The Witch of Clan Sinclair

March 3, 2014
Even readers who believe that “there’s no more stirring sight... than a Scot in a kilt” will find that the meandering second Clan Sinclair historical—which, despite its title, has not the slightest touch of the supernatural—leaves them wanting. In 1872 Scotland, Mairi Sinclair, editor of the Edinburgh Gazette, is denied entrance to the Edinburgh Press Club due to her gender. The do-nothing response of Logan Harrison, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, encourages Mairi to pen a combative broadside, which results in a loss of subscribers and intimidated sources. But when Mairi arrives at Logan’s house to confront him, she inexplicably meets Logan’s dare to view the “truss” under his kilt, beginning a rather odd flirtation that leaves Mairi, Logan, and the reader wondering what is going on. After Mairi spends the night at Logan’s not once but twice, she still refuses his marriage proposal, suggesting a heroine with a muddled understanding of what she wants.