Scottish Humor

The seal on the spell that’s been keeping my Fae side in check is due to break tonight at midnight… And I’m set to marry a man I don’t really know, and what I do know of him, I don’t particularly like. All because some stupid prophecy (from before I was even born) proclaimed as much. Talk about a crappy deal… With my Fae powers set to take over and the threat of becoming the Queen of the Winter Court becoming all too real, I find myself stuck at the bar of the Half-Moon Grill in a full-blown pity party. In walks Maverick, a bounty hunter who occasionally works for me and who’s...

The brilliant Alexander McCall Smith became an international sensation with his New York Times best-selling No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency novels. His award-winning wit, made famous through that series, is fully on display in 44 Scotland Street.

A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland From Being a Burden to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Public, commonly referred to as A Modest Proposal, is a Juvenalian satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729. Swift suggests in his essay that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling children as food. By doing this he mocks the authority of the British officials.

Paranormal Women’s Fiction from #1 Amazon bestseller, J.R. Rain, and New York Times bestseller, H.P. Mallory! When my son, Finn, freaks out after seeing a stranger peering in through his window, I have a feeling something wicked this way comes. Unfortunately, it’s not long before reports of the same peeping tom come pouring in from all around Haven Hollow, but no one knows who this guy is or what he wants. And, when my good friend Henner reports a disturbance in his home, the Tayir Mansion, that culminates with the disappearance of his housekeeper and a room full of bloody handprints, I...

Paranormal Women’s Fiction from #1 Amazon bestseller, J.R. Rain, and New York Times bestseller, H.P. Mallory! It’s two days until Halloween in Haven Hollow and Astrid is feeling the holiday blues. After being kicked out of her coven, the young witch is missing the holiday festivities she’s grown up with, and she’s also upset about a boy. Not to mention she’s perplexed over the subject of what she should gift to Wanda for the most important night of the witching calendar (known as ‘Samhain’). When Astrid’s ne’er-do-well brother, Maverick, reaches out, Astrid is over the ...

Hi, my name is Lydia, and I’m a gypsy. Or, I was a gypsy. Now, I’m not really sure what I am. What I do know is that I’m in trouble. That’s the reason why I’m in the process of moving to Haven Hollow: because I need the safety and protection only a hollow can offer. After a witch named Indigo walked into my occult shop and literally blew up, her soul affixed itself to mine, and now I’m basically possessed. To make matters worse? Whoever was responsible for Indigo going ‘boom’ knows she’s not exactly dead and gone. Which means he’s now after me. As if I didn’t have ...

Twenty years ago Emma Michaels, Mackenzie Hayes, and Serena Stockton bonded over their New York City dreams. Then, each summer, they solidified their friendship by spending one week at the lake together, solving their problems over bottles of wine and gallons of ice cream. They kept the tradition for years, until jealousy, lies, and life's disappointments made them drift apart. It's been five years since Emma has seen her friends, an absence designed to keep them from discovering a long-ago betrayal. Now she's in desperate need of their support.

Widower Hamish Wilson couldn't be more content with his life. He loves living in the beautiful Highland village of Aberboyne, he loves his rescue dog, Trevor, and he loves spending time at Glenduff Castle, carrying out research for the book he's writing. Which is why, when his daughter sets about making plans for him to emigrate to Australia with her and her husband, he really doesn't want to go. How to escape the move Down Under, however, isn't Hamish's only problem. He'd imagined that the filming of a blockbuster movie at the Castle would be nothing more than an inconvenience to his ...

I got 99 problems, but the witch ain’t one of ‘em… Right. First problem? Maverick and his bad attitude are going to cause the death of me. Thank God he’s got Taliyah to keep him somewhat sane because otherwise, I’d start pulling my hair out. Not only is Maverick cramping my style big time, but then there’s the fact that I have to pretend that I’ve been turned into a vampire, so going out in the daytime is no longer a possibility. And try being High Witch to your coven when you can only come out at night… Meanwhile, I’m doing my very best to get Imani to join our ranks, and...

Spending a week in the Scottish Highlands with her ex-husband and his nubile new girlfriend is not Lucy Manley’s idea of fun. However, when she’s invited to Glenduff Castle to celebrate her beloved parents-in-law’s golden wedding anniversary, she really can’t refuse. Accompanied by her sulky sixteen-year-old daughter and her testosterone-fuelled son, Lucy is dreading the whole thing. But, once in the stunning Highlands, it soon becomes apparent that all is not well between her ex and his new partner. And with a very handsome member of staff paying her lots of attention, Lucy begins ...

