Murder in a Scottish Shire

Scottish Shire Mystery #1

by Traci Hall

Known as the Brighton of the North, Nairn is both a charming Scottish town and a popular seaside resort--but to Paislee Shaw, it's simply home--unfortunately to a murderer . . .

For a twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee has knit together a sensible life for herself, her ten-year-old son Brody, and Wallace, their black Scottish terrier. Having inherited a knack for knitting from her dear departed grandmother, Paislee also owns a specialty sweater shop called Cashmere Crush, where devoted local crafters gather weekly for her Knit and Sip.

Lately, though, Paislee feels as if her life is unraveling. She's been served an eviction notice, and her estranged and homeless grandfather has just been brought to her door by a disconcertingly handsome detective named Mack Zeffer. As if all that wasn't enough, Paislee discovers a young woman who she recently rehired to help in the shop dead in her flat, possibly from an overdose of her heart medicine. But as details of the death and the woman's life begin to raise suspicions for Detective Inspector Zeffer, it's Paislee who must untangle a murderous yarn . . .

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Scotland, Fiction, Audiobook, Knitting

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2020

About the author

also writing as Traci Wilton and Ellie Brannigan

From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone.

Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it's her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.

Traci wants to hear from you!

Traci@TraciHall.com

Facebook.com/BytheSeaSeries

Twitter.com/Tracihallauthor

Reviews

[Natalia R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the first book in Traci Hall's A Scottish Shire Mystery series. Set in a charming coastal Scottish small town, the story follows Paislee Shaw, a twenty-eight-year-old single mom, who owns a knitting shop called Cashmere Crush, where she makes specialty sweaters and local crafters gather weekly to knit and hang out with friends. Paislee is doing the best she can, but lately, she feels as if the universe is conspiring against her. First, she is served with an eviction notice. Then her grandfather, who she hasn't seen in years, is now homeless after his son's disappearance and she has no choice but to invite him to stay at her house. As if all that wasn't enough, she finds her friend and employee, Isla, dead in her apartment. Isla had a lot of enemies, and Paislee is determined to uncover the truth about her murder.

This was a delightful and well-written read, with interesting characters and a puzzling mystery that will keep you guessing until the reveal. The setting was beautiful, and I loved the Scottish dialect spoken by the characters. I felt an instant connection to Paislee and saw a lot myself in her. Family is definitely a strong theme in this story. I loved Paislee's relationship with Brody and Angus. Angus was an intriguing character, and I thought he added a great dimension to the story. I can't wait to see what the author does with the Craigh storyline. Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and eagerly await my next visit to Nairn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[JEN A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley and the publisher in return for an honest review. The release date for this book is 30 Jun 2020

I could not get into this book at all. I felt the material was very dry and it took along time for the story to get moving. I normally like British cozy mysteries but this one just wasn’t my cup of tea

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

This is the first book in A Scottish Shire Mystery series. This is set in Scotland and follows Paislee, a 28 year old single mother, who owns a knitting shop called Cashmere Crush. She makes specialty sweaters, socks and more. Everything in her life seems like it’s going wrong – she receives an eviction notice, her estranged, homeless grandfather shows up after his son Craigh’s disappearance so he moves in with her and her 10 year old son, Brody and their dog, Wallace. Things get even worse for Paislee when she finds Isla, an employee of hers, dead. The story kicks off here as Paislee tries to solve the case.

This cozy was a lot of fun because of the Scotland setting and Scottish narrator. I liked the mystery but found myself bored at times and even though this was just 300 or so pages, it felt too long on the audio at times because the mystery wasn’t progressing a whole lot and we were following some other side stories and characters. I did like our characters though, especially her little boy Brody! So sweet. As usual, I loved the Scottish references and dialogue.

One thing missing was romance and sometimes the story got a bit dry at times, but it wasn’t bad. I think this series is off to a good start and look forward to reading more. I hope for some romance with our main character in the next books! Love her.

