New writers given a chance to shine at festival

Aberdeen’s crime fiction festival, Granite Noir, will be back for a fourth year in 2020 – with plans already underway for the biggest and most ambitious event yet. Having established itself as one of Scotland’s signature literature festivals, Granite Noir has doubled its attendance levels since its inception in 2017. Each year, the Locals in…

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Some exciting adventures set in the 1930s

The Gamekeeper’s Son is a real boys’ own adventure book from the heart of 1930s Morayshire. This delightful set of mini stories recounts the upbringing of author Ron Stewart, the son of a gamekeeper, and his adventures with his father, friends and local wildlife. With short, episodic chapters, we get an often comic account of…

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Conservation at the heart of debut novel

Starting from humble beginnings on a typical gap year and fuelled by his growing passion for marine conservation, we follow Thomas Durant’s fascinating journey from student to marine activist in The Activist. Scottish author Alec Connon’s debut novel tells the tale of Durant’s decade-long involvement in animal rights activism, from his first tentative steps into…

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Argyll celebrated in geography and biography

Author Ian Bradley’s love of Argyll shines through as he takes both a geographical and biographical approach. He looks at the interplay of landscape and Christian belief through figures such as Columba, Carswell, sundry Campbells, George Matheson, George MacLeod and others. Drawing on original research and interviews, this is an enthralling and fascinating read for…

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A crime thriller that ticks all the right boxes

Brooke Magnanti’s first stab at a crime thriller hits all the must-haves of the genre – secrets, lies… and dead bodies. Protagonist Erykah Macdonald had little to call her own growing up, but she turned things around and has a ‘nice’ life now – the kind of life you’re meant to want; pleasant house, good…

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10 fascinating facts about… Perthshire

Perthshire – home of beautiful scenery and the gateway to the Highlands. Here we present 10 things you probably never knew about Perthshire. Over 5,000 salmon climb the fish ladder at Pitlochry Dam at Loch Faskally each year. Rob Roy, the 1995 film directed by Michael Caton-Jones, was partly filmed in Perthshire, at Megginch and…

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The history of a Scottish squadron is published

A new book about The History of the Ayrshire Yeomanry Squadron has been released. Written by William Purdie, the book covers 60 years of history and all the various changes which have taken place since the Ayrshire Yeomanry Regiment was disbanded and became a Squadron. It was launched by Major Peter Kennedy at Yeomanry House…

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How our wildlife can reclaim the landscape

On a recent visit to London, I was blown away by the wildlife I spotted in parks and gardens. It was prolific – even more so, it felt, than at home in Perthshire. These urban green spaces have become vital for wildlife struggling to exist as boundaries between town and country become increasingly vague. It…

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From a lover of royalty to a French Revolution prisoner

One-time mistress of the Prince of Wales, who later became George IV, career courtesan Grace Dalrymple Elliott led a fascinating life. This major new biography, written by two Dalrymple Elliot enthusiasts who met online through their love of history, explores the life, loves and family of the celebrated personality who ended up as a prisoner…

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Letter writing competition for Gaelic Glasgow

A new competition is encourages Glaswegians to pen a letter to Gaelic Glasgow. Glasgow Life, together with the Gaelic Books Council, has launched Letter to Glasgow, a brand new event which encourages Gaelic supporters across Glasgow to pick up their pens and write a letter to their city – one which looks at Gaelic Glasgow,…

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