But there is another question, which might sound a wee bit similar but is actually very different: What do you come from? And, let me tell you, that question can take you all sorts of strange places...'In Made in Scotland, legendary comic and national treasure Billy Connolly returns to his roots, reflecting on his life, his homeland and what it means – then and now – to be Scottish.Full of Billy's distinctive humour, Made in Scotland is a hilarious and heartfelt love letter to the place and the people that made him.

    I write because I have seen the darkness that will come. Already there are those who seek to tell a new history...In a land of mountains and mist, tradition and superstition, Languoreth and her brother Lailoken are raised in the Old Way of their ancestors. But in Scotland, a new religion is rising, one that brings disruption, bloodshed, and riot. And even as her family faces the burgeoning forces of Christianity, the Anglo-Saxons, bent on colonization, are encroaching from the east. When conflict brings the hero Emrys Pendragon to her father’s door, Languoreth finds love with one of his warriors. Her deep connection to Maelgwn is forged by enchantment, but she is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of a Christian king. As Languoreth is catapulted into a world of violence and political intrigue, she must learn to adapt. Together with her brother—a warrior and druid known to history as Myrddin—Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way and the survival of her kingdom, or risk the loss of them both forever.Based on new scholarship, this tale of bravery and conflicted love brings a lost queen back to life—rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of one of the most enduring legends of all time.

    A giant of the game and a rugby icon, his unique story is charged with a passion for living life to the full.In a rugby career which had huge highs and shocking lows, Doddie faced some of the game’s greatest players, from Jonny Wilkinson to Jonah Lomu, Brian O’Driscoll to Scott Quinnell and Martin Johnson to Joost van der Westhuizen, and set stadiums alight when “on the charge like a mad giraffe”. Now, at the age of 48, Doddie faces an entirely different adversary: Motor Neurone Disease.But Doddie Weir has never been one to shy away from a challenge, on or off the pitch, and he has faced up to MND with undaunted positivity, using his boundless energy to raise funds for MND research and support.

    Caylin runs to find what she's lost. Under the grey Glasgow skies, twelve-year-old refugee Reema is struggling to find her place in a new country, with a new language and without her brother. But she isn't the only one feeling lost. Her Glasgwegian neighbour Caylin is lonely and lashing out. When they discover an injured fox and her cubs hiding on their estate, the girls form a wary friendship. And they are more alike than they could have imagined: they both love to run. As Reema and Caylin learn to believe again, in themselves and in others, they find friendship, freedom and the discovery that home isn't a place, it's the people you love. Heartfelt and full of hope, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle is an uplifting story about the power of friendship and belonging. Inspired by her work with young asylum seekers, debut novelist Victoria Williamson's stunning story of displacement and discovery will speak to anyone who has ever asked 'where do I belong?'

    The Quaker has taken three women from the same nightclub and brutally murdered them in the backstreets.A detective with everything to prove.Now, six months later, the police are left chasing a ghost, with no new leads and no hope of catching their prey. They call in DI McCormack, a talented young detective from the Highlands. But his arrival is met with anger from a group of officers on the brink of despair.A killer who hunts in the shadows.Soon another woman is found murdered in a run-down tenement flat. And McCormack follows a trail of secrets that will change the city – and his life – forever…

    . . On a remote Scottish island sits Greyfriars House, a house haunted by unspoken words and family mysteries. But once it was a happy and comforting place and in the summer of 1939, family and friends gather to forget their fears about the impending war. Nine-year-old Olivia watches the grown-ups with fascination particularly her mother and her two aunts, the three daughters of the family who own the island. Then Olivia she sees something she isn't meant to and when the truth comes out it reverberates through the generations.Almost fifty years later, Olivia has fallen ill and urges her own daughter, Charlotte, to visit Greyfriars to reconnect the existing branches of the family. Charlotte is hesitant to get to know her great-aunts, women who have always shunned her mother, but curiosity and a desire to run from her own life get the better of her and she goes to the island.But Greyfriars House is a shadow of its former self and Charlotte finds her great-aunts tense and cautious. There is something they want to share with Charlotte, but in order to truly understand their secret Charlotte must first understand what happened to them before and during the war . . .

    Welcome to the wilds of Scotland with over TWO thousand pages of Medieval Pagentry - purchase this limited edition set or read for free in KINDLE UNLIMITED! Where England and Scotland collide amongst gently rolling hills of the borders, passion happens. This limited edition bundle that is a must-have for your Le Veque library. Enjoy the excitement and passion of these highly rated, full-length Scottish-set romances, including: DarkWolfe: The brooding son of The Wolfe finds love in a Scottish warrior lass. The Lion of the North: One of Le Veque's best novels. The borders of England and Scotland blur in this story of revenge and passion. The Fallen One: Once the greatest knight in England, he regains his honor fighting battles in Scotland. The Warrior Poet - Feuding families in this Romeo-and-Juliet saga set in the borders. The lines of England and Scotland are blurred in this spectacular collection. Get it before it's gone!

    Deception endangers them. Only an impossible love can save them. When headstrong Elizabeth de Burgh’s evil father threatens to kill her beloved cousin unless she seduces his enemy Robert the Bruce, she begrudgingly agrees. But as she grows close to the arrogant leader of the Scottish rebellion whose savage good looks whisper of pleasure, she discovers that behind Robert’s facade of coldhearted traitor lies a noble fighter who will risk all for the freedom of his country. Now, she can no longer imagine aiding in Robert’s destruction. But does she have a choice? Fierce Scottish warrior Robert the Bruce would do anything to release his country from English rule and claim his rightful throne. Enemies on both sides surround him, however, and Robert must dance a dangerous line between truth and duplicity. One misstep could topple his nation and cost him his life. Yet one irresistible woman tempts him—and jeopardizes his mission—as no other ever has. Robert is in no position to entangle himself with the enemy, especially one who may be plotting his defeat, but the feisty, determined, blue-eyed beauty ignites a longing in Robert that he has never known. But is she his biggest threat or greatest source of strength? Bound by duty and honor but ensnared by uncontainable desire, Robert and Elizabeth must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for the one thing they thought they’d never find—extraordinary love.

    But as she attempts to get back to her own time, complications ensue when she meets a handsome highlander who sets her heart aflame... Forced into an engagement with the daughter of a rival clan leader, Eadan Macleay struggles to fulfill his promise to his dying father. When he comes across a strange lass claiming to be from the future, he strikes a deal with her. If she poses as his bride to end his betrothal, he will help her return to her own time. Amid their growing attraction and increasing danger from the rival clan, Eadan and Fiona must choose between love, duty, and the hands of fate... If you're a fan of Scottish time travel, handsome highlanders, strong heroines, romance, and adventure, you'll love Eadan's Vow, the first book of the Highlander Fate series. Scroll up and grab your copy today!

    Called into service at Caisteal Tioram by the recently widowed Eoin MacDonald, heir to the powerful Clanranald, she finds herself cast into an alien world against a backdrop of family trauma and larger political intrigue, at a time when her own destiny has become uncertain.Facing persecution over their forbidden love, can Catriona and Eoin overcome the obstacles?Will Eoin keep his birthright and stay at Castle Tioram or forsake his own family?

