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Scottish Isle Mystery #2
Death at a Scottish Wedding
Dr. Emilia McRoy is back on the case in the second book in the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.
Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…
Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.
The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?
It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.
Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…
Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.
The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?
It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2024
270 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 373 reviews
July 22, 2023
Eh, I wasn't super crazy about this one. The dialogue was stilted, the conversations repetitive, and the mystery wasn't particularly mysterious. I think my biggest issue with it, however, was that the main character, Emilia, would not stop going on about how wonderful her friends were, how they were her family, how they were the greatest people ever, how she'd never felt so close to anybody before, etc., etc., etc. into what felt like infinity. Which, I mean, that's great and all, I suppose, but she'd only known these people for three months. It just all seemed a little too much, too soon (and even without the “too soon” it still would have been too much), but I'm also an antisocial introvert so what do I know? I only get this effusive about my dog (who, by the way, is awesome and wonderful and beautiful and the bestest hound ever and you guys are so lucky that I can't pull out photos right now).
Ahem.
On the positive side, I thought that the setting was great (a Scottish castle, yay!), and despite it's flaws, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant read. It wasn't my favorite book of all time, but it was light and fluffy and a mentally untaxing way to spend a few hours. I also thought that the second half of the book was better than the first – the dialogue definitely improved and the plot got a bit more interesting.
Will I read any additional books in the series? Probably not. Will I add photos of my dog to this review once I'm back home and not on a train with slow and unreliable internet? Possibly.*
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review!
*Okay, not really but the idea is tempting.
Ahem.
On the positive side, I thought that the setting was great (a Scottish castle, yay!), and despite it's flaws, it wasn't exactly an unpleasant read. It wasn't my favorite book of all time, but it was light and fluffy and a mentally untaxing way to spend a few hours. I also thought that the second half of the book was better than the first – the dialogue definitely improved and the plot got a bit more interesting.
Will I read any additional books in the series? Probably not. Will I add photos of my dog to this review once I'm back home and not on a train with slow and unreliable internet? Possibly.*
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review!
*Okay, not really but the idea is tempting.
January 3, 2024
This is the second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, but the first one I have read.
I was able to pick up the background and the relationships of the main characters quickly. Dr Emilia McRoy is an American doctor who has come to work on the Isle of Sea. She is also the local Coroner. Ewan Campbell is the Laird, Mayor and Constable. These two are made for each other but don't know it yet.
All of the main characters are attending a weekend wedding at Ewan's castle when they get snowed in. Then the murders begin. Things are a little slow in the first part of the book but once Emilia herself is attacked the pace hots up and the book positively gallops to its conclusion. There were lots of red herrings and a whole wedding party full of suspects. It was fun to have an MC who as Coroner was legitimately able to help the police.
I will look out for the next book.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was able to pick up the background and the relationships of the main characters quickly. Dr Emilia McRoy is an American doctor who has come to work on the Isle of Sea. She is also the local Coroner. Ewan Campbell is the Laird, Mayor and Constable. These two are made for each other but don't know it yet.
All of the main characters are attending a weekend wedding at Ewan's castle when they get snowed in. Then the murders begin. Things are a little slow in the first part of the book but once Emilia herself is attacked the pace hots up and the book positively gallops to its conclusion. There were lots of red herrings and a whole wedding party full of suspects. It was fun to have an MC who as Coroner was legitimately able to help the police.
I will look out for the next book.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 7, 2024
This is the second in the Scottish Isle Mysteries series where an American doctor from Seattle, Dr. Emilia McRoy, moved to a small village in Scotland to take on the job of the village doctor. Em loves her new home and office, set in a five-hundred-year-old church. Such an interesting setting! I like Em and her new set of friends, who are fun and like family. I really like Ewan, the laird and constable, who I feel likes Em in a romantic way but they are constantly bickering. When her friend Angie is getting married in a large castle owned by Ewan, Em, her friend Mara, and Jasper head to the castle. What an amazing place and a dream place to have a wedding. What is not great is a body that is found, the body of an ex of Angie's, while a blizzard is going on. He was apparently poisoned. Why is he there? The groom', Damien's father is very much against the wedding. Is this his doing? Or Damien? Or someone else? Then Angie and Mara both show signs of poisoning. This one has a wild cast of characters, including several wives of the bride's father, including the current one. Will the wedding go on? Lots of questions and Em and her assistant Abrigail are kept busy with patients as well all the friends doing some investigating. I enjoyed the new story as I did the first one with the great setting and characters.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.
January 11, 2024
EXCERPT: 'Watch your step,' he said.
