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Book Week Scotland





 The 26th November - 2nd December is Book Week in Scotland. 

11am at my local library today, I joined others Scot in celebrating St Andrews day by having a blether about Scottish books.   We talked about the books we had just read (Mine Pandaemonium by Christopher Brookmyre) and looked at Scottish based stories and authors. 

Books have kept me sane. When my mental health problems were at there worst 3 year's ago I re-joined my local library's reading group. More importantly I took my first steps towards re-joining social life.  Iv found focusing on a good story by reading on bus's, can help stop me from having full blown panic attacks.  Getting lost in the story helps block everything out, probably because reading is an active thought process.

I really enjoy getting together with other folk over a cup of tea and discussing a book.  Funnily enough it's the books we don't like that cause the most debate at the group.  It's also a great way of reading books and discovering new authors, you wouldn't normally try.

So to celebrate Book Week Scotland, I'm going to share my favourite Scottish Authors.  You might notice a trend here..........


Gritty Crime novel set in Glasgow, part of her Anderson and Costello series.
Highly recommended if you like Psychological thrillers. 










First book in the DI Marjory Fleming series. Great Rural crime novel set in the West of Scotland farming communities.  More gripping than gritty but just as good a read.











Craig Russell is a Scottish born author some of his books,  however are set in Hamburg Germany. They feature Jan Fabel,  a half German, half Scottish police officer.   The characters humour is all Scottish.  Recommended If your like Crime novels with  some history throw in. 









Crime novel set in and around Aberdeen, these novels are full of the Aberdonian dark gallows humour.  I spent the first 11 years of my life living there, reading a book based on a place you know well seems to give it a greater realism. 










Probably one of Scotland's most famous authors.  I'm not a fan of her Wire in the blood Tony hill novels, but I love the ones based in Scotland. This book is set in East Wemyss and the Kirkcaldy area, where the author grew up.  I might have been born in Aberdeen but Iv spent the majority of my life living in Fife.  Again a great book filled with local history and locations. 







What can I say, I love a good murder lol. Coincidentally Scotland has produced a large number of crime novelist.  Something to do with our dark and dreich weather (translation wet, dismal weather)
Check out the website  Fantastic Fiction for more infomation on the above authors. 

Finally support and use your local libary's.  If we don't use them, we could end up losing them.....


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