Celebrate Book Week With the North East’s Best

There is no surer cure for the winter blues than getting toasty on the sofa and diving head first into a good book. So, to celebrate Book Week Scotland we’re profiling some local literary talents to help you through the long nights.

Stuart MacBride

Stuart moved to the North East at the age of two, in his own words ‘dragging my mother, father, and a pair of wee brothers with me’. Since then he has gone on to become one of the area’s literary treasures and a leading light in the booming ‘Tartan Noir’ scene of Scottish crime novelists. Stuart has written almost 20 full-length novels so there is plenty to get stuck into but his most famous works are based around the exploits of DS Logan McRae. Set in Aberdeen the series will have you turning the pages.

Kerry Hudson

Kerry burst onto the Scottish writing scene with her first novel Tony Hogan Bought Me An Ice Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma. Originally from Torry, Kerry’s books have found international acclaim including her second novel, THIRST, scooping France’s most prestigious award for foreign fiction, the Prix Femina Étranger. Her latest book, LOWBORN, moves away from her background in fiction and explores the realities of modern Britain.

Estelle Maskame

One of a new generation of Scottish writers, 23-year-old Estelle grew up in Peterhead and shot to stardom when her online DIMILY trilogy, an enthralling tale of romance, family and heartache captured imaginations around the world. What is most remarkable is that she completed the trilogy by the time she was just 16. She has since released her debut novel, Dare to Fall, tells the story of a young woman and how she handles her life being turned upside down by a cruel twist of fate.

Nan Shepherd

No list of North East writers would be complete without a tip of the cap to the legendary Nan Shepherd. One of the trailblazers in Scottish Modernist literature the Cults born author is today one of the country’s most celebrated writers. What better way to pass the dark days of winter than by diving into The Living Mountain, her groundbreaking work of tales from the Cairngorms can transport you there without having to brave the ferocious winter weather.

Lewis Grassic Gibbon

From the village of Aucherless to an author for the ages, Gibbon (whose real name was James Leslie Mitchell), is best known for his trilogy of books known as A Scots Quair. The first book in the trilogy, Sunset Song, is regarded as a seminal piece of the 20th century’s Scottish literary renaissance and was voted Scotland’s favourite novel in the BBC Love to Read campaign.

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