    But with the tiny island population suddenly doubling, the local police force is stretched to breaking point. And this year they have to deal with more than just drunken fights and rowdy behaviour… Ranald Buchanan, the local poet, is found dead, with his head brutally caved in, and Inspector Torquil McKinnon is brought into investigate. Did Ranald trip and fall, as suggested? Or is something more sinister happening? Deathly Wind Inspector Torquil McKinnon’s closest friend, Constable Ewan McPhee, is missing, presumed dead. When more bodies are found in suspicious circumstances, it is clear a serial killer is at large. Tensions are high and paranoia is rife. Can Torquil restore peace to the tight-knit community? Will he find out what happened to Constable McPhee? Or will he too fall prey to the depraved murderer …? Murder Solstice A strange group of people have descended on the small island of West Uist. Camped out in the grounds of the Castle, they are preparing to celebrate the summer solstice. Museum curator Finley McNab becomes suspicious of the cult-like group, and when he challenges them it seems his investigations could be deadly … Inspector Torquil McKinnon is called in to keep an eye on the group. Are they innocent pagan worshippers? Or is something more sinister going on behind the scenes? As the day of the solstice draws ever nearer, whispers of murder are on the horizon… THE INSPECTOR TORQUIL MCKINNON BOXSET includes the first three crime thrillers in the detective series featuring Inspector Torquil McKinnon: action-packed police procedurals full of suspense.

    Soon McKay and his team start to identify a disturbing pattern behind the killings.Why are candles and roses placed around the bodies?What is this twisted murderer trying to achieve?While the police follow their own leads, a young woman who discovered the first victim begins an investigation of her own.As the case unfolds McKay will be forced to face his own demons.To catch the killer McKay must discover the true motive and untangle the web of truth and lies.Candles and Roses is the first book in the explosive new DI McKay Series.  Death Parts Us: Twenty years ago, Jackie Galloway was a senior cop with a bad reputation. Then he ended up on the wrong side of the wrong people, and his career was ruined. Sacked and with no pension, he ends up eking out his last days on Scotland's Black Isle, his mind lost to dementia, supported only by his long-suffering wife, Bridie. Then Galloway is found dead. The police assume the death to be accidental until Bridie Galloway reveals that her husband has been receiving threatening letters containing only the phrase: 'NOT FORGOTTEN. NOT FORGIVEN.'DI Alec McKay is struggling to come to terms with life without his estranged wife Chrissie, and is living in isolation on the Black Isle. As a junior officer, McKay had been allocated to Galloway's team and has bad memories of the man and his methods. Now he finds himself investigating Galloway's death.But when suspicion falls on him and more police officers are murdered, the pressure is on for McKay to solve the case.Why would the killer seek revenge twenty years after Galloway left the force?As McKay fights to link the events of past and present, he realizes that time is rapidly running out… Their Final Act: Jimmy McGuire, a washed-up comic, is found dead on the streets of Inverness, his body garroted. Back in the 1990s, McGuire had been half of a promising double-act until his partner, Jack Dingwall, was convicted of rape.Soon after, a second corpse is found in an abandoned industrial site on the edge of the Moray Firth. The body has been there for some days and has also been garroted. The victim turns out to be a former musician turned record producer, who had also been the subject of rape allegations.Meanwhile, DI Alec McKay and DCI Helena Grant are still wrestling with the fallout from one of their recent cases following an acquittal.As the body count rises, the police think they have the killer in their sights. But McKay is concerned that the evidence is too neat so when he realises there will be a final victim, he fears that time is running out. The best-selling DI Alec McKay series are gripping serial killer thrillers set in the Scotish Black Isle. They will appeal to fans of authors like Ian Rankin, Helen Fields and Ann Cleeves.

    A detour set his wilder side free.An amusing and life-affirming travel memoir, concluding with tips for managing depressive episodes.Keith Foskett refused to let his dark mood define his limitations. Unknowingly suffering with depression, he took to hiking the wilds of Scotland to face the inner demons that threatened to gnaw him to the bone. From the craggy Highlands of the Cape Wrath Trail and West Highland Way, to the canals criss-crossing the low country, 600 miles of unforgiving hiking terrain called his name.Keith repositioned his compass to what really matters in life. As laughter became his travelling companion, he discovered that when dealing with emotional baggage, it’s best to pack light. Pushing his mind and body past breaking point, his journey could set a brave new course for coping with depression.Battling ferocious weather, the ubiquitous Scottish midge, strange-sounding local delicacies and substandard TV sets, this is one man’s battle to conquer the wilds of Scotland, and his own psychological demons.* * *Keith Foskett has thru-hiked some of the World’s most renowned hiking trails, including El Camino de Santiago, the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails. 15,000 miles have passed under his feet in the past few years.He’s written six adventure books, of which three are Amazon Best Sellers. The Last Englishman and Balancing on Blue, about his Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trail hikes respectively, were shortlisted for Outdoor Books of the Year by The Great Outdoors Magazine.In 2016 he was diagnosed with depression after battling emotional problems for years. This book follows that journey through mental illness, and offers advice on how to deal with it.

    And when Alice is expelled and sent away to an isolated boarding-school, she'll do whatever it takes again to get away. But Stormy Loch Academy isn't quite what she expected. With its strange rules and eccentric headmaster and rag-tag mix of students and teachers, it has a way of growing on you. Still, when Barney goes missing (all that not strictly legal business) she knows she has to rescue him. Armed with two new friends, she sets off on an epic quest through the wild Scottish highlands and islands to finally get her heart's desire - but does she know anymore exactly what that is?Both hilarious and heartfelt, this is the classic adventure story brought bang up to date, and told in Natasha's inimitable voice.

    A woman with a pure heart and the ferocity of a warrior is called to the fairy pools on the Isle of Skye upon the death of the previous protector. However, nature has a way of balancing itself, and so with each call to a Protector comes the call of an evil force, set on using the stone for their own purpose. These are the stories of the Protectors of the Heart of Scotland, the stone they seek to keep safe and the love that strengthens and emboldens them. The Highlander’s Quest by Eliza Knight Her mission was to protect the young boy king. He’s uncovered a plot to destroy Scotland. Together, they must fight a powerful enemy who hides behind a traitorous veil of secrecy… Cassandra by Madeline Martin Together their power is brilliant. But when destiny rivals the safety of family and the whole of Scotland hangs in the balance, can their love survive the required sacrifice? The Protector’s Promise by Cecelia Mecca Two bitter enemies. One sacred vow. Will the passion that flares between them consume everything they love? The Highland Guard and His Lady by Lori Ann Bailey To protect Scotland, she must eliminate her greatest enemy. But when the challenge begins, will he forgive her for destroying his family?

    Knowing their chief, Lyall Campbell will stop at nothing to find her, she escapes on a massive warhorse, and travels across the snow-blanketed countryside, searching for safety and shelter. She finds both in the arms of Alexander MacPherson, the Laird of Blackstone, and the Highlander who rescues her. Ceana soon finds herself in love with the handsome laird, but will she trust him enough to tell him the secret she's keeping? After the battle, Lyall Campbell is satisfied that he has ended the lives of even more MacGregors, once again proving his loyalty to the king. Then the Campbell chief becomes both outraged and baffled when he learns the MacGregor laird's daughter has taken his devil of a warhorse. He swears to hunt her down and reclaim his horse, then to use the bonnie lass anyway he sees fit—before ending her life. When he learns she—and his prize stallion—are at Blackstone Castle, nothing will keep him from seeking revenge—no matter how many MacPhersons he has to kill. Alex is captivated by the dark-haired lass he rescues in a snowstorm and can think of little else. Ceana tells him almost nothing about herself, but it's obvious, she's running form something—or someone. And in order to protect her, he needs to know what to protect her from. He falls deeper and deeper in love with her and wants her for his wife. But first, he intends to find out what it is she's hiding from him. Will the truth bring them closer together, or forever keep them apart?

