It’s clear that divorced Reid is struggling and scarred by his own painful experiences.Can these two lost souls find a lifeline to rescue each other?Or will their pasts scupper their second chance at real happiness?

    This murder can never be forgotten.Detectives Max Craigie and Janie Calder arrive at the scene, a small town where everyone has secrets to hide. They soon realise this murder is part of a blood feud between two Scottish families that stretches back to the 1800s. One thing’s for certain: it might be the latest killing, but it won’t be the last… This killer can never be caught.As the body count rises, the investigation uncovers large-scale corruption at the heart of the Scottish Police Service. Now Max and Janie must turn against their closest colleagues – to solve a case that could cost them far more than just their lives…‘The best police procedural I've read in years – fast-paced, compelling and deeply authentic. DS Max Craigie is a brilliant hero and I can't wait for the next in the series’ Jane Casey‘A stone cold classic of the genre; the strongest start to a series I’ve seen in years’ Tony Kent‘A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists’ C. L. Taylor‘The most authentic voice in thriller writing’ Tony Parsons‘Absolutely terrific’ Paul Finch‘A page turner you won’t want to miss’ Denzil MeyrickDon’t miss the first stunning thriller in the new DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime series!

    A damaged detective. A copycat killer on the loose.When the chief suspect in the notorious Peek-a-boo cop killer case blew himself up, almost taking lead investigator DCI Duncan Bone with him, the psychologically damaged detective thought his days on the force were over. But when another PC is abducted and murdered in the same deranged Peek-a-boo fashion, Bone is persuaded to return to lead the new investigation. But as Bone and his team hunt a copycat killer, and with time running out before yet another cop is slain, Bone’s terrifying past returns to tear open old wounds and push him to very edge of the abyss.Can DCI Bone end the killing before the killing ends him?Set among the dramatic hills and glens of Scotland's Campsie Fells, Dark is the Grave is the first in a series of edge-of-your-seat crime thrillers that will keep you guessing right up to the nail-biting, heart-stopping climax.Perfect for fans of JD Kirk, Alex Smith, David J. Gatward and J.E. Mayhew.

    She hopes to heal not only the dying landscape, but Aggie, too, unmade by the terrible secrets that drove the sisters out of Alaska.Inti is not the woman she once was, either, changed by the harm she’s witnessed—inflicted by humans on both the wild and each other. Yet as the wolves surprise everyone by thriving, Inti begins to let her guard down, even opening herself up to the possibility of love. But when a farmer is found dead, Inti knows where the town will lay blame. Unable to accept her wolves could be responsible, Inti makes a reckless decision to protect them. But if the wolves didn’t make the kill, then who did? And what will Inti do when the man she is falling for seems to be the prime suspect?Propulsive and spell-binding, Charlotte McConaghy's Once There Were Wolves is the unforgettable story of a woman desperate to save the creatures she loves—if she isn’t consumed by a wild that was once her refuge.

    A fatal illness has ravaged his clan, taking not only his parents and his wife, but so many others of the clan, it’s being called the curse of Black Isle. Worse, as heir to the chieftain, now Marcas must be both leader and savior to his people—but they are losing faith in him. Already there are murmurs that his poor decisions brought the curse, causing him to doubt his own ability to head the clan. But when his small daughter takes sick, Marcas has no problem making a decision: he must find a healer—one gifted enough to save his little lass’s life. And he will beg, barter, or steal one if necessary.When healer Brigid Ramsay is abducted in the middle of the night, she knows she just has to bide her time. Her over-protective father, a former spy and feared lethal agent for the Crown, will come for her. Her captor must be daft to kidnap the daughter of Logan Ramsay. But when Brigid realizes a child’s life is in danger, she softens toward her kidnapper, and vows to help him. As they work together, Brigid can’t deny the traitorous attraction she feels nor that she’s falling in love. But how could Marcas ever love her when she’s not the great healer he thought…?Can Brigid save Marcas’ daughter’s life before her own father arrives and rains hell down from the Highlands?

    Dive in and follow the lives of 12-year-old Kirsty Campbell and her friends as they navigate life from first to sixth year at Renfrew Grammar school. This book is a celebration of working-class life and youth in an ever-changing world. It uses humour to tackle hard-hitting subjects such as drugs, bullying, sexuality, and teenage pregnancy. But moreover, it is a relatable and accessible portrait of figuring out who you are, plunging into the currents of life, and most of all, finding hope. 'Relatable, quirky, and sometimes heart-wrenching, this story paints an authentic portrait of growing up working class in Scotland.'

    He'll take on the job...for a price.Christina MacKinnon is secretly relieved to be a widow. She is equally desperate to distance herself from the clan of her dead husband, but as the heir to his estate—one she needs in order to support her siblings—she must first stave off both the advances and threats of the man next in line to inherit. It seems the only person she can turn to is a nearby stranger who seems inclined to help her. But he has a request...Freshly returned from the war, Lachlan Kincaid has one aim: to see justice served to the MacKinnons for betraying his family years ago and depriving him of his inheritance. While biding his time at a nearby inn, he discovers the death of the MacKinnon laird—whose widow has inherited everything. The way to accomplish his goal is becoming more evident, but the path is murkier than he could have foreseen.As Christina’s and Lachlan’s lives intersect, it becomes clear that their separate aims may well only be achievable if they join forces. But to do so is to court more danger, and it requires a sacrifice Christina isn’t sure she’s prepared to make.

    Prepare to fall in love with this fantastic series!' MIRANDA DICKINSON On paper, Merina Wilde has it all: a successful career writing the kind of romantic novels that make even the hardest hearts swoon, a perfect carousel of book launches and parties to keep her social life buzzing, and a childhood sweetheart who thinks she’s a goddess. But Merry has a secret: the magic has stopped flowing from her fingers. Try as she might, she can’t summon up the sparkle that makes her stories shine. And as her deadline whooshes by, her personal life falls apart too. Alex tells her he wants something other than the future she’d always imagined for them and Merry finds herself single for the first time since – well, ever. Desperate to get her life back on track, Merry leaves London and escapes to the windswept Orkney Islands, locking herself away in a secluded clifftop cottage to try to heal her heart and rediscover her passion for writing. But can the beauty of the islands and the kindness of strangers help Merry to fool herself into believing in love again, if only long enough to finish her book? Or is it time for her to give up the career she’s always adored and find something new to set her soul alight??The brand new series from Holly Hepburn, first published as four ebook parts: BROKEN HEARTS AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, SEA BREEZES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, DANGEROUS TIDES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY and SUNSET OVER BRIGHTWATER BAY ~*~Praise for Holly Hepburn~*~ 'A fresh new voice, brings wit and warmth to this charming tale of two sisters' Rowan Coleman 'Warm, witty and laced with intriguing secrets! I want to pull up a bar stool, order a large G&T and soak up all the gossip at the Star and Sixpence!' Cathy Bramley 'The Star and Sixpence sparkles with fun, romance, mystery, and a hunky blacksmith. It's a real delight' Julie Cohen 'Like the dream pub landlady who always knows exactly what you want, Holly Hepburn has created the most delightful welcome to what promises to be a brilliant series, in the first Star and Sixpence. The sisters are warm and intriguing, the neighbours are (mostly!) friendly and the gossip is utterly addictive. I was very sad when it was time for last orders, and am already looking forward to the next round. Especially if a certain blacksmith happens to be at the bar...' Kate Harrison 'Warm, witty and utterly charming, Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter's day. It left me with the most wonderful happy glow' Cally Taylor 'A super sparkling star of a story and I can’t wait for part two’ Alexandra Brown

    However, as one who treasures loyalty above all, she is mortified to learn his lover lives at the family keep. After being publicly humiliated by her husband, Isobel must ensure two things: to keep her heart protected and remain a wife in name only.After his late father’s ruling by fear, young laird Darach Ross inherits a clan of people who do not trust his leadership. With the threat of an insurrection and possible attack by another clan, every move he makes must be measured. When he is captured by an enemy clan, Darach wants to know if he will leave a legacy. He then makes a mistake that can rob him of happiness forever.

