Some crimes end at the gallows. Others begin there.Edinburgh, 1788. Young Una Luath works as a servant in a grand house at Calton Neuk. After she's betrayed by the very people meant to protect her, Una is cast out into the city's closes and wynds, forced to survive among thieves and outcasts.Under the guidance of unlikely mentors, she becomes familiar with the hidden rules of Edinburgh's underworld... and learns of Judge Neville Buchanan, also known as the Colonel.After Una's newfound family is targeted by the Colonel's men, the fragile balance of her life is shattered. But Una is not one to give up easily, and she's ready to seek revenge on those who have wronged her.A tale of survival, courage and mystery set in 18th century Scotland, THE MAKING OF A CRIMINAL is the first book in the Journals of Una Luath series by Helen Susan Swift. Born in Edinburgh and bred in the Scottish countryside, Helen Susan Swift currently lives in the north-east of the country. Happily married, she works two jobs as well as writing in a variety of genres. Her interests include folklore and history, as well as hill-walking, nature and football, following Aberdeen FC and Ayr United.She grew up visiting castles and stories, which gave her books a slight quirk when compared to others of the genres in which she writes. It is foibles and cares of people that interest her, the impact of image over reality and the realisation of the true depth of love rather than the shallow desire for material advantage.
