My first novel, Epiphanies and Robberies, came out in summer 2025 and a few months later I made a start on a follow up. The initial idea was a sequel. I’d got very fond of the main characters and wanted to stay with them, checking on what they were up to, and how their life worlds were changing. But then I decided to take the reverse perspective, to look at some of those characters earlier in their lives, exploring the factors that had shaped those people we had met through the pages of the debut novel.
In other words, a ‘prequel’.
I’m now immersed in the writing. Once again, the setting is the imagined village of Kirkgate, in south west Scotland. This time the underlying mystery is historical and relates to events that took place locally during World War Two. The key year in which the story unfolds is 1997.
Recently, several people have been asking me about progress with the project. On a few occasions I have replied by sending them a snippet from the draft, where I think it might be of particular interest to them, based on their reading of the first book. From this, it occurred to me that without going to the full extent of serialising the new work, it might be interesting to share more widely some brief scenes from what I have written so far. In deciding to go ahead, I have focussed attention on some of the central characters in Epiphanies and Robberies, going back over 25 years in the process.
So here are three selections.
Andrew and Sarah set their sights on Kirkgate – At the start of Epiphanies and Robberies, Dr Sarah Robertson has already died, and her husband Dr Andrew Carlyle Stuart is newly bereaved and retired. This passage reveals how as young doctors, they aspire to move from Glasgow to become GPs in the Nithsdale village of Kirkgate.
THE NEW TURN in their lives came on the horizon almost a year ago [in 1996]. One Saturday morning last winter saw Andrew, coffee pot to hand, getting to grips with the weekly journal that has long been part of the warp and weft of a doctor’s life in Britain. He and Sarah had been scanning its classified advertising supplement for many months, looking for a job opportunity that would define their future careers, hopefully working side by side. So far they lacked a breakthrough. A few things had piqued their interest. But if the location was good, the set-up posed problems. If the set-up looked like a promising place to work, the location was all wrong. Most required only one new GP, not two. Matching everything up on their wish list was proving difficult. In particular, their big ambition was to go into a partnership, where they could take hold of things and run a GP practice according to the needs of local people, as well as their own values and aspirations.
‘Hey Sarah have you seen this in the BMJ?’
‘Nope … haven’t had a chance to look yet’
‘It’s for a practice down in Dumfries and Galloway. Looks like a single handed guy there might be calling it a day’.
Sarah, still in her pajamas, walks through from the bedroom, kisses Andrew on the head, and leans over his shoulder, snuggling into his neck and peering at the ad. They both fall silent as they read it carefully.
‘Woo hoo!’ she shouts. ‘This one looks a cracker! A growing list, too much for one full-timer and an associate. A village in somewhere called Nithsdale, north of Dumfries, and with a community hospital, ripe for development, right next door!’
‘Yup, it is ticking a lot of boxes’.
Andrew rummages on a shelf for a map of Scotland’s deep south, but finds nothing and has to resort to an out of date road atlas. As a child he’s been on camping holidays out west in Galloway, but further east in Dumfriesshire isn’t familiar territory.
‘Here you go. Drive down the M74 and turn off before Moffat. The road runs near Drumlanrig Castle, that’s the Duke of Buccleuch’s place I think. Then south on the road from Ayrshire and you’re at this place called Kirkgate’.
‘Very rural then?’ smiles Sarah.
‘Indeed, but maybe less than two hours away from where we’re sitting right now in the west end of Glasgow’. It was a good deal closer to the city than some of the ‘remote’ practices they’d looked at, which required combinations of ferries, road travel, and even flights to reach a semblance of urban life.
‘So, pretty darned good for location?’
‘Could well be. Now let’s see about further particulars’. The ad contained a contact name and telephone number at the Dumfries and Galloway Health Board. ‘So that’ll have to wait ‘til Monday morning. Shame the details aren’t online. Maybe they are a bit slow catching on down there.’
