The Malt Whisky Murders

by Natalie Jayne Clark

Whisky is a bloody business . . . When a dilapidated distillery comes up for sale in rural Kintyre, Eilidh and her wife Morag jump at the chance. But their ambition to run the first women-owned whisky distillery in Scotland seems to be scuppered when a grisly, decades-old secret is two dead bodies have been stuffed into barrels, perfectly preserved in single malt.

To add to their woes, a TV crew has just arrived and the townsfolk will not leave them alone. Eilidh becomes obsessed with solving the murders while juggling whisky tastings, ceilidhs, protests and scandals – everything you'd expect from a wee Scottish town imprisoned by its own geography. And no matter how hard you try, the locals will always find out your secrets.

Genres: Mystery, Scotland, Fiction, Crime, LGBT, Queer

261 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2025

Reviews

[Iain · Rating 5 out of 5]

A debut novel filled with whisky, humour and dead bodies. Entertaining and pacy, with a diverse cast of likeable characters, each dealing with their own past and personality. Great fun and also learned a fair bit about whisky! Look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 2 out of 5]

YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM 
Jo, la premisa prometía un montón, pero no me ha gustado demasiado 🥲.

Al menos la temática del whisky está bien presente, y se nota que la autora sabe bien de lo que habla, aunque había párrafos en los que quizás se daban demasiados detalles técnicos sobre su elaboración. Para mi gusto personal, le ha faltado introducir el whisky de una forma más acogedora, como por ejemplo, largas veladas amistosas en el pub del pueblecito escocés estrechando lazos con los vecinos, y no solo catas profesionales con el objetivo de vender el producto.

Porque el pueblecito y las posibilidades estaban ahí, pero la autora no ha desarrollado las relaciones de una forma que me haya gustado o que me haya transmitido calidez. Y eso incluye a las dos protagonistas, que no me han caído demasiado bien. Aprecio la inclusividad que ha introducido la autora con dos mujeres queer empezando su propio negocio y una de ellas además con TDAH.
Sin embargo, en términos generales, ninguna de dos mujeres me ha caído bien y no me han gustado sus comportamientos y creo que sobre ellos hay mucho que queda sin explicar. No me gustan algunas actitudes acerca de varias cosas que pasan ni cómo gestionan su relación. Esas dos no deberían ser pareja.

La verdad es que la autora introduce elementos que necesitarían una narración más profunda para calar. Al final, el que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. Por otro lado, también abundan elementos más zafios que no me han hecho mucha gracia.

¿Y ese final? Not my cup of tea at all. No estoy de acuerdo tampoco con cómo se gestiona el tema de y no diré más para no hacerle spoilers a nadie, pero creo que ese final va contra uno de los elementos básicos del cozy mystery.

Además de eso, la narración tiene un detalle peculiar, que no es que me haya disgustado necesariamente, pero creo que sí afecta a la fluidez de la lectura. La historia está contada en dos líneas temporales. La del presente, con nuestras protagonistas encontrando los cadáveres e investigando. Y la del pasado, que son capítulos intercalados narrados por el asesino en segunda persona. Una elección... peculiar, sin duda. Evidentemente, estos capítulos no desvelan la identidad del culpable antes de que nuestras detectives lo averigüen, por lo que es todo muy misterioso. Y al principio está bien, pero luego da la sensación de que lo que hace es ralentizarlo todo en exceso.

[Sarah Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars!

I really enjoyed reading this book, and being Scottish I loved the Scottish aspects and the whisky references! I did find as I was reading the book I began to predict the ending, or at the very least who the perpetrator was.

I have recommended this book to my mum who is currently very into whisky! I felt the descriptions of the distillery and how they make and change flavours of whisky to be really interesting!

[Melania Con un libro y un café · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hoy vengo con un delicioso cozy crime con toques escoceses, cadáveres en barricas y una pareja protagonista muy poco habitual en este tipo de historias.
Eilidh y Morag compran una destilería abandonada en Campbeltown pensando que será su nuevo comienzo… hasta que, al probar una barrica de whisky, descubren un diente humano flotando. A partir de ahí, se desata una historia con olor a malta, secretos del pasado y una tensión muy bien llevada entre lo doméstico y lo macabro.