[Sina & Ilona Glimmerfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es war nicht ganz das, was ich erwartet habe, denn der Krimi war tatsächlich nicht so präsent wie ich gehofft hatte. Ich hatte auch recht schnell die richtige Spur aufgenommen wer der Täter war, aber trotzdem hat es mir gefallen. Weniger als Krimi und mehr als ein Wohlfühlroman.

Der Roman lässt sich leicht weglesen und ist dabei sehr entspannend. Vielleicht ein wenig zu ruhig und ein wenig zu detailiert, wenn es um Wolle geht. (Ich stricke nicht und interessiere mich auch nicht für das Thema)

Ihr habt die Atmosphäre der schottischen Stadt Nairn, die direkt am Meer liegt und tatsächlich existiert. Dazu kommt noch ein kleiner Wolladen, in dem sich die Frauen regelmäßig zu einem Schlückchen und zum Stricken treffen.

Die Geschichte handelt von einer alleinerziehenden Mutter, die versucht ihren Laden zu erhalten und gleichzeitig einen Mord aufzuklären an einer ehemaligen Angestellten. Dabei macht es ihr das Leben nicht einfach, denn ihr Großvater ist obdachlos und wird bei ihr abgeladen und zeitgleich erhält sie für den Laden einen Räumungsbefehl, weil der Besitzer das Objekt verkauft hat.
Obwohl das jetzt nach viel Drama klingt, ist es ein leichtes und wirklich sehr entspannendes Buch. Beim Lesen kommt einem reichlich Herzlichkeit und Gemütlichkeit entgegen. Es ist eine Buchreihe in die man sich bestimmt so richtig einleben kann.

Am Ende ist zwar der Fall aufgelöst, aber so einige lose Fäden in dem Leben unserer Protagonistin werden uns sicher noch in den nächsten Büchern begleiten.

Auch wenn es nicht so spannend war wie erhofft, habe ich mich wohlgefühlt und freue mich auf einen zweiten Band.

Dieses Buch wurde mir als Rezensionsexemplar zur Verfügung gestellt.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first book in this new series I was swept away to a small town in Scotland and fell in love with Paislee the main character who is a single mom struggling to make ends meet with her little business. When one of her dear friends ends up dead she can’t stop until she finds the truth! Paislee now has her estranged grandfather to take care of but soon finds he is a true blessing! Will she solve her friends murder and walk away unscathed? You must read this feel good cozy to find out!! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!!! Thank you so much Kensington Publishing for this beautiful feel good cozy read in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are mine and mine alone.

[Shawna Shaheen · Rating 3 out of 5]

1book was about a single mom Paislee and her son Brody that lived in Scotland. Paislee has a Knit shop that sells yarns and Sweaters and such that Paislee makes our of yarn. Her grandad showed up out of the blue.( He was sleeping outside in a park) The detective said that he has been sleeping there and she could keep him until h find his missing son Craigh. Paisley has not seen her grandfather since her grandma had passed 5 years ago. They were estranged because her grandpa had a son out of wedlock. Anyways a woman Isla that Pasilee was going to hire once again ( cause she went to Iverness to be with her boyfriend Billy but she came back.) But Isla did not show up so Paislee decided to go to her new place. When she did she found it a very expensive place ( Paislee wondered how she had covered that) well when she went up to talk to her( with her Grandpa with her) Isla was dead. Paisley believed it was not a suicide like the detective believed. This 1st book did not go into what happened to her grandpa son Craigh or the the eviction notice that Paislee got in the first part of the book. I love Paislee in Brody ( Paislee son) relationship though. I think I will read the second book to see if it might be telling something about eviction or Craigh disappearance. It was a pretty good book but it was just lacking some of the story line

[Alyssa Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traci Hall had me at the fact that this is a mystery set in Scotland. She kept me turning pages with characters I fell in love with and a plot that kept me guessing. Paislee Shaw faces a mountain of difficulties as a single mother trying to stay afloat, and does it all with humor, grace and tons of courage, from facing down her son's principal to dealing with her crochety, estranged grandfather, to making certain a murderer is caught. I loved the family feel to this story. Paislee, her son, and Grampa form their own quirky family, as well as Paislee's fellow merchants in town and the friends who gather weekly at her yarn and sweater shop to share some lighthearted gossip and their love of knitting. A definite read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries, knitting, crafting, and Scotland!

