incident, The Search for Othella Savage is an engaging and compulsive debut which examines the insidious nature of corruption – both religious and political – whilst also exploring the enduring power of friendship.

Friendship is full of revolutionary potential in the face of a profoundly anti-social capitalist system. Friends in Common explores friendship as a radical practice, capable of upending hierarchies and producing social change.

Friendship can transcend social boundaries and political borders. It is vital in building communities and underpinning solidarity. But its transformative potency ensures that it is heavily policed and restrained by the state. Understanding the radical possibilities of friendship can help us rethink our approach to family, work and politics, and show us new routes to resistance and ways to open up spaces of solidarity and escape.

The dissonance created by comparing societal expectations around friendship and a lonely reality, especially in the wake of an isolating global pandemic, is deeply alienating. Friends in Common shows that friendship as a political practice is foundational to strengthening revolutionary ideas and projects, and is the antidote to capitalist despair.

He’d burn the world down for her . . . but she plans to burn his to the ground.

Ophelia Winters wants revenge.

Isolated in the Scottish Highlands, Sorrowsong University usually only welcomes students from the most powerful and corrupt families. Ophelia doesn’t belong, but a rare scholarship grants her the perfect opportunity to investigate her parents’ “accidental” death near the castle grounds. Her plan? Keep her head down to find out what truly happened and punish those responsible. The last thing she needs is to wind up in a mafia war or step on the toes of actual royalty.

Things get off to a rocky start when she runs afoul of the mysterious Alex Corbeau-Green―son of her prime suspect. As far as she’s concerned, he is just a younger version of his billionaire father. A monster hiding beneath a beautiful façade.

Loneliness has been Ophelia’s only dependable companion for years. But when an unknown tormentor begins to stalk her, she realizes she may not be able to survive Sorrowsong on her own. It’s Alex who becomes her unexpected ally―and alibi for murder. And as she begins to fall for the soft heart that hides beneath his hard exterior, her hunger for revenge wavers for the first time.

Can she really bring herself to destroy everything he’s ever known?

Mystery. Murder. Revenge. Welcome to Sorrowsong University . . .

A princess with a mostly useless magical talent takes on horrible monsters, a dozen identical masked heroes, and a talking lion in a quest to save a kingdom—and herself—in this affectionate satire of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Twelve Huntsmen.

Someone wants to murder Princess Melilot. This is sadly normal.

Melilot is sick of being ordered to go on dangerous quests by her domineering stepmother. Especially since she always winds up needing to be rescued by her more magically talented stepsisters. And now, she’s been commanded to marry a king she’s never met.

When hideous spider-wolves attack her on the journey to meet her husband-to-be, she is once again rescued—but this time, by twelve eerily similar-looking masked huntsmen. Soon, she has to contend with near-constant attempts on her life, a talking lion that sets bewildering gender tests, and a king who can’t recognize his true love when she puts on a pair of trousers. And all the while, she has to fight her growing attraction to not only one of the huntsmen, but also her fiancé’s extremely attractive sister.

If Melilot can’t unravel the mysteries and rescue herself from peril, kingdoms will fall. Worse, she could end up married to someone she doesn’t love.

From V. E. Schwab, the No. 1 Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying, unforgettable novel to sink your teeth into . . .

This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily―her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow―but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life―
how it ends, and how it starts.

Finding the one is just so hard…

Ella, Katy, and Zola are done with Glasgow’s dating scene. From ghosting to catfishing to cringe-worthy Tinder messages, navigating love in today’s society has become an absolute nightmare! But when one of them is dumped by a guy who saw her as nothing more than a quick swipe, the trio decide to fight back and take matters into their own hands. Creating The Dicktionary Club – an exclusive, women-only website dedicated to exposing Scotland’s worst serial swipers with brutally honest reviews.

Their mission is to help women spot the red flags, dodge heartbreakers, and take back control of the dating scene. But as the site goes viral, so does the drama in their own love lives. And when one of them starts falling for a guy she’s been warning others to avoid, things get even messier and more complicated than ever.

Pre-order the sexy, laugh-out-loud new novel about friendship, love, and surviving modern dating from the bestselling author of A Glasgow Kiss and Hot Girl Summer. Coming June 2025!

Have you ever wondered about all the people who lived in your house before you?

25 Library Terrace in Edinburgh is a house where lives are changed.

In 1911, new resident Ursula Black embraces women’s suffrage in the form of census protest, discovers vegetarianism, and learns just how difficult it can be to bring up someone else’s children.

In 1931, the house becomes part of a radical experiment in a different way of living, and a family secret from the past is uncovered.

In 2011, Tess Dutton needs somewhere to live in the wake of a failed relationship, and is introduced to a rather unusuallandlady.

In 2022, delayed by the pandemic, it’s another census year for Scotland, and as Edinburgh’s residents are able to gather once more, the strands of four generations at 25 Library Terrace are finally woven together.

An enchanting book club read, filled with history and human stories, for fans of Mary Paulson-Ellis’ Edinburgh novels, Evie Woods, Sally Page and Liz Trenow.