Thicker Than Water by Ken Lussey (15 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
A compelling murder mystery set in northern Scotland. Callum Anderson and Jenny Mackay are spending Hogmanay at Sarclet Castle in Caithness
when they are asked to investigate the brutal murder of a young woman at nearby Sarclet Broch in 1943, a woman whose ghost is believed to haunt
the castle. What seems the coldest of cold cases is not the first murder of a young woman at the broch. Nor is it the last.
On the day that Callum and Jenny arrive, there is a third fatal stabbing there.
Read our full review.
The Hebridean Baker: The Scottish Cookbook by Coinneach MacLeod (10 October 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
Mastering the art of Scottish baking is more than just perfecting shortbread, scones and clootie dumpling. It's about capturing
the heart and soul of Scotland. This cookbook is a celebratio of Scotland's timeless culinary traditions and an introduction to new
recipes. It invites you to explore a delightful array of heart-warming soups and pies, show-stopping desserts and mouth-watering
cakes, along with irresistible biscuits perfect for dunking in a cup of tea.
Read our full review.
Not the End of the World by Talya Baldwin (4 July 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
This is a true story about a real place. A place hidden behind the waves. The Vikings saw it in their dreams, and sometimes sea birds call its name.
It’s a dot on a map. The blink of an eye. The beat of a wing. Storms and songs and stickleback stop by on their travels. This is St Kilda. A tiny
group of islands; an archipelago: Hirta, Boreray, Soay, Dùn. They call them The Islands at the End of the World. Come on an adventure, far away
across the sea to the mysterious St Kilda to discover its story.
Read our full review.
Scotland From the Air by Shahbaz Majeed (15 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
In this book, photographer Shahbaz Majeed has used drone and helicopter to take readers on a unique journey. Through these pictures, you
can see the sweep of the land and how the layers of history have been embedded in and become part of these landscapes. From its varied and
dramatic coastline, to its iconic landmarks, historic buildings, towns, cities and industries, the aerial views on these pages show the
beauty and fascination of Scotland in a totally different way.
Read our full review.
The Gravity of Feathers: Fame, Fortune and the Story of St Kilda by Andrew Fleming (3 October 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
When the last 36 inhabitants of St Kilda, 40 miles west of the Scottish Hebrides, were evacuated in 1930, the archipelago at
‘the edge of the world’ lost its permanent population after five millennia. This book tells the absorbing and eventful story
of St Kilda from up to the evacuation and its aftermath. It brings to life the rich culture of the islanders themselves, as
well as the numerous outsiders who engaged with the remote island community.
Read our full review.
The Eye of Horus by Ken Lussey (18 June 2024).
An atmospheric World War Two thriller with settings that move from the Highlands of Scotland via Gibraltar to Malta. It's June
1943. Bob and Monique Sutherland are on honeymoon in Kyle of Lochalsh when an unexpected visitor arrives to spoil their idyll.
They agree to travel to Malta to search for two missing men, a young naval lieutenant and an MI6 officer who has disappeared
while looking for him. The aerial siege of the island is over and the tide of war has turned but, after three years of bombing,
Malta remains a shattered place.
Read our full review.
Lies of the Flesh by F.J. Watson (4 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
Autumn 1314. In the aftermath of the Scottish victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, the villagers of Warcop wait desperately for the return
of loved ones. When brothers Wat and Rob Dickinson bring news of the death of their companion, Adam Fothergill, as they fled home, there is
no one to mourn him. But when a monstrous figure is seen in the hills nearby, it seems Adam has returned from the dead to wreak revenge. But
for what? A gripping exploration of what happens when identities are challenged within the crucible of war.
Read our full review.
The Art of Scottish Golf by Martin Dempster (7 November 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
Scotland is the birthplace and the home of golf, with a rich tradition which is recognised around the world. The Art of Scottish
Golf is the perfect companion for golfers everywhere, with a mix of golfing lore, history, iconic Scottish courses, brilliant anecdotes
from players and caddies past and present, and much more. With a wealth of detail and stories, The Art of Scottish Golf shows why
Scotland is such a special destination for golfers from home and overseas
Read our full review.
