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D.S. Roberta Steel #2
And the Corpse Wore Tartan
Move Over Miss Marple . . .
The great and the not-so-good are gathered at Skirivour Castle Hotel, in the heart of the Highlands, for the wedding of the year – but they weren’t expecting Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel to crash their party. And get horribly, horribly drunk.
The whole valley’s been cut off by a massive thunderstorm and the phone lines are down, so when the father-of-the-bride’s body is discovered – decoratively impaled on a stag’s head in the hotel lobby – it’s up to DS Steel to find out whodunit. Which isn’t easy when you’ve got a monstrous hangover and only a world-weary sergeant and a halfwit police constable for backup.
With no witnesses and every wedding guest a suspect, Roberta will need to use every one of her little grey cells if she’s going to catch the killer and get out of there alive.
Praise for Stuart
‘MacBride is a damned fine writer’ – Peter James, author of Picture You Dead
‘Dark and brilliantly written’ – Linwood Barclay, author of I Will Ruin You
‘Crime fiction of the highest order’ – Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance
The great and the not-so-good are gathered at Skirivour Castle Hotel, in the heart of the Highlands, for the wedding of the year – but they weren’t expecting Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel to crash their party. And get horribly, horribly drunk.
The whole valley’s been cut off by a massive thunderstorm and the phone lines are down, so when the father-of-the-bride’s body is discovered – decoratively impaled on a stag’s head in the hotel lobby – it’s up to DS Steel to find out whodunit. Which isn’t easy when you’ve got a monstrous hangover and only a world-weary sergeant and a halfwit police constable for backup.
With no witnesses and every wedding guest a suspect, Roberta will need to use every one of her little grey cells if she’s going to catch the killer and get out of there alive.
Praise for Stuart
‘MacBride is a damned fine writer’ – Peter James, author of Picture You Dead
‘Dark and brilliantly written’ – Linwood Barclay, author of I Will Ruin You
‘Crime fiction of the highest order’ – Mark Billingham, author of The Last Dance
221 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2026
296 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Stuart MacBride
89 books2,783 followersAka Stuart B. MacBride
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
February 12, 2026
AND THE CORPSE WORE TARTAN is a short Roberta Steel novel. I was entertained by the comedy, but I felt there was too much repetition. It should have been a novella. To increase its length to meet the short novel format, all the good jokes were rehashed—several times.
Consequently, I read over and over again about Steel's discomfort with her new panties and bra (sexy ones that wife Susan purchased for her), her hangover ("If she wasn't dead, she was dying."), the garish castle filled with tartan everything ("Hollywood's idea of how Scotland was meant to look."), her misidentification as a DCI (instead of her current status as a DS, following her demotion)—all jokes that hit home, the first (or even second) time I read them, but then became too repetitious.
Eventually, the story did move onto a murder mystery, but again there was too much repetition. Roberta walked through the miserable rain too often ("Going to catch her death of mildew at this rate.") Chasing clues. Interviewing suspects. Assisted by two locals who simply didn't have the personality of her regular sidekick, Logan McRae. Logan adds gravity to McBride's Aberdeen based series, whereas Steel adds humour. I loved the humour, but missed the insight that I usually find in Stuart MacBride's novels.
AND THE CORPSE WORE TARTAN was written as a homage to one of Agatha Christie's most famous works, Murder on the Orient Express. Personally, I didn't find the ending satisfactory, but other readers might. It was, overall, a fun read. However, it didn't provide the depth that I have come to expect from author Stuart MacBride. Luckily, it doesn't take long to read. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Pan MacMillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
Consequently, I read over and over again about Steel's discomfort with her new panties and bra (sexy ones that wife Susan purchased for her), her hangover ("If she wasn't dead, she was dying."), the garish castle filled with tartan everything ("Hollywood's idea of how Scotland was meant to look."), her misidentification as a DCI (instead of her current status as a DS, following her demotion)—all jokes that hit home, the first (or even second) time I read them, but then became too repetitious.
Eventually, the story did move onto a murder mystery, but again there was too much repetition. Roberta walked through the miserable rain too often ("Going to catch her death of mildew at this rate.") Chasing clues. Interviewing suspects. Assisted by two locals who simply didn't have the personality of her regular sidekick, Logan McRae. Logan adds gravity to McBride's Aberdeen based series, whereas Steel adds humour. I loved the humour, but missed the insight that I usually find in Stuart MacBride's novels.
AND THE CORPSE WORE TARTAN was written as a homage to one of Agatha Christie's most famous works, Murder on the Orient Express. Personally, I didn't find the ending satisfactory, but other readers might. It was, overall, a fun read. However, it didn't provide the depth that I have come to expect from author Stuart MacBride. Luckily, it doesn't take long to read. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Pan MacMillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
March 10, 2026
"Mind you, how do you spot a deranged, heartless, amoral psychopath when everyone's a Tory? Like trying to spot a Mars Bar in a swimming pool full of jobbies." (p.65)
February 23, 2026
Stuart MacBride's take on the classic Golden Age mystery is a romp as DS Roberta Steel is stranded in a country house hotel. Cut-off from the rest of the world by Scotland's stormy weather, she has to identify the killer of the father-of-the-bride who is found impaled the morning after the wedding. Definitely not your usual country house mystery. I won't recommend this as the first book you read by Stuart MacBride as Roberta Steel is definitely an acquired taste and understanding the backstory will add to the fun.
February 15, 2026
I wasn’t expecting a spoof, really disappointed. Totally over-egged the pudding. Had expected a proper Roberta Steel episode not a slapstick lightweight romp.
March 11, 2026
This was meant to be MacBride's homage to the 'golden age' of crime fiction....I guess he wasn't a fan then because this novella was nothing more than a 'golden shower'. I've read a lot of MacBride's novels, loved them all, found them hard-hitting, gritty and consistently well written, however, this book was repetitive, shallow and...well, shite! This was not the tough, Tartan-noir I'd come to expect but a gimpy, over egged farce. It read like something Chat GPT would come up with and I hope it turns out to be a one off because I've really enjoyed everything else he's written.
May 6, 2026
Idk what happened in this, didn’t give what I thought it was going to give and the main character is pretty pervy
March 18, 2026
Daft
I really did not enjoy this! Roberta is actually a sex pest! She disgusts me with her dirty underwear and always fondling her wife in public! She used to be funny but perhaps that was because it was only in small doses! A whole book of her is overkill! Stick to Logan!
I really did not enjoy this! Roberta is actually a sex pest! She disgusts me with her dirty underwear and always fondling her wife in public! She used to be funny but perhaps that was because it was only in small doses! A whole book of her is overkill! Stick to Logan!
March 2, 2026
so we actually don't know who the killer was? weird.. pretty funny otherwise
March 18, 2026
I got the book in random book pack. Not my normal
Style.
I did enjoy it somewhat, but mostly
Struggled through.
Style.
