The House at Ettrick Bay

Alison Cameron #1

by Myra Duffy

When Alison Cameron's friend Susie inherits a house on the island of Bute, Alison and her husband Simon agree to help while Susie is abroad. But after several unexplained 'accidents' Alison realises someone is not happy Susie is the new owner of Ettrick House. An archaeological dig near the house leads to an unexpected discovery and it appears Susie is not the only claimant to Ettrick House. When the next 'accident' turns out to be murder, Alison knows she and Susie are in danger. Other people on the island have an interest in Ettrick House -and one of them is prepared to kil

328 pages, Paperback

First published June 27, 2010

Reviews

[Val Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have met Myra Duffy on several occasions and always enjoyed her company but somehow had never read any of her novels, so when my friend Chris gave me The House at Ettrick Bay as a gift, I was delighted to be able to put that right.

As expected the story is set in and around Ettrick Bay on the Isle of Bute. Bute, is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault. Formerly a constituent island of the larger County of Bute, it is now part of the council area of Argyll and Bute. It is a beautiful part of the world and the vivid descriptions do it justice.

The story is a cosy crime about a teacher, Susie, who inherits a large house on the island of Bute but as she is working in the USA her close friends, Alison and Simon agree to look over the property for her.

However, after several unexplained 'accidents' Alison realises someone is not happy Susie is the new owner of Ettrick House. An archaeological dig near the house leads to an unexpected discovery and it appears Susie is not the only claimant to Ettrick House. When the next 'accident' turns out to be murder, Alison knows she and Susie are in danger. Other people on the island have an interest in Ettrick House -and one of them is prepared to kill.

The House at Ettrick Bay falls nicely into the cosy crime category, It is quite tense in places and the voices of the different characters are well distinguished. So much so that I took an active dislike to Simon whom I found belittled Alison regularly. This is an excellent read and would suit book groups well as there are many issues that could make for lively discussion.

The Author

Myra Duffy started writing at a very early age, both fiction and non-fiction. She now concentrates on fiction and although she still writes short stories and poetry, prefers to focus on novels, mainly cosy crime. 'When Old Ghosts Meet' was published in 2009, 'The House at Ettrick Bay' in 2010 and 'Last Ferry to Bute' in 2011.
Val Penny

[Bill Kirton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel with lots of charm, atmosphere, interesting characters, a spooky house and, of course, murder. But this isn’t a conventional crime novel. The emphasis is as much on the place and how it affects those who visit and those who live there. It conveys the feel and tranquillity of many of the islands off Scotland’s West coast, which make the deceits and wrongdoings of the baddies even more unnatural. This is a mystery but not of the blood and gore kind. A very satisfying, enjoyable read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not sure if it was the writing, or if I don't like books written in the first person, but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. The plot was very simple and there were a lot of insignificant details that didn't seem to move the story forward. As a writing instructor once told me, there is too much telling and not enough showing.

[Lexie Conyngham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loathed Simon on sight but the situation was fairly interesting – a friend unexpectedly inheriting a large and delapidated house on Bute with an archaeological (the word always pulls me in) dig about to start just outside. The plot is linked with the history of the place though not, perhaps, the way one might at first think. The descriptions of the island were very enticing!

[Ted Venn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another realistic tale from Myra Duffy

Absolutely riveting from start to finish. Realistic, plausible and gripping. The setting on the Isle of Bute made it possible to believe that the reader was actually there!

[Lieke]

I read a different book in this series (not listed on Goodreads) while being on the island in which they are set.