I took three steps in, stubbed my toe on something, and tripped. I landed hard on the heels of my hands and then crashed my elbow into the floor.
'Oomph.'
'Are you okay?' Ewan asked.
My flashlight rolled across the floor and stopped.
'I didn't scream.' I was proud of myself, given what I'd tripped over.
'I almost did,' he said. 'More because I was worried you were going to fly out one of the windows when you tripped.
I swallowed hard. 'I'm fine. I'm more worried about him.'
The eyes of a dead man stared back at me.
ABOUT ' DEATH AT A SCOTTISH WEDDING': Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.
The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?
It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.
MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, but the first one I have read. I had no problem at all with the characters, their backgrounds, or their relationships.
The setting is ideal for a murder mystery - a Gothic castle during a snowstorm. Emilia does a lot of creeping around in the dark and manages to get lost in the labyrinth of passages and staircases. There's even a dungeon!
There's a wide range of characters from Emilia, an American doctor practicing in Scotland (she's also the Coroner) to Tommy a bright young neuro-divergent lad who warmed my heart and his very protective sister Abigail. There's a strong theme of friendship in this story which I really enjoyed.
There's no shortage of suspects from the drug addled brother of the groom to - well, almost anyone really!
Family dynamics play a large part in this story. On the groom's side, his family will seemingly stop at nothing to stop the wedding, with Damian's father going so far as to threaten to disinherit him if he went ahead and married Angie! As for Angie, she has a mother and, if I counted correctly, five stepmothers who strangely all look rather alike.
This is an entertaining cosy mystery with plenty of action and red herrings. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#DeathataScottishWedding #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Lucy loves traveling the world, but her favorite place is at home with her dogs and family. That said, she's always up for adventure and is constantly on the lookout for killer inspiration--as in who will be the next killer in her books?
She has a master's degree in humanities and enjoys learning all the things. And she's been published by many other names.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I took three steps in, stubbed my toe on something, and tripped. I landed hard on the heels of my hands and then crashed my elbow into the floor.
'Oomph.'
'Are you okay?' Ewan asked.
My flashlight rolled across the floor and stopped.
'I didn't scream.' I was proud of myself, given what I'd tripped over.
'I almost did,' he said. 'More because I was worried you were going to fly out one of the windows when you tripped.
I swallowed hard. 'I'm fine. I'm more worried about him.'
The eyes of a dead man stared back at me.
ABOUT ' DEATH AT A SCOTTISH WEDDING': Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.
The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?
It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.
MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, but the first one I have read. I had no problem at all with the characters, their backgrounds, or their relationships.
The setting is ideal for a murder mystery - a Gothic castle during a snowstorm. Emilia does a lot of creeping around in the dark and manages to get lost in the labyrinth of passages and staircases. There's even a dungeon!
There's a wide range of characters from Emilia, an American doctor practicing in Scotland (she's also the Coroner) to Tommy a bright young neuro-divergent lad who warmed my heart and his very protective sister Abigail. There's a strong theme of friendship in this story which I really enjoyed.
There's no shortage of suspects from the drug addled brother of the groom to - well, almost anyone really!
Family dynamics play a large part in this story. On the groom's side, his family will seemingly stop at nothing to stop the wedding, with Damian's father going so far as to threaten to disinherit him if he went ahead and married Angie! As for Angie, she has a mother and, if I counted correctly, five stepmothers who strangely all look rather alike.
This is an entertaining cosy mystery with plenty of action and red herrings. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
⭐⭐⭐.7
#DeathataScottishWedding #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Lucy loves traveling the world, but her favorite place is at home with her dogs and family. That said, she's always up for adventure and is constantly on the lookout for killer inspiration--as in who will be the next killer in her books?
She has a master's degree in humanities and enjoys learning all the things. And she's been published by many other names.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 4, 2023
Death at a Scottish Wedding is he second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series. I enjoyed the first book, An American in Scotland, too. The story takes place on Sea Isle, Scotland. There are the main characters from the first book as well as the new characters that add to the story. Emilia McRoy is the town doctor and coroner. She has come to Scotland from America. Ewan Campbell is the laird, mayor and constable of Sea Isle. Her friend, Angie who owns the family tartan company, is the bride who plans to marry Damien at Morrigan Castle the family home of Ewan Campbell. People are planning to arrive early as there is a snow storm predicted. The wedding is for the whole weekend. Emilia, Ewan and Mara, who helps her grandmother's run their family pub are going in Ewan's car. Also arriving separately are Abigail and her brother, Tommy who work for Emilie as her gardener and Abigail runs the office and household as well as helps the doctor when needed. Abigail and Tommy are going to stay in one of the small cottages on the property. Tommy is mentally handicapped and does not like crowds, The snow storm is very intense and closes the roads so everyone has to stay at the Castle.