La estructura me ha parecido muy original. Se combinan capítulos narrados por Eilidh, que es neurodivergente, curiosa y muy obsesiva con el whisky, con otros escritos en segunda persona que te van metiendo poco a poco en lo que ocurrió en los años 70. No hay prisas, es una historia para leer con calma, con sorbos, disfrutando de los detalles.

La ambientación es una delicia. Toda la parte histórica del whisky está contada con muchísimo mimo y el aire de pueblo pequeño lo impregna todo. Además, me ha gustado especialmente cómo se normalizan temas como el TDAH, las relaciones queer o la presión por encajar, sin convertirlos en el eje de la trama.

No es un thriller de los que no te dejan respirar. Es una novela inteligente, con humor negro, con momentos divertidos y una voz distinta. Perfecta si te apetece algo original, misterioso y muy bien escrito.

¿Lo habéis leído? ¿Os animáis con un cozy crime tan poco convencional?

[Roz Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The story follows Morag and Eilidh. They have packed up their old life and moved to Campbeltown to renovate the old distillery and start their Whisky production. However, they soon get much more than they bargained for when two dead bodies are found!

The story is told from the pov of Eilidh and the we also go back to the past to get the killer's pov which I enjoyed. Eilidh starts to try and piece things together to work out what has happened and who is responsible for the crime.

I enjoyed the cast of characters who worked well together. They had interesting lives that added to the twists and turns in the story. I really enjoyed the historical information and the processes of making Whisky and how so many variables impact upon the flavour. I learned quite a few new facts!

The story is well written, it was really interesting and before I knew it, I had finished the book! A great debut and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

Huge thanks to the author. publisher and Love Books Tours for providing a copy of the book to review.

[Bill Quatier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh - this book was so fun for me.

I first saw an ad for the book in the train station on my way to Glasgow from Edinburgh. As an avid reader and lover of scotch and fan of all (most?) things Scottish I knew I had to read this book. However, since we were about to embark on the West Highland Way I didn't want to buy the book right away and carry it with me for 96 miles of hiking. So I decided to wait until we were back in Edinburgh after the hike. I found the most amazing bookstore in Edinburgh - it was like wandering the stairs at Hogwarts. They not only had the book - but it was in their "buy 1 get 1 half off" pile (and my wife was buying the Miranda Hart book) - AND - it was autographed by NJC!

Now about the book itself - partway through it (and this is not a spoiler) I told someone "well - something happens in the first few pages that is handled moronically and sets this whole thing up - but it is still a fun Scotch-centric read."

Well - by the time I was done - I was glad with the moronic choice in the early pages - and I loved this book straight through to the ending. This is probably not going to be to everyone's liking - but if you like books that include accurate descriptions of the Scottish weather and geography - and an accurate portrayal of the distillation process for Scotch - this is a very fun read.

[Sam Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really original (and funny!) take on a murder mystery from a unique perspective. Full of quirky details that add so much to the main characters, particularly Eilidh's obsessive ADHD tendencies and honesty and the gradual unfolding of the life of the murderer. Huge amount of detail on the processes involved on producing and revering whisky which in itself was really interesting. Refreshing that the sleuthing has little or no actual involvement from the police! Captures the feeling of small-town and rural Scotland and relocating there from the city. Really love Natalie's whimsical and colourful writing style. Read it in one sitting, loved it and look forward to the next one!

[Katie Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent enough easy read for a bit of a break, felt like a page turner at points, felt like an absolute slog at others. There are lots of open ends and unfinished story lines and I felt pretty disappointed at the end

[Helen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. This took me way too long; an utter slog to get through.

As a Speysider, all the forced whisky references grated. Not a single person I know, even the whisky lovers, wang on endlessly about it. It just smacked of the author deciding it was something they were really into and then lecture everyone about it in novel form.

