NIGEL TRANTER

Marie de Guise ruled Scotland alone after the death of her husband James V. She foiled Henry Tudor of England's plans to marry her baby daughter to his son Edward and unite the two thrones under English rule by sending Mary to France. She kept the peace between Protestants and Catholics while John Knox was becoming a fiery power in the land.Beautiful, lively and clever, Mary Queen of Scots was welcomed back to the country of her birth after her mother died. But her troubles mounted with her disastrous marriages to Lord Darnley and to Lord Bothwell after Darnley's murder. In spite of numerous plots against her, and even after her little son James was crowned king, she always believed that Elizabeth of England would help her. Trustingly, she set off for England - and her tragic fate.

Half-Celt and half-Saxon, King David determined to take hold of hisbackward, patriarchal, strife-ridden country and, against all the odds,pushed and dragged it into the forefront of Christendoms advancingnations.This is a story of independence, single-mindedness and hard-headedleadership. But also, through the turbulent years of his reign, it is astory of devotion: to the woman he admired and loved, Queen Matilda.Set in the 12th century, this is the incredible story of one ofScotlands greatest kings: David, the monarch who made Scotland a powerfor the first time, told by master of Scottish historical fiction Nigel Tranter.

James the First of Scots was an extraordinary man: poet, thinker warrior, athlete and statesman. And prisoner - for he was held captive for almost half his adult life.He possessed that fatal Stewart capacity to arouse both love and hatred; to attract both undying loyalty and the darkest treachery. His romance with the proud English beauty Joanna Beaufort is one of the great love stories of history, and the love for him of Catherine Douglas, one of the most poignant.In this compelling novel, Nigel Tranter vividly recreates the turbulent life of a remarkable man and the troubled times in which he lived.

Laird of a small estate, Will Alexander of Menstrie, poet and tutor, wasa man of modest ambitions. But when James VI learned of his poeticgenius, the king had other plans for him.In 1603, when James VI of Scotland became James I of England, hesummoned Will to London and commanded him to translate the Psalms forthe new royal version of the Bible in English - which remains thedefinitive edition to this day.At the English court, Will Alexander consorted with the most famouspoets of the age including Shakespeare and Jonson. By the time he died,the humble Scottish laird had become Earl of Stirling, Viscount ofCanada, Governor of Nova Scotia and Secretary of State for Scotland.Laced with intrigue and absorbing historical detail, Nigel Trantercharts the extraordinary rise of William Alexander of Menstrie.

The year 1617 was a fateful one for Scotland - and especially for youngJohn Stewart of Methven, bastard son of the Duke of Lennox.King James VI of Scotland and I of England made a rare and disastrousvisit to his homeland of which he had been an absentee monarch forfourteen years. Knighted in a rash moment by the eccentric King Jamie,John became the reluctant servant of the court.Much against his will he was commanded to return with the King toLondon, and was soon caught up in a net of murky political intrigue...A story of politics and greed in 17th century Scotland, told by NigelTranter, master of Scottish historical fiction.

At the end of the 13th century, Scotland was a blood-torn country suffering under the harsh domination of a tyrant usurper, the hated Plantagenet, Edward Longshanks. During the appalling violence of those unsettled days, one man rose to become leader of the Scots. That man was William Wallace.Motivated at first by revenge for the slaughter of his father, Wallace vowed to cleanse his country of the English and set the rightful king, Robert the Bruce, upon the Scottish throne.Though Wallace was a heroic figure, he was but a man - and his chosen path was to lead him through grievous danger and personal tragedy before the final outcome . . .Praise for Nigel Tranter:One of Scotlands most prolific and respected writersTimesThrough his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotlands heroesScotland on Sunday

In 1568, the defeat of Mary, Queen of Scots at the Battle of Langside and her subsequent flight to England left Scotland a troubled nation. Marys infant son was crowned James VI, with her illegitimate half-brother, the earl of Moray, as Regent. The population remained bitterly divided as Moray and the Protestant Lords began to wreak their terrible vengeance on supporters of the losing side.Having fought for the Queen at the battle, the Carmichaels of Lanarkshire were in a precarious position to say the least. Poor nineteen-year-old John Carmichael, Younger of that Ilk, whose sole ambitions were land-improvement, organising fishing and raising a family, was to become deeply entangled in the murky world of Scots regency government, eventually finding himself in great danger.Through his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotlands heroesScotland on Sunday

The youthful Alexander II, who ascended to the Scottish throne in 1214at the age of sixteen, was delighted to welcome to his court a young manof royal blood, heir to the ancient - and all but rival - line of theCospatricks, Earls of Dunbar. Rather than begrudge Alexander his crown,Patrick, Master of Dunbar, was to serve his monarch well and become histrue and closest friend.And Alexander needed such a friend in those turbulent times, with theever-present threat of King John of England lurking; not to mention thewarlike Norsemen under King Hakon; the Lords of the Isles in revolt, andthe Isle of Man and Ireland also causing trouble.This steadfast royal friendship was to withstand both treachery anddanger, rivalry and heartache during a highly significant period inScottish history.A story of drama and enduring friendship by Nigel Tranter, master ofScottish historical fiction.