    Who were these people? Where did they come from? And most importantly, who was this grandmother, Ci-Cero, that is spoken of in the series? What was so special about her? Does Caitlin possess some of her traits, her character, or her abilities? How is it that Caitlin finds herself in Scotland? The Wolf, The Wizard, and The Woad is a magical tale, unique in its presentation, and delves into even greater questions that have been with humanity since the beginning of time. This exciting story will engage you on page one. The time period is the 1600s and the story opens on a desperate note. Caitlin’s father, a Viking, and her mother, a Woad, have traveled from their home in the isles of Scotland—land of ancients and druids—to a new land seeking a better life. Their journey to this far away land has been an arduous one. Many have died, and death is anxiously waiting to wrap its arms around their young daughter as well. In order to save her, a desperate father and mother leave their small daughter on the shores of North America–a dangerous and primitive land—with only a wolf to protect her. This beginning, though heart wrenching, is necessary and sets your thoughts afire wondering what comes next. This coming of age tale, the story of a Chosen Child whose destiny was written eons ago, moves quickly and takes many unexpected detours and follows unmapped territory. This special girl must survive, though her chances are slim as she is alone in her quest to find her place and reason for being. Fascination abounds when we meet her mentor—an old wizard, a shaman— who resides in a cave. Who is this warlock? His spirit has been with her since her birth. Is he psychic? Telepathic? Or is he simply a figment of her imagination? How does he fit into the overall picture? Why is he of such importance for our healer, Caitlin, later on? The favorite character in the Highland Healer Series is the wolf. He is an integral character in this prequel as well. His sole purpose is to protect this child, a task he was assigned the moment she was born. Like Caitlin’s grandmother, Ci-Cero, this wolf is the first in his line and his offspring are present in each novel in the series. Follow them all—the wolf, the wizard, and the woad—and you’ll engage on a most interesting and exciting adventure that will stay with you for an eon or more!

     "Lily Baldwin is an excellent writer! She spins her tales...with elegance and a unique flair" ~ Amazon Reviewer "You know a book is great when you can feel the characters pain, their fears and their happiness...Lily Baldwin's books do that!" - Amazon Reviewer This collection includes : The complete medieval highland romance series ~ The Isle of Mull Series: Meet three generations of Highland Brides and the Warriors whose hearts they captured. To Bewitch a Highlander, Book One Highland Thunder, Book Two To Love a Warrior, Book Three Praise for To Bewitch a Highlander "This book will have you laughing out loud...then crying like your heart is breaking. A beautiful and bewitching story." ~ Amazon Reviewer "This is one of the best debut novels that I've ever read!" - Suzan Tisdale, USA Today Bestselling author This collection also includes three standalone Highland romances: Highland Shadows...In Alexander MacKenzie’s youth, his clan prospered. Until one night fire and death descended, and all that was good and green fled the ensuing darkness, leaving the MacKenzie clan impoverished, and Alex's face severely scarred. A Jewel in the Vaults...In 1802, Edinburgh’s poverty-ridden Old Town is rife with danger, but it is the only home Robbie MacKenzie has ever known. To safeguard herself against the worst villains of the street, Robbie conceals her femininity behind her shorn hair, dirt-smeared face, and tattered breeches. To all the world she is a lad, but beneath the ruse is a woman aching to break free. Quinn: A Scottish Outlaw...When Lady Catarina is accused of a horrific crime and is forced to flee Ravensworth castle for her life, the only man she can trust is the one man who believes she is innocent, Quinn MacVie. Join Quinn and Catarina as they disappear into the wilds of the Scottish Highlands where danger follows at their heels and desire burns in their hearts. This diverse, fast-paced, and passionate collection of Highland romance will only be available for a limited time. Pick up your copy today!

    Her fiancé left her for their cake decorator. Then, her flower shop wilted after a chain florist opened next door. So when her godfather, Ian MacCallister, leaves her a cottage in the Scottish Highlands, Fiona jumps on the next plane to Edinburgh. Ian, after all, is the one who taught her to love flowers. But when Ian’s elderly caretaker Hamish MacGregor shows her to the cottage upon her arrival, she finds the once resplendent grounds of Duncreigan in a dreadful shambles—with a dead body in the garden.Minutes into her arrival, Fiona is already being questioned by the handsome Chief Inspector Neil Craig and getting her passport seized. But it’s Craig’s fixation on Uncle Ian’s loyal caretaker, Hamish, as a prime suspect, that really makes her worried. As Fiona strolls the town, she quickly realizes there are a whole bouquet of suspects much more likely to have killed Alastair Croft, the dead lawyer who seems to have had more enemies than friends. Now it’s up to Fiona to clear Hamish’s name before it’s too late in Flowers and Foul Play, national bestselling author Amanda Flower’s enchanting first Magic Garden mystery.

    In time they're joined by rugged farmhand Tom, come to lend some muscle to Ellen's ageing father, who has begun to find sheep farming hard to manage alone. Almost inevitably romance grows between Ellen and the new arrival but once married however, Ellen discovers that Tom has a brutish side to his character. As war in Europe spreads, she begins to dream of him leaving for the trenches as a way for her to escape.Even with Tom fighting abroad however, the family can not hide from the realities of war as a group of POWs are brought to their valley to build a reservoir. And amongst the men, sworn enemies and shunned by all the locals, Ellen finds a gentler heart that she finds difficult to resist...

    Love never ceases in the Highlands it goes on and on from generation to generation.Brave Alastair Macleod and his beautiful Mary are back in this lovely standalone story; only this time it is their eldest son who has found love.Can it survive in a period ravished by war?Only raw courage and belief will prevail as the English capture Brice Macleodand his father after the ignominious defeat at Neville Cross.Will Brice ever see Skye again? Only destiny can tell or maybe the benevolence of a king and his son will decide the course of fate..

     Months after killing one of her adversaries, gifted homicide detective Rachel Harroway finds herself being stalked by a spirit she can’t evade. Meanwhile, a new but unpredictable killer arrives in her small hometown. Torn between raising her daughter, catching a murderer, maintaining a double identity amidst her colleagues, and pursuing dangerous methods to banish the wayward spirit, Rachel battles to keep her head afloat as winter creeps into Highlands, North Carolina.

    Convinced that Foley was deliberately targeted rather than the victim of a random attack, Anna begins her own investigation, and in so doing unearths a trail of long-buried secrets, leading back to a crime committed over a decade ago.A crime so unspeakable its perpetrators are prepared to take their silence to the grave.In the Silence is a fast-paced, compelling crime mystery which will appeal to fans of authors like Mark Billingham, Stuart MacBride and Mark Edwards.NOTE: This new edition has been revised to include material not present in the initial publication.

    The head of British Military Intelligence called John Maclean (1879–1923) “the most dangerous man in Britain.”             This new biography explores the events that shaped the life of a momentous man—from the Great War and the Great Unrest to the Rent Strike and the Russian Revolution. It examines his work as an organizer and educator, his imprisonment and hunger strike, and his rise to the position of Britain’s most famous revolutionary. At a moment when radical politics is drawing renewed attention and support, Maclean’s example of activism and commitment is as timely as ever.

    Elizabeth and Mary were cousins and queens, but eventually it became impossible for them to live together in the same world. This is the story of two women struggling for supremacy in a man's world, when no one thought a woman could govern. They both had to negotiate with men--those who wanted their power and those who wanted their bodies--who were determined to best them. In their worlds, female friendship and alliances were unheard of, but for many years theirs was the only friendship that endured. They were as fascinated by each other as lovers; until they became enemies. Enemies so angry and broken that one of them had to die, and so Elizabeth ordered the execution of Mary. But first they were each other's lone female friends in a violent man's world. Their relationship was one of love, affection, jealousy, antipathy--and finally death.

    No other woman pleased him, not even the daughters of other lairds, so he finally settled for Anna sight unseen. But when his men went to meet her guard, she was all alone and badly beaten. Who could have done such a thing and why? ~

    Now you can follow in the footsteps of Claire and Jamie with this guide to the inspiring locations where Diana Gabaldon’s novels were set and the hit tv show were filmed. From the ancient cobbled streets, gabled palace and herb garden of Culross, which became fictional Cranesmuir, to the iconic 1960s Pathfoot Building at the University of Stirling, which Claire’s daughter Brianna visits on her first trip to Scotland, you can time-travel through centuries. In Scotland, different eras coexist and collide – just as they do in Outlander. Focusing on easy day trips from the characterful cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow – themselves jam-packed with Outlander locations – this guide will tell you about the most rewarding sights, when to visit them and how to get there. Includes famous Outlander Locations including Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Arthur’s Seat, Holyroodhouse Palace.

