Mysteries and Misadventures: Tales from the Highlands

Scottish short stories from the Highlands of Scotland have always fascinated me. I grew up in Wick, in Caithness, and always promised myself that I would write a book full of Scottish mystery and crime thriller short stories that took place in and around the Highlands.

And you’ll never guess what happened to me this morning, before I even had my coffee…

…I opened a very exciting email saying my book had finally been published and the ebook and paperback versions of my new Scottish short stories collection was now available to buy.

Mysteries and Misadventures: Tales from the Highlands by me, Aaron Mullins, is a collection of Scottish short stories based in the Highlands of Scotland, featuring Caithness tales of the unexpected. Mystery, crime and thriller short stories abound in tales of Scottish life. The Story behind the Stories section reveals the inspiration for each short story, based on my childhood experiences growing up in Caithness.

Scottish Highlands Stories

So I suddenly found myself with a Scottish mystery short stories book launch to prep for. I knew I wanted to do a book promo video for the launch, so I set about making that first and adding it to my Aaron Mullins Author YouTube Channel:

True secrets revealed in this short story collection.

The first short story for this Scottish mystery book was completed in early 2019. The unexpected time at home during March and April 2020 (due to COVID-19 lockdown) meant that I suddenly had free time on my hands and needed a writing project to keep me sane (it failed). I was also living back in Scotland again, so felt more inspired than ever to complete the book.

I have included a Story Behind the Stories section at the end of the book, which details the true stories and real-life childhood (and life) experiences that influenced each of the Scottish short stories. More than a few secrets are revealed here!

Available as a paperback or an ebook, including on Kindle Unlimited, you can grab your copy HERE:

Ten mystery short stories set in the Highlands of Scotland.

Scottish Mystery Short Stories

So here’s what you can expect to find inside:

The Road Trip
A couple make a surprise stop on a road trip. They receive a strange welcome at an isolated guesthouse, where not everything is as it seems. Unaware of its deadly history, can the couple escape and unlock its buried secrets? Or will they become its next victims?

Secrets of the River
An unopened box dragged from the river. A hastily scrawled message from the past. The young woman who stole these is being hunted. Now cornered, time is running out. Will she ignore the dead man’s warning? What did he hide inside his mysterious box? And can she survive its secrets? A mystery thriller set in Caithness, influenced by real-life history.

Equal To and Greater Than
James has a 1 in 54 condition. Attacked and humiliated, he turns to his only friend and a little-known superhero. Can he harness the gifts his condition has given him? Can he stand against his tormentors and become the hero he needs to be?

“There’s no place on earth with more of the old superstitions and magic mixed into its daily life than the Scottish Highlands.”

– Diana Gabaldon, Outlander

The Gala Queen
Halloween night. A prank gone wrong. A young girl dies and the boy responsible has got away with it. Until the annual town gala, where he spots a familiar costume in the crowd. And a face that shouldn’t be there. Lost and afraid, will he survive the vengeance of the gala queen?

Revenge of the Green Man
It’s 1995. Charlie is convinced that Big Donny Mackay has stolen his CD. Plotting revenge, his friend Jamie is dragged into his ever-crazier schemes. Will they be able to scare him into returning it? Or will they be caught and face the wrath of Big Donny Mackay? A dark comedy with Scots dialogue.

The House on Lovers’ Lane
It’s the late nineties. A town is in mourning for a missing boy. Lyndsay and Cheriee’s parents think they are having a sleepover at each other’s house. Armed with alcohol, they have decided to spend the night in a field behind lover’s lane. As the rest of the town goes to sleep, Cheriee dares Lyndsay to sneak through the garden of a nearby house and touch the door, avoiding setting off the security light. But when Lyndsay peers through the living room window she realises the danger they are in.

Call of the Nuckelavee
A woman stalks the sandy dunes, following the voice of her drowned father. Her mind full of questions, she spies a dog ahead that appears to be beckoning her to follow. She realises it’s her father’s dog, missing since the day of his death. Launching herself into the sea, she comes face to face with the creature that has haunted her nightmares. She must decide quickly how far she is willing to go to get answers.

Black Dog in the Devil’s Bothy
A woman plans a hike in the Highlands to aid her recovery from depression and anxiety. Unprepared for the trials of the trip, she strays from the mountain path to shelter from a storm but loses her way in the forest. At her lowest point, she finds a bothy but soon discovers that her darkest fears have followed her to this place. Can she solve the black dog’s riddle and find her way back to the light? Or will she be trapped alone forever in the darkness of the devil’s bothy?

Last Train South
A woman boards the last train of the day from Wick to Inverness. Her heavy suitcase contains a dark secret. Evidence she must dispose of. Will her friends back out now? Or will they stick to the plan and help her erase the mistakes of her past?

Stolen Peace
A nuclear biologist just wants to spend his final days camping in the woods and reading his book. Unfortunately, the trained killers searching for him have other ideas. They want him to return the item he stole. Will he be given the peace to read? Or will he have to become what he fears the most?

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Caithness Stories

If you purchase my book of Scottish short stories and enjoy reading its Highland tales of the unexpected, please kindly take a minute to leave a review so others can discover me and my writing. It supports us authors and inspires us to write!

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Thank you to everyone who has made this book possible!

Stay creative,

Aaron Mullins

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Aaron Mullins (@DrAaronMullins) is an award winning, internationally published psychologist and bestselling author. Aaron has over 15 years experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in business strategy for authors. He owns Paperjoy Press, a publisher specialising in books that support mental health. He previously owned Birdtree Books Publishing where he worked as Editor-in-Chief, partnered with World Reader Charity and taught Academic Writing at Coventry University. Aaron’s book How to Write Fiction: A Creative Writing Guide for Authors has become a staple reference book for writers interested in a publishing career.