Today I am reviewing "Murder in the Scottish Highlands” the first instalment in An Ally McKinley Mystery series by Dee MacDonald set in the in the quaint village of Loccharran. What a great start to a new series.
Join Ally McKinley at her cosy little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands for whisky by the fire, beautiful mountain views and… a murder to solve?
For recently retired Ally McKinley, the tiny village of Locharran is the perfect place to open the guesthouse of her dreams in a lovingly restored old Scottish malthouse. Before long she is making friends with the locals, including Hamish Sinclair, the earl who owns the nearby castle. But things take an unexpected turn when her first paying guest, American tourist Wilbur Carrington, is found sprawled across her cobblestoned courtyard with a dagger in his back…
With the police baffled, Ally’s instincts get the better of her, and she can’t resist launching her own investigation. In no time at all she and her Labrador puppy Flora are on the case, making enquiries over tea and excellent shortbread. She finds that Wilbur, a keen amateur genealogist, was convinced that he was the rightful Earl of Locharran… Even worse, he had plans that would put many people out of their jobs and even their homes.
But which of the locals resorted to murder? The hotel owner furiously trying to save his business? Locharran Castle’s fiercely loyal housekeeper who’d do anything for the earl? Or the earl himself, whose entire way of life was threatened by what Wilbur knew?
Looking for clues, Ally finds a faded photograph in a hidden drawer in Wilbur’s room. Could this be the key to solving the mystery? But when one of her suspects dies in a suspicious accident, Ally realizes that things are getting a wee bit too close for comfort… Can she uncover the truth or will a killer get off scot-free?
An utterly unputdownable new Scottish cosy mystery series from bestselling author Dee MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.
Author Dee MacDonald is a new to me but I had heard this was a good cozy mystery. This story follows Ally McKinley, a retired widow who's renovated a historic malt house into a charming bed and breakfast in the quaint village of Loccharran.
When one of Ally's guests is found murdered, she becomes entangled in a complex investigation. The victim, an American claiming to be the true Earl of Loccharran, had planned to build an amusement park on his "inherited" land, sparking tensions among the villagers. As Ally works to help solve the mystery, she must navigate a web of suspects, each with secrets and motives.
While this book had a lot of characters to keep track of, I had no trouble following along, I enjoyed Dee MacDonald's writing style and the charming Scottish Highlands setting. This was a quick, engaging read, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the series develops.
Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, Scottish settings, and amateur sleuths
⭐️⭐️⭐️
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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