Books set in Scotland

Submitted: 15th September 2023

Books set in Scotland

The wonderful Bloody Scotland book festival is here!!!!. Brilliant for feasting on fine crime novels in preparation but also for delving into dark gothic novels too. The city of Stirling where the festival is held is perfect for indulging in a novel set in days gone by. You feel you are back in time when in the city with its gothic architecture and castle at the top of the hill.

Of course, the Edinburgh book festival has just finished. The capital holds this every year and as well as all the fine bookshops here, books set there can really get you to see a new side to the city.

EDINBURGH

Hazardous Spirits byAnbara Salam

Oh this book could only have been set in Edinburgh. It’s the city where all the spiritualist ideas seemed to have been born and where all the societies exploring them were developed. Here we see how the movement came to be and what one women does when faced with the chance that her husband can hear voices of the dead. It was such a big belief at the time and huge figures like Conan Doyle was a known advocate. However, it could ruin a person if society suspected them of witchcraft.

This is Edinburgh’s spiritualist side. Creepy and disturbing1

Scottish Highlands

The Wild Coast – Lin Anderson

Written by one of the founders of Bloody Scotland, this writer really does put Scotland on the literary map in more ways than one. It’s a police procedural with added bite. A woman is found in the Scottish highlands and the Isle of Skye is a key location too. The landscape plays a part in the story as it is remote, dangerous and the craggy cliffs and shallow pools claim victims.

Brilliant Scottish fayre!

Aberdeenshire

Unsolved by Heather Critchlow

Cal Lovett is obsessed with finding justice for the families of missing people. His true crime podcast is his way of helping others, even if he can’t help himself. Aberdeen itself is known as the Granite city so plenty of darkness all round!

Isle of Skye

The Book Trail The Mystery of Dunvegan Castle

Now you can’t visit Scotland or Scottish fiction without reading about a book set in a Scottish castle/

Ropa and Co. are holed up at Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. This is the seat of the MacLeods and the preparations are in full swing for the annual magical conference. People from all around the world are set to attend.

Think gothic, black magic and supernatural goings on.

Stirling