The sexuality and ADHD aspects felt gimmicky and the endless references didn’t feel natural; it felt ‘quirky’ and forced so that it’s contemporary.

The plot itself was flimsy and I just didn’t enjoy the writing style.

[Otiggerifico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I enjoyed this book so much!
It's well-paced, and enough happens that I was engaged throughout without getting lost in what happens to whom when.
Natalie has written excellent characters that I feel I could've met in brickspace, real enough that I found myself getting annoyed at one while entirely understanding their decision process.
Also lovely to have good bi rep, nd characters, and a justification for murder that I kinda agree with.

Looking forward to her next book!

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Le pongo dos estrellas y media. Podía ser una buena historia, tiene buenos componentes. Una pareja de mujeres que emprenden la aventura de abrir una destilería de Whisky. El misterio no está mal, pero se hace un poco pesada la lectura y en ocasiones he leído en diagonal. Demasiada explicación sobre el Whisky, te saca de la historia continuamente.

[Gemma Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Malt Whiskey Murders’ is an entertaining Scottish murder mystery with plenty of dark humour thrown in. I like the two main characters, Eilidh and Morag. Their relationship is really at the heart of this mystery as their grisly discovery threatens everything they have worked so hard for. I felt like the ending was a little rushed, I wanted a few more chapters about what happened later but overall, this is an enjoyable mystery for a rainy afternoon's reading.

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eilidh and Morag take on their dream of owning a whisky distillery. But when they discover two bodies hidden away in whisky casks they face a dilemma, open the site to a police investigation or hide the grisly discovery? Because some may not want the truth to emerge.

An easy read but the plot does feel a bit loose.

[El baúl de las certezas · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 ⭐

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

barrel, blend, bodies

[Matt Amery · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing new perspective on Scotland's most famous industry.

Relatable, diverse characters, an exciting central mystery and well worth your time.

[John Swift · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being partial to a malt whisky or two I was drawn to this book when I spotted it in my local booksellers window!! Having walked the Kintryre Way, I was aware of the Campbeltown whisky history/heritage. I enjoyed the story line concerning the resurrection of the distillery and some of the tasting notes/references. My only negative comment is that the storyline regarding the murders is rather flimsy and the outcome is left to the reader to determine?

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing novel - a great set of characters set in the world of the whisky industry which makes for a an unusual and interesting read. Intriguingly plotted I’d be interested to see what the author writes next 4.5* from me

[Christina Greig · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoilers*

Our protagonists passionately set up a queer-friendly whisky distillery by….covering up the murder of a gay couple????

I loved the premise of this book and felt it had some rich description of Scotland and our culture without becoming stereotypical or gimmicky. Hence, 2 stars.

The author clearly has a passion for whisky and knew the book they were wanting to write. However the mystery itself never gets going. They find the bodies, one night they find some other stuff, it quickly becomes clear one of only two possible characters is the killer, it’s the one you think it is. Most of this book felt like it was more about the distillery and the main characters’ marriage and honestly wouldn’t have been that different without the murder at all.

Additionally, as a woman with ADHD myself, I found myself increasingly frustrated at the representation of it in this book, as Eilidh is chronically allergic to any form of accountability throughout. Desecrating corpses, covering up a murder, feeling ‘gleeful’ when she finds her wife having a literal mental breakdown after already cheating on her - I kept questioning whether I was really supposed to root for this protagonist, and the excuse always seemed to be that she’s impulsive/impatient/dare I say ‘quirky’ because of her ADHD and “can’t help it.”

Finally, the literary device of the protagonist chapters being written in first person followed by the killer’s chapters written in second person was jarring. It felt as if Eilidh, the previous speaker, was now just addressing me, the reader, except it’s not me, is it. To add insult to injury, the author forgets this at least once and flips to first person when in the killer’s perspective and then back again during that final conversation between killer and protagonists where all is revealed, which was confusing and required me to go back and reread the passage to make sense of it again, somewhat taking me out of the big denouement.