While in the garden solarium Emilie thinks she saw someone in the turret and is afraid that he could be hurt. She tells Ewan and they both go into the turret to check it out. She trips over something in the turret and it turns out to be a body. They both do not know who he is. She tells Ewan that she thinks she passed him in the hallway. The man wore a hoodie. Later it is found that the man is Angie's ex-husband, Robbie. He was poisoned by anti-freeze.
The two families are at odds with Angie and Damian marrying each other, especially Damian's family. There is a lot of hostility also with the bridesmaids. The first night there the men are having a stag night in another part of the castle with the ladies having a ladies night. At the party Mara and Angie got sick. When tested it was found that they also were poisoned with anti-freeze. Who was doing this?
This is where the story takes off taking the reader on an adventure of who killed Robbie and who was trying to kill Angie to stop the wedding. There is so much going on in the story that it is hard to put on paper. I will leave it to the reader to enjoy. There are so many suspects, deception and disappearances that the reader is not sure who is the killer until the surprising end. In spite of all that is going on Angie and Damien do have their wedding.
I enjoyed the story with all the suspense and look forward to the next book in the series. Although Emilie and Ewan butt heads there are sparks between them and I am interested to see where the relationship goes.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
While in the garden solarium Emilie thinks she saw someone in the turret and is afraid that he could be hurt. She tells Ewan and they both go into the turret to check it out. She trips over something in the turret and it turns out to be a body. They both do not know who he is. She tells Ewan that she thinks she passed him in the hallway. The man wore a hoodie. Later it is found that the man is Angie's ex-husband, Robbie. He was poisoned by anti-freeze.
The two families are at odds with Angie and Damian marrying each other, especially Damian's family. There is a lot of hostility also with the bridesmaids. The first night there the men are having a stag night in another part of the castle with the ladies having a ladies night. At the party Mara and Angie got sick. When tested it was found that they also were poisoned with anti-freeze. Who was doing this?
This is where the story takes off taking the reader on an adventure of who killed Robbie and who was trying to kill Angie to stop the wedding. There is so much going on in the story that it is hard to put on paper. I will leave it to the reader to enjoy. There are so many suspects, deception and disappearances that the reader is not sure who is the killer until the surprising end. In spite of all that is going on Angie and Damien do have their wedding.
I enjoyed the story with all the suspense and look forward to the next book in the series. Although Emilie and Ewan butt heads there are sparks between them and I am interested to see where the relationship goes.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
November 2, 2023
The gangs all back for another installment about this wacky group of people in a small Scottish town. There’s Emilia the American doctor who fled the US after the death of her husband (that’s a whole other story from the first installment) along with newly formed best friends Mara, Angie, and Abigail. There’s also Constable Ewan, who is also a very wealthy laird. I just want to say that I don’t think this would make a very good standalone. Without reading the first installment, I don’t believe one will be able to fully understand and appreciate the relationships between many of the MC’s like the ones between Em, Mara, Angie and Abigail. There is also the prickly relationship interactions between Ewan and Em that began in the first installment that the second installment doesn’t really explain too much. Anyway, I strongly suggest reading the first installment before this one.
The book summary lays out the primary storyline: a big, old, creepy castle – check, a punk rock/gothic wedding – check, a boatload of wedding guests that includes jealous bridesmaids and a handful of stepmothers to the bride (aka “the steps”) - check, a dead body in a castle turret – check and a horrific blizzard that closes down the roads and strands everyone for three days - check. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that the dead body was the bride’s ex-boyfriend, that wasn’t invited to the wedding and no one liked so no one knows how he got there or, in this case, they aren’t saying! It also isn’t obvious that it really was a murder or an accident of some kind. Anyway, this presents a whole bunch of people as possible culprits and/or accomplices.
Most of the story revolves around the MC’s investigation of why the ex-BF is there, who brought him to the castle, who killed him and who is out to kill the bride (there is a few attempts on her life) as well as Em (there are attempts on her life too because she has all the evidence that is collected). By the second half, the team strongly suspects that there is either more than one killer and/or accomplice. It’s well into the second half that I am just as clueless as the team is as to who the killer(s) and/or accomplice(s) are. The end comes pretty quickly after that in a really scary and deadly scene for Em.
