I thought the book Crossing midfield by Donaldson + Warn Architects is an original book based on various Architectural Designs by these Perth based architects. There are a variety of different projects in the book which I found very interesting especially as i live in Perth myself. I found the books content to be very thorough and well thought through. The pictures of these projects were excellent and you could really see how talented these architects really are.

When Scott is at his best, few are better. His major and minor characters in this book interact so well that you become one of the community.

The time frame is 1396, the scene Perth, Scotland. The main figure is Henry (Harry) Gow, sometimes called Henry Smith, after his vocation as an arms manufacturer, with stout smithees in his employ. Henry aspires to the hand of Catherine Glover, daughter of a prosperous but peace-loving merchant of Perth. The subtitle of the book, St Valentine's Day, speaks of the custom of the time, but this one night, a ladder is criminally lifted below Catherine's window, and a mysterious intruder seems bent on abducting Catherine in these lawless times. In the discovery of this crime, Henry attacks the intruders, lopping off a hand of one which carries a ring on one finger. This outrage is so atrocious to the townsmen that they call upon their nobleman protector, Sir Patrick Charteris, to seek for royal justice. In the ensuing sequence, the ring on the lopped finger traces back to a lawless knight associated with the profligate Prince of Scotland, David.

Harry Gow is a warring man, frequently representing Perth in contests for "justice" called "combat by right of arms." Catherine, his intended sweetheart, is morally opposed to these contests and Harry's warlike ideas, yet a crime has been committed on her house. Soon the parties involved in that "frolic" as they deem it make an attempt on Smith's life, killing instead another townsman who idolized Smith. This guilt, that the blow meant for him had killed an innocent townsman, coupled with the outrage on the house of Glover, push Smith to accept Perth's share in the upcoming trial by feat of arms, as the Prince's complicity becomes known.

Intrigues at the court of Scotland, its kind-hearted but weakened king, his scheming brother the Duke of Rothsay, the indolence of the profligate prince, the incredible power and machinations of the Earl of Douglas (the first subject in the kingdom) appear in their various colors. Associations with Glover's house, where he reared the firstborn of a Highland clan chieftain, who rises to assume the leadership of the clan and also aspires to Catherine's hand, form another intriguing line in the story which is closely interwoven with Harry's plight, the path of the thoughtless Prince in the scheming hands of his uncle, the power of the Douglas, and the weakening of the king.

Along with Heart of Mid-Lothian, this is Scott's best work. Forget Ivanhoe, try this one on for size.

Some time ago I read one of Candace Robb's "Owen Archer" novels, since it coincided with my own area of expertise: Anglo-Gallo-Celtic society from the 13th into the 15th centuries, generally the period of the Welsh and Scots wars, the Black Plague, massive social and religious upheavals, and the Hundred Years' War. I found no gross fault with Robb's historical research, though it seemed lightweight and out-of-date, but decided that she simply can't write her way out of a paper bag.

I thought that perhaps this book, set in Scotland in the marvelous year of 1297 -- the year of Wallace's victory at Stirling Bridge -- might be a good deal better, but A TRUST BETRAYED is a dud. It's not the worst historical novel I've ever read (she at least avoided the plunging neckline cliches, and the utterly horrible historical mistakes of BRAVEHEART and ROBERT BRUCE, certainly the most asinine movies ever made about Scots history), but Robb's tedious writing style hasn't improved and she has nothing to say. It took me nearly five days to finish a book that should have been digested in a day, and then I wondered why I'd bothered. Margaret Kerr is unbelievably irritating. She's superficially pious--did I ever get tired of all the masses and praying!--but so what? She's a manipulator, a whiner, a sniveling weeper and a cynic. Probably Robb doesn't realize just how unpleasant her main protagonist is. But then, everyone in this story is unpleasant. Perhaps Robb doesn't like Scots. She certainly doesn't give us any likeable or interesting ones.

What kind of "mystery" is this when the primary dead guy turns out to have been himself a weak manipulator? Where the main character's quest--don't laugh!--involves chasing after her husband, whom she doesn't love (or maybe she does), and never catching him? Where her presumably beloved uncle acts like a grouchy ass and says not once but fifteen times, "You should not be here" or words to that effect? Where the leading Scots in this crucial year, namely William Wallace, John Comyn, Bishop Wishart and young Robert Bruce (please, not "THE Bruce", Candace!) never appear at all, and where no important English historical figures enter the story either, except by being distantly mentioned?