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately felt it amounted to a one-dimensional mystery, some problematic representation of women with ADHD, and all the surface-level corporate pride activity (neon labels, drag nights) with all the hypocritical greed underlying it that we see in real life, where our main characters excuse themselves for covering the murder of a gay couple for their own gains because, and I quote, “she didn’t murder them because they were gay.”

[Conversando entre libros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoy os traigo un cozy mystery muy particular: "Este whisky está de muerte" de Natalie Jayne Clark.

La historia comienza en Campbeltown, un pequeño pueblo escocés que en su día fue la capital mundial del whisky. Allí, Eilidh y Morag, una pareja con ganas de empezar de cero, deciden comprar una destilería en ruinas para cumplir su sueño: convertirse en las primeras mujeres en dirigir una destilería en Escocia. Todo parece idílico hasta que, en plena inauguración, aparece el gran giro de la trama: dos cadáveres escondidos en las barricas desde hace décadas.

A partir de ahí, lo que podría parecer solo un misterio criminal se convierte en algo más. La autora nos invita a acompañar a estas dos mujeres en un viaje de superación personal, de reivindicación y de lucha por hacerse un hueco en un mundo tradicionalmente masculino. Además, el libro refleja de forma muy clara la opresión y las dificultades a las que se han enfrentado las lesbianas y los gays en contextos rurales.

La verdad es que cuando la narración se detenía demasiado en explicar el proceso de elaboración del whisky, a mí me sacaba un poco de la historia. Supongo que si sois apasionados de esta bebida lo disfrutaréis más, pero en mi caso esos pasajes me parecieron más un añadido cultural que parte esencial de la trama.

Lo que sí me encantó fue la ambientación. La autora consigue que nos sintamos dentro de ese pueblecito escocés lleno de secretos, con vecinos peculiares y ese ambiente donde todos creen conocerse pero nadie cuenta todo lo que sabe. Se respira ese aire húmedo de la destilería, el olor a madera, la tradición y el peso de la historia en cada rincón.

En cuanto al misterio, no esperéis un thriller oscuro o trepidante: este es un cozy mystery en toda regla. Ligero, entretenido, con toques de humor y con un trasfondo humano que da más importancia a los vínculos personales que a la violencia o al suspense.

En definitiva, es una novela perfecta si buscáis una lectura amena, diferente, con un punto reivindicativo y con el encanto de Escocia como telón de fondo.

[Entre libros y un gato · Rating 3 out of 5]

🏴🔪 Secretos en barricas, un pueblo con historia… y dos mujeres decididas a hacer temblar el mundo del whisky escocés.

Tenía muchas ganas de leer esta novela: la premisa era original, con un crimen escondido literalmente en una destilería y una pareja protagonista que prometía dar mucho juego. La ambientación en Campbeltown —la que fue la “Capital Mundial del Whisky”— está muy bien lograda. Se nota el amor y el respeto de la autora por este mundo, y de hecho, uno de los grandes atractivos del libro es todo lo que se aprende sobre el proceso de elaboración del whisky: desde la tradición hasta los detalles más técnicos. Si eres curioso o amante del tema, este aspecto te va a fascinar.

En cuanto al misterio, arranca con fuerza: dos cadáveres escondidos en barricas durante décadas es una idea potente y diferente. Sin embargo, conforme avanza la historia, sentí que el desarrollo no terminaba de explotar todo su potencial. Hay incógnita, sí, y personajes secundarios interesantes, pero la investigación en sí no me mantuvo tan en vilo como esperaba. Quizás porque el ritmo por momentos se frena, o porque algunas decisiones de las protagonistas no me resultaron del todo creíbles.

Eilidh y Morag aportan una dinámica fresca y rompedora, intentando hacerse un hueco en una industria dominada por hombres, con sus luces y sombras. Son personajes con personalidad, aunque no logré conectar del todo con ellas.

