A crime thriller in a turbulent period of history

Scottish crime fiction is a wonderfully rich and diverse area, as authors all over the land create their own characters and scenarios, with murders to solve. Unlike many others, Douglas Watt has taken a slight twist on the genre, by turning back the clock, as investigative advocate John MacKenzie cracks crimes in the 17th century…

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A moving novel with a forgotten Scottish shame

In 1950s Scotland, thousands of children were removed from their families for a ‘better life’ in the rural idyll of the Scottish Highlands as ‘boarded-out’ children. In Mick, by Willie Orr, he has crafted the moving story of Mick Crossan, removed by social services from his widowed mother and slum home in the Gorbals and…

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The mystery of the missing Roman legion

The disappearance of Lego IX Hispana has long been a mystery, sparking debate and theories for decades. In this fascinating book, Missing Legion, Simon Elliott sets out in great detail the evidence for some of these theories. Elliott’s writing style makes the book easy to follow and understand even if you are not familiar with…

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A baker’s challenge to make bread for a whole year

When asking himself whether he was capable of baking enough bread to feed his family for a year, Robert Penn could never have predicted the adventure he was about to undertake. This book details his journey around the world as he learns how to grow and produce his family’s own bread. He ventured to Fertile…

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Blended Scotch whisky announces two new expressions

Black Bottle has announced the global release of The Alchemy Series – comprising two brand-new, single-batch produced expressions, which pay homage to the ingenious experimentation of the brand’s founders. Blended Scotch whisky Black Bottle Double Cask is a marriage of malts finished in Spanish sherry barrels and 12-year-old grain matured in red wine casks. With…

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St Andrew Boat Club steers new path with £1m boathouse

St Andrew Boat Club is delighted to announce that work begins this week on its new £1m flagship boathouse in Edinburgh. Measuring nearly 600 square metres, the new facility is three times the size of the current building, which has been in use since 1984. The new boathouse will be constructed on land leased from…

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Eight rare single malt whiskies in Prima and Ultima release

The registration is now open for collectors around the world to secure the second release of Prima and Ultima, Diageo’s series of incredibly rare single malt Scotch whiskies. A gathering of cask-strength bottlings, the second release comprises eight bottles that have been drawn from the historic stock of Diageo’s finest distilleries across Scotland including Talisker,…

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Harry Potter rarity at Celebrating our Craft display

Hamilton & Inches are set to celebrate handcrafted works from their 155-year history in their exciting new Celebrating our Craft exhibition later this month. Located at their recently renovated showroom in Edinburgh, the exhibition highlights the exceptional work of generations of artisans, the earliest piece dating back to 1887, running from 26 August until 5…

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10 great places to walk in West Lothian

The long-awaited arrival of the Scottish summer is finally here. But how long the sun will last is debatable, for, as all Scots know, good weather is fleeting in this part of the world. So why not take advantage of the Mediterranean heat by going outdoors and exploring the stunning and traditional Scottish landscape? You’ll…

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A gripping read that will keep youngsters happy

As a boy, I always loved the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome, when young people became involved in the adult world. Somehow or other, the youngsters involved would manage to save the day, and stop the smugglers, the thieves, or whatever villainous plots the ne’er-do-wells had in mind. There’s an…

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