Books
The Skinny book guide – bringing you book reviews, features, events, reviews and author interviews. Find previews and on the ground reporting from festivals of literature and poetry in Scotland and beyond.
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Book ReviewsMurder Bimbo by Rebecca Novak
In this thrilling yet uneven ride, a sex worker assassinates an extremist politician Read more »| 09 Feb 2026 -
Book ReviewsThe Tower by Thea Lenarduzzi
In Thea Lenarduzzi's The Tower, two complex narratives mingle and diverge in an exploration of storytelling and trauma Read more »| 09 Feb 2026 -
NewsScottish Books Events: February 2026
There's a new zine festival in town (or Fife), with the launch of Fife Queer Zine Fest. Elsewhere, there's book launches in Edinburgh and collage and zine workshops in Glasgow Read more »| 03 Feb 2026 -
Book ReviewsGlyph by Ali Smith
In her latest novel, Ali Smith looks to the past to explore how and why we never seem to learn from historic mistakes Read more »| 26 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsApparitions by Margo Glantz
Originally published in the 1990s in Margo Glantz' native Mexico, her novel Apparitions is a heady, erotic exploration of the entanglement between sex, religion and art Read more »| 20 Jan 2026 -
FeaturesRoxy Dunn on her new novel Wants and Needs
This year, relying on relationships to fix us is out. We talk to author Roxy Dunn about her smart and sexy new novel Wants and Needs, and how we figure out who we are outside of our desire for love Read more »| 20 Jan 2026
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Book ReviewsThe Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers
An affair mostly happens in a bored wife's mind in this interesting yet formally uninventive novel from Erin Somers Read more »| 12 Jan 2026 -
EventsScottish Books Events: January 2026
It's a quiet month for book events but there's still some big names – Ali Smith launches her latest novel Glyph, while Madeleine Gray, Bryan Washington and Tyler Coburn all hold launches too Read more »| 07 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsJackson Alone by Jose Ando
Despite a compelling premise, Jose Ando's workplace mystery lacks the clarity needed to fully satisfy Read more »| 05 Jan 2026 -
Book ReviewsAll Consuming by Ruby Tandoh
Ruby Tandoh returns with All Consuming, an investigation into how taste is formed Read more »| 09 Dec 2025 -
Book ReviewsOpen Wide by Jessica Gross
Jessica Gross explores ideas of attachment and romantic infatuation in her smart and funny body horror-cum-romance novel Read more »| 09 Dec 2025 -
FeaturesThe Skinny's Favourite Books of 2025
We asked The Skinny book team to name their favourite book of 2025 – it's not too late to make your reading goals for the year Read more »| 05 Dec 2025 -
Book ReviewsTerry Dactyl by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore
Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore's transcendental novel explores the twin crises of AIDS and COVID-19 as lenses through which to explore the queer experience Read more »| 04 Dec 2025 -
FeaturesThe Skinny on... Michael Pedersen
Ahead of his annual Christmas show and New Year's Day appearance with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the incumbent Edinburgh Makar takes on our Q&A Read more »| 02 Dec 2025 -
Book ReviewsPalestine -1, ed. by Basma Ghalayini
In Comma Press's latest anthology, 12 writers imagine the year leading up to the Palestinian Nakba Read more »| 28 Nov 2025