‘Andrew! That’s a bit mean. Just because your Glasgow practice manager is a computer wizz, doesn’t mean everyone is already travelling at speed on the information highway.’
‘Point taken! But maybe we can find out something about the could-he-be-retiring Dr Angus Weir. Let’s have a look on my new pal, Yahoo.’
They spend the next 15 minutes scrolling through news stories from Kirkgate, Dr Weir’s recent celebration of 10 years at the practice, his occasional pieces in local newspapers, warning about winter flu, encouraging people to have regular check-ups, giving advice on diet, alcohol and smoking cessation. Solid routine stuff. Clearly popular with local people, the biggest and most recent piece, is about Dr Weir receiving the MBE from the Queen, in Holyrood Palace.
‘It looks like Dr Weir has done a good job’ says Andrew, ‘and maybe he’s thinking about heading for the hills in the next few years. After we’ve got our feet under the table of course!’
Anne-Marie and Caitlin at primary school – In the original novel, these two good friends, in their early 30s, are consolidating their careers in music and the law. Here we see how that friendship stretches back to primary school.
The Kirkgate primary school first opened in 1909 and the sandstone building was designed with separate entrances at the front, for girls and for boys. Now everyone goes in and out at the side and as the afternoon bell strikes up, the first of the children start to emerge into the playground. In these early weeks as headteacher, Margaret has taken to standing there each afternoon. It’s a good chance to meet parents and carers and to get to know the children better.
Today, two girls from Primary 2 catch her eye.
‘Good afternoon girls. I hope you’ve had a good day?’
‘Yes Miss Shankland’ is the nervous-sounding reply that comes back in unison.
The girls are accompanied by a parent who looks just as nervous about speaking to the headteacher, however friendly she may seem. Margaret breaks the ice.
‘Its Mrs Vijay isn’t it? So this must be Caitlin, and this is …’
‘… Anne-Marie, Caitlin’s best friend. They’ve been pals since mother and toddler group. Aye getting up to tricks these two.’
The girls stand awkwardly, as they listen to the conversation about themselves.
Mrs Vijay goes on.
‘Anne-Marie is a great one for the music. Loves singing. Her mum told me she wants a fiddle for her 7th birthday.’
‘That sounds marvellous Anne-Marie, I’ll look forward to that. Looks like we might need you for the end of year celebration in the summer. And what about you Caitiin. What kind of things do you like doing?’
Caitlin tugs at the sleeve of her school sweatshirt and looks uncomfortable, but then speaks quite confidently.
‘Well I like reading books. I get my own for Christmas and birthdays, and I go to Kirkgate library every Saturday, with mum as well.’
‘And what sort of books do you like best?’
‘Well my favourite is Katie Morag.’
‘Oh really. They are good aren’t they.’
‘Yes, and Katie’s like me.’
‘And how is that?’
‘Because I’ve got a Granny Island too.’
Margaret looks a little confused and Mrs Vijay jumps in.
‘That’s my mother. She lives in Stornoway doesn’t she girls? And what language does she speak?’
Again in unison, the reply comes back with gusto.
‘Gallic!’ they shout.
‘Well that really is something. Next time we have a wee chat, you can tell me all about it. Now, I guess you’ll be wanting to get off home. See you in the morning girls!’.
Mrs Vijay and her two charges head for the school gate. The girls are completely silent, stunned by the enormity of chatting with Miss Frankland. Mrs Vijay is also pretty impressed.
That evening at bedtime, Caitlin tells her mum that for their next chat with the headteacher they can tell her that dad speaks another language too. Punjabi.
Senga shares her worries with the new doctor – There is a clue in here to a storyline that is fully developed in the first novel.
AS RECENTLY ARRIVED DOCTORS on the patch, and now in the knowledge that they are soon to be taking over the running of things, every day is a journey of discovery for Sarah and Andrew. They’re on a steep learning curve, guided by tutorials from Angus on the business aspects of the practice and the workings of the Health Board. Meanwhile, there are always patients to see, and if some are already becoming familiar, each session still brings new faces and new stories.
