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Scottish Isle Mystery #3
Death at a Scottish Christmas: Scottish Isle Mysteries, Book 3
Merriment, mistletoe, and murder await in the third installment of the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Joanne Fluke.
Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can’t wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. But when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt.
As the band’s future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted this music star dead. Shockingly, beloved Constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town’s festivities.
With an ever-growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it’s too late.
Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can’t wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. But when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt.
As the band’s future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted this music star dead. Shockingly, beloved Constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town’s festivities.
With an ever-growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it’s too late.
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First published October 15, 2024
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October 27, 2024
EXCERPT: I was about to go into the Pig and Whistle when I caught the reflection of something shiny on the glass door. I turned toward the beach and lifted my hand to shade my eyes from the sun. Something stuck out of the sand, but I couldn't tell what it was.
I crossed the coastal road. On the other side, I stopped.
'Bram? Is everything okay?' He sat in the sand with his hand holding his guitar upright. He was so still it was eerie.
'Bram, it's cold. Why don't you come inside?'
He didn't seem to hear me, or he was ignoring me. I shivered in the cold.
Maybe he's meditating. I should leave him alone.
But something wasn't right about the way he sat hunched over, and he didn't have a heavy coat on. The temperature was in the twenties. I made my way down the sand and stood a few feet away.
'Bram, are you okay?'
I moved closer and then took his pulse. His tanned skin had turned a scary shade of white.
This isn't good.
'Doc, what's going on?' Ewan asked. I hadn't heard him walk up. And I might have jumped and, um, yelped a bit.
'He's dead, I said. 'Very, very dead.'
ABOUT 'DEATH AT A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS': Merriment, mistletoe, and murder.
Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can’t wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. But when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt.
As the band’s future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted this music star dead. Shockingly, beloved constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town’s festivities.
With an ever-growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it’s too late.
MY THOUGHTS: An interesting murder-mystery let down by the ending.
Death at a Scottish Christmas is a classic cosy-mystery in an awesome setting populated by characters I enjoy. At the height of the action the village is cut off by a snowstorm. Christmas events, however, continue as scheduled and Em uses them to observe and sometimes subtly question people.
The attraction between Em and Ewan, the village constable and local laird, becomes more apparent, but still they bounce off one another rather than acknowledging their feelings. Their relationship reminds me of those teenage years when you didn't want someone to know you were attracted to them in case they didn't like you back.
There was a fair bit of repetition in parts of the book which I could have done without; the word count could have been better used in the ending which I felt was a little rushed. I didn't like the way the murderer announced themself, and I was disappointed in who it was. In fact, I yelled out 'No!' at the revelation.
The method of murder was certainly unusual and earned this book an extra half star.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#DeathataScottishChristmas #NetGalley
MEET 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 Chritmas by Lucy Connelly for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Death at a Scottish Christmas was published October 15, 2024
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
I crossed the coastal road. On the other side, I stopped.
'Bram? Is everything okay?' He sat in the sand with his hand holding his guitar upright. He was so still it was eerie.
'Bram, it's cold. Why don't you come inside?'
He didn't seem to hear me, or he was ignoring me. I shivered in the cold.
Maybe he's meditating. I should leave him alone.
But something wasn't right about the way he sat hunched over, and he didn't have a heavy coat on. The temperature was in the twenties. I made my way down the sand and stood a few feet away.
'Bram, are you okay?'
I moved closer and then took his pulse. His tanned skin had turned a scary shade of white.
This isn't good.
'Doc, what's going on?' Ewan asked. I hadn't heard him walk up. And I might have jumped and, um, yelped a bit.
'He's dead, I said. 'Very, very dead.'
ABOUT 'DEATH AT A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS': Merriment, mistletoe, and murder.
Sea Isle, Scotland, is magical during the holiday season, and Dr. Emilia McRoy can’t wait to enjoy everything her village has to offer. But when the lead singer of a famous band is murdered in the village, just as they were about to launch a world tour, her holiday instantly comes to a halt.
As the band’s future hangs in the balance, Emilia discovers that the victim was working on new music that has since disappeared. Were these new lyrics worth killing for? And if so, who is the culprit? It seems more than one person wanted this music star dead. Shockingly, beloved constable Ewan Campbell becomes the prime suspect in the investigation, putting a damper on the town’s festivities.
With an ever-growing list of suspects, Emilia will need all the help she can get to figure out who is framing poor Ewan. Between a secret Santa that wants her dead, stalkers, and killer holiday celebrations, Emilia must see the devil in the details and discover the truth before it’s too late.
MY THOUGHTS: An interesting murder-mystery let down by the ending.
Death at a Scottish Christmas is a classic cosy-mystery in an awesome setting populated by characters I enjoy. At the height of the action the village is cut off by a snowstorm. Christmas events, however, continue as scheduled and Em uses them to observe and sometimes subtly question people.
The attraction between Em and Ewan, the village constable and local laird, becomes more apparent, but still they bounce off one another rather than acknowledging their feelings. Their relationship reminds me of those teenage years when you didn't want someone to know you were attracted to them in case they didn't like you back.
