Well, last week was very emotional!

Nicky passed away peacefully with the help of a vet on Monday morning.

While I am devastated about the cancer that caused us to have him put to sleep I am so glad that he isn't suffering.  Thanks to Scottish law being so much better than English law, he's not at rest in my grandparents back garden.  Close to his favourite tree which he loved to sit in and next to a sizeable vegetable patch so he can continue to watch ovr my grandfather working in the garden.

On with the books!

"Don't Blink" by James Patterson.  Now I read this in around 2 and a half days which is frustrating as it's JP after all, and I usually read one of his books much quicker than that.  But I guess I had a lot on my mind this time around.

While visiting the 'homeland', my grandmother gave me several more books.  And tried to get me to take the other book which I had already bought at the trainstation on my way North in the two for one offer or whatever that I got at the same time as the JP.  I have no need for two coppies of the same book, do I!?

The one book that I couldn't say no to my grandmother on when she tried to 'de-clutter' onto me (if that makes any sense) is one that I've been trying to get my hands on for a while now;

"The Black House" by Peter May.

It's about a cop that's sent from Edinburgh to the Isle of Lewis to investigate a murder.  The Main character is called Fin and "The Black House" is about his life, the investigation and his past - growing up in the small island community that is Lewis.

The part of the book (about half way through) that I'm at just now is a very descriptive account of the guga hunt that happens every year.  Only the men of Ness do this strange hunt.  A crew of 12 men leave the Isle of Lewis for two weeks to live on a small uninhabited 'piece of rock' island and hunt the young gannets.  It's a tradition that I understand has continued for longer than anyone alive can remember.  I don't know the full history of this though.  I may be Scottish but I'm a Highlander and not an Islander.

And while I haven't tasted the Hebridean 'delicacy' of guga - I have no desire to try to get my hands on a bird.  I understand that it's an acquired taste and I'm happy to stick with my haggis, thank you very much!!

There have been a few mentions of the city that I live work and play in though I'm hoping that we hear a little more of Fin's adventures while he studied in this fine city.

So far I'm really enjoying this book and as it is I'm looking forward to curling up in bed tonight to read a few more pages.  I wouldn't be surprised if I read too late and sleep in tomorrow morning as I would certainly describe this one as a page turner.

Far from finishing this book but I anticipate that I'll be quite excited to get my little mitts on a copy of the sequel which is due to hit the shelves in February 2012 and titled "The Lewis Man".   I have so many books to read before then though that I will no doubt be kept very entertained until then.