The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg (1824) — Not set in Inverness but essential for understanding the dark undercurrents of Scottish Presbyterian culture that shaped the Highlands. A disturbing psychological novel about religious fanaticism and guilt, written decades before Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde covered similar ground.
Culloden by John Prebble (1961) — The definitive account of the battle and its aftermath. Prebble writes with controlled fury about the destruction of Highland culture following 1746, tracing the personal stories of those on both sides. Essential reading before visiting the battlefield.
Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell (1960) — Maxwell's memoir of living in a remote Highland cottage with a pair of otters has become a classic of British nature writing. The West Highland landscape it describes is accessible from Inverness in a day's drive.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare (c. 1606) — The play is set partly in Inverness and the surrounding area, though Shakespeare's Scotland bears no resemblance to historical reality. Read it as context for Inverness Castle and Cawdor, where the tourist industry relies heavily on the association.