    An invitation to anyone who picks up the book to join us on a crazy camper van exploration over 12 glorious, whisky fueled months. Mountains, battles, famous (and infamous) Scots, the alarming competitiveness of Men in Kilts, clans, feuds, flora, fauna, with a healthy sprinkling of embarrassing personal reminiscences thrown in. Much is explored, all is shared. It is a camper van cornucopia of all things Alba.From First Footing to Samhain, Fringe Festival follies to whisky lore, Sam & Graham guide readers through a year of Scottish legends, traditions, historical and contemporary events, sharing personal stories and tips as only these two chalk-and-cheese friends can. As entertaining as it is practical, The Clanlands Almanac is a light-hearted education in Scottish history and culture, told through the eyes of two passionate Scotsmen. The perfect escapist guide, The Clanlands Almanac is intended as a starting point for your own Scottish discoveries.

    So when he asks her to marry a rival laird to aid the clans in finding peace, she has little choice but to agree to his request. The only problem: she’s desperately in love with another man. To free herself from the burden of unrequited love before entering into a marriage of convenience, Isobel devises a plan to journey to the healing well that has helped so many others, certain that if she can drink from its spring, she will be healed from her lovesickness for Kieran and prepared to marry the rival laird. But her chief will never willingly let her go, so she must sneak out in the dead of night and cross through dangerous lands alone. After watching a rival clan kill his father in an ambush, Kieran Buchanan’s only ambition in life is to see them pay for what they did. Biding his time until he can accomplish his goal, Kieran dedicates his life to helping his uncle’s clan train and defend themselves. He’s sworn fealty to his uncle, so when the man asks him to track down Isobel and bring her home, he complies. With the man she loves close on her tail, Isobel must hurry to the spring if she has any hope of callusing her heart against him. But what can she do when he catches up to her on enemy territory?

    

    A heartwarming novel about new beginnings, from the bestselling author of Fool Me Once.It was a straightforward request. Take her gran home to her beloved Scotland.In the space of a few days, Elle loses her job and her home and faces moving back in with her parents-where she knows she'll hear a lot about how she is wasting her life, unlike her three siblings . . .Then Gran's will is read and everything changes.It seems simple: a road trip across Scotland, a country Gran loved, to locate the family castle; meet some long lost cousins; oh, and work out what she wants to do with the rest of her life before returning home. Not a problem.That is unless the family castle is a ruin that has pretty much been lost in time; the family Elle has never met seem to be hiding a mysterious secret; her over-achieving parents are breathing down her neck, and she's running out of time to make a decision about her future.Take Me Home is a glorious lesson in life, love and finding your true destiny.

    He thought he was marrying a chieftain's daughter—but his young wife isn't who she seems. Deception and passion collide in Medieval Scotland.When Keira Gunn agrees to swap places with her best friend and wed a man in her stead, she knows she's making a great sacrifice. She's also risking her own future.But Keira never wanted to be a nun and longs for a life outside the nunnery, where she's about to take her vows. Her friend is desperate—and this could be Keira's only chance to forge a new path for herself.The MacKays of Farr have a new chieftain. Connor MacKay is a reluctant husband, yet he's been betrothed for years.Now, he needs to honor his promise.The woman he collects from the nunnery is a surprise. She isn't the great beauty Connor expects, yet her quick wit and passionate nature soon enthrall him.But his wife keeps a secret that risks more than both their hearts.

    A mother’s grief. A daughter’s journey. What is the chain that links three women’s lives?In Scotland, in 1941, as World War 2 increases in ferocity, Rhona Begg goes against her parents’ wishes and enlists in the ATS—a decision that brings with it heart-breaking consequences. After the war, weighed down with regret and grief, Rhona receives news that has the power to change her life.On the other side of the world, in Australia, Nell Duncan worries about her husband who is fighting in the Far East. When she receives the dreaded news that he is missing in action, her world collapses. The end of the war brings changes to Nell’s life, but her dream of bearing a child is no longer possible and she grieves for what might have been.In 1971, when Joy Baker gives birth to her daughter, she begins the journey to discover her ancestry. What she finds shocks her to the core and propels her on a journey to the land of her birth.Three women. Three mothers. Three lives connected forever.From wartime Scotland to present day Australia, A Mother’s Story is a sweeping family saga filled with emotion.

    As a Glasgow native, she’s back on home turf.Living on the shores of the Solway Firth allows Shona to continue as an RNLI volunteer, and a call out to recover a woman’s body indicates foul play. Police in Cumbria take the case but links back to Scotland keep Shona’s team involved. As they investigate, reports of people trafficking and a spate of thefts from local shops compete for attention with a large scale drug bust. But Shona’s work may all be in vain when those close to her threaten to tear the case apart – and ruin Shona in the process.An unforgettable debut novel by a Scottish crime writer to watch, for fans of Val McDermid, Marion Todd and Lin Anderson.

    Is the house haunted or is something far more sinister living within the walls?As secrets and lies begin to unravel, Lucy starts to question what is real. But one thing seems certain, if scars cannot heal, people will never forgive…

    But after nearly twenty years, she and Ella are suddenly leaving London for the Isle of Kip, the tiny remote Scottish island where Lorna grew up.Alice's world is tiny but full.She loves the community on Kip, her yoga classes drawing women across the tiny island together. Now Lorna's arrival might help their family finally mend itself - even if forgiveness means returning to the past...So with two decades, hundreds of miles and a lifetime's worth of secrets between Lorna and the island, can coming home mean starting again?