I absolutely love the chemistry between Em and her new BFF’s; the humor and snark are very entertaining. I especially like it when they gang up on Ewan to tease him mercilessly. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DeathataScottishWedding
The book summary lays out the primary storyline: a big, old, creepy castle – check, a punk rock/gothic wedding – check, a boatload of wedding guests that includes jealous bridesmaids and a handful of stepmothers to the bride (aka “the steps”) - check, a dead body in a castle turret – check and a horrific blizzard that closes down the roads and strands everyone for three days - check. What the book summary doesn’t mention is that the dead body was the bride’s ex-boyfriend, that wasn’t invited to the wedding and no one liked so no one knows how he got there or, in this case, they aren’t saying! It also isn’t obvious that it really was a murder or an accident of some kind. Anyway, this presents a whole bunch of people as possible culprits and/or accomplices.
Most of the story revolves around the MC’s investigation of why the ex-BF is there, who brought him to the castle, who killed him and who is out to kill the bride (there is a few attempts on her life) as well as Em (there are attempts on her life too because she has all the evidence that is collected). By the second half, the team strongly suspects that there is either more than one killer and/or accomplice. It’s well into the second half that I am just as clueless as the team is as to who the killer(s) and/or accomplice(s) are. The end comes pretty quickly after that in a really scary and deadly scene for Em.
I absolutely love the chemistry between Em and her new BFF’s; the humor and snark are very entertaining. I especially like it when they gang up on Ewan to tease him mercilessly. I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DeathataScottishWedding
December 26, 2023
I am absolutely intrigued and delighted by the characters in this book! They are so well written and the friendship bond between the characters is the friendship goals that we all have! Once again Dr Emilia McRoy is back, but rather than being in action as the town doctor, she is at a friend's wedding in a castle no less and a murder has taken place while they are all snowed in together. Now everyone is looking at everyone else with suspicion while Emilia, Ewan and friends are on the hunt for the killer or killers! Once again an outstanding plot is woven throughout a story of friendship and fun! If you are looking for a great cozy mystery set in Scotland then you have absolutely found the next series that you should read. This is only the second book in the series so you won't have much reading to catch up on, but I do highly recommend that you start at the beginning of the story as each book builds the foundation of the characters backstories and fleshes out the townspeople, businesses and locations plus more fun reading!!! I will be absolutely on pins and needles waiting for the next story in this series to become available!!!
January 5, 2024
I love the setting for this series. Add in the “locked room”, in this case, a Scottish castle in a snowstorm, and I am hooked. The mystery was well-paced and kept me guessing. I love the characters and really enjoyed the first book. Where this one lost points for me is in the repetition – my friends are amazing, why does everyone like Ewan,,… - it was all filler and got on my nerves. Two other things: when did Abigail get all this training? And how big was the medical supply kit that they brought?!!! Other than that, another solid entry in the series and I look forward to more.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for an honest review.
November 30, 2023
“ Death at a Scottish Wedding” by Lucy Connelly the 2nd instalment in the " A Scottish Isle Mystery" series. What a great follow-up to book one! Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…
I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland again, and seeing how Em has fit in on the island. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em, Mara, Abigail, Angie and of course Ewen. I’m still hoping something romantic develops between Ewen and Em maybe in book three…
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Em did.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 3 to come out!
I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland again, and seeing how Em has fit in on the island. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em, Mara, Abigail, Angie and of course Ewen. I’m still hoping something romantic develops between Ewen and Em maybe in book three…
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Em did.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 3 to come out!
I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
July 5, 2023
I received a free copy of, Death at a Scottish Wedding, by Lucy Connelly, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 2 of 2 in the Scottish Isles Mystery series. I have always been fascinated with Scotland, when I saw this title I was drawn to this book. American Dr, Emilia Mcroy has been living in Sea Isle, Scotland, but it still does not feel like home yet. When Emilia is invited to a wedding at a castle, she is excited, but then she finds a dead body, and the weather is not helping. Can Emilia solve the mystery? I really enjoyed Emilia, the castle, Scotland and the story.
June 26, 2023
This had all the makings of a great read: a spin on the classic country house mystery, with the addition of being set during a snowstorm at a Scottish castle. Perfect!
But it didn’t deliver.
What I found endearing in the first book felt stale and rehashed. By the end, I found myself actively disliking Emilia, which is a bit of a dealbreaker for a series. I found her smug and self-satisfied, and she seemed to use “I’m a doctor and I’m the coroner” as an excuse to interfere in every possible scenario. Another thing I found irritating as a reader was the constant gushing about her newfound friends and what a close knit ‘gang’ they were and how much they all loved each other and were a family etc etc. Repeatedly. It felt as if I were twelve again, reading about Nancy Drew and her chums solving mysteries.
