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Winter: The Story of a Season
In this radiant work of creative nonfiction, internationally beloved novelist Val McDermid delivers a dazzling ode to a lost world, ruminating on a single winter in her life as she journeys into the heart of the season’s ever-evolving community-based traditions
Val McDermid has always had a soft spot for the bitter clarity of a crisp cold day, the crunch of frost on fallen leaves, and the chance to be enveloped in big jumpers and thick socks.
In Winter, McDermid takes us on an adventure through the season, from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the windblown Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night and Christmas to Burns Night and Up Helly Aa. Recalling in parallel memories from her own childhood—of skating over frozen lakes and carving a “neep” (rutabaga) for Halloween to being taken to see her first real Christmas tree in the town square—McDermid offers a wise and enchanting meditation on winter and its ever-changing, sometimes ephemeral, traditions.
A hygge-filled journey through winter nights, McDermid reminds us that it is a time of rest, retreat and creativity, for scribbling in notebooks and settling in beside the fire. A treat for the hunkering-down, post-holiday reading season, Winter is a charming and cozy celebration of the year’s idle months from one of Scotland’s best-loved writers.
Val McDermid has always had a soft spot for the bitter clarity of a crisp cold day, the crunch of frost on fallen leaves, and the chance to be enveloped in big jumpers and thick socks.
In Winter, McDermid takes us on an adventure through the season, from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the windblown Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night and Christmas to Burns Night and Up Helly Aa. Recalling in parallel memories from her own childhood—of skating over frozen lakes and carving a “neep” (rutabaga) for Halloween to being taken to see her first real Christmas tree in the town square—McDermid offers a wise and enchanting meditation on winter and its ever-changing, sometimes ephemeral, traditions.
A hygge-filled journey through winter nights, McDermid reminds us that it is a time of rest, retreat and creativity, for scribbling in notebooks and settling in beside the fire. A treat for the hunkering-down, post-holiday reading season, Winter is a charming and cozy celebration of the year’s idle months from one of Scotland’s best-loved writers.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published November 20, 2025
38 people are currently reading
4673 people want to read
About the author
Val McDermid
342 books5,313 followersVal McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.
She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
December 20, 2025
Winter by Val McDermid is part memoir, part a fond look at that cold season’s many festivals and rich history in Scotland while also a tribute of sorts to her favorite time of year, the season when she finds her creative spark working the hardest each year. This is the time her novels are largely formed and written.
McDermid’s obvious love and knowledge of Scotland drives this book along, with stories of major and minor festivals and celebrations from Halloween through the Christmas and year’s end festivities, all the way to the first sign of winter waning, the snowdrops appearance. There are ties to the cultural world in seasonal festivals with literature, music, food of all kinds. Anyone with a drop of Scottish blood will possibly learn a few new things here and enjoy the process. Even those who might not share the background are definitely apt to enjoy learning such a variety of interesting stories, facts and history from a writer who has lived so much that she is describing. Recommended as a relatively short, seasonal read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an early copy of Winter. This review is my own.
McDermid’s obvious love and knowledge of Scotland drives this book along, with stories of major and minor festivals and celebrations from Halloween through the Christmas and year’s end festivities, all the way to the first sign of winter waning, the snowdrops appearance. There are ties to the cultural world in seasonal festivals with literature, music, food of all kinds. Anyone with a drop of Scottish blood will possibly learn a few new things here and enjoy the process. Even those who might not share the background are definitely apt to enjoy learning such a variety of interesting stories, facts and history from a writer who has lived so much that she is describing. Recommended as a relatively short, seasonal read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for an early copy of Winter. This review is my own.
November 11, 2025
"Winter" is a joyful short non-fiction offering from one of Scotland's best loved writers.
Val McDermid trawls her family memories along with the history of Scottish winters and all that they entail from the raw winds of the East coast to the joy of skating on a local pond when she was a child.
The book is interspersed with poetry, a few "loose" recipes for soup. There are also beautiful drawings by Philip Harris, who uses dip pen and ink linocut to create these delicate works of art, which truly sum up a Scottish winter.
I have also added a few new names to my TBR list of Scottish writers I've never heard of. If you like a trip out there are a myriad places that Ms McDermid waxes lyrical about.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and sat with a smile on my face for the whole reading. It would make a lovely Christmas present for anyone and I'd highly recommend it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy.
Val McDermid trawls her family memories along with the history of Scottish winters and all that they entail from the raw winds of the East coast to the joy of skating on a local pond when she was a child.
The book is interspersed with poetry, a few "loose" recipes for soup. There are also beautiful drawings by Philip Harris, who uses dip pen and ink linocut to create these delicate works of art, which truly sum up a Scottish winter.
I have also added a few new names to my TBR list of Scottish writers I've never heard of. If you like a trip out there are a myriad places that Ms McDermid waxes lyrical about.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and sat with a smile on my face for the whole reading. It would make a lovely Christmas present for anyone and I'd highly recommend it.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic for the advance review copy.
November 25, 2025
According to Val McDermid, “In winter, the first frosts produce the crunching underfoot of the pericarps left behind after the acorns have been plundered by squirrels, a percussive counterpoint to the susurration of the fallen leaves.” And, from then on in I was captivated.
I could easily imagine her at her desk looking out the window at “the branches and twigs [that] form a kind of road map.” She writes that, “Tracing their paths is the perfect mindless activity when I need to let the wheels turn so the next piece of prose can form in my head.” In summer the branches are covered in leafy green making this activity more difficult.
She says, “For most people, winter is the poor relation of the seasons.” The season of “short days and harsh weather and nipping cold and clothes that disguise us.”
McDermid finds traveling by train in the dark “quite magical.” It’s hard to tell our whereabouts as we gaze into the darkened scenery. A light flasing in the dark provides “the promise of strange mysteries; a range of hills is rendered unfamiliar, black on blue; a darkling river glints briefly alongside.” Meanwhile, we’re blissfully unaware of anything that’s happening outside our cosy carriage. “It’s a romance on rails.”
