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The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency #2
Murder in the Scottish Hills
When Maud McIntyre and her lady’s maid Daisy travel into the Scottish Highlands, the last thing they expect to find is a body on the train… Will these keen amateur sleuths stop a murderer in his tracks?
Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre receives a letter from a maid called Rose, sharing her suspicions that something strange is happening in the house where she works, she and her assistant Daisy immediately travel to the Highlands to investigate.
But as they are changing trains, the body of a man falls from the carriage right in front of them, a bullet in his head. Maud and Daisy can’t believe it – they’ve waited ages for a new case, and now one has literally landed in front of them! And when the local police rule the death as a tragic accident, the pair have no choice but to investigate what they believe is a murder…
Arriving in the Scottish village, Maud and Daisy go undercover to begin their hunt for the murderer, while also investigating the strange behaviour of Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. As they begin to piece together the chain of events, Maud and Daisy wonder whether the cases might be linked. Is it possible the man on the train was killed to cover up something in the village? And, if so, who would do such a thing?
When a local artist is found murdered, Maud and Daisy become convinced the two cases are connected. Searching for the link between the deaths, will Maud and Daisy solve the case before another mysterious murder takes place?
Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre receives a letter from a maid called Rose, sharing her suspicions that something strange is happening in the house where she works, she and her assistant Daisy immediately travel to the Highlands to investigate.
But as they are changing trains, the body of a man falls from the carriage right in front of them, a bullet in his head. Maud and Daisy can’t believe it – they’ve waited ages for a new case, and now one has literally landed in front of them! And when the local police rule the death as a tragic accident, the pair have no choice but to investigate what they believe is a murder…
Arriving in the Scottish village, Maud and Daisy go undercover to begin their hunt for the murderer, while also investigating the strange behaviour of Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. As they begin to piece together the chain of events, Maud and Daisy wonder whether the cases might be linked. Is it possible the man on the train was killed to cover up something in the village? And, if so, who would do such a thing?
When a local artist is found murdered, Maud and Daisy become convinced the two cases are connected. Searching for the link between the deaths, will Maud and Daisy solve the case before another mysterious murder takes place?
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
1497 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
April 21, 2023
The second book in the series is as good as the first and I enjoyed it very much.
Maud is offered a job writing a newspaper column and this takes her and her partner Daisy into the Scottish Highlands. It is quite a shock for Maud when she opens a train carriage door and a body falls on her. The police reckon suicide, but Maud has reason to feel differently, and she and Daisy set out to investigate.
This is a nice excursion into the Scottish countryside for the reader too. The first mystery leads to more and The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency has its hands full. But Maud and Daisy are up to the job and all ends well. A nicely written and entertaining story and I look forward to more!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Maud is offered a job writing a newspaper column and this takes her and her partner Daisy into the Scottish Highlands. It is quite a shock for Maud when she opens a train carriage door and a body falls on her. The police reckon suicide, but Maud has reason to feel differently, and she and Daisy set out to investigate.
This is a nice excursion into the Scottish countryside for the reader too. The first mystery leads to more and The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency has its hands full. But Maud and Daisy are up to the job and all ends well. A nicely written and entertaining story and I look forward to more!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
September 11, 2023
Adorable Leads but Mediocre Mystery
Maud and Daisy are an entertaining duo and I enjoyed reading about them and their shenanigans, but unfortunately this second book in the series is not as strong as the first.
The book just didn’t have the focus it needed and often stalled out and meandered into over-description.
The author spent too much time info-dumping on so many different things that my attention often wandered. This book needed significant editing. At the 40% point we are no further in the mystery than the beginning but we learn more about painting styles, the cubist movement, the kinds of art forgery, the history of the small town in which the book is set and the Scottish tufted tit than I ever needed to know. This author has an obvious love of history and Scotland but I am not looking to read a guide book, I’m looking for a mystery and those need to have a fairly brisk pace.
As a result the mystery itself was quite weak. I felt that the mystery in the first book needed to be more dynamic as the murderer was extremely obvious, but in this second instalment the investigations took a serious backseat to the setting and there were so many unneeded chapters and scenes that had nothing to do with the plot. The mystery lagged and we didn’t have any solid suspects or real investigative work until the very last part of the book.
I hypothesized at one point that the solving of the crime would end up being because the murderer revealed their motives and not because of any real work the ladies did, and I was right. Though I love being right, I did not love this.
There were still so many cute moments between the ladies and a really funny chase scene with Maud disguised as a nun. Also the very slow moving romance between Maud and Lord Urquart is sweetening up and I’m interested to read more of that.
My suggestions to the author is that in the next book, make the mystery the focus point, edit much of the educational material out, and push the shenanigans and comedy between Daisy and Maud a bit more to add some much needed energy to this series.
I will read the next one and hope to see more growth and focus from the author, lots of great ideas and potential here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre publishing for an advanced copy of this book. The opinions above are my own.
Maud and Daisy are an entertaining duo and I enjoyed reading about them and their shenanigans, but unfortunately this second book in the series is not as strong as the first.
The book just didn’t have the focus it needed and often stalled out and meandered into over-description.
The author spent too much time info-dumping on so many different things that my attention often wandered. This book needed significant editing. At the 40% point we are no further in the mystery than the beginning but we learn more about painting styles, the cubist movement, the kinds of art forgery, the history of the small town in which the book is set and the Scottish tufted tit than I ever needed to know. This author has an obvious love of history and Scotland but I am not looking to read a guide book, I’m looking for a mystery and those need to have a fairly brisk pace.
As a result the mystery itself was quite weak. I felt that the mystery in the first book needed to be more dynamic as the murderer was extremely obvious, but in this second instalment the investigations took a serious backseat to the setting and there were so many unneeded chapters and scenes that had nothing to do with the plot. The mystery lagged and we didn’t have any solid suspects or real investigative work until the very last part of the book.
I hypothesized at one point that the solving of the crime would end up being because the murderer revealed their motives and not because of any real work the ladies did, and I was right. Though I love being right, I did not love this.
There were still so many cute moments between the ladies and a really funny chase scene with Maud disguised as a nun. Also the very slow moving romance between Maud and Lord Urquart is sweetening up and I’m interested to read more of that.
My suggestions to the author is that in the next book, make the mystery the focus point, edit much of the educational material out, and push the shenanigans and comedy between Daisy and Maud a bit more to add some much needed energy to this series.
I will read the next one and hope to see more growth and focus from the author, lots of great ideas and potential here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre publishing for an advanced copy of this book. The opinions above are my own.
May 18, 2023
After being contacted by a client, Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy, leave Edinburgh bound for a small village in the Scottish highlands. Forgeries of famous paintings were suspected, but before Maud and Daisy can concentrate on that case, a dead body fell from the train carriage the two women were about to enter. Mr Bisset, resident of the village, had been shot dead. Maud and Daisy had accommodation in the local hotel which Mr and Mrs Wallace ran, and it was a delightful place to stay. Maud felt they could work their detective magic based from there.
Getting closer to the truth, the women had only five suspects on their list. But it was another murder which brought them the closest. Would they find the killer before another life was taken? And would they have enough evidence to present to the police?
Murder in the Scottish Hills is the 2nd in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series by Lydia Travers and it was another fun and entertaining read. I enjoy Maud and Daisy's characters - they work together well. Train travel, horse and cart, bicycle travel and the few cars around was the way it was back in 1911 and I'm looking forward to #3. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Getting closer to the truth, the women had only five suspects on their list. But it was another murder which brought them the closest. Would they find the killer before another life was taken? And would they have enough evidence to present to the police?
Murder in the Scottish Hills is the 2nd in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series by Lydia Travers and it was another fun and entertaining read. I enjoy Maud and Daisy's characters - they work together well. Train travel, horse and cart, bicycle travel and the few cars around was the way it was back in 1911 and I'm looking forward to #3. Recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2023
Scottish hi jinx!
Another adventure with our intrepid duo Miss Maud McIntyre, and Daisy Cameron, Maud’s former maid. This time they’ve gone to Braemar near Balmoral Castle to investigate the possible forgery of paintings supposedly by Zurbarán. A pro bono case
They don’t even reach the place before they discover a dead body in the carriage they were about to enter when changing trains. Suicide or murder? Maud and Daisy are leaning towards the latter
Well this is just the beginning of another of our detective duo’s deductive skills bringing justice to a situation that ends up being complicated by all sorts of diversions.
Slightly tongue-in-cheek (at least I’m taking it that way). This includes Maud’s exercise regime improvements, the ladies penchant for disguises, their falling into situations. Although the reappearance of Lord Urqart is in no way to be sneered at. Mmm!
Another cozy mystery that’s fast approaching the ‘Perils of Pauline’ farcical realm.
A Bookouture ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
Another adventure with our intrepid duo Miss Maud McIntyre, and Daisy Cameron, Maud’s former maid. This time they’ve gone to Braemar near Balmoral Castle to investigate the possible forgery of paintings supposedly by Zurbarán. A pro bono case
They don’t even reach the place before they discover a dead body in the carriage they were about to enter when changing trains. Suicide or murder? Maud and Daisy are leaning towards the latter
Well this is just the beginning of another of our detective duo’s deductive skills bringing justice to a situation that ends up being complicated by all sorts of diversions.
Slightly tongue-in-cheek (at least I’m taking it that way). This includes Maud’s exercise regime improvements, the ladies penchant for disguises, their falling into situations. Although the reappearance of Lord Urqart is in no way to be sneered at. Mmm!
Another cozy mystery that’s fast approaching the ‘Perils of Pauline’ farcical realm.
