Murder in Fleshmarket Close

Lily Montgomery Murder Mystery #1

by Carla Simpson

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Mystery, Detective, Paranormal

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2026

About the author

Carla Simpson also writes as Quinn Taylor Evans.

Reviews

[Marion Löw]

A Gripping Start To The Series

I thoroughly enjoyed this series starter by an author new to me. It’s a cozy Victorian murder mystery with a paranormal twist. Since I hadn’t read the author’s previous series, I had trouble following the dynamics between the main characters, who obviously share a past. Therefore, I recommend reading the previous series first. The plot is very well written, gripping, and—for a change—set in Edinburgh; it’s full of action, suspense, secrets, mystery, and danger. I did find it odd, though, that Lily’s chapters were told in FOV and Munro’s in third-person objective. I liked the endearing protagonists. The two have similar pasts; they’ve both learned to survive under adverse circumstances. The tension and battle of wills between them, stemming from their shared history, is palpable. Lily is intelligent, headstrong, bold, and loyal, and she possesses second sight. Munro is controlled, protective, and a bit enigmatic. I’m already looking forward to seeing how things will unfold between them in the future.

Lily Montgomery, Mikaela Forsythe’s ward, travels to Edinburgh to meet her friend Dorie, whom she asked to make inquiries about her origins and family. Lily ended up in a foundling hospital as a child and ran away from there. Dorie had saved her from the streets, protected her and secured her a position as a lady’s maid in a brothel, where Lily then met Mikaela, who took her under her wing and offered her a new life and education.
When Lily arrives in Edinburgh, she discovers Dorie murdered. Lily is determined to stay in Edinburgh until she has found her best friend’s killer—and, while she’s at it, to make her own inquiries of her past. But then James Munro shows up, a childhood friend of Mr. Brodie’s and Lady Antonia Montgomery’s businessman who handles her whisky trade.
Munro has been sent to Edinburgh by Mikaela and Lady Antonia to look after Lily and bring her back to London, but the headstrong young woman is determined to remain and solve the mysteries. Since he doesn't want to leave Lily on her own, Munro reluctantly agrees to help her, and together they begin their investigation. But then another murder occurs, and Lily‘s life is suddenly in danger as well; and she realizes she has the ability to know things before they happen—an ability she must keep hidden…

All in all, a gripping, emotional murder mystery full of compelling characters, drama, tension, suspense, and action, which ends with a cliffhanger—and one that I’m happy to recommend.

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

[Nanna]

This new series from Carla is a spinoff of the Brodie and Milkeala books. To understand all about Lily and Munro you should read their series first. Lily was taken in as a ward by Milkeala after one of their cases and mostly raised by her great aunt Lady Antonia and lived at her estate. Now a smart, educated young lady she has set out on her own to find out about her family and where she comes from. With help from her friend Dory, who found her after she ran away from the founding hospital as a young girl. She has no memory of her parents, only of a woman and name, Mary Jacobson and being left at the foundling home. Unfortunately, nothing goes as planned, as Dory is dead, and she gets asserted standing over the body. Now what will she do, Lily knows she must find out who killed her friend and why. She will find quickly that not is all it seems, as she is always seeing crows in the street, by the house and they seem to be talking to her! She also feels things she has never felt before. With the help of the street kid, she Kip and Munro. They set out to find answers to the murders, and for her to piece together what she knows of her past. She wants to know who her parents were and why she was left. Wow, so much action, mystery, intrigue along with her remembering things from her past and why she had to run from the home. She has a gift, or sight or something she has to learn more about and why it shows up now. Someone who is not happy is asking questions. Underling the feeling between Lily and Munro that started in the last series and now have grown stronger and will be fun to see where they go. This does have a cliff hanger as we still don’t know who was behind what happened, but it will lead to am sure to the next on-going story. I don’t usually read books with them, but mystery series are prone to them, and this is going to be a great new series for sure. Grab a copy and get started for a long ride ahead. I can’t wait. I received an ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it.

[Fanosse23]

Murder in Fleshmarket Close is a fantastic start to Carla Simpson’s new mystery series. As a longtime fan of the Mikaela & Brodie series, I had high expectations—and I was not disappointed. Simpson’s talent for weaving compelling mysteries with characters you can’t help but love shines through immediately, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next installment.

The story follows Lily Montgomery, once saved and raised by Mikaela, who is now an adult looking for answers about her mysterious past. Returning to Edinburgh to uncover the truth about her real family, Lily is devastated when her oldest friend, Dory, is brutally murdered. Determined and unyielding, Lily vows to find the killer, teaming up with James Munro, who has been tasked by Lady Montgomery to watch over her.