I did enjoy it somewhat, but mostly
Struggled through.
May 5, 2026
Bland
Poetic
Poetic
May 1, 2026
Love, love,love. I think I'm in love with Roberta, I don't mind seeing the old faithful. Very funny, wonderful read. F the fascists.
February 1, 2026
And The Corpse Wore Tartan by Stuart MacBride is apparently officially the second in the 'Steel and Tufty' series, though MacBride points out it's the first to solely feature DS (demoted from DCI) Roberta Steel who's a regular in the Logan McRae books penned by the Scottish author. I've only read one of two in that series and didn't remember Roberta (Robbie to her wife Susan, who features prominently here). And it has to be said, Robbie is certainly an acquired taste. If she were male she'd certainly be considered lecherous and/or lascivious and I was kinda horrified on Susan's behalf how outwardly pervy Robbie is toward other women in her presence.
In his note to readers MacBride said he was keen to pay homage to the Golden Age of detectives/crime fiction and this is certainly the quintessential locked-room mystery. As an aside, I feel like a lot of authors have gone down this route in the last year or so and Dame Agatha's cosy crimes are being increasingly referenced by other writers... as is the case here when Robbie starts to wonder if the murder victim isn't the result of a Murder On The Orient Express-style collaboration.
We earn he ripped off most of the locals—many of whom are at the wedding and staying in the hotel—through a dodgy investment deal, so there are no shortage of suspects for Robbie. She's frustrated though, that all of the wedding however guests and staff tend to use innocuous phrases when describing him... given he was obviously far from that.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
In his note to readers MacBride said he was keen to pay homage to the Golden Age of detectives/crime fiction and this is certainly the quintessential locked-room mystery. As an aside, I feel like a lot of authors have gone down this route in the last year or so and Dame Agatha's cosy crimes are being increasingly referenced by other writers... as is the case here when Robbie starts to wonder if the murder victim isn't the result of a Murder On The Orient Express-style collaboration.
We earn he ripped off most of the locals—many of whom are at the wedding and staying in the hotel—through a dodgy investment deal, so there are no shortage of suspects for Robbie. She's frustrated though, that all of the wedding however guests and staff tend to use innocuous phrases when describing him... given he was obviously far from that.
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
April 20, 2026
In a preface the author states his love of reading, of crime fiction, especially the works of the Golden Age writers and this book is his homage to them.
The beginning is a bit bewildering, the reader is as confused as Steel, as she awakes wondering if she is dead or alive, laid out on the grass. The cause is by her side, an empty bottle of Lagavulin malt whisky and she is suffering from the hangover from hell, one which she fully deserves. She is in the grounds of a country house hotel, having rather overdone it at a wedding party the night before, managing to show herself up and humiliate Susan in front of her work colleagues. Roberta is in a shocking state both physically and in attire, with this never really improving throughout the story.
Facing the ire of wife Susan would be bad enough, but there is a body reported, hung up on the antlers of a decorative stag’s head. The weather is treacherous, the phones are down, the power is out and thanks to Steel having her old warrant card, the one before she was busted down to sergeant, ‘DCI’ Steel outranks the locals and takes charge. The plot is straight out of the era and somewhat preposterous, but that is part of the fun.
Just a wedding would hardly be enough to set Steel off, but this is no ordinary wedding, this is a Tory wedding, the daughter of an MP no less, Sir Reginald Bradbury Scott who becomes the first victim. The hotel has that forced tourist vision of Scotland. The rooms are named after malt whiskies rather than numbers and it’s decorated in a surfeit of tartan; winds Steel up for a rant; finding all the reception tables were named after Margaret Thatcher’s ministers were the final straw. A torrent of sarcasm follows.
Steel is a wonderful creation, a woman who is more boorish, bullying, offensive and abusive as any man, with an absolutely filthy mind to match. A brilliant outlet for insults, wisecracks and choice Scottish vernacular. Constantly dishevelled and in a state of odd or partial dress, allows for some unpleasantly vivid descriptions, such as ‘old faithful’ the once white now grey support bra she favours over the La Perla lingerie Susan buys her. There so much to laugh at, but even though this is a short book, the joke becomes to wear a little thin by the end. This story is a lot of fun, but perhaps the best use of her.
The language and dialogue are hilarious at times and narrator Lesley Harcourt brings a real Scottish flavour to it. There is plenty of humour, bawdy and near the knuckle at times, but certainly not as dark as some of the author’s other works. He loves a touch of the bizarre and this time it involves roadkill, taxidermy, gothic imagination and a mouse ‘mini me’ of Steel.
The beginning is a bit bewildering, the reader is as confused as Steel, as she awakes wondering if she is dead or alive, laid out on the grass. The cause is by her side, an empty bottle of Lagavulin malt whisky and she is suffering from the hangover from hell, one which she fully deserves. She is in the grounds of a country house hotel, having rather overdone it at a wedding party the night before, managing to show herself up and humiliate Susan in front of her work colleagues. Roberta is in a shocking state both physically and in attire, with this never really improving throughout the story.
Facing the ire of wife Susan would be bad enough, but there is a body reported, hung up on the antlers of a decorative stag’s head. The weather is treacherous, the phones are down, the power is out and thanks to Steel having her old warrant card, the one before she was busted down to sergeant, ‘DCI’ Steel outranks the locals and takes charge. The plot is straight out of the era and somewhat preposterous, but that is part of the fun.
Just a wedding would hardly be enough to set Steel off, but this is no ordinary wedding, this is a Tory wedding, the daughter of an MP no less, Sir Reginald Bradbury Scott who becomes the first victim. The hotel has that forced tourist vision of Scotland. The rooms are named after malt whiskies rather than numbers and it’s decorated in a surfeit of tartan; winds Steel up for a rant; finding all the reception tables were named after Margaret Thatcher’s ministers were the final straw. A torrent of sarcasm follows.
Steel is a wonderful creation, a woman who is more boorish, bullying, offensive and abusive as any man, with an absolutely filthy mind to match. A brilliant outlet for insults, wisecracks and choice Scottish vernacular. Constantly dishevelled and in a state of odd or partial dress, allows for some unpleasantly vivid descriptions, such as ‘old faithful’ the once white now grey support bra she favours over the La Perla lingerie Susan buys her. There so much to laugh at, but even though this is a short book, the joke becomes to wear a little thin by the end. This story is a lot of fun, but perhaps the best use of her.
The language and dialogue are hilarious at times and narrator Lesley Harcourt brings a real Scottish flavour to it. There is plenty of humour, bawdy and near the knuckle at times, but certainly not as dark as some of the author’s other works. He loves a touch of the bizarre and this time it involves roadkill, taxidermy, gothic imagination and a mouse ‘mini me’ of Steel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
To say that Roberta Steel is an acquired taste is a HUGE understatement. She's also very much not everyone's cup of tea. She is very much front and centre herein - I believe her first main character starring role (previously shared the limelight with Tufty in a full length book and also maybe starred in a couple of shorts) and she is definitely larger than life, so, basically, I really wouldn't let this be your first meeting with her...
