BOOKMARK Book of the Year 2025
SHORTLIST
Since 2020, BOOKMARK has run its popular Book of the Year Award. The titles are chosen with book groups in mind: they all offer opportunities for in-depth discussion for any book group, while also giving individual readers an engrossing read. Past winners have included the well-known and the new:
Rachel Joyce
Merryn Glover
Andrew Greig
Karen Campbell and
Carys Davies
They have all been delighted to accept their prize of Sarah Cave’s beautiful bespoke silver bookmark, and the invitation to come to BOOKMARK.
The judges (two Blairgowrie bookgroups, Suzanne Graham from Blairgowrie High School and Charlotte Stormont from Scone Palace) will decide the winner from the following:
Flora Johnston, The Paris Peacemakers (Allison and Busby) Just when you think nothing new can be said about WW1, an eye-opening book like this comes along. Taking place in France, during the negotiations for peace in Paris, two sisters from Orkney and a young doctor from Edinburgh are all recovering from their war-time experiences against a backdrop of loss, hope and missed opportunities.
Sean Lusk, A Woman of Opinion (Doubleday) An illuminating insight into the world of the 18th century adventurer, Mary Wortley Montagu. Wife of the Ambassador to Constantinople, she observed the inoculation of children against smallpox and resolved to enlighten England on her return. However, events did not go smoothly for her and this novel gives voice to her extraordinary life.
Andrew Miller, The Land in Winter (Sceptre) In 1962-3, the coldest winter for decades paralysed Britain. Set in a small, isolated community, two neighbouring couples from very different backgrounds become somewhat reluctantly drawn together. A masterly piece of story-telling, with unforgettable characters and a bone-chillingly cold landscape.
Zoë Strachan, Catch the Moments as They Fly (Blackwater Press) An engrossing tale of Scotland from the 1930s to the 1960s, seen through the lives of Rena and Bobby. Their story of aspiration, class, womanhood and business can be easily recognised in the lives of so many families rebuilding their communities and relationships after the trauma of World War 2.
Jen Stout, Night Train to Odesa (Birlinn) The only non-fiction book on the list, this unforgettable account of the war in Ukraine is superbly told by Jen Stout who endures its hardships and sends bulletins for the BBC and other outlets. Although nobody wants to endure war, she chooses to do so to allow a clear account of those tragic events.
Chris Whitaker, All the Colours of the Dark (Orion) In the mid-west of America, when Patch, an abducted child, is found he vows to spend his life in search of other missing children. Meanwhile, his friend Scout spends her life trying to protect him. An almost impossible book to define: more than one love story, a thriller, a coming-of-age tale and so much more: once read, never forgotten.
All six books will shortly be available in Blairgowrie Library. Apart from Night Train to Odesa and Catch the Moments as They Fly, the books are also available on Audible.
Gail Wylie
BOOKMARKChair