Midwinter Intrigue is out in the world! I’m so excited to hear what readers think of Malcolm and Mélanie’s holiday adventures. As you’ll have seen from the description, Midwinter Intrigue finds the Rannochs leaving their exile in Italy and traveling to Dunmykel, the Rannoch estate in the Scottish Highlands, at the news that Malcolm’s grandfather, the Duke of Strathdon, is dangerously ill.

I based Dunmykel largely on Dunrobin Castle, the family seat of the Dukes of Sutherland, though Dunrobin is somewhat further south,  not too far from Arbroath, on the coast of what was Forfarshire in 1818 and is now called Angus. There I am above, many years ago, by one of Dunrobin’s staircases, on the research trip on which I first dreamed up Dunmykel.

Below is the castle in June, very different, Malcolm thinks on his arrival, from the barren December landscape.

 

 

And here are some images of the gardens that inspired Arabella Rannoch’s gardens. Malcolm thinks how he can name every plant, even though he is seeing them in winter.

 

 

Malcolm, Mélanie, and their friends and family go through these gates from the sea on a December night.

 

 

And climb these steps to the house.

 

 

Though Dunmykel was largely inspired by Dunrobin, Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire was another major inspiration.

 

 

I’ll be sharing more pictures in the coming days. Meanwhile, do let me know what you think of Midwinter Intrigue! We’ll be starting a discussion of the novella tomorrow on the Google+ Group.

 

Cheers,

Tracy