Scotland Is a Land of Notable Authors

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When I finished my fourth Val McDermid novel (Out of Bounds) last week, it occurred to me that I’ve read quite a lot over the years by Scottish writers — who include a number of names you’re sure to recognize.

McDermid (1955-) is a masterful crime author who has impressively created five different series, perhaps most famously the one starring dogged cold-case investigator Karen Pirie. Out of Bounds is the fourth of seven books featuring Pirie.

Then there’s perhaps the most famous detective writer of all: Edinburgh-born Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), creator of the iconic Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories, not to mention The Lost World and other works. “Elementary” that he would be part of this post.

I can’t go further without mentioning the acclaimed Walter Scott (1771-1832), best known for Ivanhoe and Rob Roy but also the author of lesser-known-but-also-great novels such as Old Mortality and The Heart of Midlothian. A celebrated poet, too, earlier in his career.

Also, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), author of classics such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Weir of Hermiston — the last of which would’ve been his masterpiece if he hadn’t died before finishing it.

Plus J.M. Barrie (1860-1937) of Peter Pan fame, Muriel Spark (1918-2006) of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie renown, and Alistair MacLean (1922-1987) of Where Eagles Dare fame.

Among the Scottish authors I’ve yet to read but want to are Alexander McCall Smith (born in what is now Zimbabwe) and John Buchan (I did see the screen version of his The Thirty-nine Steps novel directed by Alfred Hitchcock).

Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) deserves a big mention, too.

Last but not least, there’s historical-romance author/WordPress blogger Shehanne Moore, an exceptional writer who frequently comments under WP posts here and elsewhere.

Any thoughts on these and other Scottish writers?

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147 thoughts on “Scotland Is a Land of Notable Authors”

  1. Burns ? Have I got the right man ? 1795-1796 ? Wrote lots of poems, some of them not fit for maiden aunts ? Might be an 18th century Scottish baby father Harvey Weinstein and possible slaver too. (Only possibly, as he didn’t go.). Dropped from the Scottish Highers curriculum, last month ? That Robert Burns ?

    Disclaimer : Quite a few close kin of mine live in Edinburgh, not 100% Scottish, but definitely not English. Don’t think they were consulted

    Next ? Cancel all writers failing a purity test ?

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  3. Well, that was fun. I have read quite a lot of wonderful Scots. Favourates being Alexander McCall Smith, both Botswana and Edinburgh; Ian Rankin / Rebus, and (of course) ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’.

    Now, I must run, you see I’m English and those lovely Scots would start to sing the anthem – ‘Flower of Scotland’ and I… well, I shall die. (you’ll find it in YouTube)

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        • Yes it is fascinating. I was thinking about Stephen King’s book The Shining re that hotel inspiration-wise and Stoker re Slains Castle (what a name). Personally, I think hotels are creepy and a great many other places as well. Time for smudging esp. The White House and the Dept of Greed and Evil (and/or Doge). Yikes. Location, location, location. Nice theme Dave. Thanks, Susi.

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  5. Scotland has a reputation for producing a large number of writers due to a combination of factors including a rich cultural heritage, a strong emphasis on education, a vibrant literary scene, a unique language and landscape that inspires creativity, and a history of storytelling traditions deeply embedded in Scottish identity; all of which contribute to a strong literary output disproportionate to its population size.

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    • Thank you, Shaharee! I appreciate that information about Scotland and why the country has, and has had, many great writers. I didn’t know enough about Scotland to explain all that in my post, but I’m very glad you did!

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  6. You have three favorites here, Dave, that I didn’t know were Scottish. Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle and Alistair MacLean. MacLean was a favorite of mine, and I read The Guns of Navarone, the sequel to that, Force 10 form Navarone (published much later), Ice Station Zebra, as well as the one you mention, Where Eagles Dare. I’ve also seen (and own a couple of) the movie versions of these. One book, Breakheart Pass, I only saw the movie version.

