The queen of Tartan Noir and all-round publishing stalwart Val McDermid is going back to her roots with her next non-fiction book. My Scotland examines how she has used distinctive settings, particularly in Scotland, in her books.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been a staunch supporter of the book trade and arts overall since she began her role in 2014. After first launching a reading challenge for primary schools with Scottish BookTrust in 2016, this year the initiative is expanding to include secondary schools. With much of her days spent dealing…