As Lily investigates, she discovers that nothing is as it seems. Haunting visions of crows follow her through the streets, and she begins to experience strange sensations and flashes of long-buried memories. Her unique gift—or perhaps a newfound sight—becomes a key part of the mystery as she uncovers dark secrets from her past. Along the way, the simmering tension and unspoken connection between Lily and Munro, hinted at in the earlier series, grows stronger, adding a layer of romantic intrigue.

The book is packed with action, suspense, and emotional depth. Though the immediate murder mystery is solved, questions about Lily’s true family and the threat against her remain, creating a tantalizing cliffhanger that promises more revelations in the next book. By the end, Lily has chosen to stay in Edinburgh, embracing the city that feels more like home than London ever did, and readers are left anxiously awaiting the continuation of her journey.

Carla Simpson has crafted an enthralling first entry in this new series, blending mystery, supernatural elements, and character-driven storytelling in a way that leaves you hooked. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the sequel!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle]

Familiar faces and new beginnings

This is the first of a spin series featuring Lily Montgomery ward of Mikaela Forsythe and James Munro. If you’ve read any or all of Mikaela’s adventures then you will love this book as well. Lily is off to Edinburgh to try and find some answers about her past. She’s had the help of an old friend but on arrival she discovers that friend murdered and the hint of answers she had gone with her. Munro has followed Lily and intends to keep her safe with or without her help. Which makes for some fun, light moments with two stubborn Scots determined to have their own way. We get some glimpses of the darkness of the past through flashback scenes. Heartbreaking the way poor or abandoned children were treated at the time. There’s also a new and intriguing development of the second sight as it’s called in this part of the world. I’m very interested to see how that will play out in future books. I enjoyed getting to know more about these characters as they step into the forefront and tell the story. I loved the supporting cast who help and provide all kinds of support. I really enjoyed the mystery and the way it sets up a deeper story and a larger one I look forward to unraveling along with Lily. My one thing and it’s small would be that maybe there could be a small map of the city at the start of the book. Im not familiar with the city and that would’ve been nice to have the picture in my mind. But that’s just a me thing it did not detract from my enjoyment while reading. A fantastic start to a new series!

[Kate Abbott]

This was my first book by this author, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Although this is the start of a new series, it quickly became clear that it's a spin-off from an earlier one. I was pleasantly surprised to find that not having read the previous books didn't detract from my enjoyment or leave me feeling lost.

Lily is a well-developed and engaging protagonist. She sets out to uncover the truth about her family history, only to discover that her friend has been murdered. From there, the mystery unfolds and kept me intrigued throughout.

She's joined by Munro, an old friend who follows her from London to make sure she's safe, and I really enjoyed their dynamic. The supporting cast also adds plenty of charm, especially the wonderfully kind guest house owner and Kip, the scrappy young lad who keeps turning up at just the right moments.

The mystery, engaging characters, and intriguing connections to the previous series have definitely left me wanting more. I'll certainly be continuing with this series, and I'll also be going back to read the original books that inspired this spin-off.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patricia]

The first in the Lily Montgomery Murder Mystery series. We first met Lily in another series by Carla Simpson, the Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe series, when she was rescued by Mikaela in Edinburgh. From then on, she learned many things both practical and some things that polite society would not doubt be shocked at. The one thing she has never learned is who her parents were. She has been corresponding with an old friend, Dory, who helped her out when she was very young. In the last letter from Dory, she was told that she had found out something. Lily hoping to learn goes to Edinburgh, without telling Mikaela or Lady Antonia where she was going. When she arrives, she finds her friend murdered. From then on, the story is about who killed Dory and why they are intent on killing Lily.
Aside from Lily the only other character from the Angus and Mikaela books is Munro, but there are new characters that are just as likable, and Lily discovers something about herself that is totally unexpected, whether it is good or bad, she is yet to decide.
Excellent story. Great pacing. Kept me up past bedtime to finish.
It helps to have read the series that this is a spinoff of.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Robin]

This was a wonderful start to a new series which is a spinoff of the Angus Brodie & Mikaela Forsythe series which I'm loving (all 16 so far and hopefully there are many more to come).

I must admit that I was a little unsure when I heard that Lily was having her own series as she hadn't been my favorite side character in the previous series. However, since the spotlight is now fully on her, I found myself drawn to her and her stubbornly independent nature. I felt this book showcased her as a more mature young woman (although she's still fairly young), learning as she goes and uncompromising in her beliefs and tenets. I found myself cheering her own as she tenaciously strove to solve the mystery and gain justice for her brutally murdered friend.

