Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

A dark collection of stories narrated in broad Edinburgh accents by the book’s main protagonists. Swinging from despair to hilarity in equal measure this book shows the bleak underbelly of Scottish society at its very worst. This book is not for the faint hearted and the language would have your granny turning in her grave!

Divided City by Theressa Breslin

This is the story of the friendship between two boys in Glasgow - one who is a Catholic and the other a Protestant. They must find their won answers and their own way forward in this world divided by differences.

Holes by Louis Sachar

This is the story of Stanley Yelnats who is, by his own admission, not the luckiest guy in the world. Stanley has been sent to camp Greenlake - a correction school for 'bad boys' where his punishment is to dig a five foot deep hole every day in the baking sun. The warden thinks this will make him good - or so he says, but could there be another reason behind it? This is a funny, unconventional novel with a mystery running through it that keeps you hooked until the last page.

Morven Callar by Alan Warner

This is the dark tale of a young woman who finds her boyfriend's unpublished novel after he commits suicide. She claims it to be her own and then decides to go on holiday with her best friend with the proceeds. Written in conversational Scottish dialogue, this book can be disturbing, confusing and unexpected.

Dracula – Bram Stoker

Bella Lugosi’s celluloid Dracula is an image we are all familiar with, and of course the more recent film remake starring Keanu Reeves has brought the tale into the limelight once again. The novel itself has even more power to terrify. The tension builds as the brilliant scientist Van Helsing employs every method possible to save those whose life blood is being drained away, but ultimately he may have to resort to ancient magic to destroy the power of the vampire. This novel is unusual in its form as it is written as a collection of diary entries and letters that describe the action, but it keeps the reader on the edge of his seat right to the end!

We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

This is the chilling tale of an American teenager who shoots his classmates and teacher in a calculated attack. The novel takes the form of letters to his father, written by his mother, which reveal family history and circumstances, inviting the reader to question what would bring any one to commit such an act. This is an intense and disturbing book, but it raises interesting issues about the nature/nurture debate and the role of parents and society in developing the human psyche.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

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Christopher Boone finds his neighbour's dog lying dead on the front lawn, skewered through the heart with a garden fork. He likes dogs, so he decides to find out who has done this dreadful deed. Christopher has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, which means that he doesn't understand or relate to other people in the way that most of us do. His quest to solve this murder mystery is difficult and frightening for him, but using the methods of his hero Sherlock Holmes, he wins through in the end. This is an amazing book, which lets you get right inside Christopher's head. It's guaranteed to stay in your mind long after you've read the final page.