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

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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! The story woven around the historic facts is interesting, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable and leaves me hoping for more.

She has written four highly acclaimed historical thrillers set in Scotland, The Redemption of Alexander Seaton (shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger), A Game of Sorrows , Crucible of Secrets and The Devil's Recruit , and a series of historical thrillers set in Oliver Cromwell's London. If you have ever wanted to go back in time to a dangerous yet captivating period of history, this is the book for you. 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 really enjoyed this standalone book and discovered a lot about the post Culloden history of the area, and thought it was filled with excellent characters – especailly the Grande Dames! She takes the Jacobite side, as is de rigueur in modern Scotland – a bit like the Spanish Civil War, this period of history has been written mostly by the losers, and we all now like to pretend we’d have been Jacobites for the romance of it, however ahistorical that might be.

The Jacobite rebellions may have been crushed, but the King over the Water still has many supporters. Although he’s been an absent father for most of Iain’s life, they still have a strong bond of love, and Hector’s arrival stirs Iain back to life from the kind of dull stagnation he has felt since the defeat at Culloden. The Bookseller of Inverness is everything you could ask for from a historical thriller - gripping, immersive and filled with intriguing characters. The Bookseller of Inverness is a gripping historical thriller set in Inverness in the wake of the 1746 battle of Culloden from twice CWA award-winning author S. Although I’m rather tired of the Scottish obsession with the Jacobites, MacLean handles the historical aspects excellently, weaving real history seamlessly into her fictional plot.

The story has all the elements - intrigue, twists and a touch of romance - and MacLean weaves fact and fiction together wonderfully to produce a highly enjoyable read. 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. Certainly, he realises he can no longer leave the past behind and he finally gains real understanding of his charismatic father, Hector. And any World’s Fair is a great choice for time travel – personally I think I’d go for the Great Exhibition though. What is to follow is a fantastic and intriguing 18th Century story about loyalty and betrayal, honour and cowardice between clans versus clans, where self-preservation for family and betrayal towards close friends are common, and retributions against traitors are necessary in certain situations, and all this in a bid to survive a time of turmoil and gruesome death during the Jacobite risings, and the subsequent brutal quelling of these risings by the Duke of Cumberland.

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. gripping historical thriller set in Inverness in the wake of the 1746 battle of Culloden from twice CWA award-winning author S. An uneasy peace reigns in the Highlands now, enforced by the red-coated soldiers of the ruling Hanoverian King.

Come the summer of 2020 however, conversations with my editor and others suggested that such an uncertain time was really not the right one to make such a significant shift of period or genre.I also loved Ishbel MacLeod, mother of young Tormod, who is frightened of something, and Julia Rose, who has an overbearing mother. She paints a memorable and densely textured picture of post-Culloden Inverness and its surroundings. offered an attractive location and premise -- Inverness and the Jacobite rebellions -- so I bought it, deciding to give S. The use of Gaelic in conversation and in names was an authentic touch as it would have been (and still is) in common usage in the Highlands and indeed is on the rise across Scotland - a current learner right here.

The loss of family, friends, homes, and livelihoods is devastating, and even thirty years later people are still crushed by everything that has happened.They wouldn’t let me on the plane because unfortunately when the aliens abducted me I was only wearing pyjamas and slippers. I have to admit, if I wasn’t a massive fan of Maclean’s Seeker novels, I probably wouldn’t have persevered. Nice to see you back after your time-travelling adventures in hibernation and your long walk home from Alaska! But I will try not to do it again, though disappearing for a while seems to be becoming a (bad) habit! Jacobite v Hanoverian loyalties, family and clan loyalties, friendship, books, treachery, and a wonderful, wounded hero - whose father needs his own book!