The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich

Anty Boisjoly Mysteries #6

by P.J. Fitzsimmons

In The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich, Anty travels to the timeless source waters of Glen Glennegie to help decide the fate of his family’s favourite ferment, but an impossible locked room murder is only one of a multitude of mysteries that try Anty’s wits and witticisms to their northern limit. Time trickles down on the traditional tipple as Anty unravels family feuds, ruptured romance, shepherdless sheep, and a series of suspiciously surfacing secrets to sort out who killed whom and how and why and who might be next to die. The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich is another stand-alone, locked room puzzler for those who like a little kidding in their killing and mirth in their mystery, and wouldn’t object one bit to a conspiracy between Agatha Christie and PG Wodehouse.

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Audiobook, Cozy Mystery

190 pages, Paperback

Published May 6, 2023

About the author

I’m a freelance ghost for mainstream genres but when I’m my own man I write strictly for the laughs. I dream of an alternative reality in which PG Wodehouse wrote locked room mysteries, and in which I’m PG Wodehouse.

Reviews

[Marcia Shew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mysterious and Humorous! Bravo and Cheers!

PJF has earned the right to dare allude to the great master, PGW. I laughed aloud in a room by myself as only Mr. Wodehouse has here to fore elicited as I read. And OMG I did not figure the locked rooms mysteries on my own. The sheep made for delightful companions as the humans thwarted against each other. Best book of the series so far. Toddle pip!

[Sharla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I look forward to every new book in this series and have not been disappointed in one yet. They’re done in P. G. Wodehouse style, but I think they’re even funnier and more clever. This one is set in Scotland and features a nightmarish golf course, a flock of sheep and all the whiskey Anty Boisjoly can drink. Of course, our unlikely hero conquers all. He ends a decades long feud and sets all cross purposes to rights.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anty Boisjoly has come to Scotland to take his late father's place as a judge in the contest for best whisky. The jury, comprised of the children of the previous jurors from 1919, will decide which distillation will have the right to call itself Glen Glennegie for the next decade. Before Anty can begin to get drunk, even before the contest, he's greeted with the news that one of the two whisky distillers, Lummy MacAlistair, has blown up. Anty suspects murder! Detective Sergeant Budge, a local who holds a strong prejudice against Londoners, suspects it's one of the judges who killed Lummy and is determined to pin the crime on one in particular. Anty doesn't agree and teams up with his mate, Tiana ‘Tannin’ Tibbits, to solve the crime. The death of one patriarch doesn't stop the contest though but when bottles don't show up and another "accident" occurs, it seems as if Glen Glennegie will cease to exist. Can Anty save the day again? Then there's the mystery of the mysterious case of 150-year-old Glen Glennegie. Is it real? What happened to it 10 years ago?

GAAH! This was too much for me. I don't know anything about whisky and I got so bored reading all this explanations about how it is made. I also hate golf so I got bored there, except when Anty and the policeman went out on the course LOL! I didn't really care about the mystery too much either. I missed Inspector Wittersham. He and Anty play off each other well and Ivo is used to Anty by now. The mystery was confusing, hinging too much on either golf or whisky production or both. Anty is too clever for me. I was surprised at the identity of the murderer. I didn't pick up on the big clues. This isn't my time period so I'm not 100% familiar with all the details of what was happening. Anty's stories were funny, very Wodehousian Drones Club. Tales from the Drones Club but also golf stories too The Golf Omnibus.

Apparently there are two wisky firms in town and they are big rivals. Their rivalry dates back to the 18th-century and may or may not have something to do with the rules of golf. (Snooze). I couldn't understand one word in 10 and was bored so I probably missed a lot. I gather the two men are old frenemies and refuse to end the feud. They both suspect the other has a secret to making better whisky and would rather die than reveal their secret. Lummy MacAlistair, town patriarch, was blown up in his own distillery just before the Londoners arrived so I don't see how it could have been one of them. Lummy was well liked and well respected in the present but he wasn't a person of very strong morals back in his youth just as he became master distiller. He did something not very nice to get there and valued the position over being a good person. Douglas MacAngus was even worse. He was cranky, cantankerous, rude, and seems to have been the one more fiercely engaged in the rivalry. He doesn't show any remorse or sadness at his frenemy's death. He locks himself in the distillery and focuses only on figuring out his rival's secret (which may or may not exist).

