Our Bookseller Recommendations
Clear
by Carys Davies
A heart-wrenching and hopeful story that says so much in so few pages. As the Clearances finally reach the remotest parts of the Highlands, a newly married minister is sent to evict the last occupant of a fictional Hebridean island. The drama that follows is surprising and moving and perfectly told. Davies' spare yet profound writing reminded me of Claire Keegan's, the remote island setting made me think of Audrey Magee's The Colony, but Clear is a masterpiece in its own right.
Lucy, Ely
Knife
by Salman Rushdie
This was the first time I have picked up a book by Rushdie, but who doesn’t know at least some of the stories and facts surrounding this famous writer. Presenting us with a biographical account of the happenings around the vicious attack on his life in 2022 had piqued my interest.
Rushdie subtitles his memoirs as ‘Meditations after an Attempted Murder’. The story never feels disjointed even though we get a fragmentary asides into his life shortly before the attack, through his recovery and into the way he leads his life today.
Not only has Rushdie found a voice to describe the horrendous account but he also puts it in contrast with his beautiful writing. He knows how to craft a sentence. In particular one part stood out for me: Rushdie imagined a dialogue between his would-be murderer and himself after the attack. As this meeting never took place, the honestness, braveness and mental capability to engage with his attacker in this manner left me in awe and reflects Rushdie's status as a world class writer.
Julia, St Andrews
Fassbinder Thousands of Mirrors
by Ian Penman
Once again, Fitzcarraldo lay claim to their 'coolest cats on the publishing scene' crown with Penman's erratic meditations on the mercurial director, Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Written in complete isolation under a weeks-long timeframe, Penman emulates Fassbinder's breakneck approach to writing and directing. Skipping across biography, aesthetics, semiotics, memoir, and history, Thousands of Mirrors is like the first crack of light through hungover eyes: grimy, barely lucid, and yet full of unexpected realisations. Read it and your breath starts to smell of stale Helles, your nails turn to yellow.
Andrew F, Edinburgh
Wool
by Hugh Howey
Hugh Howey's dystopia is truly disturbing. Civilisation has been reduced to the 150 floors of a silo, and all those living inside it know that the outside world is uninhabitable. Wool is the first in a trilogy of addicting, thrilling novels following the society within the silo, the secrets some of them keep, and the terrifying balance needed to preserve life.
This sci-fi masterpiece was one of the best books I've ever read. It's pacy, compelling, and enthralling, and I utterly adore how fallible and human the main character, Jules, is. The plot twist at the end wasn't something I saw coming and left me utterly reeling!
Amy, St Andrews
Meddling Kids
by Edgar Cantero
Ruh Roh Raggy! Rthulhu Rises!
In my opinion, all the best Lovecraftian fiction has been written long after the author's passing, and this novel sits right up there. A story that borrows from more than just the tentacled nightmares of the man from Massachusetts, it has a beating heart that lingers in the mind long after the monsters have gone.
Drawn back to their childhood holiday haunts, the remaining members of the Blyton Summer Detective Club are a lot order but not a lot wiser than they were when they unmasked ghoulish baddies here in their childhood. But something still haunts them about this place, a final case that didn't wrap up as neatly as the others, and whispers of something beneath the lake that is far older than they can comprehend.
A terrifying yet uplifting novel of friendships forged in fire, that plays with horror tropes from across the spectrum to create something really special. I've recommended this book since I started bookselling, and I'll still be recommending it when I've long finished.'
Andrew H, Edinburgh
Wellness
by Nathan Hill
Unethical wealth acquisition, the tyranny of self-improvement, theories of child development and a conspiracy of algorithms...these are just some of the threads Hill weaves together in this warm, witty and disarmingly human portrait of an American marriage. This is the kind of novel you're pulled to revisit again, and again, and again.
Honey, Bath
Parasol against the Axe
by Helen Oyeyemi
In Parasol against the Axe, Helen Oyeyemi takes the reader on a mad tour around Prague, from travelling in wheelbarrows and chasing ice cream trucks, to running away from an ever-persistent letter. The city becomes a colourful character changing bodies and identities as it interacts with the protagonists. Oyeyemi's novel jumps from scenario to scenario, plays tricks on its characters, and even its reader. It's a wild ride, the perfect novel to take on holiday, or to feel like being on one!
Marie-Gabrielle, Edinburgh
Bold Beans
by Amelia Christie-Miller
Beans have had a bit of a revolution recently, all thanks to Amelia Christie-Miller and this wonderful cookbook that accompanies her delicious bean brand. I’ve loved cooking from this collection of recipes, particularly in the lead up to spring. Perfect for midweek meals and weekend feasts alike, winners include Ricotta and Pesto Butter Beans, Persian-Style Herby Chickpeas and the Fish Pie Gratin. Super simple and versatile, it’s organised by bean type with clear instructions - great for beginners. Bold Beans celebrates a super nutritious vegetable, never to be underestimated!
Mary, Edinburgh