A Christmas Tartan

Scottish Bookshop Mystery #2.5

by Paige Shelton

Christmastime has come to Scotland, and Delaney and all her coworkers at the Cracked Spine, the quirky bookshop in the heart of Edinburgh, are all in the holiday spirit. Between mugs of hot chocolate and nibbles of gingerbread, Delaney has been given the task of tracking down the provenance of a mysterious box of objects that her boss, Edwin, has recently acquired. In it are various trinkets, but what really catches Delaney's eye is a worn copy of A Christmas Carol , where she also finds an old photo tucked inside. On the back is a name, which leads her to a woman whose granddaughter has gone missing. When it becomes clear that the box might be connected to the missing girl, Delaney is pulled into the intrigue, and takes it upon herself to figure out what really happened—and why.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Christmas, Fiction, Cozy, Holiday, Scotland

32 pages, ebook

First published October 25, 2016

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always on the lookout for a short cozy read for times when I don’t want to get into anything too substantive, or need a lighter story to offset something draining I’m either reading or writing, I came across this supplement to a series and couldn’t be happier to have discovered it. If this short story is any indication of the series, and there is no reason to believe that it isn’t, I’ll definitely be picking up the earlier full-length entry in this cozy mystery series very soon.

Delaney Nichols is a former museum archivist from Kansas who now works at The Cracked Spine Bookshop in Grassmarket, Scotland. It seems she has a special bond with books, which occasionally give her impressions. This element is handled matter-of-factly, and with such aplomb that it is refreshingly devoid of chick-lit silliness. Set in the days preceding Christmas, which we learn is a rather relatively recent addition to Scottish culture in importance, Paige Shelton scatters touches of the season throughout the short story so we never forget that it’s a holiday offering. Here again, the author is not heavy-handed in any way.

The mystery itself is engrossing, threatening to turn into fantasy at one point, when it is unclear if what’s happening with Delaney is real or imagined. The author deftly makes certain the story, and Delaney remain grounded, however, by incorporating an involving mystery surrounding a missing girl named Moira. The present is linked with the past here, and there is a wonderful ending at Christmas in a graveyard that makes it all worthwhile. The supporting characters seem as real as Delaney, and it was especially nice to see her turn to Officer Winters for help, countering the unrealistic and quite silly sleuthing so often found in cozy reads nowadays.

Those who like their cozy reads filled with real characters, a light but real mystery, and genuine warmth devoid of silliness would do well to check out A Christmas Tartan as I did.

[Linda Langford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery box is left outside The Cracked Spine bookshop and as Delaney examines the contents, she is somehow shifted through a twist in time to meet and observe the owner's firsthand. The experience is odd and surreal, yet helps Delaney and her friends piece together enough information to find the living relatives and bring them some holiday cheer.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delaney has a challenge before her: to find out where a box of seemingly unrelated articles came from and what significance they hold. Especially intriguing is a worn copy of “A Christmas Carol” and an old photograph of a pretty young woman. Delaney is determined to track down the woman, who now would be quite elderly, but she hits her head in a fall. Still anxious to track her down, she goes to her home. Or does she? Did she really find the woman or did she dream up the explanation while she was unconscious? Or maybe, it was a ghost of Christmas past. Whatever the truth is, it’s Christmas and things should work out, if not for a happily ever after ending, then for the next best thing. This delightful tale is filled with the Christmas spirit, or maybe spirits, and is quite enchanting.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably the weakest book in this series, it's based on A Christmas Carol by Dickens.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delaney Nichols from Kansas in America is looking forward to spending Christmas in Scotland, yet she misses her family and the grand Christmas celebrations of home. Luckily Scotland has finally embraced the Christmas spirit and Rosie has invited everyone to her home for dinner. When Edwin finds a mysterious package on his doorstep he hands it over to Delaney. Inside is a worn old copy of A Christmas Carol, some silver, a Christmas ornament, a tartan scarf and a wooden button. Delaney has no idea how to make sense of it all until she discovers a photo inside the book. She's determined to find out the significance of the objects.

This short story probably will not tide fans of the series over until the next installment. It's very short and Delaney solves the mystery insanely fast with only one tiny clue. I didn't like how quickly it all wrapped up but I also didn't like how some of what happened remains a mystery. The story has nothing to do with the book.

The usual cast of quirky characters is missing here. They appear briefly in the beginning and middle of the story. Delaney meets some new people along the way. Annabel, an elderly woman searching for her missing granddaughter and Moira, a young woman in a tartan scarf. They both seemed nice but a little too trusting. They're part of the mystery so I won't tell you any more than that. It's a pleasant enough read but I'm eager to return to the Warehouse and see what else Delaney can find to catalog.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminiscent of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", the book found in the box of mysterious items Delaney is given to investigate, this story is filled with ghostly visits from the past. Not quite sure if it's "magic" or an elaborate dream; coincidences aren't usually that specific. Delaney is allowed to solve a mystery from before her birth! Wonderful Christmas fun!

