Test your knowledge of Scottish soap opera River City in this fun, unofficial quiz about the life and times of the residents of the fictional town of Shieldinch. This quirky quiz covers everything from the birth of Madonna and the parts played by pop stars, to the only stop on Glasgow’s Clockwork Orange never to have seen a train. Whether you’re a casual fan or a loyal devotee, test how much you really know about Scotland’s best (and only) TV soap with The Completely Unofficial River City Quiz Book.

The Completely Unofficial River City Quiz Book is now available.

An ethereal and beautifully written debut novel, Watch Over Me is a poignant story about letting go and moving on – with a little bit of help from beyond the grave.

Watch Over Me is now available.

“Pretty impossible to put down.” – Novelicious

“A strong voice in contemporary Scottish fiction” BooksfromScotland.com

If all Scotsmen think they are a comedian, then the Herald newspaper’s daily Diary column is their jokebook. When true life cartwheels over into humour or a joke is cracked in a Scottish office, bar or playground, it usually ends up in the Diary. The year 2011 has brought us royal weddings, Scottish elections, tumbling house prices, headline-grabbing football matches and dire weather.

In this volume, we gather the very best tales from the column, proving that ordinary Scots are still the natural comedians of the world.

The Herald Diary is now available.

Chris Sutton is one of the finest centre-forwards of his generation. He played for Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea and Celtic for combined transfer fees of more than £20million. His career is littered with prizes and controversy, from refusing to play for England and his disastrous season at Chelsea, to making history with Celtic and Blackburn.

In his candid autobiography, Paradise and Beyond, he lifts the lid on it all – the family torment, the gambling debts, the incident that led to him being arrested the night before his £5million record transfer fee from Norwich to Blackburn and much more. He gives his honest assessment of managers he played under such as Glenn Hoddle, Kenny Dalglish, Martin O’Neill and Luca Vialli. Sutton also opens his heart on the truth behind his controversial departure from Celtic. This book is not to be missed.

Paradise and Beyond is available now.

From the early days of pop when The Beatles shook the Caird Hall, to the current day when local heroes The View shake that same hall, Dundee has had a rich and passionate connection with music.

This book takes us on a journey from the heyday of the dancehalls through to today’s diverse music scene. Dundee’s musical history is littered with famous names including the Average White Band, Billy Mackenzie and the Associates, Danny Wilson, Ricky Ross from Deacon Blue and Michael Marra. This book covers that and much more – the local heroes such as St. Andrew and Dougie Martin, figures who are respected beyond the city limits. It looks at the rich jazz and folk scenes as well as the record stores, venues and figures that have made the music scene in the city so vibrant.

Through their own words we see behind the scenes and share the stories that made Dundee music great fun.

Take It To The Bridge is available now.

Duncan Shearer’s incredible rise from non-league football to the international stage was a football fairytale. Beneath this seeming fairytale, however, lies a heart-rending story of personal tragedy and a heartwarming tale of triumph in the face of adversity.

Shearer Wonderland isavailable now – updated and in paperback.

Sandison’s Scotland is a wonderful collection of stories and tales about some of Scotland’s most wild and evocative places, all written by a man who is clearly in love with his native land, its people, culture and history.

Sandison’s Scotland is a book for all times and all seasons. It will captivate and delight readers as they embark on an unforgettable journey through this magical land. It is available now.

A simple, funny, colourful introduction to Burns, Wee Rabbie’s Rhymes will entertain the bairns and encourage parents and teachers not only to recite the lines from the poems but perhaps also to sing the tunes to songs like ‘Ca the Yowes’ and ‘Ye Banks and Braes’, ‘A Red, Red Rose’ and, as a grand finale, ‘Auld Lang Syne’. Wee Rabbie’s Rhymes is available now.

From the author of There Is A Bonny Fitba Team and co-author of Pat Stanton’s Hibernian Dream Team and The Life and Times of Last Minute Reilly comes another brilliant tribute to a Hibernian legend. Ted Brack tells the story of Franck Sauze?e’s time at Easter Road and how Le God embraced the Hibs culture and quickly won over the fans.

Ted takes fans behind the scenes to document the highs and lows of Sauze?e’s time at Easter Road. With inside stories from directors, managers, players and supporters, this is a must-read book for Hibs fans of all ages who still treasure the memory of Franck Sauze?e, Hibernian superstar.