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire is a terrific start to a brand new cosy mystery series by author Traci Hall. This is the first I have read by her and I found the book to be an extremely fun read.

I loved the setting of Nairn, a delightful sounding Scottish town by the seaside, so imaginatively depicted by the author. Twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee Shaw has made a great life for herself, her son Brody, 10 and their terrier, Wallace. She owns Cashmere Crush, a bespoke speciality knitwear shop where the locals can while away their time at her 'Knit and Sip' group. But Paislee has recently experienced a run of bad luck... her homeless granddad has just landed on her doorstep, her unscrupulous landlord is evicting her and Isla, an employee and friend, has been found dead. Detective Inspector Mack Zeffer is on the case as Paislee sets out to save her business and find out what happened to Isla.

A full cast of interesting characters complemented the disorganised, very determined Paislee though not everyone was as they seemed. The plot was strong and the comfortably paced, puzzling mystery kept me guessing. I loved the Scottish dialect spoken by the locals. I enjoyed reading Murder in a Scottish Shire and I am already anticipating another trip to Nairn and getting to know all of the characters to a greater degree. If you adore a fantastic cosy mystery with strong doses of family angst and community spirit, don't miss out on Murder in a Scottish Shire.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

[The Cozy Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new "A Scottish Shire Mystery" series from Kensington Books, written by Traci Hall, aka. Traci Wilton is out now. Murder In A Scottish Shire will have readers traveling to the beautiful land of the brave and delving into the art of knitting.

Paislee is a character that has a past, one not as bad as she seems to think, but one she has spent the last ten years trying to fix. This character is immature. The idea that she can't date someone until her son is off to college is not realistic. Taking her son to school late every day, irresponsible. Unfortunately, she uses her knitting shop and her son to keep from making an emotional connection to any would-be suitor.

Other characters are interesting, and hopefully, like Paislee will mature and grow. Angus, in particular, is very entertaining. He cares about his granddaughter and grandson but in a gruff way that can be detrimental. There are far too many unanswered questions in this book. One of which is Angus' missing son. Who is Brody's father? Will we meet Paislee's mother? Even the fate of the knitting shop is left up in the air. This can be frustrating in any book, but cozies should never leave so many issues open-ended.

The mystery of the murder was good; if readers are paying attention, they will guess the killer's identity reasonably soon. The evidence is there. It just takes a bit to figure out how it all applies to the motive and investigation. it seems like the knitting shop should have played a more significant role overall but it is set up for future books in a way that readers will enjoy. The book was well written and flowed smoothly. The Scottish village sounds adorable, but I could do without the attempt at creating the dialect in the written word, it makes it difficult at times to understand the conversations and slows down the pacing. Overall, Murder In A Scottish Shire was a good beginning yet left room for improvement in future volumes

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the first book in the series and I was so excited for it.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery that is set in a small charming Scottish town. The story was centered on our main character Paislee, a 28 year old single mum, who owns a lovely shop called the Cashmere Crush – the local knitters’ hang out.

Poor Paislee, when it rains it pours and everything seems to be crashing on her world and to be involved in a murder too. This was a great start to a wonderful series that I would want to read about. The mystery and plot twists were great and loved that I was kept guessing on the who dunnit. I enjoyed reading about the clues, which made for a fun cozy read for me. I enjoyed the small town setting, the knitting club, and the cast of characters.

I will definitely look out for the next installation of this series.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is the debut of A Scottish Shire Mystery series. Paislee Shaw lives in Nairn, Scotland with her son, Brody and their dog, Wallace. Her grandmother taught her to knit and encouraged her dream of opening a shop. Cashmere Crush is a specialty sweater and yarn shop where each week the ladies gather to knit, chat, and sip wine on Thursday evenings. I enjoyed the setting of Nairn and the authors lovely descriptions of the village. Thankfully, the accent was easy to read. Cashmere Crush sounded like a cozy shop with sitting area and beautiful yarn especially the ones utilizing natural dyes. Murder in a Scottish Shire has an eventful beginning when Paislee finds DI Zeffer on the shop’s doorstep with Grandpa Angus, her landlord serves an eviction notice, and she finds Isla dead in her apartment. There are two side stories happening in the book. Grandpa Angus lives with his son, Craigh who never showed up for an assignment on the oil rig, Mona. He wants to find out what happened to Craigh. Mr. Shawn Marcus, Paislee’s landlord, serves her with an eviction notice stating he has sold the property (which voids the lease). However, no record of the sale can be found. After finding Isla dead in her apartment, Paislee has her doubts regarding the cause of death. To change DI Zeffer’s mind, Paislee sets out to prove the woman was murdered. Paislee begins questioning Isla’s friends, former employer, and former boyfriend. There are a couple of suspects and misdirection. One clue, though, gives away the identity of the killer. I wish the mystery had been the primary focus of the book (took a backseat to Paislee dealing with Grandpa Angus, Brody’s problems at school, knitting sweaters for customers, Spring Fling) and there had been more activity. Paislee also needs to work on her questioning technique. She comes across as rude and pushy. As a friend told Paislee, you catch more flies with honey. I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and the setting. The secondary characters still need work. There was a repetition of information (I got it the first time) and the pacing was sluggish. I liked the humor involving the headmaster of Brody’s school. I believe this series is off to a good start, and I am curious to find out what happened to Craigh. Murder in a Scottish Shire is a cute cozy mystery with a grumpy grandpa, a busy boy, an extinct employee, sweater sales, yummy yarn, surprising secrets, and a snoopy shop owner.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very, very, good first book in a new series. I have had some real duds as of late and I was very nervous to start this. And then I did and I didn't want to put it down. THAT is a good thing.

Set in a small town in Scotland, Paislee Shaw is a really good MC. Flawed and very human, she is easily relatable to and the idea of pulling yourself up from a bad situation and making something of yourself really shines here. She is the owner of Cashmere Crush, a yarn and custom made sweater shop and is doing well. Her son Brady [who is kind of obnoxious, even for a 10 year old boy and needs a touch more discipline IMO, but I digress] is healthy and they are doing okay. Until the day that her son is in trouble for being late AGAIN for school, the police show up at her door with her long-lost grandfather AND she finds the dead body of her assistant. And so starts the story that takes many twists and turns and JUST when you think you know what is going on, WHAM! it all is revealed and you just sit and go "WHAT? I NEVER saw THAT coming".
There IS the potential of a love triangle here, and I am now BEGGING THE AUTHOR - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not do it. PLEASE. We do not need a love triangle. E V E R. Just pick one for Paislee and lets move on. Because this series is going to be too good to have to give up for something as stupid as a love triangle.

This was a good read and made me happy. Its been a long time since I have liked a new cozy author and this was just such a pleasant surprise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been giving cozy mysteries a shot during Covid just to give myself something new and light hearted to try. Unfortunately I'm finding that they are just not my bag. Of the few that I've read I'm not even going to add them to my reading list here because I don't feel that I have the appreciation for them and therefore cannot sum them up properly. As for this one, the main character (forgot her name at this point) is well written and has that kind of drive that I admire and doesn't get under my skin. The mystery itself was actually pretty good, there was some great action along the way, and the setting, naturally, was nice enough. My biggest pet peeve with this book was the author attempting to "write" the Scottish accent. It was so painful to read. So completely irritating. I read books by Scottish authors all the time and never do they write in the phonetic spelling of how people talk. Of course this author is American so maybe she felt she had to so as not to seem like an imposter. It's too bad because I might have tried another one of these books but I just don't think I can handle the headache of reading the author's version of the Scottish accent.

