Successful long-running series have a fine balancing act to pull off. Each book should work as a standalone read, with a plot which has a beginning, middle, and an end to bring matters to a satisfying conclusion. However, there also has to be another, equally important, strand – a narrative that runs through the series and keep regulars coming back for more. In recent years few have been as successful at this than Claire MacLeary with her Laird and Harcus books. We may be dra

I know there are plenty of ‘Books Of The Year’ lists around this time competing for your time and attention, but we like to think that Scots Whay Hae!’s selection is one for the more discerning book lover with something for everyone. It’s a good old-fashioned Top Ten which has short stories, sci-fi, historical fiction, crime, non-fiction, noir, comedy, and tragedy. There’s even some music to soundtrack your reading! These are the publications which stood out against the stiff