Reviewed by Essien Asian for Readers' Favorite

As the vote for union with England draws nearer, the people of Scotland are thrown into turmoil as those in favor and those against it make their views public in sometimes violent ways. Doctor Malcolm Forrester's main interest is in caring for his patients and building a practice that will eventually assist him to become financially independent from the financial domination of his brother George. All that changes, however, when George is attacked at a parliamentary session. There are rumors of a shadowy organization bent on influencing the vote to favor their agenda, using any means necessary even if that means permanently removing popular figures such as the Forresters. Malcolm sets personal squabbles aside to aid his brother but there is another motive for his altruism and it is steeped in revenge in Saltire Captured (The Torrport Diaries Book 3) by Albert Marsolais.

I love the way the banter between the characters is era-appropriate with Albert Marsolais going the extra mile of adding the famous Scotch inflection in the conversations. His characters are expertly thought out as they have backstories that are simple enough to understand without making their motivation obvious to the reader. Malcolm's interactions with Elspeth Macleod had me wondering at times whether there was more to their relationship than just professional courtesy. The sibling rivalry angle is brought to life spectacularly but what stands out the most for me is the impressive manner in which Marsolais builds an exciting storyline around a key historic event. Saltire Captured is a great work from a truly gifted writer.