    For any readers of the author's previous book, Deep Country, Robert Macfarlane's The Old Ways or William Atkins' The Moor.The experience of being in nature alone is here set within the context of a series of walks that Neil Ansell takes into the most remote parts of Britain, the rough bounds in the Scottish Highlands. He illustrates the impact of being alone as part of nature, rather than outside it.As a counterpoint, Neil Ansell also writes of the changes in the landscape, and how his hearing loss affects his relationship with nature as the calls of the birds he knows so well become silent to him.

     When a Laird Loves a Lady: When Lady Marion de Lacy concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage her father arranged for her to an evil knight, her plans go terribly awry and, instead, she finds herself rescued by and forced to wed a Scottish barbarian. Laird Iain MacLeod has no desire to marry ever again, yet finds himself obligated to do so to secure the freedom of his childhood friend and king. The stubborn Scot and willful English lady traverse a bumpy road to fiery love, and along the way, they discover that their only hope for conquering their enemies is surrendering to each other body and soul. Wicked Highland Wishes: It started with a kiss that led to all-consuming desire between legendary warrior Lachlan MacLeod and fiercely independent Scottish lass Bridgette MacLean. They saw each other in ways no one else ever had. Things should have been perfect, except when Lachlan's younger brother suffers a grave injury while saving Bridgette's life, she feels unable to deny his plea for her heart. Torn between their desire and their loyalties, Bridgette and Lachlan must find the courage to grasp the passion awaiting them and withstand the pain their choices will cause. Yet even as they confront their future and love finally seems within their grasp, a fight for the Scottish throne divides the Highland clans, and Bridgette becomes a pawn in a political game that threatens to tear her and Lachlan apart forever. Christmas in the Scot's Arms: Scheming lasses and calculating debutants have left Laird Liam MacLeod with little hope that he can marry for love as he always wished to. That is, until he meets Cecelia Cartwright, a beautiful, witty English lady who knows nothing of his fortune. But Cecelia is duty bound to marry well to save her family from ruin and cannot succumb to the longings the honorable Liam awakens in her. The handsome Scot tempts her at every turn, and as soon as Cecelia thinks to follow her heart instead of her head, Liam reveals a secret that may well prove that charming Scots are the most dangerous rogues of them all. *This book fast forwards from the Medieval period to the Regency period to the descendants of the Medieval MacLeods. * When a Highlander Loses His Heart: There may be an undeniable yearning flaring between Highland warrior Graham MacLeod and Isobel, the daughter of his family's bitter enemy, but there is also a chasm of distrust after he abducts her as a means of revenge. Isobel is a promised prize for the king and a pawn to be manipulated by those that would have her for her inheritance, but when the beautiful Isobel risks her life for Graham, he no longer sees her as an adversary but a woman in need of protection. Forced to rely on each other to survive, they soon come to discover that in order to triumph over those pursuing them, they must find a way to vanquish their doubts and build a true alliance that can withstand the devastation of war and a king determined to sacrifice anything-and anyone-to keep his throne.

    If you love Broadchurch you'll be completely hooked.TV journalist and media darling Oonagh O'Neil can sense a sinister coverup from the moment an elderly priest dies on the altar of his Glasgow church. His death comes as she is about to expose the shocking truth behind the closure of a Magdalene Institution. The Church has already tried to suppress the story. Is someone also covering their tracks?DI Alec Davies is appointed to investigate the priest's death. He and Oonagh go way back. Oonagh now faces the biggest decision of her life. But will it be hers to make? What secrets lie behind the derelict Institution's doors? What sparked the infamous three-day riot that closed it? And what happened to the three Maggies who vowed to stay friends forever? From Ireland to Scotland. From life to death.

    By trial… and eror error. Cullen is on jury duty, and the sleepy Scottish town of Melrose is experiencing a rare crime wave: the famous Rugby Sevens trophy is stolen, a dead body is unearthed, there is a spate of petty arson, and someone drives a van into Gloria’s front room.Why? And what is her husband doing every night up on Eildon hill?In this hilarious crime romp, misguided loyalties, thwarted love, and unbelievable gullibility reach crisis point on the one day in the year when the world pays a visit to Melrose.At the final whistle, Cullen will ensure that justice is done.Because sometimes twelve good men just isn’t enough.

     Travel back in time to 7th Century Anglo-Saxon Britain and meet Aelfwyn, Hea, Osana—a handmaid, a seer and a widow—and the men who love them. The Whispering Wind (Book One) A monk, a handmaid—and an unbreakable bond. The day Leofric finds a young woman washed up on a windswept shore, his life changes forever... Wind Song (Book Two) He rules the north, but she rules his heart. He’s a Pict and she’s an Angle. Bridei will do anything to win back his people’s land from Northumbria, but Hea has sworn her loyalty to her king. Lord of the North Wind (Book Three) A king, a widow—an attraction that cannot be denied. Love and passion are the last things on King Aldfrith of Northumbria’s mind. But an alluring widow named Osana could very well be his undoing.Immerse yourself in the emotionally-charged THE KINGDOM OF NORTHUMBRIA series. Fans of Historical Fiction, Historical Romance and Adventure. Readers who love Diana Gabaldon, Bernard Cornwell and Cecelia Mecca should enjoy this epic romance adventure set in Dark Ages Britain.

    Shortly after the post-mortem, Hunter witnesses a second murder, but that is not the end of the slaughter. With a young woman's life also hanging in the balance, the last thing Hunter needs is a new man on his team: Detective Constable Tim Myerscough, the son of his nemesis, the former Chief Constable Sir Peter Myerscough. Hunter's perseverance and patience are put to the test time after time in this first novel in The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries series.

    A hardman and technophobe, firmly set in his ways... until Joe, a ‘Twitter Famous’ inmate, convinces Frank to send a tweet that changes the world. ‘Kim Jong-Un? I could kick f*ck out of him.’ About the author: Chris McQueer arrived on the scene last year with his highly praised collection ‘Hings’. He is currently shortlisted for Best Short Story Collection with the Saboteur Awards. He will be releasing his second collection of short stories later in the year. LEATHERED is his first Novella.

    Martin and I descend from hours of walking to the small town of Middleton-in-Teesdale. I walk, stiff legged, into the campsite office and a plump, middle-aged woman looks up from her desk and can see the old timer is in trouble. “Oh, what a shame you weren’t here last week,” she says, pity radiating from behind her horn-rimmed specs. “You’ve missed him.” I look at her, puzzled. “Elvis!” she explains. “You missed Elvis.” Oh God, now I’m hallucinating. From remote glens deep in the Scottish Highlands, John D Burns brings a new volume of tales – some dramatic, some moving, some hilarious – from the isolated shelters mountain people call bothies. Travel with Burns to secret places hidden amongst the British mountains and share his passion for the wonderful wildness of our uplands. Meet the vivid cast of characters who play their games there, from climbers with more balls than sense to a young man who doesn’t have the slightest idea what he’s letting himself in for…

    Thorfinn Sigurdarson, Earl of all Orkney and Caithness, has made a mistake, and he won’t let himself forget it. Now rumours have started in the Norse lands that he might be getting a second chance – but should he take it, when it means that dead men are walking?