There was a fair bit of repetition in parts of the book which I could have done without; the word count could have been better used in the ending which I felt was a little rushed. I didn't like the way the murderer announced themself, and I was disappointed in who it was. In fact, I yelled out 'No!' at the revelation.
The method of murder was certainly unusual and earned this book an extra half star.
⭐⭐⭐.5
#DeathataScottishChristmas #NetGalley
MEET 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 Chritmas by Lucy Connelly for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Death at a Scottish Christmas was published October 15, 2024
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
October 13, 2024
The third book in this series. I have previously read book 2.
An interesting mystery featuring Dr.Emilia McCroy who works in a Scottish village with a very unusual local surgery equipped with an operating theatre and recovery rooms, apparently in case the village is cut off in a storm. She also acts as the Coroner which provides the author with a natural link between her main characters and the local police.
There are two murders, both using unusual weapons, and plenty of suspects. A snow storm ensures everyone has to remain in the village and the operating theatre is required. All very gripping. For me though the ending arrived too suddenly and was not very exciting. I did enjoy all the characters and would happily read another book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
An interesting mystery featuring Dr.Emilia McCroy who works in a Scottish village with a very unusual local surgery equipped with an operating theatre and recovery rooms, apparently in case the village is cut off in a storm. She also acts as the Coroner which provides the author with a natural link between her main characters and the local police.
There are two murders, both using unusual weapons, and plenty of suspects. A snow storm ensures everyone has to remain in the village and the operating theatre is required. All very gripping. For me though the ending arrived too suddenly and was not very exciting. I did enjoy all the characters and would happily read another book in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 2, 2024
First and foremost, I just want to say that this is the earliest I have ever read a Christmas story. Reading a Christmas story about a blizzard that covers a car in minutes in July when the temps are reaching the 100-degree mark is just so incredibly weird. Anyway, the gangs all back for this third installment: Dr Em and her BF’s Mara and Abigail as well as Constable Ewan and his merry band of men down at the police station.
The books summary just basically introduces the primary storyline of the death of the lead singer and songwriter, Bram, for a famous Scottish band on the cusp of going international. What the book summary doesn’t say is that Bram was harboring some pretty serious secrets from the band as well as the fans and general public. Furthermore, the reason Ewan became a suspect is because there was some bad history between Ewan and Bram; Bram slept with Ewan’s girlfriend back in college. Bram is from Sea Isle too. Also, since Ewan is a suspect, an outside Inspector, Bethany, is brought in and it certainly doesn’t help Ewan’s situation that there are also some bad feelings between Ewan and Bethany.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of Bram’s death, especially once some of Bram’s secrets come to light. Dr Em (as well as myself) zero in on one particular person. Additionally, while I’m not going to call this a storyline, however, it’s revealed that Dr Em has a stalker, and it leads to some creepy scenes for Dr Em. As I mentioned before, there are the requisite snowstorms and blizzards and freezing temps to add to the complications of the investigation. Deep in the second half, as the dead bodies begin to stack up in Dr Em’s makeshift morgue freezer. The storylines begin to merge and it’s a twisty turn of events to the end that comes pretty quickly after that in a very scary scene for Dr Em.
The continuing character development of the MC’s was well done. The pacing for this short story was steady and the storyline was interesting and engrossing. Once again, found myself staying up way past my bedtime on a work night chanting “one more chapter” because I simply didn’t want to put the story down. The writing was entertaining and the ending was well done, especially the final scene that I’m sure was a lead-in to the next installment. Good endings are a big thing for me. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star rating.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DeathataScottishChristmas
The books summary just basically introduces the primary storyline of the death of the lead singer and songwriter, Bram, for a famous Scottish band on the cusp of going international. What the book summary doesn’t say is that Bram was harboring some pretty serious secrets from the band as well as the fans and general public. Furthermore, the reason Ewan became a suspect is because there was some bad history between Ewan and Bram; Bram slept with Ewan’s girlfriend back in college. Bram is from Sea Isle too. Also, since Ewan is a suspect, an outside Inspector, Bethany, is brought in and it certainly doesn’t help Ewan’s situation that there are also some bad feelings between Ewan and Bethany.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of Bram’s death, especially once some of Bram’s secrets come to light. Dr Em (as well as myself) zero in on one particular person. Additionally, while I’m not going to call this a storyline, however, it’s revealed that Dr Em has a stalker, and it leads to some creepy scenes for Dr Em. As I mentioned before, there are the requisite snowstorms and blizzards and freezing temps to add to the complications of the investigation. Deep in the second half, as the dead bodies begin to stack up in Dr Em’s makeshift morgue freezer. The storylines begin to merge and it’s a twisty turn of events to the end that comes pretty quickly after that in a very scary scene for Dr Em.
