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We each hold a precious memory of that special someone from our past--the one we loved but did not choose
--what if you had that choice again?

THE POET OF LOCH NESS

Something's in the water,
                                                         But the mystery is in the heart.

Go to book synopsis

                
Winner of the 2006 AUTHOR OF THE YEAR award for first fiction.
              –The Georgia Writers Association (click here to read more)

A "Reading Group Gold" selection: click here for the "Reading Group Gold" guide

"One of the top 100 books of 2005: #2 in fiction"
              –The Kansas City Star

Selected a 2005 "Notable Title" by Book Sense
and the Independent Booksellers of America

Named by the Associated Press as "one of the five most notable debuts of 2005"

Winner, Bancroft Fiction Award.

Winner, Florida First Coast Novel Prize.

Finalist, Townsend Prize in Literature.

"an atmospheric, bravely affecting debut"
              –Kirkus Reviews

"[T]his is a mysterious love story fused with a legend . . . That feeling wells up in The Poet of Loch Ness thanks to Corrigan's ethereal prose . . . 'People who believe in soul mates . . . should read this book.'"
              –John Mark Eberhart, Kansas City Star

"Most publishing houses make a big to-do over new authors and readers hungry for a fresh new voice anxiously await the book’s release. More often than not, however, the writing does not measure up to the hype. There are the rare exceptions, and Brian Corrigan is one of them. Although there was not a lot of fuss over Corrigan’s debut last year, the ethereal prose and mysterious plot lines in “The Poet of Loch Ness,” prove him worthy of running with the big guns of publishing.
"The main plot in Corrigan’s luminous story revolves around Perry and Perdita Miggs, a mismatched couple living in a kind of suspended animation . . . Perry has a fellowship to study flora and fauna at Loch Ness near Iubhar, Scotland . . . Perdita not only studied in St. Andrews; she fell hopelessly in love with one Andrew McGruer, a brilliant Scottish student. It's a love from which Perdita has never completely recovered . . . The story of Andrew's devotion to his son is another thread of the tapestry which makes this story so rich and satisfying.
"To reveal more would rob you of a most wonderful reading experience. Get this book. Savor its well-crafted prose, clever plot twists and turns, and prepare to be enchanted. Enjoy!"
              –Terry Mathews News-Telegram Arts Editor (Sulphur Springs, TX, February 2007)

"The magic and mystery of the Scottish Highlands come together in this opulent, elegiac tale of lost love and renewed desire . . . Corrigan is the true poet here, rhapsodically combining the taut foreboding of a thrilling mystery, the ethereal caprice of a legendary fantasy, and the lyrical emotion of a poignant romance in this stunning debut novel."
              –Carol Haggas, Booklist

"The Poet of Loch Ness is mysterious, romantic and magical. In simplest terms, it is a grand love story, but it is so much more than that. It is about resolving passions of the heart, the intellect and the body; passions that are as elusive as Nessie in the Loch. This book will make you feel the undercurrents of your own hidden longings."
              –The Brown BookLoft to read full review click here

"Set against the backdrop of the search for the Loch Ness monster, this is a book with a lot of story lines going on, and it accomplishes it brilliantly. The Poet of Loch Ness is brimful of believable dialogue, lush descriptions, well-researched geographical information, and a healthy dose of romance and intrigue thrown in for good measure. Expect a twist at the end of the tale; something that is subtly hinted at throughout and that won�t disappoint."
              –Anne Pepper Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

"This affecting debut novel will draw you into the mystery and allure of Scotland. The undying love and puzzling events add up to a page turner that will leave you happy to be a reader at the end. The author's knowledge of classic literature is evident in this moving story. You'll thank us for introducing you to a new author."
              –Valerie Koehler Blue Willow Bookstore Houston, TX

"This is a lovely first novel, heavy with the cadence and speech of the Scottish and blessed with a poet's depiction of life on the 'unfashionable' side of Loch Ness. The mysterious and mystical setting takes one's breath away and the story gives it back, big deep breaths of the Scottish highland air."
              –Jeanne Regentin, Between the Covers Bookstore, Harbor Springs, MI

"Corrigan's list of characters is refreshing. His portrayal . . . is an example of classic writing . . . I strongly recommend to the readers of this review to purchase and read this novel."
              –Claude Marsilla The Post-Gazette (Boston, Massachusetts) July 15, 2005.