    Her father knows her worth and waits for the day she will be presented in court. He won't settle for a lowly knight. But Katherine's sister has other plan's and takes her to Scotland under false pretenses. With no way to get back, the girls must use all their strength to survive. English women are not welcomed in Scotland and protection comes at a price. Ian Travis, otherwise known as Cold Heart is a savage in battle. Preferring to work as a mercenary instead of helping his clan has raised questions about his loyalty. But none would challenge one of the most feared men in Scotland. No one except Katherine, who has caught his attention. Katherine and Ian hold a secret. But nothing is as it seems when Katherine is presented with another offer that she can't refuse. Deception and battles change lives making past mistakes come full circle

    Anybody interested in Scottish history needs to read it' Andrew Marr, Sunday Times Eighteenth-century Scotland is famed for generating many of the enlightened ideas which helped to shape the modern world. But there was in the same period another side to the history of the nation. Many of Scotland's people were subjected to coercive and sometimes violent change, as traditional ways of life were overturned by the 'rational' exploitation of land use. The Scottish Clearances is a superb and highly original account of this sometimes terrible process, which changed the Lowland countryside forever, as it also did, more infamously, the old society of the Highlands.Based on a vast array of original sources, this pioneering book is the first to chart this tumultuous saga in one volume, with due attention to evictions and loss of land in both north and south of the Highland line. In the process, old myths are exploded and familiar assumptions undermined. With many fascinating details and the sense of an epic human story, The Scottish Clearances is an evocative memorial to all whose lives were irreparably changed in the interests of economic efficiency.This is a story of forced clearance, of the destruction of entire communities and of large-scale emigration. Some winners were able to adapt and exploit the new opportunities, but there were also others who lost everything. The clearances created the landscape of Scotland today, but it came at a huge price.

    Every day, thousands more pour in on ships from France. But only the most dangerous are sent to Camp 21 - 'black' prisoners - SS diehards who've sworn death before surrender. Nothing will stop their war, unless it's a bullet.As one fanatic plots a mass breakout and glorious march on London, Max Hartmann dreams of the oath he pledged to the teenage bride he scarcely knows and the child he's never met. Where do his loyalties really lie? To Hitler or to the life he left behind in the bombed ruins of his homeland?Beneath the wintry mountains, in the hell of Black Camp 21, suspicion and fear swirl around like the endless snow. And while the Reich crumbles - and his brutal companions plan their assault - Max's toughest battle is only just beginning.Inspired by terrifying actual events, Black Camp 21 takes readers on a gut-wrenching journey from the battlefields of France to its shocking climax in a camp which still stands today.

    Who is this man and how did he end up there?Was this an accident or somebody tried to kill him?Why is nobody looking for him?He cannot recall a thing, but his delicate manners indicate his noble origins...

    John Fall in love at Christmas, with these wonderful romantic reads!

    Kate began by creating a collection of twelve hand-knit designs, each with its own distinctive story.Balanced equally between garments and accessoires, you might choose to knit a tweedy cardigan which echoes the mossy palette of Conic Hill, a delicate jumper recalling a favourite plant found on Rannoch Moor, or a shawl sparked by the energy of the Highlands' first "electric village". Each design is paired with a exploratory essay which sets Kate's designs and inspiration in their richer context. From Rob Roy's romantic (mis)interpretation to the beautiful songs of Donnchadh Bàn; from Loch Lomond's built environment to ways of seeing Rannoch Moor, Kate's writing reveals the West Highland Way as, first and foremost, a social landscape with an important cultural history. Kate's words and designs are accompanied by Tom's stunning photography, depicting the West Highland Way in all seasons of the year.Join Kate and Tom, open up these pages, and make your own West Highland Way.

    Through the bitter strike at the huge Singer Sewing machine plant in Clydebank in 1911, Bloody Friday in Glasgow's George Square in 1919, the General Strike of 1926 and on through the Spanish Civil War to the Clydebank Blitz of 1941, the people fought for the right to work, the dignity of labour and a fairer society for everyone.They did so in a Glasgow where overcrowded tenements stood no distance from elegant tea rooms, art galleries, glittering picture palaces and dance halls. Red Clydeside was also home to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Glasgow Style and magnificent exhibitions showcasing the wonders of the age. Political idealism and artistic creativity were matched by industrial endeavor: the Clyde built many of the greatest ships that ever sailed, and Glasgow locomotives pulled trains on every continent on earth.In this book Maggie Craig puts the politics into the social context of the times and tells the story with verve, warmth and humour.

    For Mature Readers Only Total approx 10,000 words

    A stolen wheelbarrow gets Stewie into trouble through no fault of his own, and before long he is in danger of losing his job and his place at college. Meanwhile, someone takes most of the computers from the Cultural Centre in broad daylight, resulting in an unwelcome encounter for Christopher and the staff with the Office Supplies Investigation Section. Jemima runs another Family History event in the research room and Pitkirtly DNA test results are soon distributed all round Scotland via the magic of the internet. Is there any connection between these apparently random events? If there is, Amaryllis will find it sooner or later.

    Little does Jock McLean realise that an encounter with a pack of dogs and their dog-walker on the beach is only the start of a sequence of events that will lead him to the dark side of Pitkirtly Island and beyond. His friends Christopher, Amaryllis, Dave and Jemima will also become involved before long in a case of murder, fraud, a dog home and an irresponsible vet.

    On some days, you can hardly see where the sea ends and the land begins, everything merged in a blue-grey mist of sea spray and wind-blown sand. There is nothing between here and America. I say nothing, but what I mean, of course, is nothing but ocean. And about sixty-five kilometres out to sea, one last remote outcrop of islands and sea stacks, with the highest sea cliffs anywhere in the UK - St Kilda. Distant, desolate, and difficult to reach. The Islands at the edge of the world....

    Just ask Parvati, a young Indian woman badly in need of a hero. Parvati's harrowing adventures illustrate the conflicts at the heart of the biggest democracy in the World. India has limitless potential but is held back by the caste system, misogyny, child slavery and corruption. Married at 13, Parvati is beaten and abandoned by a husband who sells their own son into bondage to pay his debts. Throughout her torments, her spirit is never broken. Parvati still dreams. But how can any dreams come true against such odds? ONLY HUMAN is the sequel to the highly regarded MONEY TREE. Both are contemporary thrillers - set mainly in India, but with global resonance. Includes bonus short story - STAYING HUMAN

    12-year-old Jim has escaped from the Poor House and now he must save his little brother from the same fate.His only hope lies in a mysterious family heirloom—a Paisley-patterned shawl that has five guineas sewn into its hem—the price of freedom.Now Jim must find the shawl and break into the big house to steal it back…But the girl with the dark hair is always watching…

    But Nell uses her beauty and cunning to seduce the plantation owner's stoic son who sneaks her away to pre-revolutionary Philadelphia where she agrees to marry him, keeping secret her marriage to the Scottish lord she loves, and swearing to pay back the English not only for her own kidnapping but also for her mother's hanging two decades earlier. Beginning in eighteenth century Ireland, and then set against the background of a burgeoning America, THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE CORN underscores the feistiness, heart-held faith, and courage of Scots Irish immigrants in their struggle toward individualism in America.This story is based on the life of the author’s eighth great-grandmother, who for ninety-nine years lived through it all. Of course, much is necessarily imagined. But England’s subjugation of Ireland’s people, the American Revolution, and some of the real players in both, are factually told.

    Abandoned by most of her friends, betrayed by those who professed their love, she sits and waits for the final act in the tragic story of her life, her execution. In the gloom of the evening, accompanied only by her two closest companions, Mary Seton and Jane Kennedy, she reflects on her turbulent life. She remembers the moments that brought her happiness, Francois and her time in France, the early love for Lord Darnley and the joy at the birth of her son James. She also recalls the moments of despair and danger. The deaths of her first two husbands, the second in horrendous fashion, the brutal murder of her Italian secretary and the marriage to Bothwell that finally led to her demise. As the hours pass, Mary's end is nearing, but then she receives an unexpected visitor. Could her torment finally be over? Recommended for fans of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and The Tudors. Roy Calley is a former journalist and the author of On The Trail of Mary, Queen of Scots. He lives in France.

