Murder in the Highlands

Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe #2

by Dawn Brookes

A free holiday in the Highlands? There must be a catch…

When Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe and friends arrive at the newly opened Nessie’s Lochside Hotel for an all-expenses-paid getaway, they’re looking forward to stunning views, peaceful walks and perhaps a glimpse of the infamous monster. Well, most of them are – Edna is convinced the legendary beast is out for blood. But Marjorie’s morning stroll by the loch delivers more than fresh Highland air when she trips over something… the murdered body of a local writer.

Over her morning tea, Marjorie can’t help but study her fellow guests. The dead man had been threatening to expose dark secrets about some of them in his latest book. Could someone at this remote hotel think those secrets are worth killing for? And could Marjorie be buttering toast next to a killer?

When a second victim is found, the cozy hotel turns decidedly frosty. Marjorie and her companions piece together connections to a tragic night long ago, but can they solve the mystery before their little group gets smaller? And will Edna ever be convinced that Nessie isn’t behind it all?

Fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club will love Murder in the Highlands, a delightful blend of murder, mystery and laughter – enough to fill Loch Ness itself!

What readers are saying about Murder in the Highlands:

“This is my new favorite book! I love Lady Marjorie… I highly recommend this book. It’s a fun cozy mystery!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A fantastic book… If you haven’t read the series yet, you need to start. It’s funny and very entertaining.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“The story keeps me wanting to get to the next bit, but then it is so good I don’t want it to finish.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Love these cozy murder mysteries… The characters, the settings are great and I was left feeling I was there with them.” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Cute, cozy murder mystery in the Scottish Highlands at Loch Ness! Great sense of humor mixed with mystery and lots of red herrings!” Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Scotland, Cozy

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2025

About the author

Dawn Brookes is an award winning cosy mystery and crime writer who also writes memoirs and children's books.
She has an MA in Creative Writing with Distinction.

Dawn writes most days and publishes regularly, to keep up to date visit her website.

Rachel Prince Mysteries:

#1 A Cruise to Murder set during a Mediterranean cruise
#2 Deadly Cruise set during a transatlantic crossing to New York.
#3 Killer Cruise set during a Baltic cruise.
#4 Dying to Cruise set during a cruise around Australia and New Zealand.
#5 A Christmas Cruise Murder set on a Canary Island cruise.
#6 Murderous Cruise Habit set on a Caribbean cruise.
#7 Honeymoon Cruise Murder set on a Mediterranean cruise.
#8 A Murder Mystery Cruise set on a cruise to the Norwegian Ffords.
#9 Hazardous Cruise set on a Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise.
#10 Captain's Dinner Cruise Murder
#11 Corporate Cruise Murder set in India.
#12 Treacherous Cruise Flirtation set in Hawaii.
#13 Toxic Cruise Cocktail set on a SE Asia cruise.
#14 Cruise into Darkness

The Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe Mysteries

#Prequel Novella Death of a Blogger
#1 Murder at the Opera House
#2 Murder in the Highlands
#3 Murder at the Christmas Market
#4 Murder at a Wimbledon Mansion
#5 Murder in a Care Home
#6 Murder at the Regatta
#7 Murder on a Bus Tour

Carlos Jacobi PI

#1 Body in the Woods Award winning novel.
#2 The Bradgate Park Murders
#3 The Museum Murders

Nursing Memoirs

#1 Hurry up Nurse: memoirs of nurse training in the 1970s

#2 Hurry up Nurse 2: London calling
#3 Hurry up Nurse 3: More adventures in the life of a student nurse

Books are available in paperback, hardback, large print, kindle ebook, and audiobook.

Dawn grew up in Leicester, England and trained as a nurse. She later moved to London to undertake further training in the East End. Dawn worked in the NHS in England for the best part of thirty-nine years and during that time gained a wide range of experience as well as academic and professional qualifications. She also holds an MA in Creative Writing.

Dawn's website can be found at: https://www.dawnbrookespublishing.com

Children's Books

Dawn has written a number of children's books including:

Suki Seal and the Plastic Ring

Gerry the One-Eared Cat

Danny the Caterpillar

Ava & Oliver's Bonfire Night Adventure

Ava & Oliver's Christmas Nativity Adventure

Jesus Feeds a Big Crowd

Jesus Heals a Man on a Stretcher

Dawn founded a literature festival in her locality which aims to engage readers and authors with all things literature.

Reviews

[Sagexox · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really like this series, the banter between the main characters is Hilarious! This story didn't keep me as interested as the first book, got a bit confused tbh, but i still enjoyed it and am looking forward to Book 3 :D

[Jane litherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lady Marjorie Fan? Well you’re in the right place. Awesome foursome strike again!. Edna is a big Jessie( Scottish term for scaredy cat 😉) over Nessie ,Marge isn’t taking the rather big hints to NOT go in search of the blasted monster that could well be the murderer ,or is Edna just being …,well Edna , Get your copy today and find out what I’ve been blathering about . Mine is an ARC copy of the book ,so I have been waiting patiently to review .Yes that’s right Today is release day

[Ethel Nesson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Chirp.