    The much-feared lord embarks on a vengeful crusade against the Seton women, and soon there are whispers of witchcraft all over town. Honor hopes her growing friendship with the lord’s brother will protect them from unproven rumours and dangerous accusations – but Alice is convinced the truth is finally catching up with her…Present day, North BerwickAfter an explosive scandal lands her husband in prison, Tess Blyth and her daughter flee Edinburgh to start afresh in quaint Thistle Cottage, where they can hide from the media’s unforgiving glare. Tess is intrigued by the shadowy stories of witchcraft surrounding the mother and daughter who lived in the cottage centuries ago. But she quickly discovers modern-day witch hunts can be just as vicious: someone in town knows her secret – and they won’t let Tess forget it…

    She does her duty, but underneath her meek façade, Robina is furious: at her kin, fate—and the arrogant young clan-chief who is now her husband.Tavish Gunn has a reputation to uphold. Now head of one of the Highland's most feared clans, and with four younger brothers coveting his position, he can't let his guard down, can't show the slightest sign of weakness.But Tavish has long desired Robina. Now, he has to convince her that he fully intends to honor their marriage vows: to love, protect and cherish her. Some promises are made for life.HIGHLANDER PLEDGED is the tender and steamy story of two lost souls who are meant for each other. Curl up with a hot drink and transport yourself to the Scottish Highlands this Christmas.

    Following the advice of his priest and mentor, he moves clandestinely to London and becomes an ambulance driver. But when his old second-in-command Malky Maloney tracks him down on a London street, Finn knows he must return. Both his real family and his crime family face an existential threat from Albanian mobsters determined to take control of the Scottish underworld.Under the watchful eye of his charismatic mother, he must try to look after his lovelorn younger daughter and her older sister who is pregnant to his old enemy Joe Mannion’s son. His estranged wife, who has more than just a business relationship with Mannion, and his remaining son, crippled while serving in Afghanistan also require his attention. But most of all, he must take back what is his.Facing the forces of law and order under Detective Chief Superintendent Amelia Langley, a ruthless gang of Albanians and a beautiful but deadly Italian woman, Zander Finn struggles for survival in a rollercoaster ride of brutality, tenderness, misplaced loyalties and the utterly unexpected. The path to redemption is a perilous one, and it begins to look like Finn should have stayed in London.

    Now she is charged with discovering the plans of Edward Longshanks. The English are gaining a foothold on Scottish soil—and they must be stopped.All Nessa has to do is enter the wolf's lair and seduce Hugh De Burgh—the English king's right-hand—and she will be able to gain the secrets she seeks.But faced with the towering, surly knight, whose touch addles her wits and sets her aflame, Nessa soon realizes that this mission may cost her everything.Guardians of Alba takes you back to 14th Century Scotland amidst the Wars of Scottish Independence. Immerse yourself in political intrigue, Celtic mysticism, betrayal, high-adventure, and steamy romance.

    In botanical circles, however, a different kind of excitement has gripped the city. In the newly-installed Botanic Garden, the Agave Americana plant looks set to flower - an event which only occurs once in several decades.When newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband's aunt Clementina, she's determined to put her unhappy past in London behind her. As she settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the beautiful Botanic Garden which border the grand house and offers her services as an artist to record the rare plant's impending bloom. In this pursuit, she meets Belle Brodie, a vivacious young woman with a passion for botany and the lucrative, dark art of perfume creation. Belle is determined to keep both her real identity and the reason for her interest the Garden secret from her new friend. But as Elizabeth and Belle are about to discover, secrets don't last long in this Enlightenment city. And when they are revealed, they can carry the greatest of consequences . . .

    

    In the past, it was possible to live with delightful confusion: one could be English, or British, Scottish or Irish and a citizen/subject of the United Kingdom (or Great Britain). For years that state has been what Gavin Esler calls a 'secret federation', but without the explicit federal arrangements that allow Germany or the USA to survive.Now the archaic state, which doesn't have a written constitution, is coming under terrible strain. The English revolt against Europe is also a revolt against the awkward squads of the Scottish and Irish, and most English conservatives would be happy to get rid of Northern Ireland and Scotland as the price of getting Brexit done. If no productive trade deal with the EU can be agreed, the pressures to declare Scottish independence and to push for a border poll that would unite Ireland will be irresistible.Can England and Wales find a way of dealing with the state's new place in the world? What constitutional, federal arrangements might prevent the disintegration of the British state, which has survived in its present form for 400 years?

    But the nigheanan sgàil, the daughters of shadow, do not engage in murder and, instead, put the fierce warrior into a deep sleep, hidden inside the earth in 14th century Scotland.Kayla Forbes is thrilled to leave the States, putting her recent break-up far behind her to study abroad at the university near Fort William in the Highlands. She had hoped to immerse herself in the history of Scotland but not quite so literally, falling through the earth, landing on a huge Scots warrior from another time and place. She might be mesmerized by the raw beauty of the man, but she knows she has to get away from him, has to find her way back to her life in the 21st century.Michael remembers everything from the night he was put to sleep, including the witches foretelling that the one to wake him would be the one to break him. He intends to keep Kayla close to discover who betrayed him, but he’s not about to be put under her spell, no matter how effortlessly she wakens his sleeping desire.They journey to Michael’s home, Brechmont Castle, where lies unfold and yet truth is elusive, and discover along the way that the only person worthy of trust just might be each other.

    It is a story about finding that inner strength and resilience, and never giving up hope.Eight years ago, Kathleen Hart was diagnosed with breast cancer. Further complications led to a protracted recovery and months spent in hospital, where Kathleen had to learn how to walk again. While recuperating, she came across a small whitewashed cottage for sale in Wigtown, Scotland. Driving hundreds of miles on nothing more than a few photographs and an inkling, she bought it that very same day, and named it Devorgilla after the formidable 13th century Scottish princess.Devorgilla Days is the story of how Kathleen left behind her old life to begin again in Scotland's book capital. From renovating her cottage to exploring the seemingly quiet, but actually bustling town, she encounters a whole community of book lovers, beekeepers, artists and writers - and Lobster Fishermen. Kathleen starts wild swimming, a ritual that brings peace and clarity to her mind as her body heals. And, with the support of her virtual worldwide community who know her as PoshPedlar on Instagram, she rebuilds her life again.Heartwarming and deeply moving, Devorgilla Days is an inspiring tale of one woman's remarkable journey, a celebration of community, and a call-to-arms for anyone who has ever dreamt of starting over.

    But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threatens to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

    She's never fitted in before - is this her chance to find where she really belongs?Finally Melissa has the allotment she's been longing for to distract her while her husband works away - even if it is chest-high in weeds. But when she looks for help in the wrong place, she finds she's the hottest topic of gossip.For Dottie, her allotment and part-time job of 'a little light dusting' at Lerwick Manor keeps a spring in her eighty-year-old step - and her ears open for secrets.Though generations apart, these three women are about to find a common bond in a new-found passion and that true friendship can grow anywhere.

    The Stuart king remains in exile in Italy, leaving Clan Gregor’s dreams of restoring their name and lands unattainable.In despair Alexander, chieftain of the Loch Lomond MacGregors, hopes that his young but gifted son Alex will one day restore the clan’s fortunes.Yearning to please the father he loves, Alex embarks on a gruelling education which at times seems senseless to him. He hopes to one day exceed his father, becoming a cultured and influential chieftain, who can win battles both with words and weapons.Clan life has always been dangerous and even more so for the MacGregors. A series of brutal events strikes at the heart of the family and threatens the clan’s very existence.Can Alex, still a child, somehow save the clan and those he loves or must he turn his back on them and forge his own future?Join nearly half a million readers who love Julia Brannan's books. Click the BUY button and find out why Diana Gabaldon describes her books as being 'wonderful historical fiction!'