McDermid writes of the importance of a book’s opening paragraph to capture the reader’s attention and make them want more. Specifically, she says, “I want to be seduced; I need to be seduced or I’ll sidle along the shelf, stroking the spines till I find something else to draw me in…”
Describing the Fourth Estuary - “In winter, it’s mostly at least fifty shades of grey, windblown into white horses, high tide attacking harbours and sea walls with spectacular spray.”
Craigleith is best known for its puffin colony. However, the colony was radically reduced when the puffins were unable to dig burrows due to the tangles of roots of “tree mallows, giant invasive plants.” Volunteers have managed to reduce the plants, and the puffins are starting to slowly increase. McDermid describes puffins as “the cutest and most comedic of all seabirds.” She adds that “they’re a welcome sight.”
Winter is the season of comfort food. I loved McDermid’s story about asking her mum for her favourite soup recipe, so she could make it to impress her friends at the university where she was a student. Her mum had already mailed her haggis but now she wanted to make her famous soup.
Her mum responds to the request, “There isnae a recipe,” and goes on to describe making the stock and then throwing in whatever vegetables and pulses you have to hand, “and a tin of tomatoes if you’ve got some, tomato puree if not. Then you simmer it for a few hours.” Finally, she says, “It’s no’ really a recipe, more a rummage.”
Another highlight was reading about her trip “to New Orleans for a pre-Christmas break” and being delighted by the Christmas lights. First, they drove, then they walked through the neighborhoods admiring all the dazzling lighted decorations of people’s front yards.
She notes that “Every now and then, we’d pass a darkened house, miserable as a missing tooth in a gleaming mouth.” Turning to her friend she asks, “Is this bah humbug?” Her friend’s sobering response, “No. It’s poverty. It’s got to be bad if they don’t even have a plastic tree in the window.”
“In Edinburgh, January lays on a breathtaking treat for art lovers.” During January, the National Gallery of Scotland displays “thirty-eight of [Turner’s] finest watercolour sketches, thanks to the terms of Henry Vaughan’s bequest.” Admission is free of charge. Why January? “Because in that month, the weak hours of daylight are minimal and the works can be safely exhibited without risk of them being faded or damaged.”
McDermid writes that “for me, the Turners represent confidence in the light coming back.” Two of his prints “whose brilliant colours lifted [her] spirits for years” during her youth when she dreamed of being a writer were displayed on her bedroom wall. She continues to visit the watercolours annually as they “remind [her] of the power of dreaming, of holding fast to ambition even when its realization seems against the odds.”
I could easily imagine her at her desk looking out the window at “the branches and twigs [that] form a kind of road map.” She writes that, “Tracing their paths is the perfect mindless activity when I need to let the wheels turn so the next piece of prose can form in my head.” In summer the branches are covered in leafy green making this activity more difficult.
She says, “For most people, winter is the poor relation of the seasons.” The season of “short days and harsh weather and nipping cold and clothes that disguise us.”
McDermid finds traveling by train in the dark “quite magical.” It’s hard to tell our whereabouts as we gaze into the darkened scenery. A light flasing in the dark provides “the promise of strange mysteries; a range of hills is rendered unfamiliar, black on blue; a darkling river glints briefly alongside.” Meanwhile, we’re blissfully unaware of anything that’s happening outside our cosy carriage. “It’s a romance on rails.”
McDermid writes of the importance of a book’s opening paragraph to capture the reader’s attention and make them want more. Specifically, she says, “I want to be seduced; I need to be seduced or I’ll sidle along the shelf, stroking the spines till I find something else to draw me in…”
Describing the Fourth Estuary - “In winter, it’s mostly at least fifty shades of grey, windblown into white horses, high tide attacking harbours and sea walls with spectacular spray.”
Craigleith is best known for its puffin colony. However, the colony was radically reduced when the puffins were unable to dig burrows due to the tangles of roots of “tree mallows, giant invasive plants.” Volunteers have managed to reduce the plants, and the puffins are starting to slowly increase. McDermid describes puffins as “the cutest and most comedic of all seabirds.” She adds that “they’re a welcome sight.”
Winter is the season of comfort food. I loved McDermid’s story about asking her mum for her favourite soup recipe, so she could make it to impress her friends at the university where she was a student. Her mum had already mailed her haggis but now she wanted to make her famous soup.
Her mum responds to the request, “There isnae a recipe,” and goes on to describe making the stock and then throwing in whatever vegetables and pulses you have to hand, “and a tin of tomatoes if you’ve got some, tomato puree if not. Then you simmer it for a few hours.” Finally, she says, “It’s no’ really a recipe, more a rummage.”
Another highlight was reading about her trip “to New Orleans for a pre-Christmas break” and being delighted by the Christmas lights. First, they drove, then they walked through the neighborhoods admiring all the dazzling lighted decorations of people’s front yards.
She notes that “Every now and then, we’d pass a darkened house, miserable as a missing tooth in a gleaming mouth.” Turning to her friend she asks, “Is this bah humbug?” Her friend’s sobering response, “No. It’s poverty. It’s got to be bad if they don’t even have a plastic tree in the window.”
“In Edinburgh, January lays on a breathtaking treat for art lovers.” During January, the National Gallery of Scotland displays “thirty-eight of [Turner’s] finest watercolour sketches, thanks to the terms of Henry Vaughan’s bequest.” Admission is free of charge. Why January? “Because in that month, the weak hours of daylight are minimal and the works can be safely exhibited without risk of them being faded or damaged.”
McDermid writes that “for me, the Turners represent confidence in the light coming back.” Two of his prints “whose brilliant colours lifted [her] spirits for years” during her youth when she dreamed of being a writer were displayed on her bedroom wall. She continues to visit the watercolours annually as they “remind [her] of the power of dreaming, of holding fast to ambition even when its realization seems against the odds.”