The continuing character development of the MC’s was well done. The pacing for this short story was steady and the storyline was interesting and engrossing. Once again, found myself staying up way past my bedtime on a work night chanting “one more chapter” because I simply didn’t want to put the story down. The writing was entertaining and the ending was well done, especially the final scene that I’m sure was a lead-in to the next installment. Good endings are a big thing for me. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.1 that I will be rounding down to a 4star rating.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #DeathataScottishChristmas
March 14, 2024
Deat at a Scottish Christmas is the 3rd in the Scottish Isle Mystery series. I have read all of these books. It takes place in Sea Isle, Scotland. Emilia McRoy (Em) is the main character. She is the doctor and coroner hired by Ewan Campbell. He is the laird of Sea Isle as well as mayor and constable. Em had been an ER doctor in Seattle but she had found her husband had been unfaithful and was murdered. She need a change of scenery. Mara, her best friend and manager of the Pig & Whistle pub owned by her grandparents. Her other friends are Aggie who owns several clothing shops and Jasper who owns the bakery in the town.
Mara calls Em and asks her if she can help her pick up the band she has hired as their bus broke down. They found them and brought them back to town. Destinee and Mara had been childhood friends and the band, Bram and the Stokers, who had a huge following in Scotland, were playing at the pub because of their friendship. Bram is the lead singer and Destinee also a singer. Davy Albright was their manager.
At the pub Bram asks Em to dance. He tells her that he and Ewan had a history and he had been friends with Ewan's brother but no longer. He was found in bed with Ewan's fiance. He was use to having woman fall at his feet and asked her to see him after the gig. She declined. The next day she went to the pub and saw Bram sitting on the beach. She went to check to see if he was okay and found him dead. Ewan came to the beach to check also. Em called her assistant to bring her kit and some coffee. When Abigal got there they worked to secure the scene. Being the coroner , Em takes the body back to the office. They find a puncture wound. Someone had pumped air into his brain but not with a needle but a corkscrew. He also had drugs in his system. They went to speak to the band and were told that Bram did not do drugs and didn't tolerate the band members doing it. They were not allowed to drink while performing. They told them that he always had a notebook with him to write down his songs.
Because of Ewan's past with Bram theuppers were sending a detective inspector, Bethanly Thomson to oversee everything. The murder of their manager, Davy adds another dimension to the story. This is where the story takes off and is too much to put on paper so I will leave it to the reader to enjoy with all the twists and turns to the exciting end.
The book ends with a Christmas celebration with all Em's friends, Ewan gives her a beautiful necklace and hints that he is happy that she is there. It was a fun bookk to read and look forward to the next book and see where their relationship develops.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
Mara calls Em and asks her if she can help her pick up the band she has hired as their bus broke down. They found them and brought them back to town. Destinee and Mara had been childhood friends and the band, Bram and the Stokers, who had a huge following in Scotland, were playing at the pub because of their friendship. Bram is the lead singer and Destinee also a singer. Davy Albright was their manager.
At the pub Bram asks Em to dance. He tells her that he and Ewan had a history and he had been friends with Ewan's brother but no longer. He was found in bed with Ewan's fiance. He was use to having woman fall at his feet and asked her to see him after the gig. She declined. The next day she went to the pub and saw Bram sitting on the beach. She went to check to see if he was okay and found him dead. Ewan came to the beach to check also. Em called her assistant to bring her kit and some coffee. When Abigal got there they worked to secure the scene. Being the coroner , Em takes the body back to the office. They find a puncture wound. Someone had pumped air into his brain but not with a needle but a corkscrew. He also had drugs in his system. They went to speak to the band and were told that Bram did not do drugs and didn't tolerate the band members doing it. They were not allowed to drink while performing. They told them that he always had a notebook with him to write down his songs.
Because of Ewan's past with Bram theuppers were sending a detective inspector, Bethanly Thomson to oversee everything. The murder of their manager, Davy adds another dimension to the story. This is where the story takes off and is too much to put on paper so I will leave it to the reader to enjoy with all the twists and turns to the exciting end.
The book ends with a Christmas celebration with all Em's friends, Ewan gives her a beautiful necklace and hints that he is happy that she is there. It was a fun bookk to read and look forward to the next book and see where their relationship develops.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
October 11, 2024
This is such a great series! I love the Scottish village setting of Sea Isle, wonderful characters, and always an interesting, multilayered mystery to unravel. Dr. Emilia McRoy is enjoying living in the village after working the ER in a Seattle hospital where she has a new family, consisting of her new friends, and hopes to find out about her ancestors, As the village doctor and coroner, she treats patients and feels that she needs to help solve the crimes committed. This time Bram Stoker, a local musician and Scottish rockstar, was murdered in an unusual way and handsome Constable Ewan Campbell is a suspect because of bad history with Bram so a detective inspector is brought in to work the case. But Ewan is not off the case and as he and the DI work it, Em does her own research, all in the name of medical investigation. This is a great addition to the series. It is Christmas and lots of festive activities add to the story and the closeness of the Em and friends celebrating. I also sense that there is something going on between Em and Ewan and I hope that is in a future book.
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.
July 1, 2024
Dr. Emilia McRoy has relocated to a small Scottish village from the USA. She loves being the village physician, but when a well-known band member is found dead after a local performance, she and others in the village want to find out why. There seems to be something odd about the way the other band members reacted to the death. Could one of them be responsible? And why are there drugs in his system when he had been clean for many years? Then there is another death—could they be related? The town is Scotland is charming, the residents are so friendly, even to a newcomer like Em, and they celebrate every December holiday imaginable in this book—I really enjoyed this Scottish holiday mystery. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
December 27, 2025
Coming back to Sea Isle feels a bit like cozy comfort in this third book in the series. Emilia is settling into her role as the town doctor, finally finding a rhythm in her days filled with patients, and the small rituals of a close-knit Scottish community preparing for the holidays. But the calm doesn’t last long. While out for a seaside walk, Emilia spots Bram, who she’d just seen the night before at the pub, singing with his band and talking excitedly about an upcoming U.S. concert tour. Bram is dead, and suddenly Sea Isle is buzzing with suspicion. There is no shortage of suspects, between the bandmates, townspeople, pub regulars, and even Ewan is suspect.
This time a detective inspector is brought in from Edinburgh to head the case, and it creates tension between her and Ewan. Emilia is forced to be a go-between for the DI and Ewan, thanks to some unresolved history. The murder mystery unfolds alongside Christmas gatherings and seasonal atmosphere, keeping things light even when the stakes rise.
This was an easy, fast, and very entertaining read—perfect for curling up with during the holidays. A solid cozy mystery with just the right mix of murder, community, and Christmas charm.
This time a detective inspector is brought in from Edinburgh to head the case, and it creates tension between her and Ewan. Emilia is forced to be a go-between for the DI and Ewan, thanks to some unresolved history. The murder mystery unfolds alongside Christmas gatherings and seasonal atmosphere, keeping things light even when the stakes rise.
This was an easy, fast, and very entertaining read—perfect for curling up with during the holidays. A solid cozy mystery with just the right mix of murder, community, and Christmas charm.
November 15, 2024
2.5 stars rounded down because of errors a simple Google search could have fixed.
This book is a mess and I blame a lazy author and horrible editor. I’ve always heard from authors and people who teach writing to “write what you know.” Seems like a good idea and if you’re going to write about something you don’t know then you do your research, right? Not if you’re Lucy Connelly. Specifically I’m speaking to the role of coroner in Scotland and the fact that there isn’t one. Apparently not only does the MC get her knowledge of police procedures from watching British tv shows but so too does the author. Unfortunately the Scottish judiciary system isn’t the same. In Scotland a murder investigation is lead by the Procurator Fiscal not a coroner as in England (kind of). And an autopsy is done by a pathologist and not just any old doctor as far as I can tell. Whoever does them, they are not called a coroner as in America. And I’m almost positive that the lead police officer would be a DCI and not a constable as that term is used for tippy top of the Scottish police not the bottom. Since Connelly likes to get her information from television maybe she should have watched a few Scottish police shows such as Shetland, Taggart, or Karen Pirie to name a few. Watching those was how I knew things were wrong and then I Googled to double check. Easy Peasy.
The rest of the book was just meh. There were some places where things were repeated back to back. An example would be when the MC was buying Christmas tree decorations and informed us they were called baubles in Scotland and then told us again about two paragraphs later. Sloppy. And it’s kind of nuts how many times she mentions that the locals are like her family now and how her little gang are her best friends when she’s known the people for exactly five months. I read in reviews for the other two books in the series and these were problems in them too. Yikes.
And speaking of the first two books I wonder if it was ever brought up that you can’t just move to GB and start being a doctor just because you were one in another country? You have to pass a proficiency test in both medicine and English.
One good thing I can say is that at least in this book the police weren’t made to look incompetent. Not sure why the doctor kept butting her nose if the “Constable” was so good at his job but at least she never called him stupid. Another is the way the people were murdered was different so points for that I guess.
To sum up, avoid this book if you like facts but go for it if you’re into mediocre murder mysteries and sloppy editing.
This book is a mess and I blame a lazy author and horrible editor. I’ve always heard from authors and people who teach writing to “write what you know.” Seems like a good idea and if you’re going to write about something you don’t know then you do your research, right? Not if you’re Lucy Connelly. Specifically I’m speaking to the role of coroner in Scotland and the fact that there isn’t one. Apparently not only does the MC get her knowledge of police procedures from watching British tv shows but so too does the author. Unfortunately the Scottish judiciary system isn’t the same. In Scotland a murder investigation is lead by the Procurator Fiscal not a coroner as in England (kind of). And an autopsy is done by a pathologist and not just any old doctor as far as I can tell. Whoever does them, they are not called a coroner as in America. And I’m almost positive that the lead police officer would be a DCI and not a constable as that term is used for tippy top of the Scottish police not the bottom. Since Connelly likes to get her information from television maybe she should have watched a few Scottish police shows such as Shetland, Taggart, or Karen Pirie to name a few. Watching those was how I knew things were wrong and then I Googled to double check. Easy Peasy.
The rest of the book was just meh. There were some places where things were repeated back to back. An example would be when the MC was buying Christmas tree decorations and informed us they were called baubles in Scotland and then told us again about two paragraphs later. Sloppy. And it’s kind of nuts how many times she mentions that the locals are like her family now and how her little gang are her best friends when she’s known the people for exactly five months. I read in reviews for the other two books in the series and these were problems in them too. Yikes.