Historically it is less accurate than it should be. Church law permitted disobedience to grossly illegal or immoral orders of a superior, even as the code of chivalry did, so Andrew comes across as a wimp. Why name a woman character "Tess" when the name "Teresa" was unknown in the British Isles until the cult of Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) spread throughout Europe? That's as anachronistic as putting Gypsies or a "witch" coven into 13th century Scotland. And why do we hear about the bloody events at Lanark at a distance? Wherever Margaret is, we can be damn sure that NOTHING important happens!

The problem with this book isn't that it's a worthless mystery, or that there are historial boo-boos, though these both are exasperating. The problem is that it's much ado about nothing. It might have made a decent short story--but it just hasn't enough substance for a novel.

Candace Roobb, author of the successful Owen Archer series, ventures into Scotland at the time of Willaim Wallace. With a female central character and descriptions of early Scottish towns the stage is set to explore a time of civil unrest. A little disappointing in execution, maybe she will improve as the character develops.

Although I enjoy Candace Robb's Owen Archer series, I found the Margaret Kerr of Perth series less satisfying. A Trust Betrayed is less a classical murder mystery and more a dark history of a darker period in Scottish history, the 13th century battles for the Scottish throne. John Balliol and Robert the Bruce were rival claimants to the title. To complicate matters, King Edward of England had been called upon to arbitrate the dispute and used this as a means of controlling Scottish politics and ultimately as an excuse to invade and occupy parts of the country.

The mystery involves a murder and a disappearance that serves as the motivation for the central character, Margaret Kerr, placing her and members of her family in the midst of the events in Edinburgh. While I find Luci Wilton a wise and engaging lady in the Owen Archer series, I found Margaret more simply willful in the Perth series. She often sets her agenda with little thought to how her activities will affect those around her. Although she does so out of naivety, she takes forever to learn. Certainly her resistance to good advice furthered the story, since it lead to ultimate clarification of the mysterious events, but I'm not sure it is very realistic. I find it difficult to believe that such carelessness would be the case in times as trying as these must have been. One can sense by the end that the lady has learned from her mistakes and has set her course to advance the cause of her chosen king, John. As the title First Chapter of Margaret Kerr of Perth, suggests it is probably the author's intention to create an adventure series based upon the history of the civil war rather than to create individual murder mysteries. One can almost hear the 'to be continued.'

If one enjoys this type of adventure fiction in an historic setting, the story will probably appeal. For myself, I look forward to the Owen Archer series more. The author has kept her multiple goals with greater balance and in keeping with the classic murder mystery genre in the latter series than in the former.

A 4 for historical accuracy, a 3 for the mystery.

I thought I was the only one outraged by this book until I decided to look it up here and read the other reviews..I am more than half way through but simply cannot finish the book..it makes me too sad and too mad! And since another reviewer gave us the ending I REALLY cant finish it-I guess I am glad that I know what happened...so I dont have to read it myself.
Have these supposedly intelligent people ever heard about the responsibility one takes on when bringing a puppy into the family..it is at least at 10-12 year committment and sometimes even longer. It is NOT kind to just let a dog roam free and it is NOT cruel to put them in a kennel when you must go away. That is merely taking care of them...and I truly believe that was also the case in 1965 which was not exactly the dark ages!! If you can't take a dog on the ferry...and you have the dog with you (oh what a burden) then you dont take the ferry trip! Don't lock her in the car and then go on the ferry and worry (?) about it! Other reviewers were right-Perth deserved better owners..I could go on and on but I just become more angry. I am so sorry I picked up this "heartwarming" tale ..it may be the only book on a dog that I simply could not complete..due to outrage and sorrow.

I felt sorry for Perth. Her owners didn't seem to care about her in the way you would think from the description. Perth had a poor life at the fault of the owners...moving her around and around. The writing style trys too hard, as if he looked up a word in the thesaurus every other word. A bad book, a bad dog owner...a sad dog.

Let me start by saying two things: 1. I loved this book. 2. I am the happy owner of an American "blanket" Beagle. In fact, my "dogge" was at my side for most of the time I spent reading this delightful story. Yes, there were a few times I cringed at Perth's behaviour and, seemingly, lack of training on the part of her owners. However, as one reviewer already pointed out, it was a different era. I would love to be able to send my beagle outside our gate to roam in the fields beyond our house. However, the ASPCA would have something to say about that, I'm sure.

Readers, enjoy this for what it is; one family's love affair with their dog. A feisty, independent, opinionated, lovable beagle. This is *not* a training manual and doesn't pretend to be one.

For those readers whose only knowledge of a beagle is Snoopy, read this and find out what it's really all about.