December 19, 2025
This is a lovely collection of Val McDermid's thoughts about the winter season, including her own memories, some poems and quotes from other authors, and quite a bit about writing and books. There are also some very nice illustrations of nature done by Philip Harris which complement the writings. I'm surprised that this wasn't published in time for gift giving this holiday season. It would have made a terrific choice for several book lovers on my list.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new book via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new book via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
December 17, 2025
I'll be honest: I hate winter. The cold, the dark, it is no source of enjoyment nor inspiration. For me, the best life is in my garden watching green unfold or on my bike in shorts with the wind in my hair and sunburnt shoulders at the end of the day. Of course I know some people thrive in winter (my husband being on of them), but this short non-fiction from the queen gave me a whole new outlook on wintertime.
It is filled with nostalgia, with music and food, childhood memories and folklore, all converging to form the fertile source of our much beloved books. Maybe I'll try to embrace the chill just a little bit more from now on. Or maybe this good intention will fly out the door with all the other ones. Probably.
Even a die-hard winter hater like me couldn't not be warmed by the beautiful musings of one of my favourite authors, and I was especially pleased to have a little glimpse of her private life.
So if you - like me - are a fan of Mrs. McDermid, I would absolutely put this short book on your wishlist.
Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Mercer and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
It is filled with nostalgia, with music and food, childhood memories and folklore, all converging to form the fertile source of our much beloved books. Maybe I'll try to embrace the chill just a little bit more from now on. Or maybe this good intention will fly out the door with all the other ones. Probably.
Even a die-hard winter hater like me couldn't not be warmed by the beautiful musings of one of my favourite authors, and I was especially pleased to have a little glimpse of her private life.
So if you - like me - are a fan of Mrs. McDermid, I would absolutely put this short book on your wishlist.
Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Mercer and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
November 26, 2025
The “quine of crime”, Val McDermid is renowned for her best selling mysteries. Winter is a quasi memoir work of creative non fiction, an ode to the cold, windblown winters in Scotland.
Winter is when McDermid’s creative juices start flowing and she typically begins her next novel. Yet, she also embraces all that this season offers in her homeland.
Beautifully written and lyrical, there are childhood memories of beloved activities, muses on how winter celebrations and rituals have evolved over the years, an appreciation of the natural wonders and beauty to be found in this sometimes bleak and harsh season. The drawings by artist Phillip Harris that accompany the text are stunning.
I have to admit that winter is my least favorite season. Actually, I hate it. Yet, McDermid helped me recall some happy times as a child during those cold northern winters that I have escaped as an adult. This was a delightful read.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @GroveAtlantic for the DRC.
Winter is when McDermid’s creative juices start flowing and she typically begins her next novel. Yet, she also embraces all that this season offers in her homeland.
Beautifully written and lyrical, there are childhood memories of beloved activities, muses on how winter celebrations and rituals have evolved over the years, an appreciation of the natural wonders and beauty to be found in this sometimes bleak and harsh season. The drawings by artist Phillip Harris that accompany the text are stunning.
I have to admit that winter is my least favorite season. Actually, I hate it. Yet, McDermid helped me recall some happy times as a child during those cold northern winters that I have escaped as an adult. This was a delightful read.
Thanks to @NetGalley and @GroveAtlantic for the DRC.
December 10, 2025
I had read and really enjoyed Spring by Michael Morpurgo, which is the first in this seasonal series. That one is set in Somerset, close to where I live, so most of what he was writing about felt very familiar. This one is by Val McDermid, a Scottish crime writer, so it is about life across the boarder. This one is mostly about the festival's that take place during the winter season; Samhain, or Halloween, Bonfire night, Christmas and if course Hogmanay. It has a very nostalgic feel to it, as she looks back on celebrations from her past, and at how they are changing nowadays. I would love to have experienced Hogmanay before it became so managed, it always looked so much fun.
I had originally shelved this with my Nature books, as Spring was much more rooted in nature writing, but this one isn't, which is not to say it wasn't enjoyable, it really was, just not what I was expecting. I really should try to get to some of her fiction. Looking forward to the next books in this series.
*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
I had originally shelved this with my Nature books, as Spring was much more rooted in nature writing, but this one isn't, which is not to say it wasn't enjoyable, it really was, just not what I was expecting. I really should try to get to some of her fiction. Looking forward to the next books in this series.
*Many thanks to Netgally and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
December 2, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the advanced copy.
You can surely judge this book by its cover. Its a cozy fireplace read full of amazing illustrations and depictions of winter postcards. Is beautifuly written much so that feels like you are in a room hearing stories while waiting for a winter storm to pass.
I also think it works better if you already have an affection with the author or her books which I didn't have. Maybe because im Portuguese. Still it transcends her earlier works and it works as a warm essay about the joys of the darkest season.
You can surely judge this book by its cover. Its a cozy fireplace read full of amazing illustrations and depictions of winter postcards. Is beautifuly written much so that feels like you are in a room hearing stories while waiting for a winter storm to pass.
I also think it works better if you already have an affection with the author or her books which I didn't have. Maybe because im Portuguese. Still it transcends her earlier works and it works as a warm essay about the joys of the darkest season.
December 21, 2025
Winter is Val McDermid's love letter to the coldest and darkest of the seasons , from the treasured memories of her past to the valuable part it plays in her writing process to this day. Beautifully written and with gorgeous traditional illustrations throughout, this is a book to savour as the Winter nights draw in, ideally from a comfy fireside chair with a glass of something peaty and smoky in hand. Following the timeline of the season from Halloween to Hogmanay and beyond, the author delves into her memories of the traditions of times past and how times have changed. There is a warmth to the book that belies the setting and subject matter, and it is a reminder of the importance of community, something that seems to be on the wane.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
October 18, 2025
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but in the case of Winter, by Val McDermid, you absolutely should. It’s such a beautiful drawing, really evoking the feeling of Winter.