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    • Thank you, M.B.! Wonderful that you got to visit Scotland last year, and enjoyed it so much! It does seem like a fantastic travel destination. The closest I got to Scotland was visiting London — which is not very close. 😦

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  9. What an amazingly long list of important Scottish writers, mentioned by you, Dave, and your readers, many thanks! One of the books you mentioned is “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” by Muriel Sparks, which, as far as I see it, is very currant, especially as far as Sandy, one of the girls of Miss Brodie’s group is concerned and her political attitude.

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  10. I don’t have any other writers to add to your list, but thank you for this well-researched post. Neat to see the mix of great authors here. Also, while reading your post, I thought of “Outlander,” probably because my wife is a HUGE fan of the books and show. But I suppose that would belong on another list — that of stories set in Scotland (at least partially), and not written by Scottish writers.

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    • Thank you, Dave! Yes, definitely some novels set in Scotland but written by non-Scottish authors. Like your wife, I’m a huge fan of the “Outlander” books. I’ve read all nine of the main ones, and greatly look forward to the 10th, whenever that comes out. I haven’t watched any of the “Outlander” episodes in full, but have seen a number of YouTube clips; it seems like they adapted it to the screen very well.

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  11. A wonderful nod to Scottish writers, Dave.

    I’m shocked to see that I have read 5 of these authors. I feel so literally literary.

    Well, you’ve covered the ones I know, as far as I know.

    I can add that Lucy Maude Montgomery employed her Scottish-Canadian heritage to help write her 1911 novel The Story Girl.“

    I’ve read all but 1 Shehanne Moore book! Huge fan, I am. It was after her book “Splendor” that I came up with the now infamously obscure saying: Never judge a book by its cover, unless there’s a gown on it!

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  14. Since you mentioned Alexander McCall Smith, I’ve read all 30+ books in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, set in Botswana, and will continue reading them as long as he keeps writing them. I can only marvel at how he keeps several series going and is able to publish my favorite of the bunch every year.

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    • Thank you, Anonymous! Impressive that you’ve read all 30-plus books in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series! Alexander McCall Smith does seem to be amazingly prolific — including writing other series as well.

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  15. Firstly Dave, thank you, YOu are way too kind. This is agreat post. Scotland did give the world a lot of writers. SItting here, without googling, the following came to mind as weill Ian Rankin, who Rebecca mentioned– Iain Banks, Josephine Tey who also wrote biographies under rthe name Gordon Daviot, R M Ballantyne, Lewis Grassic Gibbons, Kenneth Grahame, George Macdonald Fraser, William Blain, and George Mackay Brown. But there’s also, as noted, A G Cronin. Oh and William McIlvanney.

    Had a few drinks in the Conan Doyle pub in Edinburgh which is where the family lived at one point.

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    • You’re welcome, Shehanne! Very happy to include you. 🙂 And thank YOU for mentioning several other Scottish writers; I know my post/list was quite incomplete. I can’t believe I left out Josephine Tey; I read her “The Daughter of Time” just two (?) years ago, and liked it a lot.

      Being in the Arthur Conan Doyle pub must be quite an experience!

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      • It is a great pub Dave, the kind I like, all nooks and ye olde worlde crannies–that’s crannies not grannies– and done out with quotes from his books and old copies, articles on his life and stuff. Aso cos it is on the sort of fringes of the main bit–Princes St and and the Mile, it’s not mobbed. Josephone Tey is one of these that–well some authors like Gibbon and one or two others on that list, set their books in Scotland–while others didn’t. I didn’t know much about her origins at all until I read a bio she wrote as Daviot for a dissertation in 6th year and discovered she was also Tey. Your list in the main covered the undisputed worldwide ‘beasts,’ if you like, like Scott, Stevenson, Conan Doyle. Some of the ones I mentioned are almost forgotten, or very niche markets. There’s also Irvine Welsh and A.L Kennedy..the latter .from Dundee no less. Then there’s authors who wrote/ write books predominantly set in Scotland who weren’t born here. Again thank you truly. xxxxx

