“Thanks for visiting! If you love books, history, travel or 20th century nostalgia I hope you’ll find something of interest here. My historical novels cover many political events and social upheavals of the past century, and my childhood memoirs is an unashamedly nostalgic depiction of both Scotland and the North East of England in the 1960s – the heyday of the Beatles!
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it was like to travel the hippy trail in the 1970s, then read my blog. It is full of diary extracts and photos of the overland route to India and Kathmandu that I took in 1976. The trip was the inspiration for my mystery novel, The Vanishing of Ruth. My next mystery is set on the remote Outer Hebrides of Scotland – the idea came after a wild camping holiday on Bara and the Uists!
I also run a micro publishing business, MacLeod Trotter Books, specialising in paperbacks and ebooks. The novels regularly appear in ebook bestseller charts: The Jarrow Trilogy are in the Kindle top 100, and the top 3 sellers in the Family Saga category. Vanishing of Ruth has been a bestseller for Waterstones e-charts. My blog sometimes throws a spotlight on the exciting world of digital publishing and book events in general. So please feel free to join in.
If you want to get in touch or leave comments, I’d be pleased to hear from you.
All the best, Janet.”
MYSTERY NOVELS
Janet is now concentrating on writing mystery novels with unusual settings.
Her new novel, The Vanishing of Ruth, is inspired by her own overland trip through Asia:
1976: friends, Marcus and Ruth, go missing in Afghanistan during an overland bus trip to Kathmandu. A generation later, Ruth’s niece Amber, haunted by the disintegration of her family, determines to get at the truth of their disappearance. Was it murder, as her father suspected, or a suicide pact as the police believed?
Tracking down the trip’s bus driver, Cassidy, Amber starts to piece together a lost world - the mystical vibrant hippy trail to India – and colourful characters like Juliet, who imagined herself the reincarnation of an Edwardian traveller. As the mystery surrounding her aunt and the charismatic Marcus unfolds, Amber begins a journey of discovery of her own, that will lead her not only into the dark secrets of the past and lost love, but face to face
with a tragedy much closer to home.
You can find further information on The Vanishing of Ruth on the Book Page
To read the first two chapters of The Vanishing of Ruthclick here **
** Requires Adobe Reader - use button below to download Adobe Reader software.
Buy The Vanishing of Ruth e-book for most other e-book readers from Waterstones
COMING SOON:
THE HAUNTING OF KULAH: a mesmerising story of secrets and dark passions
Published by MacLeod Trotter Books: ebook available in Spring 2012, paperback available in Spring 2012.
1946: far out in the Atlantic a boatload of men returning from war are shipwrecked within sight of their homes on the remote Scottish island of Kulah – and the wailing of the women could be heard across the sea on neighbouring Battersay. But the women are also hiding a shameful secret…
Present Day: When journalist Ally Niven escapes to the remote Scottish island of Battersay after a failed love affair, all she is looking for is a quiet life and a catering job for the summer. But from the outset someone is trying to scare her off and Ally soon discovers that the beautiful surroundings mask tensions among the people who are harbouring 'Birdwoman' - a feral young woman found on rocky Kulah who can only speak bird noises. Ally is increasingly attracted
to reclusive artist, John Balmain, who has also taken refuge on Battersay, but is elusive about his past. From John, Ally learns of a sinister prophecy which predicted the shipwreck and how Flora, the Flame-haired leader of the Kulah women, would wreak her revenge.
Increasingly isolated and intimidated by bizarre attacks on her house and sightings of a lone woman in a blue headscarf that she cannot explain, Ally sets out to discover the truth behind the Kulah story and the secrets the broodingly handsome John is determined to keep from her - as the two stories converge in a shocking climax.
To read the first three chapters of The Haunting of Kulah click here
HISTORICAL NOVELS * Janet's Sagas are consistently bestsellers on Amazon *
'The book was wonderful - couldn't put it down and read it all in one go. Each of your books seems better than the last. I have a complaint - it cost me a fortune in hankies!'
'I meant to write ages ago to complain... Hardened commuters are not supposed to cry on the 19.15 from Kings Cross!'
'You managed to draw out of this reader every emotion possible.'
'The house is in a mess, the kids had to eat at McDonalds and I'm not getting any sleep - and its all your fault! I just can't put your brilliant book down...'
'In my opinion there are few gifted storytellers, but you have achieved the difficult task...'
Just a few of the comments Janet has received from her readers!
Janet's novels have put her books on the best seller lists.
'They combine my interest in 20th Century history and politics with my desire to tell stories about human relationships, family feuds, loves, loyalties and betrayals.' Click here to read more.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Beatles and Chiefs
Featured on BBC Home Truths, Beatles and Chiefs is Janet’s delightful memoir of a Beatle-mad, ex-pat Scot growing up in the north-east of England in the 1960s, and of the MacLeod family’s annual pilgrimage back to the Isle of Skye.
‘Your book gave me immense pleasure – a lovely account of a happy childhood – you really do write beautifully.’ C.S., Isle of Skye.
‘Informative and amusing – a really super book.’ W.R., Isle of Skye.
‘You brought back many memories of the past – I don’t think I have laughed out loud reading a book for a long time.’ N.N., Edinburgh
‘How much I enjoyed reading your book – I am glad I read it on my own as I am sure people would think me mad as I chuckled and laughed.’ R.F., Edinburgh
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