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Stories Set in Edinburgh

Stories Set in Edinburgh — top stories

Split personalities on split levels — Old Town closes, New Town salons, Leith pubs and festival stages. These ten span Deacon Brodie to Rebus; also explore Historic Edinburgh (1600–1900).

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10 famous stories set in Edinburgh

Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-04). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.

Browse 87 books, 31 movies and 3 games set in Edinburgh.

Trainspotting

Trainspotting

Figment Films-Film4 Productions-The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company
movie

Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends -- Sick Boy Begbie Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend Diane along for the ride. After cleaning up…

Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland; London, UKTime Period: 1990s
One Day

One Day

Color Force-Film4 Productions
movie

A romantic comedy centered on Dexter and Emma who first meet during their graduation in 1988 and proceed to keep in touch regularly. The film follows what they do on July 15 annually usually doing something together.

Setting: London, UK; Edinburgh, UK; Paris, FranceTime Period: 1988-2011
Frankenstein

Frankenstein

Netflix
movie

Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation.

Setting: Europe: Switzerland; Germany; ArcticTime Period: Historical: 19th Century
T2 Trainspotting

T2 Trainspotting

Creative Scotland-DNA Films-TriStar Pictures-Decibel Films-Film4 Productions-Cloud Eight Films
movie

After 20 years abroad Mark Renton returns to Scotland and reunites with his old friends Sick Boy Spud and Begbie.

Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland, UKTime Period: 2010s
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart

Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart

Canal+-France 3 Cinéma-EuropaCorp-France Télévisions-Walking The Dog-uFilm-Ciné+-La Région Île-de-France-Fonds Film in Vlaanderen-uFund-Duran-Screen Flanders-uMedia Family-Vlaams Agentschap Ondernemen-Vlaanderen in Actie
movie

In Scotland 1874 Jack is born on the coldest day ever. Because of the extreme cold his heart stops beating. The responsible midwife in Edinburgh finds a way to save him by replacing his heart with a clock. So he lives…

Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland, UKTime Period: 1874
Filth

Filth

Egoli Tossell Film-Entre Chien et Loup-Steel Mill Pictures-Filmgate Films-Logie Pictures-Altitude Film Entertainment-Film House Germany-Maven Screen Media
movie

A bigoted junkie cop suffering from bipolar disorder and drug addiction manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter.

Setting: Edinburgh, Scotland, UKTime Period: Contemporary
The Illusionist

The Illusionist

Sony Pictures Classics-Canal+-France 3 Cinéma-Allied Filmmakers-Django Films-CinéCinéma-Pathé-France 3-Ciné B
movie

A French illusionist travels to Scotland to work. He meets a young woman in a small village. Their ensuing adventure in Edinburgh changes both their lives forever.

Setting: Scotland, UK; Edinburgh, UKTime Period: Early 20th Century
Dishonored

Dishonored

game

Dishonored is an immersive first-person action game that casts you as a supernatural assassin driven by revenge. With Dishonored’s flexible combat system, creatively eliminate your targets as you combine the…

Setting: London, England;Edinburgh, ScotlandTime Period: Industrial Era analogue
Voyager

Voyager

by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author)
book

From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades…

Setting: ['Le Havre (France)', 'Hispaniola', 'Jamaica', 'Lallybroch, Scotland (United Kingdom)', 'Ardsmuir, Scotland (United Kingdom)', 'Culloden Moor, Inverness-shire, Scotland', 'Helwater', 'Edinburgh, Scotland', 'Inverness, Scotland', 'Scottish Highlands']Time Period: 1760; Jacobite Risings
Bridget Jones's Diary

Bridget Jones's Diary

by Helen Fielding (Goodreads Author), Хелен Филдинг
book

Meet Bridget Jones—a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if she could:a. lose 7 poundsb. stop smokingc. develop Inner Poise"123 lbs. (how is it possible to put on 4 pounds in the middle…

Setting: ['London, England', 'Edinburgh, Scotland']Time Period: 1996

The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 121 in the catalogue for this entry. For the full live catalogue, open Edinburgh in the StoryTerra app. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.

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