And speaking of the first two books I wonder if it was ever brought up that you can’t just move to GB and start being a doctor just because you were one in another country? You have to pass a proficiency test in both medicine and English.
One good thing I can say is that at least in this book the police weren’t made to look incompetent. Not sure why the doctor kept butting her nose if the “Constable” was so good at his job but at least she never called him stupid. Another is the way the people were murdered was different so points for that I guess.
To sum up, avoid this book if you like facts but go for it if you’re into mediocre murder mysteries and sloppy editing.
September 22, 2025
Death at a Scottish Christmas is the third installment of the Scottish Isle Mystery by Lucy Connelly. It is the holiday season and our favorite American ex-pat, Dr. Emilia (Em) McRoy is looking forward to her first Christmas in Sea Island, Scotland. Dr. Em became the local doctor and coroner after moving to the community for a fresh start. She works closely with the local Constable and Laird Ewan Campbell. As she adjusted to her new community, Dr. Em made new friends, and the group quickly became her surrogate family.
The holiday season is serious business in Sea Island and Dr. Em has a month off to enjoy the celebrations. The highlight of the festival is the opening night concert of a popular Scottish band whose lead singer is a local boy. But the festivities could be at risk with Dr. Em’s discovery of the lead singer’s murdered body and Constable Ewan Campbell as one of the prime suspects. Em is determined to find the true killer to clear Ewan’s name.
This mystery is a perfect rainy day read. The plot has plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged. The characters are well developed, and I enjoyed watching their growth throughout the series. The more relaxed relationship between Dr. Em and Ewan was a highlight and it hints to future possibilities. Although this book can be read as a standalone, reading the other books in the series will help you understand some of the characters' backgrounds better.
I would absolutely recommend Death at a Scottish Christmas and can’t wait for the next book in this series. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Lucy Connelly and NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy.
The holiday season is serious business in Sea Island and Dr. Em has a month off to enjoy the celebrations. The highlight of the festival is the opening night concert of a popular Scottish band whose lead singer is a local boy. But the festivities could be at risk with Dr. Em’s discovery of the lead singer’s murdered body and Constable Ewan Campbell as one of the prime suspects. Em is determined to find the true killer to clear Ewan’s name.
This mystery is a perfect rainy day read. The plot has plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged. The characters are well developed, and I enjoyed watching their growth throughout the series. The more relaxed relationship between Dr. Em and Ewan was a highlight and it hints to future possibilities. Although this book can be read as a standalone, reading the other books in the series will help you understand some of the characters' backgrounds better.
I would absolutely recommend Death at a Scottish Christmas and can’t wait for the next book in this series. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Lucy Connelly and NetGalley for the Advance Readers Copy.
October 16, 2024
I have enjoyed reading all the three books published so far in the series, the first one being 'An American in Scotland.'
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!
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Lucy Connelly for the e-Arc of the book.
Death At A Scottish Christmas publishes today.
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!
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Lucy Connelly for the e-Arc of the book.
Death At A Scottish Christmas publishes today.
October 17, 2024
Christmas in Scotland – what a wonderful setting for a novel, especially at this time of year, when the air is getting cooler, even here in the hot and humid South. I loved the description of the various traditions and how the lead singer, and murder victim, was such an important figure for Scottish culture and tradition. The setting really carries this series, which is a good thing because there’s just so much repetition in this one, be it from the constant interviewing of the same suspects over and over, or the repeated fawning over each other and reiterating that Emilia just loves her new situation so much; it gets a little cloying after a while. Otherwise, the mystery was good and kept me interested so I will be continuing with the series.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
December 22, 2024
She’s occasionally a little less circumspect as a doctor/coroner than I’d expect, but the mystery is engaging and I loved the Scottish isle setting and cozy Christmassy feel.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
June 9, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this beautifully written book.
Dr Emillia McRoy kicks off her Christmas with investigating the death of Bram, the lead singer of Bram and the Stokers.
It was a good read and the writing was drew me in. It kept me wanting to go back for more.
The community as well as the side characters was sweet. Her portrayal of Alzheimer's and autism was well done.
Looking forward to the next book!
Dr Emillia McRoy kicks off her Christmas with investigating the death of Bram, the lead singer of Bram and the Stokers.
It was a good read and the writing was drew me in. It kept me wanting to go back for more.
The community as well as the side characters was sweet. Her portrayal of Alzheimer's and autism was well done.
Looking forward to the next book!
November 8, 2024
Maudlin. Introduce cool characters, kill them off, focus on mundane lives and petty motivations. Add an adult medical professional who cannot recognize simple courting behavior. Gag. The series is not improved as books are added. Likely done with series and author. Note to self: Stop falling for great cover art.
November 21, 2024
I liked the mystery. Had me guessing. But so much of the dialogue was repetitive. It gave me the feeling that the author was just trying to get to a word count. I read pages and pages of the same character saying the same thing over and over. It got a little boring to me.