And anyway... If you haven't already read the author's Logan MacRae series... where have you been...
So... we start with a wedding in a posh Castle Hotel in the Highlands. DS Roberta Steel crashes it, joining her wife Susan who is a guest. Now, if you have read the Logan McRae books, you'll know that our Roberta is not a wilting flower who nods and grins. No... she is full on, in your face, rip roaring life of the party, definitely not on her best behaviour, which is illustrated nicely by her opening scene...
Long story short... there's a death, the Hotel is isolated by the weather, there are two local cops also attending the wedding but Roberta takes the lead as she "forgets" her demotion when introducing herself and becomes highest ranking officer...
We then follow her as she tries to solve the murder by basically making it up as she goes along with absolutely hilarious results and more than a nod to the golden age and Christie.
As I laid down already, Roberta is not everyone's cuppa. But I love her, always have. And the way she is written, her mannerisms, her complete lack of filter when talking, just fits my sense of humour. And don't get me started on her relationship with Susan who must be an absolute saint!
And is all that wasn't enough, the murder she is trying to solve is an absolute doozy. Especially as she has to go proper old school with no scenes of crime, no forensics, no wet weather clothing, and no link to the outside world.
And the jokes, the one liners, the dark humour, all had me laughing out loud - yes I read it on the bus, complete with strange looks and all that...
But yeah... loved it... and it's one I will definitely revisit in Audiobook as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. And, now we all know that she can hold up a book on her own, maybe we can have more of her flying solo in the future... please... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
And anyway... If you haven't already read the author's Logan MacRae series... where have you been...
So... we start with a wedding in a posh Castle Hotel in the Highlands. DS Roberta Steel crashes it, joining her wife Susan who is a guest. Now, if you have read the Logan McRae books, you'll know that our Roberta is not a wilting flower who nods and grins. No... she is full on, in your face, rip roaring life of the party, definitely not on her best behaviour, which is illustrated nicely by her opening scene...
Long story short... there's a death, the Hotel is isolated by the weather, there are two local cops also attending the wedding but Roberta takes the lead as she "forgets" her demotion when introducing herself and becomes highest ranking officer...
We then follow her as she tries to solve the murder by basically making it up as she goes along with absolutely hilarious results and more than a nod to the golden age and Christie.
As I laid down already, Roberta is not everyone's cuppa. But I love her, always have. And the way she is written, her mannerisms, her complete lack of filter when talking, just fits my sense of humour. And don't get me started on her relationship with Susan who must be an absolute saint!
And is all that wasn't enough, the murder she is trying to solve is an absolute doozy. Especially as she has to go proper old school with no scenes of crime, no forensics, no wet weather clothing, and no link to the outside world.
And the jokes, the one liners, the dark humour, all had me laughing out loud - yes I read it on the bus, complete with strange looks and all that...
But yeah... loved it... and it's one I will definitely revisit in Audiobook as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. And, now we all know that she can hold up a book on her own, maybe we can have more of her flying solo in the future... please... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book is brilliantly written and an absolute joy to read, it is a unique and fiendishly clever story that manages to combine a crime caper with a large dose of dark, Scottish humour in a way that may challenge some readers, but for me, worked so well (maybe being Scottish helps) I could not put it down and read it in a day, albeit it is a short book.
In this one, we are reintroduced to D S Roberta Steele, who has appeared alongside D I Logan McRae in many of Stuart MacBride’s previous novels. However, in this story, she is the main protagonist, and we follow her while she tries to investigate a murder at a remote Scottish castle-cum-hotel, where a wedding has just taken place, and where all the guests and staff are now suspects. To make matters worse, they are all cut off from the outside world due to some extremely bad weather.
I laughed out loud at Roberta’s foul-mouthed crudeness, her sarcasm and her irreverence. She is definitely an unconventional, rule-breaking member of the police force, and as such, probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed every bit of nonsense that came out of her mouth. This tale certainly showcases the author’s madcap penmanship and highlights him to be a pure comic genius. There were so many quotes I loved, but my favourite was : “Everything from the waist down’s dripping, and no’ in a sexy way” - and the pages are chock full of these.
I love MacBride’s style of writing, as he normally incorporates some dark cop humour into otherwise serious crime cases, but this book felt different, in my opinion it was more of a Brian Rix-type farce rather than a true crime thriller, but no less readable for that. For my money, this is the author’s homage to Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express, à la Stuart MacBride, of course.
All in all, this is a book that will divide readers for sure, but taken with a little pinch of salt it’s a really great book, which rockets along at a good pace, has a fantastic setting, intriguing characters and some pretty ingenious dialogue.
Publication date - 12th February 2026
Thanks to Net Galley and Pan MacMillan for the advanced copy.
In this one, we are reintroduced to D S Roberta Steele, who has appeared alongside D I Logan McRae in many of Stuart MacBride’s previous novels. However, in this story, she is the main protagonist, and we follow her while she tries to investigate a murder at a remote Scottish castle-cum-hotel, where a wedding has just taken place, and where all the guests and staff are now suspects. To make matters worse, they are all cut off from the outside world due to some extremely bad weather.
I laughed out loud at Roberta’s foul-mouthed crudeness, her sarcasm and her irreverence. She is definitely an unconventional, rule-breaking member of the police force, and as such, probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed every bit of nonsense that came out of her mouth. This tale certainly showcases the author’s madcap penmanship and highlights him to be a pure comic genius. There were so many quotes I loved, but my favourite was : “Everything from the waist down’s dripping, and no’ in a sexy way” - and the pages are chock full of these.
I love MacBride’s style of writing, as he normally incorporates some dark cop humour into otherwise serious crime cases, but this book felt different, in my opinion it was more of a Brian Rix-type farce rather than a true crime thriller, but no less readable for that. For my money, this is the author’s homage to Agatha Christie’s Murder On The Orient Express, à la Stuart MacBride, of course.
All in all, this is a book that will divide readers for sure, but taken with a little pinch of salt it’s a really great book, which rockets along at a good pace, has a fantastic setting, intriguing characters and some pretty ingenious dialogue.
Publication date - 12th February 2026
Thanks to Net Galley and Pan MacMillan for the advanced copy.
April 23, 2026
This darkly comical thriller is set in a storm-battered Scottish Highlands hotel cut off from everyone. This is also the setting for a lavish wedding, and a demoted detective who turns up and becomes blinding drunk, demoted, embarrassing her partner (a guest of the wedding) and does not stay in her lane for the entirety of the story. Matched with a grotesquely arranged corpse, hanging on the antlers of a taxidermied stag, this book was a nod to the golden age of mystery fiction.
Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel is like a spark lightning, hitting hard and fast and in no same place twice. She was unpredictable, crass and abrasive, foul-mouthed, and seemed to rely on both instinct and logic at the same time. Steel repeatedly forgot the rules and bulldozed her way through the investigation of the murder. For some, Steel could be described as hilarious. She was unfiltered dialogue, made snap decisions, and had a very bleak internal monologue laced with an acerbic tongue. Some of her jokes and humour was sharp and anarchic. Some of it was a step too far, her dark humour landing less often. Yet I also found that this book never pretended to take itself too seriously along the way, and that’s probably why Steel is how she is depicted.
Steel is definitely a character who will test patience, and did so most of all for Susan, her partner. Some of the one-liners felt knowingly cringeworthy, and her treatment of others, particularly PC McKinnon who was also attending the wedding, seemed overly cruel. I didn’t like the focus on her physical appearance, or on anyone in this book. Maybe that’s a trait of this character from previous books she had appeared in? nevertheless, Steel is chaotic in every sense of the word, and this energy equally matched the investigation of the murder. Without any of her usual policing resources, the investigation became a clever locked room drama affair with a lot of misdirection, discomfort (all those squelchy, wet clothes from the Scottish rain), tumble drying, weird clues, taxidermy, and a genuinely earned reveal.
Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel is like a spark lightning, hitting hard and fast and in no same place twice. She was unpredictable, crass and abrasive, foul-mouthed, and seemed to rely on both instinct and logic at the same time. Steel repeatedly forgot the rules and bulldozed her way through the investigation of the murder. For some, Steel could be described as hilarious. She was unfiltered dialogue, made snap decisions, and had a very bleak internal monologue laced with an acerbic tongue. Some of her jokes and humour was sharp and anarchic. Some of it was a step too far, her dark humour landing less often. Yet I also found that this book never pretended to take itself too seriously along the way, and that’s probably why Steel is how she is depicted.
Steel is definitely a character who will test patience, and did so most of all for Susan, her partner. Some of the one-liners felt knowingly cringeworthy, and her treatment of others, particularly PC McKinnon who was also attending the wedding, seemed overly cruel. I didn’t like the focus on her physical appearance, or on anyone in this book. Maybe that’s a trait of this character from previous books she had appeared in? nevertheless, Steel is chaotic in every sense of the word, and this energy equally matched the investigation of the murder. Without any of her usual policing resources, the investigation became a clever locked room drama affair with a lot of misdirection, discomfort (all those squelchy, wet clothes from the Scottish rain), tumble drying, weird clues, taxidermy, and a genuinely earned reveal.
April 20, 2026
‘And the Corpse Wore Tartan’ delivers as a light-hearted, quick, and entertaining crime story. This isn’t a heavy, deeply intricate murder mystery—instead, it leans into humour, character dynamics, and an almost satirical take on the genre.
That worked for me in parts, especially through the supporting cast. Moore and McKinnon were genuinely likeable, and I found myself particularly warming to McKinnon and his flaws. There was something quite human and grounded about him that balanced the more exaggerated elements of the story.
Steel, on the other hand, was a harder sell. I found her abrasive, often crude, and at times difficult to connect with. While I can see that this is very much intentional, it did create a bit of distance for me as a reader. That said, it also made my favourite scene near the end all the more satisfying.
The reveal scene—where Steel gathers everyone together expecting to expose the killer—was a standout. The twist that the entire group had been colluding, and that Moore and McKinnon were part of the deception, completely flipped the dynamic. It was particularly interesting to see just how far off the mark Steel was, and how her perception of others as incompetent or inferior had led her to miss something so significant. There’s something compelling about watching a character so confident in their own judgment be proven wrong.
However, we never actually find out who the killer is. As someone new to Stuart MacBride’s work, I wasn’t sure if this is typical of his style, but it left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it reinforces the idea of collective responsibility and moral ambiguity; on the other, it takes away some of the satisfaction you usually expect from a crime novel.
Overall, this was a fun and easy read with some clever twists and engaging character moments. However, if you’re looking for a tightly plotted, in-depth murder mystery with a clear resolution, this may not fully hit the mark.
Rating: 3★
That worked for me in parts, especially through the supporting cast. Moore and McKinnon were genuinely likeable, and I found myself particularly warming to McKinnon and his flaws. There was something quite human and grounded about him that balanced the more exaggerated elements of the story.
Steel, on the other hand, was a harder sell. I found her abrasive, often crude, and at times difficult to connect with. While I can see that this is very much intentional, it did create a bit of distance for me as a reader. That said, it also made my favourite scene near the end all the more satisfying.
The reveal scene—where Steel gathers everyone together expecting to expose the killer—was a standout. The twist that the entire group had been colluding, and that Moore and McKinnon were part of the deception, completely flipped the dynamic. It was particularly interesting to see just how far off the mark Steel was, and how her perception of others as incompetent or inferior had led her to miss something so significant. There’s something compelling about watching a character so confident in their own judgment be proven wrong.
However, we never actually find out who the killer is. As someone new to Stuart MacBride’s work, I wasn’t sure if this is typical of his style, but it left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, it reinforces the idea of collective responsibility and moral ambiguity; on the other, it takes away some of the satisfaction you usually expect from a crime novel.
Overall, this was a fun and easy read with some clever twists and engaging character moments. However, if you’re looking for a tightly plotted, in-depth murder mystery with a clear resolution, this may not fully hit the mark.
Rating: 3★
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
~ Werbung, weil NetGalley Rezensionsexemplar. Alle Meinungen meine eigenen. ~
Roberta Steel, ihres Zeichens ungeschlachte Polizistin ohne Blatt vor dem schottischen Mund, will ihre Frau bei einem romantischen Wochenende überraschen. Das Problem? Ihre Frau Susan ist bei einer Hochzeit in den schottischen Highlands und Roberta steht nicht auf der Gästeliste.
Was passiert, wenn man eine lesbische Polizistin, die sich bei jeder Frau vorstellt, wie sie wohl im Bett ist, in einen Raum voller erzkonservativer Tories steckt? Richtig, die gute Frau besäuft sich, um das zu ertragen und ruiniert dann die Hochzeit, weil sie den Vater der Braut vermöbelt, weil der ihre Frau angegangen hat.
Problem: Am nächsten Morgen gibt's eine aufgespießte Leiche und die hart verkaterte Frau muss einen Mordfall lösen, denn es gewittert heftig. Dadurch sind die Telefonleitungen (und sporadisch auch der Strom) tot und die einzige Brücke raus bricht unter der Wasserlast zusammen...
Roberta Steel ist Lesenden der Logan McRae-Reihe wohlbekannt, dies ist ihr erstes eigenes Abenteuer - ich habe die Reihe nicht gelesen und kann euch daher sagen: Ihr könnt dieses Buch bedenkenlos als Einzelband betrachten. Es gibt zwar einen Bezug darauf, dass ihre Visitenkarten veraltet sind, aber das ist nicht wirklich handlungsrelevant.
