Thrills in a 1970s-set piece of tartan noir

Follow detective Harry McCoy as his hunches lead him across a Glasgow landscape rife with drugs and violence, in search of answers. As any good piece of tartan noir should, it introduces you to a slew of questionable characters who definitely muddy the waters between good and evil, although in 1970s Glasgow maybe this was…

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Research your Scottish family history at home

Scottish Ancestry Through Church & State Records is a thorough guide to Scotland’s genealogical landscape and is a useful tool for researchers of the diaspora to have at hand. Chris Paton examines common records used by family historians, including censuses, tax records and registers of land ownership. A basic knowledge of the legal system is…

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How to trace your Scottish roots and ancestry

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church & State Records is a thorough guide to Scotland’s genealogical landscape and is a useful tool for researchers of the diaspora to have at hand. Paton examines common records used by family historians, including censuses, tax records and registers of land ownership. A basic knowledge of the legal system…

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The latest mystery for the ladies’ detective agency

The 20th book published in the much-loved series The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is a story of mystery, community and of course, friendship. Alexander McCall Smith injects the usual levels of intelligent charm and wit along with beautifully detailed descriptions of the Botswanian landscape. As ever the question of the female identity is explored as…

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Scottish folk tales from the best storytellers

Just looking at the cover of this book makes me want to curl up with a mug of something hot and dive into all the tales it has to tell. Put together by Scotland’s Storytellers and The History Press, this collection includes legends from all over the country, with each chapter signalling a change of…

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The essential viewpoints to see in Scotland

More than simply a catalogue of view indicators (which identify surrounding features in the landscape), 349 Views of Scotland is a celebration of the breath-taking sights across the country. It also tells the inspiring story of those who sought to make them understood. Following in the footsteps of 1938 mountaineer Ben Humble, David Squires has…

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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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Argyll celebrated in geography and biography

Author Ian Bradley’s love of Argyll shines through as he takes both a geographical and biographical approach. He looks at the interplay of landscape and Christian belief through figures such as Columba, Carswell, sundry Campbells, George Matheson, George MacLeod and others. Drawing on original research and interviews, this is an enthralling and fascinating read for…

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A beautiful photographic guide to the Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is a photographic evocation of one of the best-known and most-iconic parts of Scotland. Iain Kirk Campbell’s large landscape-format book beautifully captures Skye’s many different moods, from the darker, more brooding side of the island’s character, to its bright lights and cheerful flora and fauna. Divided into sections, the book looks…

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