I also liked that Munro is being pulled from the former series to assist and watch over her (sometimes) as she's relocated to Edinburgh. But I'll be selfish and admit that I hope there might be some overlap at times between the two series as I really enjoyed the friendship/brotherly love between Munro and Brodie...I will especially miss that.

All-in-all, a very well done start for Lily in her new digs, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where she goes from here.

[Linda]

As an avid reader of Carla Simpson's Mikeala & Brodie series, was thrilled to get early copy of her new series which revolves around Mikeala's now adult ward, Lily Montgomery & her search for her origins. It's always a bit scary starting a new series by an author whose previous series one loves because that's a hard act to follow. IMHO Ms Simpson's new series is a home run.

This new series starts with Lily finding the murdered body of her old friend, Nora, & doesn't stop until this murder is solved - somewhat. Don't want to spoil anything for the new reader because it's a great read.

Lily is her own person, though one clearly sees tge mentoring she's received from Mikeala & Lady Antonia as well as Brodie & Munro. She's a bit headstrong & foolhardy but not enough to anger the reader (at least not this reader). There's an interesting development in Lily which I'm looking forward to unfolding in future stories. Also fascinated by learning more about Munro & the evolving relationship between him & Lily. All I can say is this 1st book of the new series kept me reading until the wee hours which I try not to do but it was well worth it.

[Dominique Englebert]

Murder to cover-up the past
Before Lily Montgomery came to London with Lady Mikaela and was offered to live with Lady Montgomery, she was living in Edinburgh where she worked as maid in a brothel.
When the whorehouse burned, the ladies ended on the street. Lily kept in touch with her friend, Dory, one of the ladies of the night. In her last letter, Dory had mentioned that she had been able to learn something about Lily’s past so, now, Lily was going back to Edinburgh.
However, when she arrived at Dory’s flat, she discovered that her friend had been murdered. Was it because of what she had discovered about Lily’s past?
First held as a ‘person of interest’ – read suspect – she is released and manages to contact a barrister recommended to her in case she needed assistance in Edinburgh.
She is committed to finding Dory’s murderer, who she is certain is connected to her past. Even when Munro is sent to Edinburgh by Lady Montgomery to escort her back to London. No way she is going back anytime soon.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charmaine Fernando]

This is a spinoff from the Angus and Mikaela Forsythe series, their ward, Lily Montgomery sets out travelling to Scotland to meet her friend Dory who has information on her real identity. Dory is the woman who found Lily on the streets of Edinburgh having escaped The Foundling Hospital where she was abandoned. Upon her arrival at Dory’s flat, she finds her friend murdered with her throat slit. She vows to find the person who did this to her and works together with James Munro, who is sent to keep an eye on Lily by Lady Montgomery

The investigation is solved but not who Lily’s real family is, is unknown. She decides to stay in Edinburgh where she feels an affinity for the place she never felt in London. The series will continue, along with the relationship that is developing between Lily and Munro. Much more intrigue, more unveiling of her powers and who her real family is and why a man who is determined to kill her. Loved it!

I received an ARC from the publishers and Booksprout with thanks and submit my honest review voluntarily.

[Brenda Y]

Carla Simpson has done it again! This Historical Mystery/Murder Investigation is fabulous. (If I could give 10 Stars I would)

The in-depth character development was intriguing. I loved the character; Lily from day 1 in the Brodie & Mikaela Mysteries. But by the end of book 1 Lily is someone I’d love to meet. Munro, always there yet, always a gentleman. I look forward to finding out more about his idiosyncrasies.

Lily starts out searching for more info on her youth before the “Church.” Little did she know what she would learn. The entire journey with this wonderful character was worth a night of NO SLEEP. I could not put this book down. The writing of all Characters are engaging, even the not so nice people are believable. I was able to see 1890’s Scotland through the Author's eye, the prose descriptive but not over the TOP. The story pace was fast enough and no confusing moments.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[NelleRenn]

This is the start of a new series, but contains characters and references to the series, Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe Murder Mysteries. I do like how Lily has matured into a young lady who seeks her own way and wants to discover her past. This leads to the murder of her friend so of course she must investigate it. Somehow now that she is back in Scotland she is developing some powers she never knew she had. In this story they are just starting to appear so I can’t wait to read about what they will all be and how she will control them. This is a cliffhanger as we don’t know who hired the murderer and how this related to her biological parents. I liked the storyline as it had suspense. Kip seems to be a good character to introduce as he is a street smart kid with loyalty.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bridget Love to read Lewis]

