MacCloud falls is an absorbing and pleasant read

Scottish antiquarian Gilbert travels to British Columbia to research an early settler he believes may have been his runaway grandfather. Here, he strikes up an unexpected connection with a woman he meets on the plane. Beautifully descriptive and almost lyrical in parts, I was transfixed by the vibrant scenery. If you like short, punchy chapters…

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Lin Anderson’s epic crime series returns in style

The Glasgow-based epic crime series, now fifteen instalments long, sees the return of Dr Rhona MacLeod and DS Michael McNab. Forensic scientist MacLeod, is called upon when eleven-year-old Mary McIntyre’s body is discovered after vanishing 45 years previously. Karen Marshall, Mary’s best friend, is still troubled by memories surrounding her disappearance and struggles to make…

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Intense decisions to be made on a Scots isle

This diary-style account follows a recently widowed artist, Lenka Majewska, and a historian, Ella Collingwood, who have just arrived in the village of Balvaig, on the Scottish Isle of Soma. In what first seemed a haven of tranquillity the characters soon have intense decisions to make for their future. The second volume of the Balvaig…

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A complete guide to discovering the true Scotland

Scotland the Best is described as the ‘true insider’s guide to Scotland’. Author Peter Irvine has composed everything that a Scots traveller ought to know, from the best artisan cafes and restaurants to hidden gems, secret waterfalls and country walks. This is the perfect guide to Scotland for tourists planning a trip to the country…

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The essential guide to fantastic gins

We are in the middle of a gin craze – hardly a week goes by without the release of a new brand or artisanal distillery and serious gin bars are stocking well over 300 brands. But how do you choose? Is Edinburgh Gin a style, or just a name? Can a rose-flower and cucumber infusion…

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A tour of Scotland and exploring Broken Britain

Kellan MacInnes’ first novel, The Making of Mickey Bell, employs an unusual style of writing that launches a refreshing new literary talent into the Scottish fiction firmament. Jumping from the voice of the narrator to Mickey’s inner monologue, MacInnes leads us away from the rough Glasgow streets to a different kind of rough in the…

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Give your pork a Brazilian twist with this recipe

Pork is a meat we can do so many things with, and it’s fun to try it in new and different ways. Today, we present a recipe with some international inspiration, for Brazilian-style pork with avocado and black beans. To mark the Go Places with Pork campaign, we are bringing you a series of tasty…

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7 myths and misconceptions of laser hair removal

We’ve all got an annoying hair somewhere that we’d like to get rid of. Laser hair removal is one of the most effective ways to remove hair permanently from your body, and with more and more women opting for this treatment over other methods such as waxing and removal cream, there’s no sign of it…

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Last bottles of ‘old style’ Highland Park are sold out

Whisky collectors have snapped up the last remaining bottles of Highland Park whisky in its old packaging. The signed bottles of Highland Park 18 Year Old were put on sale by the distiller on Thursday, the last of the bottles in the previous packaging, which was changed early last year. The bottles of the award-winning…

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Why not try our tasty crab cocktail recipe?

A pescatarian’s dream, The Tolbooth Seafood Restaurant in Stonehaven harbour makes the most of the local catch. The Tolbooth, which has is located on the first floor of the building, has been owned by Eddie Abbott for the last ten years. ‘We use the local fishermen for langoustines, crab, squid and lobster,’ says Eddie. ‘We’re using…

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