The isle of Lewis is a land of strange beauty, harsh living and inhabitants of deep-rooted faith.Detective Inspector Fin Macleod returns from Edinburgh to the island of his childhood to investigate a series of brutal killings.As old memories resurface and old friends reappear, Fin realizes that returning to the past will lead him into danger.

    In Hebrides, readers will accompany him on an odyssey in prose and images, through a history of the Vikings’ ‘Long Island’ and his own deep personal connection with the islands that influenced his bestselling work. Travelling as if alongside his protagonist Fin Macleod, he describes the island life – as bewitching as it is treacherous – his encounter with the bird-hunters of Sula Sgeir, the savage seas of Ness and the churches of Eriskay. With extracts from the trilogy and specially commissioned photographs, this book places his writing and characters within the land that gave them form.

    Ideal for fans of Shuggie Bain and It's A SinDamian Barr sifts through the wreckage of a horrific childhood and manages to extract humour, generosity of spirit and ultimately joy. To say I loved it doesn't begin to convey the mixture of emotions - tears, laughter, anger - I felt while reading it." — Jojo Moyes. "This amazing book tells the story of an appalling childhood with truth and clarity unsmudged by self-pity. It grips from beginning to end." — Diana Athill. Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes meets Billy Elliot, Maggie & Me is a unique, tender, and witty memoir of surviving the tough streets of small town Scotland during the Thatcher years.October 12, 1984. An IRA bomb blows apart the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Miraculously, Maggie Thatcher survives. In small-town Scotland, eight-year-old Damian Barr watches in horror as his mum rips her wedding ring off and packs their bags. He knows he, too, must survive.Damian, his sister, and his Catholic mum move in with her violent new boyfriend while his Protestant dad shacks up with the glamorous Mary the Canary. Divided by sectarian suspicion, the community is held together by the sprawling Ravenscraig Steelworks. But darkness threatens as Maggie takes hold: she snatches school milk, smashes the unions, and makes greed good. Following Maggie's advice, Damian works hard and plans his escape. He discovers that stories can save your life and — in spite of violence, strikes, AIDS, and Clause 28 — manages to fall in love dancing to Madonna in Glasgow's only gay club.Maggie & Me is a touching and darkly witty memoir about surviving Thatcher's Britain; a story of growing up gay in a straight world and coming out the other side in spite of, and maybe because of, the Iron Lady.

    Starting with the CWA awarding winning Raven Black, this special ebook also contains the second and third novels in the Shetland series, White Nights and Red Bones.Raven Black: It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter’s eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance . . . The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man – loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening out the investigation a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, Catherine’s neighbours nervously lock their doors, whilst a killer lives on in their midst.

    But eleven years later he was out on appeal. Now he’s missing and people are dying again. DS Logan McRae is on the case, and twenty years of secrets and lies are being dragged into the light. Only one thing is certain – Aberdeen will never be the same again.BLIND EYE: Someone’s preying on Aberdeen’s growing Polish population. The pattern is always the same: men abandoned on building sites, barely alive, their eyes gouged out and the sockets burned. With the victims too scared to talk, Grampian Police is getting nowhere fast. The attacks are brutal, they keep on happening, and soon DS Logan McRae will have to decide how far he’s prepared to bend the rules to get a result.DARK BLOOD: Richard Knox has served his time, so why shouldn’t he be allowed to live wherever he wants? Yes, in the past he was a violent rapist, but he’s seen the error of his ways. Found God. Wants to leave his dark past in Newcastle behind him and make a new start. Or so he says.Detective Sergeant Logan McRae isn’t exactly thrilled to be part of the team helping Knox settle into his new Aberdeen home. He’s even less thrilled to be stuck with DSI Danby from Northumbria Police – the man who put Knox behind bars for ten years – supposedly here to ‘keep an eye on things’. Only things are about to go very, very wrong…

    When she's sent to meet Scottish celebrity chef James MacDonald on the Isle of Skye, she just wants to finish her work as efficiently as possible. Yet her client is not the opportunistic womanizer he portrays himself to be, and her attraction to him soon dredges up memories she'd rather leave buried. For James, renovating the family hotel is a fulfillment of his late father's dreams. When his hired consultant turns out to be beautiful, intelligent, and completely unimpressed by his public persona, he makes it his mission to win her over. He just never expects to fall under her spell.Soon, both Andrea and James must face the reality that God may have a far different purpose for their lives—and that five days in Skye will forever change their outlook on life and love.

    It begins in the first years of the twentieth century, in a place where howling winds spin salt and sleet sucked up from ice floes. A place where lives are ruled by men, and men by the witchy sea. A place where the only thing lower than a girl in the order of things is a clever girl with accursed red hair. A place schooled in keeping secrets. Thirty years after her grandmother's death, Laura receives her notebooks and discovers the painful past that Meggie spent a lifetime trying to forget. Moving from the north-east of Scotland to the Shetland Isles to Fremantle, Australia, Elemental is a novel about the life you make from the life you are given.

