The Cromarty Library Circle

by Shona MacLean

From the bestselling author of The Bookseller of Inverness comes the unforgettable story of a Scottish town on the cusp of change and the group of townspeople whose lives will be irrevocably altered over the course of one tumultuous year.

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'Shona MacLean's novels are smart, soulful and deeply engrossing. An exceptional, wise and compassionate storyteller, she can make any 'historical period sing with life' Antonia Hodgson

'Superbly researched, entirely convincing, very clever and at times unbearably poignant. I loved it.' Andrew Taylor

Cromarty, The Black Isle, 1831.

As seagulls shriek and rise on the coastal winds, a circulating library in the bustling port town of Cromarty is meeting for the first time.

Ostensibly united by a love of books, the demands of social convention have brought together a disparate group of people. Charlotte Mackenzie, the remote and fragile wife of the local laird, seeks an escape from a loveless marriage; her best friend, Rachel Mackay, a former governess who is ardently in love with her own older husband, the town's minister; the young schoolmaster, John Learmonth, newly arrived from Edinburgh with secrets in tow; and the gentle bank clerk, Ludovic Cameron who dreams of a new life across the ocean, far from his erstwhile schoolmate, the malevolent Farquhar Hossack. When the laird befriends a wounded officer, a chain of events is set into motion that threatens to upset the delicate equilibrium of the community.

Against the backdrop of mass emigrations, an encroaching cholera epidemic, political unrest and the campaign to abolish chattel slavery in the British Caribbean, the people of Cromarty must negotiate their new world and each other, flitting in and out of each other's lives through one extraordinary year.

The Cromarty Library Circle is a richly woven and immersive portrait of connected lives, changing fortunes and the often-unseen forces that shape our destinies.

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Praise for Shona MacLean

'MacLean can make any period sing with life' Antonia Hodgson

'An excellent work of historical fiction' Literary Review

'A wonderful storyteller' The Times

'Well-researched and fascinating' Guardian

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical

532 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 26, 2026

About the author

Aka: S.G.MacLean

Biography:
I was born in Inverness and brought up in the Highlands where my parents were hoteliers. I went to school in Dingwall. I have an M.A. and Ph. D in History from the University of Aberdeen. I am maried with four children and currently living in Banff on the Moray coast.

About writer's work:
I write historical crime fiction, and am currently working on my third book featuring my fictional seventeenth-century academic, Alexander Seaton. The first book in the series, The Redemption of Alexander Seaton, was shortlisted for both the Saltire First Book of the Year Award (2008) and the Ellis Peters Award 2009).

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Scottish historical fiction at its finest! Each page is so richly steeped in history, transporting you back to that time. I loved the references to places I've been and lived, being able to visualise it all through the characters eyes.

And the characters were wonderful! I could have read a thousand more pages by their side, hopefully as part of the library circle. The writing fully absorbed all my thoughts, as I immersed myself in their lives through the words.

Also a very special nod to the mention of particular 'Bookseller of Inverness' which made me smile to see.

Now 'The Cromarty Library Circle' must do its rounds through our little bookselling circle because I am desperate to talk about it to everyone!

[Jonathan Crain · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Cromarty Library Circle," Shona MacLean turns away from the pursuit-driven plotting that marked much of her earlier fiction. Instead, she builds a novel out of proximity, routine, and social pressure. Set in the Black Isle town of Cromarty during 1831–32, the book takes as its structural premise a circulating library—an actual historical institution drawn from archival records—and uses it as a lens through which to examine a community at a moment of moral and political strain.

What distinguishes the novel is not its historical backdrop—though that backdrop is meticulously realized—but the way MacLean allows large historical forces to exert pressure without dominating the narrative. The Great Reform Bill, the approach of cholera, debates over abolition, and the lingering trauma of the Highland Clearances all shape the characters' choices. Still, they do so indirectly, through anxiety, argument, and silence rather than spectacle. Cromarty is depicted not as an isolated village, but as a port town deeply entangled in global systems of trade, empire, and belief, whether its residents acknowledge those connections or not.

