Scottish Fiction

I LOVE to read - our house groans under the number of bookshelves..... Nothing beats getting a new book, all shiny from the bookshop and sitting in a comfortable chair, with a wee dram in one hand and slowly starting to be absorbed in the storyline!

I thought I'd start a thread about Scottish authors - both from today and from the past..


SIR WALTER SCOTT
Now, I have NEVER been able to lose myself in any of Scott's books - I find them difficult to read, although I have friends who read and re-read books from our school days. The only one I managed to complete is the title at the top of this section

The Heart of Midlothian
Waverley
Ivanhoe
The Antiquary

ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
All children in Scotland grew up reading RLS at school - and films and TV series have been made of TI and Kidnapped!

Travels with a Donkey
Kidnapped
Treasure Island

IAN RANKIN
This writer lives in Edinburgh and was born in Fife - he writes about an Edinburgh detective called Inspector John Rebus. The reason I like these books so much, apart from the twists and turns of the plot, is because when you read, you are actually THERE, the pubs, the streets, the cobblestones. I've eaten in the same restaurants, had a drink in the same pubs...

Knots and Crosses
(will add other titles when I have had a chance to look at my bookshelves!)

QUENTIN JARDINE
Another Edinburgh based detective storyteller. He writes about a senior police officer, Skinner..... His books are not as well written (In my opnion!) as Rankin's but they are still quite good

Skinner's Round
Will check and add other titles later

PAUL JOHNSTON
Writes about an Edinburgh in the 'near future'... Not as good as Rankin, but worth giving him a chance!

Body Politic

I also love reading and Ian Rankin's books. I'd recommend The Falls, one of his best, for me at least!
He's written about 15 books on DI Rebus, three novels and Witch Hunt, Bleeding Hearts & Blood Hunt as Jack Harvey. All three amazing! And he's a nice chap in person.
Since this is about Scottish authors, here's another favourite - Andrew Creig (a writer and a poet). His descriptions of weather and scenery are wonderful. He obvioulsy loves the Highlands and mountaineering. I'm just reading The Return of John Macnab, much better than Buchan's John Macnab. I can't stop reading it!

I too love to read. Seems like I never have enough time to just sit down and tear through a book. But, I do usually read a couple at a time....

This is a great thread!!!!

hehe... well, I just love Ian Rankin I have to say, I just love the way he writes...

AD
I always think his books so graphically describe Edinburgh. For instance, I have often had a drink in the Oxford Bar (his fave haunt). People tell me he is still to be seen in there, but I confess I've never spotted him!

Have a go at Paul Johnston's books. He has written a couple of novels based in 'today' about a Greek/scots detective who lives in Athens - which I don't really recommend.... but his other books, based 'slightly' in the future, are good.

If you like Rebus, try the Quentin Jardine ones - he's nowhere NEAR as good a writer as Ian R - but the books are enjoyable. The nicest thing is - he's written about 10 Skinner books - so you've got loads to catch up on!

Denise MINA
Writes slightly 'dark' whodunnits. Her Garnethill trilogy (set in Glasgow) is good. The 'heroine' is Maureen O'Donnel, a woman who has had a breakdown and despite having a degree, is working at a dead-end lowly paid job in Glasgow. Her lover (a psychiatrist) is horribly murdered in her flat.... well written stuff, darkly comedic in places! But, not for those who want Brigadoon Scotland. Though she writes unflinchingly about some of the problems of Glasgow, she is not as basic as Trainspotting!

Hmmm...Denise Mina seems to be right up my alley! I like books that aren't always pretty or taken to seriously. 'Dark' humor I have always been drwn to. It is not for everybody. LOL!
Thanks, Cat! I will have to go to Amazon and try and pick up some of her stuff.

Another Scottish 'whodunnit' writer, although she is now based in England is Val McDermid. I don't find her style quite as interesting as Mina's, but I have read all her books - the difference is: I await the paperback edition for McDermid, but buy hardbacks by Mina!

I took this review on a McDermid book from the site www.twbooks.co.uk/authors/valmcdermid

The Distant Echo
Stunning new psychological thriller from Britain's most exciting crime writer, the award-winning Val McDermid...
Four in the morning, mid-December, and snow is smothering St Andrews. Student Alex Gilbey and his three best friends are staggering home from a party when they stumble upon the body of a young woman. Rosie Duff has been raped, stabbed and left for dead in an ancient Pictish cemetery. And the only suspects are four young students stained with her blood.
Twenty-five years later, Fife police mount a cold case review. Among the unsolved murders they?re examining is that of Rosie Duff. But someone else has their own idea of how justice should be done. One of the original quartet dies in a suspicious house fire. Soon after, a second is killed in what looks like a burglary gone sour. But Alex fears the worst. Someone is taking revenge for Rosie Duff. He has to find out who it is before he becomes the next victim. And it might just save his life if he can uncover who really killed Rosie all those years ago.

Hmmm, Seems like a good read.
I'm gonna have to buy another book shelf.

How about George MacDonald. He was from the late 1800's I believe. It has been a long time since I read one of his books, so I couldn't tell you what they were called. But I remember that one was a pretty good mystery story.

I've just started the latest Quintin Jardine mystery in his Oz Blackstone series...

Unnatural Justice


" Oz Blackstone is enjoying the success of his latest smash hit movie. But when blackmailers threaten Oz's father with a sleazy scam, the dream begins to turn to nightmare. And as Oz prepares to fight back, he knows he's being sucked into a vortex of evil".

I just ordered Denise Mina's Garnethill, Ian Rankin's Knots &Crosses, and
The complete works of, Robert Burns!
I love Birthday money!!!!!

Jason
I have all of those on my bookshelves. You'll really like Mina... but Rankin is my favourite! As you've visited Edinburgh, you will be amazed when you read his books, it's almost like being there!

Another one you should look for is Paul Johnston - his post apocalyptic Edinburgh novels are great.... Here's a critique of his novels -I've tried reading the 'Greek' ones, but as he ain't in the same league as Mina and Rankin.... I'll pass...!

http://www.twbooks.co.uk/authors/pauljohnston.html

I remember seeing something on him when I was ordering from Amazon. The Blood Tree could prove a good read.

Make sure you read Paul's books in the correct order - although the stories are 'stand alone' they follow on, and if you haven't read the previous novel, some things appear odd.....