    Armed with a newfound swagger, the author transforms a much anticipated, romantic holiday with his wife into a decidedly unromantic, though highly romanticized roots tour with comic results. Crammed into their tiny rental car (a Fiat Crumb or some such model), the couple scour the countryside, from castles to trailer parks, looking for something more to commemorate Crawford history than a family crest refrigerator magnet - and ultimately discover something altogether richer: a thriving country with the most beautiful and haunting scenery imaginable, a romantic history full of blood, intrigue and heroism, and some of the friendliest and most fiercely loyal people in the world. Award-winning travel writer Scott Crawford resides in the British Virgin Islands. A professional educator, he has a keen interest in travel and history, which infuse his writings. Where's Me Plaid is his first book.

    With a tragedy in his past that looms over his future, he faces a long, hard apprenticeship to the foul-tempered scholar Everard, before he can have any chance of becoming a Knight. As he struggles to survive in the harsh discipline of the Temple, Will must try to make sense of many things: his own past, the dangerous mystery that surrounds Everard, and his confused feelings for Elwen, the strong-willed young woman whose path seems always to cross his own.Meanwhile, a new star is rising in the East. A ruthless fighter and brilliant tactician, the former slave Baybars has become one of the greatest generals and rulers of his time. Haunted by his early life, he is driven by an unquenchable desire to free his people from the European invaders of his homeland.With page-turning suspense and thrilling action, the Brethren trilogy brilliantly evokes that extraordinary clash of civilizations known in the West as the Crusades. Robyn Young portrays a rich cast of characters, reflecting on each side greed, ambition and religious fanaticism, as well as courage, love and faith.

    A term given to flowers of stone fruit trees and some other plants that flower profusely in Spring. Blossoms provide pollen to bees, and initiate cross-pollination necessary for trees to reproduce by producing fruit. 2. A peak period or stage of development. Covering topics including housing, health, language and culture, Riddoch looks at the way in which Scots identify themselves and how this needs to change in order for the country to blossom u as an independent nation or a strongly devolved one. Arguing that limited access to security and wealth has left Scots feeling like outsiders in their own country, this book tackles fundamental and personal issues of identity that matter to ordinary Scots. Designed to incite discussion and debate, this book will appeal to those who believe larger issues of self esteem and power lurk beneath the complexities of the independence debate and want to delve deeperBACK COVERWhat will it take for Scotland to blossom? "Imagine Scotland as a beautifully-knitted, warmth-providing sweater caught on a snag. Its wearer tries to move forward u but cannot. A pause is needed to lift the garment clear. Scotland is thus snagged. And no amount of tugging will free it from the stubborn, progress-inhibiting three-headed hook of inequality, distant control and top-down governance." Weeding out vital components of Scottish identity from decades of political and social tangle is no mean task, but itOCOs one journalist Lesley Riddoch has undertaken. Dispensing with the tired, yo-yoing jousts over fiscal commissions, Devo Something and EU in-or-out, "Blossom" pinpoints both the buds of growth and the blight thatOCOs holding Scotland back. Drawing from its people, history, and the authorOCOs own passionate and outspoken perspective this is a plain-speaking but incisive call to restore control to local communities and let Scotland flourish.

    1 Bestseller.When Daisy travels to Scotland to confront notorious author Rory McAllan, little does she know that within hours she'll be snowed in with him. But surely she's not going to have to spend her precious New Year's Eve with him too?Put the champagne on ice, get the fireworks ready and step into the wonderfully warm, witty and romantic world of Katie Fforde.Plus the first chance to read the opening chapter of Katie's new novel, The Perfect Match, out in March.

     In Fourteenth Century England, landless knights are forced to obey the ruthless monarch without question. Sir Andrew Brandham, knight of the Realm and captain of the Elite Guard of Ragnorsen Keep is called to do just that. When his best friend, Sir Erik Ragnorsen is commanded to nullify his marriage to the beautiful Rhianna Du Montefort because they have yet to produce an heir, Sir Andrew accompanies him to do battle with the will of the king. Erik is being forced to marry the daughter of a Scottish Laird in order to form a tenuous Peace between the Highlanders and England. The idea of divorcing his beloved wife to marry a loathsome Scot is beyond Erik’s vow of obedience and honor. He is imprisoned for his impulsive disobedience and Drew is left to form a scheme to save his friend. When he sees the Scottish lass who has been chosen for Sir Erik, he is instantly drawn to her and while his plan unfolds to aid Erik, Drew forms a friendship with Bronwyn, daughter of the Laird and High Chief of the Clan MacCollum. Bronwyn MacCollum was raised in the Highlands, where the past is steeped in traditions of the “Old Ways”. A long time ago, Bronwyn had a vision of her intended, but realizing he was an Englishman, she vowed to change her destiny. The English were always the enemies of her people and she would not bring danger to her beloved clan. Only, she becomes a pawn in the sadistic game of the King of England and Robert the Bruce and is being forced to marry an English knight after all. Upon seeing the man she is betrothed to, she knew her vision had been false because he looked nothing like the man who had invaded her dreams since childhood. With vehement disregard for the king’s decree, she declares her hatred for Sir Erik Ragnorsen and would rather risk war than to marry him. Only, when she meets Sir Erik’s personal guard, Bronwyn realizes that sometimes you cannot fight what is destined from the start. Sir Andrew Brandham was familiar; more than familiar. He was the man of her visions and nothing she could do could make her deny it. Bronwyn and Drew are filled with distrust and betrayal seeps into both of their hearts. They suffer through many storms that batter their hearts and souls like rocks at the edge of the tempestuous sea. Can their love survive the lies and heartache they are each guilty of? Can Bronwyn escape the Destiny and the pull of the Old Ways and create a path without Drew or will love help them both to embrace the course Destiny has chosen?

