1912, Maud and Daisy are invited to a Scottish castle to investigate the disappearance of a valuable statuette. The chief suspect is Lord Urquhart who the pair of detectives have met several times before. But while they are at the castle, a murder takes place…
Death in a Scottish Castle is the 4th and possibly final (I hope not!) book in the Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency series.
Maud and Daisy disguise themselves as a writer and her assistant to go undercover at the castle. They are focussed on their investigation into a theft when another guest is found murdered in his locked bedroom. Now they have two cases to work on and are keen to rise to the challenge. Together they face and combat the class and gender stereotypes of the era and I felt this added an air of authenticity to their activities.
The remote Scottish location and violent weather reflect the turmoil and isolation of the characters. I enjoyed the Scottish dialect indicated by the dialogue and felt this brought the characters to life effectively. I did actually guess the who and how of the murder so was feeling very smug. The crime has a very classical feel to it (think Agatha Christie) with a locked room mystery. I loved the romantic tension between Maud and Lord Urquhart (no spoilers!)
Death in a Scottish Castle is a very enjoyable cosy historical murder mystery.
Book Description:
When Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy travel to a remote Scottish castle, the last thing they expect to find is a locked room murder mystery. Can they prise open this case and catch a killer?
Scotland, 1912: When Maud and Daisy travel to Clachan Castle on the Isle of Mull to investigate the theft of a valuable statuette, at first the case seems straightforward. But when their prime suspect, bad-tempered fellow guest Mr Tremain, is found dead in his bed, the detective duo realise the castle is under attack…
At first, it appears the murder is impossible. All the doors and windows to the room were locked from the inside, and there was no way for the killer to escape. But then Maud and Daisy find a secret panel with the stolen statuette hidden behind it, and learn that the mysteries are linked!
When the local sergeant investigating the case is found dead, the crime suddenly seems to have more twists and turns than the castle’s sweeping staircases. And with the estate full of potential suspects, Maud and Daisy must work fast to uncover the murderer. Could it be the castle’s owner, Magnus Carmichael, avenging his stolen statuette? Or pretty Jane Tremain, disgruntled daughter of the deceased?
Facing their most difficult case yet, Maud and Daisy must find the key to solving the mystery. But with so many suspects, which one will finally unlock the truth?
An unputdownable historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.
Author Bio:
Lydia Travers was born in London. She moved progressively north until settling with her husband in a village on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has raised children, bred dogs and kept chickens; and for as long as she can remember has written for pleasure. A former legal academic and practitioner with a PhD in criminology, she now runs self-catering holiday accommodation, sings in a local choir and is walked daily by the family dog.
Lydia also writes as Linda Tyler and her first novel under that name, Revenge of the Spanish Princess, won a 2018 Romance Writers of America competition for the beginning of an historical romance. Her second novel The Laird’s Secret was Commended in the 2021 Scottish Association of Writers’ Pitlochry Quaich competition for the beginning of a romantic novel. Mischief in Midlothian won the 2022 Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable Silver Stag trophy. She has had a number of short stories published in magazines, journals and anthologies in the UK, the USA and Australia.