There’s Only One Sauze?e is available now.

Willie Miller is an Aberdeen legend. In a glittering career he won every domestic honour, played in two World Cup Finals for Scotland and led Aberdeen to victory in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup. He played with and against some of the greatest footballers of all time and now selects his Aberdeen Dream Team of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous red jersey.

Packed full of facts and anecdotes about the club’s greatest heroes, Willie Miller’s Aberdeen Dream Team is a fascinating and entertaining read for Dons fans of all ages. But will you agree with Willie’s selections and the reasons he chose them?

Willie Miller’s Aberdeen Dream Team is available now.

In Carspotting: The Real Adventures of Irvine Welsh, Sandy Macnair presents an affectionate portrayal of his real life madcap adventures with Irvine Welsh through their twenties. A fascinating and entertaining account of one of Scotland’s best-loved authors.

Carspotting: The Real Adventures of Irvine Welsh is in shops now.

Gordon Smith: Prince of Wingers is a biographical story recounting the life of legendary ‘Famous Five’ Hibee footballer Gordon Smith and written by his son Tony. His mesmeric skills and grace gave joy to many football fans, not only during his time with the Leith club, but also whilst playing for Heart of Midlothian, Dundee and Scotland. A unique insight into the life of this very private man.

Gordon Smith: Prince of Wingers is in shops now.

The hilarious adventures of Harry the Polis, the self-appointed Chief Constable of funny stories, continue with the publication of his ninth book, It Wisnae Me… Honest! Harry tackles the funny side of policing and introduces us to more of his zany characters and incidents. There’s the Inspector with second wife syndrome, the woman assaulted by a flying sausage, the dead donkey on the manse lawn and the private call to Prince Charles to name a few.

It Wisnae Me… Honest! is in shops now.

Legendary Sheriff Irvine Smith QC is one of the most formidable lawyers of his generation, serving as counsel in some of Scotland’s biggest cases before his appointment to Sheriff. He built a reputation as a no-nonsense judge with a sharp intellect and a dry and ready wit. He is without doubt one of the most respected and admired men of his time and now gives his expert verdict on the law, life and laughter.

Law, Life and Laughter: A Personal Verdict is in shops now.

After an illustrious career, Walter Smith stepped down as manager at Ibrox. In this tribute to the legend, Rangers stars past and present unite to honour one of the most decorated and successful managers in Scottish football. Ibrox favourites from across the decades, including heroes like Brian Laudrup, Ally McCoist, Andy Goram, Davie Weir, Nacho Novo and countless others, give their own unique insight into the man they affectionately call their ‘Gaffer’ as well as offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at how Smith returned for his second spell at Ibrox to deliver domestic and European success against a backdrop of financial meltdown.

Updates to this edition include contributions from Nikica Jelavic, Steven Whittaker, Vladimir Weiss and Kenny McDowall as well as a chapter covering Walter’s final championship success.

Walter Smith: The Ibrox Gaffer is published in an updated paperback edition 15th September.

The MacLean family has more than their fair share of secrets. They live in a close-knit community on Glasgow’s High Street and the men work on the railways. They’re hard-working, ordinary, respectable people but, behind the facade, they are a family in crisis. From the author of The Holy City.

Ruby is published in paperback 22nd September.

Gerard Gallacher served as a police officer in Glasgow for three decades at a the time when drugs seized hold of the city and a new set of ruthless criminals were threatening to take control. There was still the usual violence of the city to deal with but it was the huge increase in drug use that defined the times and led to many of the most notorious incidents in the city’s criminal past. And Gerard Gallacher was in the thick of the action. This is a compelling account of a police career at the sharp end of the action by a detective who wouldn’t toe the line and dealt with all the major criminals of the times.

Gangsters, Killers and Me is published 22nd September.

A generation of Ibrox stars fought for their country on foreign shores and while some emerged to once again pull on their football boots, others were less fortunate and paid the ultimate price for their loyalty to the cause. Aye Ready profiles the stories of a selection of the club’s war veterans – their life and times in football and in war. From the author of Pittodrie Idols and Tannadice Idols.

Aye Ready: Rangers War Heroes is published 29th September.