"Lushly lyrical writing, and a splendid grasp of that contradictory atmosphere of the Highlands, where matter-of-factness and myth live hand-in-hand"
              –Diana Gabaldon (bestselling author of the Outlander series)

"The book is enchanting. The characters broke my heart several times over. I loved it!"
              –Candace Robb (author of the bestselling Margaret Kerr of Perth series)

"[T]he Loch Ness monster exists in Corrigan's world, rearing its head from time to time, giving the characters a taste of the majesty that lingers just below the water. The human characters do not capture and exploit it; they simply wait for it to show itself. And that is how they treat each other, too; with an understanding affection and patience that defies a black-and-white view of human emotion. Whatever realistic imperfections they suffer–drinking, violence, infidelity–are painted as colorful impressions, lyrical and flowing and always triumphed by love."
              –Claire Suddath, Nashville Scene

"A mysterious and uncanny tale, an unforgettable journey into the depths of the heart and the Highlands. How deep do your monsters lurk?"
              –David Poyer (bestselling author of A Country of Our Own and The Command)

To purchase a personalized, autographed copy, please click here

An Amazon.com "top 100" reviewed book. Read what readers are saying about THE POET OF LOCH NESS by clicking here:

SYNOPSIS
"St. Andrews looms now in my imagination like the sea swept islands of Homer, vast and mythic. I'm sure I never thought so back then. But how full a vision becomes when it is dwelt upon and cherished, how ripe when perspective and years creep under the skin of remembrance.
"And now, oh now, St. Andrews and Scotland ring in my imagination like Troy, magnificent and tragic."

THE POET OF LOCH NESS is the epic recollection of first love, art, loss, and compromise along the shores of the Great Loch Ness.

From the uncertain gloamin of the Highland mountains to the murky waters of Loch Ness, a woman at the end of youth explores the nearly-tangible mysteries of nostalgia, enchantment, and devotion.

THE POET OF LOCH NESS tells the story of Perdita Miggs, a clever woman with a mind all her own. She is the attractive wife of a pleasant, meek but boring professor of marine biology.

Perdita's dream of returning to Scotland is realized when her husband obtains a summer grant to study Loch Ness. Perdita begins reliving her vernal year: the year she spent at the university in St. Andrews. In the short course of a few days she becomes part of the wild Highland world she has longed for over the past seventeen years.

Throughout her desperate, often poignant and humorous search for contentment, Perdita begins to understand the cryptic message of an old man: only the pastness of our past is past.

But there is something else swimming under the waters of Perdita's world, and she is too blinded by Scotland's beauty to recognize that her husband's odd behavior in bringing her to the Highlands hides his ulterior, foreboding motivation.

The story concerns itself with human relationships and the all-important quest for mystery in life and in love; in the end the creature of the water comes to represent the mystery that glides beneath the surface of us all.

Images from the novel:

The Caledonian Canal from Neptune's Staircase at Fort William to Fort Augustus and the southern tip of Loch Ness:

Images of Loch Ness:

Loch Ness from high in the Mountains.


The rainbows at Loch Ness are second to none. On a rainy day the whole glen can be transformed into a cathedral of rainbows.

Images of St. Andrews:


Damaris's photograph of the castle.


The castle pool where Diana took her memorable swim.


The West Port, where Andrew first kissed Perdita.


St. Rules Tower where Andrew and Perdita said good-bye seventeen years before.

A photo montage of the trip along Lade Brae's Walk, following the Kinness Burn, to the monument remembering the site of Archbishop Sharpe's murder. This is the walk Kira takes with Breton Trent and young Aidan when Trent declares his love for her. You will see pictured the stone bridge where this scene occurs.

Archbishop Sharpe's monument.


And back to Loch Ness. Urquhart Castle just across the loch from Iubhar, the imaginary town of the novel.

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