As much as I love feeling the warmth on my face, when the weather starts to chill, I love digging out my cosy thick jumpers, and warm socks. Curling up with a good book under a blanket, with a cat curled in my lap. So when I read the synopsis of this book, it really felt like it was talking to me.
The author has written a lovely book, which celebrates this special season, along with reminiscing her favourite memories of Winter, from childhood to adulthood. Hearing Val narrate her own words felt very intimate, it was as if we were walking through the places she was describing so beautifully, just talking to me, and me only.
There is so much that made me smile. The description of Val’s partner Jo, in the Marilyn wig made me snort out loud; the image of Val dressed up as Acker Bilk made me smile too. My husband also has fond memories of carving out a swede. When he did this many years later for me, it gave the house a lovely smell of my Nan’s stew.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy little book, and highly recommend it for all Val McDermid fans, and for those who love the festive season. It’s a charming read.
As much as I love feeling the warmth on my face, when the weather starts to chill, I love digging out my cosy thick jumpers, and warm socks. Curling up with a good book under a blanket, with a cat curled in my lap. So when I read the synopsis of this book, it really felt like it was talking to me.
The author has written a lovely book, which celebrates this special season, along with reminiscing her favourite memories of Winter, from childhood to adulthood. Hearing Val narrate her own words felt very intimate, it was as if we were walking through the places she was describing so beautifully, just talking to me, and me only.
There is so much that made me smile. The description of Val’s partner Jo, in the Marilyn wig made me snort out loud; the image of Val dressed up as Acker Bilk made me smile too. My husband also has fond memories of carving out a swede. When he did this many years later for me, it gave the house a lovely smell of my Nan’s stew.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cosy little book, and highly recommend it for all Val McDermid fans, and for those who love the festive season. It’s a charming read.
December 5, 2025
Val McDermid’s “Winter” caught me at exactly the right moment. I’ve always had a complicated relationship with the season: as a child I adored it, as a working adult I tolerated it, and now, creeping toward what the poets politely call “the winter of life,” I mostly dread it. Yet somehow this slim, illustrated volume turned the gloom around for me. Reading it felt less like opening a book and more like settling down for a long, fireside chat with an old friend who happens to love the very things I’ve started to resent—the iron-cold air, the early dark, the whole damp Scottish midwinter package.
McDermid writes with the ease of someone talking across a kitchen table, drifting between memories of childhood sledging in Fife, Hogmanay in Edinburgh, night trains to London, and the proper way to carve a neep. Philip Harris’s delicate illustrations are far more than decoration; they give the pages the glow of lantern light on snow. I found myself lingering over them the way you linger over a Christmas card from someone you actually like. Along the way you pick up gentle insights into how she plots her novels (scribbled notes on random scraps of paper—comfortingly chaotic), and you’re reminded of traditions—Up Helly Aa, First Footing, Burns Night—that still matter in a country that refuses to let winter have the last word unchallenged.
By the final page I was surprised to feel something close to affection for the season again, or at least for its stories. In a southern hemisphere July, when my own winter is mostly grey rain and tax returns, McDermid handed me a borrowed coat of Edinburgh snow and made it fit. If you’ve ever loved winter and then fallen out with it, this gentle, funny, beautifully made little book is the reconciliation you didn’t know you needed.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
McDermid writes with the ease of someone talking across a kitchen table, drifting between memories of childhood sledging in Fife, Hogmanay in Edinburgh, night trains to London, and the proper way to carve a neep. Philip Harris’s delicate illustrations are far more than decoration; they give the pages the glow of lantern light on snow. I found myself lingering over them the way you linger over a Christmas card from someone you actually like. Along the way you pick up gentle insights into how she plots her novels (scribbled notes on random scraps of paper—comfortingly chaotic), and you’re reminded of traditions—Up Helly Aa, First Footing, Burns Night—that still matter in a country that refuses to let winter have the last word unchallenged.
By the final page I was surprised to feel something close to affection for the season again, or at least for its stories. In a southern hemisphere July, when my own winter is mostly grey rain and tax returns, McDermid handed me a borrowed coat of Edinburgh snow and made it fit. If you’ve ever loved winter and then fallen out with it, this gentle, funny, beautifully made little book is the reconciliation you didn’t know you needed.
I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
December 24, 2025
(3.5) I didn’t realize that Michael Morpurgo’s Spring was the launch of a series of short nonfiction books on the seasons. McDermid writes a book a year, always starting it in early January. She evokes the Scottish winter’s “Janus-faced” character: cosy but increasingly storm-tossed. In few-page essays, she looks for nature’s clues, delves into childhood memories, and traverses the season through traditional celebrations as she has experienced them in Edinburgh and Fife: Hallowe’en, Bonfire Night, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. The festivities are a collective way of taking the mind off of the season’s hardships, she suggests. I was amused by her mother’s recipe for soup, which she described as more of a “rummage” for whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. It was my first time reading McDermid and, while I don’t know that I will ever pick up one of her crime novels, this was pleasant. I reckon I’d read Bernardine Evaristo on summer and Kate Mosse on autumn, too.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.
December 21, 2025
Beautifully illustrated by Philip Harris, this made me wish more books were published with such fine artwork. This was a quick & enjoyable read, I learnt some lovely Scottish words like ‘shoogle’ to give a little shake to drink to mix it up & new botanical terms that I really should have known but didn’t, for example pericarp, the outer hard shell of an acorn. I also enjoyed being introduced to Robin Robertson’s poem ‘ Law of the Island’ “Read it & tremble” as Val McDermid succinctly advises. I had probably hoped for a slightly more informative & less conversational style of book, but that saying I did enjoy some of the author’s family anecdotes, especially about her mother’s soup ‘recipe’. This is a perfect little escapist Yuletide read, with which “to curl up on the sofa”. The book came with a lovely bookmark & a blank notebook which was rather nice too.