Lawrie Reilly is one of Hibernian and Scotland’s greatest ever players. As a key member of Hibs’ legendary Famous Five forward line, he played a prominent part in the most successful period in the club’s history. Now, in The Life and Times of Last Minute Reilly, Lawrie Reilly tells the fascinating story of his life for the first time.

The Life and Times of Last Minute Reilly is published 15th August in paperback and features a tribute to Eddie Turnbull.

Barlinnie is one of the most notorious prisons in the world and for a hundred years it has held Glasgow’s toughest and most violent men, swept up from the city’s streets. Paul Ferris, T C Campbell and gangleaders galore have languished behind its grim walls and, a hundred years on, Barlinnie still makes headlines. This is its fascinating, turbulent story.

The Barlinnie Story is published 18th August in pocket edition.

In Carspotting: The Real Adventures of Irvine Welsh, Sandy Macnair presents an affectionate portrayal of his real life madcap adventures with Irvine Welsh through their twenties. A fascinating and entertaining account of one of Scotland’s best-loved authors.

Carspotting: The Real Adventures of Irvine Welsh is published 1st September.

A generation of Ibrox stars fought for their country on foreign shores and while some emerged to once again pull on their football boots, others were less fortunate and paid the ultimate price for their loyalty to the cause. Aye Ready profiles the stories of a selection of the club’s war veterans – their life and times in football and in war.

Aye Ready: Rangers War Heroes is published 15th September.

Private detective Molly McQueen heads up a new investigation and the search for a long-lost child ends up unravelling a tale of misery and revenge, laced with family secrets and heartbreak in Maureen Reynolds new book A Private Sorrow.

A Private Sorrow is published on 29th June.

Walter Norval was a man marked by destiny to be a career criminal in one of Britain’s hardest cities. He honed his talent for lawbreaking and emerged in the Seventies as the first of a succession of Glasgow godfathers. Glasgow’s Godfather is a story told by the best-selling crime historian Robert Jeffrey, tracing the rise and fall of the pin-striped Glaswegian general of organised crime.

Glasgow’s Godfather is now in shops.

Celtic & Me: Confessions from the Jungle is the funny, original story of Dominik Diamond’s very public life as a Celtic supporter. From sickening bigotry to the joy he felt at being part of the Celtic family, he is a man who refused to shut up and one who paid the price for being an Old Firm fan with a well-known face.

Celtic & Me is published in pocket edition 15th July.

Gentle Johnny Ramensky is the astonishing tale of a boy reared in the poverty of the Gorbals who became one of the world’s most extraordinary safe blowers. The Daily Record‘s review said “His life of crime, his escapes and his personal code would ordinarily have brought him a degree of notoriety during his lifetime. But it was his desire to serve his country in its hour of need and his escapades behind enemy lines without care for his safety that set Ramensky apart”.

Gentle Johnny Ramensky is published 15th July.

The Cheeky Wee Monkey Joke Book is a hilarious joke book written specifically for Scottish children by Allan Morrison, one of Scotland’s best-loved humorists. It is perfect entertainment for long and short trips with kids.

The Cheeky Wee Monkey Joke Book is in the shops now.

A Leith family is torn apart by the Second World War, but peacetime reunion brings more strife as they struggle to recover from the betrayals and hardships of the past.

Crystal’s Song is published on 26th May.

Nestled down, hidden behind the Glasgow Art Galleries, is a line of seven rented houses. Though quiet and out of sight alongside the River Kelvin, they accommodate seven very different families, along with their problems, schemes and secrets. Despite their efforts to retreat within separate lives, each household will soon find themselves mixed up in the problems of the others, as malicious schemes and secrets are exposed in Margaret Thomson Davis’s new thriller, The Kelly’s of Kelvingrove.

The Kelly’s of Kelvingrove is published in paperback on 1st June.

Lies, Damned Lies & Anglers is the latest collection of thoughts and reflections on one of the UK’s most popular pastimes, written by one of our most respected fishermen. His eclectic essays reveals some of the secrets of his success as well as how fishing has brought him much pleasure and much frustration.

Lies, Damned Lies & Anglers is published on 2nd June.