The mystery itself was disappointingly lackluster, and for 3/4 of the book it felt like endless pages of Emilia and ‘the gang’ discussing ad nauseum the events of the night in question, despite the fact that no one seemed able to remember anything at all of any importance. Towards the end of the book, Emilia says to the others, “I feel like we keep going over the same things but we aren’t any closer.” This reader agrees wholeheartedly with that statement.
The conclusion came with no great twist and things fell into place with a bit of a weak fizzle. Random clues were never pursued, no one seemed to have the ability to remember who handed them what and when or tell any of the apparently countless dark haired women apart. Are people really this unobservant?
I won’t be continuing this series. It lacks the depth and gradual unveiling I love in a good mystery, and I think this author does way too much telling, not enough showing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
But it didn’t deliver.
What I found endearing in the first book felt stale and rehashed. By the end, I found myself actively disliking Emilia, which is a bit of a dealbreaker for a series. I found her smug and self-satisfied, and she seemed to use “I’m a doctor and I’m the coroner” as an excuse to interfere in every possible scenario. Another thing I found irritating as a reader was the constant gushing about her newfound friends and what a close knit ‘gang’ they were and how much they all loved each other and were a family etc etc. Repeatedly. It felt as if I were twelve again, reading about Nancy Drew and her chums solving mysteries.
The mystery itself was disappointingly lackluster, and for 3/4 of the book it felt like endless pages of Emilia and ‘the gang’ discussing ad nauseum the events of the night in question, despite the fact that no one seemed able to remember anything at all of any importance. Towards the end of the book, Emilia says to the others, “I feel like we keep going over the same things but we aren’t any closer.” This reader agrees wholeheartedly with that statement.
The conclusion came with no great twist and things fell into place with a bit of a weak fizzle. Random clues were never pursued, no one seemed to have the ability to remember who handed them what and when or tell any of the apparently countless dark haired women apart. Are people really this unobservant?
I won’t be continuing this series. It lacks the depth and gradual unveiling I love in a good mystery, and I think this author does way too much telling, not enough showing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest feedback.
September 20, 2023
Em is a doctor from America who has relocated to a small town in Scotland and has found some wonderful friends there. One of them, Angie, is getting married in a beautiful castle. But then Angie’s ex, who wasn’t invited, is found dead, and it seems that someone is trying to stop the wedding, as several guests, including Em, are hurt. There is a blizzard,so no one can come or go—everyone is on edge because they are trapped with a killer. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
August 24, 2023
Eh - not my favourite. Don’t get me wrong, the book wasn’t bad! It just could have been better. The dialogue is so so and Emilia continuously rambles on about how her friends are such good people & she doesn’t STOP. It made for some very repetitive reading.
On the good side though, this book had everything for a good murder mystery: a wedding, a group of people locked in a house with a killer on the loose, a scottish castle!
I think it was a fine read, but I wouldn’t read any other books in this series.
Thank to NetGalley for providing me with an e-book.
Edit: changed to 1 star, solely because looking back I just didn’t enjoy reading this book.
On the good side though, this book had everything for a good murder mystery: a wedding, a group of people locked in a house with a killer on the loose, a scottish castle!
I think it was a fine read, but I wouldn’t read any other books in this series.
Thank to NetGalley for providing me with an e-book.
Edit: changed to 1 star, solely because looking back I just didn’t enjoy reading this book.
January 30, 2024
This was such a fun mystery novel. Between the awesome setting and the engaging mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It's the second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, but I think it can be read as a stand-alone.
Emilia McRoy is a doctor from Seattle and is now living in Sea Isle, Scotland. She is both the only doctor in town and the coroner. In this edition, she is a guest at a friend's wedding taking place at a Scottish castle when a murder takes place, disturbing the wedding festivities. They are snowed in with a whole host of possible suspects. I'm very partial to a locked room mystery, and this on was exceedingly well done.
Death at a Scottish Wedding is a cleverly written mystery, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Emilia McRoy is a doctor from Seattle and is now living in Sea Isle, Scotland. She is both the only doctor in town and the coroner. In this edition, she is a guest at a friend's wedding taking place at a Scottish castle when a murder takes place, disturbing the wedding festivities. They are snowed in with a whole host of possible suspects. I'm very partial to a locked room mystery, and this on was exceedingly well done.
Death at a Scottish Wedding is a cleverly written mystery, and I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 29, 2024
4.5 Stars
Pro:
* Prose and pacing kept me completely engaged
* Emelia’s position in the town makes her such a logical person to have access to all of the clues/details. Almost borders on police procedural in spots.