January 8, 2025
No spoilers
I really love this series. It makes me want to move to Scotland, lol. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. The characters grow more rounded with each volume. Can't wait for #4.
I really love this series. It makes me want to move to Scotland, lol. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. The characters grow more rounded with each volume. Can't wait for #4.
December 11, 2025
Meets the ‘Snowed in prompt’
October 11, 2025
Another great one in this series. I love the characters and the setting and the mystery was a good one.
February 21, 2025
I read my Christmas murder mystery early this year. It was fun trying to figure out who done-it, and and killed the leader of the band. Kick back and enjoy by the fire. An easy read.
October 20, 2024
Not recommended.
I was interested in the mystery: singer of a popular band dies at the beach after performing in his home town. It turns out he was suffering a debilitating disease. Actually, I was mostly interested in how he managed to dance and flirt with the doctor the night before he died. Because when the doctor gets hold of his medical records, she assess the disease has progressed so far that he had only a month left to live. My grandfather suffered from this disease, years before his death he lost the ability for coherent sentences. Doubt he flirted with the nurses of his care home a month before he passed away.
This book hit a lot of my dislikes. Cops that demand answers from witnesses (without telling them why they want to know), claim they follow the facts (and then present an assumption as fact) and overshare with the amateur sleuth. An amateur sleuth, the local doctor, that tells the cops what to investigate.
And then there is my most hated trope:
I felt antipathy towards doctor Em. She came to the village five months earlier and everyone seems to think she is the greatest. (She’s so mesmerising that everyone just glosses over the fact that there never used to be murders in the town until she came along.) She thinks she knows the towns people better than anyone and knows better than an experienced investigator how she should handle interviewing witnesses.
The author seems to have researched Scottish customs poorly. The police inspector declines a pint because she’s on duty, but orders a cider in stead, which is also an alcoholic drink. And when the inspector makes an arrest she informs the arrestee she has “the right …” British police officers - Scottish too - do not inform people of a right to remain silent. They tell them “You do not have to say anything.”
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
I was interested in the mystery: singer of a popular band dies at the beach after performing in his home town. It turns out he was suffering a debilitating disease. Actually, I was mostly interested in how he managed to dance and flirt with the doctor the night before he died. Because when the doctor gets hold of his medical records, she assess the disease has progressed so far that he had only a month left to live. My grandfather suffered from this disease, years before his death he lost the ability for coherent sentences. Doubt he flirted with the nurses of his care home a month before he passed away.
This book hit a lot of my dislikes. Cops that demand answers from witnesses (without telling them why they want to know), claim they follow the facts (and then present an assumption as fact) and overshare with the amateur sleuth. An amateur sleuth, the local doctor, that tells the cops what to investigate.
And then there is my most hated trope:
I felt antipathy towards doctor Em. She came to the village five months earlier and everyone seems to think she is the greatest. (She’s so mesmerising that everyone just glosses over the fact that there never used to be murders in the town until she came along.) She thinks she knows the towns people better than anyone and knows better than an experienced investigator how she should handle interviewing witnesses.
The author seems to have researched Scottish customs poorly. The police inspector declines a pint because she’s on duty, but orders a cider in stead, which is also an alcoholic drink. And when the inspector makes an arrest she informs the arrestee she has “the right …” British police officers - Scottish too - do not inform people of a right to remain silent. They tell them “You do not have to say anything.”
I read an ARC through NetGalley.
September 7, 2024
“ Death at a Scottish Christmas ” by Lucy Connelly the 3rd instalment in the " A Scottish Isle Mystery" series. I love this series.
I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland again especially at Christmas, and seeing how Em has found her footing in the community on the island. Another thing I enjoy is 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 four…
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 4 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 especially at Christmas, and seeing how Em has found her footing in the community on the island. Another thing I enjoy is 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 four…
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 4 to come out!
I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.
December 26, 2024
I really liked this Christmas themed mystery set in a small town in Scotland. The protagonist is in Scotland celebrating the holidays, when she gets involved in a murder mystery. There's an Irish band with a song writer that isn't doing well, and that seems to be a big part of why the killer did what they did. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.
October 14, 2025
I enjoyed the mystery story very much as well as the interaction with the usual local characters. It's so refreshing to visit Scotland again! The traditions of the town are different than what we are used to here in America, and that's just fine with me. I enjoyed everything very much up until I read the conclusion of the mystery. It was very quick and unexpected. Still, I love the Scottish Isle Mystery series and will continue reading them all.
November 15, 2024
Good book- love that I feel like I am in Sea Isle, Scotland while I'm reading it. I had an inkling about the killer, but set it aside as no, not possible!
September 6, 2024
It is December in Sea Isle, Scotland, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is getting her first taste of the holidays in her new home. However, the death of a musical icon who performed with his group at the pub leads Emilia into another murder investigation.
Bram was a charismatic character who just happened to have an affair with Constable Ewan Campbell's fiancée many years ago. Ewan isn't happy to have him back in his hometown, but he didn't murder him despite the opinion of an imported cop.
