Books
Novel approach to a virus in Edinburgh
Set in an Edinburgh recovering from a virus which targets young healthy people, Murder at the Music Factory is a thriller which starts at a fast pace. Unfortunately the book is littered with typos, but I still found the writing easy to read and despite not having read any of the other books in the…
Read MoreSwapping London life for the Hebrides
When Tamsin and her husband Rab leave London and their busy careers behind, they hope a remote island on the Scottish Hebrides will provide exactly the kind of lifestyle change they’ve been looking for. Once the romantic shine of their new adventure wears off, it becomes clear that rescuing, maintaining and building a croft as…
Read MoreA terrific tale with a time travelling teacher
Working at an elite school in Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish history master Mr Petrie has the gift of eternal life. He embarks on time-travelling missions where he is often met by famous and ruthless characters from history. Mr Petrie seeks out an apprentice to help him but the young boy’s past holds its own secrets.…
Read MoreCelebrating the British Army’s oldest regiment
Anyone with a keen interest in the history of the British Army will enjoy this well-illustrated book, which focuses on its oldest regiment. The Highland battalion, the kilted 9th Royal Scots, became affectionately known as the Dandy Ninth. Gilhooley carefully documents the formation and mobilisation of the regiment and the campaigns they fought including the…
Read MoreLoss, trauma and familial relationships
Haunted by the disappearance of 13-year-old Lindsay Mathieson, a family is forced to deal with another crisis 30 years later. I felt drawn into this story right from the beginning as author Moira Forsyth manages to breathe life into her characters within the first few chapters. Faced with loss and the resulting trauma Forsyth examines…
Read MoreThe battle between progress and conservation
Born and brought up around Dalbeattie, Patrick Laurie shares his experiences of establishing himself as a farmer and the many challenges he and his wife faced along the way. Laurie carefully examines his own relationship with the changing landscape of Galloway. His fascination with the natural world leads him to focus particularly on the plight…
Read MoreThe freedom of a life in the countryside
Set in 1856, a young wife and her doctor husband have left the bustling city of Glasgow behind to live on the banks of Loch Katrine. While her husband is on hand to medically assist those working on a huge engineering project to bring water to Glasgow, Isabel Aird is drawn towards the freedom of…
Read More‘Living palette’ of Skye captured in beautiful oil paintings
Skye-based artist Diana Mackie has captured the untamed ‘living palette’ of the island which has served as an abundant source of artistic inspiration. A beautiful collection of oil paintings, she has captured the ever-shifting drama of the seas, skies and landscapes magnificently. She has an eye for even the smallest details, picking out vivid colours…
Read MoreA facinating in-depth study of the common buzzard
Sean Walls and Robert Kenward leave no stone unturned when researching the buzzard. They know all about this incredible raptor, having studied its feeding and breeding habits, as well as its origins, for over three decades. Their writing style is heavily academic and will suit only those twitchers with a vested interest in the species,…
Read MoreA celebration of the work of Carolina Oliphant
Despite writing over 90 songs, some of which rival Burns’ in popularity, I was surprised at how little was documented about Carolina Oliphant, whose latest biography dated to 1900 prior to Freeland Barbour’s reassessment of her work. Lady Nairne lived from 1766-1845, whose work was influenced by the Jacobite cause. This is a fitting tribute…
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