Das Ambiente ist herrlich schottisch - von den zahlreichen guten Whiskys, die die gute Roberta verputzt, über die Landschaftsbeschreibungen hin zu den zahlreichen Tartans, deren Buntheit ihr verkatertes Auge quälen, fühlte ich mich direkt wohl.
Mit dem Ende war ich allerdings nicht einverstanden... aber das muss wohl jeder mit sich selbst ausmachen.
"[Her tongue felt] like a mouldy flip-flop marinated in someone else's vomit, then set on fire."
~ 08.02.2026
Roberta Steel, ihres Zeichens ungeschlachte Polizistin ohne Blatt vor dem schottischen Mund, will ihre Frau bei einem romantischen Wochenende überraschen. Das Problem? Ihre Frau Susan ist bei einer Hochzeit in den schottischen Highlands und Roberta steht nicht auf der Gästeliste.
Was passiert, wenn man eine lesbische Polizistin, die sich bei jeder Frau vorstellt, wie sie wohl im Bett ist, in einen Raum voller erzkonservativer Tories steckt? Richtig, die gute Frau besäuft sich, um das zu ertragen und ruiniert dann die Hochzeit, weil sie den Vater der Braut vermöbelt, weil der ihre Frau angegangen hat.
Problem: Am nächsten Morgen gibt's eine aufgespießte Leiche und die hart verkaterte Frau muss einen Mordfall lösen, denn es gewittert heftig. Dadurch sind die Telefonleitungen (und sporadisch auch der Strom) tot und die einzige Brücke raus bricht unter der Wasserlast zusammen...
Roberta Steel ist Lesenden der Logan McRae-Reihe wohlbekannt, dies ist ihr erstes eigenes Abenteuer - ich habe die Reihe nicht gelesen und kann euch daher sagen: Ihr könnt dieses Buch bedenkenlos als Einzelband betrachten. Es gibt zwar einen Bezug darauf, dass ihre Visitenkarten veraltet sind, aber das ist nicht wirklich handlungsrelevant.
Das Ambiente ist herrlich schottisch - von den zahlreichen guten Whiskys, die die gute Roberta verputzt, über die Landschaftsbeschreibungen hin zu den zahlreichen Tartans, deren Buntheit ihr verkatertes Auge quälen, fühlte ich mich direkt wohl.
Mit dem Ende war ich allerdings nicht einverstanden... aber das muss wohl jeder mit sich selbst ausmachen.
"[Her tongue felt] like a mouldy flip-flop marinated in someone else's vomit, then set on fire."
~ 08.02.2026
February 16, 2026
Stuart MacBride is one of the great exponents of Scottish crime fiction, aka Tartan Noir with a couple of awards and plenty of shortlists to his name. In his latest book And the Corpse Wore Tartan he brings to the center one of his most beloved and annoying creations – Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel - and drops her into an Agatha Chistie-style murder mystery, although one with plenty of sly winking to the readers.
And the Corpse Wore Tartan declares its intentions from the first page in which Roberta Steel is found spectacularly hungover in a field outside a stately castle hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It turns out that she came to surprise her wife who was attending the wedding of a work colleague and managed to spectacularly disgrace herself at the reception. Things go from bad to worse when the father of the bride is discovered half naked and impaled on a stag’s head and the hotel is cut off from the rest of the world by a storm. Fortunately the father of the groom is a policeman and, together with his offsider, is dragooned by Steel into investigating.
The fun of this book comes from MacBride’s own enjoyment in putting the foul-mouthed, hard drinking, always hungry, judgmental Roberta Steel in the middle of an upper-class manor house mystery full of secrets and suspects. Being Scotland, the incessant rain (which Roberta often finds herself out in) feels like a character in and of itself. And then there are the nods to the grand traditions of the golden age of crime (Murder on the Orient Express even gets name checked at one point) which Roberta blithely ploughs through.
DS Roberta Steel may well put some readers off. But she is certainly unique and possibly an acquired taste (her long suffering wife Susan obviously thinks so). And she is the driving force behind this slyly enjoyable Scottish crime novel.
And the Corpse Wore Tartan declares its intentions from the first page in which Roberta Steel is found spectacularly hungover in a field outside a stately castle hotel in the Scottish Highlands. It turns out that she came to surprise her wife who was attending the wedding of a work colleague and managed to spectacularly disgrace herself at the reception. Things go from bad to worse when the father of the bride is discovered half naked and impaled on a stag’s head and the hotel is cut off from the rest of the world by a storm. Fortunately the father of the groom is a policeman and, together with his offsider, is dragooned by Steel into investigating.
The fun of this book comes from MacBride’s own enjoyment in putting the foul-mouthed, hard drinking, always hungry, judgmental Roberta Steel in the middle of an upper-class manor house mystery full of secrets and suspects. Being Scotland, the incessant rain (which Roberta often finds herself out in) feels like a character in and of itself. And then there are the nods to the grand traditions of the golden age of crime (Murder on the Orient Express even gets name checked at one point) which Roberta blithely ploughs through.
DS Roberta Steel may well put some readers off. But she is certainly unique and possibly an acquired taste (her long suffering wife Susan obviously thinks so). And she is the driving force behind this slyly enjoyable Scottish crime novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
And the Corpse Wore Tartan is a wickedly entertaining blend of dark humour and classic crime thriller chaos — the kind of book that lets you laugh at the absurdity of murder one moment and lean in, genuinely tense, the next.
DS Roberta Steel is an absolute menace in the best possible way. She crashes the Highland wedding of the year with all the grace of a wrecking ball, gets catastrophically drunk, and then wakes up to find herself the only detective available when the father of the bride turns up artistically impaled on a stag’s head in the hotel lobby. It’s grisly, it’s dramatic, and it’s exactly the sort of crime scene Steel deserves to stumble into.
The storm‑cut valley and isolated Skirivour Castle Hotel give the story a deliciously claustrophobic edge. With no way out, no phone lines, and a lobby decorated with a corpse, every wedding guest becomes a suspect — and Steel, nursing a hangover that could qualify as a medical emergency, has to piece together the truth with only a weary sergeant and a constable who’s… let’s say not firing on all cylinders.
MacBride’s trademark dark humour shines here. The dialogue snaps, the character interactions are gloriously unfiltered, and Steel’s internal monologue is a masterclass in chaotic brilliance. Yet beneath the comedy, the mystery is genuinely tight: clever clues, sharp twists, and a killer reveal that feels earned.
It’s a crime thriller that never forgets to have fun — sharp, irreverent, and just twisted enough to keep you on edge. A brilliantly dark, laugh‑out‑loud murder mystery with a beating thriller heart. DS Steel steals every scene, and the Highlands have rarely felt so deadly or so entertaining.