Enjoyed this again as a reread for a challenge, and just in time to begin thinking of Christmas messages for the coming holiday season.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical! I can't imagine how hard it would be to write a whole book and it must be even more difficult to squeeze a whole book into fewer than 100 pages! I loved the hint of magic and wonder injected into the story, making the story both surreal and real. A perfect short and sweet read for the holidays, I just might make this one a tradition.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is almost Christmas in Edinburgh, Scotland. Delaney's boss, Edwin MacAlister, stopped to give Delaney a box left at his home without identification of the sender before traveling to his cousin's home in the country for the holiday. The contents of the box include an old stainless serving spoon, a slightly frayed woolen plaid red and green tartan scarf, a tarnished silver platter etched Christmas trees, a brown button, and an edition from the 1950s or 1960s of "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Delaney's excited to investigate a new puzzle of the past. Delaney couldn't have anticipated that questions about this investigation might always linger in her mind.

My opening delight of this mini mystery is how closely the book cover design captured the contents of the mysterious box. I also appreciate the cover designer and illustrator Crystal Ben receiving credit on the copyright page. It seemed Delaney would quickly solve the mystery of who had left the box for Edwin. As that is the planned illusion, the twists continue with red herrings that bring a fantasy to life.

Very clever writing! The storyline fits Delaney's character and uses all the box's contents to add to the twists and turns.

[Sandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy Christmas mystery. Another new author for me and I loved reading this one because they speak in their Scottish brogue. A mysterious cold case brought to light, after finding a box left at the door of a local bookshop, The Cracked Spine. A delightful read for me.

[Patrizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racconto natalizio che ha qualcosa di magico, pur essendoci un mistero da risolvere.

[Beth Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very quick read on my new Kindle and was one of Paige Shelton's earlier books in the Scottish Book mystery series. It was based around a missing person at Christmas time in Scotland and the interesting twist was that it made you believe that Delaney had time traveled and had interacted with the missing young lady who was never found.

[L ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really good I loved that there's no chance to know what really happened.
So if you like mystery, bookish facts, christmas and weird coincidences this is for you. And I don't think you need to have read the first one to understand

[Katherine Owens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy quick Christmas read with ghosts? I’m in! Not the greatest novella in the world, but scratched the Christmas itch for sure

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and spooky

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A CHRISTMAS TARTAN by Paige Shelton is a mini mystery from the author’s Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and the perfect quick read to get you in the mood for the upcoming holidays! Delany Nichols, from Kansas, is living in Edinburgh, Scotland and working at The Cracked Spine, a wonderful bookshop in the heart of the city. Her boss gives her a box of mysterious articles that was left anonymously in front of his house and asks her to find the owner. Her quest takes her on a search for a missing granddaughter with twists and turns in the plot that I didn’t see coming! I loved how the author includes bits and pieces of history and descriptions of the lovely city, especially as seen through the eyes of the protagonist. This charming story will have you waiting on pins and needles for the next book in the series and thankfully Paige has included a sneak peek to whet your appetite with this novella!

[Paula Lett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great story, a very nice short story and a good addition to this new series. I am very much looking forward to the second book in this series.

[Lali & Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella featuring Delaney Nichols from the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Delaney has moved from Kansas to Edinburgh, Scotland, to work at The Cracked Spine bookshop where she is busy cataloging the amazing collection--books and otherwise--of her boss Edwin McAlister. One winter afternoon, Edwin brings Delaney a box of items that were left on his doorstep and asks her to find out what she can about them since he is concerned they might be stolen. Given his rocky relationship with the police, he prefers she handle the matter as discreetly as possible. Since this is a novella, telling too much would give away key plot points but Delaney's investigation takes her to the home of an elderly woman who is worried about the disappearance of her granddaughter. Delaney's special ability with books had made an appearance in the first two books of the series, but here there is evidence that her gifts are well beyond what we had previously known.

As usual, Delaney is a very engaging protagonist--warm, compassionate, intelligent. She is surrounded by equally engaging secondary characters, although we only see a few of them here. The Edinburgh setting also gives the series a real sense of place, which is as true in this novella as in the full-length books. The author packs a lot of emotion into seven quick chapters and the resolution is satisfying, if bitter sweet. Definitely recommend.

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

#2.5 in the Scottish Bookshop mystery series. This novella was published before, but takes place after, #2 Of Books and Bagpipes (2017) so I have numbered it #2.5 rather than #1.5. The characters are all likeable and the novella is well written but (without using spoilers), the supernatural aspects are not to my personal liking.

Christmastime has come to Scotland, and Delaney and all her coworkers at the Cracked Spine, the quirky bookshop in the heart of Edinburgh, are all in the holiday spirit. Delaney has been given the task of tracking down the provenance of a mysterious box of objects that her boss, Edwin, has recently acquired. In it are various trinkets, but what really catches Delaney's eye is a worn copy of A Christmas Carol, wherein she finds an old photo. On the back is a name, which leads her to a woman whose granddaughter has gone missing. When it becomes clear that the box might be connected to the missing girl, Delaney is pulled into the intrigue.

[Carol Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all three full-length books in the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series and enjoyed them all. Delaney is someone I would like to be friends with. And the other folks in the bookstore, including the owner are fun to spend time with. The bookstore also has a backroom full of various interesting objects and it's often these that lead to the mysteries.