📚 En resumen: una novela distinta dentro del género, con un escenario muy bien trabajado y un enfoque original. No me atrapó tanto como esperaba, pero hubo partes que me resultaron interesantes y diferentes.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Malt Whisky Murders by Natalie Jayne Clark is one of the most original crime novels you’ll read this year. There is a fantastic opening line to this book, which hooked me straight away. At a whisky distillery in Scotland, two women, Eilidh and her wife, Morag, discover two dead bodies in a barrel that have been there for decades, but have been perfectly preserved in single malt. But instead of calling the police, they try to hide the discovery, and Eilidh is desperate to solve the case herself.

Natalie’s story is propulsive from the first chapter. I really wanted to know why the two bodies were there in the first place, and who it was who killed them all those years ago. As well as the chapters told from Eilidh’s and Morag’s perspective, there are also mysterious chapters told from the voice of an unknown person, who could very well be the person behind the two deaths. These chapters were really intriguing as Natalie also takes us back in time during these scenes, and we really get into the mindset of this person.

The whisky business isn’t something I am very familiar with at all, so I also loved how Natalie delved into the subject, particularly with Eilidh’s interest in women in the business. This really gave the novel a unique selling point. But alongside Elidih’s interest in whisky and its history, she is also determined to solve the two murders, despite Morag not wanting her to do so. This does cause some tension and friction in their relationship, which I found really interesting. This is what made their characters come to life. It did make me wonder what their path would be in this book and whether their relationship would survive. Natalie does an excellent job of building up the tension towards a brilliant finale. When the truth comes out, I was hooked on every word. The emotions come through in the characters’ voices, and Natalie handles this so well. I really felt as though I was there, experiencing the scene coming to life.

Natalie Jayne Clark is a shining new talent in this genre, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. If you’re looking for something different and fresh in the crime fiction market, I highly recommend that you give this book a try.

[Simbalector · Rating 1 out of 5]

Con 233pgs se lee en nada, va de una pareja bisexual de chicas que quiere empezar de nuevo y compran una destilería,con ayuda de fondos y de gente por qué necesita una gran reforma para poder reabrir.
Para celebrarlo lo hacen teniendo relaciones sexuales en la bodega y deciden abrir algún barril y en el segundo encuentran un cuerpo de hombre y parece que está allí desde los 70. Se desesperan un poco y buscan por si hay más y en efecto encuentran otro. En vez de avisar a la policía deciden volver a ocultarlos, si en tantos años no los han echado de menos. Lo vuelen a meter y lo marcan y lo mezclan con otros barriles. No pueden permitirse todo el revuelo y la mala fama que puede ocasionar y se han gastado todos sus ahorros.
Lo hacen todo muy rápido por qué vienen los de las reformas y además los medios hacer una entrevista para publicitarlo .
A partir de ahí nos irán contando con capítulos cortos cosas del pasado, parte está escrito por el asesino y la otra por Eilidh que es neurodivergente ,aunque no todo su comportamiento lo asoció a eso, tiene comportamiento muy obsesivo con el whisky y con todo. Hay mucho sexo que no sé si viene a cuento pero me ha sacado mucho de la historia, además siendo tan corto no sé si es necesario.
No me ha convencido mucho.
Me ha gustado la ambientación de ese pueblo pequeño donde todos se conocen, nos cuenta parte de la historia del whisky que me recordó a mí viaje.
Me ha parecido en ocasiones divertido.
Pero hasta ahí ,el final tampoco me ha convencido.

[Bekky Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. From the very beginning I just knew that I would be hooked and I was. You have a combination of really great characters, Scotland and whisky combined with a couple of dead people and it just makes for a brilliant read!

Immediately I was intrigued - how can you not be when the book kicks off into the mystery from the very start. And then you have Eilidh and Morag who I loved from the beginning. Both very different but today they make a great pair. And then you get th added bonus of the cast of characters that get introduced along the way who are all brilliant in their own ways!