My thanks to Stuart McBride, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
DS Roberta Steel is an absolute menace in the best possible way. She crashes the Highland wedding of the year with all the grace of a wrecking ball, gets catastrophically drunk, and then wakes up to find herself the only detective available when the father of the bride turns up artistically impaled on a stag’s head in the hotel lobby. It’s grisly, it’s dramatic, and it’s exactly the sort of crime scene Steel deserves to stumble into.
The storm‑cut valley and isolated Skirivour Castle Hotel give the story a deliciously claustrophobic edge. With no way out, no phone lines, and a lobby decorated with a corpse, every wedding guest becomes a suspect — and Steel, nursing a hangover that could qualify as a medical emergency, has to piece together the truth with only a weary sergeant and a constable who’s… let’s say not firing on all cylinders.
MacBride’s trademark dark humour shines here. The dialogue snaps, the character interactions are gloriously unfiltered, and Steel’s internal monologue is a masterclass in chaotic brilliance. Yet beneath the comedy, the mystery is genuinely tight: clever clues, sharp twists, and a killer reveal that feels earned.
It’s a crime thriller that never forgets to have fun — sharp, irreverent, and just twisted enough to keep you on edge. A brilliantly dark, laugh‑out‑loud murder mystery with a beating thriller heart. DS Steel steals every scene, and the Highlands have rarely felt so deadly or so entertaining.
My thanks to Stuart McBride, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
February 12, 2026
Stuart MacBride is a very talented writer of murder mysteries having the ability to create interesting characters and weave them into a storyline full of suspense and surprise but keeping within the bounds of credibility. The whodunit question is never obvious and his descriptive narrative places the reader into the middle of every scene. Added to this is a wicked sense of humour portrayed through his unconventional characters. Top of these is DS Roberta Steel who takes the leading role in And the Corpse Wore Tartan, with his long time protagonist Logan MacRae notably absent. For this who do not know her, she is a larger than life DS who would make Andy Dalziel seem almost civilised! Put it this way, she fiddles more with her bits than he does, drinks more than he does and, though hard to believe, seems more inventive at insulting people than him!
It is an enjoyable read with MacBride really fleshing out the characters of Roberta and her long suffering wife, Susan, who is the opposite to Roberta. The setting is a castle hotel in the Scottish Highlands which has been cut off by heavy rains and thunderstorms when one of the guests' body is found impaired on a stags head in the lobby. Roberta has to work with two local police officers to solve the case in the absence of outside support. In true Agatha Christie style, the killer is among those stranded in the vicinity so it becomes a process of elimination until the storm subsides. Once again the Scottish Tourist Board are not going to be happy with MacBride's constant references to the persistent rain and cold ...a feature of his early books set in Aberdeen which did little to encourage readers to vacation in NE Scotland!
If you enjoy a good mystery but also enjoy some light relief then this is the book for you.
It is an enjoyable read with MacBride really fleshing out the characters of Roberta and her long suffering wife, Susan, who is the opposite to Roberta. The setting is a castle hotel in the Scottish Highlands which has been cut off by heavy rains and thunderstorms when one of the guests' body is found impaired on a stags head in the lobby. Roberta has to work with two local police officers to solve the case in the absence of outside support. In true Agatha Christie style, the killer is among those stranded in the vicinity so it becomes a process of elimination until the storm subsides. Once again the Scottish Tourist Board are not going to be happy with MacBride's constant references to the persistent rain and cold ...a feature of his early books set in Aberdeen which did little to encourage readers to vacation in NE Scotland!
If you enjoy a good mystery but also enjoy some light relief then this is the book for you.
March 20, 2026
There is something about Stuart MacBride that quickly gets him pushed to the top of my TBR pile. In fact I ended up getting both the signed first edition and the Kindle edition.
While this is marked up as book 2 of Roberta Steel, to be honest, you can read this without knowing anything else, works really well as a stand alone.
The author says in his introduction that he wanted to write a Christie style story, and I think she would be equal parts delighted and horrified.
Roberta has appeared unexpectedly at a remote Scottish hotel, surprising her wife who is there for a work related wedding. While she's there, there's a horrific murder. Naturally at the same time there's a massive storm, knocking out all communication, and blocking any way out, so it's up to her to solve the murder. Although it was a wedding so to match the murder, she has a horrific hangover.
Steel is her usual self, loud, abrasive, rude and so over the top. Fortunately there were a couple of local coppers present at the wedding for her to bounce off of, or take her frustrations out on, depending on your point of view.
This is basically a Christie novel transplanted to the Highlands with lots of swearing. Steel works her way through the case, working out exactly what happened, with the final unveiling being done with everyone gathered together. Despite the clues being dropped, I didn't see the ending coming quite like that.
This really works well, it's fast moving, funny, intelligent, very rude murder mystery, with a detective I adore.
Warning though, if you are a Tory, especially one with no sense of humour, you may want to give this one a miss.
While this is marked up as book 2 of Roberta Steel, to be honest, you can read this without knowing anything else, works really well as a stand alone.
The author says in his introduction that he wanted to write a Christie style story, and I think she would be equal parts delighted and horrified.
Roberta has appeared unexpectedly at a remote Scottish hotel, surprising her wife who is there for a work related wedding. While she's there, there's a horrific murder. Naturally at the same time there's a massive storm, knocking out all communication, and blocking any way out, so it's up to her to solve the murder. Although it was a wedding so to match the murder, she has a horrific hangover.
Steel is her usual self, loud, abrasive, rude and so over the top. Fortunately there were a couple of local coppers present at the wedding for her to bounce off of, or take her frustrations out on, depending on your point of view.
This is basically a Christie novel transplanted to the Highlands with lots of swearing. Steel works her way through the case, working out exactly what happened, with the final unveiling being done with everyone gathered together. Despite the clues being dropped, I didn't see the ending coming quite like that.
This really works well, it's fast moving, funny, intelligent, very rude murder mystery, with a detective I adore.
Warning though, if you are a Tory, especially one with no sense of humour, you may want to give this one a miss.
April 13, 2026
'And The Corpse Wore Tartan' is Stuart MacBride’s second book in the Steel & Tufty series. It is set in a castle hotel in a remote part of Scotland. Guests have gathered to celebrate a wedding. There’s a massive storm, the phone lines are down and the only access bridge is swept away. The whole valley is cut off.
There’s a murder and Roberta Steel, one of the guests, decides to investigate.
Fans will remember the chain-smoking, foul-mouthed, rule-breaking Roberta Steel from 'Cold Granite', the very first book featuring Detective Logan McRae. Our author has said, on many occasions: ‘I had so much fun with her, I made sure she appeared again and again’.
Over time, she mellowed, stopped womanizing, got married to Susan Wallace, and settled down. Two daughters were born, Roberta gave up smoking and swearing but kept her acerbic wit and unique view of the world.
The morning after the wedding reception, the body of Sir Reginald Bradbury-Scott is found impaled on the antlers of an oversized stag fixed to one of the walls. Back arched, arms outstretched, Sir Reginald was positioned to appear crucified. And the corpse wore tartan. It was a gruesome sight.