A Bookouture ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)
June 24, 2023
Murder in the Scottish Hills is book two in the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series by Lydia Travers. Maud McIntyre and her lady's Maid Daisy became involved in writing articles in a local newspaper when they received a letter asking for help. Maud and Daisy decided to go and visit the Scottish Highlands to investigate. However, on the way, they found a body on the train due to law enforcement officers ruling it as an accident, so they decided to investigate both cases. The readers of Murder in the Scottish Hills will continue to follow the ladies of the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency to discover what happens.
Murder In The Scottish Hills was the first book I read by Lydia Travers, and I did so due to a group challenge. Murder In The Scottish Hills is an enjoyable book, and I enjoyed Lydia Travers's writing style. It was slow initially and more engaging about halfway through the book. Lydia Travers portrayed the characters well, and how she described the settings complemented the book's plot.
The readers of Murder in the Scottish Hills will learn about train travel in Scotland in 1911. Also, the readers of Murder in the Scottish Hills will learn about running a small hotel in the Scottish highlands.
I recommend this book.
Murder In The Scottish Hills was the first book I read by Lydia Travers, and I did so due to a group challenge. Murder In The Scottish Hills is an enjoyable book, and I enjoyed Lydia Travers's writing style. It was slow initially and more engaging about halfway through the book. Lydia Travers portrayed the characters well, and how she described the settings complemented the book's plot.
The readers of Murder in the Scottish Hills will learn about train travel in Scotland in 1911. Also, the readers of Murder in the Scottish Hills will learn about running a small hotel in the Scottish highlands.
I recommend this book.
October 10, 2023
Long may this series continue! Also can I please go to a Scottish dance and do the Bunny Hug and the Turkey Trot and a reel?? 😂💃🏻
May 9, 2025
While I adore the two main characters and the basic concept of the series, it's a bit like No 1 Ladies Detective Agency meets Miss Scarlett and the Duke this one was harder to get into than the first book. It started strong but then got bogged down with details of painting and art and was tough going.
The story begins with Maud buying Indian Clubs to enhance her exercise routine resulting in a hilarious scene when said clubs arrive. While at a dinner party Maud is asked to write a column for a newspaper and jumps at the chance. She finally settles on a topic and once it's published she begins to receive letters asking for her advice and help and under the name Mrs. Fraser her and Daisy team up to write, while the public thinks she's a married woman with children cause they wouldn't take advice from a single younger woman. A letter comes in from a lady named Rose who works as a maid for an art dealer and she suspects forgeries are going into the gallery. Maud and Daisy take on the case but before they can begin a body falls off a train and literally into Maud's lap. And so begins the mystery. There was a lot going on here and I wanted to enjoy it but the mystery part was very much lacking. I'll read the next book because Maud and Daisy are adorable together and can only hope things improve.
The story begins with Maud buying Indian Clubs to enhance her exercise routine resulting in a hilarious scene when said clubs arrive. While at a dinner party Maud is asked to write a column for a newspaper and jumps at the chance. She finally settles on a topic and once it's published she begins to receive letters asking for her advice and help and under the name Mrs. Fraser her and Daisy team up to write, while the public thinks she's a married woman with children cause they wouldn't take advice from a single younger woman. A letter comes in from a lady named Rose who works as a maid for an art dealer and she suspects forgeries are going into the gallery. Maud and Daisy take on the case but before they can begin a body falls off a train and literally into Maud's lap. And so begins the mystery. There was a lot going on here and I wanted to enjoy it but the mystery part was very much lacking. I'll read the next book because Maud and Daisy are adorable together and can only hope things improve.
May 30, 2023
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'Murder In The Scottish Hills' by Lydia Travers.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lydia Travers, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th May 2023.
This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in her 'Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency'' series. I have also read 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency (book 1 in the series) which I would also highly recommend. It can also be read as a standalone.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is ''A page-turning historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of the mysteries of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.' I am a huge fan of both Helena Dixon and Verity Bright so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Lydia and if this book is half as good as 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' it is guaranteed to be a page turner! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 30 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Edinburgh, Scotland 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually holidayed in Scotland many time so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Maud McIntyre. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO LYDIA ON A PAGE TURNING SUCCESSFUL ADDITION TO WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN ADDICTIVE SERIES!!
This book is a successful unputdownable cosy mystery by the very talented Lydia Travers. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Lydia has written her books. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
Lydia takes us on another adventure with Maud and Daisy which is just as action packed, funny and addictive as the first book in this series 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency', if not better!!! This is a fantastic addition to what has quickly become an addictive series and I cannot wait to get stuck in to the third book in this series which is 'Mystery In The Highlands' and is published on the 26th July which can't come quick enough!!! In this page turning story we meet Maud McIntyre and Daisy Cameron again, who set up their detective agency in Edinburgh in 1912. Their Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' has become quiet after the initial caseloads came piling on after they solved their first cases in 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' which you can read.more about in book one. Maude is offered a job writing up an advice column for the local newspaper which she takes to help their financial situation. When a lady calls Rose writes to the newspaper for advice as she thinks her employer is acting strangely and something isn't quite right in the house. Maud and Daisy meet up with Rose to get more information and decide to help her by investigating her case pro bono. However,what they don't expect is for a murdered man to, literally, drop in front of them on the train on their way to Edinburgh. Maud and Daisy now have two investigations on the go but will there be more? Will Maud and Daisy end up putting their own lives in danger again? With several suspects from those who were travelling on the train with them plus many more who could the killer be? Did the teacher teach the man a lesson by killing him? Was it done out of love or revenge? Is the widows tears of grief or happiness? To discover the answers to this and many more questions grab your copy of this amazing book today!!! One of the things I love the most about this fantastic series is how Lydia incorporates the Scottish dialect into her storyline which ensured every thing I read mentally came out in a Scottish accent making it all the more realistic for me. I even had lots of fun learning new words and sayings in Scottish Gaelic which will come on handy when I do head back to Scotland on holiday!!! In this book we also have the addition of Maud's new hobby of Indian Clubs as well as the fact that she has now got herself a new car which will definitely help their investigations!!
This storyline is based in a time when it is uncommon and practically unknown for a female to participate in detective work and is also set during the suffragette movement. The fact that Lydia has done her research shines through the storyline. It is one of my pet hates when an author does not do enough research on the topic they are writing about as it can lead to unnecessary mistakes which can spoil the storyline for me so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS LYDIA on researching your history well!! I thoroughly enjoyed disappearing into the past and it felt like I was on a beautiful holiday to Scotland losing myself in the fresh air and the Scottish dialect. I became completely hooked and every time I would tell myself one more chapter and then I will get on with something else each chapter ended in a way I just had to carry on reading and in the end I completely devoured it in several hours! Lydia's evocative writing skills ensures the reader is completely captivated throughout. is ram packed with friendship, lies, murder, crime, mystery, history , tension, suspense and everything you could ask for in a cozy mystery. Lydia had me laughing, shocked, angry at the lack of respect fior women and absolutely hooked throughout!! This is definitely one of those books that can be read in front of a fire, on a beach or relaxing in the garden and it sweeps you away to the beautiful Scotland in times gone by. The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Maud and Daisy go about their detective work. There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, suspense and so much more!! The atmosphere was perfectly suited to the mystery. One of the things that I loved the most was that although this is predominantly a crime book is that it has plenty of moments of humour throughout which lightens up the atmosphere and had me giggling away one moment and shocked the next! An absolutely perfect start to what promises to be a fantastic and addictive cozy mystery series and I cannot wait to get stuck into the next book especially after reading the teaser chapters at the end of this one!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I absolutely loved meeting these larger than life and fun characters again which are all realistic, well rounded, have a mix of personalities and each work their part perfectly in the book! Thanks to Lydia's evocative writing skills they all jump out of the pages and come to life before the readers eyes. They are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. Maud is an amazing and very likeable character, strong willed and made me laugh on several occasions, she is absolutely unique as well as a very strong female lead which is a great bonus for myself being female. She is keen to follow in the footsteps of fictional detectives that include Sherlock Holmes and uses his techniques in her own discovery work which included sleuthing and disguising herself! It would not have been easy trying to make a name for herself in a time where the main roles were predominately filled by men and there was the Suffragette movement ongoing but Maud and Daisy held strong and made themselves known. She is determined and when she does make mistakes she ensures that she learns from them. I absolutely love her calm determination and strong personality and I really cannot wait to see what she gets up to next!! I especially enjoyed seeing the hints of potential romance between Maud and Lord Hamish Urquhart who I first met in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency but who definitely didn't make a good impression on Maud with his lack of faith in the two female detectives. There is a flirtatious atmosphere between them both, after Maud's initial horror at seeing him again, and I am looking forward to seeing if this continues to develop or possible lead anywhere in 'Mystery In The Highlands'.
Daisy is another loveable lead character who I adored. She made me laugh on several occasions also and is cheeky, loveable and funny. She is definitely a woman that I would love to be around when I'm doing my work!! They are both young women with Maud being 25 and Daisy being 24 and in a "mans world" where woman are taking a stand and these are two fantastic women to have around at the time! They both take their investigations seriously but also have some fun ways to get the information they need which included several lots of fancy dress items!! I loves the fantastic dynamic between them and enjoyed watching their characters and friendship develop. They both complimented each other and worked perfectly together sometimes not even having to talk to know what the other needs/wants making them a great, strong female duo! I would absolutely love for these to be real women as they would make absolutely amazing women!! I loved meeting them along with several other characters that we come across in this fascinating funny page turner.
I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in their next adventure in 'Mystery In The Highlands'!!!!
Love, love, love this fantastic and explosive addition to this fantastic series that I cannot wait to get stuck back into!!
An absolutely explosive addition to an amazing series! This is exactly why you are one of my favourite cozy mystery authors! A page turning and unputdownable success! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
Overall a fun and easy to read page turning cozy murder mystery with the perfect amount of crime and humour that will keep you turning the pages.
