The Bookseller of Inverness: a gripping historical thriller from the double prizewinning author

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The novel explores the impact of the Jacobite rebellions upon three different generations of highlander families, as well as, provides a tightly plotted adventurous mystery. Set in Scotland in the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Rising, the ‘bookseller’ of the title is Iain MacGillivray, a survivor of the Battle of Culloden. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Iain’s grandmother is one of the “Grandes Dames”, a small group of old ladies who have lost husbands, brothers and sons in the earlier rebellions, but who still have absolute loyalty to the King Over the Water, and who provide the backbone that keeps the spirit of the cause strong even during these years of oppression. After an introductory note setting the scene for the Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745, the novel opens with two prologues.

In addition, I find the Jacobites a bit tedious now – they take Romantic But Wrong to a whole new level! Like you I have bought a copy of some of the Seeker series after meeting the author in Inverness several years ago.Jacobite v Hanoverian loyalties, family and clan loyalties, friendship, books, treachery, and a wonderful, wounded hero - whose father needs his own book! There’s great character development and quite an assortment of people, mostly good, all suffering, plus a plot of revenge for betrayals that happened a generation ago. Very much enjoyed the character of Donald Mòr the grumpy book binder who speaks almost exclusively in Gaelic and has time for nobody but a soft spot for the young Tormod.

There are younger women too – Julia, a young lady of twenty-seven, whose mother is frantic to marry her off before she is irrevocably classed as a spinster; and Ishbel, one of the many Highlanders who were forcibly transported to America and the West Indies following the failed rebellion to serve as indentured servants – slaves, essentially, but with the possibility of freedom after serving for a period of years. I often think of the places that I would visit if I really did have access to a time machine — maybe I’ll do a blog post of them one day! The Bookseller of Inverness, a story of revenge and murder set in the Highlands in 1752, was a long time coming. I’d have given it five stars but I found it too complicated - but that may be my fault as an American ill-versed in Scottish history. I asked for historical (crime) fiction recommendations on Twitter on Friday and this title popped up quite a bit.I Know the basic facts of the 1715 and 1745;rebellions from school days and have actually trod on Culloden and other of Scotland’s historic sights being the history geek that I am. Das Buch hätte sehr viel Potenzial, aber es war mir zu abgehackt, zu viele Sprünge, zu viele Dinge, die ich nicht verstand (ein Glossar wäre hilfreich gewesen), die Charaktere waren nicht wirklich sympatisch, die Reaktionen nicht logisch. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. I was glad I enjoyed this one, because I really didn’t get on well with her Seeker series, and yet I’ve always felt that I ought to like her! My knowledge of the conflict between Stuart and Hanover supporters, especially from the point of view of the Scottish Highlanders, is limited, but the author created a believable, detailed and fascinating world.