Whether you’re jet-setting to a faraway place or savoring the last days of summer lounging by the pool, THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN by Rhys Bowen deserves a spot in your bag. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Scotland’s Isle of Skye, this captivating novel follows a ghostwriter who uncovers long-buried family secrets, where mystery, romance, and danger intertwine in unforgettable ways.
LIGHTNING ROUND
What’s your favorite way to spend a slow August afternoon?
Ideally at the beach. I have a favorite little beach on the San Francisco Bay only ten minutes from my house. Just listening to the lap of the waves is so soothing.
What snack, drink, or sweet treat always finds its way to your desk when writing?
When I’m working I don’t usually eat or drink. Maybe a cup of tea occasionally but I’m fully concentrating on my work.
If your main character could plan the perfect late-summer getaway, where would they go?
My main character in THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN is a young Australian girl. I think she dreams of going to Italy, although in the story she finds herself going to the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
What’s one thing that instantly helps you slip into a creative mindset?
Knowing I have a looming deadline! I write two books plus a year. I don’t have time to let the muse land on my shoulder. But I need quiet, my own space and no interruptions.
THE LATE-SUMMER SPARK
August can feel like a season of transition, with summer winding down and new routines on the horizon. In what ways did this story represent a new direction or challenge for you as a writer?
This story was a big challenge for me because part of the book is a novel written by another (fictional) writer—a book within a book. I had to write in her style, and in her style when she is getting dementia.
What was the very first image, line, or idea that sparked this book?
What if a writer suddenly found she couldn’t finish her book? That was the initial idea but the vision of a castle, set on a rock in the wilds of Scotland was my very vivid setting.
Tell us about a scene that changed significantly from your first draft to your final version. What made you rethink it?
The first scene in the book. I started off telling too much of the character’s back story and I realized we needed to find out gradually as the book progressed.
Many authors say their characters “talk back.” Did any character surprise you or take the story somewhere unexpected?
One of the characters spoke to another character quite unexpectedly with a warning. It was quite exciting.
Setting can shape a story in powerful ways. What role does the setting play in your book, and what inspired you to choose it?
This book takes place mainly on the Isle of Skye. I would say that the setting of the island is itself a major character in the book. The rugged mountains and that bleak stone castle jutting out over the water are such important parts of the book. We sense it as a place of beauty but danger as it changes the life of the major character.
Late summer often brings a sense of reflection and nostalgia. Did any personal experiences, memories, or favorite places inspire parts of the story?
Absolutely. I recalled an adventurous vacation I had had on the Isle of Skye, of taking a hike up a mountain and being trapped by sudden mist. I remembered the feeling of realizing the danger of the place, the sudden drop on one side of us and not being able to see more than a few feet.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
What’s a behind-the-scenes detail about writing this book that readers might never guess?
That I lived in Australia around the time this book is set. I was also a young woman in London in the Swinging Sixties, with my Vidal Sassoon Haircut and Mary Quant!
August is a wonderful time to squeeze in a few more summer reads. Which books are currently at the top of your TBR pile?
Kate Quinn’s THE ASTRAL LIBRARY and THE MUSEUM OF SECOND CHANCES.
Every book comes with its challenges. Was there a moment during this one that reminded you why you fell in love with writing?
With the challenge of writing a book within a book in another writer’s style to then have my character experience exactly what the character within that book had experienced as they cross over the sea to Skye. A lovely lyrical, introspective passage.
If readers could step inside one scene from your book and experience it in real life, which scene would you choose and why?
I think the scene I mentioned above: that ferry crossing from Scotland to Skye and its symbolic feeling of rebirth/reinvention.
LOOKING AHEAD
Can you give readers a sneak peek into your next project, minus any spoilers?
I can. I have finished this year’s Royal Spyness novel. It’s the twentieth in the series and takes place during the coronation of King George and Queen Elizabeth in 1937. Lots of drama.
Also, I am just finishing up next year’s big standalone called THE LANGUAGE OF LOST BIRDS. It’s about a rare book from the fourteen hundreds, how it came to be written and what happens when it is discovered in the present. Two parallel stories in 1450 and the present day England.
Where can readers connect with you and keep up with your latest writing news? Please share your website, social media handles, newsletter, or other favorite places to connect.
Readers can join my newsletter list through my website, and follow me on Facebook, and my private Facebook group Tea with Rhys.
BONUS: The Author’s Playlist
Share 3–5 songs that capture the mood of your book or helped inspire you while writing.
I’m a classical music fan. Mendelssohn’s Finga’s Cave captures the mood of the rugged Scottish Island.
THE CASTLE IN THE GLEN by Rhys Bowen
A Novel
A ghostwriter plunges into danger as she unravels the dark secrets of a powerful Scottish family in a thrilling novel of romance and mystery by the bestselling author of Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.
Australian writer Emma Callander has been recruited to complete the final historical mystery in a series by celebrated author Iris Blackburn. It’s 1965, and Iris’s memory is fading. She’s certain that only Emma can do justice to her novel about a murder on the Isle of Skye. When Emma ventures to Scotland for research, she discovers the story is not fiction at all but rather a true crime, unsolved for more than fifty years.
It was 1904 when a couple’s suspicious drowning led to the disappearance of a mysterious young woman the locals called the Wild Girl. To this day the mystery is unforgettable, especially among the descendants of an aristocratic family who’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried. From the misty Highlands to a medieval castle, Emma and Tony Gordon, Iris’s handsome lawyer, work ever more closely to uncover them.
But while Iris may be known for her fiendishly clever twists, there’s one not even Emma could have seen coming.
Romance Historical [ Amazon Publishing, On Sale: August 4, 2026, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781662527227 / eISBN: 9781662527203 ]
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About Rhys Bowen
Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including The Venice Sketchbook, nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel; The Victory Garden; The Tuscan Child; and the World War II-based In Farleigh Field, winner of the Left Coast Crime Award for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
Bowen’s work has won over twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world, including over 60,000 Facebook followers.
Her Evan Evans series, set in Wales, is currently being reissued by Joffe Books in the U.K.
A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona.
Royal Spyness | Molly Murphy | Constable Evans
WEBSITE | BLOG | GOODREADS | AMAZON | FACEBOOK | TWITTER
About Jennifer Vido
Jennifer Vido is the author of The Gull Island Series, sweet Lowcountry romances inspired by her love of coastal living and small-town charm. Serendipity by the Sea won Best First Book from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest, and Baltimore Magazine readers named her Best Local Author in 2024 and 2025. A Vanderbilt graduate, Jennifer traded in teaching French to follow her dream of becoming an author. She loves discovering and sharing literary gems through her Jen’s Jewels column, celebrating the books that make her heart happy. Jennifer lives in Maryland with her husband and is mom to two grown sons. Her rescue dog, Fripp, is her constant companion, though he’s better at napping than editing. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her at the beach with her toes in the sand, dreaming about her next romance.
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