Category Archives: Reading a novel

December 8, 2017 · 5:49 pm

Celebrating Scottish Authors ~ Margaret Skea ~ The Turn of the Tide

Turn of theTide

Available on Amazon

My next Scottish writer ~ in no particular order I might add ~ is Margaret Skea who lives in the Scottish borders. I ‘met’ her on social media and hope our paths will meet in person in the not too distant future.

Here is my review of ‘Turn of the Tide.‘

“After avidly reading some of Nigel Tranter’s novels whilst living up in Scotland in 2013 it was a pleasure to read ‘Turn of the Tide.‘ The long lasting feud between the Cunninghams and the Montgomeries in 16th Century Scotland reaches an uneasy truce due to King James but Kate, a character I felt so much empathy for, and her husband Munro endured the burden of past deeds and divided loyalties, leading to tragic consequences for some. The surprise that even enemies can be human and even quite pleasant resonated with me. You feel all the emotions in this well written novel, with language evocative of the period, from the joy of family life to fear, devastating loss and a heightened sense of danger.”

I look forward to Margaret Skea’s next novel ‘Katharina’ which has recently been released.

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December 1, 2017 · 6:15 pm

Celebrating Scottish Authors ~ Mark Douglas Home ~ ‘The Woman who Walked into the Sea’

The woman who walked into the sea

Available on Amazon

The first Scottish author I’ve chosen to review this December, Mark Douglas Home, had me spellbound with this novel ‘The Woman who Walked into the Sea‘, which I bought in Waterstones as a paperback.

Here’s my review:

“Violet Well’s travels to a small community near Ullapool in the Highlands of Scotland in search of her mother, or information about why she was abandoned as a baby. She finds a strange community in the imaginary town of Poltown some on the surface who are warm and welcoming, a man who is kindly but appears to have learning difficulties and others who appear to be downright sinister. Nothing is as it first appears.

Not wanting to find any romantic involvement she stumbles upon Duncan Mc Call, an expert in tides and currents who often finds himself working to investigate missing bodies thought to have drowned. He becomes a rock to protect her but although ever watchful, he keeps a respectful distance from Violet in accordance to her wishes.

The plot is complex but extremely well written leading the reader ever deeper. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Was it murder?

It is quite an emotional journey for this lass from Glasgow and the story kept me guessing to the end. I can recommend this novel for anyone who like a good mystery with a difference.”

Mark Douglas Home has certainly gone on to my list of authors to watch out for in the future.

Having moved to Fife, Scotland, two years ago this December I thought I would celebrate with a Scottish author month of blog book reviews.

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November 28, 2017 · 7:15 pm

Celebrating Contemporary Scottish Authors Month ~ December 2017

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Scottish Literature on the Shelf!

I’m celebrating Book Week Scotland with a whole month of Scottish book reviews.

It was browsing the books in our local library that I noticed, not only the familiar authors who I am accustomed to finding down south, but also a plethora of unfamiliar names. Having moved to Scotland two years this December, I thought it would be lovely to celebrate some of the Scottish authors I’ve recently discovered.

I could have chosen famous names I knew well: Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson (who I met in my ‘Healing Paths of Fife’) or even Nigel Tranter, whose historical fiction captured my full attention during our first stay in Fife four years ago. I could have also written reviews for Alexander McCall Smith, Ian Mc Ewen or Ian Rankin (see my Goodreads page for reviews or star ratings) or even Kirkcaldy crime writer Val Mc Dermid, who wrote us a lovely encouraging email on the launch of our community library. I must not forget JK Rowling of course and Iain Banks …. oh the list could go on and on.

What a literate lot they are up here 🙂

Instead I’ve chosen less well known authors and I hope you will enjoy their books too. The sources of these novels ~ Waterstones bookshop, Amazon Kindle, the library, neighbours and even charity shops.

My celebration of Contemporary Scottish authors starts this Friday ~ 1st December 2017.

If you have a particular favourite Scottish author I’ve missed then I’d love to hear from you and I would be happy to include it as a guest review if you’d be kind enough to write one. Or, if you are a Scottish author and can send an independent review or would like to do an author interview ~

then I’d be delighted to hear from you by email

diana@dianamaryjackson.co.uk

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