Forgotten Vikings: New Approaches to the Viking Age by Alex Harvey (15 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
A chronological overview of the Viking Age (793–1066) and quite a lot of history either side of these arbitrary dates. Arbitrary? This
book aims to explore the phenomenon of ‘the Vikings’ from new angles, forged out of recent academic breakthroughs largely unexplored in
popular history books; the Viking Age viewed as a longer, discrete period from the sixth to the fifteenth centuries. Forgotten Vikings
will change the way you see these often misunderstood people.
Read our full review.
Edinburgh: A New History by Alistair Moffat (3 October 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
From prehistory to the present day, the story of Edinburgh is packed with incident and drama. As Scotland’s capital since 1437,
the city has witnessed many of the key events which have shaped the nation. Alistair Moffat shows how the city has grown, changed
and adapted over the centuries. He introduces Edinburgh’s famous places and people as well as the ordinary citizens who have
contributed so much to the life of one of the world’s best-known and most beautiful cites.
Read our full review.
The Hollow Mountain by Douglas Skelton (2 May 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
The Tunnel Tigers were an elite group of construction workers who specialised in blasting tunnels through mountains and under rivers,
in dangerous conditions few men could endure. Alice Larkin, the headstrong daughter of a millionaire and former news reporter, claims
her lover, a Tunnel Tiger, died in mysterious circumstances many years ago, and she wants journalist Rebecca Connolly to investigate.
Intrigued, Rebecca throws herself into investigating the story, but she soon comes face to face with an old adversary.
Read our full review.
The Life and Death of Mary, Queen of Scots by Jan-Marie Knights (15 October 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
Queen of Scots at six days old; married at fifteen in Paris to the Dauphin of France; Queen of France at sixteen; widowed
at eighteen; dead at forty-four. Mary Stuart’s tumultuous life and tragic death continue to enthral us today. Utilising
contemporary documents, Jan-Marie Knights tracks the fascinating story of Mary’s life and death by creating a diary-style
account of her actions and movements culminating in her ultimate demise.
Read our full review.
Tipsy Lairds and Rumbledethumps: Scotland's Food and Drink by Gilly Pickup (15 June 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
A look at the foodstuffs, dishes and drinks that characterise Scotland picking out the many interesting stories that contribute to this
country’s food and drink narrative. Scotland has a diverse culinary heritage, each different area and region boasting its own local produce
and traditions, and today its food and drink businesses important to the Scottish economy. This bookwill appeal to all those who are interested
in the history of Scotland and its food and drink heritage.
Read our full review.
Wild Places, Wild Encounters: Exploring Edinburgh's Living Landscape by Glen Cousquer (28 June 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
This is a book about reconnecting to nature wherever we find ourselves living and the personal benefits that can ensue. It explores
how we can appreciate the natural world on our doorstep in line with the latest research from a range of disciplines, including
ecology, outdoor and environmental education. It does so by means of a blend of encounter-based photography, connection with nature
and reading the landscape.
Read our full review.
Mach Book One: The Awakening by David Hutchison (2 September 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
In a time before time itself, Mach is about to reach adulthood by going through the mysterious ritual of the Awakening
Ceremony, and he is troubled because he has no idea what this ancient ceremony entails. He is blind to the conflict beyond
his land and unaware that an unseen Order of Warrior Priests will first reveal his true lineage, then take him from his
simple village life to teach him their inner ways and prepare him for the challenges that lie ahead.
Read our full review.
Edinburgh: The Autobiography by Alan Taylor (3 October 2024). (Amazon paid link.)
From one of the earliest mentions of its name in the sixth century to the Covid lockdowns of the twenty-first, this is a magnificent portrait of
one of the world’s great cities, from ‘Edinburgh, the sink of abomination’ to the Athens of the North and everything – including the home of the
Enlightenment, the Festival City and a Mecca for tourists seeking tartan tat – in between. There are stories body snatching and murder, drunkenness
and drug-taking, sex and shopping, as well rants against inclement weather and the city council.
Read our full review.
