Edinburgh is a city steeped in history and culture, and therefore has a wide range of topics for writers who set their books in Edinburgh. With multiple universities, the city has keen readers around every corner. While Sir Walter Scott leads the way in number of books written about Edinburgh, there are some lesser-known authors who deserve a read too. Some of the must-read novels set in Edinburgh can be found below.
44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
44 Scotland Street and the series that follows is a unique and humorous look at the characters who live in the large house. Separated into flats, the novels tell the stories of the colourful characters and the love triangles, crime writers and lost paintings that take up their days. These stories are satirical in nature but are easy to read and, with 15 novels in the series, there is always more to read.
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
One Good Turn begins with a road rage incident in the centre of Edinburgh during the Festival that effects the lives of everyone who witnesses it. The crime drama centres around Jackson Brodie – a retired detective – and was adapted for TV in 2011. It’s not the typical crime drama, as it features comedy and interesting characters. Not a thriller to give you nightmares. But definitely one to read if you like solving puzzles.
The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell
Maggie O’Farrell – perhaps most famous for Hamnet – turns her attentions to the Scottish capital in this book that explores mental health in the 1930s. As a writer of historical periods, O’Farrell is no stranger to writing about the past. This novel shines a light on Esme – a woman edited out of her family history until she is released from a mental hospital after 60 years in their care. Once out, she meets her great niece Iris, who was unaware Esme even existed.
Drawing on plots from The Secret Garden, there are shifts between Edinburgh and colonial India, and the cholera epidemic that was the catalyst for Esme entering the hospital. A Gothic novel mixed with an Edwardian drama, this book is a must-read for any history fans.
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark’s most famous book tells the story of Miss Jean Brodie, who is employed to teach six 10-year-old girls in 1930s Edinburgh. Through flash-forwards, we learn that one of the six betrays Brodie and ruins her teaching career, but she will never find out which one. The story follows the girls through their school careers and on into the world of work and love, all the while remaining contact with their teacher. Each character is deeply complex and well-written and the novel has deservedly been listed as one of the most influential novels of all time.
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
A Scottish classic, Trainspotting takes the form of a collection of short stories written in Scots, Scottish English and British English that revolves around a group of heroin users and their friends in Leith in the late 1980s. Often described as a punk novel, it has been adapted into the well-loved cult film and its recent sequel. The novel is split into seven sections, with each section giving a voice to different members of the group. The novel describes life in Scotland in the 1980s and the struggles addiction can cause. An important read to understand British culture, the book and its films have never left public discourse.
Each of these books offers a different perspective on Edinburgh and span decades in the city of culture. Books set in Edinburgh are unique and are written on a vast array of topics and themes, all whilst retaining the Scottish humour and identity.
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