Discover more book recommendations
Ask a Bookseller: Grace from The Orcadian Bookshop
Bookshops are the very best places to go for book recommendations – and booksellers are the friendliest, most knowledgeable of readers!
Grace from The Orcadian Bookshop in Orkney has joined us to answer your questions and share her favourite picks.
Want a recommendation of your own? Submit a question for our guest booksellers and if it's answered, we'll send you a £15/€20 National Book Token to spend in your local bookshop.
What makes The Orcadian Bookshop a great place to visit?
"The Orcadian Bookshop is in the historic town centre of Kirkwall, Orkney. Orkney is a stunning group of islands brimming with fascinating history and natural beauty, and so there's lots to write about! We're proud to stock a huge selection of Orkney-related titles, as well as a wide range of fiction and non-fiction. We've also got a big colourful and inviting children's section. Our staff are friendly, passionate and eager to help!" Grace
Can you recommend some Scottish crime/thriller authors, please? I've read Ian Rankin, Alex Gray, Chris Brookmyre, and lots of others. Maybe someone completely new to the genre? – Karen, 63
For something new I would definitely recommend Daniel Aubrey's Dark Island, it's his debut novel and the first of a series. And it's set in Orkney! The main character Freya is a journalist who returns to her childhood home and ends up reporting on a murder that brings up a dark hidden past, all whilst awaiting the result of an autism assessment. It has some brilliant characters and twists.
Some others you may like (if you haven't already read them!) are: Douglas Skelton, Marsali Taylor's Shetland Mystery series, Peter May (particularly the Lewis Trilogy), Margaret Kirk, and Lin Anderson.
What are your favourite Scottish children's books? – Ruth
The Katie Morag books by Mairi Hedderwick will always be a favourite, they bring back such a big wave of nostalgia. I really like Benedict Blathwayt’s books as well, such as Tig and Tag, the two naughty sheep. There's also a lovely series called Picture Kelpies: Traditional Scottish Tales, beautifully illustrated picture books with traditional stories such as The Selkie Girl and The Secret of The Kelpie.
Can you suggest a book about the real history of the Vikings in the UK, especially in Scotland (mostly the northern islands)? – Christine, 68
We often get asked this as Orkney has a strong Viking heritage! Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney is one we always recommend, particularly for northern isles. A translation of a document written in around 1200 by an unknown Icelandic author, it covers 300 years of the history of the Earls of Orkney in Viking times and relationships between Shetland, Norway and Scotland. It’s a unique and fascinating book - 'a fusion of myth, legend and history'.
The Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price is also a really good comprehensive book exploring what Vikings were really like, as well as Vikings: A History of the Northmen by W B Bartlett.
What genre made you fall in love with reading? – Sarah, 27
I was an avid reader from a young age. Now I read a bit of everything, but as a child I loved what would probably be described as adventure with a good dash of fantasy. Some books that really got me into reading were: Journey to the River Sea and Monster Mission by Eva Ibbotson, Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, Ragboy, Rats and the Surging Sea by Alan Temperley, and the Chrestomanci series by Diana Wynne-Jones. I still have all of these and occasionally pick them up again if I'm in a bit of a reading slump!
What book would you recommend for a lifelong non-reader? – Clare, 48
A good place to start might be to choose something similar to TV programmes or films that you like, something you really enjoyed that was adapted from a book or of the same genre. One novel I enjoyed recently that was made into a programme was Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus - such a great story, clever and funny yet very readable.
Or perhaps try non-fiction; something you're particularly interested in like nature/travel (Raynor Winn's books or Finding Hildasay by Christian Lewis are good), or the autobiography of someone you like. I hope you find something you enjoy!