We have Lily Montgomery who came to Edinburgh to get information from her friend Dory on her past and who her parents were.
James Munro was sent to protect her and followed close behind!
Lily has supernatural gifts and talents and the more evil she encounters the stronger the gift!
When she finds Dory’s body she is struck by grief and several emotions! When a constable tries to pin the murder on her she has letters from Sir McQuarrie and other powerful people in Edinburgh to assist with the investigation!
Munro arrives and tries at first to order her about but Lily is no longer that person. When the landlord where Dory was staying is also murdered the clues lead to a hired hit man.
Munro also uncovered strange facts and they lead to more questions! This is an intriguing start to a new series! Bravo well done!
I received a copy from Booksprout for my unbiased opinion!

[Deborah Durand]

A Verra Fine Story

Simpson has segued beautifully from the Mikaela and Brodie series with this first book about Lily. With a host of new characters, a murder to be solved, and the unanticipated company of Munro, Lily embarks on an apparently dangerous mission to uncover the secrets of her origin. It may not be necessary to read the entire previous series, but it aids in understanding the dimensions of Lily and her accepting the education that Mikaela and her great Aunt Antonia provided.
The improvements over the first series are notable: an economy of prose, an elimination of redundant phrases, more entertaining dialogue, and an introduction of the supernatural.
Not only is this book riveting, but I am confident the rest of the series will be, too.
I have received an ARC from OHB and I am leaving an unbiased review voluntarily.

[Roslyn Stillman]

This is the first book in this new series, a carry-on from the last series, Mikaela and Brodie. This series is Lily's story set in Scotland. It was an interesting read, with a new interesting twist. This was a very personal mystery for Lilly to solve as she begins her new life. As usual, the characters were well written, with a storyline that kept you guessing. If you have not read the series before, there is enough information to keep you up to date. I found it a quick read, or maybe it just kept me turning the page. I will not look forward to the book in the series. I am eager to find out more about Lilly and her past. I received this as an ARC from Booksprout and freely give my review.

[Pat Robinson]

We have met Lily and watched her grow in this author’s Brodie/Forsthye Murder series. Now Lily gets a chance to spread her wings. She goes back to Edinburgh to find out her past, only to discover someone is trying their best to prevent it. Munro follows her to ‘bring her back’ only to get caught up in to the fray. I was totally enthralled with this story and the trajectory of Lily’s story. I will never look at a crow the same way again! It was interesting to see Munro’s reaction to Lily’s growth and can see a possible ‘romance’ blooming. I can’t wait to see where this author takes Lily and Munro. This was fascinating and frustrating as this tiny cliff-hanger left me wondering…who and why?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzette]

Carla Simpson’s Murder in Fleshmarket Close is a thrilling start to her new spinoff series, and it earns every one of its five stars. Fans of her previous work will be delighted to see familiar characters return, with Lily now all grown up and stepping into the spotlight as she begins her own investigations. Her journey to uncover the truth about her background is both gripping and heartfelt, setting the stage for a narrative filled with suspense and emotional depth.

The story unfolds with a palpable sense of danger closing in, keeping readers on edge as Lily navigates secrets and threats in the shadowy streets of Fleshmarket Close. Munro’s presence as her protector and shadow adds a layer of tension and warmth, hinting at the possibility of even more exciting adventures to come.

[Dallass]

Firstly, I enjoyed this, but I didn't realise that this was spin-off from another series until I happened to see some reviews on Goodreads. That would have been great to know going in as I felt like I was missing something, but couldn't put my finger on what it was as I was reading it. So, if you do want to read this, perhaps check out the other Carla Simpson series first to get the most out of this book.

For the story itself, I found it was interesting, but after reading more cozy mysteries recently I just found I wasn't in the mood for a darker paranormal cozy. That's on me. This wasn't poorly written, nor was it uninteresting. So I will be giving this a reread (and the series before it) when I'm back in my paranormal cozy era.

3.5 stars

[Monica]

This new series is a spin off from the Mikaela and Brody series. Lily is their ward.

Lily has set off to Scotland to find out about her biological family. A dear friend has found some information. Unfortunately, upon arriving, Lily finds her friend dead.

Munro joins her in Scotland. The two work together to find the murderer and the connection to Lily.

This is a cliffhanger book but that is to be somewhat expected since it starts a new series.

There is also a bit of the supernatural in it. I think that will be a feature in this series.

Looking forward to more books in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cri]

Murder in Fleshmarket Close is part of a new series that is a spin off of the well beloved Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe series.

