Here are my favorite books associated with Scotland. Click on a book title or image to purchase.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. That means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission from your purchase which will go toward bringing you more travel tips, tricks, and tidbits!

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Muriel Spark

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Miss Jean Brodie is a schoolmistress in Edinburgh during the 1930s. Instead of teaching her students by a traditional curriculum, she tells the young girls personal and overly exaggerated stories of art, philosophy, love, and travel. Brodie maintains that she is in her prime, and that it is her duty to instill in her girls wisdom, passion, and independence. She believes she is giving them an education that is far superior to that of their peers. However, as the girls grow older, they slowly drift away, and one eventually betrays the schoolmistress.

Thoughts: This is a short and easy read that left a lasting impression. The story is told from the multiple perspectives of the girls, giving it a nice flow and complexity. Spark’s dark humor reminds me of that often found in Southern Gothic literature. After finishing the book, I promptly went out and bought Spark’s complete collection of short stories.

Harry Potter Series – J.K. Rowling

I feel like this series probably doesn’t need explaining. However, if you’ve sadly been missing out on this magical adventure, do yourself a favor and put this series at the top of your list. Whether you’re young or old, this tale is timeless and increases in maturity (and greatness) as the series progresses. This series has it all: magic, dragons, trolls, good v. evil, comedy, romance, adventure, giants, you name it. You will laugh. You will cry. You will become hooked. Much of the HP world is inspired by real places throughout the UK that you can visit today.

To see where J.K. Rowling got inspiration for some of her characters’ names, read my post on the top places to visit in Edinburgh.

Thoughts: I grew up going to the midnight book releases, playing the Playstation and Game Boy games, watching the movies on premiere night, and dressing up as the characters for Halloween. Harry Potter has been an integral part of my life. The HP universe is layered in complexity and is just so well thought out. The series has charmed the world, and if you haven’t read it you are truly missing out. #RavenclawPride

The Distant Echo – Val McDermid

Location: St. Andrews, Scotland

Alex Gilby and his three best friends are stumbling home from a party late one night when they come across the body of a young barmaid who has been raped, stabbed, and left to die. The boys rush to tell authorities of their discovery, but they quickly become the main suspects in the investigation. With no concrete evidence to link the boys to Rosie’s death, twenty-five years pass and no one is held accountable for the heinous crime. When the cold case is reopened, an unknown person begins targeting the group as an act of revenge on Rosie’s behalf. Alex takes the investigation into his own hands, but not before two of his best friends die under mysterious circumstances.

Thoughts: Scottish literature is known for having a distinct sense of place. This book is no exception. McDermid uses well known landmarks from St. Andrews throughout the novel, making her haunting tale seem all the more real. I started reading this book right after a trip to St. Andrews and it made parts of the book quite chilling to read, as I knew exactly which parts of the town McDermid was describing. I liked that the book alternated points of view. The plot had twists and turns that kept me guessing who the killer was until the very end. This was my first McDermid book, but certainly not my last!

Outlander – Diana Gabaldon

In 1945, Claire Randall and her husband are reunited after spending some time apart due to the war. On holiday in Scotland, the pair are having a lovely time… that is until Claire visits a circle of standing stones, where she is suddenly transported through time to the year 1743. An outlander, or “sassenach”, Claire must fight to survive in this strange new world filled with spies, Jacobite uprisings, danger, and intrigue. She becomes torn between two worlds when a dashing Scott shows her an irrevocable love like she has ever known. He is the only one she can trust to keep her safe, but slowly that trust turns into much more.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this series. It is well written and filled with excitement, history, and love. There is a good balance between fight scenes and the more romantic ones. Claire is a combat nurse, and I really enjoyed reading about her creative medical procedures that she conducts without the instruments she would normally have in a hospital. Although the books in the series are long, the suspense and action scenes that are abundant throughout made them be a quick read for me. I was reading this series when I decided I wanted to be married in Scotland 🙂 The TV series is well done too and follows the books pretty closely.