Ludovic MacAlistair, nephew of Lummy, is not too bright. He's earnest and seems like a sweetheart but has little knowledge or interest in whisky. His primary area of interest is Isabette MacAngus, a "dizzying redhead". Ludo thinks of himself as a modern day Romeo, he even quotes Shakespeare! He's so hopelessly in love with Isabette but her mother simply doesn't approve of Ludo. Ludo is not the man to take over Isabette's uncle's distillery some day but that isn't the life Isabette dreams of. She and Ludo seem well matched but she's smarter than he is and I'm not sure she didn't kill her uncle's rival to put an end to the rivalry and unite the two warring factions. I don't think Ludo did in his uncle, at least not on purpose. I do think it might have been an accident CAUSED by Ludo accidentally. He's just not clever enough to be a killer.

Isabette's mother, Yvaine MacAngus, is scary. She's a helicopter mother who tries to direct her daughter's life. Yvaine doesn't like or trust Anty but she sees him as a better prospect than Ludo! Yvaine strikes me more as a Lady MacBeth than Lady Capulet but combines the worst traits of them both. I DO think she's capable of murder and if Anty doesn't watch out, she may murder him for being too close to her daughter! Poor Anty isn't interested in Isabette. Molly MacAlistair, wife of the deceased Lummy, is fierce too. She's protective of her family name and their whisky. She seems devoted to the company and both women are prepared to do anything to ensure THEIR side wins. Would that include murder? I think one or both might be murderers. What about Shelby Sheercliffe? She's an unknown. A widow of the late Mortimer Sheercliffe, the third member of the jury, no one knew she existed until just now. She claims she didn't even know the contest existed nor that she inherited a spot on the jury. She doesn't know or care anything for whisky. Her passion is golf. (WHY?) Shelby claims to have come just for the golf course. It's a real challenge, especially with two sets of rules. She seems determined to ignore the whisky and go for the golf. That's not what she's supposed to be doing. Is she sincere? Or does she have an ulterior motive? I figured her out as soon as I read a clue that pointed me in that direction.

Detective Sergeant Budge thinks Shelby is the murderer. He's biased against Londoners and picks her as his chief suspect then tries to fit the clues to match his theory. He doesn't have much to go on, isn't all that clever and resents Anty's intrusion into his case. I understand his feelings but his bias shouldn't force the case to be something it is not. He wouldn't want to see the wrong person hanged would he? Just because, for some reason, he hates Londoners?

Anty doesn't seem interested in Tannin either. She's clever enough but not too clever. She enjoys having a tipple or two or several and seems like a party girl. Yet she's inherited her father's distribution business. It's unclear how involved she is. She has some knowledge of world events but it's limited. I think she's just there to take her father's place and relive old times with Anty. They got up to a lot of shenanigans back in 1919!

The sheep were cute but the humans not so much. Only Angus MacAlistair and Alistair MacAngus, barkeeps, are funny. (Oh no! You promised! No more characters with the same name! Sneaky sneaky!) Yes they have the same name and they're essentially interchangeable.
each represents the Kilcladdich and Kildrummy interests and the rivalry between distillers extends to the barkeeps as well. Neither lets the other make a move without him and they're constantly insulting each other and accusing each other of doing something wrong. Yet, the insults seem to be good natured in spirit, more like trash talking a rival of a sports team or something. Vickers is darling and he's in much better mental shape than he has been before. This is repetitive for him, a familiar routine and he remembers more from 1919 and even earlier.

I'm very tired so I haven't processed this properly. I may have another look later on before moving on to the next one. I enjoy Anty's antics very much and can't wait to see what he gets up to next. Plus he still hasn't quite figured out what happened to his father!

[katherine otis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anty acknowledges amazing amount of alibis and answers.

What ho! If you are a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, be prepared to enjoy this, and the previously released, books featuring Anty Boisjoly.
I find myself laughing out loud at the alliteration that runs rampant throughout the books and the banter employed.
These books are simply marvelous. Thank you, PJ Fitzsimmons.

[Athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hilarious Anty Boisjoly mystery, this time set in the idyllic hills of Scotland. I emit a high-pitched squeal and frantically click DOWNLOAD every time another installment comes out in this series. Number 6, The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich, is a charming addition to Anty's exploits.

As we've come to expect, Anty finds himself surrounded by characters so colorful, only someone with his vibrant bon vivant personality could still stand out. Accompanied by Vickers, the faithful but forgetful family retainer, the last hope of the Boisjolys manages to solve two more locked room mysteries while judging a whisky competition and trying to help two star-crossed lovers.

All this in a quaint corner of Scotland that puts one in mind of Brigadoon. If Brigadoon resurfaced every decade to duke it out over distilling methods, was home to the world's most confusing golf course, and featured the occasional exlposion or two.

The highlight for me was the drunken golf match between two non-golfers. But it only just overshadows the continued ridiculousness of Anty picking up an entire flock of sheep who seem to look on him as some kind of god.