Undiscovered Dundee is an anthology of Dundee’s lost civic inheritance; its forgotten disasters and buried heritage, the harmless eccentrics and brutal murders, the heroes and villains, and the strange events and everyday landmarks. Dundee is a city that is alive with history.

Undiscovered Dundee will be published in paperback 21st April.

This is a tribute to the legendary Walter Smith and sees Ibrox favourites from across the decades uniting to honour one of the most decorated and successful managers in Scottish football. Heroes like Brian Laudrup, Ally McCoist, Andy Goram, Jorg Albertz, and countless others all give their own unique insight into the man they affectionately call their ‘Gaffer’

Walter Smith – The Ibrox Gaffer will be published 27th April.

Extracts will appear in the Scottish Daily Express and the Scottish Daily Star on 26th and 27th April respectively.

Moving into a new home in Easterhouse in 1961 was the start of some great adventures for Rikki Brown. This hilarious account will take readers on an entertaining and riotous trip down memory lane, back to the days when getting through school was a matter of survival.

Frankie Vaughn Ate My Hamster will be published 5th May.

Extracts will appear in the Scottish Sun – dates to be confirmed.

A fascinating collection of true crime stories from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. It features a foreword by crime writer Val McDermid.

Blood in the Glens will be published in pocket edition 17th March.

Retail price: £7.99

‘Casts fresh insight into some of the most notorious murders committed in the Highlands and islands in recent times’ – The Press & Journal

From Itchy Coo comes the story of the girlhood adventures of Precious Ramotswe, founder of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Written by one of the world’s favourite authors, Alexander McCall Smith, and translated into Scots by award winning author, James Robertson, Precious and the Puggies is a fantastic new book for younger readers.

Precious and the Puggies will be published in paperback 17th March.

Retail price: £6.99

Bruce Sandison’s Rivers and Lochs of Scotland is the only book on fishing in Scotland that an angler will ever need. This new, comprehensive and completely revised edition describes more than 5,000 freshwater fishing locations complete with access details, flies and tactics and where to obtain permission to fish.

This updated edition will be published in paperback 24th March.

Retail price: £14.99

Archibald Hall was one of Scotland’s most fascinating and enigmatic serial killers. More widely known as Roy Fontaine, the Monster Butler, he murdered five people posing as the gentleman butler, seducing, deceiving and ultimately betraying those around him.

The Monster Butler will be published 31st March.

Retail price: £9.99

Undiscovered Dundee is an anthology of Dundee’s lost civic inheritance; its forgotten disasters and buried heritage, the harmless eccentrics and brutal murderers, the heroes and villains, and the strange events and everyday landmarks. Dundee is a city that is alive with history.

Undiscovered Dundee will be published 21st April.

Retail price: £9.99

Moving into a new home in Easterhouse in 1961 was the start of some great adventures for Rikki Brown. This hilarious account will take readers on an entertaining and riotous trip down memory lane, back to the days when getting through school was a matter of survival.

Frankie Vaughn Ate My Hamster will be published 5th May.

Retail price: £9.99

Gentle Johnny Ramensky is the astonishing tale of a boy reared in the poverty of the Gorbals who became one of the world’s most extraordinary safe blowers and a wartime hero with the Commandos...

A likeable rogue, he was a gentle man who in peacetime shrank from violence but served his country with exceptional bravery and skill in the Second World War. Recruited into the army, he was parachuted behind enemy lines to break into the safes of the German High Command.

Unfortunately after the war he could not resist the excitement of a life of crime but his extraordinary story has now become legend.

Wherever Scots gather they tell jokes and stories. And the very best of these much-loved tales find their way to the daily Diary column of Scotland’s best-selling quality newspaper, The Herald.

It is the home of humour from the chip-shop queues of late-night Glasgow, to the bons mots of High Court judges, to the humour of the classroom.

In this volume Ken Smith gathers the very best tales from the column, proving that ordinary Scots are still the natural comedians of the world.

“First thing each morning I turn to The Herald on my computer – first for its witty Diary, which helps keep my Scots sense of humour in tune.” – Sir Sean Connery

BALLS!! is a hilarious new collection of football stories from the Scottish Sun. Featuring all your favourite players, it’s crammed full of insults, scandal, confessions, pranks, boozy benders, toilet humour and practical jokes. Nothing is out of bounds as players, managers and backroom staff get stuck in and dish the dirt in the funniest collection of football stories around.