December 18, 2025
Fascinating and beautiful
November 29, 2025
The author describes the joys of the winter season, both past and present, in her native Edinburgh, Scotland, and the adjoining area. Along the way she discusses a bit of the writer’s art.
This combination of autobiographical sketches, observations of the natural world, and commentary makes for an interesting read.
This combination of autobiographical sketches, observations of the natural world, and commentary makes for an interesting read.
December 3, 2025
A sweet little memoir which is a nostalgic look at life in Scotland in the author’s early life. It is a quick read which is easy to fit in for a little lift in the dark winter months. Not a literary masterpiece but an enjoyable short read.
November 8, 2025
This would make a beautiful gift, it’s full of beautiful illustrations. Val describes the winter season marvellously, the images are picturesque. It’s a book full of nostalgia and the history of Edinburgh. She reminisces about her childhood in winter and what she loved , the flowers , the ice skating . She covers the traditions of Scotland like Hogmanay and Burns night. It’s a delightful read especially to people who can remember the old days . I believe it’s going to be a series of books ,so I look forward to the next one .
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
For those of us in the very northern or very southern parts of the world, winter can be a difficult season to love. The long nights and dreary weather are wearing on the mind and body, making many want to do nothing more than curl up in bed and hibernate until the light returns.
But winter can be a time of warmth and community If we want it to be. There are plenty of holidays and traditions that have come down to us through the years, and in her newest book of short essays, Winter: The Story of a Season, Val McDermid talks about her experiences with these traditions as she has experienced them through the decades of her life in Scotland. It is not a chronological retelling of Christmas and Burns Nights past, though. The book opens with a description of her current writing room and the trees she can see out of her window, and how Storm Éowyn came blowing through to wreak havoc across the country, after which the sun came out to brighten the next day. ‘Janus-faced’, she calls the season precisely because of this duality. Of course, the rest of the seasons can be just as two-faced but the bright days of winter seem especially bright because they are so fleeting. When the daylight hours number six or seven at most, those long stretches of night seem extra ominous. Add in the extreme cold, and it’s no wonder that the so-called ‘nordic-noir’ strain of crime novels McDermid and other northerly authors are known for feels like an entirely different genre from the standard police procedural. A landscape covered in snow and darkness hits differently from a sunny green hillside or city park.
Enough of the grimness of the season, though. There are plenty of things to celebrate, and McDermid devotes most of the book to winter’s brighter side– particularly the holidays and their surrounding festivities. We’re treated to stories of holidays past, which all have a balance of sentimentality and acknowledgement of the realities of her childhood. McDermid’s family did not have a lot of money, but her parents did their best to make the season festive and memorable. In her discussion of Hallow’en McDermid describes how she and and a friend went to a costume party dressed as the thing that scared them most: Perthshire Tories. They won the costume prize that year.
Despite all the holiday cheer, McDermid does have some laments– namely, the fact that so many of the old traditions have become heavily commercialized. Once, there would be New Year’s celebrations in the town square, but now many of them require expensive tickets to attend, which prevents many local residents from celebrating in their own communities. First Footing celebrations are few and far between these days, though they used to be incredibly common. This isn’t to say that McDermid is being a curmudgeon about the present and yearning for bygone days. She’s just clear-eyed about the realities of present celebrations and the difficulties of keeping some of the older traditions alive, given how the world has changed since she was a child. Times change, and our traditions change with them.
Winter: The Story of a Season is a lovely book overflowing with reasons to love the coldest season of the year. McDermid’s clear and elegant writing provides a charming look back at her family and her country’s winter traditions, and gives us a reason to celebrate the short days and long nights. Winter’s beauty is stark and sometimes hard to find, but it’s there all the same. Our traditions might look different from how they did when we were children, but that doesn’t make them worse, just different. And if we adjust our perspective a little, we might find that winter can be the warmest season of all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the free advance copy for review.
But winter can be a time of warmth and community If we want it to be. There are plenty of holidays and traditions that have come down to us through the years, and in her newest book of short essays, Winter: The Story of a Season, Val McDermid talks about her experiences with these traditions as she has experienced them through the decades of her life in Scotland. It is not a chronological retelling of Christmas and Burns Nights past, though. The book opens with a description of her current writing room and the trees she can see out of her window, and how Storm Éowyn came blowing through to wreak havoc across the country, after which the sun came out to brighten the next day. ‘Janus-faced’, she calls the season precisely because of this duality. Of course, the rest of the seasons can be just as two-faced but the bright days of winter seem especially bright because they are so fleeting. When the daylight hours number six or seven at most, those long stretches of night seem extra ominous. Add in the extreme cold, and it’s no wonder that the so-called ‘nordic-noir’ strain of crime novels McDermid and other northerly authors are known for feels like an entirely different genre from the standard police procedural. A landscape covered in snow and darkness hits differently from a sunny green hillside or city park.
Enough of the grimness of the season, though. There are plenty of things to celebrate, and McDermid devotes most of the book to winter’s brighter side– particularly the holidays and their surrounding festivities. We’re treated to stories of holidays past, which all have a balance of sentimentality and acknowledgement of the realities of her childhood. McDermid’s family did not have a lot of money, but her parents did their best to make the season festive and memorable. In her discussion of Hallow’en McDermid describes how she and and a friend went to a costume party dressed as the thing that scared them most: Perthshire Tories. They won the costume prize that year.
