The Good Word: SWH!’s 10 Best Books Of 2020…
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...
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Jul 17, 20203 min read
Quines Of Crime: A Review Of Claire MacLeary’s Payback…
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...
May 28, 20202 min read
Head Girl: The SWH! Podcast Talks To Olga Wojtas…
For the latest SWH! podcast Ali spoke to writer and journalist Olga Wojtas about her novels Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Golden Samovar...
Feb 7, 20203 min read
Comedy Of Terrors: A Review Of Olga Wotjas’ Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Vampire Menace
For those lucky enough to read Olga Wojtas’ 2018 novel Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Golden Samovar there are few, if any, novels more...
Dec 13, 20192 min read
That Was The Year That Was: The Best Of 2019 Podcasts – Books…
For our Best Books of 2019 podcast Ali was once again joined by Publishing Scotland’s Vikki Reilly to have a chat about their year in...
Nov 12, 20194 min read
Lessons From History: A Review Of Catherine Czerkawska’s A Proper Person To Be Detained…
Sometimes you start a book which defies your expectations to such an extent that the only thing to do is recalibrate and start again....
May 26, 20193 min read
Second Thoughts: A Review Of Mandy Haggith’s The Amber Seeker…
You wait ages for a good trilogy to come along then, appropriately, three turn up at once – or almost at once. In the last month or so...
Apr 25, 20192 min read
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To Claire MacLeary…
Claire MacLeary For the latest podcast Ali spoke to writer Claire MacLeary about her trilogy of Aberdeen set crime novels, Cross Purpose,...
Apr 12, 20193 min read
Our Friends In The North: A Review Of Claire MacLeary’s Runaway…
One of the defining characteristics of most successful crime series is to have protagonists who readers look forward to spending time...
Dec 17, 20182 min read
That Was The Year That Was: It’s The Best Of 2018 Podcasts – Part 1 (Books)…
For our Review of the year in Scottish writing and all things bookish Ali was once again joined by Booky Vikki herself, Publishing...
Oct 23, 20183 min read
Begin Again: A Review Of Douglas Skelton’s The Janus Run…
As regulars to SWH! will know, crime-writer Douglas Skelton is one of our favourite novelists. He has been a guest on our podcast, and...
Sep 14, 20184 min read
An Indelible Event: A Review Of Donald S. Murray’s As The Women Lay Dreaming…
It’s a well-worn argument, but the lack of Scottish history taught in schools has undoubtedly had a negative affect on the Scottish...
Aug 17, 20182 min read
American Horror Story: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talks To Andy Davidson…
For the latest podcast Ali met up with the American novelist Andy Davidson before his event at The Edinburgh International Book Festival....
Jun 8, 20183 min read
Fantastic Voyage: A Review Of Mandy Haggith’s The Walrus Mutterer…
Perhaps more than any other medium fiction is able to transport you to other times and places – placing you in the company of strangers...
Apr 23, 20183 min read
The Quines Of Crime: A Review Of Claire MacLeary’s Burnout…
One of the finest crime fiction debuts of recent years was Claire MacLeary’s Cross Purpose (right). Published in 2017 on the Contraband...
Feb 9, 20183 min read
From Russia, With Love: A Review Of Olga Wotjas’ Miss Blaine’s Prefect And The Golden Sa
This year is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the writer Muriel Spark. You may have noticed – you MUST have noticed – but if you...
Nov 28, 20173 min read
Past & Present Tense: A Review Of Ever Dundas’ Goblin…
It’s a novel full of surprises, and which takes you in unexpected directions. After a few chapters I had it pegged as an urban fantasy...
Oct 26, 20171 min read
Happy Accidents: The Scots Whay Hae! Podcast Talk To Graeme Macrae Burnet…
Graeme Macrae Burnet. The primary reason was to discuss his latest novel, The Accident On The A35, but the conversation turns to the work...
Oct 13, 20173 min read
The Road Less Travelled: A Review Of Graeme Macrae Burnet’s The Accident On The A35…
How do you follow a cultural touchstone – something which captures a moment, stands aside from what’s around it, and which moves from the...
Jul 22, 20173 min read
Going Underground: A Review Of Michael J Malone’s Dog Fight…
Glasgow and violence – writers have played no small part in making sure the two are seen as closely related. The 1935 novel No Mean City...
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