My Scotland

by Val McDermid

My Scotland is a beautiful, fully illustrated book containing over 100 photos of the landscapes and locations that form the backdrop to Val McDermid's celebrated writing, and some of the places that have inspired her personally. From Skye to Edinburgh, from Glasgow to Jura, the book crisscrosses Scotland, offering readers a fascinating guide to the country, alongside Val's own thoughts about what it means to her.

Genres: Nonfiction, Scotland, Travel, Audiobook, Photography, Books About Books

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2019

About the author

Val McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.

She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.

She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The foreword written by Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, provides a wonderful introduction. Then, Val McDermid writes of her family's life in Scotland, before moving on to the place settings for her books, which include several excellent crime series. Excerpts from her books and a short story at the end are also included. The accompanying photographs by Alan McCredie are lovely.

Scotland is on my bucket list and I had picked this book up with an eye to discovering places to visit. Here are the places that stood out the most and caught my interest:

Destinations Val McDermid enjoyed on Sunday drives with her parents: "Falkland, for the hill and tearooms; St Andrews, for the historic ruins and West Sands; Anstruther for the harbor and the fish suppers; Southwell to watch the gliders; Milnathort for the ice cream."

McDermid writes most warmly of Glasgow and describes it as "beautiful." Glasgow is a green city with "more than ninety public parks and gardens" [...] "The Botanic Gardens in Glasgow's West End, one of the city's most impressive parks."

"Fife is studded with award winning chippies [fish and chip shops], many of them making their own ice cream to complement delights such as deep-fried Mars bars. Some even deep-fry the ice cream itself."

"Assynt is a labyrinth of freshwater lochans, wild and desolate moor and ancient rocks, and mountains that rise as singletons, each with a unique profile."

McDermid describes the scenery of the Isle of Skye as "spectacular."

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Val McDermid on nii tuntud šoti krimikirjanik, et isegi mina, kes ma krimikirjandust ei loe, tean teda hästi. ma olen küll plaaninud, aga pole jõudnud lugeda isegi tema uusversiooni Jane Austeni "Northanger Abbeyst" - nii et see kenade piltidega raamat Šotimaast sai mu esmakohtumiseks ta kirjutatuga.

McDermid on siin lahti kirjutanud selle, kuidas konkreetsed kohad ta kodumaal on talle raamatute kirjutamisel inspiratsiooniks olnud - et kus korteris keegi detektiiv elas või mis vaadet täpselt nägi või kust lõunasöögi ostis või kuhu see laip ikkagi peidetud oli :) (ja omg, kui palju neid laipu ikka on ühe krimikirjaniku teostes.) nii et igasuguseid toredaid Šotimaa kirjeldusi oli, linnadest ja kaluriküladest ja mägedest ja järvedest. mulle linnade fotod väga meeldisid, aga peab tunnistama, et kõik need pilvedesse mattunud mäetipud näevad raamatus täpselt ühesugused välja ja on päriselus ikkagi ägedamad.

kaks lugu eristus siin teistest kõvasti - üks oli kirjeldus Edinburghis 2018. aastal läbiviidud kultuuriprojektist, kus McDermidil paluti kirjutada lühijutt (soovitavalt mõrvu sisaldav), mille saaks juppideks jagada ja linnas hoonete seintele projitseerida. oleks teadnud, oleks seda küll ise ka vaatama läinud, sest fotode ja kirjelduse põhjal sai kokku päris äge, pluss rääkis teenimatult unustusse vajunud šoti naiskirjanikest (sain siit endale lugemisnimekirja ka kohe vähemalt ühe raamatu juurde - Susan Ferrier, "Marriage", Jane Austeni kaasaegne ja sarnane, aga McDermidi väitel parem:))

ja Jura saare kirjeldamise asemel avaldab McDermid siin raamatu lõpus ühe oma spetsiaalselt sealse viskipruulikoja jaoks kirjutatud lühijutu, nii et nüüd ma saan öelda, et olen ikka ta ilukirjandust ka maitsta saanud. laip oli muidugi olemas ja, ee, kreatiivselt peidetud.

[Keen Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it proved to be a bit of a treat. McDermid guides us through some of the locations which have informed and influenced her fiction, which acts as a good sampler and introduction into her impressive output. Alan McCredie's photographs do justice to the locations, giving a faithful and moody account of the various celebrated and quieter corners of Scotland. And this ends nicely with a dark, tightly written short story set on a remote Scottish island.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This marvellous book of photographs accompanies text by McDermid remembering her childhood and youth and the different parts of Scotland that inspired her novels. It's a lovely little book with some incredible images.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been on a lot of trains recently, so, managed a few little audiobooks.
This was a pleasant little journey around parts of Scotland beloved by Val McDermid, and used by her in some of her books.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this in an audio version narrated by the author herself. I hadn't realised when I borrowed it through my library that it is as much a book of photographs as a work of non-fiction. Obviously, I've missed that aspect of the book.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed listening to the stories and anecdotes about places in Scotland significant to the author and finding out why certain places featured in her books. The addition of some passages from each book not only were interesting but made me want to read more of the books mentioned.

I particularly liked the part about the short story, New Year's Resurrection, projected onto the walls of Edinburgh buildings in January 2018, as I did that 'Message From the Skies' walking tour myself.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the short story The Devil's Share included at the end.

[Giulia Zzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this, admittedly, solely because of my fondness for Scotland and it’s landscapes, and was hoping for a book that could take me there. This surely did! This autobiography is a journey that the author takes through her life and career as a mystery writer and the places that have deeply inspired her books. Scotland seems to have as much of a place in her novels as the actual characters do, and I enjoyed reading how places inform her writing over her long career. I did not know the author before (my ignorance, as mysteries are not usually my genre), but am looking forward to reading one of her (many) actual novels now.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely descriptions. Makes a visit to Scotland an absolute requirement!