Our race is royal, is the proud claim of the MacGregors. Yet for all their history and fighting prowess, they are a small clan and their lands too close for comfort to the great Clan Campbell.By the end of the 16th century, the heritage of their new young chieftain, Alastair MacGregor, is a poisoned chalice indeed. Not only has much of their land been lost, but their principal threat is Black Duncan of the Cowl, Campbell of Glenorchy. Campbell is as clever as he is unscrupulous - and he has the ear of King James VI.Through his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotlands heroesScotland on Sunday

During the 16th century, the Borderland between Scotland and England was something of a world apart, with its own strange laws, beliefs and customs.Young John Maxwell, Warden of the West March, did his best to control a motley crew of dalesmen and mosstroopers from Liddesdale, Eskdale and Dryfesdale among others, and keep some sort of balance with the unruly West March English.As the turbulent reign of King Henry VIII gave way to the rule of Elizabeth Tudor, John Maxwell - a loyal supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots - inevitably found himself drawn into the wider sphere of the kingdoms affairs.How he fared with Marys suitors, courtiers and enemies, and his courtship of the beautiful Agnes Herries, forms the fascinating subject of Nigel Tranters captivating novel.

A humble laird from Largoshire, Andrew Woods determination to avenge his fathers murder by English pirates, led to his national renown as a pirate-slayer. This brought him to the attention of King James III, who asked Wood to build up a number of captured vessels to form the nucleus of a national fleet. Such was his success, that the King eventually promoted him to become Baron of Largo and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Admiral Woods bold defence of Scottish waters against the marauding English privateers was to incur the wrath of King Henry VII of England. Wood was now in great danger - but he survived to become Scotlands most famous sailor, and a skilled negotiator who greatly aided his nations cause at a time of international unrest.

In 1745 the Highlanders limped away from the bitter field of Culloden. Soon the Duke of Cumberland was offering a huge sum for the capture of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, dead or alive. Duncan MacGregor, great-nephew of Rob Roy, volunteers to join the small band of men escorting the Prince to safety. Just one day after the Princes escape, a large amount of French gold is landed at the very spot from which he has sailed. Thus it is that Duncan becomes involved in a desperate attempt to save Prince Charlies gold, helped by beautiful, headstrong Caroline Cameron.Through his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotlands heroesScotland on Sunday

A casket of incriminating letters from Mary, Queen of Scots. The letters would be an instrument of persuasion - or blackmail as others might call it. Whoever held them had a hold over the James VI King of Scots, now also King James I of England.But for Andrew, seventh Lord Gray, laying hands on the letters was not going to be easy. They were secure in the half-ruined Fast Castle that clung to the sea-cliffs of Berwickshire. A castle that no one could enter if they were not welcome.And so young David Gray, his bastard nephew, was sent on a perilous mission . . . Through his imaginative dialogue, he provides a voice for Scotlands heroesScotland on Sunday

Angus Guthrie, Scottish sailor and undercover oil-prospector, gets more than he bargained for when he agrees to accompany an archaeological expedition into the forbidden heart of the Arabian desert. The group must overcome the suspicions and superstitions of a region untouched by the modern age and unwilling to bow down to it. In the end they turn to a group of outlaws, and in doing so become outlaws themselves. Above all, they must face the gruelling challange of the desert as they traverse a sea of burning sand in search of the legendary lost city of Wabar and the mysterious Enduring Flame of Duweila. One of Scotlands most prolific and respected writersThe Times

It was the outstanding beauty of his sister Janet with her flame-red hair which was to bring David Kennedy of Carrick to the attention of Scotlands romantic and personable monarch, James IV. But whatever its cause, the association between the King and David Kennedy was to prove highly beneficial to Scotland in the troubled years ahead, when Henry VIII and the English Tudors sought to style themselves suzerains, or Lords Paramount, of the Northern Kingdom.

The brutal murder of James I, King of Scots, at Perth in 1437 left hisseven-year-old son to rule over a troubled kingdom. Power-hungry lordsseized their chance to gain control over the boy-king James II and hisrealm.When young Alexander Lyon, son of the Thane of Glamis, married Agnes,the daughter of Sir William Crichton, he found himself drawn into thewider affairs of the nation. Alec was to become a close attendant andfriend of the young monarch at a time when James was in sore need ofprotection.Alec Lyon and Agnes Crichton were to shape the story of Scotland - andthat of England, too. This was the period of the Wars of the Roses, andthe northern kingdom was not to remain unaffected.A thrilling tale of cunning and treachery, danger and romance frommaster of Scottish historical fiction Nigel Tranter.

During the reign of Malcolm IV, King of the Scots, Hugh de Swinton andhis fellow mosstroopers helped keep the rampaging Galloway rebels atbay. But it was for his expertise in the killing of wild boars, asprotector of the Swintons sheep flocks, that young Hugh was brought toMalcolms attention.But Malcolm was a pious man much concerned with the well-being of hispeople. And he handpicked Hugh de Swinton to mastermind a very specialproject close to his heart: to establish Scotlands first real hospitalfor the sick and poor, at Soutra in Lauderdale.Action, chivalry and romance in the 12th century: the story of Hugh deSwinton and his thrilling life that encompassed fighting, farming andthe foundation of Scotlands first hospital.