Thirty-seven guests and 12 staff need to be interviewed. Fortunately … thank heavens … the father of the groom is a detective sergeant and one of the guests is a police constable. Roberta is able to share the load.
Then, there’s another death.
'And The Corpse Wore Tartan' is a cosy crime novel full of humour, wit, many, many suspects and an Agatha Christie-style dénouement that’s surprising and satisfying.
March 20, 2026
After such a promising start, I found myself a bit disappointed by this novel. I enjoyed reading it, but it could have been so much better.
The protagonist is Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel, better known to me from some of Macbride’s earlier books as Detective Chief Inspector Steel, the foul mouthed, chaotic head of Aberdeen CID and supervising officer of the long-suffering (and, to be fair, equally foul mouthed) Logan MacRae. I have missed some of the intervening novels, so I would be intrigued to know what brought about her demotion, although based on some of her previous shenanigans that escaped such dramatic sanction, I imagine it must have been something pretty spectacular.
In this book, she has decided at the last moment to join her wife who has gone to spend the weekend in a remote and exclusive hotel on an island off the eastern coast of Scotland. The hotel is in the ancestral home of a wealthy Lord who owns much of the surrounding land, and can only be reached by crossing an old, inadequately maintained bridge from the mainland. No doubt you can see what is coming, and the scenario is almost complete when one learns that there is only the most intermittent of mobile phone signal available, and landlines are currently unreliable owing to scheduled repair work. I scarcely need add that almost immediately after DS Steel crosses the fragile bridge, a storm of biblical proportions blows in, and the hotel is completely cut off from the rest of the world. It is no surprise, then, that as the nuptials proceed, someone if found to have been killed, their body then placed in a grotesque display on top of the twelve-pointer stuffed stag in the hotel’s reception area.
Never one to shun the lure of excess, and already enraged by social status of the wedding party, DS Steel embarks upon what is, even by her Bacchanalian standards, an immense drinking bout, meaning that when the body is discovered, she is in the depths of the hangover from Hell, which only serves to make her more acerbic than ever as she commences the investigation.
There are several nods from MacBride to the golden age crimes that he is trying to parody – I noticed that lots of the minor characters have names drawn from Agatha Christie’s oeuvre, and I am sure there will be many more that I missed.
I found Roberta Steel very amusing in MacBride’s early novels, but I found that everything about this book felt just too contrived. Perhaps I have just read too many of them, in too short a space of time.
The protagonist is Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel, better known to me from some of Macbride’s earlier books as Detective Chief Inspector Steel, the foul mouthed, chaotic head of Aberdeen CID and supervising officer of the long-suffering (and, to be fair, equally foul mouthed) Logan MacRae. I have missed some of the intervening novels, so I would be intrigued to know what brought about her demotion, although based on some of her previous shenanigans that escaped such dramatic sanction, I imagine it must have been something pretty spectacular.
In this book, she has decided at the last moment to join her wife who has gone to spend the weekend in a remote and exclusive hotel on an island off the eastern coast of Scotland. The hotel is in the ancestral home of a wealthy Lord who owns much of the surrounding land, and can only be reached by crossing an old, inadequately maintained bridge from the mainland. No doubt you can see what is coming, and the scenario is almost complete when one learns that there is only the most intermittent of mobile phone signal available, and landlines are currently unreliable owing to scheduled repair work. I scarcely need add that almost immediately after DS Steel crosses the fragile bridge, a storm of biblical proportions blows in, and the hotel is completely cut off from the rest of the world. It is no surprise, then, that as the nuptials proceed, someone if found to have been killed, their body then placed in a grotesque display on top of the twelve-pointer stuffed stag in the hotel’s reception area.
Never one to shun the lure of excess, and already enraged by social status of the wedding party, DS Steel embarks upon what is, even by her Bacchanalian standards, an immense drinking bout, meaning that when the body is discovered, she is in the depths of the hangover from Hell, which only serves to make her more acerbic than ever as she commences the investigation.
There are several nods from MacBride to the golden age crimes that he is trying to parody – I noticed that lots of the minor characters have names drawn from Agatha Christie’s oeuvre, and I am sure there will be many more that I missed.
I found Roberta Steel very amusing in MacBride’s early novels, but I found that everything about this book felt just too contrived. Perhaps I have just read too many of them, in too short a space of time.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Skirivour Castle Hotel in the Highlands is hosting the wedding of the year, and Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel is just about to crash it.
Much to the surprise of everyone including her wife Susan. She promises to be on her best behaviour, but that doesn’t last long and she ends up very drunk.
The following morning she and the rest of the guests wake up to discover the body of the bride’s father impaled on the decorative stag in the hotel lobby. This is not the only disaster, the valley has been cut off by the weather. So with no way of getting help, DS Steel takes charge of the investigation. With a raging hangover and two other officers to help, and every guest a suspect, this is going to push our detective to her limits.
Can Roberta catch the killer, or is she next on the list?
Every time I read a book by Stuart Macbride I find myself smiling He has such a way of writing that can’t be copied. His books are always so well written and his sense of humour is delightful.
This particular novel is a perfect example of that. It’s a brilliant story, set in a remote place, with a superb cast characters and great laugh out loud moments. This was a true delight to read and I highly recommend it.
Much to the surprise of everyone including her wife Susan. She promises to be on her best behaviour, but that doesn’t last long and she ends up very drunk.
The following morning she and the rest of the guests wake up to discover the body of the bride’s father impaled on the decorative stag in the hotel lobby. This is not the only disaster, the valley has been cut off by the weather. So with no way of getting help, DS Steel takes charge of the investigation. With a raging hangover and two other officers to help, and every guest a suspect, this is going to push our detective to her limits.
Can Roberta catch the killer, or is she next on the list?
Every time I read a book by Stuart Macbride I find myself smiling He has such a way of writing that can’t be copied. His books are always so well written and his sense of humour is delightful.
This particular novel is a perfect example of that. It’s a brilliant story, set in a remote place, with a superb cast characters and great laugh out loud moments. This was a true delight to read and I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The great and the not-so-good are gathered at Skivivour Castle Hotel, in the heart of the Highlands, for the wedding of the year - but they weren't expecting Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel to crash their party. And get horribly, horribly drunk. The whole valley has been cut off by a massive thunderstorm and the phone lines are down, so when the father- of-the-bride's body is discovered - decoratively impaled on a stags head in the hotel lobby, it's up to DS Steel to find out whodunit. Which isn't easy when you've got a massive hangover and only a world-weary sergeant and a halfwit police constable for backup.
What a fantastic book this is. DS Roberta Steel has appeared in the DI Logan McRae series. She is attending a wedding at Skivivour Castle Hotel with her wife. She's not everybody's cup of tea, but she gets the job done. Even though a murder is being investigated, there is also some humour to.
