This comes out Tuesday....
As I noted long ago when I reviewed the
first book of this series, An American in Scotland: A Scottish Isle
Mystery by Lucy Connelly, I am not a cozy mystery kind of guy. I lean
more towards police procedurals as well as grittier mystery and crime fiction.
But, I enjoyed that first book quite a lot and have enjoyed every read since.
That includes the latest book, fifth in the series, Death at a Scottish
Halloween: A Scottish Isle Mystery.
Dr. Emilia McRoy left it all behind to
move to Sea Isle, Scotland, and she could not be happier. As the book begins,
she is working on her room in an extensive haunted house. Halloween, or as the locals
refer to it, All Hallows Eve, is a big deal. Doctor McRoy missed it last year due
to attending a wedding so her and her assistant, Abigail, are going all out to
create the spookiest doctor’s office ever. Their room is one of several that
people will walk through and experience scares a plenty.
It is a fun evening until, after nearly
everyone has left, they discover a body in the room across the hall from their
own. Not only is Duncan, a man they just met a few hours earlier, dead, a butcher
knife is planted in his chest. The same butcher knife that Dr. Emilia McRoy had
brought from home and was using as a prop in their horror scene. With all the
people that came through and the loud commotion these past hours, neither the
good doctor nor Abigail noticed who took it or when it went missing. But, it is
definitely is now planted in the dead man’s chest. Probably right through his
heart.
Despite the fact it was her knife that
is the murder weapon, and their multi hour close proximity to the victim, they
are never considered as suspects by Constable Ewan or the other locals.
Instead, as part of their jobs, they handle this situation as they have before
with other murders and get to work with the removal of the body, the autopsy,
and the investigation of the crime.
So, if they did not do it, then who did?
That is the question that Constable Ewan
and his team, along with the good doctor and Abigail must answer. A second
murder soon happens and that ratchets up the pressure. At the same time, other things
are going on and the good doctor is getting threats and more.
The latest in the series is another good
read. I recommend reading the series in order from the beginning as significant
character development has happened over the course of the series and relationships
have changed and evolved. Those who are fans of Halloween, or All Hallows Eve,
will get far more out of this read than those of us who don’t care for any of
it at all.
A very good read in a very good cozy
mystery series, Death at a Scottish Halloween: A Scottish Isle Mystery
by Lucy Connelly is well worth your time.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4eFU5wu
Entire Series Amazon Associate Purchase
Link: https://amzn.to/4uA7nj6
My digital ARC came from the publisher, Crooked
Lane Books, through NetGalley, with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
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