Around St. Andrew's Day I like to read and recommend some Scottish books. It seems like as good an excuse as any.
Last year, I created a list of recommendations that are still every bit as relevant now as back then: St. Andrew's Day Reads
This year, I just have one quick recommendation I want to share and it is a book that was published in January 2020.
Pine by Francine Toon is a haunting and pulsating read, and one that is particularly suited to this time of year, not only for its dark, mysterious content, but as it begins on Halloween - or, rather, on Samhain - and the action mostly unfolds in early November.
The novel takes place in a small village in the Highlands, on the edge of a pine forest, and this setting, together with the time of year, lends itself brilliantly to a thrilling gothic mystery shrouded in doubt, suspicion and paranoia.
The protagonist, Lauren, lives with her troubled father and the two have been alone since her mother disappeared from their lives when she was too young to really remember.
Her father has never recovered and no one is willing to give Lauren answers about what happened. People in the village talk about them and she is bullied at school.
Strange things start happening at home and around the village, some of which no one seems to remember except Lauren. She turns to her mother's old Tarot cards, desperate to discover the truth and she isn't the only one attempting to take matters into their own hands.
This is a book that will give you sleepless nights, but you will forgive it for being worth it. Wonderfully written and the tension so well crafted, once you are under its chilling spell, you'll be tearing through the pages breathlessly, even, or especially, if the witching hour is approaching.