* Classic locked room mystery
* I love Scotland
* Good exploration of a set of suspects without being obvious or eye-rolling ridiculous
* The character of Tommy and the genuine relationships that the other characters have with him are exceptional
Con:
* “Why can’t he and I get along” gets a bit repetitive
* “Niggling at my brain” is an unnecessary tell
* Too much explanation/repetition of “Tommy doesn’t do well with direct questions”
* Reveal is just a smidge more complicated with secret information than necessary.
Thank you to Lucy Connelly, Crooked Lane books, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review
Pro:
* Prose and pacing kept me completely engaged
* Emelia’s position in the town makes her such a logical person to have access to all of the clues/details. Almost borders on police procedural in spots.
* Classic locked room mystery
* I love Scotland
* Good exploration of a set of suspects without being obvious or eye-rolling ridiculous
* The character of Tommy and the genuine relationships that the other characters have with him are exceptional
Con:
* “Why can’t he and I get along” gets a bit repetitive
* “Niggling at my brain” is an unnecessary tell
* Too much explanation/repetition of “Tommy doesn’t do well with direct questions”
* Reveal is just a smidge more complicated with secret information than necessary.
Thank you to Lucy Connelly, Crooked Lane books, and NetGalley for an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review
February 16, 2024
While I loved seeing the characters of Emilia and Ewan Dr/Coroner and Constable I love their banter especially when they are trying to solve a mystery . However I wasn't a big fan of the mystery for two reasons I don't like locked room mysteries and I was able to figure out who did it. Before Emilia and Ewan did. That's the trouble with locked room mysteries the suspect pool is limited. But it was still and enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book in the series.
February 26, 2024
I really want to love these books because I love Scotland as a setting and some of the characters are so likable. But unfortunately just like the first one, this falls a bit flat mainly due to the writing. The plot is good enough, but the writing is so contrived. For not even being 300 pages long, I cannot tell you the amount of times it was noted in some form how the main character didn't know why she thought Ewan was annoying or they didn't fully get along etc and also how close she and a few of the other characters are after only living there for 3 months. The time frame is another thing; it feels like more time should have passed. And I still just can't suspend the belief enough even though it's fiction that this woman gets to move to Scotland and basically live rent free, doesn't have to pay for groceries or even eating out ever, doesn't pay for clothes, still makes a full income with her job (if this kind of thing exists, someone from Scotland please message me; I'm interested 😂). I don't know if I'll bother to continue on with this series at this point when it continues to feel mediocre, and there's so many other books on my TBR.
November 20, 2024
I was iffy about the first book but I liked this one even less. It felt repetitive and lacked atmosphere even though it had a great setting in theory. They also didn't really solve the crimes so much as they blundered around until the criminals just made themselves apparent because the plot required it.
Sadly I already have the next one on hold so... I'm gonna see it through. Maybe it'll get better?
Sadly I already have the next one on hold so... I'm gonna see it through. Maybe it'll get better?
October 16, 2024
I simply love the setting of Sea Isle ❤️.
The writing is entertaining, the mysteries are well crafted, and there is a healthy cast of interesting characters led by Dr. Emilia McRoy and Ewan Campbell who is not only the laird, constable and a lawyer of Sea Isle but also insanely wealthy. He could easily be wealthier than even Bruce Wayne! He equips Dr. Emilia's practice with all the latest, state of the art medical equipment and supplies that one might find only in a big city hospital. Abigail, Emilia's assistant is clever and capable while her 19 year old brother Tommy, who is neuro-divergant, has an immense talent for growing plants and flowers that can baffle any seasoned gardner. I liked how everyone is so protective of Tommy that they are ready to draw blood if anyone tries to harm him.
Overall, it's a fun series to read!
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author via NetGalley.
The writing is entertaining, the mysteries are well crafted, and there is a healthy cast of interesting characters led by Dr. Emilia McRoy and Ewan Campbell who is not only the laird, constable and a lawyer of Sea Isle but also insanely wealthy. He could easily be wealthier than even Bruce Wayne! He equips Dr. Emilia's practice with all the latest, state of the art medical equipment and supplies that one might find only in a big city hospital. Abigail, Emilia's assistant is clever and capable while her 19 year old brother Tommy, who is neuro-divergant, has an immense talent for growing plants and flowers that can baffle any seasoned gardner. I liked how everyone is so protective of Tommy that they are ready to draw blood if anyone tries to harm him.
Overall, it's a fun series to read!
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author via NetGalley.
