Books
The Halloween scares begin in new Scots audiobook
October’s here, with spooks and scares in store at the end of the month with Halloween, but the chills are multiplying already with a scary new story. A brand new audiobook based on scary Scottish seventies BBC TV drama, The Omega Factor, has been released. The Omega Factor was a 1979 television series created by…
Read MoreHome is where the heart is – and is full of emotion
John Mackay’s latest novel, Home, is the definition of the phrase ‘home is where the heart is.’ It centres around one family over a century, beginning with a simple man called Faroe who built a house on a Hebridean island for his family. Faroe and his wife had seven children, who grew up and had…
Read MoreNext literary lunch will step back in time
The Royal Scots Club have announced their next Literary Lunch on the theme of history. This event will feature Victoria Schofield, who will be discussing her journey from journalist to military historian and what led her to write about Kashmir, Afghanistan, Wavell, The Black Watch and her lifelong friendship with Former Pakistani Prime Minister, Benazir…
Read MoreLost opportunities and a touching human story
From the very first page of this poetic novel, the reader can witness the story shimmer into life. Writing simultaneously in Gaelic and English, Campbell evokes the haunting beauty of the Western Highlands in this romantic tale of chance encounters and missed moments. When the narrator passes a girl on the staircase of a ferryboat,…
Read MoreA refreshing fictional take on Robert the Bruce
This hefty novel gives voice to the five sisters of Robert the Bruce, highlighting the challenges they faced as sisters of Scotland’s great hero. It is certainly refreshing to hear the female voice within history’s discourse of wars and battles that is so often dominated by men. The story begins with Isa, the eldest sister…
Read MoreA fascinating look into how the wealthy used to live
Country House Cameras is a stunning glimpse into how the other half used to live. This collection of photographs taken at some of Britain’s grandest houses provides a fascinating insight into the advent of family photography. With a Preface by Michael Pritchard, Director-General of the Royal Photographic Society, this includes previously unpublished photographs from the…
Read MoreA fascinating insight to life during the First World War
Portobello and The Great War is a charming book packed with letters, photographs and first-hand diary accounts of the residents of the area during World War I. The area is most famous for being the capital’s seaside resort and this new perspective on the town is sure to be of interest to anyone who enjoyed…
Read MoreAn 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,…
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