    Ever.Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?*** PLEASE NOTE ***Scorching (explicit) sex scenes.Fire extinguisher highly recommended.

    Hubert airfield, he does so without looking back. For Sime, the 850-mile journey ahead represents an opportunity to escape the bitter blend of loneliness and regret that has come to characterise his life in the city.Travelling as part of an eight-officer investigation team, Sime's destination lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Only two kilometres wide and three long, Entry Island is home to a population of around 130 inhabitants - the wealthiest of which has just been discovered murdered in his home.The investigation itself appears little more than a formality. The evidence points to a crime of passion: the victim's wife the vengeful culprit. But for Sime the investigation is turned on its head when he comes face to face with the prime suspect, and is convinced that he knows her - even though they have never met.Haunted by this certainty his insomnia becomes punctuated by dreams of a distant past on a Scottish island 3,000 miles away. Dreams in which the widow plays a leading role. Sime's conviction becomes an obsession. And in spite of mounting evidence of her guilt he finds himself convinced of her innocence, leading to a conflict between the professonal duty he must fulfil, and the personal destiny that awaits him.

    But when her car dies, she finds herself stranded beside a foreboding castle in the middle of a blizzard. The weather outside may be enough to knock her off her feet, but that’s nothing compared to the sexy specter awaiting her inside. Gabriel Munro isn’t expecting company this Christmas at Gorloch Castle. Yet given the weather—and the fact Paige takes his breath away—keeping her inside is the right thing to do, even if she is ready to dash after learning his secret. And while Paige finds herself drawn to the Scotsman more with each passing day, she begins to feel the weight of her own secret—one that could destroy the greatest love she’s ever known. A Christmas Spirit previously appeared in A Highlander Christmas

    It is one that is passed down through the generations. From mothers who whisper the tale to their bairns as they float into dreams each night. From starry-eyed lasses who pray to find for themselves the undying love of which it speaks. From elders who know the magic of the thick and inexplicable mist surrounding this, and no other, of Orkney’s islands which rise from the sea off Scotland’s northern coast. As the daughter of Clan Gallach's chief, Norah knows the legend better than anyone on the island. It tells of a lady who waits in the mists of Fara for her long lost love to return to her. It's an entertaining story, to be sure. But it is no more than fantasy. Or so the islanders say. But Norah is not so certain. All her life she's felt that the legend is more than simple folklore, that the lady of the mist is more real than anyone wishes to believe. But these are turbulent times, marked by the very real tales of Norse invaders and their brutality. When her people are conquered by a band of fearsome Vikings, one among them will blur the lines between reality and legend like never before. For Norah cannot help but feel that she knows him ... from some other time ... from some other life ...

    But the revels are interrupted by an old crone who claims the castle’s true owner is the legendary witch Morgaine le Fee. Dared by his fellow warriors to go meet the witch, Alasdair heads down a flight of stairs — and tumbles right into another century…Scotland, 1998: American Morgan Lafayette is in Scotland to enjoy the history, not to ogle men in kilts. So when she stumbles upon a brawny man in a kilt, she is less than enthralled. She is certain he’s drunk for he claims Morgan is a powerful sorceress who has brought him to her magical kingdom! Despite her reluctance, she is intensely drawn to this handsome Highlander and the mystery surrounding him, a mystery that has the power to alter history—and her heart—forever…HIGHLAND BOUND TRILOGY–BEHIND THE PLAIDby Eliza KnightHe dominated her mind. She possessed his soul.Emma Gordon escapes from a troubling marriage in which she’s completely lost sight of who she is. Desperate for independence, she leaves her husband while on a trip in the Scottish Highlands. Only thing is, she ends up hurled back in time to the 16th Century Castle Gealach and headlong into the arms of the handsome, intimidating Laird Logan Grant. Thrust into a world filled with treachery, danger and intensity she must summon the courage to find her way.Logan is tormented by a dark past and harbors a secret that could tear his country apart. He’s consumed with the need for control which wars with his longing for harmony. Unable to resist Emma’s beauty and spirit and the calm that she invokes, Logan confesses he desires her–but only on his terms. He promises erotic encounters that will change them both forever, and quench their overwhelming desire.Despite her own reservations, Emma longs to get close to the mysterious laird, even while she is desperate to return to her own era. She agrees to Logan’s proposal to satisfy her curiosity, but in the end embarks on a daring, passionate affair that rocks her to the very core. Secrets are uncovered, souls bared, spirits transformed. Neither of them can hide behind the plaid.*This is the first book in the Highland Bound Trilogy and is intended for mature audiences only.*A LOVE THROUGH TIME - Book 1 of the MacKendimen Trilogyby Terri BrisbinAn archway in time…A man in search of his future in the past…A woman who holds the key…Maggie Hobbs has had enough of controlling men in her life. Breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, she heads to Scotland for her summer vacation, hoping to put it all behind her—though she never dreams how far behind her it will go! During a stop at a clan ceilidh, Maggie meets the man who should be heir to the Clan MacKendimen—one whose father turned his back on his heritage for a new life in America. And then Fate steps in to throw her back to a time when men controlled everything!Alex MacKendimen returns to his father’s lands and discovers a life that could have been his. With the emptiness of his life staring back at him, he wished for another chance to find happiness and finds himself catapulted to the past – as he and a beautiful stranger face dangers together in medieval Sc