Genres covered in this novel include Historical Romance, Historical Mysteries, Romantic Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Mysteries, Suspense, Historical Romance, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Women's Detective Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Animal Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Romance and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Verity Bright, Helena Dixon, Catherine Coles, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, addictive, page turning and fun read.
323 pages
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback at time of review via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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Review for 'Murder In The Scottish Hills' by Lydia Travers.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Lydia Travers, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 25th May 2023.
This is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in her 'Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency'' series. I have also read 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency (book 1 in the series) which I would also highly recommend. It can also be read as a standalone.
I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that this book is ''A page-turning historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of the mysteries of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.' I am a huge fan of both Helena Dixon and Verity Bright so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Lydia and if this book is half as good as 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' it is guaranteed to be a page turner! I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of 30 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in Edinburgh, Scotland 🏴, UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually holidayed in Scotland many time so am intrigued to see if I recognise places based on anywhere I visited while there.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonist is Maud McIntyre. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO LYDIA ON A PAGE TURNING SUCCESSFUL ADDITION TO WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN ADDICTIVE SERIES!!
This book is a successful unputdownable cosy mystery by the very talented Lydia Travers. I'm always a bit dubious with books based historically as I worry about not being able to 'deal' with the language used but I absolutely love how Lydia has written her books. The language used is perfectly suited to the era whilst being easy to read and making it quite humorous on several occasions. The atmosphere and descriptions were perfect. The synopsis and cover also suit the storyline.
Lydia takes us on another adventure with Maud and Daisy which is just as action packed, funny and addictive as the first book in this series 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency', if not better!!! This is a fantastic addition to what has quickly become an addictive series and I cannot wait to get stuck in to the third book in this series which is 'Mystery In The Highlands' and is published on the 26th July which can't come quick enough!!! In this page turning story we meet Maud McIntyre and Daisy Cameron again, who set up their detective agency in Edinburgh in 1912. Their Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' has become quiet after the initial caseloads came piling on after they solved their first cases in 'The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency' which you can read.more about in book one. Maude is offered a job writing up an advice column for the local newspaper which she takes to help their financial situation. When a lady calls Rose writes to the newspaper for advice as she thinks her employer is acting strangely and something isn't quite right in the house. Maud and Daisy meet up with Rose to get more information and decide to help her by investigating her case pro bono. However,what they don't expect is for a murdered man to, literally, drop in front of them on the train on their way to Edinburgh. Maud and Daisy now have two investigations on the go but will there be more? Will Maud and Daisy end up putting their own lives in danger again? With several suspects from those who were travelling on the train with them plus many more who could the killer be? Did the teacher teach the man a lesson by killing him? Was it done out of love or revenge? Is the widows tears of grief or happiness? To discover the answers to this and many more questions grab your copy of this amazing book today!!! One of the things I love the most about this fantastic series is how Lydia incorporates the Scottish dialect into her storyline which ensured every thing I read mentally came out in a Scottish accent making it all the more realistic for me. I even had lots of fun learning new words and sayings in Scottish Gaelic which will come on handy when I do head back to Scotland on holiday!!! In this book we also have the addition of Maud's new hobby of Indian Clubs as well as the fact that she has now got herself a new car which will definitely help their investigations!!
This storyline is based in a time when it is uncommon and practically unknown for a female to participate in detective work and is also set during the suffragette movement. The fact that Lydia has done her research shines through the storyline. It is one of my pet hates when an author does not do enough research on the topic they are writing about as it can lead to unnecessary mistakes which can spoil the storyline for me so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS LYDIA on researching your history well!! I thoroughly enjoyed disappearing into the past and it felt like I was on a beautiful holiday to Scotland losing myself in the fresh air and the Scottish dialect. I became completely hooked and every time I would tell myself one more chapter and then I will get on with something else each chapter ended in a way I just had to carry on reading and in the end I completely devoured it in several hours! Lydia's evocative writing skills ensures the reader is completely captivated throughout. is ram packed with friendship, lies, murder, crime, mystery, history , tension, suspense and everything you could ask for in a cozy mystery. Lydia had me laughing, shocked, angry at the lack of respect fior women and absolutely hooked throughout!! This is definitely one of those books that can be read in front of a fire, on a beach or relaxing in the garden and it sweeps you away to the beautiful Scotland in times gone by. The storyline had me hooked immediately and I love the way that Maud and Daisy go about their detective work. There was so much going on that it kept me entertained thoroughly throughout with mystery after mystery and clue after clue. It was filled with suspense, mystery, laughter, murder, clues, deceit. tension, suspense and so much more!! The atmosphere was perfectly suited to the mystery. One of the things that I loved the most was that although this is predominantly a crime book is that it has plenty of moments of humour throughout which lightens up the atmosphere and had me giggling away one moment and shocked the next! An absolutely perfect start to what promises to be a fantastic and addictive cozy mystery series and I cannot wait to get stuck into the next book especially after reading the teaser chapters at the end of this one!!
Although this is the second book in the series I had would have had absolutely no problems reading it without the others. Any details or events that have previously happened are mentioned in just the right amount of detail to let a new reader know what has happened and yet not too much to bore a previous reader.
I absolutely loved meeting these larger than life and fun characters again which are all realistic, well rounded, have a mix of personalities and each work their part perfectly in the book! Thanks to Lydia's evocative writing skills they all jump out of the pages and come to life before the readers eyes. They are all larger than life, realistic and a complete breathe of fresh air. Maud is an amazing and very likeable character, strong willed and made me laugh on several occasions, she is absolutely unique as well as a very strong female lead which is a great bonus for myself being female. She is keen to follow in the footsteps of fictional detectives that include Sherlock Holmes and uses his techniques in her own discovery work which included sleuthing and disguising herself! It would not have been easy trying to make a name for herself in a time where the main roles were predominately filled by men and there was the Suffragette movement ongoing but Maud and Daisy held strong and made themselves known. She is determined and when she does make mistakes she ensures that she learns from them. I absolutely love her calm determination and strong personality and I really cannot wait to see what she gets up to next!! I especially enjoyed seeing the hints of potential romance between Maud and Lord Hamish Urquhart who I first met in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency but who definitely didn't make a good impression on Maud with his lack of faith in the two female detectives. There is a flirtatious atmosphere between them both, after Maud's initial horror at seeing him again, and I am looking forward to seeing if this continues to develop or possible lead anywhere in 'Mystery In The Highlands'.
Daisy is another loveable lead character who I adored. She made me laugh on several occasions also and is cheeky, loveable and funny. She is definitely a woman that I would love to be around when I'm doing my work!! They are both young women with Maud being 25 and Daisy being 24 and in a "mans world" where woman are taking a stand and these are two fantastic women to have around at the time! They both take their investigations seriously but also have some fun ways to get the information they need which included several lots of fancy dress items!! I loves the fantastic dynamic between them and enjoyed watching their characters and friendship develop. They both complimented each other and worked perfectly together sometimes not even having to talk to know what the other needs/wants making them a great, strong female duo! I would absolutely love for these to be real women as they would make absolutely amazing women!! I loved meeting them along with several other characters that we come across in this fascinating funny page turner.
I cannot wait to meet them all again and see what they get up to in their next adventure in 'Mystery In The Highlands'!!!!
Love, love, love this fantastic and explosive addition to this fantastic series that I cannot wait to get stuck back into!!
An absolutely explosive addition to an amazing series! This is exactly why you are one of my favourite cozy mystery authors! A page turning and unputdownable success! Here's to looking forward to your next book 🥂
Overall a fun and easy to read page turning cozy murder mystery with the perfect amount of crime and humour that will keep you turning the pages.
Genres covered in this novel include Historical Romance, Historical Mysteries, Romantic Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Thriller, Murder, Mysteries, Suspense, Historical Romance, Cozy Crafts & Hobbies Mystery, Cozy Culinary Mystery, Romantic Suspense, Women's Detective Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Amateur Sleuths, Cozy Animal Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller, Romance and Crime amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of T E Kinsey, Agatha Christie, Verity Bright, Helena Dixon, Catherine Coles, Lee Strauss and anyone looking for a very easy, addictive, page turning and fun read.
323 pages
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback at time of review via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
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May 27, 2023
A train ride with her former lady’s maid Daisy affords Maud McIntyre the opportunity to solve yet another murder. As it happens, they shockingly find the body of a man who apparently was shot in the head. In all actuality, he pretty much falls right in front of them.This really works out for Maud and Daisy as they are trying to get their private detective agency as much business as they can. What has just happened gives them the opportunity to investigate the murder.
Maud is certain that it is murder, but the police are in stark disagreement with her as they do not plan on ruling the death as a murder. Meanwhile, Maud and Daisy were actually on their way to investigate a case of art forgery, and it doesn’t take long for Maud to imagine that these cases just might be connected.
Even though this is only the second book in a new series, I can already tell that this is going to be one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love how both Maud and Daisy don different attire and alter their appearance in order to work their cases. It gives this series a light feel. I also love the mention and comparisons to Sherlock Holmes, especially considering the timeframe and location of the Scottish setting in this series. I am eager to continue the series with book three, Mystery in the Highlands, set for release in July.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Maud is certain that it is murder, but the police are in stark disagreement with her as they do not plan on ruling the death as a murder. Meanwhile, Maud and Daisy were actually on their way to investigate a case of art forgery, and it doesn’t take long for Maud to imagine that these cases just might be connected.
Even though this is only the second book in a new series, I can already tell that this is going to be one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love how both Maud and Daisy don different attire and alter their appearance in order to work their cases. It gives this series a light feel. I also love the mention and comparisons to Sherlock Holmes, especially considering the timeframe and location of the Scottish setting in this series. I am eager to continue the series with book three, Mystery in the Highlands, set for release in July.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
May 26, 2023
This is the second book in this series, and I’m loving the series! It’s the perfect cozy murder mystery. There is no gore or graphic scenes. It is simply two women private investigators doing their job. I love that this takes place in 1911 and the author gives us to really strong female characters. Both of these women are smart, interesting, and methodical in their lives and in their investigations. Another thing that I love about the book is that there’s more than one mystery so the storyline never goes stale. I haven’t been to different places in Scotland, but I can visualize them with the way that Travers writes them. I would love to see this turn into a Netflix series. I think this would be perfect on screen. If you like cozy mysteries, you really need to pick up this series.
May 24, 2023
Thank you to Bookoture and NetGalley for the free e-ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are all my own and not affected by the giveaway
3.55+ stars (less than 4, more than 3)
When Maud McIntyre is asked to write a column for the newspaper, she turns to writing about women's suffrage. That in turn leads to a stint as an advice columnist, with Daisy's help. Then, a question from a maid whose employer made be selling forged artwork leads to a new case for the McIntyre detective agency! Maud and Daisy head up to the Highlands to investigate. No sooner do they switch trains to the village than they discover a dead body! While the authorities consider the death a suicide, Maud sees clues that lead her to believe that was not the case. She proclaims they're staying out of it but Daisy pushes Maud to investigate. They also pick up a case of theft and continue to investigate the art forgery. When they discover another death, they're certain they're on to something and their cases are related. Can they put the puzzle pieces together before the murderer gets away?
This second novel is tighter than the first. The mysteries are connected and the story doesn't stop and restart. However, it is still a bit meandering and includes WAY too much history. As much as I LOVE history and especially this time period, it's not necessary to include literally everything that's going on in 1911 AND everything interesting that happened in the village of Braemar. The royal connection was enough. Plus history should be woven into the historical novel and not just dumped in there. Maud's interest in suffrage shapes her character but that is also shown by her exercise routine and even her chosen profession. I would have included just that much in the first book and then add in the newspaper article and advice column and leave it at that. There's a romantic subplot that is a little bit shoehorned in. I wasn't a huge fan of the way that was told either. The mystery was intriguing enough to keep me reading but the murderer was too obvious. There are a few red herrings that are kind of out of place. The catch the murderer scene was funny and farcical but rather over the top.
There are a couple of historical inaccuracies. The pink/blue color scheme for babies didn't really exist until the mid-20th-century. If anything, it was the other way around. Also Maud wears a wristwatch and they didn't become common until after WWI. Yet additional research shows me that ladies' bracelet watches did exist and were worn by noblewomen, so that's a maybe for Maud.
Maud is an admirable character. She's very modern and has very 20th century interests and attitudes but she still has a long ways to go before she can be at the level of Sherlock Holmes in terms of detecting. She made a few blunders in trying to catch the killer. Daisy seems a lot smarter and more grounded than Maud. She's lived a harder life and is more aware of the way the world works. She's also better at detecting because she knows how to put on a different personality and how to get information she wants. Daisy's dialogue is written out in Scots but I found her easier to understand this time than in the previous book. Maybe because this one also includes some Gaelic? I really admire Daisy for being street smart, tough and for knowing how to have a good time. Maud hasn't learned to let go of her upper-class upbringing and let loose. Lord Urquhart is back. He's tight with the royals, apparently and I believe he comes around to see Maud because he wants to. He's flirting with her and she can't see it. Yet she fantasizes about his looks a lot! I don't see them working out as a couple unless he's secretly some kind of government spy and can allow Maud to help him in his work.
Rose Gilmour is maid to an art dealer in Braemar. She's a timid sort and terrified her employer and his father are involved in art forgery. She's smart enough to recognize shady business when she sees it and wise enough to contact private detectives who also happen to be women. The other women are more likely to believe her, especially Daisy, than the police. Rose needs to stay out of the investigation so she's mostly relegated to the background.
Mr. Anderson, Sr. owns a big art gallery in Edinburgh. He has a son, David, who is in charge of the small gallery in the village. Mr. Anderson seems congenial enough when questioned by Maud but how much of that is an act? He's reputed to be tough on his son and has high expectations. Did this lead David to get involved in art forgery or are they both in on it? Or perhaps the father, with his city connections, instigated the forgery business to make himself more important and more wealthy?
The first murder victim is a wealthy, retired farmer, Mr. Bisset. He had delusions of grandeur and liked to lord it over the villagers. He used his money and position to bully everyone and was generally awful even to his own wife. His daughter, Lillias, was on the train when her father's body rolled out. She can't have killed him herself but she may have hired someone. She's a piece of work. Lillias wants to be a flapper before flappers are a thing and she is rude to strangers, including Maud and Daisy. Mrs. Bisset is even worse. She's as bad as her husband. Mrs. B lives in her own world where she is the most important person in the universe. She wants to be on the path to actually being the most important woman in the area but doesn't want to do anything about it. Mrs. B is incredibly rude to everyone and her plan to become grand is really bizarre! I think she could have killed her husband for sure! He was awful to her and probably was standing in her way of glory. His way was taking too long. What a family!
Adam McGonagall is an arrogant painter. He sounds like he's a hack and has his own unique style. It sounds like he may be trying for Impressionism or something maybe post-Impressionism. He paints watercolors outdoors anyway. I'm not sure if it's just Maud and Daisy not understanding his art or if he's really bad. He says he doesn't paint in oils but Daisy is certain he does. McGonagall thinks he was meant for bigger and better things. Would his dreams make him participate in fraud by forging paintings? Maybe he was forging paintings but didn't know they would be sold as originals? Or maybe he really needed the money or maybe he was forced into it? Or maybe he's not the forger at all.
There's reason to suspect a tradesman may have killed Mr. Bisset. Was it John Buston who was forced to humiliate himself and beg for payment from Mr. Bisset? Conrad Elliot is a suspicious young man who was on the train with Lillias and then disappeared. They seem to be very friendly. Is she hiding him? Did they team up to kill her father? Did he forbid a relationship and they fancy themselves a modern day Romeo & Juliet? Everyone thinks Conrad killed Mr. Bisset but the clues don't add up. He can't be found for questioning!
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, hotel proprietors, are a much nicer couple. He's cheerful and helpful and she's lovely. Actually she enjoys gossiping but is never mean. She just chats about whatever has been going on in the neighborhood and the people. Their relationship is pretty special. I appreciate that they tell each other everything and there's no secrets, lies or jealousy on either end.
I enjoyed this novel better than the first but it's still not a favorite series. If the author can dial it back on the miscellaneous random trivia, I would like this series a lot more. I do plan to look for the third book though. I'm curious to see where Maud and Daisy go next.
3.55+ stars (less than 4, more than 3)
When Maud McIntyre is asked to write a column for the newspaper, she turns to writing about women's suffrage. That in turn leads to a stint as an advice columnist, with Daisy's help. Then, a question from a maid whose employer made be selling forged artwork leads to a new case for the McIntyre detective agency! Maud and Daisy head up to the Highlands to investigate. No sooner do they switch trains to the village than they discover a dead body! While the authorities consider the death a suicide, Maud sees clues that lead her to believe that was not the case. She proclaims they're staying out of it but Daisy pushes Maud to investigate. They also pick up a case of theft and continue to investigate the art forgery. When they discover another death, they're certain they're on to something and their cases are related. Can they put the puzzle pieces together before the murderer gets away?
This second novel is tighter than the first. The mysteries are connected and the story doesn't stop and restart. However, it is still a bit meandering and includes WAY too much history. As much as I LOVE history and especially this time period, it's not necessary to include literally everything that's going on in 1911 AND everything interesting that happened in the village of Braemar. The royal connection was enough. Plus history should be woven into the historical novel and not just dumped in there. Maud's interest in suffrage shapes her character but that is also shown by her exercise routine and even her chosen profession. I would have included just that much in the first book and then add in the newspaper article and advice column and leave it at that. There's a romantic subplot that is a little bit shoehorned in. I wasn't a huge fan of the way that was told either. The mystery was intriguing enough to keep me reading but the murderer was too obvious. There are a few red herrings that are kind of out of place. The catch the murderer scene was funny and farcical but rather over the top.
There are a couple of historical inaccuracies. The pink/blue color scheme for babies didn't really exist until the mid-20th-century. If anything, it was the other way around. Also Maud wears a wristwatch and they didn't become common until after WWI. Yet additional research shows me that ladies' bracelet watches did exist and were worn by noblewomen, so that's a maybe for Maud.
Maud is an admirable character. She's very modern and has very 20th century interests and attitudes but she still has a long ways to go before she can be at the level of Sherlock Holmes in terms of detecting. She made a few blunders in trying to catch the killer. Daisy seems a lot smarter and more grounded than Maud. She's lived a harder life and is more aware of the way the world works. She's also better at detecting because she knows how to put on a different personality and how to get information she wants. Daisy's dialogue is written out in Scots but I found her easier to understand this time than in the previous book. Maybe because this one also includes some Gaelic? I really admire Daisy for being street smart, tough and for knowing how to have a good time. Maud hasn't learned to let go of her upper-class upbringing and let loose. Lord Urquhart is back. He's tight with the royals, apparently and I believe he comes around to see Maud because he wants to. He's flirting with her and she can't see it. Yet she fantasizes about his looks a lot! I don't see them working out as a couple unless he's secretly some kind of government spy and can allow Maud to help him in his work.
Rose Gilmour is maid to an art dealer in Braemar. She's a timid sort and terrified her employer and his father are involved in art forgery. She's smart enough to recognize shady business when she sees it and wise enough to contact private detectives who also happen to be women. The other women are more likely to believe her, especially Daisy, than the police. Rose needs to stay out of the investigation so she's mostly relegated to the background.
Mr. Anderson, Sr. owns a big art gallery in Edinburgh. He has a son, David, who is in charge of the small gallery in the village. Mr. Anderson seems congenial enough when questioned by Maud but how much of that is an act? He's reputed to be tough on his son and has high expectations. Did this lead David to get involved in art forgery or are they both in on it? Or perhaps the father, with his city connections, instigated the forgery business to make himself more important and more wealthy?
The first murder victim is a wealthy, retired farmer, Mr. Bisset. He had delusions of grandeur and liked to lord it over the villagers. He used his money and position to bully everyone and was generally awful even to his own wife. His daughter, Lillias, was on the train when her father's body rolled out. She can't have killed him herself but she may have hired someone. She's a piece of work. Lillias wants to be a flapper before flappers are a thing and she is rude to strangers, including Maud and Daisy. Mrs. Bisset is even worse. She's as bad as her husband. Mrs. B lives in her own world where she is the most important person in the universe. She wants to be on the path to actually being the most important woman in the area but doesn't want to do anything about it. Mrs. B is incredibly rude to everyone and her plan to become grand is really bizarre! I think she could have killed her husband for sure! He was awful to her and probably was standing in her way of glory. His way was taking too long. What a family!
Adam McGonagall is an arrogant painter. He sounds like he's a hack and has his own unique style. It sounds like he may be trying for Impressionism or something maybe post-Impressionism. He paints watercolors outdoors anyway. I'm not sure if it's just Maud and Daisy not understanding his art or if he's really bad. He says he doesn't paint in oils but Daisy is certain he does. McGonagall thinks he was meant for bigger and better things. Would his dreams make him participate in fraud by forging paintings? Maybe he was forging paintings but didn't know they would be sold as originals? Or maybe he really needed the money or maybe he was forced into it? Or maybe he's not the forger at all.
There's reason to suspect a tradesman may have killed Mr. Bisset. Was it John Buston who was forced to humiliate himself and beg for payment from Mr. Bisset? Conrad Elliot is a suspicious young man who was on the train with Lillias and then disappeared. They seem to be very friendly. Is she hiding him? Did they team up to kill her father? Did he forbid a relationship and they fancy themselves a modern day Romeo & Juliet? Everyone thinks Conrad killed Mr. Bisset but the clues don't add up. He can't be found for questioning!
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, hotel proprietors, are a much nicer couple. He's cheerful and helpful and she's lovely. Actually she enjoys gossiping but is never mean. She just chats about whatever has been going on in the neighborhood and the people. Their relationship is pretty special. I appreciate that they tell each other everything and there's no secrets, lies or jealousy on either end.
I enjoyed this novel better than the first but it's still not a favorite series. If the author can dial it back on the miscellaneous random trivia, I would like this series a lot more. I do plan to look for the third book though. I'm curious to see where Maud and Daisy go next.
July 6, 2023
Good second book in a new series
Strong female protagonists, beautiful scenery, good research and charming stories
When Maud and Daisy’s private detective business is a little slow, Maud is offered the opportunity to pen a column in the newspaper. A reader reaches out for advice on the possible illegal goings on in the house where she works. Maud and Daisy catch the train up to the highlands, where they encounter a dead body From there, the story starts piecing together This author writes diff mysteries for maud and daisy to solve that seen independent of each other but end up all being connected
As with any cozy, we can not leave out the handsome Lord
Unlike other stories, our Lord stays on the sidelines allowing Maud and Daisy all the credit
Strong female protagonists, beautiful scenery, good research and charming stories
When Maud and Daisy’s private detective business is a little slow, Maud is offered the opportunity to pen a column in the newspaper. A reader reaches out for advice on the possible illegal goings on in the house where she works. Maud and Daisy catch the train up to the highlands, where they encounter a dead body From there, the story starts piecing together This author writes diff mysteries for maud and daisy to solve that seen independent of each other but end up all being connected
As with any cozy, we can not leave out the handsome Lord
Unlike other stories, our Lord stays on the sidelines allowing Maud and Daisy all the credit
May 26, 2023
Edinburgh, 1911: When Maud McIntyre receives a letter from a maid called Rose, sharing her suspicions that something strange is happening in the house where she works, she and her assistant Daisy immediately travel to Braemar in the Highlands to investigate. But as they are changing trains, the body of a man falls from the carriage right in front of them, a bullet in his head. Maud and Daisy can’t believe it – they’ve waited ages for a new case, and now one has literally landed in front of them! And when the local police rule the death as suicide, the pair have no choice but to investigate what they believe is a murder. Arriving in the Scottish village, Maud and Daisy go undercover to begin their hunt for the murderer, while also investigating the strange behaviour of Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. As they begin to piece together the chain of events, Maud and Daisy wonder whether the cases might be linked. When a local artist is found murdered, Maud and Daisy become convinced the two cases are connected.
The second outing for Maud & Daisy & it was a well written delightful cosy mystery, there’s even a chance meeting with the king! I really like Maud & her former maid Daisy, they really complement each other. There’s also Hamish Urquhart, who appears at random moments & I love the way Maud's thoughts are turning! An interesting & enjoyable read with quite a few historical facts woven into the fiction. There are twists, turns & of course red herrings before Maud & Daisy solve the cases. I look forward to more in the series
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
The second outing for Maud & Daisy & it was a well written delightful cosy mystery, there’s even a chance meeting with the king! I really like Maud & her former maid Daisy, they really complement each other. There’s also Hamish Urquhart, who appears at random moments & I love the way Maud's thoughts are turning! An interesting & enjoyable read with quite a few historical facts woven into the fiction. There are twists, turns & of course red herrings before Maud & Daisy solve the cases. I look forward to more in the series
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
March 15, 2024
Another interesting adventure for these two detectives. Love the setting.
June 1, 2024
Meh, I'd say about 2.5 stars
May 10, 2023
I would recommend this for teenager girls, it's clean, it's a teenage type cozy mystery, it's the 21st Century version of Nancy Drew. Maud and Daisy are off again, this time into the Highlands, after being asked by a maid to look into her employers art business, afraid that a forger has become involved. I was under the impression that it was a clean romantic mystery, alas no, the good looking male is there, but these two females are in no need of any males, thank you very much. Sigh. Although Lord Urughuart makes non meaningful appearences, a few seconds here and there, to be quite honest, it reads like it was published for thirteen year olds,which could help with the literary worlds goal of getting younger people to read.
Thank you #Netgalley #Bookouture
carolintallahassee
Thank you #Netgalley #Bookouture
carolintallahassee
July 12, 2023
Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first in the series. The detectives were literally and figuratively all over the place, and the history info dumping and description of everything everyone was wearing was rather worse than the first time round.
From an accuracy point of view, there's no such thing as a strathspey reel - strathspeys are slow and stately, reels are faster. And 'Brochan Lom' the song doesn't actually sound like it's written, the second word sounds more like 'loum', so saying Maud overheard something like that when she neither spoke Gaelic nor had come across it before, was an odd choice (it was also an unfortunate earworm before bed, but that's by the by!)
From an accuracy point of view, there's no such thing as a strathspey reel - strathspeys are slow and stately, reels are faster. And 'Brochan Lom' the song doesn't actually sound like it's written, the second word sounds more like 'loum', so saying Maud overheard something like that when she neither spoke Gaelic nor had come across it before, was an odd choice (it was also an unfortunate earworm before bed, but that's by the by!)
October 27, 2023
After reading the first book, and in need of a book to read while I waited to acquire a book on my list, I chose this, the second book in the series. A huge mistake. This is a series for middle school readers. Too much detail on what the detectives are wearing, trite details, and ridiculous, predictable events. To top it off, a predictable and unbelievable denouement moved this book into the one star category. I would not recommend this series. Also, calling this book historical fiction is a joke. The little bit of history reads as though the facts came from a travel brochure. No real history here
May 29, 2023
My thanks to Bookouture for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Murder in the Scottish Hills’ by Lydia Travers. I was also invited to take part in the publication week blog tour.
This is Book 2 in The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series of historical cosy mysteries. In the opening chapter there is background provided though it has a few spoilers about the initial cases covered in Book 1. However, as that previous book was such fun, I have no hesitation in recommending it.
September 1911. Maud McIntyre’s recently opened detective agency currently has no cases. She accepts an invitation to write an article for the Edinburgh Times on women’s rights. Following a positive response, the editor tells Maud that they have received a number of letters, some asking questions. He suggests that she might start an advice column. So together with Daisy, her former lady’s maid who has since become a close friend, they answer various letters.
One from Rose, a housemaid at a stately home in the Highlands near Balmoral, writes about unusual goings on at the house. They decide to take on her case pro bono. During their train journey north they change trains. As Maud opens the door of a seemingly empty carriage, the body of a man rolls out. The police conclude that he had taken his own life. Yet Maud is not convinced as apparently he was not a popular chap and plenty would welcome his demise. Could it have been murder?
Aside from that mystery when they reach their destination, they approach Rose’s employer and begin to investigate. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Again, this proved another delightful historical cosy in which Maud and Daisy investigate a few local mysteries. Maud also meets King George V, who is in residence at nearby Balmoral and encounters Lord Hamish Urquhart again. His presence causes her heart to speed up and Maud chastises herself for such feelings.
As someone interested in art history, I appreciated the inclusion of references to Picasso, Cubism, and the like as well as snippets of Scottish history. Maud’s enthusiasm for the stories of Sherlock Holmes continues with her referencing a few of his cases.
Overall, I felt that with ‘Murder in the Scottish Hills’ Lydia Travers has built on the promising first novel, establishing her resourceful lady detectives as they undertake further investigations. She blends in just enough humour to lighten the more serious aspects of the story.
Definitely a ‘must read’ for lovers of historical cosy mysteries and I am pleased that there’s not a long wait for Book 3, ‘Mystery in the Highlands’, which is due for publication in late July.
This is Book 2 in The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series of historical cosy mysteries. In the opening chapter there is background provided though it has a few spoilers about the initial cases covered in Book 1. However, as that previous book was such fun, I have no hesitation in recommending it.
September 1911. Maud McIntyre’s recently opened detective agency currently has no cases. She accepts an invitation to write an article for the Edinburgh Times on women’s rights. Following a positive response, the editor tells Maud that they have received a number of letters, some asking questions. He suggests that she might start an advice column. So together with Daisy, her former lady’s maid who has since become a close friend, they answer various letters.
One from Rose, a housemaid at a stately home in the Highlands near Balmoral, writes about unusual goings on at the house. They decide to take on her case pro bono. During their train journey north they change trains. As Maud opens the door of a seemingly empty carriage, the body of a man rolls out. The police conclude that he had taken his own life. Yet Maud is not convinced as apparently he was not a popular chap and plenty would welcome his demise. Could it have been murder?
Aside from that mystery when they reach their destination, they approach Rose’s employer and begin to investigate. No further details to avoid spoilers.
Again, this proved another delightful historical cosy in which Maud and Daisy investigate a few local mysteries. Maud also meets King George V, who is in residence at nearby Balmoral and encounters Lord Hamish Urquhart again. His presence causes her heart to speed up and Maud chastises herself for such feelings.
As someone interested in art history, I appreciated the inclusion of references to Picasso, Cubism, and the like as well as snippets of Scottish history. Maud’s enthusiasm for the stories of Sherlock Holmes continues with her referencing a few of his cases.
Overall, I felt that with ‘Murder in the Scottish Hills’ Lydia Travers has built on the promising first novel, establishing her resourceful lady detectives as they undertake further investigations. She blends in just enough humour to lighten the more serious aspects of the story.
Definitely a ‘must read’ for lovers of historical cosy mysteries and I am pleased that there’s not a long wait for Book 3, ‘Mystery in the Highlands’, which is due for publication in late July.
May 28, 2023
I am positively enchanted by this series!
In this installment, Maud and Daisy are contacted by a maid who works for an art dealer. She fears the gallery is dealing in forged art and engages the agency’s services. They travel to the village of Braemar to investigate, and on the way, Maud literally has a man’s dead body drop into her lap.
They don’t intend to get involved in the murder investigation. But as they dig into the possible forgeries, there’s another murder, this time of the artist who may have been creating the fake works of art. Maud and Daisy realize that all three crimes may be interconnected.
I just love the relationship between Maud and Daisy! They aren’t superior and servant, they’re friends. And I like Maud, but Daisy seems like someone I would really enjoy hanging out with. I also appreciate the way Travers incorporates Daisy’s accent into the story. It isn’t written in such a way that it’s distracting to read, but it does help me “hear” it in my head. I had to look up a couple of the words she used, and “sweetiewife” may have just added itself to my vocabulary.
The mystery wasn’t extremely convoluted, and as I read through the story, the big reveal of the murderer’s identity wasn’t a tremendous surprise. The village of Braemar is small, and the cast of suspects was limited. But the reveal itself was clever, and it’s fun to see our lady detectives learn and work to improve their skills. I certainly don’t think I’d have the pluck to set myself out as a private investigator!
The hints of potential romance between Maud and Lord Hamish Urquhart are a treat, too. Maud really twists herself in knots trying to avoid admitting even an inkling of feelings for him, while he’s much clearer about his feelings for her. I hope we see more developments between them in future books.
And I loved the detail about Maud learning to work out with Indian clubs! My husband uses them to strengthen his arms and shoulders. I’m glad to know Maud won’t be a shrinking violet if she finds herself in a sticky situation. Maybe Daisy should quit poking fun at Maud over them and try them herself.
Kudos to Lydia Travers for an engaging series. Hopefully one day I’ll get to see Scotland for myself. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through our lady detectives.
In this installment, Maud and Daisy are contacted by a maid who works for an art dealer. She fears the gallery is dealing in forged art and engages the agency’s services. They travel to the village of Braemar to investigate, and on the way, Maud literally has a man’s dead body drop into her lap.
They don’t intend to get involved in the murder investigation. But as they dig into the possible forgeries, there’s another murder, this time of the artist who may have been creating the fake works of art. Maud and Daisy realize that all three crimes may be interconnected.
I just love the relationship between Maud and Daisy! They aren’t superior and servant, they’re friends. And I like Maud, but Daisy seems like someone I would really enjoy hanging out with. I also appreciate the way Travers incorporates Daisy’s accent into the story. It isn’t written in such a way that it’s distracting to read, but it does help me “hear” it in my head. I had to look up a couple of the words she used, and “sweetiewife” may have just added itself to my vocabulary.
The mystery wasn’t extremely convoluted, and as I read through the story, the big reveal of the murderer’s identity wasn’t a tremendous surprise. The village of Braemar is small, and the cast of suspects was limited. But the reveal itself was clever, and it’s fun to see our lady detectives learn and work to improve their skills. I certainly don’t think I’d have the pluck to set myself out as a private investigator!
The hints of potential romance between Maud and Lord Hamish Urquhart are a treat, too. Maud really twists herself in knots trying to avoid admitting even an inkling of feelings for him, while he’s much clearer about his feelings for her. I hope we see more developments between them in future books.
And I loved the detail about Maud learning to work out with Indian clubs! My husband uses them to strengthen his arms and shoulders. I’m glad to know Maud won’t be a shrinking violet if she finds herself in a sticky situation. Maybe Daisy should quit poking fun at Maud over them and try them herself.
Kudos to Lydia Travers for an engaging series. Hopefully one day I’ll get to see Scotland for myself. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through our lady detectives.
June 14, 2023
Maud and Daisy in the first book, solved their first couple cases and now feel they have successfully started their detective agency, but they are not getting any business. During a dinner party at a friends house they were discussing the sufferage movement and an editor for a newspaper was interested in having her write a column about her opinions. This leads to her get a lot of mail from women who wanted her opinion on things. Maud working for the paper was helping her and her friend Daisy be able to keep the detective agency open in hopes of some business.
While looking through the letters she finds one from a young lady named Rose who is working for an art dealer and she is worried that her boss might be doing some bad things and wanted to know what she should do. She really liked her job but didn't want to work for a criminal.
Maud decides that they should meet this young lady and see if they could help, even if it was probably for free because the young maid couldn't afford to pay them. She was making enough money from the paper to be able to do a job without pay and maybe it would help them in the long run for their detective business.
On the way there by train they end up finding the dead body of a man who lives in the same town they were headed too and of course curiosity gets to them. They find out from Rose that she thinks her boss is selling forgeries and they start investigating that, but can't forget about the dead body, so also look into that. They are staying at a hotel where they even get into a small investigation there.
I really like Maud and Daisy as characters. I also like Lord Urquhart and hope he becomes the love interest for Maud. That being said I also thought that storyline was very slow moving and I am not sure if it's because there are so many different things they are trying to solve or if I just found it boring but I didn't like it quite as much a I did book one. I also think the author is putting in modern feminist thought in a historical with Daisy and that just makes me roll my eyes but hey that is my opinion.
I will be trying the next one as like I said I do like Maud and Daisy. If you like historical mysteries you might enjoy this series, so give it a try.
While looking through the letters she finds one from a young lady named Rose who is working for an art dealer and she is worried that her boss might be doing some bad things and wanted to know what she should do. She really liked her job but didn't want to work for a criminal.
Maud decides that they should meet this young lady and see if they could help, even if it was probably for free because the young maid couldn't afford to pay them. She was making enough money from the paper to be able to do a job without pay and maybe it would help them in the long run for their detective business.
On the way there by train they end up finding the dead body of a man who lives in the same town they were headed too and of course curiosity gets to them. They find out from Rose that she thinks her boss is selling forgeries and they start investigating that, but can't forget about the dead body, so also look into that. They are staying at a hotel where they even get into a small investigation there.
I really like Maud and Daisy as characters. I also like Lord Urquhart and hope he becomes the love interest for Maud. That being said I also thought that storyline was very slow moving and I am not sure if it's because there are so many different things they are trying to solve or if I just found it boring but I didn't like it quite as much a I did book one. I also think the author is putting in modern feminist thought in a historical with Daisy and that just makes me roll my eyes but hey that is my opinion.
I will be trying the next one as like I said I do like Maud and Daisy. If you like historical mysteries you might enjoy this series, so give it a try.
December 8, 2023
Lydia Travers thrills and delights with the second terrific installment of her series, The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency: Murder in the Scottish Hills.
Edinburgh, 1911 and Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy receive a letter from a maid called Rose who shares her suspicions about the strange occurrences taking place at the house in the Highlands where she works. Maud and Daisy decide to do some investigating so they head off to this beautiful part of the world – only to be stopped in their tracks while at the station when a man’s body falls right in front of them while they are changing trains. The man has been shot in the head and despite the fact that the intrepid detectives believe that somethings shady is afoot, the police rule it out and claim that this was a tragic and unfortunate accident. However, Maud and Daisy are convinced that there is more to this case than meets the eye…
As they arrive in the small Highland village, Maud and Daisy find themselves having to juggle two different cases and as they go undercover, they begin the hunt for the murderer while keeping a close eye on Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. Maud and Daisy cannot shake off this feeling that the two cases might be linked somewhat – and when another body is discovered, they realise that they need to work as fast as they can possibly to prevent a dangerous killer from getting away with murder again!