    Not only has she been given to the future clan chief as his bride, her new husband will have complete authority over her and will enforce that authority with a firm hand applied to her bare bottom as often as necessary.Though it doesn’t take long for Marisol to find herself over the stern, handsome Scotsman’s knee for a sound spanking, she cannot help longing for his touch, even after her already bright red backside is paddled until she is well past tears. Her desire for him and her love for him grow with each passing day, but can she make a place for herself among the rugged people of this land?Publisher’s Note: Given to the Highlander includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

    A tiny kitchen lunch club. The perfect place to start again. Anna moves to Crovie, a tiny fishing village on the Moray Firth, for a fresh start. But when she arrives, she realises her new home is really no more than a shed, and the village itself sits beneath a cliff right on the edge of the sea, in constant danger of storms and landslides. Has she made a terrible mistake?Yet as she begins to learn about the Scottish coast and its people, something she thought she’d lost reawakens in her. She rediscovers her love of cooking, and turns her kitchen into a pop-up lunch club. But not all the locals are delighted about her arrival, and some are keen to see her plans fail. Will Anna really be able to put down roots in this remote and wild village? Or will her fragile new beginning start to crumble with the cliffs . . . ? Beautiful, moving and utterly absorbing, The House Beneath the Cliffs is a novel of friendship and food, storms and secrets, and the beauty of second chances

    He found a companion through time and beyond.It is 1715 and for Duncan Melville something fundamental is missing from his life. Despite a flourishing legal practice and several close friends, he is lonely, even more so after the recent death of his father. He needs a wife—a companion through life, someone to hold and be held by. What he wasn’t expecting was to be torn away from everything he knew and find said woman in 2016…Erin Barnes has a lot of stuff going on in her life. She doesn’t need the additional twist of a stranger in weird outdated clothes, but when he risks his life to save hers, she feels obligated to return the favour. Besides, whoever Duncan may be, she can’t exactly deny the immediate attraction.The complications in Erin’s life explode. Events are set in motion and to Erin’s horror she and Duncan are thrown back to 1715. Not only does Erin have to cope with a different and intimidating world, soon enough she and Duncan are embroiled in a dangerous quest for Duncan’s uncle, a quest that may very well cost them their lives as they travel through a Scotland poised on the brink of rebellion.Will they find Duncan’s uncle in time? And is the door to the future permanently closed, or will Erin find a way back?

    FACT. So this mine and Bruce’s story. You don’t have to believe it happened, but it did. All of it. Nobody at school can see past Lenny’s size to the person within. So when lessons get too tough, Lenny always goes to his bench to think. At least there no one can see him. Then one day, midway through lobbing his empty can of Irn-Bru into the canal he’s stopped by Bruce. Bruce lives in a cardboard home hidden away by the banks, and he doesn’t approve of kids messing up his front lawn … But a bumpy start soon gives way to an unexpected friendship - and an epic road trip - that will change both of them for life …

    Stuck caring for their tiny baby, and trying to find her way with an opinionated mother-in-law, Caroline feels adrift, alone and unwelcome.But when she is tasked with sorting out the family archives, Caroline discovers a century-old mystery that sparks her back to life. There is one Gillan bride who is completely unknown - no photos exist, no records have been kept - the only thing that is certain is that she had a legitimate child. Alasdair's grandmother.As Caroline uncovers a strange story that stretches as far as the Arctic circle, her desire to find the truth turns obsessive. And when a body is found in the grounds of the castle, her hunt becomes more than just a case of curiosity. What happened all those years ago? Who was the bride? And who is the body...?

    The locals know him as William Spencer, but newly-promoted DCI Lukas Mahler identifies him as Alex Fleming, his former boss. Unable to step away from the case, Mahler tries to piece together why Fleming would retire to such a remote location. But the deeper he digs, the more disturbing the investigation becomes.Seal bones, witches' salve and runic symbols appear everywhere he looks, ushering Mahler towards Fleming's most notorious unsolved case: the horrific 'Witchfinder' murders. And towards a dark and uncomfortable truth someone has gone to great lengths to bury ...

    Queen Mary has fled Scotland, to raise an army from the French. Her son and heir, Jamie is held under protection in Stirling Castle. John Knox is dead. The people are unmoored and lurching under the uncertain governance of this riven land. It's a deadly time for young student Will Fowler, short of stature, low of birth but mightily ambitious, to make his name.Fowler has found himself where the scorch marks of the martyrs burned at the stake can be seen on every street, where differences in doctrine can prove fatal, where the feuds of great families pull innocents into their bloody realm. There he befriends the austere stick-wielding philosopher Tom Nicolson, son of a fishing family whose sister Rose, untutored, brilliant and exceedingly beautiful exhibits a free-thinking mind that can only bring danger upon her and her admirers.The lowly students are adept at attracting the attentions of the rich and powerful, not least Walter Scott, brave and ruthless heir to Branxholm and Buccleuch, who is set on exploiting the civil wars to further his political and dynastic ambitions. His friendship and patronage will lead Will to the to the very centre of a conspiracy that will determine who will take Scotland's crown.Rose Nicolson is a vivid, passionate and unforgettable novel of this most dramatic period of Scotland's history, told by a character whose rise mirrors the conflicts he narrates, the battles between faith and reason, love and friendship, self-interest and loyalty. It confirms Andrew Greig as one of the great contemporary writers of fiction.

    

    The problem is, I’ve never seen Fern Daniels before in my life. I don’t care if she does have the wedding certificate and photographs to prove her ridiculous claims.This is a scam.The scheming Ms Daniels is up to something.I mean to find out what, and when I do, she’ll realise she crossed the wrong man.

    Jean's great claim to fame is raising her weans without two pennies to rub together, and Kate's an aspiring scriptwriter whose anxiety has her stuck in bad thought after bad thought.But what Jean's Glaswegian family don't know is that she dreamed of being a film star and came a hairsbreadth away from making it a reality.Now in her nineties, Jean is a force to be reckoned with. But when the family starts to fall apart Jean must face her failings as a mammy head-on - and Kate too must fight her demons. Either that or let go of her dream of the silver screen forever...

