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The Loch Ness Mysteries #1
The Curious Kilt: A Loch Ness Mystery
BEAUTIFUL LOCH NESS — AND MURDER’S AFOOT!
As Effie McCall happily serves her customers in the Tattie Scone Café on the beautiful shores of Loch Ness, her bossy twin Nell from Dalhousie Lodge has a problem: a dead laird in the heather and the ruination of her business looming as a result.
An accident would suggest negligence on the part of Nell’s business, but Nell does not ‘do’ negligence. And she has spotted a curious thing about the laird’s kilt. One that, to her, suggests murder.
Since the police rule accidental death, there are only the two sisters left to investigate. All the while, helpfully hindered by Nell’s hapless husband Mungo, Effie’s boyfriend Jamie, and the gossiping regulars in the Tattie Scone Café.
When Nell’s old love interest suddenly reappears, will she be diverted or will she find he is more deeply involved in this mystery than she can guess?
Colourful characters, silliness and delicious recipes make for a Loch Ness treat to die for.
Preview Readers have commented:
'The setting of Loch Ness, with all its Highland beauty,and tales of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, is a great backdrop for a mystery series.. I loved all the characters so much I'd be disappointed if I don't see them in the pub when I next visit.'
'Take a glass of whisky, put your feet up and prepare to laugh your head off.'
Long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Award as The Case of the Curious Kilt.
As Effie McCall happily serves her customers in the Tattie Scone Café on the beautiful shores of Loch Ness, her bossy twin Nell from Dalhousie Lodge has a problem: a dead laird in the heather and the ruination of her business looming as a result.
An accident would suggest negligence on the part of Nell’s business, but Nell does not ‘do’ negligence. And she has spotted a curious thing about the laird’s kilt. One that, to her, suggests murder.
Since the police rule accidental death, there are only the two sisters left to investigate. All the while, helpfully hindered by Nell’s hapless husband Mungo, Effie’s boyfriend Jamie, and the gossiping regulars in the Tattie Scone Café.
When Nell’s old love interest suddenly reappears, will she be diverted or will she find he is more deeply involved in this mystery than she can guess?
Colourful characters, silliness and delicious recipes make for a Loch Ness treat to die for.
Preview Readers have commented:
'The setting of Loch Ness, with all its Highland beauty,and tales of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, is a great backdrop for a mystery series.. I loved all the characters so much I'd be disappointed if I don't see them in the pub when I next visit.'
'Take a glass of whisky, put your feet up and prepare to laugh your head off.'
Long-listed for the Mslexia Novel Award as The Case of the Curious Kilt.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 3, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 9, 2019
👍👍So many mysteries in this little backwater on the banks of Loch Ness😲
February 8, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
👍🔍👍
Wow! There are a whole passel of oddities and mysteries to solve in this cozy mystery set on the banks of the famed 🌅 Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The twin sister amateur detectives are different as chalk and cheese (e.g. night and day), but both have interesting💕 love lives that get disrupted in the process of looking for motive and murderer of a disliked local baronet, the owner of the curious kilt. Lovely large cast of family, friends and an Elvis-obsessed reporter who contribute to the hunt for the killer. My favorite character was Mungo, the slightly lost but oh so loving husband of sister sleuth Nell. Lots of twists and surprises, plus some great moments of humor like a concerned husband doing guard duty in a tree! 😂 And a very excitable French chef forced to cook Scottish recipes 🍲while keeping a HORRIBLE secret!
It took a while for me to get into the story with so many key characters but I grew to love them. I appreciated that Ms. Wallace kept the Highland brogue dialogue limited and understandable in context to a non-Scottish reader. The author kept the story fresh and up to date by using the ubiquitous 📱cellphone text and 💻computer email frequently as commanding sister Nell keeps her troops in order, reporter Elvis fights city hall over his Elvis sign and Elvisina, his daughter, shoots the breeze with friend and spy-in-training Fiona. All in all, a very enjoyable cozy mystery with some implied but not explicit romance and lots of well-defined local personalities. And, to keep the Scottish flavor in your life way after the last page, a whole raft of Scottish recipes. Yum-m-m! 😊
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
February 8, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
👍🔍👍
Wow! There are a whole passel of oddities and mysteries to solve in this cozy mystery set on the banks of the famed 🌅 Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. The twin sister amateur detectives are different as chalk and cheese (e.g. night and day), but both have interesting💕 love lives that get disrupted in the process of looking for motive and murderer of a disliked local baronet, the owner of the curious kilt. Lovely large cast of family, friends and an Elvis-obsessed reporter who contribute to the hunt for the killer. My favorite character was Mungo, the slightly lost but oh so loving husband of sister sleuth Nell. Lots of twists and surprises, plus some great moments of humor like a concerned husband doing guard duty in a tree! 😂 And a very excitable French chef forced to cook Scottish recipes 🍲while keeping a HORRIBLE secret!
It took a while for me to get into the story with so many key characters but I grew to love them. I appreciated that Ms. Wallace kept the Highland brogue dialogue limited and understandable in context to a non-Scottish reader. The author kept the story fresh and up to date by using the ubiquitous 📱cellphone text and 💻computer email frequently as commanding sister Nell keeps her troops in order, reporter Elvis fights city hall over his Elvis sign and Elvisina, his daughter, shoots the breeze with friend and spy-in-training Fiona. All in all, a very enjoyable cozy mystery with some implied but not explicit romance and lots of well-defined local personalities. And, to keep the Scottish flavor in your life way after the last page, a whole raft of Scottish recipes. Yum-m-m! 😊
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
March 2, 2019
This was a fun read. I loved the twin sisters, Effie and Nell; different as night and day but intelligent and determined. The story has death, mysteries, romance, and a surprise ending; with plenty of intrigue and humor! Lots of great recipes included for the dishes being cooked at Dalhousie Lodge and theTattie Scone Café make it even better. The villagers were eccentric and the setting lovely against the backdrop of Loch Ness. I received the book as an ARC but my opinions are honest and voluntary and I would definitely like to read more books in the series.
March 4, 2019
This was a great read! The characters were interesting and believable and the book kept me wondering who did it until the very end. I loved the setting and all the Elvis Presley references! Plenty of humor to go around as well. I'll definitely be awaiting book 2 in this series. Anyone who loves cozy mysteries will enjoy this one. 4 1/2 stars. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2019
Great read!
The characters drew me to in from the start! I wish I had discovered the glossary before I got to the end of the book. It would have helped. I look forward eagerly to more Loch Ness mysterious.
The characters drew me to in from the start! I wish I had discovered the glossary before I got to the end of the book. It would have helped. I look forward eagerly to more Loch Ness mysterious.
December 22, 2018
fun all the way.
A delightful tale with plenty of interesting characters - several up to no good! - and a plot with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the page.
Loved it!
A delightful tale with plenty of interesting characters - several up to no good! - and a plot with enough twists and turns to keep you turning the page.
Loved it!
February 18, 2022
Charming book, good mystery
I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and the area in which they work and play. Makes me want to visit Scotland.
I really enjoyed getting to know these characters and the area in which they work and play. Makes me want to visit Scotland.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews