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Rose McQuinn #4
Ghost Walk
Rose McQuinn, daughter of one of Scotland's most successful detectives, Chief Inspector Jeremy Faro, followed her heart and married the man of her childhood dreams, Danny McQuinn. However, Danny's work in Arizona with Pinkerton's Detective Agency exposed him to many dangerous enemies, and one day he disappeared from Rose's life altogether. Believing him to be dead and grieving the loss of both her husband and baby son, Rose returned to England in order to start a new life.
It is June, 1897 and three years have passed since that tragic period in Rose's life. She has now fulfilled her ambition of becoming a `Lady Investigator, Discretion Guaranteed' and is about to marry her long-term lover, Detective Inspector Jack Macmerry of the Edinburgh Police. But pre-wedding jitters become the least of her worries when a nun from the local convent claims to have received a letter from Danny. Is the elderly nun just senile, or could Danny really still be alive? In which case, why would he not write to his wife? Unnerved and determined to find out the truth before her wedding, Rose begins to investigate. However, after two suspicious deaths, all the signs suggest that a ghost is about to walk back into her life.
It is June, 1897 and three years have passed since that tragic period in Rose's life. She has now fulfilled her ambition of becoming a `Lady Investigator, Discretion Guaranteed' and is about to marry her long-term lover, Detective Inspector Jack Macmerry of the Edinburgh Police. But pre-wedding jitters become the least of her worries when a nun from the local convent claims to have received a letter from Danny. Is the elderly nun just senile, or could Danny really still be alive? In which case, why would he not write to his wife? Unnerved and determined to find out the truth before her wedding, Rose begins to investigate. However, after two suspicious deaths, all the signs suggest that a ghost is about to walk back into her life.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 2004
7 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Alanna Knight
79 books46 followersaka Margaret Hope
Alanna Knight MBE has published more than sixty novels (including sixteen in the acclaimed Inspector Faro series, and seven featuring his daughter Rose McQuinn), as well as non-fiction, true crime and several books on Robert Louis Stevenson, numerous short stories and two plays since her award-winning first book ‘Legend of the Loch’ in 1969. A founding member and Honorary President of the Scottish Association of Writers and of the Edinburgh Writer’s Club, born and educated on Tyneside, she has two sons and two granddaughters and lives in Edinburgh.
Alanna Knight MBE has published more than sixty novels (including sixteen in the acclaimed Inspector Faro series, and seven featuring his daughter Rose McQuinn), as well as non-fiction, true crime and several books on Robert Louis Stevenson, numerous short stories and two plays since her award-winning first book ‘Legend of the Loch’ in 1969. A founding member and Honorary President of the Scottish Association of Writers and of the Edinburgh Writer’s Club, born and educated on Tyneside, she has two sons and two granddaughters and lives in Edinburgh.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 9, 2013
Kept me entertained on a slow night shift in between cases, however despite liking Rose do like her get frustrated with the men in her life. Jack, Vince and the rest seem to spend most of the time patting her on the head. Think I'd be tempted to set Thane on them.
January 13, 2023
The 4th book in Alanna Knight’s Rose McQuinn historical crime fiction series, Ghost Walk is set in 1897 mainly in Eildon, a village in the Scottish Borders.
Three years have passed since Rose McQuinn’s husband, Danny, disappeared in Arizona, whilst working for Pinkerton’s Detective Agency. During that time she has become a Lady Investigator and is about to marry her lover, Detective Inspector Jack Macmerry of the Edinburgh Police. But when a nun from the local convent claims to have received a letter from Danny she is anxious to find out if he is still alive. Rose hopes Danny’s older relative, Father McQuinn, a priest living in the village of Eildon in the Scottish Borders will be able to tell her more.
Rose lives in Solomon’s Tower, a (fictional) tower at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano in Edinburgh. A mysterious deerhound, Thane lives somewhere on Arthur’s Seat and often accompanies her. There is a deep bond between the two of them and he often seems to read her mind and understand when she is in danger. As the novel begins Rose and Thane go to Eildon, to meet her future in-laws, just before the wedding, which will also give her an opportunity to talk to Father McQuinn. However, before she can ask him about Danny, he dies under mysterious circumstances and Rose becomes convinced that both his death and that of his housekeeper are in fact murders.
