The research that must take place to produce such a book must be immense, focusing as it does, not on major, national or international affairs, but on the lives of the ordinary people who have populated this mostly rural area over the centuries. Here he concentrates on the area of Scotland known as Midlothian. Malcolm Archibald has a rare talent when it comes to all things historical, whether it's in his superb historical novels, or here, in one of his many true to life portrayals of the lives of those who lived in various parts of the UK. History brought to life, an excellent read