    And death.Kate Sharp’s family is a mystery. Her mother, Ellen, disappeared into the shadows of Craig Dunain psychiatric hospital when Kate was a child. When her grandmother dies, Kate is desperate for answers. What were the circumstances of her mother’s life and death? Who is her father?Kate’s not the only one trying to uncover the truth. The remains of two bodies with murderous injuries have been found buried in the forest next to the former hospital.And someone else is searching for answers, and he will stop at nothing to find them.As the tale of Ellen’s tragic unravelling unfolds, the secrets that led to her death are exposed, along with the shocking truth about Kate’s father.Unaware of the danger stalking her, Kate continues her search.Will she find the answers? And can she save her own life

    Sadie and the crew of the Coral became his savior. She gave them sanctuary from his nemesis who was like dark storm clouds, waiting outside the pirate’s lair. Sadie was strong, brave, even though she lived through atrocities to become the leader of Rum Cay. Her kiss felled him, the innocent lips of a woman who never knew love. Captain Laith MacKay had no lands, and his home was the sea. Until now. Even if she didn’t know it, his Sadie needed a protector. Laith vowed he would be that for her and more. She would have his love.Sadie…no surname because the pirate who raised her never gave her one. She led the overthrow of Rum Cay and now it was a thriving community. Then Laith came along and made her plans as murky as water in a pond. His assured feelings frightened… confused her. Three battles were brewing on land and on sea, the third was within her and the new feelings Laith stirred deep at Sadie’s core. He wanted to give her his name, join as much more than just an alliance, but in love. Sadie has never trusted any man, but his passionate kisses promised calm waters and a life she never dared to hope for. Would she dare give herself over to the Captain of The Vengeance? The sea was her first love. Or was it a place holder until he came along?

    But being inconspicuous isn't easy with a black eye and clothes soaked in blood...... and now the fuel tank is empty.DI PatonWhen a body is discovered in a remote cabin in Scotland, DI Paton feels a pang of guilt as he wonders if this is the career break he has been waiting for. But the victim is unidentifiable and the killer has left few clues.JennaWith the death of her father and her mother's failing health, Jenna accepts her future plans must change but nothing can prepare her for the trauma yet to come.Fleeing south to rebuild her life Sarah uncovers long-hidden family secrets. Determined to get back what she believes is rightfully hers, Sarah thinks her future looks brighter. But Paton is still pursuing her...... and he's getting closer.

    With the help of an ally, his uncle took his lands and title and forced Niall to flee. After cutting his hair and beard and changing his name, the fallen Laird goes to a nearby village and tries to hide there as well as a man of his stature can.Niall begins to work as a blacksmith but plots his revenge day and night. Filled with shame and guilt for leaving his people in the hands of his cruel uncle, as Niall pounds the iron with his hammer, he also pounds his soul, and he knows that until he finds redemption, he will not rest. However, when he meets a lass named Fiona, he is able to get revenge off of his mind, even for a few moments.Fiona visited a store across the place Niall works in, and they both felt as if a bolt of lightning hit them. As beautiful and charming as Fiona is when Niall learns that she is the daughter of Laird Calder, the ally who helped his uncle overthrow him, he is appalled! Yet, after some calm thought, he realizes that he can actually use her to get close to her father.Due to his strength and skill as a worker, Niall finds his way into the Calder castle, and he meets Fiona's father. As she spends more time with her and they bond, plotting against her father becomes more and more difficult. As if the situation was not complex enough, Niall learns from her father that the lass is about to marry "Laird Abernethy," his treacherous uncle!Fiona did not deserve to be in this position, but Niall feels obliged to kill her new betrothed and free his people from the tyrant. But it is more than certain that if he does proceed with his plan, Fiona's father would never marry her to the man who killed his ally. Niall must choose between redemption and the woman he loves, and he must do that fast, as his identity will not stay hidden for long.A Steamy Scottish Medieval Historical Romance

    Her daughter and best friend insist she needs a project to keep her occupied. Liz decides to share the beauty of Crystal Crescent Beach with those who visit the beautiful east coast of Nova Scotia and prepares to embark on the adventure of her life. She moves into the converted art studio at the bottom of her garden and turns the old family home into The Crystal Crescent Inn.One of her first visitors is famous archeologist, Merc MacGill, and he’s not there to admire the view. The handsome bachelor believes there’s an undiscovered eighteenth-century farmstead hidden inside the creeks and coves of Crystal Crescent, and Liz wants to help him find it.But it’s not all smooth sailing at the inn that overlooks the historic Sambro Lighthouse. No one has realized it yet, but the lives of everyone in Liz’s family are intertwined with those first settlers who landed in Nova Scotia over two hundred and fifty years ago. Will they be able to unravel the mystery? Will the lives of Liz’s two children be changed forever if they discover the link between the lighthouse and their old home?Take a trip to Crystal Crescent Beach and join Liz, her family, and guests as they navigate the storms and calm waters of life and love under the watchful eye of the lighthouse and its secret.

    

    On a remote island, everyone is a suspect...When Private Investigator Hanlon is hired to protect famous yoga instructor Camille Anderson on her Scottish island retreat, she thinks this may be her simplest job yet.But when an attack on Camille's life goes wrong, it soon becomes clear that there is a murderer on the island - and Hanlon will stop at nothing to track them down.With only a small group of guests the suspects are clear, but as the body count rises Hanlon must step up to find out who the killer is before it’s too late...

    Writing the eulogy for his memorial years later, his foundling-sister Mo seeks to discover why he vanished. Younger brother Sorley is also haunted by his absence and driven to reveal the forces that led to Colvin’s disappearance. Is their brother alive or dead?Set on a farming estate in the upper reaches of the River Spey, Of Stone and Sky follows several generations of a shepherding family in a paean to the bonds between people, their land and way of life. It is a profound mystery, a passionate poem, a political manifesto, shot through with wisdom and humour.

    And as she dreams of riding her new mount through the forests and glens of the Manteith estate, she can have no idea that she might never see them again.For what lies ahead is danger, unimagined… and the fearful realities of kidnap and slavery.But even when everything seems lost, most especially the chance of ever getting home again, Elizabeth finds friendship, comfort… and that much prized love, just where she least expected it.Set in the mid eighteenth century, Fireflies and Chocolate is a story of strength, courage and tolerance, in a time filled with far too many prejudices.

    She soon learns that Memory Lane possesses advanced technology which allows clients to relive their favourite memories for a substantial fee.1975 - John Valentine, a Memory Lane client, is reliving his wedding day over and over again, hoping to change one key event he can’t forget. However, as proceedings become less and less familiar, John realises his memory isn’t such a safe place after all.When Hannah and John’s paths meet, they must work together to get John back to the real world before it’s too late.In a departure from Ross’s recent work, The Everliving Memory of John Valentine combines elements of speculative fiction in a novel that is all too believable...

    In leaving the chaos of the internet behind for a month, he hoped to learn how it was truly affecting him – or if he should look elsewhere for the causes of his anxiety.The Farthest Shore is the story of Alex’s solo trek along the remote Cape Wrath Trail. As he journeyed through a vanishing winter, Alex found answers to his questions, learnt the nature of true silence, and discovered frightening evidence of the threats faced by Scotland’s wild mountain landscape.

    Except, this beast of a Highlander isn’t her betrothed after all...It should have been a fairy tale.After twenty years in exile, Kenzie McPhee is returning home to marry her childhood love.And from the moment her betrothed arrives to escort her, Kenzie wonders if dreams really come true. Tall, brooding, and handsome, Laird Arran McCaskill promises a world both familiar, and tantalisingly new.Until she realises this perfect man isn’t her laird at all.It’s his brother.Blaine McCaskill; the silent, introspective brother. The closed book, short of words and stature, who has somehow grown into a beast of a soldier, and a leader of men.And with a body straight from the heroic tales of old.So now, on the long journey home, Kenzie finds herself with more to worry about than she ever imagined. Forget brigands, forget skirmishing clans, and forget plots that threaten to tear the very Highlands apart.How is she going to survive two weeks with the forbidden Blaine McCaskill?

    DI Corstophine’s concerns are raised, however when the dead man’s eccentric sister receives a message, apparently from beyond the grave.The police are dismissive until it appears the devil himself is intent on attacking other family members. Why is his daughter kept locked and sedated in her room in the baronial mansion? Who or what is stalking his son as he scatters his father’s ashes on lonely summits? And what insanity is behind the horrific attacks in their small Highland town?DI Corstophine and his team don’t know what they’re really facing until it’s too late.The Devil’s Cut is an exploration of what constitutes sanity and how delicate that state really is; how such a perfect emotion as love can completely destroy a man.

    

    But Scotland is aflame with wars over religion and "correct" belief-English against Scots, Catholics against Protestants-and in the Scottish Highlands, the witch craze is at its height. When Margaret starts to meet with Isobel to learn magic, Isobel is accused of witchcraft, and Margaret becomes a suspect, too. Can Margaret's tutor, Katharine, a Christian mystic, affect the outcome?

    Not even he could have imagined its future, as simultaneously one of the biggest and most famous nightclubs in the world and a major player on the European theatre scene. Until its closure following a drug-related death in 2015, The Arches carved its own, indefinable path, playing a vital role in the lives of many Scottish artists along the way. Some of those stars of the future began their careers taking tickets, hanging coats and serving drinks there.For the first time, the people who made the venue get to tell their story. Piecing together accounts from directors, DJs, performers, clubbers, artists, bar tenders, actors, audiences and staff, Brickwork writes the biography of a space that was always more than its bricks and mortar.

    She was there at the dawn of time, when the first cave paintings were created, and she will be with us until the end.

    A series of disastrous decisions has left her with no job, no home, and no faith in herself. But an unexpected job offer takes her to a remote Scottish island, and it feels like a chance to recover and mend her battered self-esteem.The island's other inhabitants are less than welcoming. Fraser Sutherland is a taciturn loner who is not happy about sharing his lighthouse - or his precious coffee beans - and Lefty, his unofficial assistant, is a scrawny, scared lad who isn't supposed to be there at all. Homesick and out of her depth, Rachel wonders whether she's made another mistake. But, as spring turns to summer, the wild beauty of the island captivates her soul. For the first time in years she sees the hope of a better life - if only she can break the deadlock between two men who are at war with one another, and with themselves.

    By using the city as a starting point, Sean Wai Keung examines his own relationship to food, migration and family, as well as the very notion of ‘belonging’ somewhere in the first place. Written with honesty and humour, sikfan glaschu is Wai Keung’s exciting debut full-length collection.

    Burns, bestselling author of The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, sets out to rediscover Scotland’s mountains, remote places and wildlife in the darkest and stormiest months. He traverses the country from the mouth of the River Ness to the Isle of Mull, from remote Sutherland to the Cairngorms, in search of rutting red deer, pupping seals, minke whales, beavers, pine martens, mountain hares and otters. In the midst of the fierce weather, John’s travels reveal a habitat in crisis, and many of these wild creatures prove elusive as they cling on to life in the challenging Highland landscape.As John heads deeper into the winter, he notices the land fighting back with signs of regeneration. He finds lost bothies, old friendships and innovative rewilding projects, and – as Covid locks down the nation – reflects on what the outdoors means to hillwalkers, naturalists and the folk who make their home in the Highlands.Wild Winter is a reminder of the wonder of nature and the importance of caring for our environment. In his winter journey through the mountains and bothies of the Highlands, John finds adventure, humour and a deep sense of connection with this wild land.

    Maitland looked back across the thirty years of her short married life and long widowhood, the nineteen-year-old girl on the other side of that gap seemed a total stranger, incredibly young and untried, incredibly ignorant.Millie Maitland has settled happily into her busy if slightly impoverished existence in the Scottish village of Mennan, watched over now and then by her solicitor, who once proposed marriage, and her daughter Amabel, grown but still a handful. Millie is much loved by her friends and neighbours, including the gossipy Mrs. Gray, the kind Mrs. Denholm, a shepherd's wife isolated in the hills, and the appalling Mrs. Noble, a flirt whose husband is overseas. But into this contented, quiet life comes a bit of drama. It all starts innocently enough when Martin Heriot, a bachelor farmer, asks Millie to board a black labrador puppy named Sam . . .Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson (in just such a village as Mennan), and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1954, Because of Sam is a charming and compulsively readable comedy of errors. This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

    It’s what she’s chosen. People, as a general rule, are more trouble than they’re worth. It’s why God invented batteries.But when she comes across the man being burned alive on the banks of the Clyde, she can’t just let him die. Without a second thought she batters in to save his life…And accidentally tears the fabric of time.Now an ancient serial killer is on the loose and only Kirsty can make him regret he was ever born.Even if it means killing the only person who ever loved her.Sometimes she can bloody well see all these magic destiny shenanigans far enough.The twisty, laugh out loud funny start to a seductive fantasy series. Buffy meets Outlander with a side order of Taggart. If you like fast-paced action, Glasgow humour and women who take no prisoners, you’ll love Before Again.

    Well, one Scot.Broadswords and stone castles might take Isla’s mind off the mess she left back in New York, but not even reenacting battles from military history or exploring ancient Scottish ruins can distract her from the very handsome instructor and the way he makes her forget her one and only rule when it comes to men: no Scots.Alistair isn’t running away from his grief. Or his mother. He’s just really focused on his dissertation right now, and if he also happens to be picking up more classes during the break, it’s nothing newsworthy. At least, not until a gorgeous New Yorker with an attitude about all things Scottish walks into his life and makes him want to slow down for the first time in two years. All he has to do is convince her to leave her past behind, forgive the sins of his countrymen, and surrender to the undeniable heat between them before the retreat ends.Easy? No. But if spending years with his nose in the history books have taught Alistair anything, it’s that some prizes are worth going into battle for. Alistair and Isla’s romance is a whirlwind Scottish adventure with hot professors, accidental roommates, and a whole lot of kilt action. This European adventure romance will please fans of steamy Highlander historicals, too. Making history has never been so much fun.  Ticket to True Love is a steamy contemporary romance series about new beginnings, second chances, and finding true love in unexpected places. Fall in love all over the world with bestselling and award winning authors JB Schroeder, Savannah Kade, Moni Boyce, Shirley Hailstock, Holland Rae, Julie Strauss & Jennifer Wilck. Start your next romance with An Education in Edinburgh now!

