Forbidden Fruits — Julia Hamilton

In this deliciously scandalous and compulsively page-turning saga, Julia Hamilton once again paints a captivating portrait of an aristocratic Scottish family on the rocks as it faces its own history.

The Macarthur clan, the ruling family of New Town in Edinburgh, is successful at everything from business to politics to guarding the family secrets. Held together by Sir Jack Macarthur, the patriarch called the "Old Man," they build publishing empires, restore old buildings for the wealthy, teach at prestigious universities, and mingle with the wealthy, the stylish, and the powerful.

When Jack is on his deathbed, however, the family's success threatens to shatter as they learn that their well-kept secrets are about to be revealed by one of their own. Meanwhile, Ben Macarthur - the family's hapless architect - and his lover, Marianne Maclean - broken by a destructive affair with Luke Macarthur - find themselves swept up in the tide together . . .

"A great read: Slick and quite sophisticated, this is at once poignant and hilarious." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review