    But very little has been said about the background to their intense rivalry. Here, Linda Porter examines the ancient and intractable power struggle between England and Scotland, a struggle intensified during the reigns of Elizabeth and Mary’s grandfathers. Henry VII aimed to provide stability when he married his daughter, Margaret, to James IV of Scotland in 1503. But he must also have known that Margaret’s descendants might seek to rule the entire island.Crown of Thistles is the story of a divided family, of flamboyant kings and queens, cultured courts and tribal hatreds, blood feuds, rape and sexual licence on a breath-taking scale, and violent deaths. It also brings alive a neglected aspect of British history – the blood-spattered steps of two small countries on the fringes of Europe towards an awkward unity that would ultimately forge a great nation. Beginning with the unlikely and dramatic victories of two usurping kings, one a rank outsider and the other a fourteen-year-old boy who rebelled against his own father, the book sheds new light on Henry VIII, his daughter, Elizabeth, and on his great-niece, Mary Queen of Scots, still seductive more than 400 years after her death.

    To end the generation’s long feud, King Robert II of Scotland decrees EADEN, LAIRD SCOTT, and Lady Miriam Barde wed with all haste. When marriage negotiations break down, King Robert threatens Eaden with the loss of lands and title. Forced to take matters into his own hands, the laird kidnaps his bride, only to find the young woman he mistakenly drags to his marriage bed is not Laird Barde’s daughter, but her lady companion.MARY MARSH fights for her freedom from the laird and the unwanted marriage, refusing to accept her new life as Lady Scott. Realizing his error, Laird Scott develops an attachment to the feisty young woman he has accidentally married. Can he win her heart and convince her she is more than just a ‘duty’ to him? Or will the bond forged between the lady’s companion and the laird be destroyed by secrets and the feud that will not be laid to rest?

    It involved a thousand stitchers from all over Scotland who worked on the 165 separate panels. The idea was the brainchild of Alexander McCall Smith who writes the foreword to the book.

    When the opportunity arises, Malcolm decides to use Duncan’s daughter as the bargaining price. Lauren Campbell is the perfect answer, until she begins chipping away at the bitterness in Malcolm’s heart and changing everything. Her bold faith and forgiveness ignites guilt he would rather avoid and a love he doesn’t deserve.Lauren Campbell never expected to discover such a caring and protective man behind the façade of Malcolm MacGregor’s fierce reputation. When they arrive in America, things turn against them, and Lauren finds herself in a fate worse than death. Now Malcolm has the dilemma of freeing the rest of his family or rescuing Lauren, but time is short and with little means, he needs a miracle.

    A burning corpse. Some very dark secrets. Recently-widowed Dr Zoe Moreland moves to the Scottish Borders for a fresh start among strangers unaware of her tragic past. However, her hopes of a quiet life are dashed when she finds the grisly remains of a body in the village’s Guy Fawkes bonfire and gets caught up in the resulting murder investigation.Then someone else dies unexpectedly and Zoe herself narrowly escapes death. Determined not to become the killer’s next victim, she digs beneath the tranquil surface of the close knit community to find out who is committing these horrible acts. And discovers that some secrets can be deadly.

    This updated and candid biography covers more than four decades’ worth of life at the cutting edge of the music business, as well as providing a new and very personal insight into Midge as a family man, his battles with alcoholism and his ability to survive in a notoriously fickle industry. Few musicians have had a career of such variety: he has sold more than twenty million albums and been on a rollercoaster ride through the rock and roll business. From Number 1 hits with the pop band Slik, via Ultravox – one of the most influential bands to come out of the age of electronica and leaders of the New Romantic movement – to sell-out solo world tours, Midge has a unique perspective on the world of pop music. He played a key role in the phenomenon that was Live Aid and the making of the classic charity record Do They Know It's Christmas, which sold in excess of twelve million copies. This updated book covers the reforming of the classic eighties Ultravox line-up and the subsequent Brilliant album generated from the reunion, as well as the ongoing battles with the record labels, and even Midge’s involvement with 'reality' TV. As Midge says, 'sometimes my life feels like running up an ever quickening down escalator, but its an escalator of my own design and choosing. The trick is to sustain momentum, try and edge forward and not let it drag you to the bottom.' If I Was… is a true testament to the talent and energy of a man who remains as vibrant today as when he first set out to become a musician forty years ago. This enhanced edition contains embedded video, photographs and links to YouTube footage of Midge’s earlier gigs. Some ePub readers will not be able to display this content.

    Seconded back from the wars in Europe to captain the city's Town Guard, he fears his covert mission to assess the strength of the Jacobite threat will force him to confront the past he tries so hard to forget.Christian Rankeillor, her surgeon-apothecary father and his apprentice Jamie Buchan of Balnamoon are committed supporters of the Stuart Cause. They're hiding a Jacobite agent with a price on his head in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, a hanging offence.Meeting as enemies, Robert and Kirsty are thrown together as allies by the mysterious death of a young prostitute and their desire to help fugitive brother and sister Geordie and Alice Smart. They're on the run from Cosmo Liddell, bored and brutal aristocrat and coal owner.As they pick their way through a labyrinth of intrigue, Robert and Kirsty are increasingly drawn to each other. She knows their mutual attraction can go nowhere. He know his duty demands that he must betray her.Bringing to life a time when Scotland stood at a crossroads in her history, Gathering Storm is the first in a suite of Jacobite novels by Scottish writer Maggie Craig, author of the ground-breaking and acclaimed Damn' Rebel Bitches: The Women of the '45.

    The collection sees the return of some familiar members of the Robertson company, including Strindberg – heading, as usual, towards calamity – and the shape-shifter Dionysus. Four loose retellings of stories of the Greek god form pillars for the book, alongside four short Ovid versions. Threaded through these are a series of pieces about the poet’s childhood on the north-east coast, his fascination with the sea and the islands of Scotland. However, the reader will also discover a distinct new note in Robertson’s austere but ravishing poetry: towards the possibility of contentment – a house, a door, a key – finding, at last, a ‘happiness of the hand and heart’. Magisterial in its command and range, indelibly moving and memorable in its speech, Hill of Doors is Robin Robertson’s most powerful book to date. - See more at: http://www.picador.com/books/hill-of-...

    One glance at Julia Fairfield and he knows she is the one. Now he must convince the reluctant lady to trust him if he has a chance to save his son. He came to her out of the swirling mist on the cliff’s edge, a ghostly figure who seemed larger than life. Dark, handsome, blatantly male, Gavin MacKinnon radiated the kind of confidence that led men into battle and women into reckless choices. A quiet English professor with the responsibility of her young niece, Julia resisted his every attempt to persuade her into the most reckless adventure of all, until she realized no one should deny the chance for a miracle.Swept back to 1816 Scotland, Julia tumbles straight into the arms of the flesh and blood incarnation of Gavin MacKinnon, Earl of Dunmore. Her memory scrambled, her identity in question, she feels as though she is wandering through the pages of an Austen novel, complete with a Scottish version of her favorite literary hero, a man she cannot resist. Together they must fit together the pieces of a puzzle that originally led to murder if they have a chance to change fate. Drawn to each other, they discover their destinies are intertwined in ways they had never imagined.

    One fights for King James the Third of Scotland, the other is loyal to his eldest son, Prince James, Duke of Rothesay. Soon, James the Third is dead, murdered as he flees the field. His army is routed. Among the dead is Sir Thomas Sempill of Ellestoun, Sheriff of Renfrew, whose son and heir, John, escapes with his life. Once John's career as knight and courtier seemed assured. But with the death of his king, his situation is fragile. He's the only surviving son of the Sempill line and he's unmarried. If he hopes to survive, John must try and win favour with the new king. And deal with the ruthless and powerful Lord Montgomerie. . .

    At the battle of Mons Graupius the Roman army led by Governor Agricola destroys the Caledonian confederation that has formed to oppose the Roman invasion.In the aftermath of the battle a Caledonian boy reveals a secret that has the potential to change Roman strategy in the north forever.Marcus, an auxiliary Roman cavalry soldier is ordered to investigate andpromptly disappears into the remote trackless wastes of the north.In Rome his estranged father and retired Legionary, Corbulo sets out to find his only son and bring him home. So starts an adventure that will take Corbulo to the remotest parts of Caledonia and plunge him into the low intensity conflict that is raging between the scattered Caledonian war bands and the Roman forts and garrisons of Agricola's occupying army. Corbulo will need all his wits, courage and experience to fend off hostile and proud Barbarian warriors, a gang of murderous mercenaries and the lure of a dazzling prize."

    

    When whispers race through the English court that King Henry has been enchanted, Isabella must flee north to a marriage hastily arranged by her cousin, Queen Joan. No one in the Highlands has more reason to hate the king than Colyne MacKimzie and holding this English lady for a royal's ransom seems a fine bargain. But kidnapping the queen's kin is one thing, keeping this dark-eyed beauty for himself invites the wrath of the most powerful men in the Scotland. Interwoven with actual historical events, Another Man's Bride is a passionate tale of magic, court intrigue and a love even fate could not break . . .

    Hers is to turn the tide. Twenty-two-year-old Julia MacLeod discovers a secret tunnel leading from Dunvegan Castle, the stronghold of her MacLeod clan. Her chief would never allow her to leave without a guard during this time of war, but up for an adventure, she scurries along the dank passageway and through a maze of twists and turns. Highland warrior Ivor MacDonald is on a solitary mission to secure a bargaining chip against his chief’s rival clan. While scouting the cliffs near Dunvegan Castle for a way in, a lone woman topples from the cliffs and into the frigid waters of the ocean. Honor demands he rescue her, even though it might bring his mission into jeopardy. Then he discovers she’s the chief’s cousin, and his bargaining chip has just fallen right into his hands. Ivor steals his captive away, and on a journey across the ocean, his mission soon takes a turn. Julia’s trust in him sees his honor battling to override his need for revenge. Has his captive now turned the tide, and became the captor instead? A Historical Highlander Romance

    Rosie Delacourt’s quiet existence is thrown into turmoil when she rescues a rebel lord from certain death. A passionate attachment blossoms but there is a price on Jack’s head and he must flee the country. Before he leaves, he makes Rosie a promise that he will return and claim her as his bride. Rosie believes that Jack has been killed in battle at Culloden. She is threatened with ruin and forced into a distasteful betrothal. When Jack returns, he is unable to hide the anguish he feels at her betrayal ... and Rosie dare not risk telling him the truth. It seems the only feelings which remain between them are bitterness and anger. But, when danger throws them together again, they are reminded of the tenderness they once shared.

    And she thinks she knows everything about her life -- at least until she meets Dougal, a man with way too much information about a past she doesn’t remember. Suddenly, her geeky, ghost-hunting dad and her mortician neighbors aren’t quite as ordinary as they seem. But then, neither is Pepper. Dougal’s tempting. He quotes poetry and insists on calling Pepper by the name she never uses: Brigid. Soon, she can’t get him out of her dreams. So, in spite of all his weird talk about a missing goddess and a long-lost stone, she could really like this guy. Maybe even enough to change her precious plans. If he'd just stop trying to kill her....

    Derek MacDougal is not looking for love. Content to train with his men and bed a very willing female, Derek wants nothing more until he finds an unconscious woman in a clearing. Not what she remembers... Annabelle MacAlpin is pledged to wed a neighboring laird. Although she is against the match (her intended is old enough to be her father), she is bound by duty and an unrelenting father to wed where she is contracted. On her wedding day, her new husband is poisoned and she fears the same fate. She flees, only to collapse in a clearing. She awakens, with no memory of recent events, in a strange bed in the arms of a strange man. Compromised, they are forced to marry. Although Annabelle believes she is betrothed to another, she cannot fight her growing attraction to Derek. But she quickly realizes that Derek seems to have a woman at every keep in Scotland! She can wield a dirk and ride a horse as good or better than any warrior, but she does not believe that she can tame her philandering new husband. Derek finds out who Annabelle really is and what has happened. He vows to protect his new wife at all cost until they find the culprit, because honor demands it of him, and desire compels him. He realizes that this strong willed and feisty woman is exactly what he had not known he wanted. But will betrayal and danger tear them apart?

    Her ascent to the throne at six days, her renowned beauty, her troubled reign, her three doomed marriages and her execution for treason - all of these have contributed to her unique celebrity.Mary spent less than half her life in Scotland, and her personal reign lasted less than six years. Yet her footprints are to be found all over the country, from Inverness Castle in the north-east, where she subdued a rebellion, to Dundrennan Abbey in the south-west, where she spent her final hours on Scottish soil.This fast-paced, accessible and extensively illustrated book traces Mary's life through specific episodes at specific places on specific dates. It charts her Scottish travels in detail - including a full directory of places to visit - as well as her years in France and England.There are also short section exploring subjects close to Mary's heart: faith and worship, sickness and health, politics and power - and of course sumptuous clothing and priceless jewellery.Discover the true story of this remarkable woman through the long and colourful journey of her life.

     Cherry & Almond Hearts; Zingy Lemon with Mascarpone & Lemon Curd; Sun-dried Tomato & Jalapeno Swirls…or…Twisted Pistachio & Nutella Fancies; Monkey Butter Puddings; Good Morning Drop Scones with Bacon, Banana & Maple Syrup; and Steak & Ale Pie with a Cheesy Scone Lid.Sconoisseurs Liam and Grace of All’Scone have pushed the humble scone to heady new heights with 30 unique sweet and savoury recipes that will get mouths watering and stomachs rumbling across the land!Perfect for fans of the Great British Bake Off

    She considers the geographic, atmospheric and environmental elements which bring diverse life forms together in close proximity, and in absorbing prose writes of the animals among us: the birds, the rats and squirrels, the spiders and the insects. Her close examination of the natural world leads her to question our prevailing attitudes to urban and non-urban wildlife, and to look again at the values we place on the lives of individual species.

    This is the story of how we got here – and where we might go yet. The upcoming referendum on Scottish independence is a landmark in the history of the United Kingdom, potentially ending the 300 year old union between the countries within Britain. And it has raised so many questions – why have Scots seemingly fallen out of love with the union? Why have the SNP risen to unprecedented heights? And what does the future hold for both countries, north and south of the border? Cargo has joined forces with The Herald and STV to bring you Road To Referendum - a companion book to the landmark three-part television series presented by one of the UK’s foremost political correspondents, Iain Macwhirter. In this unique, instantly accessible book, Macwhirter takes us back through Scottish history to look at the social, political and economic changes that have seen the rise of the Scottish nationalism and taken us to the potential end of the United Kingdom. Macwhirter’s deft and skilled analysis takes us behind the scenes of UK politics, to see the rise and fall of the major players, to give us the inside story on “the most dangerous man in Britain”, First Minister Alex Salmond, and to find out who really holds the power in UK politics. Road to Referendum takes us on a journey through the history of the UK and shows us where the road might lead us with unparalleled insight.

