Friday, 6 September 2024

Murder in the Scottish Highlands - Dee Macdonald

Majestic mountain views, whisky by the fire and… a murder to solve? 

Join Ally McKinley at her cosy little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands as she tackles her first puzzling case!

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 realises 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.

My Review:

I've read all of Dee MacDonald's Kate Palmer series and really enjoyed them, so when this new series began I was keen to read it too. This time we are in the Scottish Highlands with Ally McKinley, who has moved there to open a guest house from Edinburgh after the death of her husband. She has converted an old malt house and now is looking forward to hosting her guests, unfortunately, one of her first guests turns up dead on her doorstep and she finds herself trying to get to the bottom of what happened.


I really enjoyed the new characters introduced in this book and the setting for the story. The murder itself took a little figuring out, but I think I got there just a bit before Ally. I also liked the way that her new puppy and then potential love interest were all added into the mix.


This is a good read and a strong start to a new series. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Ally soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Author Bio:


Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

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