In it we follow Lily as she return to Scotland to investigate her family roots, but she is in for a grim surprise.

Munro follows her there and helps her through the ordeal, along with some new really interesting characters.

I really liked this book and found some parts most unexpected, I will look forward to book 2!

I will suggest to ready Brodie and Mikaela's series to have some more insight into the characters.

I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

[Heather]

This is a spin off series. A character in the author’s previous books, Lily, has begun a quest of her own to locate her birth parents. Because she has letters of introduction to some very well known men, Lily is not charged when she is discovered kneeling by a murdered woman. She finds herself cared for by police detective Landry, his sister, and a man from her immediate past sent to protect her, Mr. Munro, who is not her favorite person. The story develops from there through some unsettling issues Lily experiences. All in all a good beginning which hopefully will develop into another great series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Terri]

I truly enjoyed the main character, Lily-stubborn, tenacious, and had learned lessons the hard way, but was not truly hard herself. While women are typically not vocal, Lily refuses to be less while trying to solve a murder. The rough streets of Edinburgh are captured with the darkness, poverty, and despair of the time. and Munro fits in as a morally gray “protector”-Lily would hate that concept. Mystery and unknown villains dominate the story, but there are touches of brightness and kindness. The title sets the stage for this dark mystery with hidden elements.

[Robin Smith]

Lily Montgomery has returned to Edinburgh to discover her family history. However, she discovers her friend’s body instead and is arrested for her murder. Great descriptions, believable and sympathetic characters, and wonderfully atmospheric, this is an entertaining and engrossing read. This is first in a spin-off series (from the Brodie & Forsythe series, which I have not read), and I had no trouble getting into the story. Looking forward to the next mystery!
I received a free copy from Booksprout, this review is my honest opinion.

[Paula]

What a wonderful first book is Murder in Fleshmarket Close (A Lily Montgomery Murder Mystery Book 1) by Carla Simpson. Milkeala and Lady Antonia raised Lily well, now she has decided to find out more about her past. The story takes a sharp turn from there quickly after a murder, but Lily finds people she can trust and delves into who murdered her friend. Written in a way that it seemed as if Lily was telling the events to me. With a charming main character, filled with common sense, smarts, determination and more, I am eager for more of her stories.

[Martha Silbaugh]

I enjoyed this spinoff with Lilly and Monroe very much. Lilly is trying to discover where she came from and find information on who her parents were. Good plot and character development. Unfortunately, this “gift” that Lily has now has ruined it for me. It was way over board and now I’m not even sure I’ll read the next book in this series. Kip, the new character in the story line, is a treasure. I really like him. I hope his character is developed in the new books ahead. 4 stars because of Lily’s extra powers, otherwise an excellent read.

[Nj]

love love love

Devastating to finish Angus Brodie and Mikaela Forsythe series…..BUT this is like a wonderful breathe of fresh air, revitalizing. From strength to strength and loving the continuing story. Cannot wait for the next books….

Highly recommend start at ‘Brodie and Forsythe’ series then start on this new series. Cannot put it down.

Love Carla’s storytelling and style.

[Susan Cipperley]

Lily has a secret.....he background has been obscured, but why?

Lily has been in the background, but comes to the fore in this episode. The introduction of certain clues allows the reader some insight into her origins but only a hint here and there! My imagination is piqued, can't wait for the next book, excellent story, just the right characters were added, building suspense right to the final page, loved it!

[Patrice Veilleux Roth]

Beautifully Written Murder Mystery

I had started and quit multiple suggested books from Kindle Unlimited when I came across this one. I wanted to read something interesting, well written with a bit of magic, mystery and a touch of romance. I could tell, right from the beginning, that I was going to like the well drawn characters and plot that was unfolding. I enjoyed this book and recommend it.

[Amy Smith]

Wonderful new spinoff series!

The Michaela Forsyth and Angus Brodie series is one of my absolute favorite series. This is a spinoff series with one of the characters and is off with a bang! This series has an interesting mystical element that the original series didn't have. It promises to be just as interesting as the original series but with a mystic element specific to Scottish beliefs. I can't wait for the next in the series!

[Jill E.]

Decent Read

I found the beginning of the book to be ploddingly slow, but having read these authors work before.

Lily and Munroe make a good team, though her independent drives him to distraction.

The book flew by and I was intrigued by Lily's "gift." It is a nice addition to Simpsons books.

Though there is some violence in the story, the book is relatively cozy. And elements of the supernatural made it more exciting.

I look forward to the next one.