An endearing outlier, Brian lives alone in a Welsh valley, inventing oddball contraptions that seldom work. After finding a discarded mannequin head, Brian gets an idea. Three days, a washing machine, and sundry spare parts later, he’s invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and proves a charming, cheeky companion. Before long, however, Charles also develops autonomy. Intrigued by the wider world — or whatever lies beyond the cottage where Brian has hidden him away — Charles craves adventure.

A private security contractor in Iraq rejects the official explanation of his friend's death and decides to investigate.

On the run and in trouble, a desperate young criminal falls for a bored waitress in a remote Highland hotel.

When her father's puppet samurai show gets ambushed by a notorious gang, Tornado vows to seek vengeance and forge her own destiny by stealing their ill-gotten gold.

Ordinary young couple Gemma and Richard have just bought their first home and are expecting a baby. It's all very exciting, and the couple settles in nicely to their new pad. Except for the screaming and shouting they hear at all times of the night through their walls from the house next door. Listening more closely, pregnant Gemma is convinced that she's also hearing cries and smacking noises, which she is certain are the sounds of a toddler being abused. She and Richard have seen the child just once, but not since. Feeling morally obliged to act, the couple gather as much information as possible about what's going on next door. And after social services say there's nothing to worry about, Gemma becomes increasingly obsessed and she starts to spy on them in a way that raises questions about who is actually committing the crime — Gemma's neighbours, or Gemma?

Two private bankers, Alistair and Jamie, who have the world at their feet get their kicks from playing a 12 hour game of hunt, hide and seek with people from the margins of society. Their next target is Sean Macdonald a parentless teenager who lives with his sister on a housing estate on the outskirts of Edinburgh. She's in debt, he's going nowhere fast. Sean agrees to play for cash.

Detective Harry Hole investigates the disappearance of a woman whose pink scarf is found wrapped around an ominous looking snowman.

Hector has been living on the motorways for years. His once comfortable family life has been replaced by a never-ending tour of service stations that offer him shelter, anonymity, washing facilities and food. The story follows his journey south from Scotland on his annual pilgrimage to a temporary Christmas shelter in London where he finds comfort, friendship and warmth. Over the course of his Homeric journey, Hector decides to reconnect with his long estranged past. As his previous life catches up with him, the story of how he came to be leading a marginal life begins to emerge.

How the spirit of unity, which buoyed Britain during the war years, carried through to create a vision of a fairer, united society.

Forced into exile by the English after being crowned King of Scotland, legendary warrior Robert the Bruce fights to reclaim the throne.