Bloody Scotland

The dozen entries in this fine anthology of original crime stories edited by Crawford (Fallen Glory) all feature actual Scottish landmarks, from castles to weaving mills. Highlights include Val McDermid’s “Ancient and Modern,” a revenge tale set around a secret structure that’s the site of great love and tragedy, depending on one’s point of view, and Ann Cleeve’s “The Return,” set, as readers of her Inspector Jimmy Perez series will be pleased to discover, on the remote Shetland Islands. (Perez makes the briefest of cameos.) The story is more mythological than procedural, drawing on the connection of the islands—and the protagonist—to the old Norse gods. Perhaps the standout is Denise Mina’s “Nemo Me Impune Lacessit” (Latin for “no one provokes me with impunity”). Focused on parenting, nature, and what is beyond one’s control, this harrowing tale will leave readers feeling as gutted as the day’s fishing catch. Other notable contributors include Stuart MacBride and Christopher Brookmyre. Fans of contemporary Scottish crime fiction will be well pleased. (Mar.)