‘Good morning, Mrs Maxwell, I’m Dr Robertson and this must be Anne-Marie.’ A little girl stands at her mother’s knee. She has a curious look and is staring intently at Sarah, her shiny dark hair swept back from her forehead by a pretty headband. She’s wearing a grey skirt and a blue ‘Kirkgate Primary’ school top.
‘So what can I do for mum today?’
Senga Maxwell is here about a redness on her hands and arms. It comes and goes she says, and itches a lot.
Sarah does a careful examination, and although there is no obvious cause that would explain it, quickly diagnoses an urticarial rash, advises cool bathing and calamine lotion, but also prescribes a course of antihistamines. All fairly straightforward, but with the consultation apparently concluded, Mrs Maxwell remains seated, not yet ready to leave. Sarah waits.
‘There is something else doctor, but I don’t know whether I should mention it just now …’
‘OK …’
‘But it’s bothering me and my nerves are not so good.’ She looks sideways to Anne-Marie, who is playing quietly with her Tamagotchi. Sarah picks up the cue.
‘Anne-Marie. Would you maybe like to show that special new toy you’ve got to the lady in reception. She was asking me just today if I knew anything about them.’
Anne-Marie is happy to oblige. Sarah takes her hand and they go out to the waiting area, where a fuss is made over the little girl, during which the doctor slips back to her consulting room and closes the door.
‘She’s fine out there. Quite the centre of attention! Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?’
‘Well it’s about my husband …’
‘Is he unwell?’
‘No it’s not that. It’s something different.’
‘Yes?’
‘It’s hard to explain … He keeps going away and leaving us, like for two-three weeks at a stretch. Then just turns up again, without a word.’
‘And do you know where he goes?’
‘That’s just it, he never tells me and when I ask, he just clams up. Will nae speak for days at a time’.
‘So how long has this been going on?’
‘Started about two years ago and this is the third or fourth time. I never liked to mention it to Dr Weir, ‘cos he knows both of us, y’ ken, but when I saw we had new doctors in the village I thought I’d come and tell you.’
‘I see. And when your husband is at home, is there anything about his behaviour that worries you?’
‘Not really, he just gets on with his work.’
‘What does he do?’
‘Forestry … chainsaw, he can use those logging machines too. Always plenty of work. Quite good money.’
‘No unpleasant behaviour, heavy drinking … bad tempered?’
‘Nothing like that at all. Just this disappearing with no notice and for no reason.’
‘I can see this must be very upsetting for you. Have you talked to anyone else about it?’
‘No one at all. I just say to people he’s working away from home. But I’m not sure if he is or not.’
Sarah pauses for a moment, and decides on reassurance as the best option at this point.
‘Well I suggest that if this happens again, and you don’t still don’t know what’s going on, then you make an appointment to see me and we can talk further about what to do and where you might get help. How does that sound?’
‘Even just to have told someone Thank you! That’s a relief Doctor already …’
‘Well if there’s anything else in the meantime, do come back and see me.’
Together, they walk out to reception and say their cheerios.
‘I’ll see you again sometime Anne-Marie. Now you enjoy the rest of the day with your mum and look after that pet of yours.’
As they fasten coats and walk out of the building, Sarah watches them for a moment.
And what could be going on there? She thinks to herself.
So there we are, three short tasters from the developing story, with spoilers avoided. I do hope that they will give enjoyment to readers of Epiphanies and Robberies. In future snippets I may present some new characters who are caught up in the World War Two mystery. I’ve been trying to write a ‘high concept’ sentence to suggest what that main storyline is about. So far, it goes like this.
What if two women arrive in the same time and place, meet by chance, and then discover they are both searching for fathers they have never known?
Quotidian 