This Month's Highlights

There's something almost American about Ewan Morrison's writing. His books are always of the now and explore contemporary, urban living; his explorations of sex and violence the built environment tackling many of the same subjects and settings as the great JG Ballard. After three novels Morrison has returned to the short story form for his new book Tales from the Mall. Based on interviews with over one-hundred shoppers in the UK, he has retold their stories in fiction.

Also writing in short story form is poet, novelist and memoirist Jackie Kay with a collection of compassionate, beautiful stories in Reality, Reality. The best of these are 'wonderfully uplifting', according to The List, such as the simple tales of Grace and Rose and Bread Bin.

Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth is the third book in Manda Scott's Rome novels. The name of course harks back to Rosemary Sutcliff's The Eagle of the Ninth, and the hunt for the symbolic golden eagle, which has been stolen by the enemies of the Legion. This is a swashbuckling novel from Scott, who knows her Roman history - the Twelfth Legion really did lose their eagle somewhere in the Middle East.

Daniela Sacerdoti's first novel, Watch Over Me, has hint of magical realism about it, but her second book Dreams, is a full-on fantasy novel full of prophecies and demons. Dreams is the first in the Sarah Midnight trilogy of young-adult novels from Sacerdoti. Sarah is a Dreamer - a young woman haunted by visions of demons - but she also has the power to defeat them. She is, however, an angry young woman, angry that her parents have died, angry that she doesn't really unstand her powers or her place in the world. Early reviews have been positive - though most readers are now impatient for Sacerdoti to finish the next book in the series!

Looking out of the office window at an Arthur's Seat obscured by mist and rain, it's hard to imagine why anyone would want to explore the Great Outdoors - but if you are one of those brave people, there are plenty of new guidebooks out this month.

First up is Run Edinburgh, from publishers Pocket Mountains who are best known for their walking and cycling guides. This guide book covers the classic running routes in Edinburgh - thousands seem to jog round the city's Meadows park each week - as well as routes that take you out to the Pentland hills and the Lothian countryside.

With so many different islands in the Hebrides, seeing them all can be a challenge. Richard Barrett's Cycling in the Hebrides, offers 37 routes from Islay to Lewis taking in mountains, beaches, pretty villages and remote crofts. As always from publishers Cicerone, this sturdy paperback features graded routes, profile and contour maps, and information on ferry routes and transportation options.

If you'd rather walk than cycle or run, then experienced mountain writer Ralph Storer has a new edition of his 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay out in paperback. Though the book has the wide range of walking routes you'd expect, it also features seconds on the history, geology and wildlife of the two islands.

The great Broons collection continues with a new Broons' Notebook, with 144 pages for you to make your own family notes, and as usual there are comic strips and scribbles from the Broons in the margins. This notebook joins a series of fun puzzle and jokebooks from Oor Wullie (such as Awfy Braw! and Jings!) out in June.

A Regency novel of sin, temptation and sex, Master of Sin features Andrew Rossiter, a man who looks good and knows it. He's been in demand for his body and his company, but with a young son in tow, perhaps it is time to make a new life for himself? Of course, he hasn't counteed on Miss Gemma Peartree, a virginal governess he meets one stormy night in Scotland...

But with a stormy Scottish winter driving them together, it will be hard to keep her secrets. Especially when Andrew feels he has found the woman who can restore his soul - one kiss at a time...