T.L. Huchu is back with the second book in the Edinburgh Nights series. When Ropa Moyo discovered an occult underground library, she expected great things; instead, the secret societies she discovered aren’t quite as into her as she is them. This second instalment, Our Lady of the Mysterious Ailments, leads readers to a lost fortune, an avenging spirit and a secret buried deep in Scotland’s past. To mark its publication, T.L. Huchu tells BooksfromScotland about some of his favourite books.

Our Lady of the Mysterious Ailments
By T. L. Huchu
Published by Tor

The book as . . . memory. What is your first memory of books and reading?

I have fond memories of my childhood, tucked in bed with my mother reading A Kiss For Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik or The Bike Lesson by the Berenstains. When you are young you can listen to the same story over and over, and still enjoy it as much you did the first time. There are no diminishing returns. Those two books still represent to me what perfect storytelling is all about.

The book as . . . your work. Tell us about your latest book Our Lady of the Mysterious Ailments. What did you want to explore in writing it? How does it fit in your Edinburgh Nights series?

When Ropa Moyo discovered an occult underground library, she expected great things. She’s really into Edinburgh’s secret societies – but turns out they are less into her. So instead of getting paid to work magic, she’s had to accept a crummy unpaid internship. And her with bills to pay and a pet fox to feed.

Then her friend Priya offers her a job on the side. Priya works at Our Lady of Mysterious Maladies, a very specialized hospital, where a new illness is resisting magical and medical remedies alike. The first patient was a teenage boy, Max Wu, and his healers are baffled. If Ropa can solve the case, she might earn as she learns – and impress her mentor, Sir Callander.

Her sleuthing will lead her to a lost fortune, an avenging spirit and a secret buried deep in Scotland’s past. But how are they connected? Lives are at stake and Ropa is running out of time.

The book as . . . inspiration. What is your favourite book that has informed how you see yourself?

Reading James Lovelock’s Gaia which describes the global interdependence of the Earth’s ecosystems shook me out of a certain kind of individualism. You can’t read the book and not come to the conclusion we are a small part of a much larger whole, and that our actions have consequences on systems we barely even understand.

The book as . . . education. What is your favourite book that made you look at the world differently?

I enjoy popular science. There are many great communicators out there who do a brilliant job of distilling cutting edge theory into consumable content. The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene is one such book. It is written about string theory, but I find the most interesting aspect is this consuming quest for the ultimate knowledge about the universe in which we live which has eluded our finest minds since we became human.

The book as . . . an object. What is your favourite beautiful book?

So many beautiful books to choose from. But Joey Hi-Fi’s design of Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City which won a BSFA award is just striking.

The book as . . . entertainment. What is your favourite rattling good read?

Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series is utterly brilliant. It’s funny, fast paced, and filled with incredible characters. London is the primary character, or at least was before the series branched out, and you learn so many fascinating facts, both historical and contemporary. I absolutely adore what Aaronovitch has done here.

The book as . . . a relationship. What is your favourite book that bonded you to someone else?

It’s very rare you get read to as an adult, which is such a pity. Maybe that’s why some of us mainline on audiobooks. My partner and I took turns reading chapters of Aminatta Forna’s The Memory of Love to one another. You just sink into the gorgeous prose and the immersive storytelling.

The book as . . . rebellion. What is your favourite book that felt like it revealed a secret truth to you?

When I was younger and seeking answers about the world in which we live, I was drawn to philosophy. Bertrand Russell’s A History of Western Philosophy was a brilliant crash course. I came out of it with the realisation that no one knows what’s going on. We’re just making this shit up as we go along.

The book as . . . technology. What has been your favourite reading experience off the page?

What does this question even mean?

The book as . . . a destination. What is your favourite book set in a place unknown to you?

I love Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor’s The Dragonfly Sea, which is an exquisitely crafted story about China-Kenya links via Turkey and the Indian Ocean.

The book as . . . the future. What are you looking forward to reading next?

I can’t wait to get stuck into Okwiri Oduor’s upcoming debut, Things They Lost.

Our Lady of the Mysterious Ailments by T. L. Huchu is published by Tor, priced £16.99.