MARIE peered out of the front room window, wondering if people would be on time. And not only that – what if nobody showed? She let the net curtain drop, listening to the kettle whistling in the kitch

Literary news and reviews with a local flavour

December round-up Although he’s been writing and performing for many years, Donald WG Lindsay might come across as a bold new Scottish talent on Two Boats Under the Moon, his excellent two-disc debut

Christmas is coming, and Stuff ’ s playing Santa again: our 2025 Gift Guide is packed with techy kit that’ll light up faces faster than fairylights on a frosty night. Which is not to say you can’t keep the best things for yourself, of course…

Make life a little sweeter with sensory gifts SUGAR RUSH Jammy blackberry and woody oak make for an enveloping gourmand scent in Miss Dior Essence (£130 for 50ml, dior.com). MILK IT Hotel Chocolat’s l

Might our universe – as vast as it is – be simply one of many? We look at the growing evidence that there’s more than one cosmos out there