The Capital gained the permanent designation in recognition of its significance as a “literary capital” on October 13, 2004. To mark the 20th anniversary, more than 60 representatives from cities of literature around the world will descend on Edinburgh later this month for a four-day conference to mark the achievements of the past two decades, and make plans for the future.
Before then, Edinburgh City of Literature and The Scottish Book Trust have teamed up to bring you this list of 20 brilliant novels set in the city. Have a look through our picture gallery to discover an unmissable selection of books featuring new releases, classics and everything in between. The books are assembled in no particular order.
5. The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott
It’s tricky to know where to start with the works of the late Sir Walter Scott, a pivotal figure in Scotland’s literary landscape. Often considered his best novel, The Heart of Midlothian is our go-to. Set against the backdrop of the Porteous Riots, the novel follows Jeanie Deans as she seeks justice for her sister, who was wrongly sentenced to death. It’s a poignant story that centres on a truly remarkable heroine. Scott urges us to question justice and our commitment to each other in this classic work of historical fiction. Photo: Scottish Book Trust General
6. The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan
In the summer of 1822, the newly widowed Elizabeth arrives in Edinburgh to live with her late husband’s aunt Clementina in a grand house bordering the Botanic Garden. Fascinated by the garden – and its rare Agave Americana plant, which is about to flower for the first time in decades – Elizabeth offers her services as an artist, which leads her to meet perfume creator Belle Brodie. This is a lush, vibrant tale of female empowerment and scandal set against the backdrop of Enlightenment-era Edinburgh. Photo: Scottish Book Trust General
7. Fleshmarket Close by Ian Rankin
No list of Edinburgh-set novels would be complete without one of the city’s most famous fictional inhabitants DI Rebus. In the Marchmont resident’s fifteenth outing, an illegal immigrant is found murdered in an Edinburgh scheme. Facing unwanted retirement, Rebus must visit an asylum seekers’ detention centre and deal with Scotland’s capital’s criminal underworld while, maybe, falling in love. Photo: Third Party
8. The Wages of Sin by Kaite Welsh
Medicine and murder are an imperfect pairing in The Wages of Sin, the first in the Sarah Gilchrist series. A young medical student finds herself and her patients embroiled in the city’s disturbing underbelly – from body snatchers to bribery. Reflecting on women’s role in Victorian society, Katie Welsh’s debut is a feminist tour de force with a deadly mystery at its bloody cor Photo: Third Party