    Her schoolmate’s disappearance forces Grace to recall the dark secrets she and Olive still share – including the one that shattered their friendship four years ago, the one that haunts Grace now. With the adults around her caught up in their own dramas and deceptions, Grace struggles to make sense of her past and present before she too becomes lost.“Three Kinds of Kissing is a modern classic about friendship, loss of innocence and the myriad ways families can self-implode.” – Cynthia RogersonREVIEWS“Three Kinds of Kissing is the sort of book that makes you forget there is an author involved. It captures both the mood of a small-town community at a particular moment of change between the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the sulky, eager, sniping, adventurous minds of the girls who are its central characters, caught between childhood and adolescence, yearning for the security of home and family yet also desperate to escape. And it shows with unerring accuracy how, as adults, most of us never stop being the children we once were.” – James Robertson“Helen Lamb’s writing has the quiet beauty of a summer’s day, the kind where you realise the birds have stopped singing and the air is thick with tension. Psychologically insightful and emotionally sensitive, with moments of sharp humour that nip you playfully when you least expect it, this book is a delight. Three Kinds of Kissing has a missing girl, a house full of clocks, a granny who keeps her treacle scones in the strangest place – and so much more, all rumbling behind closed small-town doors. A coming-of-age classic.” – Magi Gibson

    Over the centuries many of Edinburgh’s leading figures have been buried at Greyfriars, alongside many more ordinary folk, and it is home to a spectacular collection of post-Reformation monuments.In this book, local historian Charlotte Golledge takes the reader on a tour round Greyfriars Graveyard, to reveal its history of the cemetery from when James I granted the land as a monastery to the present day. She explores the huge variety of it monuments and gravestones. The symbolism behind the monuments, stones and carvings is explained, as the different types of Gravemarkers and how the styles changed over the years, a typical nineteenth century funeral example, notable tombs, people and families, not just the famous and, of course, Greyfriars Bobby.Through this she paints a remarkable picture of life and death in Edinburgh over the centuries which will appeal to both residents and visitors to the Scottish capital.

    Penelope Johnstone can't help feeling a bit sorry for herself as she spends a significant birthday alone at home. But while she is still wondering why her son Zak and his partner Harriet haven't visited her for a while, she gets involved in a sequence of bizarre events, ranging from being mysteriously threatened by the driver of an ice-cream van and receiving a delivery of six sacks of coal she can't use, to being stalked by a neighbour and helping a friend to deal with a man who claims to be smuggling maple syrup. In order to take charge of the situation, Penelope teams up with former spy Amaryllis - always a high-risk strategy - and together they begin to uncover the secrets of the Ice Palace.

    Walking before the Independence Referendum of 2014, and writing after the EU Referendum of 2016, he reflects on: nature and history, conservation and rewilding, land use and literature, and change in a time of limitless potential for both better and worse.

     Will they find something sinister in the dark, lonely water?

    A forgotten East End district of a warped funhouse mirror vision of Glasgow, Scotland, Sinkhill is a hive of crooks, deviants and killers, and ordinary folk unfortunate enough to live among them.

    For DCI Malcolm Ford it's like nothing he's ever seen before, the savagery of the crime makes him want to catch the murderer before he strikes again. For reporter Donna Blake it's a shot at the big time, a chance to get her career back on track and prove all the doubters wrong. But for close protection specialist Connor Fraser it's merely a grisly distraction from the day job. But then another bloodied and broken corpse is found, this time in the shadow of the Wallace Monument - and with it, a message. One Connor has received before, during his time as a police officer in Belfast.With Ford facing mounting political and public pressure to make an arrest and quell fears the murders are somehow connected to heightened post-Brexit tensions, Connor is drawn into a race against time to stop another murder. But to do so, he must question old loyalties, confront his past and unravel a mystery that some would sacrifice anything - and anyone - to protect. From Dundee International Book Prize and Bloody Scotland book of the year nominee Neil Broadfoot comes No Man's Land, the first in the white-knuckle Connor Fraser series.

    

    Reflecting the changing seasons, landscape and history of Scotland and her people and marking key dates in the Scottish calendar – from Burns Night to Hogmanay – these poems are powerful, thoughtful and uplifting.With an introduction from the National Poet for Scotland, Makar Jackie Kay, this collection is bursting at the seams with the strongest voices in Scottish poetry including Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Mackay Brown, Sir Walter Scott, Liz Lochhead, Don Paterson, Nan Shepherd, Stewart Conn, Kathleen Jamie, Elma Mitchell, John Rice, Muriel Spark, Iain Crichton Smith, Sorley MacLean, Julia Donaldson, Carolina Oliphant, Norman MacCaig, Marion Angus, Kate Clanchy, Carol Ann Duffy and many more to deliver magic on every page that lasts a whole year!

    With maps of essential whisky regions of Scotland, profiles of each of the makers, and photographs of the bottles and tasting notes for each of the most widely available expressions--compiled from tasting sessions conducted by a panel of leading whisky experts--readers will discover a rich vein of knowledge about one of the world's most storied beverages.Selected from more than one hundred active distilleries in Scotland, the 330 expressions featured in this book provide a curated yet comprehensive primer of the single-malt whiskies any growing aficionado should be familiar with. Additional features include a directory of distilleries, Risen's top whisky picks in various categories, and a full index of the expressions featured in the book.

    Their steady company consoles and reminds us that the wages of mortal awareness and sorrow endured can be attention and generosity. From mournful solitude and wanderings as far as Paris, Greece and Spain, Johnson returns again and again to his familiar Scottish coasts, Highlands, and relations; to fatherhood and romantic love; to sensory wonder and the reverence of moments; and now and then to outright grace.

    

    Taking on another identity to escape the hounding media, she accepts a job as a yoga teacher at a remote Scottish castle, where the owner Aidan McAllister counts on her to save the place from going under. Aidan, jarred by life and determined not to get hurt in love, reluctantly warms up to Darcy and starts to believe in a bright future once again. With Darcy's lies building up just as steadily and inevitably as her attraction to Aidan, life in the countryside becomes more and more complex. Then, one day, her past comes back to haunt her.

    One is blind, two have hearing problems, one uses a crutch—and the two youngest members are from America, not Scotland. Dubbing themselves the Fog Busters, the friends vow to solve a murder that local police have labeled as Death by Misadventure. Indeed, misadventure seems to follow the Fog Busters when the killer attempts to stop them from investigating. Add in a lost treasure of rare Scottish coins, a false prophet, a string of house breakings and dog nappings, and a dog fighting ring—and the Fog Busters have the recipe for laughter and danger. With four unattached members of their group, they also have a chance at romance. But do they have the ability to solve the string of crimes that haunt their small village—and will all of them survive throughout the investigation?

