6 of the Best Books set in Scotland
Scotland has seen a resurgence in tourism and literary interest due to books such as Outlander and Crime fiction novels. Scotland has a rich history in the literacy world from The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson to Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting. Scotland can lend itself to the supernatural or those bleak moments in human existence – there are no limitations to the inspiration that can be gleamed from Scotland and its beautiful culture.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Written in the 90’s, this franchise has been brought alive on screen and has seen an increase in tourism due to the Outlander effect. Outlander tells the tale of a young woman, Claire who travels back in time to Jacobite Scotland and falls in love with the dashing James Fraser, scottish warrior.
His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet
Nominated for the Man Booker Prize in 2016, this desperate tale of a man accused of a triple murder examines the frailty and bleakness of human nature in a peninsula in Applecross, Scotland. This was a 5 star read and was truly groundbreaking.
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
The bestselling novel by Irvine Welsh that provided the inspiration for Danny Boyle’s hit film Choose us. Choose life. Choose mortgage payments; choose washing machines; choose cars; choose sitting oan a couch watching mind-numbing and spirit-crushing game shows, stuffing fuckin junk food intae yir mooth. Choose rotting away, pishing and shiteing yersel in a home, a total fuckin embarrassment tae the selfish, fucked-up brats ye’ve produced. Choose life.
The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks
Frank, no ordinary sixteen-year-old, lives with his father outsIde a remote Scottish village. Their life is, to say the least, unconventional. Frank’s mother abandoned them years ago: his elder brother Eric is confined to a psychiatric hospital; and his father measures out his eccentricities on an imperial scale. Frank has turned to strange acts of violence to vent his frustrations. In the bizarre daily rituals there is some solace. But when news comes of Eric’s escape from the hospital Frank has to prepare the ground for his brother’s inevitable return – an event that explodes the mysteries of the past and changes Frank utterly.
The Wasp Factory is a work of horrifying compulsion: horrifying, because it enters a mind whose realities are not our own, whose values of life and death are alien to our society; compulsive, because the humour and compassion of that mind reach out to us all. A novel of extraordinary originality, imagination and comic ferocity.
The Black House by Peter May
A brutal killing takes place on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland: a land of harsh beauty and inhabitants of deep-rooted faith.
A MURDER
Detective Inspector Fin Macleod is sent from Edinburgh to investigate. For Lewis-born Macleod, the case represents a journey both home and into his past.
A SECRET
Something lurks within the close-knit island community. Something sinister.
A TRAP
As Fin investigates, old skeletons begin to surface, and soon he, the hunter, becomes the hunted.
Knots & Crosses by Ian Rankin
Detective John Rebus: His city is being terrorized by a baffling series of murders…and he’s tied to a maniac by an invisible knot of blood. Once John Rebus served in Britain’s elite SAS. Now he’s an Edinburgh cop who hides from his memories, misses promotions and ignores a series of crank letters. But as the ghoulish killings mount and the tabloid headlines scream, Rebus cannot stop the feverish shrieks from within his own mind. Because he isn’t just one cop trying to catch a killer, he’s the man who’s got all the pieces to the puzzle…
Knots and Crosses introduces a gifted mystery novelist, a fascinating locale and the most compellingly complex detective hero at work today.
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21 Comments
Kitty Marie's Book Reviews Blog
Really want to get to Outlander this year. Nice list! Several of these I didn’t know take place in Scotland.
Yvonne
Thank You. Outlander is a mission but worth it – if you have the time.
Davida Chazan
One of my favorites is “Letters from Skye” by Jessica Brockmole. But I don’t think that’s a book you’d read since it is historical, women’s fiction (with some romance). Also, “The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy” by Rachel Joyce takes place in Scotland, as do parts of “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” by Paul Torday.
Yvonne
Thank You for your comment. I completely forgot about salmon fishing in the Yemen, a great read too.
Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books
This Bloody Project has been on my TBR for awhile. So happy to see it on this list and that you loved it. I have a feeling I will as well!
Yvonne
It was so good. Really dark – but I love that type of thing.
Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads
My mother in law is OBSESSED with Outlander!
Yvonne
Loads of people seem to love it. It’s great if you have the time to read them all, but, it’s a mission.
OwlBeSatReading
Great post! I’ve got Black House on my TBR trolley so I’ll be getting to it soonish. Another gorgeous Scottish treat is Witchlight, i reviewed it a little while ago 😊 https://wordpress.com/view/owlbesatreading.wordpress.com
Yvonne
Thank You, I’ll definitely check it out 😁
justonemorepaige
I love Scotland. Of all the places I’ve been, I would totally live in Edinburgh! Anyways, I love Outlander, of course, but haven’t read any of the others. Definitely plan to look into them! Also, if you like this setting and middle grade books, I’d also recommend Victoria Schwab’s City of Ghosts.
Lauren Becker
I’ve heard of most of these, but I have not read any of them. I’d like to read more books set in Scotland though – it’s a place I’d like to visit.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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Jules_Writes
Great choices!
I love outlander and it has definitely boosted tourism. Great post.
Yvonne
Thanks Jules
supchick
I really love Alexander McCall Smiths Scotland Street and Isabella Delhousie series – they are much more of a lighter read but I think really captures what it is like living in Edinburgh – at least from an outsiders point of view. Really love the Black House – I read it while travelling in the Isle of Lewis where it was set and he captures the landscape and energy of the island so well!
CaffeinatedFae
I am definitely going to have to share this with my sister! She used to live in Scotland!
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BookerTalk
I’m looking on in envy from my small corner of Wales, We have some great authors here too but they never get anywhere near the level of the Scottish writers. His Bloody Project is a fantastic book – I reall wasn’t sure if it was a true story until about half way through
Yvonne
Love Wales. We take the kids every year. The kids love it. Yes I had the same feelings about His Bloody Project.
francisashis
Thanks a lot for sharing your favourite books ,it certainly will be great to be able to read all.👍🌹