Reviews
Shirley McKay's command of plot, place and character makes these 16th century St Andrews-set mysteries a delight ... Like all the best historical novelists she paints a vivid picture of times past. In these absorbing and scholarly stories she shines a light into the darkness of 16th century Scotland
Alan Massie
A fascinating evocation of the everyday life of ordinary Scots in the 1500s as well as series of first-rate stories. Her use of language is a delight, the sinewy and expressive Scots words aiding the creation of Cullen's very realistic world. McKay is to be congratulated for the continued quality and inventiveness of her tales
The National
If you're a fan of period drama but the prospect of reading a heavy tome puts you off, Shirley McKay's new book is ideal. It's five gripping tales, from the grotesque murder of a candlemaker to vanishing corpses and a story set around Christmas that makes it perfect for popping into someone's stocking this year
Press & Journal
About the Book
A grisly murder. A vanishing corpse. A secret romance. A ghostly tale. An innocent accused.
1588.
It is a dark and turbulent time. Scotland’s queen has been executed, the Spanish king seeks revenge, and the people of St Andrews cling desperately to the rhythm of the old ways.
The ancient burgh is renowned throughout Europe as a seat of Church and learning but it is also a town full of suspicion, conspiracy and murder. Shirley McKay sets her intriguing and sometimes comic tale around the key points in the calendar: the four quarter days of Candlemas, Whitsun, Lammas, Martinmas and the feast day of Yule.
When the first victim is discovered on Candlemas Eve, Hew Cullan, scholar and lawyer, is called upon to investigate; the dark side of the sixteenth century comes alive in a rich tapestry infused with the textures of history and folklore, woven by a master crime writer.
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