    Their discovery of a rare manuscript will stave off their creditors--if it's worth what they hope. Margery allies with a reclusive scholar to use the book to pursue a treasure that could solve their woes. Rhys Bowen can't believe he has his hands on the elusive de Valery text. Solving its hidden code and unearthing its legendary treasure would establish him as one of Britain's leading antiquaries. But when a centuries-old organization convinces Rhys of the perils of disturbing the past, he must choose between his conscience...and the woman he's sworn to help.HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Tanya Anne CrosbyBoston heiress Sophia Vanderwahl has come to realize her fiancé is a rotten philanderer. Looking for retribution, she sets out to find the wastrel to return his engagement ring, hiring an old scholarly rival of his to take her to the Yucatan. Although suspicious of her motives, Jack MacCauley needs the money to finance his architectural expedition. In this light-hearted seafaring romance, Jack and Sophie learn to trust each other as lovers and friends.WHEN A HIGHLANDER LOSES HIS HEART by Julie JohnstoneSet on revenge, Highland warrior Graham MacLeod abducts Isobel Campbell never anticipating his enemy's daughter would awaken an irresistible hunger in him. But when his beautiful, headstrong captive challenges his will and proves her courage and honor by willingly risking her life for his, he cannot deny the dangerous passion she stirs in him. Suddenly, his agreement to deliver Isobel to the king who wishes to use her holds little appeal.THE ART OF TEMPTATION by Lauren RoyalLady Corinna Chase is more interested in pursuing her art than finding a husband, but she can't help but take notice of the handsome Irishman who's moved in next door. When it soon becomes evident that her new neighbor isn't who he says he is, rather than expose him, she finds herself drawn into his hoax. As collaboration grows into admiration, and temptation breeds desire, Corinna faces a difficult choice: Will she abandon her artistic ambitions, or give up the man she's come to love?SEDUCED AT SUNSET by Julianne MacLeanSometimes the matchmaker finds a love of her own... Lady Charlotte Sinclair has long given up her dreams of happily ever after. Years ago, a tragic accident claimed the life of her beloved fiancé, but somehow she found the strength to go on--as an independent woman with a secret double life that has earned her millions. Lately, however, she has begun to yearn for something more...A HIGHLAND KNIGHT'S DESIRE by Amy JareckiSir Duncan rushes to rescue Lady Meg from the clutches of the Earl of Northumberland. As they risk life and limb to make their escape, the brawny knight is knocked off guard by the sassy red-headed lass. Duncan must return Meg to her family and collect his bounty before the lass further sinks her wiles into his heart. But Meg's kidnapper is brewing revenge. If Northumberland's ruse is not exposed, Meg may end up becoming a nun, and Duncan a pawn in a deadly game.

    

    Strange apparitions, even stranger locals and ancient superstitions are all signs that they are on a dangerous path.When things take a turn for the worse, will friendship be more important than survival?

    Marina Lucchetti is Fergus Mackinnon’s worst nightmare—a woman who defies a man’s guidance. Fergus challenges everything Marina believes about a woman’s right to choose her path. No two people could be less suited. But when irresistible passion enters the equation, good sense soon jumps into the loch. Will the imperious laird and his willful lass discover that their differences aren’t insurmountable, but the spice to flavor a lifetime of happiness? An untamed man as immovable as a Highland mountain… Fergus Mackinnon, autocratic Laird of Achnasheen, likes to be in charge. When he was little more than a lad, he became master of his Scottish estate, and he’s learned to rely on his unfailing judgment. So has everyone else in his corner of the world. He sees no reason for his bride—when he finds her—to be any different. A headstrong woman from the warm and passionate south… Marina Lucchetti knows all about fighting her way through a wall of masculine arrogance. In her native Florence, she’s become a successful artist, no easy feat for a woman. Now a commission to paint a series of Highland scenes promises to spread her fame far and wide. When a carriage accident strands her at Achnasheen for a few weeks, it’s a mixed blessing. The magnificent landscape offers everything her artistic soul could desire. If only she can resist the impulse to smash her easel across the laird’s obstinate head. When two fiery souls come together, a conflagration flares. Marina is Fergus’s worst nightmare—a woman who defies a man’s guidance. Fergus challenges everything Marina believes about a woman’s right to choose her path. No two people could be less suited. But when irresistible passion enters the equation, good sense soon jumps into the loch. Will the desire between Fergus and Marina blaze hot, then fade to ashes? Or will the imperious laird and his willful lass discover that their differences aren’t insurmountable after all, but the spice that will flavor a lifetime of happiness?

    Based on the popular BBC Radio Ulster series of the same name, A Narrow Sea traces the epic sweep of Ireland’s relationship with Scotland, exploring the myriad connections, correlations, personalities and antagonisms that have, over the years, defined the relationship between these two spirited neighbours.Roving freely across the centuries, from the first migrations of the regions’ intrepid Mesolithic pioneers, to the grand colonial projects of the Vikings, Normans and Stuarts, this is the dramatic story of how one culture came to found two very different nations and, in doing so, project its influence as far afield as North America and Australasia.In 120 brief and accessible episodes, A Narrow Sea offers a stirring and panoramic view of a connection that has shaped the course of history on both sides of the narrow sea.

    This book takes a unique perspective on dramatic national events as well as ordinary life, as experienced by women down the centuries. From the saintly but severe medieval Queen Margaret to today’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon, it encompasses women from all stations of class and fame and notoriety, offering a tantalising view of what happened to them, and how they felt. Drawing on court and kirk records, exchequer rolls and treasurer’s accounts, diaries and memoirs, chap books and newspapers, government reports and eye-witness statements, Scotland: Her Story brings to life the half of history that has for too long been hidden or ignored.Features material by from a hugely diverse range of authors, including:The Maid of Norway • Princess Matilda • St Margaret • Margaret Tudor • Mary, Queen of Scots • Lady Grizel Baillie • Elsie Inglis • Mary Slessor • Catherine Dickens • Jane Carlyle • Lesely Riddoch • Catherine Carswell • Marie Stopes • Nan Shepherd • Leila Aboulela • Sue Black •Mary Contini • Rona Cameron • Elaine C. Smith • Jessie Kesson • Winnie Ewing • Muriel Spark • Liz Lochhead • Lulu • Janice Galloway • Jackie Kay • Ali Smith • Liz McColgan • Judy Murray • Nicola Benedetti • Nicola Sturgeon

    They walk in forests and glens, climb mountains and run along quiet beaches in the Scottish Highlands and on the Moray coast.

    She has learned to turn a blind eye to some strange goings on, however; parties for donors who don't seem the philanthropic type and a merry-go-round of 'housekeepers'. It's best not to think about that. But when the latest housekeeper, Eva, suddenly disappears, the police and DI Kelso Strang are called in.Keen to move on from recent personal horrors, Strang revels in the responsibility the investigation affords, as a former sniper, he has no problems with making solitary decisions. But when he and the team make some fatal errors, Strang has his work cut out to avoid the case ending in disaster and death.

    What have they been up to? Find out in A Scottish Christmas. A Scottish Christmas is the third installment in the Lost in Scotland series and cannot be read as a standalone. Find out why readers say "This couple is simply delicious!"

    Falling in love is the easy bit. Happy ever after requires work, commitment and honesty. She wants him to be her friend and lover. He wants her as his wife. Can a compromise be reached? Or are things truly over between them? When former Edinburgh policeman Jack Baxter met crofter and author Rachel Campbell at her home on the Scottish island of Skye, they fell in love. It was a second chance at happiness for them both. But after Jack proposes marriage, it becomes clear they want different things. Then, as Rachel prepares to return to the Middle East to work on a peacemaking project that's close to her heart, and as Jack's past catches up with him, it seems their relationship is doomed. Can Rachel compromise on her need to maintain her hard-won independence? Can Jack survive the life-threatening situation in which he finds himself? Will they get the chance to put things right between them? Settlement is the sequel to literary romance novel, Displacement, but it can be read as a stand-alone.

     WARNING: This ebook contains mature themes and language, intended for 18+ readers only.

    Scotland offers astonishing variety: its iconic lochs and mountains, as well as lively cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow, have strong allure. St. Andrews is a pilgrimage for golfers; castles dot the country; and whisky distilleries are gaining popularity. Scotland's customs and products--from tartans to tweeds--are known worldwide, but there's nothing like experiencing them firsthand. This travel guide includes:· Dozens of maps· Hundreds of hotel and restaurant recommendations, with Fodor's Choice designating our top picks· Multiple itineraries to explore the top attractions and what’s off the beaten path· Major sights such as The Calanais Standing Stones, Tobermory, Isle of Skye, Glencoe, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, and Kelvingrove· Coverage of Edinburgh and the Lothians; Glasgow; The Borders and the Southwest; Fife and Angus; The Central Highlands; Aberdeen and the Northeast; Argyll and the Isles; Inverness and Around the Great Glen; The Northern Highlands and the Western Isles; Orkney and Shetland Islands

    Amongst all the animals and birds that visit their garden, they have formed a special bond with numerous pine martens, and have studied them and a cast of other creatures at close range through direct observation and via sensor-operated cameras.Naturalist and photographer Polly Pullar has known the Humphreys and their pine martens for many years. In this book she tells the remarkable story of the couple and their animal friends, interpolating it with natural history, anecdote and her own experiences of the wildlife of the area. The result is a fascinating glimpse into the life of a much misunderstood animal and a passionate portrait of one of Scotland’s richest habitats – the oakwoods of Scotland’s Atlantic seaboard.