[Cel Jel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to Val narrate her own book and hearing her describe her attachment to her country was great. I loved her explanations of how she got an idea for a novel from snippets of information found during research, a chance comment made by someone, or strange history that can be incorporated.
I have not been one of her readers, and so now will try to make time to read some of the books mentioned in this book. I listened to one of her books on audio book earlier this year, and enjoyed finding out the extra information about it.
Even better was reading the book. I had some memory of sections, but seeing the photos is what made it.
Rating based on my reading is 5 because of the supporting of the photos.

[Lainey Grieve Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely book that outlines the life and some of the novels written by the great crime writer Val McDermid. The foreword of the book is written by Nicola Sturgeons, who was The First Minister for Scotland at the time, and is a good friend of the authors. The book contains some beautiful photography of Scotland, mostly images that play a part in the books.

Val, enjoyably takes the reader through her life and times of growing up in Kirkcaldy, Fife. When she gets to the point where she began to write, she takes the reader back to the time when the idea and concept for each novel was first developed. The inspiration, the plots and the characters. Books like, Distant Echo, Common murder, Hostage to murder, The Torment of others, Northhanger Abbey to name a few, and many characters including my favourite DCI Karen Pirie.

She expertly takes the reader in and around different towns cities and islands of Scotland, introducing them to a few wee hidden gems that many Scots may not have already know about, I for one did not know about ‘The Hermits castle’ Achmelvich, Sutherland. Likewise I had not heard of Susan Ferrier, thank you.
She finishes with a previously untold story that she was asked to write for the Isle of Jura whisky distillery, which was throughly enjoyable,in itself.

Val covers her professional life only in this book, apart from a few personal snippets she doesn’t let you into her private domain one little bit, and why should she?

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful written by one of my favourite authors. Val McDermid shares the beauty of Scotland with the reader and takes us to the landscapes and landmarks familiar to her, which are associated with the characters and stories well known to us, through her best selling novels.
There are over 100 breathtaking photographs within this book, many of them familiar to me and some only a stones throw away. Throughout the book there are quotes from Ms McDemids novels in relation to particular areas and landmarks.
A stunning book and the Foreward written by none other than our First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon. I would highly recommend this beautiful book, but being a true Scot I may be just a little bit biased...........just a little bit !

[Neil Fulwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘My Scotland’ consists of slivers of autobiography, bits of travelogue, excerpts from the novels (these get increasingly longer in the later chapters: I’m not saying “padding”, but …), the text of her Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature story for the 2018 ‘Message from the Skies’ project, and a previously uncollected piece of short fiction - all of which probably accounts for less than 90 of the book’s 189 pages. The rest is given over to Alan McCredie’s wonderful, evocative photography. A lightweight volume, then, and with something of the feel of cobbled-togetherness about it, but essential for fans of McDermid or those who, like myself, consider Scotland their spiritual home.

[Bren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book. A real insight into Val McDermid’s Scotland. It was fascinating to read about Fife, Glasgow and Edinburgh as seen through her eyes and compare it with my experiences of those places. It was easy to picture them in my mind as she talked about them. And the icing on the cake was the short murder story at the end!

As this mentions many of her books as it describes the locations in them, it has given me a long list of books I want to read.

[Sara Habein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year, I read a lot of Val McDermid books (mostly the Karen Pirie series, but a few of the others too), so getting a used copy of this behind-the-scenes look at various locations she has used as inspiration for her books was interesting. The photos are great, and the book ends with a short story taking place on the Isle of Jura, and it's a good one. If you come across this and like her mysteries, it's worth reading.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific to hear loving, quiet narratives about a life in Scotland, especially her childhood in Fife, an area with which I was less familiar. Her writing in poetic, amusing, and clear. I learned about various places in Scotland but more so, what it was/is like to live there. Her discussions of the intersections of setting and fictional writing were intriguing. I hadn't read any of her mystery books before, but now I've added several to my list! (especially the ones set in Scotland)

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t read this! It’s unfair for me to rate this a two. I have no connection to the author. If I did, I’m sure my rating would be better. That being said, it makes me want to read one of her books. I chose this book because I want to visit Scotland (thanks to COVID my trip was canceled). I’d probably listen to someone read the Glasgow yellow pages if it was offered.

[Wayne Webb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me more homesick for a place I never lived, but from which my forebears came. Love the personal recollections merging with the creation and setting of characters both real and imagined. Also dark and cute story at the close.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars for my enjoyment! Val McDermid narrates this audio offering about the settings and fascination of several of her books. She evokes scene in an enthralling way and reads excerpts from the novels she is presenting.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved hearing about Scotland through McDermid's memories and observations. I also really loved learning about the settings she used and the inspiration she gleaned from her home country in her novels.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely photos of places in Scotland that hold significance for the settings in McDermid’s novels and her personal history. Good for understanding choices she made as an author and for browsing and dreaming about Scottish adventures when one is stuck elsewhere.

[Ruth Innes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and interesting text.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual, but a nice wee introduction to Val McDermid. Could be a little bitty, but it has made me want to read some of her fiction. I enjoyed the wee short at the end too.

[Katie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photography of Scotland. I haven't read anything by Val McDermid but I am inspired to do so now.

[Mairi Deans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting!

[Emma Hendrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved getting behind Val’s scene setting which weave in her characters and her own stories to showcase Scotland. Also the foreword from Nicola Sturgeon is beautifully written too

[Therese Cawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened on audio so missed the pictures.

[Donna Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

To listen to McDermid discuss her life and add these experiences to her books is a gift. She places each series in a setting that suits the character. This puts her novels into context Thankyou

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting account of how the author engineered parts of Scotland into her writing; plus a bonus short story