Duncan Shearer’s incredible rise from non-league football to the international stage was a football fairytale. However behind this story lies the truths of Duncan’s personal tragedy but also his triumphs over adversity.

Find out why he spurned advances from Sir Alex Ferguson in his 1980s Aberdeen glory days, read the inside story of Duncan’s time both at Huddersfield Town and at Swindon Town, and how his goal scoring exploits and incredible scoring record made him a legend with fans.

‘Drinks’ was one of the most sought after talents in the British game and now reveals for the first time how Grimsby Town blocked his move to some of England’s biggest clubs. Read about his goalscoring exploits at Norwich, his anger at being denied a move to Terry Venables’ Spurs and his decision to leave Rangers, a move which was to become one of the biggest regrets of his career.

Here he lifts the lid on his rollercoaster life in football – as a striker, manager and now as a top football agent.

Gary Robertson takes us on a journey through the seventies where he spent his early life growing up in the Whitfield and Fintry housing schemes in Dundee.

It was a life without the restricting shackles of ‘political correctness’ where youngsters roamed with carefree abandon and sometimes got up to no good in the process. Diverse subjects such as berry-picking, skale days, Christmas in a multi-storey, drunken New Year pehrties, youth gangs, catching bees and bird-nesting are all covered in Gary Robertson’s own unique and humorous style.

Nestled down, hidden behind the Glasgow Art Galleries, is a line of seven rented houses. Though quiet and out of sight alongside the River Kelvin, they accommodate seven very different families, along with their problems, schemes and secrets.

Each household will soon find themselves mixed up in the problems of the others in a riveting tale from one of Scotland’s much loved authors.

Fairytales happen. They happen in Glasgow. They’re happening now.

Alastair McIver’s debut novel weaves a surreal story set in a Glasgow through the looking glass. Featuring strangely familar characters like Reggie King and his magic mirror… Jack Cameron and his love Rapunzel… Ella McCinder who dreams of marrying footballer Harry Charmaine… Wee Red Hoodie who’s involved with a questionable Wolf… And Karl “Snowy” White who is drawn into a world more strange than he is.

United by the bonds of friendship, and in the face of a common enemy and a dark secret from Rapunzel’s past, our heroes find their stories becoming one.

The hilarious adventures of Harry the Polis as recalled by ex-polis Harry Morris, the self-appointed Chief Constable of funny stories, continue with the publication of his eighth book, There’s Been a Murder.

Here is another collection of stories, jokes, anecdotes and tales that will tempt your laughter lines into making an appearance and have you flashing your gnashers.

Katie’s Zoo is the sixth title in the fantastic Katie-series. In this new book Katie spends a day at the zoo, meeting some of the bonnie, braw animals and birds that stay there, among them the tiger ‘in his strippit coat’ and the koalas with ‘hairy lugs’.

The Katie books are told in short, easy sentences containing simple Scots words. They are a joy for parents and wee bairns alike – a must for your young’un at Christmas.

A fantastic new title from two genuine authorities on Celtic; Since Celtic’s formation in 1888, a total of seven hundred and seventy seven players have represented the club at first-team level. However, just twenty-eight players have managed to score more than 100 competitive goals for Celtic throughout those 120 years.

Century Bhoys celebrates each of these twenty-eight players, from the first player to hit 100 goals to the greatest goalscorer of all time. It’s an incredible list and each legendary player who played for Celtic gets a look-in. Entertaining and informative, Century Bhoys is full of facts and anecdotes about the greatest goalscorers in the history of Celtic FC.

New paperback edition of the bestseller Villains.

Murder, gunrunning, drug trafficking, kneecappings – Paul Ferris has been accused of many things in his life, but what’s not in dispute is that he spent twenty-five years as one of Britain’s most notorious gangsters. Out of prison and straight for five years, Paul still hasn’t forgotten the common thugs and big-time players that surrounded him or the world of violence, fear and uneasy alliances that he inhabited with them.

Now Paul Ferris recounts the stories of a tough existence that nobody knows better. The brutality you’d expect, the strangeness you might not. The stories cover the underbellies of London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and beyond, but the material couldn’t be closer to home and, as you’ll discover, when it comes to villains, it takes one to know one.