As Emilia tries to look into the cause of death and Bram's medical records, she also has to deal with one of the other members of the band who is hysterical and who drugs herself into a coma. Then there is the band's manager who is looking for a way to capitalize on Bram's death to make money until he dies suspiciously himself.
Then Ewan is attacked and requires emergency surgery to prevent a brain bleed which is up to Emilia since a blizzard has rolled in preventing moving him to another hospital.
I enjoyed this mystery. It is the third in a series and I have been enjoying how Emilia is fitting in at her new community and making some close friends.
Bram was a charismatic character who just happened to have an affair with Constable Ewan Campbell's fiancée many years ago. Ewan isn't happy to have him back in his hometown, but he didn't murder him despite the opinion of an imported cop.
As Emilia tries to look into the cause of death and Bram's medical records, she also has to deal with one of the other members of the band who is hysterical and who drugs herself into a coma. Then there is the band's manager who is looking for a way to capitalize on Bram's death to make money until he dies suspiciously himself.
Then Ewan is attacked and requires emergency surgery to prevent a brain bleed which is up to Emilia since a blizzard has rolled in preventing moving him to another hospital.
I enjoyed this mystery. It is the third in a series and I have been enjoying how Emilia is fitting in at her new community and making some close friends.
August 2, 2024
3.75 stars
A strong entry in the series featuring American E.R. Dr. Emilia McRoy, who relocated to a small isolated town in Scotland to be the town physician. She was fleeing burnout, emergency room stress, a failed marriage and more.
She is a strong personality with take-charge tendencies and she clashed immediately with the local laird, Ewan Campbell. They have come to know and respect each other through the series, but they are both hard-headed and stubborn and still go toe-to-toe frequently.
Dr. McRoy supposedly has a whole month off during Christmas and is looking forward to getting involved in some local holiday events and activities. A fairly famous band with some local roots is coming to town to do a soft unveiling for their upcoming mega tour. But a band member is found dead after their concert. Was it suicide due to increasing health problems? Or was it murder?
Ewan has equipped their tiny town with state of the art medical equipment including MRIs, labs, and all kinds of diagnostic gear. so McRoy and her super competent trainee are able to sift through a lot of information. The surviving band members are less than forthcoming and matters are complicated when an investigator from Edinburgh arrives to take charge.
There is a nice ensemble cast of local friends and business owners and it's interesting to see McRoy and Campbell soften toward each other. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A strong entry in the series featuring American E.R. Dr. Emilia McRoy, who relocated to a small isolated town in Scotland to be the town physician. She was fleeing burnout, emergency room stress, a failed marriage and more.
She is a strong personality with take-charge tendencies and she clashed immediately with the local laird, Ewan Campbell. They have come to know and respect each other through the series, but they are both hard-headed and stubborn and still go toe-to-toe frequently.
Dr. McRoy supposedly has a whole month off during Christmas and is looking forward to getting involved in some local holiday events and activities. A fairly famous band with some local roots is coming to town to do a soft unveiling for their upcoming mega tour. But a band member is found dead after their concert. Was it suicide due to increasing health problems? Or was it murder?
Ewan has equipped their tiny town with state of the art medical equipment including MRIs, labs, and all kinds of diagnostic gear. so McRoy and her super competent trainee are able to sift through a lot of information. The surviving band members are less than forthcoming and matters are complicated when an investigator from Edinburgh arrives to take charge.
There is a nice ensemble cast of local friends and business owners and it's interesting to see McRoy and Campbell soften toward each other. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 4, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title.
This was a fun mystery.
It kept me guessing, which is always the goal with a good mystery plot. I kept going back and forth with suspects. I was sad to realize who it was, which is good character writing!
I am looking forward to more of Doc Em and Ewan and their group of friends!
This was a fun mystery.
It kept me guessing, which is always the goal with a good mystery plot. I kept going back and forth with suspects. I was sad to realize who it was, which is good character writing!
I am looking forward to more of Doc Em and Ewan and their group of friends!
March 10, 2024
I found Death at a Scottish Christmas fine for a rainy (or snowy) afternoon's read. Otherwise, nothing to write home about.
October 29, 2024
What I loved:
* Christmas in Scotland
* Em doing her job WHICH enables her to also be extra nosy ;-)
* The mystery was very good and kept me guessing [and in the end I. WAS. WRONG. How glorious].
* Em watches ALL of my favorite British crime shows [I LOVE it when they mention them, especially Vera!!].
* I love all of the side characters in these books; how they have accepted Em from day one and how they've become her family and love her [and each other] fiercely. They are the glue that holds these books together.
What didn't work for me:
* This isn't a reflection on the author, but the publisher/proofreader. I expect some mistakes, because we are all human, but this book really suffered from some editing issues [namely mis-naming people, having Em do one thing and then do it again several sentances later etc] which was very glaring when listening to the audiobook [as the excellent narrator READ THEM all as written], and after awhile, got kind of old.
* There was WAY more repetition in this one than there has been in the previous books; sometimes within the same paragraph and it really unnecessary. We are not 5. We do not need to be told the same thing over and over again [this was all super frustrating along with the editing issues].