An enjoyable historical cozy mystery with two fantastic sleuths, tension, action, wit and plenty of red herrings, Murder in the Scottish Hills is a fun page-turner ideal for fans of Kerry Greenwood and Verity Bright looking for a new author to add to their must-read list.
Lydia Travers beautifully brings the early years of the twentieth century to life and her entertaining cozy mystery will have readers eager for more adventures featuring The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Edinburgh, 1911 and Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy receive a letter from a maid called Rose who shares her suspicions about the strange occurrences taking place at the house in the Highlands where she works. Maud and Daisy decide to do some investigating so they head off to this beautiful part of the world – only to be stopped in their tracks while at the station when a man’s body falls right in front of them while they are changing trains. The man has been shot in the head and despite the fact that the intrepid detectives believe that somethings shady is afoot, the police rule it out and claim that this was a tragic and unfortunate accident. However, Maud and Daisy are convinced that there is more to this case than meets the eye…
As they arrive in the small Highland village, Maud and Daisy find themselves having to juggle two different cases and as they go undercover, they begin the hunt for the murderer while keeping a close eye on Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. Maud and Daisy cannot shake off this feeling that the two cases might be linked somewhat – and when another body is discovered, they realise that they need to work as fast as they can possibly to prevent a dangerous killer from getting away with murder again!
An enjoyable historical cozy mystery with two fantastic sleuths, tension, action, wit and plenty of red herrings, Murder in the Scottish Hills is a fun page-turner ideal for fans of Kerry Greenwood and Verity Bright looking for a new author to add to their must-read list.
Lydia Travers beautifully brings the early years of the twentieth century to life and her entertaining cozy mystery will have readers eager for more adventures featuring The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 7, 2023
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lydia Travers for providing me with a complimentary digital m ARC for Murder in the Scottish Hills coming out May 26, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Edinburgh, 1911: Maud McIntyre is settling into her job as a private detective. She receives a letter from a maid called Rose, telling her that something odd is happening in the house where she works. Maud and her trustworthy assistant Daisy immediately travel to the Highlands to potentially solve another case.
But as they are changing trains, the body of a man falls from the carriage right in front of them, a bullet in his head. Maud and Daisy are shocked, but realize they need to solve this case. However, local police rule the death as a tragic accident. Believing it wasn’t an accident but murder.
Arriving in the Scottish village, Maud and Daisy go undercover to find out the murderer, while also investigating the strange behaviour of Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. As they begin to put together the chain of events, Maud and Daisy wonder whether the cases might be connected. Is it possible the man on the train was killed to cover up something in the village?
When a local artist is found murdered, Maud and Daisy become convinced the two cases are connected. Searching for the link between the deaths, will Maud and Daisy solve the case before another mysterious murder occurs?
I love this series so much! I also received the audiobook The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency and loved it. So I wanted to check out the second book. I just think it’s a fun, cozy historical mystery. I love that it’s set in Scotland. The mystery was a little too straightforward, but I still love Maud’s adventures. I love that she has her own car now to get around, solving cases, haha. I definitely want to get the third book!
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy historical mysteries!
Edinburgh, 1911: Maud McIntyre is settling into her job as a private detective. She receives a letter from a maid called Rose, telling her that something odd is happening in the house where she works. Maud and her trustworthy assistant Daisy immediately travel to the Highlands to potentially solve another case.
But as they are changing trains, the body of a man falls from the carriage right in front of them, a bullet in his head. Maud and Daisy are shocked, but realize they need to solve this case. However, local police rule the death as a tragic accident. Believing it wasn’t an accident but murder.
Arriving in the Scottish village, Maud and Daisy go undercover to find out the murderer, while also investigating the strange behaviour of Rose’s employer, a local art dealer. As they begin to put together the chain of events, Maud and Daisy wonder whether the cases might be connected. Is it possible the man on the train was killed to cover up something in the village?
When a local artist is found murdered, Maud and Daisy become convinced the two cases are connected. Searching for the link between the deaths, will Maud and Daisy solve the case before another mysterious murder occurs?
I love this series so much! I also received the audiobook The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency and loved it. So I wanted to check out the second book. I just think it’s a fun, cozy historical mystery. I love that it’s set in Scotland. The mystery was a little too straightforward, but I still love Maud’s adventures. I love that she has her own car now to get around, solving cases, haha. I definitely want to get the third book!
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy historical mysteries!
May 26, 2023
Edinburgh, 1911: Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy travel to the Scottish Highlands after receiving a letter from Rose. Rose informs Maud that there are strange things going on in the house that she works in. While Maud and Daisy are on the train destined for the Highlands, a man’s body falls from the carriage right in front of them. His cause of death is a gunshot wound to his head. Maud and Daisy never expected a new case to happen right in front of them, but when the police rule it as a tragic accident, they believe it was no accident but was murder. As soon as Maud and Daisy arrive in the Highlands, they immediately jump into action in finding the murderer. But they can’t forget why they are there…to help Rose find out what the strange happenings are that are going on with her employer, an art dealer. As they piece together all that has happened, they wonder if the murder on the train is connected with Rose’s employer. Then another body is found, this time it is a local artist. Maud and Daisy are sure that the two murders are connected but they must prove it and find the killer before another body turns up.
Murder in the Scottish Hills written by author Lydia Travers was a wonderful cozy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the discussion between Maud and Daisy, what a wonderful pair they are. This story had my attention from the very first page to the last. Just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was, the plot twist proved me wrong. I loved everything about this story and with this book being the second installment in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency, I am looking forward to continuing the series with book three. This is a must read for every cozy mystery fan and I highly recommend it.
Murder in the Scottish Hills written by author Lydia Travers was a wonderful cozy mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the discussion between Maud and Daisy, what a wonderful pair they are. This story had my attention from the very first page to the last. Just when I thought I had figured out who the killer was, the plot twist proved me wrong. I loved everything about this story and with this book being the second installment in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency, I am looking forward to continuing the series with book three. This is a must read for every cozy mystery fan and I highly recommend it.
May 20, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "Murder in the Scottish Hills" in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was the second book in The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency and it was a fantastic continuation of Maud and Daisy's adventures as detectives. They are wonderful strong female characters in a time when women had very little voice of their own.
The time is September 1911 in Edinburgh where the M. McIntyre Agency is remembering the success of solving 3 crimes and almost losing their lives. Maud meets the editor of the Edinburgh Times at a gathering with her friend Eleanor from school. He asks her to write a piece for his paper on women's issues. She also writes an advice column as "Mrs. Fraser". Then a new case pops up in the form of Rose Gilmour a live-in maid to an art dealer in Braemar. She suspects that either her employer or his son are involved in art forgery and could Maud and Daisy investigate.
Of course, along the way they stumble upon another crime when they find a dead body on the train. An interesting character from the first book makes an appearance - Lord Hamish Urquhart whose stolen love letters they had retrieved. He is always quite eager to assist them in their investigations.
At the hotel where Maud and Daisy are staying they find a third mystery to solve - who is stealing stuffed birds and why. There is another murder in the village and Maud once again finds herself in great danger. There is mystery, intrigue, suspense and maybe a possible future romance?
This book is worth more than the allotted 5 stars, I am very much looking forward to the future books in this exciting new series.
This was the second book in The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency and it was a fantastic continuation of Maud and Daisy's adventures as detectives. They are wonderful strong female characters in a time when women had very little voice of their own.
The time is September 1911 in Edinburgh where the M. McIntyre Agency is remembering the success of solving 3 crimes and almost losing their lives. Maud meets the editor of the Edinburgh Times at a gathering with her friend Eleanor from school. He asks her to write a piece for his paper on women's issues. She also writes an advice column as "Mrs. Fraser". Then a new case pops up in the form of Rose Gilmour a live-in maid to an art dealer in Braemar. She suspects that either her employer or his son are involved in art forgery and could Maud and Daisy investigate.
Of course, along the way they stumble upon another crime when they find a dead body on the train. An interesting character from the first book makes an appearance - Lord Hamish Urquhart whose stolen love letters they had retrieved. He is always quite eager to assist them in their investigations.
At the hotel where Maud and Daisy are staying they find a third mystery to solve - who is stealing stuffed birds and why. There is another murder in the village and Maud once again finds herself in great danger. There is mystery, intrigue, suspense and maybe a possible future romance?
This book is worth more than the allotted 5 stars, I am very much looking forward to the future books in this exciting new series.
May 25, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review Murder in the Scottish Hills. All opinions and comments are my own.
Maud McIntyre and Daisy Cameron are busy keeping their detective agency afloat, but the cases are not exactly rolling in. So, when the opportunity to write an advice column for a local newspaper comes up to bring in a little extra money, Maud agrees to the idea. Little does she know that this will lead to the discovery of art forgeries, murder, and for us readers, history and biology lessons of the Scottish countryside. Murder in the Scottish Hills, the second in “The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency" series, will be full of surprises.
Maud and Daisy use their detective skills to full effect (with a homage to Means, Motive and Opportunity, which takes a bit of time; this is a cozy mystery, not a page-turning thriller). There are plenty of suspects; a grieving (or not) widow, art gallery owners, hotel proprietors, a mysterious stranger that has ties to the dead man’s daughter. And when there’s another death, there’s even more reason for Maud and Daisy to figure out what’s going on. Which they do, after Maud uses her wiles and brings down a murderer -- literally.
Murder in the Scottish Hills, set in and around Edwardian Edinburgh, is a lightweight story good for those looking for fun characters, an interesting setting and a murder mystery with a hint of romance (the ongoing flirtation with Lord Urquhart from the first book continues apace). If those are your interests, it will definitely tick all the boxes.
