William the cat – the saviour of Rosslyn Chapel

William is the guardian of Rosslyn Chapel. But with damp damaging the stonework, all is not well in the chapel. This delightful book combines refreshing language with charming characterisation. William the Cat and the Rescue of Rosslyn Chapel, by the Countess of Rosslyn, illustrated by Rosie Wellesley, published by the Rosslyn Chapel Trust, £7.95. [review…

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The Tobermory Cat is a fun story for children

The Tobermory Cat is the enduring tale of one feline’s quest to fill his empty stomach. Illustration is vivid, with a charming rusticity and acres of pastel illustrations. Besides its educational value, which will help younger readers to become more familiar with counting from one to ten, Gliori’s story is faithful to her setting: full…

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Celebrating Caithness in the eyes of a poet

Described as a poet’s journey to the far north of Scotland, The Province of the Cat explores the wilderness of Caithness through the eyes of poet and playwright George Gunn. Looking at its landscape, people, culture and history, as well as the myths, folklore and fusion of Norse and Gaelic cultures, Gunn describes the truly…

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Pub owner and herbalist turns detective

Exploring village life in Scotland, this novel features Rosie McLeod, a pub owner and gifted herbalist. Suspicious of her husband Jack, Rosie sets out to discover if he is having an affair using the deductive powers of plants and herbs. But Rosie’s plan backfires when the sighting of a large, black cat sets off a…

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Book review – The Quiet Side of Passion

The Quiet Side of Passion is the 12th volume of the Isabel Dalhousie series. In this tale, Isabel meets Patricia, the single mother of her son’s friend Basil.  She hears that the child is allegedly the son of a well-known Edinburgh organist, Basil Phelps – and the product of an aff air – and decides to…

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Do you believe in Scotland’s big cats?

This month we carry a controversial piece examining the question of whether big cats are really on the prowl in Scotland. At the moment hotspots for sightings seem to be Aberdeen and Ayrshire. In the latter county local police recently warned the public to be on their guard after they concluded an injured horse had…

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