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  16. As British subjects, we were introduced to the early Scottish poets and authors, you’ve mentioned, both in elementary and secondary school. Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson are my favorites among them. I found it strange that I’ve never heard of Val McDermid, since I enjoy reading crime fiction. A Google search of her publications provided the explanation: I was living in Brazil during the period (1987-2003) when her crime series were published. More reading to catch up on 🙂

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    • Thank you, Rosaliene! Nice to have been introduced to Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson early on. Hopefully you were also introduced in school to writers from your own country, but who knows when it comes to colonial situations? 😦

      Val McDermid has definitely also written novels published after 2003, and continues to do so. She is a VERY prolific author. 🙂

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  17. Hi Dave, and thanks for this post. I can’t add anything much to what you’ve listed above, I’ve read some books by most of the 19th century authors mentioned, including ‘Waverely’ by Walter Scott. I also have ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ waiting for a long-overdue re-read on my Kindle. I guess I never think too much about where authors come from, just appreciate their excellent books. Please excuse the short response, I’ve been a bit off-colour this week and I’m falling asleep as I type. Have a good week yourself and will catch you again later. 🙂 🙂

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  18. Anyone who has ever read Alexander McCall Smith is captured by his unique storytelling style that blends humor, warmth, and insightful observations about human nature. His characters, often quirky yet relatable, invite readers into their lives, making each story feel personal and engaging. Of course the settings, particularly the vibrant landscapes of Botswana and Edinburgh, add a rich backdrop that enhances the narrative. But what I admire most about him is his ability to tackle serious themes with a light touch that allows for both entertainment and reflection. He doesn’t preach, he teaches. Incidentally, McCall Smith, writes about another Scottish writer in his 44 Scotland Street series: Ian Rankin who is best known for his crime fiction, particularly the Inspector Rebus series. I have watched the TV Series which was excellent, but now I have one of his books on my 2025 to be read pile. I have also read a couple of books by Tarquin Hall, which was highly recommended by McCall Smith. This is also a crime series set in India!! They are wonderful and very much in sync with McCall Smith’s writing. I just finished “The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken.”

    I am so pleased you mentioned Shehanne Moore, who is truly remarkable. Shey’s characters are real, vibrant and resonate with readers. Her research is impeccable and I feel transported back in time.

    One of my favourite quotes from 44 Scotland Street series:

    “Gracious acceptance is an art – an art which most never bother to cultivate. We think that we have to learn how to give, but we forget about accepting things, which can be much harder than giving…. Accepting another person’s gift is allowing him to express his feelings for you.” Alexander McCall Smith, Love Over Scotland (44 Scotland Street, #3)

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  19. Back in the mists of time, 2023 to be precise, I was handed a new novel by Douglas Stuart called Young Mungo. Set in Glasgow in the 1980s I believe it concerns a teenage working-class young man growing up as queer in that terrifyingly violent macho city. It is absolutely brilliant. Recommended !!

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  20. Although born in Canada, John Philip Newell, one of the world’s experts on Celtic spirituality, has lived in Scotland much of his life. I wrote about his latest book here: https://bit.ly/3Xa3ILo. Our paths have crossed several times and I value his friendship and his writing.

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  23. I have read McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency and 44 Scotland Street books. Prior to my trip to Scotland a few years ago, I read The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May, which I loved, and a few Ian Rutledge books by Charles Todd, also very good. I also read Susan Fletcher’s The Highland Witch, historical fiction about the Glencoe Massacre in 1692.

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  27. I haven’t read those major Scottish authors except for some Burns poetry. It’s surprising because my mom never let me forget that she was half Scottish; she sang “Loch Lomond” around the house all the time.

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  28. I enjoy Scottish authors and you have listed some great ones. I’ve read many books by Alexander McCall Smith and loved every one. A Scottish author I was introduced to a couple of years ag, by a Scottish friend, is Lewis Grassic Gibbon. He wrote a trilogy called A Scots Quair. I read Sunset Song, the first of the trilogy, which was excellent. I plan to read the other two. His descriptions of the Scottish countryside and farm life in the early twentieth century are amazing.

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