In A Christmas Tartan, Delaney is given a box of things that includes a copy of A Christmas Carol with a photo inside. She of course is curious and the photo leads her to an elderly woman in town whose granddaughter is missing.

This one is slightly more paranormal than most of the series. The present is connected to the past and to some extent, Delaney sees both, or maybe she doesn't. Either which way, the mystery of what happened to the girl is well-done and the solution made sense. The ending scene made me smile. It's a warm holiday mystery, although perhaps not representative of the series over all.

[Danielle Shelton Walczak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with Paige Shelton’s writing and the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. The start and middle of this supernatural story really peaked my interest and gained my attention. Admittedly, I had no context for the main character and her abilities, since I have not read Ms. Shelton’s prior bookshop mysteries. It seemed the protagonist’s gift was well settled in the way that the protagonist discussed it herself, so it was grading that she kept attempting to talk herself out of believing in something she knew she had. The ending was a bit disappointing. It seemed as if the author was determined to have a realistic end. That’s fine. I just wish it were more interesting and imbued the genre a bit more in the conclusion instead of just leaving it on the table. Despite some disappointments, I’m intrigued enough to go to book one in the series to see learn more about the main character.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this story was originally published as an ebook, I actually read it when it was printed as bonus story inclusion in the paperback edition of Paige Shelton's LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES book.

In this story, the author mixes a Christmas tale with a ghost story as Delaney Nichols "witnesses" the last days of a long missing woman. She invariably tries to piece the story together and bring the truth to light.

At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like the story because of the ghost story aspect but as I read along, the story really worked for me and I couldn't wait to see how this was going to turn out.

It's a short story but Paige Shelton packs so much good storytelling into the tale that you can't help but get swept up in the hunt for the truth.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am new to the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries but this novella has peaked my interest. Delaney is a long way from Kansas, working at the Cracked Spine bookstore in Scotland. Apparently, books sometimes "speak" to her but not when a copy of A Christmas Carol is found in a box of other objects left at the door of the bookstore owner who wants Delaney to determine their origins. The Scottish setting at Christmastime is lovely and the mystery involves an unexpected paranormal element. Scottish dialect is written well but, if I pick up this series at the beginning, I think I'd like to hear it on audio.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delaney Nichols, formerly of Kansas, America now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland and her dream since moving is to one day see a 'ghost.'

Edwin, Delaney's employer hands her a box he found outside his door. Edwin wants Delaney to find out the provenance of the items.

What Delaney finds out may just prove that we do live in the present, past, and future all at the same time...

Fascinating and entertaining, Paige Shelton weaves a tale to remember and make you say, "Merry Christmas!'

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interim novella in the series, a box with an old copy of “A Christmas Carol” and some old ornaments is received at the book store and Delaney is asked to find the owner. Her research leads to the apartment of an old woman whose granddaughter has gone missing and whose photo was in the book from the box. But when she goes to retrace her steps the apartment is gone and the neighbourhood changed. An excellent mystery and good read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd series, but I like it so far. It seems part mystery, part fantasy, part supernatural, with quirky characters. This little mini-mystery was purchased during Christmas time to have something quick to read. But, it is not your typical ho-ho-ho piece. It is dark, and moody and melancholy, but I though it was a good read. It made me think of how people look back to the past during this time of year, and yearn for people who have passed on and roads not taken.

[Lori Pringle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story


I found the characters' Scottish accents distracting. It seemed like the writer just did a find and replace on a few select words of dialog, and it didn't quite feel natural.

The story was pretty good. It seemed like there could have been more meat to it, but it would make a good short movie.

The story was shorter than I'd expected, as nearly half of the book is actually a preview from the next book, which features the same characters.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this story as a standalone Christmas novella--a little mystery and a little ghost story. But I enjoy it even more having read the Scottish Bookshop series and already knowing the characters. Delaney is researching a box of "found" objects when she hits her head and suddenly finds herself in the middle of a mystery about a missing girl. Did she travel to the past or just assemble seemingly forgotten or overlooked clues?

[Anna Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wee puzzle

Delaney is given a box of items Edwin found on his doorstep, with the charge to figure out what she could about whether they were stolen or belonged to someone. As she looks into the items, she discovers a photograph with a woman’s name on it - and finds an address. An adventure which leaves her puzzling over dreams and reality ensues - or maybe it’s just Christmas magic.

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much a Shelton book. Nothing difficult to read, but interesting. It might be a ghost story, or it might be a look at how a mind attempts to make sense of events. But either way, it's a mystery set at Christmas time that could also serve as a way to be introduced to the characters in the Scottish Bookshop series without going all the way back to the first book. It's a novella...only 90ish pages, and a very fast read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scottish Book shop mystery

Delaney is going through a box in the storage room at the Book shop going through a box left on Edwin's door step. While going through the box she comes across a picture of a young woman who went missing several years ago. She sets out to find the owners of the box. She finds out that the young woman in the picture went missing and presumed dead. Another delightful yet short story