Published 12th February 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMacmillan and the author #SturatMacBride for my ARC of #AndTheCorpseWoreTartan in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic book this is. DS Roberta Steel has appeared in the DI Logan McRae series. She is attending a wedding at Skivivour Castle Hotel with her wife. She's not everybody's cup of tea, but she gets the job done. Even though a murder is being investigated, there is also some humour to.
Published 12th February 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMacmillan and the author #SturatMacBride for my ARC of #AndTheCorpseWoreTartan in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2026
I will say that I was really enjoying the bantering, and the way that Roberta had this 'no shits given' attitude, as well as her live for food.
That being said, the actual investigation in this novel took ages to get through. Something that I didn't really enjoy was that there would be these chapter gaps in between the investigation where it was simply people hanging out and eating or joking about. Due to this, I forgot, much like Roberta forgot, the suspects and their names. I was fine with these chapters at first, as a way to introducing Roberta's characteristics and some of the other characters who were helping her with the investigation, but not when it takes up more than half of the plot to the story.
Now, something I did really enjoy was that the story kept me guessing. I love stories that are able to do this because I'm one of those people who tend to foreshadow what's gonna happen, which ruins the mystery. This one kept me going.
I also laughed quite a lot at the banter.
So, as a mystery novel, I would recommend this to someone who won't take the story seriously. This is not a serious mystery novel, but it is an entertaining tale.
That being said, the actual investigation in this novel took ages to get through. Something that I didn't really enjoy was that there would be these chapter gaps in between the investigation where it was simply people hanging out and eating or joking about. Due to this, I forgot, much like Roberta forgot, the suspects and their names. I was fine with these chapters at first, as a way to introducing Roberta's characteristics and some of the other characters who were helping her with the investigation, but not when it takes up more than half of the plot to the story.
Now, something I did really enjoy was that the story kept me guessing. I love stories that are able to do this because I'm one of those people who tend to foreshadow what's gonna happen, which ruins the mystery. This one kept me going.
I also laughed quite a lot at the banter.
So, as a mystery novel, I would recommend this to someone who won't take the story seriously. This is not a serious mystery novel, but it is an entertaining tale.
March 10, 2026
I'm a long time fan of Stuart MacBride's writing, so I've been reading about Roberta Steele for almost twenty years. She's on her own in this one, without the strong regular characters like Logan McRae to play off of. Playing the roles of McRae and Tufty (and many others) were two dubious characters named Moore and McKinnon. I wonder if Stuart would have shoehorned the regulars into this story whether it would have turned out better. Although we got lots of the usual Roberta Steele vulgar, at times nasty, and strong willed humor, there were things missing in this book. I thought the ending was unsatisfactory. The bad guys won. Nothing that occurred in the book really mattered, much like when Bobby Ewing declared in the old Dallas TV show that everything we saw last season was a dream! At the end, we don't even know who specifically the bad guys were. But I guess that was part of the fun and it was indeed a fun read. I enjoyed the parallels to Agatha Christie novels, especially the "gather everyone into a room and reveal the killer" technique. But of course that didn't work for Roberta Steel.
March 22, 2026
Oh dear. I always look forward to new releases from Stuart MacBride, and I've enjoyed every single one. They never fail to have me laugh out loud. Until now. 🦌
Don't get me wrong, there are humourous moments, but eventually the fine line between humourous and full-on slapstick becomes decidedly blurred. 🦌
I've always liked the interaction between Logan Macrae and and DS Steel. Logan is sadly absent in And the Corpse Wore Tartan, and I think this is why it fell flat. DS Steel, leading an investigation without her usual team, is just a foul mouthed, lecherous, totally incompetent detective. How she had ever risen to the rank of inspector beggars belief. 🦌
And the Corpse Wore Tartan is touted as being a homage to the golden age of detective fiction, but again it fell short of the mark for me. Again, don't get me wrong, the story itself was enjoyable. I loved the premise and the setting. There were some wonderfully wacky characters, but the main protagonist, Roberta Steele, soon became annoying. She is definitely an acquired taste, and unfortunately, in this instance, she was unpalatable. 🦌
I read this title on BorrowBox.
Don't get me wrong, there are humourous moments, but eventually the fine line between humourous and full-on slapstick becomes decidedly blurred. 🦌
I've always liked the interaction between Logan Macrae and and DS Steel. Logan is sadly absent in And the Corpse Wore Tartan, and I think this is why it fell flat. DS Steel, leading an investigation without her usual team, is just a foul mouthed, lecherous, totally incompetent detective. How she had ever risen to the rank of inspector beggars belief. 🦌
And the Corpse Wore Tartan is touted as being a homage to the golden age of detective fiction, but again it fell short of the mark for me. Again, don't get me wrong, the story itself was enjoyable. I loved the premise and the setting. There were some wonderfully wacky characters, but the main protagonist, Roberta Steele, soon became annoying. She is definitely an acquired taste, and unfortunately, in this instance, she was unpalatable. 🦌
I read this title on BorrowBox.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A sassy, sapphic sleuthing in Scotland…honestly, what more could I ask for?
Corpse Wore Tartan opens with a cracking bit of foreshadowing and had me hooked straight away. I did go in a little apprehensive…second book in a row set in the Highlands and the last series I jumped into mid-way didn’t work for me…but the Scots obsession quickly won out.
DS Roberta Steele may have appeared in earlier books (I’ve not read), but even coming in fresh, I connected instantly. She’s written with such confidence and bite that I fell for her within pages. Her hangover description alone is gold:
“There was an orchestra of bastards trapped inside her skull, doing death-metal covers on bin lids with sledgehammers. And they were crap at it too.”
And her coffee order:
“…it’s two and a coo in that coffee…”
Remote castle. Wedding aftermath. Murder. Everyone cut off. Dark, filthy Scottish humour throughout. It won’t be for everyone, but it absolutely worked for me — fast, sharp, and wildly entertaining.
Publication date: 12 February 2026
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the advanced copy.
Corpse Wore Tartan opens with a cracking bit of foreshadowing and had me hooked straight away. I did go in a little apprehensive…second book in a row set in the Highlands and the last series I jumped into mid-way didn’t work for me…but the Scots obsession quickly won out.
DS Roberta Steele may have appeared in earlier books (I’ve not read), but even coming in fresh, I connected instantly. She’s written with such confidence and bite that I fell for her within pages. Her hangover description alone is gold:
“There was an orchestra of bastards trapped inside her skull, doing death-metal covers on bin lids with sledgehammers. And they were crap at it too.”
And her coffee order:
“…it’s two and a coo in that coffee…”
Remote castle. Wedding aftermath. Murder. Everyone cut off. Dark, filthy Scottish humour throughout. It won’t be for everyone, but it absolutely worked for me — fast, sharp, and wildly entertaining.
Publication date: 12 February 2026
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for the advanced copy.
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