    Fleeing the Lowlands with her would-be husband in pursuit, she stumbles into the arms of a Highland warrior who just might be the protector she needs. The pages sizzle with passion in Grace B. Francis’ new, historical romance, The Highlander’s Bride. Scotland 1295, on the brink of the first Scottish war of independence.Margaret Landshire Adney, a young noblewoman of English birth, finds herself alone in a foreign land under desperate circumstances, fleeing from a nightmare with no one to protect her and only her own cunning to rely on. After being sent to a man who wants to marry her only to gain control of her family’s ancestral lands, she will do anything to save herself. In order to escape her fate, she needs to find a protector she can rely on, someone who will take her from the turmoil of the Lowlands and the evil men who pursue her.Bran Mackenzie is a Highland warrior, embittered by a hard life in which he has seen nothing but killing and violence. His uncle has arranged a marriage for him, and Bran travels to pick up his new bride and whisk her back to the Highlands with him. The only problem is Bran has never met the woman before and doesn't even know what she looks like. Margaret Landshire Adney is about to assume her identity and travel with Bran to the Highlands to become his new bride. The plan was so simple … until she fell in love.

    Gaze at the ancient stones of Stonehenge, explore the winding lanes and looming castle in Edinburgh and take in the Viking and medieval history of York; all with your trusted travel companion. Discover the best of Great Britain and begin your journey now!Inside Lonely Planet Discover Great Britain:Full-colour maps and images throughoutHighlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interestsInsider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spotsEssential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, pricesHonest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks missCultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, family travel, architecture, writers, artists, music, sport, food, drink.Free, convenient pull-out London map (included in print version), plus over 50 colour mapsCovers London, Windsor, Canterbury, Brighton, Cambridge, Oxford, Central England, Bath, Southwest England, York, Northern England, Snowdonia, Wales, Edinburgh, Scotland and moreThe Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Discover Great Britain , our easy-to-use guide, filled with inspiring and colorful photos, focuses on Great Britain's most popular attractions for those looking for the best of the best.Looking for a comprehensive guide that recommends both popular and offbeat experiences, and extensively covers all the country has to offer? Check out the Lonely Planet's Great Britain guide.Looking for a guide for London? Check out the Lonely Planet London guide for a comprehensive look at all the city has to offer; Lonely Planet Discover London, a photo-rich guide to the city's most popular attractions; or Lonely Planet Pocket London, a handy-sized guide focused on the can't-miss sights for a quick trip.Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Neil Wilson.About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.

    The source of endless jokes and horror stories, haggis continues to provoke curiosity around the world and this work provides readers with a deeper appreciation of the dish. Featuring 50 mouth-watering recipes, the book rewrites the rules and demonstrates that haggis is a versatile ingredient that can be savored at all times of day and throughout the year. This account even dares to challenge the long-standing association of haggis with whisky, and recommends a new coterie of drinking companions.

    

    She entered into a bet with hunky ex-SBS soldier, Will, betting him that she would not fall in love with him. She discovered an ancient marriage Contract specifically designed to join her family to Will’s and to top it all off, she learns that she had a spell cast on her…800 years before she was even born. None of it mattered, because she refused to make the same mistake twice.Will’s hard body and sexy grin didn’t matter, his beautiful hypnotic eyes didn’t matter, and it didn’t matter that every time they kissed her body would call out for his, as though denied his touch for hundreds of years.Ex-SBS soldier William Mackenzie is disciplined, trained to be an efficient solider and he takes the same approach with his business, and life. Then Meghan arrived, with her fiery temper and hair to match, and he knows she is lying about the reasons why she came to Little Glen, he just doesn’t care.All he does care about is Meghan. Her feisty temper bemuses him, her beauty astounds him and her stubbornness annoys the hell out of him. Lucky for him, he doesn’t know how to quit, he can be just as stubborn and occasionally ruthless, and he will use any means necessary to get her. Of course the ‘means’ at his disposal just happen to be a bet, a marriage contract and an ancient spell, but if in the end Meghan belongs to him, who was he to argue.

    Also included are transcribed American newspaper articles that recount the scandal.**********Long before the infamous Jack the Ripper terrorized London’s East End, the Williams Burke and Hare were slyly murdering their way through the streets of Edinburgh, far surpassing the number of bodies the Ripper left in his wake. While the resurrectionists were content to dig up already buried bodies to sell to the dissection rooms of the local Medical school, Burke and Hare found serial murder and the delivery of fresh corpses more their style. From February 1828 through October 1828, the two men relied on drink to incapacitate their victims before smothering them, and selling their bodies for cold, hard cash.Follow their trials, along with those of their wives, recount their crimes, and discover how the medical establishment and the English language were forever changed.

