Scottish Isle Mysteries #5
All Hallow’s Eve celebrations are underway in tiny Sea Isle, Scotland. American Dr. Emilia McRoy, a new resident who is the town’s only doctor and coroner, is busy working at the local haunted house. It’s good, safe fun until she and her assistant, Abigail, realize that one of the fake bodies in the haunted house is an actual dead body – and a murder victim.
Dr. Em’s boyfriend, Constable Ewan Campbell, is investigating the murder and tries to keep her out of it, but Em’s compassion for the victim’s family compels her to assist in the case. And it’s a complicated case involving multiple victims, mistaken identities, and possible theft. The killer seems to be looking for something, but what? Is there a connection between the two victims or just a mistaken identity, and is there a connection to a mysterious puzzle box from a local estate sale?
It’s fun to experience Scottish food, traditions, and holidays through Dr. Em’s American eyes. Scottish and American traditions are not too dissimilar and the tiny village setting is appealing. This is the first book I’ve read in this series and I like Dr. Em so much I had to read the descriptions of the previous books (which I’ve added to Mount To Be Read) to learn that Scotland is a new start for her after leaving behind ER work in Seattle. Events central to previous books include murder at a wedding, murders on two different holidays, and one on a train! I adore these traditional cozy elements.
The publisher describes the series as charming as Jane Austen with a mix of traditional cozy elements, Scottish atmosphere, and local holidays and even that it’s “perfect for fans of Paige Shelton and Connie Berry.” I would add that fans of Jane Haddam’s holiday-themed Gregor Demarkian mysteries and fans of Connelly’s Irish Bookshop Mysteries will like it. too. — Cathy Akers-Jordan