Maud McIntyre and Daisy Cameron are busy keeping their detective agency afloat, but the cases are not exactly rolling in. So, when the opportunity to write an advice column for a local newspaper comes up to bring in a little extra money, Maud agrees to the idea. Little does she know that this will lead to the discovery of art forgeries, murder, and for us readers, history and biology lessons of the Scottish countryside. Murder in the Scottish Hills, the second in “The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency" series, will be full of surprises.
Maud and Daisy use their detective skills to full effect (with a homage to Means, Motive and Opportunity, which takes a bit of time; this is a cozy mystery, not a page-turning thriller). There are plenty of suspects; a grieving (or not) widow, art gallery owners, hotel proprietors, a mysterious stranger that has ties to the dead man’s daughter. And when there’s another death, there’s even more reason for Maud and Daisy to figure out what’s going on. Which they do, after Maud uses her wiles and brings down a murderer -- literally.
Murder in the Scottish Hills, set in and around Edwardian Edinburgh, is a lightweight story good for those looking for fun characters, an interesting setting and a murder mystery with a hint of romance (the ongoing flirtation with Lord Urquhart from the first book continues apace). If those are your interests, it will definitely tick all the boxes.
June 2, 2023
‘Murder in the Scottish Hills’ is the second book in this entertaining and lively series! I loved it just as must as the first book and thought the development of the characters in particular was done extremely well! You don't need to have read the first book in the series to have to enjoy this one as can easily be picked up as a stand-alone.
When Maud McIntrye and her assistant, Daisy, receive a call from a young maid, Rose asking for their help as she believes something untoward is happening in the house where she works they jump into action and head on up to the Highlands. But when they are changing trains a body of a man falls at their feet and it's clear he has been shot! The police initially believe it is suicide but Maud isn't so sure. When they arrive at Ballater they go uncover to investigate the death and also the goings on at Rose’s work, the house of a local art dealer. Maud and Daisy think the cases might be linked, especially when a local artist is found murdered as well. Will they be able to find the killer before another victim is found…
I loved this book! Ballater and Braemar is an area of Scotland which I love and the descriptions of the area were on point. I'm even staying at the hotel that Maud and Daisy were staying at later this year. Maud and Daisy came across as a much more developed combination of protagonists in this story as it felt to me more authentic and based on equals rather than employer and employee. Plus, some of their antics and disguises were hilarious! It altogether felt a bit more relaxed and fun this time round.
Looking forward to book three in the series! Let me know if you pick this one up.
When Maud McIntrye and her assistant, Daisy, receive a call from a young maid, Rose asking for their help as she believes something untoward is happening in the house where she works they jump into action and head on up to the Highlands. But when they are changing trains a body of a man falls at their feet and it's clear he has been shot! The police initially believe it is suicide but Maud isn't so sure. When they arrive at Ballater they go uncover to investigate the death and also the goings on at Rose’s work, the house of a local art dealer. Maud and Daisy think the cases might be linked, especially when a local artist is found murdered as well. Will they be able to find the killer before another victim is found…
I loved this book! Ballater and Braemar is an area of Scotland which I love and the descriptions of the area were on point. I'm even staying at the hotel that Maud and Daisy were staying at later this year. Maud and Daisy came across as a much more developed combination of protagonists in this story as it felt to me more authentic and based on equals rather than employer and employee. Plus, some of their antics and disguises were hilarious! It altogether felt a bit more relaxed and fun this time round.
Looking forward to book three in the series! Let me know if you pick this one up.
July 17, 2023
Maud and Daisy are back in action in this second installment of The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency series. After their initial case-solving success, business has been slow for the two friends. So when a letter for advice arrives in the post, the women are free to travel to the Scottish countryside to take on a new challenge.
On their train ride to a small village to meet with Rose, a maid who suspects her employer may be unknowingly involved in art forgery, Maud and Daisy not only meet a couple of interesting characters but also stumble upon a dead body. The deceased is the father of a woman they met on the train and a resident of the town to which they’re traveling, but no one seems to mourn his loss.
As the detectives begin their investigation, a local artist is found murdered. What is going on in this small town? Are the forgery and murder cases connected somehow? And can Maud and Daisy uncover the truth before anyone else gets hurt?
I really enjoyed the bits of Gaelic language and Scottish colloquialisms sprinkled throughout the book. Maud and Daisy continued to impress me with their defiance of social norms and witticisms, and I can see how they are growing more comfortable with their business and the role each of them play within it. I did struggle with the inclusion of Lord Urquhart. The rationale for why he kept appearing seemed forced, but I understand that the relationship with Maud needs to progress.
Although I enjoyed the first book in this series a bit more, I would recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers and look forward to continuing to follow this series!
On their train ride to a small village to meet with Rose, a maid who suspects her employer may be unknowingly involved in art forgery, Maud and Daisy not only meet a couple of interesting characters but also stumble upon a dead body. The deceased is the father of a woman they met on the train and a resident of the town to which they’re traveling, but no one seems to mourn his loss.
As the detectives begin their investigation, a local artist is found murdered. What is going on in this small town? Are the forgery and murder cases connected somehow? And can Maud and Daisy uncover the truth before anyone else gets hurt?
I really enjoyed the bits of Gaelic language and Scottish colloquialisms sprinkled throughout the book. Maud and Daisy continued to impress me with their defiance of social norms and witticisms, and I can see how they are growing more comfortable with their business and the role each of them play within it. I did struggle with the inclusion of Lord Urquhart. The rationale for why he kept appearing seemed forced, but I understand that the relationship with Maud needs to progress.
Although I enjoyed the first book in this series a bit more, I would recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers and look forward to continuing to follow this series!
May 27, 2023
Having recently read and enjoyed the first book in this new series, I was looking forward to reading the second and finding out more about the wonderful Maud and Daisy, founders of their newly established detective agency.
It is 1911 and Maud is in Edinburgh at her friend Eleanor’s dinner party, when she is reunited with Lord Hamish Urquhart. She begins to write for a newspaper and soon receives a letter from a maid called Rose, who is worried about the goings on in the house where she works. This entitles a trip up to the Scottish Highlands by train. While they are travelling, they discover the body of a dead man!
As we found out in the first book, Maud McIntyre may live in the 1910s but she is a modern woman with her own views and isn’t afraid to express them. As well as being clever and eloquent, she also has a bit of a knack for solving crimes and a penchant for Sherlock Holmes.
The settings are well-evoked here with great emphasis on the wonderful rooms in the big houses they visit and all the interesting fashions worn by the characters. It is all very well-researched and I liked how real life events were mentioned, which gives the reader a good idea of where this is in time. If you’re a royalist like I am, there’s a treat for you here too.
This book is easily read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the first one before, so you can see how the agency begins. I actually felt Murder in the Scottish Hills was better than the first book. I’ll look forward to reading Book 3!
It is 1911 and Maud is in Edinburgh at her friend Eleanor’s dinner party, when she is reunited with Lord Hamish Urquhart. She begins to write for a newspaper and soon receives a letter from a maid called Rose, who is worried about the goings on in the house where she works. This entitles a trip up to the Scottish Highlands by train. While they are travelling, they discover the body of a dead man!
As we found out in the first book, Maud McIntyre may live in the 1910s but she is a modern woman with her own views and isn’t afraid to express them. As well as being clever and eloquent, she also has a bit of a knack for solving crimes and a penchant for Sherlock Holmes.
The settings are well-evoked here with great emphasis on the wonderful rooms in the big houses they visit and all the interesting fashions worn by the characters. It is all very well-researched and I liked how real life events were mentioned, which gives the reader a good idea of where this is in time. If you’re a royalist like I am, there’s a treat for you here too.
This book is easily read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the first one before, so you can see how the agency begins. I actually felt Murder in the Scottish Hills was better than the first book. I’ll look forward to reading Book 3!
May 29, 2023
Questo è il primo libro della serie che leggo, ma non è stato un problema. Ambientato in Scozia nel 1911, racconta la storia di Maud McIntyre e di quella che era stata la sua cameriera, Daisy, oggi socie della Scottish Ladies Detective Agency. In questo secondo capitolo della serie, le due donne lasceranno Edimburgo per recarsi in un piccolo villaggio nelle Highlands seguendo un caso di dipinti e falsari. Appena scese dal treno, però, le due donne scoprono che Mr Bisset, un abitante del villaggio, è stato assasinato. E un secondo mistero è servito… Ho trovato il romanzo divertente, leggero ma anche ricco di dettagli sulla Scozia. Un buon Cozy mistery e ora voglio leggere il primo volume.
Ringrazio NetGalley e Bookoutre publishing per la copia anticipata di questo libro.
This was the first book in the series that I read. The book is set in Scotland in 1911, it tells the story of Maud McIntyre and her former maid, Daisy, now a partner in the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency. In this second chapter of the series, the two women will leave Edinburgh and travel to a small village in the Highlands following a case of paintings and forgery. Just off the train, however, the two women discover that Mr. Bisset, who lived in the village, has been murdered. And a second mystery is served... I found the novel entertaining and pleasant but also full of details about Scotland. A good cozy mystery and now I want to read the first volume.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre publishing for an advanced copy of this book.
Ringrazio NetGalley e Bookoutre publishing per la copia anticipata di questo libro.
This was the first book in the series that I read. The book is set in Scotland in 1911, it tells the story of Maud McIntyre and her former maid, Daisy, now a partner in the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency. In this second chapter of the series, the two women will leave Edinburgh and travel to a small village in the Highlands following a case of paintings and forgery. Just off the train, however, the two women discover that Mr. Bisset, who lived in the village, has been murdered. And a second mystery is served... I found the novel entertaining and pleasant but also full of details about Scotland. A good cozy mystery and now I want to read the first volume.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre publishing for an advanced copy of this book.
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