I love how the key part of the storytelling is dual POV. And how when you see it from the killer’s perspective it goes back to when the killings happened right up to the present. The story is so fast paced that I pretty much read it in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. The constant curiosity about who you should trust or not was great!

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while and I really truly will recommend!

[Farah Mendlesohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do know the author but did not know her when she was writing the novel.
--

I love whisky, really love it. I once spent two years collecting whisky bottles to construct an exhibit on Ian Banks' book raw spirit. So I loved the myriad details, and in particular the sense of how the whisky industry changed over forty years (my mother worked for Dewars before she married and declared 'all whisky tastes the same!' I was baffled until I realised that she had never tasted single malt, only blends, and even then... wow! no nose at all.)

It's a cosy so don't expect fireworks but (without giving spoilers) I loved the way choices were made, and sensible in the moment decisions proved to be tricky. The ending didn't quite land for me, I suppose I wanted something neater, but it's a good ending.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's books like this that really makes me want to visit the glorious wilderness of rural Scotland - and throw in a good bit of murder mystery and humour too and I'm totally sold!

 

Eilidh and Morag take on an old run down distillery in the heart of rural Kintyre.

Wanting to become the first female run distillery they  dive head first into the renovation.

However, when they discover 2 bodies perfectly preserved within the leftover barrels, Eilidh becomes a little obsessed with finding out what happened to the pair.

 

I loved our main characters and the way they threw themselves into this new venture - what a great idea.

That is until things take a dark turn and their lives are turned upside down.

 

It was great to see Eilidh representing the ND community here.

It's not often that this is portrayed in a main character and I think this will help many readers connect with this story.

 

I was transported right into this mystery by the glorious descriptions of the Scottish landscape - there's just something that calls to me and I'd love to visit - if we weren't so far away.

 

This is my first read by this author and I was totally hooked from start to finish, devouring this in only a couple of sittings.

This was a fast-paced read with a great narrative and some good twists throughout.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from this author soon.

 

[Melina Lobo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Malt Whisky Murders is a cozy mystery by Natalie Jayne Clark, filled with humor and, of course, plenty of whisky. The premise is engaging and had me hooked from its very dramatic opening scene. Although this is a murder mystery and I was hoping for a slightly tighter grip on the mystery element, I sometimes enjoy a more relaxed take on the genre, and this book delivered just that. The characters are quirky yet relatable, but what I appreciated most was how effortlessly readable it was. The author’s writing style creates a balance between simplicity and immersion, making it easy to finish in a single sitting.
Overall, it’s a decent read with some refreshing new twists on the cozy mystery formula.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable crime thriller set in Campbeltown, a wee rural town in the Kintyre peninsula of Scotland. I love the location and the abundance of Scottish words that you would likely hear used in this part of the country. The plot was good and did enough to keep me interested, especially all the useful information regarding whisky tastings and the distillation process. However, I didn’t feel like I got to know enough of the characters, as the book predominantly focused too much on Eilidh. The ending came across a bit rushed, although I understood the characters motivations behind the murders.

[Entre Páginas Infinitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro es muy divertido, me lo pasé bien hasta cierto punto. Realmente me produjo la necesidad de saber quién era el asesino. Me encantó la perspectiva en segunda persona, me pareció ingeniosa.
El único motivo por el que no tiene cinco estrellas fue Eilidth (creo que no se escribe así, pero ya está). Me pareció odiosa y la dinámica con su pareja me pareció deficiente. No sé si todo se le puede atribuir a su tda pero si tienes esta condición lo mínimo es que te tomes la medicación.
Por lo demás recomiendo mucho este libro, es divertidísimo.

[Nicola Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. I can see why it's been shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2025. This was such a wonderful debut. I loved the cover. The whisky barrels are well done and the colours are eye-catching. The book is written well and flows nicely. The writing was full of surprises and twists. I loved this! The distillery setting was excellent. The characters were great and they all fitted in well to the story. I liked Eilidh she was so determined and she shines in the story. Grab a wee dram, I recommend this to you all!!