Offers Galt's most successful novel, a microcosm of fifty years of Scottish historyProvides a comprehensive Introduction by the volume editor which tells the story of this novel's production and reception; describes the literary and intellectual traditions on which it drew; and explains its relation to the social and political turmoil of the years in which it was written and publishedIncludes extensive Explanatory Notes which identify Galt's biblical allusions, references to historical events, and social and cultural practices of the period in which the novel is setThe appendices identify Galt's real-life sources for some of his incidents, and explain the history and institutions of the Church of Scotland as relevant to the storyMaps assist the reader to understand the geography on which the novel is acted out: south-west Scotland and its relation to the British IslesJohn Galt's Annals of the Parish is the first novel of the Industrial Revolution. Narrated by the minister of a rural Scottish parish, it chronicles with humour and pathos the fifty years 1760-1810 from the perspective of ordinary people swept up in social and economic transformation.

"This one is so good I really feel Hallmark should pick it up and make it into a movie"... Reading Girl Reviews "A delightful cosy mystery perfect for fans of MC Beaton and Lesley Cookman. A witty, thrilling and compelling village mystery"....Bookish Jottings "I found ‘Deadly Whispers In Lower Dimblebrook’ to be an addictive read, which held my attention from start to finish"....Ginger Book Geek 'I feel like I have stepped right into Midsomer Country...and lost myself completely in this delightful Cotswold village"...Confessions of a Bookaholic "A fantastic read and I likened it to a modern day Nancy Drew with hints of Agatha Raisin"...Karen and her book When Isabelle Darby moves to the delightfully cosy village of Lower Dimblebrook, she’s searching for peace and quiet as well as a chance to escape from heartbreak. After making friends with Fiona Lambourne, another newcomer to the village, Issie is left reeling when tragedy strikes and Fiona is murdered, the second wife Anthony Lambourne has lost in unfortunate circumstances. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the local gossips insist that Fiona had been embroiled in an affair before her death, something which Issie knows not to be the case. Determined to clear her friend's reputation and solve the mystery of the rumours, Issie takes on both the gossips and the handsome but stern DI Wainwright, making both friends and enemies along the way!