* The very rushed reveal and the actual reveal itself. It was pretty anticlimactic and didn't have any of the excitement that typically comes with a reveal and so it was disappointing.
* While I will not mind if Em and Ewan get together, it is the getting there that is so juvenile. It all felt so high school and I'd love to see that handled better.
* That ending!! WHAT???? Ergh.
Even with what didn't work for me, this was still a good read - the positives [mostly] outweighed the negatives and I enjoyed my "visit" to Scotland and being with Em and Co. at Christmastime [even though it was 70+ and October when I was reading LOL] and I am very much looking forward to book 4!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Connelly, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
* Christmas in Scotland
* Em doing her job WHICH enables her to also be extra nosy ;-)
* The mystery was very good and kept me guessing [and in the end I. WAS. WRONG. How glorious].
* Em watches ALL of my favorite British crime shows [I LOVE it when they mention them, especially Vera!!].
* I love all of the side characters in these books; how they have accepted Em from day one and how they've become her family and love her [and each other] fiercely. They are the glue that holds these books together.
What didn't work for me:
* This isn't a reflection on the author, but the publisher/proofreader. I expect some mistakes, because we are all human, but this book really suffered from some editing issues [namely mis-naming people, having Em do one thing and then do it again several sentances later etc] which was very glaring when listening to the audiobook [as the excellent narrator READ THEM all as written], and after awhile, got kind of old.
* There was WAY more repetition in this one than there has been in the previous books; sometimes within the same paragraph and it really unnecessary. We are not 5. We do not need to be told the same thing over and over again [this was all super frustrating along with the editing issues].
* The very rushed reveal and the actual reveal itself. It was pretty anticlimactic and didn't have any of the excitement that typically comes with a reveal and so it was disappointing.
* While I will not mind if Em and Ewan get together, it is the getting there that is so juvenile. It all felt so high school and I'd love to see that handled better.
* That ending!! WHAT???? Ergh.
Even with what didn't work for me, this was still a good read - the positives [mostly] outweighed the negatives and I enjoyed my "visit" to Scotland and being with Em and Co. at Christmastime [even though it was 70+ and October when I was reading LOL] and I am very much looking forward to book 4!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Connelly, and Crooked Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2024
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly is so engrossing. I was utterly enthralled.
Will Emily and her gang figure out who killed the rock star?
Emily has the month off for the holidays, but Mara has volunteered Emily for numerous holiday events in their town of Sea Isle. One of them comes unexpectedly: They have to save the popular Scottish band from the roadside, as their bus has broken down. The band has returned home to play at Mara's Pub. Em gets to know the band a bit on the drive back.
The band puts on a fantastic show, playing their hit songs and some new songs they are working on for their upcoming tour in the USA. However, the following day, Emily finds the lead singer dead on the beach at least a mile from the B and B that he is staying at. After a short time, the band manager winds up dead. After all of this, Emily and the gang are working to find the culprit, but their business is swamped with fans of the dead rock star. Not that being busy is a bad thing, especially for the business owners.
Emily and the Gang
I adore Emily. She had such a challenging life, but now she seems to have found her spot in the world. Emily has made great friends, and the community has entirely accepted her. However, I think she is blind to the feelings of one town mayor/constable.
The rest of her gang is back from their respective lives and willing to assist Emily when possible. Abigail and Tommy stay with Emily for a few days to help out until their boiler gets fixed.
I love this group of friends who have brought Emily into their fold. Each of them is extraordinary, but stick them together, and anything is possible.
Five Stars
My rating for Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly is five stars. I love the setting, the mysteries, and, of course, the characters. If you haven't started the series, there are two out right now that will be perfect.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly is so engrossing. I was utterly enthralled.
Will Emily and her gang figure out who killed the rock star?
Emily has the month off for the holidays, but Mara has volunteered Emily for numerous holiday events in their town of Sea Isle. One of them comes unexpectedly: They have to save the popular Scottish band from the roadside, as their bus has broken down. The band has returned home to play at Mara's Pub. Em gets to know the band a bit on the drive back.
The band puts on a fantastic show, playing their hit songs and some new songs they are working on for their upcoming tour in the USA. However, the following day, Emily finds the lead singer dead on the beach at least a mile from the B and B that he is staying at. After a short time, the band manager winds up dead. After all of this, Emily and the gang are working to find the culprit, but their business is swamped with fans of the dead rock star. Not that being busy is a bad thing, especially for the business owners.
Emily and the Gang
I adore Emily. She had such a challenging life, but now she seems to have found her spot in the world. Emily has made great friends, and the community has entirely accepted her. However, I think she is blind to the feelings of one town mayor/constable.
The rest of her gang is back from their respective lives and willing to assist Emily when possible. Abigail and Tommy stay with Emily for a few days to help out until their boiler gets fixed.
I love this group of friends who have brought Emily into their fold. Each of them is extraordinary, but stick them together, and anything is possible.
Five Stars
My rating for Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly is five stars. I love the setting, the mysteries, and, of course, the characters. If you haven't started the series, there are two out right now that will be perfect.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly.
Until the next time,
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book TroveDisplaying 1 - 30 of 294 reviews