June 19, 2023
#DeathataScottishWedding #NetGalley is the first book I've read in this series, but it won't be my last.
I enjoyed this book very much, and I was drawn to the characters from the beginning.
Dr. Emilia McRoy is a newcomer to Sea Isle, Scotland, and when she attends a friend's wedding, she's thrilled to find out it's at Morrigan's Castle.
Things go wrong quickly and the wedding celebration turns into a murder investigation, setting everyone on edge and wondering just who to trust.
I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
I enjoyed this book very much, and I was drawn to the characters from the beginning.
Dr. Emilia McRoy is a newcomer to Sea Isle, Scotland, and when she attends a friend's wedding, she's thrilled to find out it's at Morrigan's Castle.
Things go wrong quickly and the wedding celebration turns into a murder investigation, setting everyone on edge and wondering just who to trust.
I really liked this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.
July 1, 2025
There is so much to like about this series:
-The setting - Scotland!
- The hunky constable/laird, who (at least in the first book) is also a billionaire. "The man should have been on billboards of why women should move to Scotland"
- The engaging mysteries.
- Emilia and her posse.
Sadly, the amateurish writing and the sloppy editing/proofreading drove me nuts.
For example:
What happened to the other two lambs?
Page 209 "Then he wretched. Told me to go away."
-The setting - Scotland!
- The hunky constable/laird, who (at least in the first book) is also a billionaire. "The man should have been on billboards of why women should move to Scotland"
- The engaging mysteries.
- Emilia and her posse.
Sadly, the amateurish writing and the sloppy editing/proofreading drove me nuts.
For example:
What happened to the other two lambs?
Page 209 "Then he wretched. Told me to go away."
April 15, 2024
Contemporary Scottish cozy mystery. Well-written, well-plotted, interesting themes, and appealing characters. Favorite quote: "Behind great wealth are a lot of not-so-nice people." Very timely!
September 1, 2025
I enjoyed visiting with the usual characters of this book and meeting some new ones. This book is different from the first book in the series in that the characters are stuck in a castle for a few days because of a snowstorm. They are there for the wedding of Dr. Em's friend Angie to her fiancé, Damien. Of course, the castle is owned by Laird Ewan Campbell, and it contains very nice sleeping accommodations and ballrooms for parties, etc. Someone was quickly murdered within the castle, and I really could not figure out the identity of the murderer until it was revealed at the end of the book. I will definitely read the next book and probably all future books in this series. The setting in Scotland intrigues me very much!
September 18, 2025
Great addition to this series.
July 16, 2023
There are a lot of good things to say about Connelly's 'Death at a Scottish Wedding'.
Even though this is Book 2 of the Scottish Isle Mystery series, you don't need to read the first book as it does well as a standalone novel. There's only a few vague references to the first book but nothing that brings you out of the immersion.
Speaking of immersion, Connelly does a fantastic job of setting up the atmosphere and the plot.
It's the middle of the summer as I'm reading this book, and it's quite interesting to get into the cozy winter-time feel of the Scottish castle hit by a blizzard. The writing really does a great job of setting up the backdrop which adds to the suspense and mystery elements.
The characters are really well fleshed out and really do play off each other really well throughout the novel, subtle romance plots are alluded to, mischievous dealings, all against the Gothic architecture of a castle, all add to a pretty great, albeit, cozy mystery novel.
Although the story does start off quite slow, it finds its pacing around the second half of the novel, with all the twists and turns - it does make for a great read.
This is my first read of the series, but I'm definitely keeping an eye out for her other books, as 'Death at a Scottish Wedding' does what it's set out to do - give you a cozy mystery in a fun setting.
Thanks again to Lucy Connelly, Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC.
Expected release date: 9th January 2024
Rating - 3.89 / 5
Even though this is Book 2 of the Scottish Isle Mystery series, you don't need to read the first book as it does well as a standalone novel. There's only a few vague references to the first book but nothing that brings you out of the immersion.
Speaking of immersion, Connelly does a fantastic job of setting up the atmosphere and the plot.
It's the middle of the summer as I'm reading this book, and it's quite interesting to get into the cozy winter-time feel of the Scottish castle hit by a blizzard. The writing really does a great job of setting up the backdrop which adds to the suspense and mystery elements.
The characters are really well fleshed out and really do play off each other really well throughout the novel, subtle romance plots are alluded to, mischievous dealings, all against the Gothic architecture of a castle, all add to a pretty great, albeit, cozy mystery novel.
Although the story does start off quite slow, it finds its pacing around the second half of the novel, with all the twists and turns - it does make for a great read.