    Home to over 5,000 species, this vast expanse of Caledonian woodlands, subarctic mountains, bogs, moors, roaring burns and frozen lochs could be a place where environmental conservation and Highland field sports would exist in harmony. The only problem was that due to centuries of abuse by human hands, the ancient Caledonian pinewoods were dying, and it would take radical measures to save them.After 25 years of extremely hard work, the pinewoods, bogs, moors and mountains are returning to their former glory. Regeneration is the story of this success, featuring not only the people who are protecting the land and quietly working to undo the wrongs of the past, but also the myriad creatures which inspire them to do so.In addition, it also tackles current controversies such as raptor persecution, deer management and rewilding and asks bigger questions about the nature of conservation itself: what do we see when we look at our wild places? What should we see?

    Forging peace between the Vikings and Scots seems an impossible task, but Giric MacDomnail is resolute. Giric meets with Gunnar, chieftain of Clan Haraldson on Islay, with a proposal to end the carnage. But there’s more at stake than peace when he meets Gunnar’s sister.Saga Haraldson is a shield-maiden who fights her clan’s enemies with abandon—backing down from no one. This Scot, come to play them with his pretty words, deserves an axe in his chest. Instead, his reason and his words penetrate her defences.Giric and Saga must mend the hatred and prejudice between two fiercely proud cultures. Can love be the binding ingredient for a peaceful future?

    Encounter old battles, dramatic landscapes, hidden worlds, and intriguing characters.First, head back to World War I when a young officer is sent from the Western Front to Edinburgh to be treated for shell-shock—and finds his own salvation in poetry. Then we visit Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, where the Summer Solstice reveals what it truly means to be a lightkeeper.Next, we meet a doctor with a fascination of scalpels and an ex criminal hiding from his past, before we head to Milngavie where a fresh start ends up in a disagreement over a rowan tree—with unexpected consequences.Desperation explains a love of dog and cats, and, staying with animals, a girl and a dog are trying to hold on after the world has collapsed.Discover who is really dancing to Free Reel’s Dance of the Dead, then head to the rugged west coast where myths and legends have grown from truth. Among the mists, they wait for their prey.And onwards we delve into the 16th century, where Catherine tries to escape her cruel husband before we learn how a woman who’d suffered a great loss adjusts to a new kind of life.Head to Edinburgh in 1781, where a storm is looming, heralding the end of the world. Meanwhile, in St Andrews, a drunken student stumbles into an eerie twilight world hidden in the shadows of the cathedral ruins.Now you cross the Atlantic to Nova Scotia! A family heirloom drives a young couple to the brink of insanity. Then we find ourselves on the Isle of Skye where the lives of two legends of Irish mythology are changed forever.Join us in 1984 during the Miners’ Strikes, where tensions run high in a small Scottish mining town, and the cause pits brother against brother. And finish with a camping trip that takes a horrifying turn when three teenagers break into a supposedly abandoned house!Dark Scotland: sixteen gripping short stories that make you want to leave the lights on!All proceeds we receive for Dark Scotland go to two worthy charities: The Halliday Foundation in Glasgow and ME Research in Perth.

    What if they hired an apprentice on their ground-breaking expedition?Angus MacKay is a young Scotsman attempting to leave his demons behind and start fresh in the new world. On his quest, Angus makes new friends and discovers life in the unknown wilderness populated by different cultures.His hopes of proving himself are shattered when he trips over a dead body and faces a sheriff who would like nothing more than to arrest him for the murder.Will Angus's logical mind help him make sense of the seemingly random events? Will he learn the truth and, along the way, find acceptance for himself?

    High adventure and epic love in Medieval Scotland.The complete series is available now!Maximus (Book One)A lost Roman centurion. A courageous Scottish widow with an uncertain future. One night of passion that changes everything.Cassian (Book Two)A warrior who vows never to love again. The shy lady’s maid who adores him from afar. An adventure that will bind them.Draco (Book Three)The centurion with a heart of stone. The lady who scorns him. A marriage that will end the curse.Dive into the complete series of THE IMMORTAL HIGHLAND CENTURIONS today!

    The case is unsolved.Present DayTen-year-old Jamie, while on holiday in Abergarry with his mum Charis, overhears a conversation. To him, it is all part of a game. But this is no game and the consequences are far more serious than Jamie ever imagined.Old wounds are about to be reopened.Struggling PI team Maddy Clifford and Paul Mackenzie find themselves involved by a chance meeting. How deep into those wounds will they have to delve to unravel the mystery?Set in the brooding yet beautiful Scottish Highlands, Crossfire is the first, gripping novel in the brand-new Clifford-Mackenzie Crime Series from the brilliant R.D. Nixon.

    But that permission comes at a price and when a nun dies in mysterious circumstances at the Little Sisters of Gethsemane Convent nearby they are drafted to uncover what happened.

    With the Cuban missile crisis looming, she's one of a group of patients taken to Tharn, an island famed for its fantastic knitwear. Supervised by experimental psychologist Doctor Frederickson, their home will be the Knitting Factory, a Studio 54 for the Highlands, run by the mysterious Madam Jeanne. The Madame's daring concepts in knitwear have brought her into conflict with the native knitters, most notably the formidable Mrs Montgomery. Negotiating the tensions of the island Hannah is convinced Tharn is about to be invaded by Russian agents. Not knowing who to trust, least of all herself, she confronts technicolour Highlanders and mushroom-induced hallucinations, assisted by East End starlet, Elsie Brixton and a psychotic sheep, Bette in a Whisky Galore! for fans of Mad Men.

    He is living his best life, but must learn to prioritise in a race against time to solve an astounding ancient riddle, and an artefact theft, as he comes to realise his future career prospects depend on it.In the same place, 1,800 years earlier, Commander of the Watch, Centurion Gaius Atticianus, hungover and unaware of the bloody conflicts that will soon challenge him, is rattled by the hoot of an owl, a bad omen.These are the protagonists whose lives brush together in the alternating strands of this dual timeline historical novel, one trying to get himself noticed and the other trying to stay intact as he approaches retirement.How will the breathless battles fought by a Roman officer influence the fortunes of a twenty-first century archaeology dirt rat? Can naive Noah, distracted by his gaming mates and the attentions of two very different women, work out who to trust?Find out in Tim Walker's thrilling historical dual timeline novel, Guardians at the Wall.

    And so Stephen Rutt sets out to explore the natural world during its moment of fullest bloom. Butterflies and dragonflies add colour to his days; moths and bats lift the warm nights; swallows, nightjars and wood warblers fill the forests and skies.What Stephen notices too, however, are the many ways in which the season is becoming deranged by a changed and changing climate: the wrong birds singing at the wrong time; August days as cold as February; the creeping disturbances that we may not notice while nature still has some voice.The Eternal Season is both a celebration of summer and a warning of the unravelling of this beautiful web of abundant life. This is a book that sings with love and careful observation, with an eye on all that we might lose but also save.