The circulating library functions as a sophisticated narrative device. Rather than merely serving as a genteel backdrop for literary discussion, it serves as an instrument of social exposure. Who is permitted to read, which books are deemed acceptable, and how those books are discussed all reveal the town's rigid social hierarchy. The library's minute book, arranged by "order of precedence," quietly enforces a ranking system that governs everything from seating in the kirk to who is believed when scandals eventually arise. MacLean is particularly effective in showing how these hierarchies are maintained not only by authority figures but by communal habit and mutual surveillance.

The novel's strength lies in its characters, who feel convincingly of their time. Lady Charlotte Mackenzie's sense of entrapment within marriage is rendered with restraint, avoiding melodrama while still conveying the cost of a life lived under constant observation. Ludovic Cameron's gradual movement from passivity toward moral agency is equally well handled, shaped as much by friendship and reading as by overt political awakening. MacLean doesn't offer her characters escape from their constraints, only the possibility of choosing how to live within them.

MacLean doesn't romanticize the Highlands, and it's one of the book's most serious achievements. Cromarty's prosperity is explicitly linked to Caribbean plantations, and the novel insists on acknowledging Scotland's participation in systems of enslavement that are often treated as external, abstract, or blatantly ignored. The character of Hester, in particular, embodies this reckoning. A formerly enslaved young woman brought to Cromarty from Demerara, Hester represents the children of plantation owners and enslaved women who were sometimes brought back to the Highlands. She is neither a symbol nor a narrative device to educate other characters; she is allowed interiority, anger, and judgment. Her presence unsettles the town's moral self-image in ways that are quietly devastating.

MacLean's prose is disciplined and attentive to material detail. Domestic labor, trade goods, and everyday speech patterns are integrated naturally, grounding the reader in place without halting the narrative for explanation. The use of period-accurate language, including terminology that is now rightly uncomfortable, is handled with care and contextual clarity. It serves to illuminate social realities rather than provoke or soften them.

If the novel has a limitation, it is that its deliberate pacing may test readers expecting a conventional historical thriller. Moments of violence and revelation are present, but they are subordinated to character and consequence. This is a book more interested in how a community absorbs disruption than in the disruption itself. That choice will not suit every reader, but it is a coherent and, ultimately, rewarding one.

"The Cromarty Library Circle" is a novel about how people live alongside knowledge—what they read, what they refuse to see, and what eventually forces itself into view. MacLean demonstrates that historical fiction need not rely on grand events or famous figures to feel consequential. By focusing on a single town and a single year, she reveals how history is often experienced: not as turning points, but as pressure, accumulation, and quiet reckoning.

This review is of an advance reader's edition provided by NetGalley and Quercus. The book releases on February 26, 2026.

[Daphne Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book had been published 15 years earlier, when we were in Cromarty and the Black Isle on our distillery tour, it would have answered so many questions about that remote area.
Cromarty is a typical fishing village with cottages that run parallel to the sea, to offer some protection from the severe gales up there, but the biggest surprise for us was the large and very grand mansions that were scattered around , occupying a prime position on higher ground.
We guessed wealthy ship owners carrying expensive goods over from Glasgow or Edinburgh, but the style and grandeur of such buildings didn’t seem to fit. We knew the Highland Clearances would have increased the amount of sheep, and the fishing fleet would have brought in some extra income to the inhabitants, but these mansions still felt like an anachronism,
When this book hinted at a slave trade, that involved Cromarty and the Caribbean sugar plantations, that was jaw dropping news, it came as an absolute shock, so many questions came to mind, and as we tried to work out the sheer logistics involved, we made very good use of our Ordnance survey maps.
Those sea journeys were immense to comprehend even nowadays.
This book is set in 1830’s Scotland, a time of unsettling social change and upheaval, both for Scotland and worldwide.
Emancipation of slaves is being widely discussed, the overriding concern is not for the welfare of these people, but how much compensation will be paid to these slave owners.
There are riots around due to the Reform Act , votes will be granted to certain landowners, but women are excluded from such decisions.
There are also outbreaks of Cholera and Typhus, so ships travelling to Cromarty with slaves aboard have to be quarantined in the bay.
The actions of the Resurrectionists in Scotland did help to solve the mystery of why there were so many morte safes in these burial grounds.
Trigger points include mentions of mental illness, predatory sexual behaviour and language and terminology that was once accepted, but is now offensive.
The story of Scottish slavery is so interesting, I found the library to be almost unnecessary, but it is used to create a reason why so many people of different social classes would be allowed to gather under one roof for intellectual improvement and perhaps gossip?
The research is through, and casts a light upon this embarrassing situation that has been largely forgotten. Absolutely fabulous read, and the recommendations for further reading look interesting.