Despite all the holiday cheer, McDermid does have some laments– namely, the fact that so many of the old traditions have become heavily commercialized. Once, there would be New Year’s celebrations in the town square, but now many of them require expensive tickets to attend, which prevents many local residents from celebrating in their own communities. First Footing celebrations are few and far between these days, though they used to be incredibly common. This isn’t to say that McDermid is being a curmudgeon about the present and yearning for bygone days. She’s just clear-eyed about the realities of present celebrations and the difficulties of keeping some of the older traditions alive, given how the world has changed since she was a child. Times change, and our traditions change with them.
Winter: The Story of a Season is a lovely book overflowing with reasons to love the coldest season of the year. McDermid’s clear and elegant writing provides a charming look back at her family and her country’s winter traditions, and gives us a reason to celebrate the short days and long nights. Winter’s beauty is stark and sometimes hard to find, but it’s there all the same. Our traditions might look different from how they did when we were children, but that doesn’t make them worse, just different. And if we adjust our perspective a little, we might find that winter can be the warmest season of all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the free advance copy for review.
December 5, 2025
It must have been serendipity that the morning I planned to read this delightful winter story that I woke to not just falling temperatures but snowflakes lazily drifting down. I was immediately taken in by the cover as that blue tint mirrors the way the cold snowy days here in Alaska so often look to not just the eye but my camera. I started out diligently taking notes and jotting down phrases I particularly enjoyed. They were lovely but soon I just sat aside the pen and pad and read. I'm glad I did. Full of personal memories of winters, particularly in Scotland, it felt like I was simply sitting in my living room sharing winter stories with the author. As such, it could be said it's rather a rambling narrative, but that's part of the charm.
You'll get stories about not only winter but how the writer's own thoughts and writing processes so often mirrored the seasons, imaging as she looks out her writing room window watching "gnarled and arthritic oak trees" and veering to stories of bridges, family history, birds, train travel, including into Russia, and even some well crafted writing tips. As an Alaskan, I particularly enjoyed the section on the puffins, and comfort foods. And, oh, yes, even a winter trip to New Orleans. Having been there at Marti Gras time when it was so cold the bridges froze and were so unsafe that they closed them down just behind us rang particularly true. It was her descriptive and often poetic sounding tales of winter that pulled it all together, even when we veer from childhood memories to near present day ones, that made it extra special. Toss in some delightfully simply illustrations that perfectly capture the soul of her words and this one was a winner. Thanks so much #GroveAtlantic for allowing me this early peek at this delightful book. I'm not sure I can hang onto that magical infatuation with all things winter through the long winter days of Alaska's winters but it opens my eyes to seeing the wonder rather than simply the inconvenience. Wintertime is truly a magical season and kudos to the author for sharing her thoughts and memories. Now, what did I do with my winter gloves?
You'll get stories about not only winter but how the writer's own thoughts and writing processes so often mirrored the seasons, imaging as she looks out her writing room window watching "gnarled and arthritic oak trees" and veering to stories of bridges, family history, birds, train travel, including into Russia, and even some well crafted writing tips. As an Alaskan, I particularly enjoyed the section on the puffins, and comfort foods. And, oh, yes, even a winter trip to New Orleans. Having been there at Marti Gras time when it was so cold the bridges froze and were so unsafe that they closed them down just behind us rang particularly true. It was her descriptive and often poetic sounding tales of winter that pulled it all together, even when we veer from childhood memories to near present day ones, that made it extra special. Toss in some delightfully simply illustrations that perfectly capture the soul of her words and this one was a winner. Thanks so much #GroveAtlantic for allowing me this early peek at this delightful book. I'm not sure I can hang onto that magical infatuation with all things winter through the long winter days of Alaska's winters but it opens my eyes to seeing the wonder rather than simply the inconvenience. Wintertime is truly a magical season and kudos to the author for sharing her thoughts and memories. Now, what did I do with my winter gloves?
November 23, 2025
Winter: The Story of a Season, by Val McDermid, is an absolute delight to read and simply wander through her winter wonderland.
I am admittedly a big fan, of her fiction, nonfiction, even graphic novel, so a collection of essays was something I had high expectations for. And they were met and exceeded. As expected the writing was superb. The level of description and creation of an atmosphere she has mastered in fiction is matched in these essays. From bridges and landscapes to kitchens and familial relationships, the reader feels like they are right there (re)living those experiences with her.
What probably makes it even more special is how she can describe specifically Scottish rituals and her personal experiences yet do so in ways that invite the reader to relate them to your own locale and life experiences. Because of this, some readers, okay, this reader, will insist on reading parts of it to friends and relatives and then say something along the lines of "doesn't this remind you of...." I did this numerous times and would have done so even more except I want my friends and relatives to have something left to read when I gift them this book. Because this is definitely a giftable book.
To elaborate, it isn't simply the way we can relate to much of the book or how well it is written. The essays are relatively short and focused, so those people you know who rarely read book length fiction or nonfiction will be able to dip into the book periodically when they have the time or desire to read for a little while. Additionally, these essays are the kind you want to both share and revisit yourself, so your friends and family will get more than just one read from it.
I would highly recommend this for people who love personal essays that are place specific and create a welcoming way in. Certainly McDermid fans will love it but I think any readers who simply like well-written prose will get a lot of fun and entertainment from it.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I am admittedly a big fan, of her fiction, nonfiction, even graphic novel, so a collection of essays was something I had high expectations for. And they were met and exceeded. As expected the writing was superb. The level of description and creation of an atmosphere she has mastered in fiction is matched in these essays. From bridges and landscapes to kitchens and familial relationships, the reader feels like they are right there (re)living those experiences with her.
What probably makes it even more special is how she can describe specifically Scottish rituals and her personal experiences yet do so in ways that invite the reader to relate them to your own locale and life experiences. Because of this, some readers, okay, this reader, will insist on reading parts of it to friends and relatives and then say something along the lines of "doesn't this remind you of...." I did this numerous times and would have done so even more except I want my friends and relatives to have something left to read when I gift them this book. Because this is definitely a giftable book.