    Most residents are firmly in Lucy's corner, but as Lucy's plans to host a family gathering in celebration of their return exacerbates existing tensions, Andrew's cousin Kate Heron-drafted to help smooth the way-begins to wonder . . . The resulting difficulties draw in Kate's brother Greystiel, elderly Jean Anstruther, who keeps the town under careful surveillance, Jean's nephew Robin, the Lockharts' formidable Aunt Charlotte, and an unforgettable array of supporting characters as the tale reaches its satisfying climax.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1938 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Yoked with a Lamb is a witty and entertaining account of family conflict and reconciliation in a charming Scottish setting. This new edition features an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

    At once a curse, a lament, a radical cry, each narrative thread weaves its magic to make a spellbinding whole. A beguiling and perfectly crafted novella coloured by the bracken and the bluebells of a Scottish autumn and spring.’ Mary Paulson-Ellis, author of The Other Mrs Walker‘History and imagination embrace in ways that are both rewarding and informative. This collection is very simply extraordinary: beautiful and fun to read.’ Sara Maitland, author of A Book of SilenceThe latest work by Saltire-shortlisted Linda Cracknell, The Other Side of Stone centres around a Perthshire woollen mill, revisiting it over three centuries through characters as diverse as a 19th century stone mason and modern-day architect. The primary timeline follows Catharine, a cotton spinner from Paisley and fierce suffragette, who has followed her husband home to the village where he’s taken on a job at the local mill. Both militant members of the Labour Movement, it is through her developing connection to the mill that the intricate interweaving of the other stories is revealed.While fictional, the novella draws on many real histories of local mills, and offers a fascinating insight into the long-term impact of industrialisation upon rural Scotland, as well as the struggle for women’s rights.

    A call from Jed's irritating cousin results in a visit from young Amanda, whose ace pilot husband is missing (and none too sorely missed). There are complications with their neighbours, the embittered Larry Heriot and his spiteful sister Ruth, and with the formidable trio of Misses Pringle, the gossipy Furies of the village. Susan's brother Oliver and cheerful wife Peggy come in for difficulties as well. Of course, it all works out in the end, but not before some distressing confusion, grave misunderstandings, and rollicking adventures, permeated with eccentric and lovable characters and vivid Scottish landscapes.Molly Clavering was for many years the neighbour and friend of bestselling author D.E. Stevenson, and they may well have influenced one another's writing. First published in 1939 (under the pseudonym B. Mollett) and out of print for more than 80 years, Touch Not the Nettle reunites us with characters from the earlier Susan Settles Down (though they may be read in any order). This new edition includes an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.

    One evening three men hand him a silver amulet: the talisman of the Valhalla Horde. Tyler is about to go on a journey that will test him to breaking point as he searches for his sister and for meaning to his life. A forbidden contest. An international game.Bankrolled by the world's wealthy elite and followed by thousands online, two teams of warriors vie for dominance ... and the streets of Edinburgh run with blood. Into this secret struggle steps Tyler Maitland, seeking his lost sister, and Lana Cameron, grieving her dead child. When they are accosted by figures in black hoodies and each handed a silver amulet, they recognize the Triple Horn of Odin – the talisman of the Valhalla Horde.They are being recruited into the great game known as The Pantheon. And one day they will change everything. Now they must risk their lives and join the ranks of seven ancient warrior teams which inhabit this illicit world. Their journey will be more wondrous and horrifying than anything they could have dreamed, taking each of them to the depths of their souls ... and testing them to breaking point as they search for loved ones and for the meaning in their lives.Let the Season begin.

    Her car skidded off a remote Highland road and it’s going nowhere in a hurry. There’s no mobile reception, no visible signs of life, and snow is falling faster by the minute.When the lorry driver offers to take her to the nearest village, it’s against every instinct every woman alive has drilled into her from birth.Die from exposure or risk becoming yet another statistic?But when the lorry driver is found murdered the next morning, secrets from Cait’s past come back to haunt her. Only two people know what happened that night, and one of them didn’t live to tell the tale…Former DCI Cara Boyle, escaping her own problems in the sleepy fishing village, is the only person Cait can turn to for help. But as Alec McAvoy’s trial gets underway in Glasgow, can Cara trust her own gut any more?

     Harry It is the middle of the night when Harry receives a shocking phone call from his estranged sister, Stacie. Despite being sworn to secrecy, terrified and haunted by what he's been told, Harry is compelled to tell the police. DI PatonDI Dave Paton has a hunch that all is not as it seems with Harry's story. But can he unravel the mystery? Here She Lies, a tale of family trauma and guilt, introduces DI Paton and his son, Tommy, the stars of the new gripping crime series by Kerena Swan.

    While candles flicker and a Celtic harp sings its accompaniment, the question grips them: Can they find the answer to Scotland’s oldest secret?563: Young Corban, tending his father’s sheep—stupid creatures that they are—on the back of the island, has no idea how much his life is about to change when he sees the holy men arrive on the beach below him. Columba has led his little band of monks from Ireland, seeking expiation from his great sin. Can he find peace on the beautiful Iona—or must more souls die yet?The quest is begun: Join Mary, Gareth and Brad as they set forth on an adventure that interrelates past and present and that ultimately teaches them life-changing truths.

    But Máel Coluim and his dynasty were in fact newcomers, and their legitimacy and status were far from secure at the beginning of his rule.Máel Coluim's long reign from 1058 until 1093 coincided with the Norman Conquest of England, a revolutionary event that presented great opportunities and terrible dangers. Although his interventions in post-Conquest England eventually cost him his life, the book argues that they were crucial to his success as both king and dynasty-builder, creating internal stability and facilitating the takeover of Strathclyde and Lothian. As a result, Máel Coluim left to his successors a territory that stretched far to the south of the kingship's heartland north of the Forth, similar to the Scotland we know today.The book explores the wider political and cultural world in which Máel Coluim lived, guiding the reader through the pitfalls and possibilities offered by the sources that mediate access to that world. Our reliance on so few texts means that the eleventh century poses problems that historians of later eras can avoid. Nevertheless Scotland in Máel Coluim's time generated unprecedented levels of attention abroad and more vernacular literary output than at any time prior to the Stewart era.

    THE STRUGGLE for independence in Scotland raises profound questions about the nature and the future of the British state.This collection of essays retraces the key events in Scottish history from a Marxist perspective and examines the contradictions of the Scottish National Party, which wants independence but only on the most cautious basis, in order to defend the interests of Scottish capitalism and its place in the world.It argues that the movement for independence is rooted in a rejection of neoliberalism, imperialism and racism and that, without the prospect of radical, progressive change, independence will be an empty shell.

    A warm welcome is certainly not the plan, let alone falling in love.Despite Eve’s warnings that Roxanne is not relationship material, Alice can’t ignore her growing attraction. She absolutely trusts Eve’s judgment, but taking her advice just might break Alice’s heart.Highland Whirl reunites readers with the characters and landscape of Highland Fling in an emotionally enthralling story of trust, friendship, family, and love.

    Scottish authors have proved to be exceptionally good at writing ghost stories.Perhaps it’s because of the tradition of oral storytelling that has stretched over centuries, including poems and ballads with supernatural themes. The golden age was during the Victorian and Edwardian period, but the ghost story has continued to evolve and remains popular to this day.Includes stories from Sir Walter Scott, George Mackay Brown, Muriel Spark, Margaret Oliphant, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Guy Boothby, Algernon Blackwood, Eileen Bigland, Ronald Duncan, James Robertson and Ian Rankin.