Reviews
An entertaining read to put spring in your step
The Nature of Spring, by Jim Crumley, one of Scotland’s foremost wildlife writers, sees him continue his seasonal writing series with the addition of spring. This thought-inducing paean to nature brings the issues of the natural world to the forefront, reminding us of global warming and the threat it brings to Scottish species such as…
Read MoreScots history is reimagined to celebrate women
Where are the Women? by Sara Sheridan reimagines a Scottish history as one in which men are no longer disproportionately commemorated and women’s triumphs are lauded. In Sheridan’s world, Arthur’s Seat is renamed in honour of early Christian St Triduana, while the cave at Staff a references Malvina, not Fingal. The author asks readers to imagine…
Read MoreForget Scandi Noir fiction – try this Scandi Blanc
Alexander McCall Smith, who is well-known for his prodigious writing speeds, having now penned over 100 novels, has established a new genre, Scandi Blanc. This contrasts with the oppressively heavy and relentlessly dark Scandi Noir. McCall Smith’s latest page-turner makes for an easy and light-hearted read, even if it is still full of crime. We…
Read MoreSocial issues at the heart of new mystery novel
Runaway is the third installment of MacLeary’s Harcus and Laird series, and is a unique read for enthusiasts of crime fiction. Two ordinary middle-aged women attempt to run their own private investigative agency while balancing part-time jobs and family life, with their latest intriguing case revolving around a missing housewife who mysteriously disappears without a…
Read MoreAnother hit from Scotland’s romantic comedy queen
Jenny Colgan is Scotland’s queen of romantic comedy novels – after all, you don’t become a multiple best-selling author without a degree of talent. What she possesses is a skill to create real people, and place them in situations which we all know and recognise. For The Bookshop on the Shore, we meet London-based single…
Read MoreA fascinating story of love, affairs and royalty
This gripping tale of love, exile and conflict tells the story of sisters Isabella and Catherine de Valois. Isabella was married to Richard II, until his mysterious death forced her back to a fatally divided France, while her beautiful sister, Catherine, the bride of Henry V, had a passionate love affair with Owain Tudor, with…
Read MoreShipshape memoir of Scotland’s maritime industry
Stories of the shipbuilding industry are brought to life in Alexander M M Stephen’s book. Covering industrial relations, shipyard modernisation, ship design and contract negotiations, this fascinating memoir introduces readers to some of the most interesting yet barely known facts on industrial history. A seventh-generation shipbuilder, the author has extensive knowledge on the subject and…
Read MorePub owner and herbalist turns detective
Exploring village life in Scotland, this novel features Rosie McLeod, a pub owner and gifted herbalist. Suspicious of her husband Jack, Rosie sets out to discover if he is having an affair using the deductive powers of plants and herbs. But Rosie’s plan backfires when the sighting of a large, black cat sets off a…
Read MoreSet sail for fun adventures on a school ship
Follow the adventures of Ben and Fee MacTavish who go to an unusual school – the School Ship Tobermory, where young people learn to be sailors. When a film crew arrives on another ship, the Albatross, Ben is chosen to be one of their movie extras. But he soon becomes suspicious – is this film…
Read MoreLiving on St Kilda and researching its proud history
Aiming to challenge the popular belief that St Kilda is isolated from the rest of the world, two archaeologists spent more than nine months working and living on the island. Whilst there, they researched its outstanding history. The book includes a detailed survey and never-before-seen images of the archipelago and its people. St Kilda: The…
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