A Well Told Tale!
Intriguing murder mystery. Marjorie, Edna, Horace and Frederick make an interesting team of amateur sleuths. Each brings skills and insight to the hunt!
- I loved the setting in the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness. The Loch Ness monster even has a role to play.
- The man—ready to publish his book which will expose the real people involved in the deaths of a couple 24 years ago—is a suitably abrasive man.
- Enjoy how the amateur sleuths piece together the people, the motives, and the timelines surrounding the tragic deaths!
- The narration is well done. It’s easy to distinguish between the people who are talking! The volume , even during whispering, stays strong enough to hear clearly.

[Tracy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like dawn Brookes you will love this one with Marjorie snellthorpe and her three friends
Once again the four strike Edna is being a big scaredy cat over Nessie she’s convinced that Nessie has done the murder it had be gripped from start to end
Can’t wait for the next book
So come on guys it’s out today if you want a good read
Can be read as the second book in the series or as a stand alone like all of Dawns books

[CJ Burton-Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read - first time reading in series, wasn’t a problem. Able to get information about previous adventures during this book Murder in the Highlands. The 4 main characters each have their own flaws, weaknesses and unique perfections. My only criticism and it’s my own pet peeve - shortening names Marjorie to Marge or Frederick to Fred it drove me nuts. The story was fun, real and I enjoyed it very much. I have now downloaded Murder at the Opera House to read next.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my new favorite book! I love Lady Marjorie. They dynamic between Lady Marjorie and Edna is so fun! I loved the setting. I felt like I was traveling in Scotland right along with them. Dawn Brookes always blends mystery and humor seamlessly. The places that her characters travel to are so well described. You feel like you are right there with them. The mysteries are always well done. I highly recommend this book. It's a fun cozy mystery!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying this series

So far I’m really enjoying this series. Lady Marjorie is a very good lead with her sidekicks Edna, Horace and Frederick. I keep hoping that Edna will become less of an overgrown spoiled brat, but that’s a slight complaint. The murders have been well done and the killer not too obvious. Overall a really good cozy series and I’m looking forward to the next one.

[Kati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incompetence all around. Or, my least favorite book in the series so far. The cops were nothing but bumbling fools and everyone but Marjorie left their IQ at home or something, especially Fred. And even though Edna is always very abrasive, usually, her behavior is funny or at least understandable. But this time, she behaved like a harpy on steroids. I hope the author will tone it down in the next book because there was nothing cozy about this outing.

[Anne Tompkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful mystery read by Dawn Brookes about Marjorie Snelthorpe the octogenarian who travels with her annoying cousin-in-law, Edna. Some how Marjorie always stumbles across the dead body and she and her friends try to solve the crime before the police-accident or murder? Dawn sure knows how to set the scene to create mystery and intrigue in a cozy mystery.

[Benjamin Holstebroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn has done it again, yet again she has wrote a fantastic book.
This time Lady Marjorie and the gang visit Scotland.
If you haven't read the series yet, you need to start. It's funny funny and very entertaining.
And while you are at it, start reading Rachel Prince series as well ❤️

5 big stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Myrna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's my second book by Dawn Brookes and I find it more irritating than the first.
I've expected some bonding between two older ladies thrown together by the unexpected circumstances. Instead got the nasty bickering.
Edna is a nightmare in this book and hogs the pages.
Don’t understand Marjorie’s fascination with the pathetic Fred.

The mystery plot is lukewarm.

[Antonia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting mystery made more enjoyable by the characters Marjorie, Edna, Horace and Frederick. I enjoyed their adventure and hoe Marjorie, with the help of her friends, solves mysteries. Quite an enjoyable read!

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these cosy murder mysteries.....Dawn is so talented! The characters, the settings are great and I was left feeling I was there with them. So real. The humour is good too. I really recommend the books, if you’ve not read one of Dawn’s books give it a go you won’t be disappointed.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marjorie, Edna, Hector and Frederick (aka The Awesome Foursome), are on a tour of the Scottish Highlands. While staying in a hotel on the shores of Loch Ness, Marjorie goes for an early morning walk and finds one of the other passengers murdered.

[Mickey Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever storytelling and a big surprise ending!

This well written and entertaining story has a diverse group of heros that seemingly work well together. There are hints of potential romance, no foul language or graphic violence in this tale. Well done!

[Shelley Gingrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Rachel Prince and the Lady Snellthorpe series. The plots are good and the characters interesting. I really struggle with the overdone descriptions, though. I do not need a reminder that a character is stick-thin and blonde, etc., every time a character makes another appearance.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth 7🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Another bestseller from the very talented Dawn Brookes❣️

[Sue Dundon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book Couldn’t put it down Wasn’t sure who the murderer was till the last moment Love this series

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!!! Want more:-) The ending was a surprise.....well written, and so GLAD I bought the book!!!
Read it, you will enjoy it I am sure.....

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was cute. I love Dawn Brookes books

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy these stories of friendship with a murder thrown in. They aren't violent or not recurring violence. I like that together the friends solve the mystery.

[Holly Mcclain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the audio of the book, however Edna seriously frayed my nerves. I mean, someone tell her to shut it down already! I know I did!

[Kelly Acree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, cozy murder mystery in the Scottish Highlands at Loch Ness! Great sense of humor mixed with mystery and lots of red herrings!

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cozy quick mystery

[Valerie Saunders]

Good read

Enjoyed getting to know all the characters. Have followed lady Marjorie through the Rachel Prince series which I enjoyed to.