[Martin Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of people and places in a time of turmoil.

"The Cromarty Library Circle" opens on The Black Isle in Autumn of 1831. We are immediately introduced to a large number of characters, from a maid to a teacher, to members of the landed gentry. And to the wild, windy and magnificent place that is Cromarty.

We soon learn that the inaugural meeting of the Cromarty Library Circle is about to take place. The Good and the Great have come together to choose which books to include in the library, each picking a favourite. Among them, Charlotte, wife of the local laird, her friend, Rachel, a former governess now deeply in love with her husband the town's minister. John Learmonth, the young schoolmaster, newly arrived from Edinburgh and bank clerk, Ludovic who dreams of a new life across the ocean. Oh, and Miss Juniper, governess, with a murky background, and completely my favourite character in the book.

The meeting is a delight to witness, as each member promotes their choice, while clearly displaying their superior knowledge and wisdom where enlightened reading is concerned. Books were expensive, procuring them was expensive, and so the choices were accompanied by profound arguments.

But soon events take place that threaten to throw the wider community into turmoil, and it's the interplay between characters that make this book so entertaining. Set against the backdrop of political unrest and societal change, (the Great Reform Bill was about to be debated), mass emigrations, a cholera epidemic sweeping across Europe, and a campaign to abolish slavery in the British Caribbean, the story reflects fears and beliefs of a society in microcosm, in just a single year.

Fans of Shona MacLean's previous books, the Seaton series and the Seeker series, will find something totally new in this book. The beautifully described background of Cromarty with its windswept and wild scenery, and the fully-realised characters all come together to form a technicolour display of life in the early nineteenth century.

Heartily recommended.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cromarty Library Circle opens on the Black Isle in the autumn of 1831, immediately immersing the reader in the wild, windswept atmosphere of Cromarty itself. From the outset, we are introduced to a wide and carefully drawn cast of characters, ranging from servants and governesses to ministers, teachers, and members of the landed gentry. The setting is as much a character as the people who inhabit it, vividly evoking life in a small Highland seaside town.

At the heart of the novel is the inaugural meeting of the Cromarty Library Circle, where the “good and the great” gather to decide which books should be purchased for the community library. Each member champions a favourite text, revealing as much about their own beliefs, ambitions, and insecurities as about literature itself. Among them are Charlotte, the laird’s wife; her friend Rachel, a former governess now married to the town’s minister; John Learmonth, an idealistic young schoolmaster newly arrived from Edinburgh; Ludovic, a bank clerk dreaming of emigration; and Miss Juniper, a governess with a shadowy past and, for me, the most compelling character in the novel.

The library meeting scenes are particularly enjoyable, capturing the performative nature of “enlightened” debate at a time when books were expensive and access to them deeply political. However, beneath the civility lies tension, and events soon unfold that threaten to disrupt the fragile balance of the community.

Set against the backdrop of major social and political change- the impending Great Reform Bill, cholera outbreaks, mass emigration, debates over slavery, and the looming shadow of the Highland Clearances- the novel reflects a society in microcosm over the course of a single year. What stands out most is how these global forces seep into everyday lives through the seemingly modest lens of a reading circle. This is a beautifully observed, slow-burning, and thought- provoking historical novel that blends community drama, literary charm, and a subtle darkness to great effect.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is historical fiction at its best. Set in Cromarty in the Highlands of Scotland on the tip of The Black Isle; the harbour and town nestle in a background of mountainous hills: sounds of gulls cries and winds in squally weather. Shona Maclean’s descriptive narrative is beautifully atmospheric and brings the story to life.

It opens with the carefully chosen members of the library circle meeting to share and debate their individual choices of books; they are expensive to buy and need the approval of everyone as each member gets to read them in turn. Through this meeting we are introduced not only to the club members but also begin to make the acquaintance of the many other residents of the town.

