This Month's Highlights
Fiction
Naming the Bones is the new novel from Louise Welsh, and as usual it's a fantastic story of secrets that perhaps are best left uncovered. Reviewers have been praising the excellent characterisation, and our own reviewer, Sarah Cunningham, describes it as a "rare mineral – weighty and solid, but intricate, delicate in details and tone, flecked through with unexpected light and colours".
Beautifully and lyrical, Corrag is the latest novel from Susan Fletcher. Fletcher takes us back to the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692 and the fate of a young girl, Corrag, who has been condemned for her involvement in the Clan Massacre. Charles Leslie, an Irish propagandist and Jacobite, hopes to use Corrag's knowledge for his own political aims - but an unexpected friendship blossoms which will change both their lives.
This month, our main featured book is Precious and the Puggies| by Alexander McCall Smith, but we can't ignore his other No.1 Ladies'... book, The Double Comfort Safari Club. Mma Ramotswe are called away from their small office to on a delicate mission which will require all of Precious' patience, tact and diplomacy.
Now in Paperback
A re-issue of a number of Val McDermid's classic crime novels leads March's new paperbacks. The new editions, which much more moody, muted covers than previously, begin with The Distant Echo and Killing the Shadows; it seems most of the Fife-born novelist's backlist is due to be reissued over the next few months.
Food and Drink
Liz Ashworth's Orkney Spirit is a difficult book to classify - part travelogue, part cookbook, part art exhibition. It combines Liz's stories of the Orkney people and the food she has enjoyed on the islands with unique artwork from Slovenia artist Selena Kuzman. Orkney Spirit is publisher Sandstone's lead title this March, and will be launched at a special event at the St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall.
Travel
In May 2006 Alan Rankin became the first person to single-handedly circumnavigate Scotland by boat and bike. Starting at Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, he sailed alone a 1,000 mile journey around Scotland and its islands, finally ending in Blyth on the north-east coast of England. From there he cycled the 160 miles back to Kirkcudbright. Rankin raised £13,000 for Ocean Youth Trust Scotland and the Parkinson's Disease Society. His story is told for the first time in Solo Round Scotland, out from Whittles later this month.
- Also in paperback this month is Mark Beaumont's remarkable The Man Who Cycled the World.
History
Luftwaffe over Scotland is the first complete history of the air attacks mounted against Scotland by Nazi Germany during World War Two. This well researched book explains how and why the Nazi attacks on Scotland took place, and explores such issues as why more people were killed in Glasgow than the air raid target of Greenbank, and why the Greenock raids such a disastrous failure for the Luftwaffe. Les Taylor has compiled a technical critique of the aircraft and defences, and added the human stories of civilian casualties in Scotland. An important contribution to the history of WWII in Scotland.
Scottish Historical Romance Novel of the Month
I'm not quite sure when In The Warrior's Bed by Mary Wine is set; possibly in the early 17th century. Regardless, it involves Cullen McJames, a brave clan leader from previous novel In Bed With A Stranger, and feisty nemesis Bronwyn McQuade.
And however brave and beautiful a man Cullen may be, he has much to learn about a woman's fighting spirit. But as Bronwyn will discover, he has much to teach her as well...
