Books
An uplifting warming read – perfect for autumn nights
Libby Page, the best selling author of The Lido and The 24 Hour Cafe brings us her third novel, The Island Home. Keeping with her theme of community, it follows the characters Lorna and Alice, who both have a unique but powerful connection to the unnamed island. This is a tale full of secrets, friendship…
Read MoreScotland’s first female-centric bookshop is a hit
Rare Birds Books has launched Scotland’s first female-centric bookshop in the heart of Edinburgh. In a bold move that saw the globally beloved book club show resilience and innovation in a time of retail uncertainty, founder Rachel Wood welcomed over 1500 visitors into the shop over the first trading weekend. Opened last month, at 13…
Read MoreBorders Book Festival reveals its big name guests
A host of literary and political giants are among the highlights of the 2021 Baillie Gifford Borders Book Festival. This year’s event is being held in November at Ed Miliband, home of Sir Walter Scott, whose 250th anniversary is being celebrated throughout the year. Writers Hilary Mantel and Alexander McCall Smith, crime-writing royalty Ian Rankin,…
Read MoreOn the case after a man is wrongly executed for a murder
A Rattle of Bones is a murder mystery rooted in history. In 1752 James of the Glen was executed for the murder of government man Colin Campbell. So, when publicity comes to light claiming he was innocent and that his namesake James Stewart – who has been incarcerated for the last ten years for murder…
Read MoreA fascinating insight into the history of Lewis
Lewis: The Story of an Island is a delve into the history of a great island in the Hebrides. This book explores the history of Lewis and its people as well as the mythologies, maps, architecture and of course the Gaelic language. Despite personal roots on the island, I have sadly never had the chance…
Read MoreFirst Anne Brown Essay Prize winner revealed
Scotland’s newest literary award, the Anne Brown Essay Prize, has been won by journalist and documentary maker Dani Garavelli. Her essay, The Bequest, is a moving and honest reflection on family, belonging and her cultural heritage as an Italian Scot. Dani was one of eight finalists, with the winner being announced on Sunday during a…
Read MoreTartan Noir at its best with a link between distant murders
The Killing Tide is a gripping crime novel focussing on what seem at first to be two unrelated criminal investigations. One is in Orkney, involving the discovery of three gruesomely murdered bodies, inside a washed-up cargo ship, and one of a woman who was set on fire in Glasgow. But it soon transpires, through Orcadian…
Read MoreWigtown Book Festival opens with McCall Smith talk
Wigtown Book Festival’s opening weekend got off to a superb start with a series of sell-out shows featuring authors of every kind. One of those participation was Alexander McCall Smith who was discussing The Joy and Light Bus Company – Book 22 in his hugely successful No 1. Ladies’ Detective Agency series. The plot revolves…
Read MoreA look at Orkney by someone who now calls it home
Have you ever considered leaving the rat-race behind and moving lock, stock and barrel to a far-away island? Well, Orkney: A Special Way of Life tells the story of a man who did. The author Richard Clubley, who retired to Orkney in 2017, provides a fascinating insight into daily life on Orkney. With a highly…
Read MoreMeet the founder of the animal hospice
A woman whose compassion led her to set up the country’s first animal hospice is now concerned that too many dying humans lack the love and care they deserve. Some years ago Alexis Fleming was bedridden with a severe chronic illness and wanted to end her own life – but thanks to her beloved dog…
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