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity… Or, at least, that’s what Albert Einstein said. But I’m not sure I believe it because it seems everything in my life has gone to heck, but I have yet to find an opportunity in any of it. Things are going so bad, in fact, that I’m wondering if I’ve been cursed. Of course, I don’t really have any enemies, so who in the world would want to curse me? Not only that, but Wanda insists I’m not cursed so maybe this bad luck is just exactly that… bad luck? Well, one thing I do know is that life would be a whole heck of a lot easier if I ...

Paranormal Women’s Fiction from #1 Amazon bestseller, J.R. Rain, and New York Times bestseller, H.P. Mallory! Something Wicked to Haven Hollow Comes... At least, I hope it’s not wicked. What is it? A book. But it’s not like any book you’ve ever heard of or seen before. First off, it’s animated, and I swear it acts like a little dog, complete with a wagging red bookmark tail. Secondly, the only person who can read it or see any of the pictures within the ancient and worn leather binding is my thirteen-year-old son, Finn. The book, which Finn names ‘Vellum,’ randomly shows up ...

The cold touch of winter has hit Haven Hollow… Something naughty is plaguing the mundanes of Haven Hollow lately. ‘Naughty’ as in dancing curses that leave the victim exhausted and even injured, every milk product in town souring for no apparent reason, and elf-knots that are nearly impossible to brush out of your hair… After deciding these curses are fae created, we call in Prince Reynard, the Prince of the Autumn Court, otherwise known as Fox Aspen. The only problem? Fox is currently waging his own war with our Chief of Police, Taliyah, who is meant to be Fox’s intended but ...

From prank happy tradesmen and nightmare customers, to nudist surprises and cats that climb into paint trays, Ellis shares real stories from a lifetime on the brush. Some will make you laugh, some will make you wince, and others will have you shaking your head wondering if that really happened? This isn't a how to guide, and it's no glossy TV makeover show. It's the real life of a Scottish painter - the people, the places, and the moments that stick (sometimes literally). Grab a cuppa, sit back, and enjoy the tales that prove there's always more going on between the coats.

Something is up with Lorcan. And I’m fairly sure I’m not just imagining things—he’s been distracted, working later than usual, appears exhausted, and was that vanilla perfume I smelled on him? Regardless of what’s going on with the undead nuisance, I’ve got my own problems to deal with. Namely, I’ve been pinpointed as the main suspect in a murder! I know—as if I have the time or the interest to kill someone. Ridiculous. Anyway, before this situation gets any worse, I need to prove my innocence, stat. Just how am I going to do that? Stick around and find out…

MAVERICK: I might have been a crappy excuse for a big brother in the past, but now I’m making up for lost time… And time isn’t the only thing that’s lost. So is my sister, Astrid. So, I do what any good brother would do—I go after her. Concealing my true identity, I attend Blood Rose Academy as a professor of potions. And along for the ride is my new wife, Taliyah. Not only am I hoping we can find Astrid, but I’m really hoping we find her alive. ASTRID: Even though I definitely have a thing for vampires, that doesn’t mean I wanted to become one… And it definitely didn’t ...

Being possessed is no walk in the park. Especially when the roommate in your head happens to be a witch that a lot of people want dead—as in the ‘doornail’ sort of dead. Indigo Hallewell, the witch within me, is the exact reason I very nearly met my fate once already. I was able to narrowly escape that debacle owing to my very sexy guardian, Angelo, who also happens to be an incubus. And in case you aren’t sure what an incubus is—it’s a sex demon. Right. I’m literally shacked up with a sex demon. Only this one seems to have a conscience—maybe that’s the reason he hasn’t ...

The new Haven Hollow novel is here! Paranormal Women’s Fiction from #1 Amazon bestseller, J.R. Rain, and New York Times bestseller, H.P. Mallory! Hi there! My name is Fifi and I’m a succubus... but I’m hopeless with men and relationships. Yes, a succubus is a type of sex demon, but the first thing you should know about me is that even though I was created to suck the life force from men, I’m actually a nice person. In fact, I can’t stand being a succubus because it goes against every moral fiber of my being. Truth be told, I’m a romantic at heart—all I really want is a loving ...

It's Christmas time at the Mitchell-McVey house and everyone is getting ready for the festivities. When accidents start to happen at Aggie's charity Santa Grotto, the gang assemble to investigate. Ellie and Gavin must deal with overly flirtatious elves, Peggy starting a vendetta and a body before they can relax for Christmas.

I got me a date with Death… When Marty Zack shows up at my office at Spook Society, asking for my help, I dunno what to think. See, Marty and me… well, we’re at cross purposes when it comes to ghosties—I like to help the dead move on at their own speed, and Marty’s more like an uptight landlord kicking them to the curb. So, when Marty tells me the spooks of Haven Hollow have been disappearing for no good reason, and he needs my help to find out why, I gotta wonder what in the heck is going on. With the deceased Cain Morgan at my side (actually, it’s more fittin’ to say—...