This is my first read of the series, but I'm definitely keeping an eye out for her other books, as 'Death at a Scottish Wedding' does what it's set out to do - give you a cozy mystery in a fun setting.
Thanks again to Lucy Connelly, Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for letting me read this ARC.
Expected release date: 9th January 2024
Rating - 3.89 / 5
August 10, 2023
The doctor from America, Emlie McRoy, is back for a second installment in the Scottish area of Sea Isle. There is a wedding at the Morigan Castle, owned by Ewan Campbell, the Sea Isle constable. The three-day celebration goes downhill quickly as Emilie sees what looks like a murder in one of the castle's turrets. During a surprising snowstorm, all the wedding guests and party are now stuck at the castle with the murderer. Will Emilie and Ewan solve the murder?
I like books set in Scotland and in a castle, yes please! It was okay, but I found the beginning of the book droning on and did not become invested in the story until the second half. I enjoyed the first installment much more than the second book. Emilie was almost annoying and overbearing in this book. The murder was just ok, but the reveal fell a bit flat, in my opinion. I probably will not continue this series as it does not fit my idea of a cozy murder.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I like books set in Scotland and in a castle, yes please! It was okay, but I found the beginning of the book droning on and did not become invested in the story until the second half. I enjoyed the first installment much more than the second book. Emilie was almost annoying and overbearing in this book. The murder was just ok, but the reveal fell a bit flat, in my opinion. I probably will not continue this series as it does not fit my idea of a cozy murder.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
October 10, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
2.5 stars rounded down
I liked the first book, and as much as I was disappointed in this one, it won't stop me from continuing the series. However, there was SO MUCH repetition that I kept muttering to myself, yes we get it, move on. If you remove all that, there wasn't much of a story at all. And there were conflicting moments that were also annoying. For instance, at one point Emilia makes a big deal about having to be so steady in the ER and not let loud noises, etc, get to you, yet every time there was a single unexpected sound around her, she screamed and reacted like a child. All of the characters except Ewan seemed much more immature this time.
And now that I've re-read my review, I'm dropping it from 3 stars to 2.5. Can't recommend this one, although if you do read it and haven't read the first, you won't be lost....because everything will be repeated ad nauseam!
2.5 stars rounded down
I liked the first book, and as much as I was disappointed in this one, it won't stop me from continuing the series. However, there was SO MUCH repetition that I kept muttering to myself, yes we get it, move on. If you remove all that, there wasn't much of a story at all. And there were conflicting moments that were also annoying. For instance, at one point Emilia makes a big deal about having to be so steady in the ER and not let loud noises, etc, get to you, yet every time there was a single unexpected sound around her, she screamed and reacted like a child. All of the characters except Ewan seemed much more immature this time.
And now that I've re-read my review, I'm dropping it from 3 stars to 2.5. Can't recommend this one, although if you do read it and haven't read the first, you won't be lost....because everything will be repeated ad nauseam!
August 9, 2023
The second installment of this series and it was definitely enjoyable, as I very much liked the first in the series, and was happy to be with the characters again. There was a bit of a lag in the middle of the book while it seemed there was a lot of theorizing and not enough action. But then there were great clues throughout the read, so maybe it just needed to be shorter in length. The beautiful Scottish castle was a fabulous setting and a snow storm just added to that great atmosphere. I will be quite happy to visit with these characters again! My gratitude to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
January 17, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
Angie is getting married to Damien at one of Ewan's castles. Emilia is outside enjoying the blizzard when she sees flashing lights in one of the turrets. She asks Ewan to go with her to investigate and they find something blocking the door, a dead body. The body turns out to be Angie's ex-boyfriend. There are secrets swirling in the castle. They are stranded by the blizzard with a killer in the castle.
I really enjoyed this book with its mystery and the characters. I had an inkling who the culprit might be. I'm loving this series and can't wait to see what happens next.
Angie is getting married to Damien at one of Ewan's castles. Emilia is outside enjoying the blizzard when she sees flashing lights in one of the turrets. She asks Ewan to go with her to investigate and they find something blocking the door, a dead body. The body turns out to be Angie's ex-boyfriend. There are secrets swirling in the castle. They are stranded by the blizzard with a killer in the castle.
I really enjoyed this book with its mystery and the characters. I had an inkling who the culprit might be. I'm loving this series and can't wait to see what happens next.
June 22, 2023
This is the second book in the series but works well as a standalone. The small town Scotish setting of this mystery acted as a beautiful backdrop to solving the case. I found the characters very interesting. A charming heroine, unique setting, and unexpected surprises. The writing and story were creative and very well done. I want to read the first book now!
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