    

         The Gaelic word for whisky translates literally as “the water of life”—and this beautifully produced volume will enhance your enjoyment of the beloved drink. It takes you on an incredible journey around Scotland and back in time. You’ll learn about the history of whisky distillation; meet the famous men who poured their passion into their special malts; tour the main whisky regions, including the Western Isles, Speyside, Highlands, Lowlands, and Campbeltown; and visit some of the greatest names in the production of Scotch: The Glenlivet, Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Balvenie, Talisker. Written with passion and love, The Story of Scotch Whisky features stunning photographs, maps, and illustrations.Reissue. Previously offered in a box set.

    

    Indeed, footprints of the past are to be found almost everywhere. The shapes of fields may reveal the brief presence of the Romans or the labours of medieval peasants; while great heaps of abandoned spoil or the remains of gargantuan holes in the ground mark the rapid decline of heavy industry in the recent past. These evocative spaces provide unique evidence for the way this land and its wealth of resources has been lived in, worked on, ruined, abandoned, restored and celebrated - offering valuable clues that bring the past to life far more effectively than any written history. 'A History of Scotland's Landscapes' explores the many ways that we have used, adapted and altered our environment over thousands of years. Full of maps, photographs and drawings, it offers a remarkable new perspective on Scotland - a unique guide to tracing memories, events and meanings in the forms and patterns of our surroundings.

    Impulsively, they get married, but when tragedy strikes the newlyweds, they question if they know each other at all. Fliss returns home to run her family’s ranch feeling older, wiser, and determined to give up on love. Jamie McKendrick is still reeling from discovering a secret that has destroyed his family. The only thing he’s certain of is that he’s not ready to give up on his wife or their marriage. He heads to Marietta to convince Fliss that the vows they made are vows worth keeping. He’s not going to let his Montana cowgirl ride off into the sunset alone.

    

    This book will help you uncover your Scottish heritage, from identifying your immigrant ancestor to tracking down records in the old country. With help from Scottish genealogy expert Amanda Epperson, you'll learn about church records, civil registrations, censuses, and more, plus how to find them in online databases and in archives.Inside, you'll find:- Basic information on how to start family history research, including identifying and tracing immigrant ancestors - Step-by-steps for finding and using records from both the United States and Scotland - Crash-course guides to Scottish history, geography, surnames, and naming conventionsWhether your ancestors hail from the Highlands or the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, this book will help you grow your family tree in Scotland.

    Forget putting your foot down and racing through sweeping bends. Forget the understeer (whatever that is). Forget the blur of a life lived too fast. This is a look at taking life slowly. It's about taking the time to enjoy journeys and places for their own sake. It's about stopping and putting the kettle on. Stopping to take a picture. Stopping to enjoy stopping.How are you going to do it? In a camper van or a motorhome, of course.In this book we define the best driving routes around Scotland for camper vans and motorhomes. We show you the coolest places to stay, what to see, what to do and explain why it's special. We meander around the highlands, lowlands and islands of Scotland on the most breathtaking roads, chugging up mountain passes and pootling along the coast. We show you stuff that's fun, often free. We include the best drives for different kinds of drivers; for surfers, wildlife watchers, climbers and walkers. We include the steepest, the bendiest, those with the most interesting bridges or views or obstacles, ferries and tidal causeways. And you don't even have to own a camper van or motorhome - we'll tell you the many places you can rent one to take you on the journey.All of this is interspersed with beautiful photos, handy maps and quirky travel writing from the king of camper vans and motorhomes, Martin Dorey. So if all you want to do is flick through it on a cold day and plan your next outing, you'll be transported (albeit slowly) to pastures, beaches, mountains and highways that make you want to turn the key and go, go, go!We'll take you to see Scotland the slow way. The way it should be seen.

    But they don’t just embellish their life stories; sometimes they make sure they get away with murder. In the first part of her ground-breaking biography of Robert the Bruce, historian Dr Fiona Watson tells the shocking true story of a man who would stop at nothing to wear the Scottish crown. Descended from Norman stock but educated partly in the Gaelic world, Bruce inherited great estates in Scotland, England and Ireland, as well as an unswerving belief in his family’s claim to the throne. Every move he made in the turbulent times that followed the outbreak of war between Scotland and England was designed to bring him closer to that goal and, in his desire to seize an opportunity, he was little different from his ancestors and many of the men he grew up with. It was the lengths to which Robert Bruce was prepared to go to fulfil what he saw as his destiny that stood him apart. But he was not the only one with ambitions. John Comyn of Badenoch not only had more influence, more military experience and better leadership credentials, he too had a claim to the Scottish throne. If Bruce wanted to be king, then Comyn had to die. But in murdering his rival and seizing the crown, King Robert unleashed a bloody desire for vengeance not just among the English but many of his own people. Defeated and all but deserted, he vanished into the Western Isles. Few expected him to return and fewer still that he would come back a changed man, a king reborn.

    Beavers and cranes were at home in extensive wetlands. Salmon and trout filled the rivers. Lynx, wolf and wild boar roamed wooded glades.Today, although it’s easy to be seduced by the raw beauty of the Scottish landscape, it is sadly an ecological shadow of its former self. Our large carnivores have gone, our woodlands are small and fragmented, and a bare, degraded landscape supporting little life stretches across millions of acres.It doesn’t have to be this way.SCOTLAND: A Rewilding Journey is a rallying call for a wilder Scotland, where forests abundant with life are regenerating, where rivers lined with alder and willow run freely, where damaged peatlands are revitalised and where oceans support the great whales. This landmark conservation book portrays a vision for a wilder Scotland - a place where nature works as it should, where wildlife flourishes and crucially, where people prosper.

    Dealing with Scotland since the eighteenth century, the study analyses how Scottish culture defined itself within the British Empire and how, in the late twentieth century, it recovered from the collapse of the Empire to rebuild the value of its cultural past. Through its focus on the role of memory in philosophy, literature and the visual arts, readers will gain understanding of the influence that modern Scottish writers and artists have had on contemporary Scottish nationalism.The book argues that political nationalism in modern Scotland is founded on a cultural revival that began in the 1950s and 60s but gained momentum from resistance to the outcome of the 1979 devolution referendum. That resistance, and the creative achievements which it generated, provoked a re-examination of the nation's cultural history, revealing a wealth previously denied or forgotten.

    They're there to commemorate the more than a dozen members of the local football team, Heart of Midlothian—almost every member of its starting lineup and many of its backup players—who went to war. When they enlisted in November 1914, the Edinburgh Evening News ran pages of splendid photos of the Hearts players in McCrae's Battalion. After the war, surviving soldiers, many of them wounded, gassed, and suffering from what was then called “shell shock,” returned home to a public that had only the weakest grasp of what had happened. Perhaps the pointlessness of so much suffering and death was too awful to contemplate. All of Edinburgh threw a parade for the men of McCrae’s Battalion when they marched off to war, but no one wanted to be reminded that their commanders later traded their lives and health for a few yards of French mud.A Bigger Field Awaits Us: The Scottish Football Team That Fought the Great War tells the little-known but poignant story of a group of Scottish athletes and their fans who went to war together—and the stories of the few who made it home. The saga of McCrae’s Battalion brings much-needed human scale to World War I and explains why a group of young men from a small country with almost no direct connection to the conflict would give up their careers, their homes, their health, and in many cases their lives to an abstract cause. Their sacrifices illuminate the dark corners of this war that history’s lights rarely reach.