To elaborate, it isn't simply the way we can relate to much of the book or how well it is written. The essays are relatively short and focused, so those people you know who rarely read book length fiction or nonfiction will be able to dip into the book periodically when they have the time or desire to read for a little while. Additionally, these essays are the kind you want to both share and revisit yourself, so your friends and family will get more than just one read from it.
I would highly recommend this for people who love personal essays that are place specific and create a welcoming way in. Certainly McDermid fans will love it but I think any readers who simply like well-written prose will get a lot of fun and entertainment from it.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
December 2, 2025
Winter is a warm, contemplative wander through the season’s landscapes, both literal and emotional. Val McDermid proves she’s just as compelling in creative nonfiction as she is in crime fiction. This slim volume feels like settling in beside a fire: quiet, cozy, and full of small delights.
McDermid moves seamlessly between present-day reflections and childhood memories, capturing everything from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the bracing Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night to Up Helly Aa. Along the way, I learned a surprising amount, like the fact that snowdrops come in more than two hundred varieties, something I had absolutely no idea about. I also picked up some great Scottish vocabulary: dreich (dreary weather), rouille (sauce made from garlic, olive oil, and cayenne or chili pepper), and shoogly (wobbly or unsteady). These little linguistic gems added charm and texture to her storytelling.
What stands out most is McDermid’s affection for winter’s rituals, some fading, some evolving, and her gentle reminder that this season can be a time of rest and creativity rather than simply endurance. The book never rushes; it invites you to pause, breathe, and appreciate the small mysteries of cold, dark months.
While Winter is a quieter book than some readers might expect, it’s a deeply engaging one, and it left me hoping McDermid will publish more nonfiction. She clearly has a gift for it.
A lovely, thoughtful read, perfect for anyone who enjoys reflective seasonal writing or simply wants to hunker down with something comforting on a cold night. Four and a half stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on January 13, 2026.
McDermid moves seamlessly between present-day reflections and childhood memories, capturing everything from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the bracing Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night to Up Helly Aa. Along the way, I learned a surprising amount, like the fact that snowdrops come in more than two hundred varieties, something I had absolutely no idea about. I also picked up some great Scottish vocabulary: dreich (dreary weather), rouille (sauce made from garlic, olive oil, and cayenne or chili pepper), and shoogly (wobbly or unsteady). These little linguistic gems added charm and texture to her storytelling.
What stands out most is McDermid’s affection for winter’s rituals, some fading, some evolving, and her gentle reminder that this season can be a time of rest and creativity rather than simply endurance. The book never rushes; it invites you to pause, breathe, and appreciate the small mysteries of cold, dark months.
While Winter is a quieter book than some readers might expect, it’s a deeply engaging one, and it left me hoping McDermid will publish more nonfiction. She clearly has a gift for it.
A lovely, thoughtful read, perfect for anyone who enjoys reflective seasonal writing or simply wants to hunker down with something comforting on a cold night. Four and a half stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on January 13, 2026.
December 5, 2025
A wonderful contemplation of Winter, a good excuse to stay snuggled up indoors or just enjoy the peace and quiet of nature in all its glory. The writer has given us some personal accounts of her feelings about Winter, and I was reminded of holidays spent in Scotland, before and preferably after the midge season. A gentle musing about past times and experiences that have long gone.
So much of this is familiar to me. The walks to school in wellies, where the snow came up over the tops, and you spent the day in damp socks, with coats drying on the boiler as there wasn’t any central heating. I have Raynauds , so the exquisite pain of blue fingers gradually regaining heat is really intense.
My soup was bottom of the fridge soup, my children remember it well, but haven’t inflicted it on the grandchildren yet!
My husband has neurological conditions and STML( thank you COVID) and this book has been a real memory jogger for him. I read passages out to him and it triggered childhood memories of schooldays, plus some of past holidays in Scotland, he really engaged with this book. He wonders if you like Chilli Honey on your porridge?
I have recommended your book to my local Memory clinic and Dementia unit, both the Memory Coordinators are eager to try and spark off some conversations and plan boards to be used in therapy sessions.
The engravings are a perfect blend and example of the beauty of nature. I have so enjoyed this book. Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us.
My thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic, publishers, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review.
So much of this is familiar to me. The walks to school in wellies, where the snow came up over the tops, and you spent the day in damp socks, with coats drying on the boiler as there wasn’t any central heating. I have Raynauds , so the exquisite pain of blue fingers gradually regaining heat is really intense.
My soup was bottom of the fridge soup, my children remember it well, but haven’t inflicted it on the grandchildren yet!
My husband has neurological conditions and STML( thank you COVID) and this book has been a real memory jogger for him. I read passages out to him and it triggered childhood memories of schooldays, plus some of past holidays in Scotland, he really engaged with this book. He wonders if you like Chilli Honey on your porridge?
I have recommended your book to my local Memory clinic and Dementia unit, both the Memory Coordinators are eager to try and spark off some conversations and plan boards to be used in therapy sessions.
The engravings are a perfect blend and example of the beauty of nature. I have so enjoyed this book. Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us.
My thanks to Netgalley and Grove Atlantic, publishers, for my advance copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review.
December 3, 2025
I loved this book. I felt like I was having a conversation with Val McDermid while admiring aspects of the Scottish winter through Philip Harris’s illustrations. I read about traditions I was vaguely aware of, learned something about the way in which Val McDermid plans and writes her novels. And here, in the Antipodes where summer defines the end of our calendar year, I recognise my own end of year planning strategies undertaken in heat rather than cold.
What I most enjoyed was the quiet pace of reminiscing, of acknowledging tradition and sharing memories of winters past. I could imagine Val’s grandmother rescuing her from the wrong side of the balcony. While I have never acquired a taste for swedes (neeps) I remember their place in my own childhood. And carving them seems entirely appropriate.
