Edinburgh has inspired writers for a long time, with its towering Georgian terraces, gothic spires, iconic castle, and narrow wynds. It is a city that pulses with stories—some steeped in history, others rooted in modern grit, fantasy, and psychological depth.
For those looking to dip their toes into the literature based on the city, here are a few of the most iconic and atmospheric books set in or inspired by Scotland’s storied capital.
Literary Scotland: 13 Books Set in Edinburgh to Inspire a Trip to the City
#1 The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
You cannot have an Edinburgh book list without adding at least one of R.L. Stevenson’s novels, and this is perhaps his most well-known. Published in 1886, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is often read as an allegory of Edinburgh itself — a city split between the New Town’s refined elegance and the Old Town’s darker underworld.
Stevenson was born in Edinburgh and drew on his intimate knowledge of the city’s duality to explore human nature’s inner conflict. His compact gothic tale continues to be one of the most popular stories of its time.
#2 Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
No list of Edinburgh fiction would be complete without this brutal, magnetic plunge into the 1980s heroin scene of Leith. Welsh’s voice is unapologetically local, soaked in dialect and discomfort. Trainspotting doesn’t just show Edinburgh’s underbelly — it grabs you by the collar and throws you into it. The novel’s unflinching look at addiction, identity, and escape offers a grimly vibrant portrait of a city far removed from postcard beauty.
#3 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Spark’s masterpiece is deceptively slim but dense with wit, irony, and insight. Set in 1930s Edinburgh, the novel explores the relationship between an unconventional teacher and her pupils in a conservative society. It’s a nuanced critique of authority, education, and romantic idealism — with Edinburgh’s prim façades serving as the perfect backdrop for subtle rebellion.
#4 Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin
The debut of Detective Inspector John Rebus marks the beginning of a series that would go on to define contemporary Scottish crime fiction. In Knots and Crosses, Rankin introduces a city alive with secrets and psychological tension. Rebus, an ex-SAS officer turned brooding detective, mirrors the city itself: layered, morally complex, and compelling.
#5 Set in Darkness & Standing in Another Man’s Grave by Ian Rankin
Both later entries in the Rebus saga, these novels dig deeper into Edinburgh’s shifting political and architectural landscape — particularly the birth of the Scottish Parliament and the city’s dark winter psyche. Rankin turns Edinburgh into a character in its own right: beautiful, brooding, and never entirely trustworthy.
#6 One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson
Set during the Edinburgh Festival, Atkinson’s novel is as playful and intelligent as the events it depicts. Featuring the private detective Jackson Brodie, it weaves multiple storylines into a cleverly structured mystery. Atkinson’s prose captures the city in midsummer — alive with culture, confusion, and contradiction.
#7 The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson
This contemporary gothic gem of a novel tells the story of a minister who claims to have met the Devil. With portions unfolding in academic and religious Edinburgh, the narrative blurs sanity and belief in a way that would make James Hogg proud.
#8 The Way of All Flesh & The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry
Parry (a pseudonym for author Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist Marisa Haetzman) offers a gripping look into the murky medical world of 1840s Edinburgh. Through the eyes of a young medical apprentice, readers explore anatomy theatres, class struggles, and the early days of forensic science — all rendered with atmospheric precision.
#9 The Observations by Jane Harris
Told through the unique voice of a sharp-witted Irish maid, this novel captures Victorian daily life just outside Edinburgh. It’s both darkly comic and haunting, with themes of power, manipulation, and identity woven into its foggy setting.
#10 Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg
Confessions of a Justified Sinner
This 1824 novel is a chilling blend of theological obsession and supernatural unease. Its unreliable narration and doppelgänger motifs influenced writers like Robert Louis Stevenson and remain central to Edinburgh’s gothic literary lineage. The city appears as a cold, Calvinist landscape — a spiritual battleground of good and evil.
#11 Luckenbooth by Jenni Fagan
Set within the walls of an old Edinburgh tenement, Luckenbooth unravels nearly a century of stories steeped in mystery and sorrow. Each floor hides its own secrets, and each decade reveals a new haunting. Blending folklore, the supernatural, and deeply human struggles, Fagan reimagines the city as a place where the past never truly dies—only lingers in shadow.
#12 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith
This warm tale brings the charm of Edinburgh’s New Town to life, one chapter at a time. With a cast of quirky yet familiar characters, McCall Smith captures the rhythms of urban living in a city. It’s an affectionate and funny tribute to the daily lives unfolding behind the city’s Georgian facades.
#13 Espedair Street by Iain Banks
This novel, which takes a more melancholic approach to fame and isolation, follows a reclusive rock star who is reflecting on his past. Though not entirely set in Edinburgh, its tone captures the introspective undercurrent that runs beneath the city’s surface.
Realistically, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to books set in Edinburgh, but these will certain inspire you to visit the city.
For those that are looking to visit Edinburgh in the near future, we have also created a 72-Hour Guide to the capital, offering suggestions on where to stay, places to visit, restaurants to enjoy and much more!
Have you read any books set in Edinburgh that you would recommend to others?
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