A highly enjoyable read from one of my favorite authors.

I received my free copy from Book Sirens and I'm reviewing it voluntarily.

[Jane Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the books I read in this series, I liked this one best. Not as off the wall but still Anty behaves in his untraditional fashion. I also learned a bit about the making of Scotch whiskey.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[M · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only an American would write a book with completely nonsense names like “Glen Glennegie” (Narrow Valley NarrowValleyHalfAWordThatMeansFromTheAngusArea) and KilCladdich (ChurchRiverbed). Although for the majority of readers, especially American, it won’t register how utterly ridiculous these names are, it’s always sad to see an author profiting off Scotlands heritage by misrepresenting it and not even being interested enough to research why the names are the way they are. In fact, I’m sure it speaks to the book as a whole that it has been lazily researched and plays on absolute stereotypes (Golf, Whisky, “The Highlands”)

Disappointing as this is often the only representation many people see of the country and it’s really tired seeing it perpetuated constantly.

[Troy · Rating 2 out of 5]

It may simply be coincidence that this mystery takes place in Scotland and has a staggering number of red herrings but I suspect it is an homage to Dorothy Sayers, "Five Red Herrings". Sadly, "Five Red Herrings " was the one Whimsy novel that I had to force myself to finish and, unlike the rest out the series, have never read again.

What I love about Anty and Peter are their wry observations and wit but, in both books, the baroque plots with their layers upon layers of misdirection were the focus of the story, with the detectives there only to witness it on behalf of the reader and to untie the Gordian knot of motives and events.

Also, golfing.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this one as much as some others in the series. It had some humor and the characters were interesting (particularly "Tannin," a girl from Anty's past). But the extreme deep dive into whiskey distillery and golf rules was eye-glazing, and Anty had a few too many allegedly humorous anecdotes about his past or his club that took up way too much real estate in the book.

The ending was not especially satisfying either, and I noticed that the one character whose movements and activities never questioned or considered was the police officer, a very bitter and frustrated man envious of the others around him.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book. You'll learn that you can play golf with dumplings and rock buns, find 150-year-old whisky (without the "e," our Irish and American friends), and oh, yes, rediscover the delightful Anty Boisjoly and his fiendishly clever way of solving mysteries. Complete with an "all the suspects in the drawing room" scene, or in this case, the Mash and Mashie inn, whereby All Will Be Revealed. You won't regret it.

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by PJ Fitzsimmons sees Anty and Vickers going to Scotland to judge the whisky competition between Kilcladdich and Kildrummy.

Can Anty solve the case before he has to judge the competition?

Anty Boisjoly
Anty Boisjoly inherited his father's spot in judging between two Scottish villages to decide who has the right to use the name Glen Glennegie for their whisky. Well, until another ten years pass, and they must compete again. Anty arrives there to discover a mystery in the two villages. I have to say that Anty has a unique twist on solving the mysteries. His friendship with Detective Sergeant Budge is quite funny. Anty is a good sleuth and point of view character.

The Mystery
When Anty, Tiana, and Vickers arrive at the train station, they are told about the untimely death of one of the master distillers for the whisky competition. Anty decides to figure out how, in the world, someone blew themselves up while mixing their whisky. Along the way, Anty uncovers many more mysteries in these two rival villages than in any other book I have read. Overall, though, I figured out who did it but not the why until it was uncovered.

Four Stars
My rating for The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by PJ Fitzsimmons is four stars. Mr. Fitzsimmons did a great job of keeping me guessing on who could have done it and why. Not only that, but I liked that if I wanted to go back to read the others, I could, as none of them were spoiled. I am also recommending this book as it was an excellent read.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by PJ Fitzsimmons.

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Ka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Rounded down because 2nd book in a row with no Ivor! WTF! This time, the story takes place in a remote Scottish village that is home to two competing whisky distilleries. Anty is there for a whisky-tasting contest, so I imagine all the blather about the actual flavors and such would be fun to read for someone who enjoys fine whisky (I don't, because I am a trash person who prefers cider, but my bf does, so at least I've heard a lot of the vocabulary).

Audiobook: Tim Bruce still doing a great job as the voice of Anty. He also does a fun job with the Scottish accents of the locals. This time around, Anty doesn't just befriend a single animal who assists him... instead, he somehow becomes the leader of an entire flock of sheep, which is very fun. Reminded me a little of the book Three Bags Full where a flock of sheep investigate a murder. Naturally there is a 2nd murder (as always) and all the loose threads are tied up at the end. For once, Anty actually realizes it will happen and makes an effort to do something about it (not in time, of course, but I appreciate the attempt).