Reminders of important celebrations in Scotland (and why) were delightfully informative. I felt, too, like a passenger on one of those night trains between Edinburgh and London, just contemplating.
My own winters often feel quite bleak by comparison. The end of the financial year is always front of mind, as is the need to try to escape to warmer climes for at least a week or two. We may not have the snow, but we often have dreich weather unleavened by significant celebrations.
Thank you, both to Val McDermid for the words and to Philip Harris for the illustrations.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
What I most enjoyed was the quiet pace of reminiscing, of acknowledging tradition and sharing memories of winters past. I could imagine Val’s grandmother rescuing her from the wrong side of the balcony. While I have never acquired a taste for swedes (neeps) I remember their place in my own childhood. And carving them seems entirely appropriate.
Reminders of important celebrations in Scotland (and why) were delightfully informative. I felt, too, like a passenger on one of those night trains between Edinburgh and London, just contemplating.
My own winters often feel quite bleak by comparison. The end of the financial year is always front of mind, as is the need to try to escape to warmer climes for at least a week or two. We may not have the snow, but we often have dreich weather unleavened by significant celebrations.
Thank you, both to Val McDermid for the words and to Philip Harris for the illustrations.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 27, 2025
What a delight. In every way; author narrated, Ms McDermid’s delivery of her book is absolutely perfect. Just the right pace and tone and it added another layer of richness to the story. I’ve long admired her books and I was intrigued to learn a few if her writing ‘secrets’. How and when she settles down to start a new book, her notebooks with random jottings, for example. Winter is a book of reminiscences and thoughts but they capture the essence of the person and the place. I’m familiar with Edinburgh; I had family in Blackhall and spent many holidays there. So in part this was a trip down memory lane for me too. I loved the descriptions of the three bridges and her family connection to the Forth Bridge along with her stories of the islands in the Firth of Forth and again, family connections to them. Edinburgh is a city that keeps on giving, rich in history but firmly planted in the present and looking to the future and it’s good to see a writer who has stayed true to her roots and champions the place. Her simple descriptions of snow and biting wind are evocative and she has a keen eye for detail and natural beauty that surrounds us. I really enjoyed this book, listened to it in one sitting and I’ll listen to it again.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.
November 25, 2025
160 pages
5 stars
What a charming essay.
Ms. McDermid has a favorite season. It is winter. This book is a celebration of her love for the season. She recalls her best memories from childhood and as an adult. I was also treated to some of her quirky little habits of her writing style. Those were interesting and delightful.
Ms. McDermid has been one of my favorite writers for many years and this little book simply adds to my admiration of her. The writing is lyrical and engaging; supremely enjoyable.
I highly recommend this book to all of those who love Val McDermid.
I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic / Atlantic monthly Press for forwarding this delightful book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
5 stars
What a charming essay.
Ms. McDermid has a favorite season. It is winter. This book is a celebration of her love for the season. She recalls her best memories from childhood and as an adult. I was also treated to some of her quirky little habits of her writing style. Those were interesting and delightful.
Ms. McDermid has been one of my favorite writers for many years and this little book simply adds to my admiration of her. The writing is lyrical and engaging; supremely enjoyable.
I highly recommend this book to all of those who love Val McDermid.
I want to thank NetGalley and Grove Atlantic / Atlantic monthly Press for forwarding this delightful book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
December 4, 2025
A short but quite delightful book covering the Winter season, written by the well known Scottish noir crime writer.
Val McDermid covers the various events in the Winter Season, along with some personal stories and memories during these times. Overall there is a good mixture of winter seasonal events, Scottish folklore and these personal stories.
The raw cold of a Scottish Winter really hits you in this book, and I loved the reference to other authors alongside the poetry. Val also provides some interesting bottom of the fridge home cooked meals.
The book was beautifully illustrated with line drawings. It also had a good link to the Turner paintings that form part of the Henry Vaughan bequest, but only surface for one month each Winter when there is less light to harm the paintings. I appreciated the opportunity to see all the paintings online.
I strongly recommend this lyrical book, now all we need is a similar book covering each of the other seasons.
Val McDermid covers the various events in the Winter Season, along with some personal stories and memories during these times. Overall there is a good mixture of winter seasonal events, Scottish folklore and these personal stories.
The raw cold of a Scottish Winter really hits you in this book, and I loved the reference to other authors alongside the poetry. Val also provides some interesting bottom of the fridge home cooked meals.
The book was beautifully illustrated with line drawings. It also had a good link to the Turner paintings that form part of the Henry Vaughan bequest, but only surface for one month each Winter when there is less light to harm the paintings. I appreciated the opportunity to see all the paintings online.
I strongly recommend this lyrical book, now all we need is a similar book covering each of the other seasons.
November 4, 2025
An absolutely beautifully written collection of poems and prose about my season, Winter. So articulately descriptive, I feel like I’m being transported into the wilderness and being completely enveloped in the gorgeous surroundings. It makes me excited for winter to come and at the time of writing, it’s only a month away. I definitely will be re-reading this when the snow starts to fall around my neck of the woods with a warm cup of spiced tea, a fuzzy blanket and the company of my baby.
#NetGalley #Winter
I received this book complimentary from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #Winter
I received this book complimentary from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2025
This is a very easy and most rewarding read. In a series of short essays, beloved Scottish crime writer Val McDermid takes a trip down memory lane to relive some of her most heartwarming experiences of winter, from the frosty scenery to local traditions to the succession of winter celebrations (all the way from Halloween to Hogmanay). Scotland is far enough north that winter is a big deal, and this book invites the reader to experience the warmth and the cold of the ending of the old year and the beginning of the new.
There are some beautiful illustrations by Philip Harris throughout the book to add to the atmosphere.
This book would make an excellent Christmas gift.
There are some beautiful illustrations by Philip Harris throughout the book to add to the atmosphere.
This book would make an excellent Christmas gift.
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