The books being read by criminals in prison have been revealed - and some of them contain very violent themes.

HMP Inverness has disclosed details of the novels requested by inmates following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS).

A spokesman for the SPS confirmed that in 2024, a total of 52 books were reserved for borrowers at the prison.

HMP Inverness serves courts in the Highlands, Islands, and Moray and holds an average of 117 prisoners, including those on remand, individuals serving sentences of up to four years, and others awaiting transfer to their designated prisons.

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A prison spokesman told the Inverness Courier that all book requests are screened to ensure no inappropriate material enters the facility. If a book is deemed unsuitable, inmates are informed.

However, the FOI request revealed that books featuring themes of murder, assassinations, violent protagonists, theft, and other crimes were among those read by prisoners.

Among the books requested was 11.22.63 by Stephen King, a novel about the assassination of JFK, along with 22 Dead Little Bodies and Other Stories by Stuart MacBride, a collection of detective thrillers.

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, featuring a former military policeman known for his combat skills and ability to handle violence, was a popular choice. Titles including Never Go Back, 61 Hours, Personal, and Worth Dying For were among the 52 books read last year.

Crime and thriller novels dominated the reading list at HMP Inverness. Zoo 2, a crime mystery by James Patterson about a violent animal siege, and Out for Blood, a detective thriller by Deborah Masson, were also among the selections.

However, not all inmates opted for escapism through violent fiction. A few requested books fell into the self-help and educational categories.

One such book was Cholesterol: The Essential Guide by Sara Kirkham, which advises readers on maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system through diet and lifestyle changes. Other titles included The Home Plumbing Manual by Andy Blackwell and Sociology: A Global Introduction by John Macionis.

Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***, a book that challenges conventional self-help advice by arguing that struggles give life meaning, also made the list.

Classic literature, including The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was also read by inmates.

The full list of books requested by inmates can be seen below:

According to the Inspectorate of Prisons (IP), many prisoners had a disrupted education as children, and research suggests that more than 50 per cent are functionally illiterate.

Explaining the significance of reading in prisons, the IP Chief Inspector explained: “It is not just the emerging or non-readers who need help - many prisoners need to improve their reading skills to increase their employability upon release.

“Reading, however, is not just about securing a job or understanding applications, complaints, or legal documents. It is much more.

“Reading stimulates imagination, builds empathy, and provides an opportunity to escape into a different world. As the writer George R.R. Martin put it: ‘A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… The man who never reads lives only one.’”

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