There is a kind of epilogue scene as Anty heads home on a train, and the last thing we see is the lights blink out, and a valuable bottle of whisky disappears mysteriously... Why? I admit to being mystified by why this scene exists or what it's supposed to mean. I actually started the next book immediately, thinking "Perhaps, for once, this is a direct segue into the next book and there will be an Orient Express-style murder mystery on the train, which must be solved before it reaches its destination?" But no, that's just the end. Very odd. (I do think "locked-room murder on a train" will happen at some point in this series though... it's just such a fun setting, aside from being a Christie homage!)

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another hugely enjoyable story from Anty Boisjoly. Here is a man whose life lessons come from his weird named friends at the jovial Juniper Club.
We have travelled in this story via much alliteration, to the north of Scotland. It has fallen to Anty and two others to judge the better whisky from the competing distilleries of the towns of Kildrummy and Kilcladdich. All members of both towns are completely disparaging of the other side. They arrive to one death and then another follows.
These books are giving a very amusing slant and it works well in this one. There are moments to make you smile or even giggle, like the part where Sergeant Budge and Anty, having drunk a lot and eaten little, challenge each other to a round of golf on the absolutely abysmal Glen Glennegie course, playing with Isabette’s home baking in the absence of actual golf balls.
Once again Anty, without even trying, seems to endear himself to the local animals who always seem to be looking out for him.
Anty is a great character, honest, hilarious and never one to take or give offence. Very much enjoying this series.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, this is another clever, witty and all round well written story on the chaotic life of Anty Boisjoly. Anty is in Glen Glennegie to sit on a jury panel for choosing between two local whiskies.

It's a really amusing and sometimes a laugh out loud tale involving two feuding families, golf and golf rules, lots of sheep, two hilariously bickering barmen and also two murders to deal with. The writing is sublime. The insults being traded between the two barmen alone is worth reading. For all the appearances and speech of a bit of a fool, Anty is anything but and has a really clever mind. Once again, the plot is quite complex but Anty perseveres and comes up trump with the final reveal. I must admit I didnt see it coming.

I highly recommend this series and happy to see the next book is out pretty soon so not too long to wait.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[BBoulier · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “The Case of the Case of the Kilcladdich” (2023) set in the 1920s by PJ Fitzsimmons, Anthony (Anty) Boisjoly journeys to Scotland where he is to serve as one of three judges to determine which of two distillers merits the right to serve as the sole representative of Glen Glennegie whiskey for the next decade. Shortly before he arrives there is an explosion in one of the distilleries, killing one of the two local distillers. Can Anty solve this locked room mystery? This is the sixth book in the series. As is typical of the other books, the plot is a good one with numerous eccentric characters. There were many points at which I laughed out loud, especially in scenes involving sheep. Someone has described one of the earlier books in the series as a cross between PJ Wodehouse and Agatha Christie. It’s an apt description. You can read this one without having read the first five, but all are great. It’s one of the most enjoyable series I have read in years.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two whiskey distilleries in Glen Glennegie and every so often, there is a tasting to determine which one will be the Glen Glenngie label. This is the year and Anty is in the village as one of the three tasters. The other two are a childhood friend that he could almost fall in love with and the golf-mad widow of the colonel who used to be the third chair. She doesn’t seem to know much about tasting whiskey but she does know a lot about golf.
Before the tasting can even happen, one of the patriarchs of the two feuding families is killed. Then the other. It seems obvious that the two murders are related. Inspector [] is brought in to help. A foe (of sorts) to Anty, he is determined to solve the case. But Anty has some help this time in the form of Fiona.
Did the mystery make a lot of sense? Eh. Was it a thoroughly delightful romp along the way? Oh yes.

[Daryl P Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sojourning society satrap solves Scottish shenanigans,

Anty is invited to judge the whisky which will claim the title. Clashing clans across the river from each other have a long tradition of distilling the water of life, but only one is allowed to claim their town as the provenance. New allies, adversaries and ambiguous animals (probably sheep) all appear. Some knockabout humour with a round of golf included in Anty's unique detecting technique. A dramatic event needs Anty's unique skill to unravel the tangle of tales and treachery. The reader needs to pay attention as the plot is as convoluted as a tartan pattern. The solution in Agatha Christie style with everyone gathered in the public house for the result of the competition and Anty's reveal of reprobates is as amusing as it is satisfying.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I enjoy these mysteries, I must admit these stories exhaust me. These books take a lot of concentration. Not only is there layer upon layer to each story but main character, Anty, prevaricates so much that I really have to pay attention to everything he, and all the characters for that matter, says. These are not casual books that can be read when there are other distractions in the room. That said, I do enjoy these stories. The mysteries are complex and the clues are always there. You just need to suss them out and Anty always manages to do that before I do. There is plenty of laught-out-loud humor. The drunken golf round with the detective sergeant was hilarious. Recommended with the above cautions.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Case of the Kildaddich is An Anty Boisjoly Mystery book 6 by P T Fitzsimmons. One thing that I really enjoy about this series is that it is set in the early 1900s. I find that each of Anty's stories is unique with characters that are in every book as well as new characters. Distilling whiskey results in Lummy blowing himself up… Ouch!

Two other deaths leads Anty to begin his own look into the murders. I know that he will figure out "who did the murders". I thought the author give clues and hint but kept me guessing. P T Fitzsimmons knows how to write cozy mysteries! I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is so much fun and the main character, Anty Boisjoly, is a great sleuth and has his hands full in this book!. Set in Scotland Anty must solve a locked room murder mystery, actually there are two murders, deal with sheep, his families distillery, a family feud, crazy golf rules, arguing barmen. Add to that and we have some wonderful banter and so many laugh out loud scenes that your sides will ache from laughing so much! This is a wonderful series of the highest caliber and I think this book is the best so far! I received and ARC of the book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Ryan Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sixth entry in this fun, witty, classic style whodunit/locked room mystery. It takes place during the golden age of crime. This one in particular tKes place in Scotland and has Anty judging Whiskey in place of his late father I This Scottish town. A murder takes place and the lead detective suspects An5y of fowl play. So Anty is yet again forced into the role of detective. It was fun to watch him sleuth yet again. Also the stuff going on in the town with the judging, Whiskey making, and the drama of the area. It was a blast.

[Janet Farnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

PJ Fitzsimmons is shockingly good! His plots are genius and the writing nothing less than gorgeous. (although I did find 1 grammatical error in this one which is forgivable I think after 6 books) I can't remember ever laughing out loud before while reading a "who-done-it". The Anty Boisjoly series weaves humor with complex murder mystery stories in a way I've never encountered before. I am already having withdrawal pains...Please hurry with the next one!

[Gina P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read these for the mysteries as much as the light entertainment but I did enjoy the mystery of this one more than the others. Most of them feel too complicated to solve myself but this one felt more balanced. I am not a whiskey drinker but I still stayed interested. By now I am not so captivated by the cutesy titles and ridiculous sobriquets but I enjoy the tone and voice of the stories and I am a sucker for a mystery.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio, narrated by Tim Bruce

This story was such fun. I love the Wodehouse-esque tone and style - word play, puns, alliteration, and general hijinks and ridiculousness. The inversion of Wooster and Jeeves in Anty and Vickers is also hilarious and well done. It was excellently narrated by Mr Bruce, who does full justice to each character. Very fun, especially after a rather solemn read the book before.

[Martha R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What ho!  The latest Anty Boisjoly mystery is filled with droll wit, the usual puns, palindromes, and guaranteed chuckles in every chapter.  Many of the traditional dramatis personae are once again present, and new characters keep the hilarity going.  The mystery is almost superfluous. But not quite. Don't miss the extraordinary golf game just prior to the reveal.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sir, you had me at the title of the first chapter (Will a Still Still Still Still). Then came the opening sentence, and I already had to put the book down (I was chortling a little too much).

Then it got better. (And I don't even like golf.)

Sir, for the love of all that is funny, please don't ever stop writing.

[Laura Koerber · Rating 3 out of 5]

It may be that after reading the other books in this series I'm simply tired of the twee Bertie Woosterisms. The mystery is interesting, but the characters are all cartoons and the first-person narrative never moves beyond "I'm so cute" facetiousness. Some of the earlier books had lovely descriptions of landscape and characters that had some depth, but not this one.

[Lawrence FitzGerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good prose (actually, better than good), good characterization, good world building, no theme. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 just because I can.

After the introduction of the sheep I began to foolishly worry. Oh ye of little faith.

A further note. Anty's mother was introduced in the previous entry, but did not appear here...and I miss her.

[Mskarla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, the books in this series probably don’t deserve above a 3 star rating. BUT, they’re funny and silly and the perfect thing to read before bed. Comparing the author to P. G. Wodehouse is kind of a travesty in the sense that Wodehouse was a genius of humor and turn of phrase, but these are good light entertainment.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sheep! The sheep were the most hilarious part, how they multiplied and followed Anty around faithfully and how their owners thought it perfectly fine because, basically, he took them grazing and thus spared the owners time. Ha! And also, this time, the murderer's reveal really surprised me - and also saddened me because I liked the character, a lot!