What do you think?
Rate this book
THE LEGEND OF FINGERLESS WILL NIXON: THE SCOTTISH BORDERLANDS 1508-1509
The Legend of Fingerless Will Nixon is a richly woven tale of love, survival, and defiance set in the storm-lashed Borderlands of southwest Scotland in 1508—an era of violent clan feuds, church oppression, and unrelenting war between England and Scotland.
Will Nixon, a bold and headstrong eighteen-year-old Border Reiver, loses his cattle—and his fingers —to the ruthless young lord of Thirlwall Castle. Shamed and enraged, Will rides out in search of vengeance. But what he finds instead is Mattie Glendenning, a herder’s daughter with gold in her hair, fire in her eyes, and a tenderness that threatens to undo him.
As love quietly takes root between the outlaw and the girl who saves him, the world around them grows ever more perilous. Hunger, disease, betrayal, and war press in on every side, while the Church and the nobility fight to crush the freedom-loving Scots who dare to live by their own laws.
In the cold and brutal sweep of the Borderlands, Will and Mattie must choose whether love can survive a land steeped in blood and bound by legend.
The Legend of Fingerless Will Nixon brings to life the harsh beauty of 16th-century Scotland, capturing both the raw hardship and the fierce spirit of a people who lived—and loved—on the edge of the law in a world created by themselves that others dare not touch.
Will Nixon, a bold and headstrong eighteen-year-old Border Reiver, loses his cattle—and his fingers —to the ruthless young lord of Thirlwall Castle. Shamed and enraged, Will rides out in search of vengeance. But what he finds instead is Mattie Glendenning, a herder’s daughter with gold in her hair, fire in her eyes, and a tenderness that threatens to undo him.
As love quietly takes root between the outlaw and the girl who saves him, the world around them grows ever more perilous. Hunger, disease, betrayal, and war press in on every side, while the Church and the nobility fight to crush the freedom-loving Scots who dare to live by their own laws.
In the cold and brutal sweep of the Borderlands, Will and Mattie must choose whether love can survive a land steeped in blood and bound by legend.
The Legend of Fingerless Will Nixon brings to life the harsh beauty of 16th-century Scotland, capturing both the raw hardship and the fierce spirit of a people who lived—and loved—on the edge of the law in a world created by themselves that others dare not touch.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2025
6 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 3, 2026
Always on the lookout for more fact and fiction from the Border Reiver period and rather enjoyed this one. However it did feel a bit of a Scotland versus England rather than the loyalty to family first rather than nationalist of the Border Reivers; and a there is a line where Mattie gives Will a hard slap on his fanny which sounds a bit more American than Borders. Still, a very enjoyable and engaging story with good characters and a really beautifully realised love story.
Displaying 1 of 1 review