The intertwined stories of everyday lives of the folk who live in and around the town play out with the ever-looming threat of cholera slowly creeping up from Europe through England, political unrest, the campaign to abolish slavery and mass emigration. More than one person is hiding a secret and there is a build up of tensions as revelations lead to dramatic endings which make for a gripping read. I enjoyed it enormously.

Thank you so much to Shona Maclean, Quercus and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

[Miruna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cromarty Library Circle is an atmospheric and engaging historical mystery that blends community drama, literary charm, and a touch of darkness in a wonderfully satisfying way. The setting is beautifully drawn—MacLean brings Cromarty to life with vivid detail, giving the town and its people real personality.

I especially enjoyed how the library functions as the story’s heart, pulling together a cast of complex characters whose relationships, secrets, and loyalties gradually unfold. The pacing is steady, with just enough mystery and intrigue to keep the pages turning without feeling rushed.

While a few sections moved more slowly than others, overall I found this to be a rich and rewarding read. Memorable characters, a strong sense of place, and layered storytelling make this a standout historical novel.

A lovely choice for readers who enjoy thoughtful mysteries, literary settings, and immersive historical detail. I’m glad I read it!

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I quite understand why this is getting high ratings from other reviewers, and wouldn't want my low rating to put potential readers off. The writing is excellent and, as always, MacLean's historical setting is faultlessly accurate. However, the book lacks the one thing that is fundamental for me - namely, a plot. It is a slow description of the people living in a small community, with all the minor love affairs, rivalries and petty spites that go along with that. There is no drama, mystery, or sense of momentum - just the monotonous and repetitive details of daily lives. For a plotless book to hold my attention, it would have to have something else - a setting I didn't know, perhaps, or a historical period that was new to me. Unfortunately, I already have a good knowledge of this time period in Scotland - empire, abolitionism, clearances, cholera, etc. - and so am learning nothing new. Wrong reader, wrong book, but I'm sure that it will work well for the right reader.

[Chris simpson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is set in the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands during the late Georgian period, It is a great study of Highland village life and its hierarchical dynamics . Cromarty and rosemarkie are quite seaside villages and you can see there life through these villagers and there interactions. I will not layout the plot as many people have done a much better job than I can but what stands out for me is the impact real world events, from the cholera epidemic to debates on the abolition of slavery and the Highland clearances are impacting on the lives of these people through the lens of The Library reading circle. A lovely slow thought provoking read.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Quercus books and the Author Shona MacLean for the advance copy and the chance to read and review it

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely read, with well written characters that you feel you know by the end of the novel. The highlands of Scotland take a starring role too, with vivid descriptions of gull-squawking coasts, local mansions, shipping traffic and the tight-knit social rhythms of a small town. The variety of characters, with different backgrounds and secrets, means you need to pay attention to detail to appreciate how their paths converge, which sometimes requires a degree of patience and memory. With migration, disease, the legacy of slavery and social reform addressed during the story, this book reflects life in 19th century Scotland beautifully.

[Harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richly absorbing historical fiction set in the Scottish Highlands in the early 19th Century. The members of a new library circle in Cromarty go about their daily lives, challenges, and joys, with the characters feeling real and authentic. Meanwhile real world events, from the cholera epidemic to debates on the abolition of slavery and the Highland clearances weave in and out of the story. A lovely read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucy Waverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this - full of pin-sharp details of people, place and time. I love SG Maclean's crime novels for her characterisation, and the cast, though very different people, are just as finely drawn here. The story blooms slowly and the tension crept up on me as I became more invested in the characters, leading to some moments of real alarm and heartfelt joy and sadness. The sense of place and time - the northern Scottish coast in 1831-2 - was superb. A true 'window into the past' book.
Big thanks to Quercus and Shona Maclean for the advanced review copy.

[Heather Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Set in Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands it tells the story of a, slightly snobbish, group of the great and good of the town who set up a library circle.

They buy the books then pass them onto each other and review them together.

However the group’s lives are more entwined and this social interaction both develops relationships and destroys them.

I’ve loved other SG MacLean novels but this is her best to date. Thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for this ARC.