Novels set in Scotland - recommendations please

[iloveblue]

Hi

I'm looking for one or two novels for my MIL. She is Scottish and thought it would be nice to find one with a Scottish flavour.

I have a few of the Isabel Dalhousie series by Alexander McCall Smith which I know are set in Edinburgh but I don't think they are quite up her street.

To give you an idea of her taste, she really enjoyed The Island by Victoria Hislop and likes Kate Morton.

Would be very grateful for any recommendations. Thank-you

The Crow Road by Iain Banks is brilliant.

Don't know the authors that you mention, so I can't judge from that, but perhaps "The Testament of Gideon Mack" - a difficult one to describe, but prompted a really good discussion at my book group!

Which part of Scotland is she from, please?

Ali Smith is a good Scottish writer.

Kate Atkinson has written a couple set in Scotland - 'One Good Turn' and 'When Will There Be Good News?'

Um, the Rebus series?

I'm pretty sure she's from Ayrshire

Ayrshire? In that case there is a book called 'House With The Green Shutters'. Let me google.

I forgot about Kate Atkinson - I've got a few of hers. A definite possibility.

I think Ali Smith might be a bit too contemporary.

Might look into Rebus and The Tale of Gideon Mack too.

Thanks

That shouls be 'The House With The Green Shutters' and it's by George Douglas Brown.

Of course there's Robert Burns ...

Sorry - The Testament of Gideon mack, wondered why it wasn't coming up on amazon.

One of Kate Atkinson's is set in Dundee - it might be Emotionally Weird, but I'm afraid I can't quite remember. I've read most of her books, and like all of them, I think.

Have you thought about Diana Gabaldon....Cross stitch is the first in the series here I am a MIL ( so of a certain age ) and have loved the whole series. I must admit they only start in 1950s Scotland then travel back to Culloden days and then to the New World but brilliant reading imho.

Some Val McDermid books are set in Fife
Rebus is set in Edinburgh

I agree with trumpton. The Cross Stitch series is brilliant!

Maggie O'Farrell - The Vanishing of Esme Lennox. I think some of her other books are set in Scotland too.

most rebus

I guess Irvine Welsh would be out of the question!

Much older book - Mary Stewart, Wildfire at Midnight.

Buddha Da by Anne Donovan is a good read, both touching and funny.... don't be put off by the strong glaswegian - despite that it's very readable even to non-natives and shouldn't be a problem if she's from Ayrshire

What about Evelyn Hood or Christine Marion Fraser

Loved Cross Stitch series too. Not sure about the last one though - it ended in the middle of nowhere and now I have to wait bloody ages for her to write another one!

Jess Smith

My Scottish mum and I both enjoyed this one.

Another classic one - Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers (detective story set in Kirkcudbright).

Lewis Grassic Gibbon's A Scots Quair, another classic.

I love George Mackay Brown - though his books are set in the islands.