But the main focus of this book is not the murder mystery, nor the suspicions about a Fenian plot to assassinate Queen Victoria during the Jubilee celebrations, but the relationships between Rose and Jack, who has to stay in Edinburgh to testify at a trial, and also between Rose and Jack’s parents, particularly his mother who refuses to acknowledge that Rose is a widow. It also highlights the position of women in a country village during that period. I wanted to know more about Thane, particularly his role at the end of the book – how did he escape with his life?
I liked Rose for her determination to discover the truth and her persistence in being a Lady Detective, despite much opposition. There are nine books in the Rose McQuinn series. I’ve read the first one as well as Ghost Walk and hope to read the others to find out more about her.
Three years have passed since Rose McQuinn’s husband, Danny, disappeared in Arizona, whilst working for Pinkerton’s Detective Agency. During that time she has become a Lady Investigator and is about to marry her lover, Detective Inspector Jack Macmerry of the Edinburgh Police. But when a nun from the local convent claims to have received a letter from Danny she is anxious to find out if he is still alive. Rose hopes Danny’s older relative, Father McQuinn, a priest living in the village of Eildon in the Scottish Borders will be able to tell her more.
Rose lives in Solomon’s Tower, a (fictional) tower at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, an old volcano in Edinburgh. A mysterious deerhound, Thane lives somewhere on Arthur’s Seat and often accompanies her. There is a deep bond between the two of them and he often seems to read her mind and understand when she is in danger. As the novel begins Rose and Thane go to Eildon, to meet her future in-laws, just before the wedding, which will also give her an opportunity to talk to Father McQuinn. However, before she can ask him about Danny, he dies under mysterious circumstances and Rose becomes convinced that both his death and that of his housekeeper are in fact murders.
But the main focus of this book is not the murder mystery, nor the suspicions about a Fenian plot to assassinate Queen Victoria during the Jubilee celebrations, but the relationships between Rose and Jack, who has to stay in Edinburgh to testify at a trial, and also between Rose and Jack’s parents, particularly his mother who refuses to acknowledge that Rose is a widow. It also highlights the position of women in a country village during that period. I wanted to know more about Thane, particularly his role at the end of the book – how did he escape with his life?
I liked Rose for her determination to discover the truth and her persistence in being a Lady Detective, despite much opposition. There are nine books in the Rose McQuinn series. I’ve read the first one as well as Ghost Walk and hope to read the others to find out more about her.
July 29, 2019
Rose is visiting her (maybe?) future in-laws and gets involved in another mystery, and one that seems to involve her late husband... although perhaps he's not dead...
Another entertaining story, although the constant repetition of the 'Lady Investigator, Discretion Guaranteed' motto gets a bit tiresome at this point.
Nevertheless, I'm still enjoying the series. It's easy to listen and engaging... and I'm really waiting for Rose to get rid of Jack :/
Another entertaining story, although the constant repetition of the 'Lady Investigator, Discretion Guaranteed' motto gets a bit tiresome at this point.
Nevertheless, I'm still enjoying the series. It's easy to listen and engaging... and I'm really waiting for Rose to get rid of Jack :/
December 25, 2017
As is par for the course with this series, Rose gets involved in a mystery which puts her in danger. This time away from Edinburgh.
July 10, 2018
Can understand why she stays with men who pat her on the head and tell her she imagined what she saw.
September 9, 2019
Good story that had you guessing until the end.
September 17, 2013
Rose goes to visit her prospective in-laws and gets caught up in another murder mystery. As much as I like these, similarly to Elly Grifith's main character Ruth Galloway, Rose has the annoying tendency of having to get rescued and escape death in every single edition. So much for the liberated female -- it's getting tiresome. Elly Griffith's made the smart move and stopped victimizing Ruth -- I hope the same goes for Rose's fate in any future editions, because frankly Rose has got to be tired of it. I know I am.
August 15, 2015
These books are wonderful
I love these books. That a forward thinking woman in these times and taking care of business with her sleuthing . I would have liked to have been her and doing what she did. Shirley
I love these books. That a forward thinking woman in these times and taking care of business with her sleuthing . I would have liked to have been her and doing what she did. Shirley
July 9, 2013
I read all of this series. Easy to follow. Like able characters. Good setting.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews