I really think I have a Diana Gabaldon addiction. I know a lot of people that don't care for the Lord John books because they aren't Jamie and Claire, and they aren't written in quite the same style. For me, I just love reading Diana Gabaldon's writing. Her characters are so alive to me, and funny, and quirky, that I think I would read just about anything she put down on paper, probably even her grocery list.
With that said, yes, I finished The Scottish Prisoner. I've had people ask for my opinion, to see if it's worth reading, and I will say, yes, it's worth reading if you need to get a Jamie fix, but if you really don't like the Lord John books, not reading this isn't going to leave you lost when the next Outlander book comes out.
(Not a reader? Let me explain, Diana Gabaldon has written a seven book series (starting with Outlander) featuring Jamie and Claire. She has also been writing a series of "shorter" novels about a character from the Outlander novels (Lord John) that do not feature Jamie and Claire. The two series are very different, despite having many characters in common. Because I'm madly in love with Ms. Gabaldon's writing, I've read all of her books and enjoyed them all thoroughly, but for many, the Outlander books with Jamie and Claire are enough for them.)
The Scottish Prisoner is a Lord John book that is actually split between Lord John and Jamie Frasier. It takes place during Jamie's stay at Hellwater while he is a paroled prisoner after the Jacobite Rising. This book fills in some gaps in the relationship between Jamie and John that had, up to this novel, been unaddressed. Honestly, I think there's a lot more Jamie in this book than John, but I'm not complaining. As usual for a Lord John book, there's mystery, murder and detective work in store. While it's perhaps not one of the better Lord John books from a storyline perspective, it's a really great addition for filling in some background about Jamie Frasier and his friendship with Lord John. And, really, anything with Jamie Frasier in it is fine with me. It's impossible not to fall in love with him. Impossible.
So, if you're on the fence about this one, but a big Gabaldon fan, I say read it. You'll get a Jamie fix and get some interesting background that applies to the Outlander novels. Plus, you've got to give Lord John some credit for being the funniest homosexual 18th century crime solver in literature.