    

    The chance reading of a magazine article led family man and aeronautical engineer Tim Dinsdale on a lifelong quest to prove the existence of an elusive creature said to live in the murky waters of Loch Ness in Scotland. He planned his first visit to the loch in spring 1960 and struck monster gold when he unexpectedly caught on film a large, animate creature swimming in the loch. From that moment, his life and that of his family was changed forever. The BBC broadcast his film and he quickly became known around the world. He ultimately gave up his promising career so he could devote his time and energy to pursuing the creature. He took up a career as an author, publishing several books, and was in demand as a lecturer; he toured the US on two occasions, appearing on several well-known television programs. Over twenty-seven years he made fifty-seven expeditions to the loch, during which time he met a cast of colourful and interesting people, among them many serious scientists. His work with them yielded some very interesting results, culminating in the formation of a scientific symposium at the House of Commons in London, its purpose to gain acceptance of Nessie as a living entity and therefore be given a level of protection. Ultimately, this effort failed, much to Tim's disappointment. Tim's dedication to unravelling the Loch Ness riddle is captivating, his reasoning for finding the truth for truth's sake compelling. His life ended before he was able to solve the mystery that held him in its thrall, but his film continues to intrigue monster seekers and researchers around the world.

    The text draws on the women's diaries and letters home. The Scottish Women's Hospitals unit offered their services to France and opened a hospital in the ancient Abbey of Royaumont, near Paris. The hospital operated from 1915 to 1919 and became famous for its nursing care, cleanliness and efficiency, recognised by the French authorities as a key wartime hospital.

    Young Paul Maxwell and his cousin Ryan are determined to work together to restore the farm’s prosperity. How will they achieve their ambitious aims – only with the support of their grandparents? Can they overcome the hurdles of new farming regulations?Will Ryan get his heart’s desire and marry Molly Nairne, daughter of a prosperous local farmer? What of Paul – abandoned by his mother as a young boy – who is adamant that he will never fall in love? Can a new arrival at the farm cause him to change his mind?

    Shortly afterwards, following several acts of vandalism by local fishermen, Calum MacKinnon was sent back to the island to guard against further damage. Alone on the deserted island, he begins to re-imagine conversations and stories.

    Further, the books shows how this unlikely combination of island and mainland territory survived as a single lordship for 600 years, against the odds. Growing out of the Viking maelstrom of the early Middle Ages, it became an established and wealthy principality which dominated northern waters, with a renowned dynasty of earls. How they maintained their independence and how they survived the clash of loyalties are themes fully explored in this book, from the early Viking age to the late medieval era when the powerful feudal Sinclair earls ruled the islands and regained possession of Caithness.

    Tragic events, spellbinding characters, humor, romance, and clever minds are bound together by two well-established storytellers living and working in the city and shire of Aberdeen. Some of the tales in this collection are based on historical fact while others are embedded in myth and legend. All the stories are set against the backdrop of this lovely and varied landscape. Sheena and Grace have both been inspired in their storytelling and singing by the traveler, raconteur, and balladeer, Stanley Robertson.

    This book features 40 moderate walks that are suitable for families. Full description

    It all starts when a prominent local lawyer is discovered murdered in an extremely unusual way. And the presence at the scene of a strange picture, with the number 1 on it in orange highlighter, which gives the police pause - number 1 in what series? What follows shows the twisted, psychotic mind of a sadistic serial killer. And it's not for the faint-hearted. It takes Jack, working with the police, all his time and ingenuity - and a fairly strong stomach - to get to the bottom of it. Emma Wood is now D.I. at Livingston nick and, with a new DCI, Jack is made to feel welcome - but he begins to wish he was not. As if all of this were not enough, Jack's partner, Phyllis, has some very significant news. Is this where Jack wants to be in life? He's not sure any more.A psychological thriller, in more ways than one.

    This is an autobiography in verse: beginning in the lost Eden of childhood, the warmth of family life and the wildness of weather in her native Scotland, then on to intense snapshots of a wider, troubled world: Bosnia, Iraq, Syria.

    Early on he provides a shattering account of the hopeless slaughter at Gallipoli, where he survived almost certain death many times as his companions fell around him; out of his battalion of 1,000, only 100 lived. His later service in the Middle East and Mesopotamia is an astonishing tale of courage and endurance, interwoven with spells of leave, during which the Scot encountered exotic experiences undreamed of back home. After the war Glen became a GP in Govan, one of the poorest areas in Britain, at a time long before the National Health Service and where preventable illnesses were often a death sentence for old and young alike. The extremes of poverty and suffering he witnessed brought home to him that he was in the front line once more, but in a different kind of warfare. This memoir is a work of keen observation, humor, and understated power that compares and contrasts life on the Western Front with life in the poverty-stricken East End of Glasgow after the Great War.

    He has taken up teaching, in the years since his fourth case, "When Madmen Lead the Blind". But he gives it up after he almost throttles the life out of a surly teenager. Married now, with a two-year-old daughter, he needs work, so he goes back to being a sleuth. When the police pipe him on board to help with a case of kidnap, things escalate fairly rapidly, and it's not long before Jack is involved with Glasgow organised crime, his family are in a safe house - and he is on the run. And just who is it who's after him?