[Moondance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paislee Shaw eyed the clock above the cooker as if Father Time were her mortal enemy.

This is the first book the the Scottish Shire series. Paislee is a single mom and shop owner in Nairn Scotland. An early morning visit from the new Detective Inspector delivers her grandfather to Paislee. He has not been in Nairn since her grandmother died five years previously. Soon after, her landlord presents her with an eviction notice and a former employee is found dead. Paislee leaps into action to help her grandfather find his only living son, to discover why the shopkeepers are being evicted and to find the killer.

This is a lovely start to the series. I love all things wool/yarn and really like Paislee's shop. The debate between natural dyes and synthetic is one that I have heard quite a bit as I travel to fiber festivals. I wish that there had been a pattern or two at the end of the book. I'm not quite sweater knitting quality but I could do smaller projects.

The new Detective Inspector is intriguing and I hope to learn more about him in future books. The Head Master seems to be the other part of a potential love triangle. I am not overly fond of the Head Master and will take Team Zeffer for now.

The mystery within a mystery of Paislee's missing uncle, Craigh is interesting. I like Grandpa Angus and want to know more about what has been going on with him since he and grandma split.

Paislee is a very good sleuth without being pushy or overstepping her boundaries. She thinks before getting involved and tries to stay out of harm's way.

Overall, this is a very good start to a fun series that I look forward to following.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paislee is barely making ends meet between raising her ten-year-old son and attracting customers to her sweater shop in a small Scottish town. Her life becomes more complicated when her estranged grandfather shows up and a new friend is murdered. Staying afloat becomes even more difficult when she’s served an eviction notice. Nor does she feel the detective on the job cares about solving the murder as much as she does. Her friend deserves justice… or does she? As Paislee delves into the woman’s life, she realizes all was not as it seems. There’s also a killer among their acquaintances. Can she unravel the clues before another victim turns up? This charming cozy mystery offers interesting tidbits on yarn types and colors. Personally, I like a story that educates in a light manner while it entertains. Pick this one up for a quick beach read!

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a solid start to a new cozy mystery series by author Traci Hall. This is the first I have read by her and I found the book to be very enjoyable. Paislee Shaw is a single mother with a lot on her plate, but she is the type of protagonist that I think cozy readers will find relatable. She is down to earth and compassionate. She is surrounded by a diverse group of customers at her yarn shop. I like the relationship between her and her Grandfather Angus - even though he comes as a surprise to her. The way Paislee described the yarns in her shop and their colors almost made me want to learn to crochet again (there is no way I am coordinated enough for knitting).

The mystery was solid. The victim turns out to be someone that worked for Paislee. As she begins to ask questions, she discovers that she didn't really know this person at all - it turns out she was not the nice person Paislee thought she was. As a result, Paislee is the only one who really wants to find justice for her former employee. There were several good suspects and the author did a nice job of laying out clues that would support a number of them as the killer. I was surprised by the identity of the killer and did not see this person as a suspect at all.

As I said, this is a solid start to a new series and one that I can see myself reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Patrizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi piacciono i libri ambientati in Scozia, quindi non potevo farmi scappare questa serie. Devo dire che il libro mi è piaciuto: un buon cast di personaggi e un omicidio da risolvere che mi ha fatto spremere le meningi fino quasi alla fine. Mi sembra di capire che il mistero su dove sia sparito lo zio della protagonista si trascinerà per un po', ma al momento la cosa non mi da fastidio. Un po' più di noia me lo da la possibilità che la protagonista si trovi ben presto a dover scegliere fra due possibili candidati al suo affetto (il triangolo no!)...

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first in series is bound to be a favorite for Scottish cozy mystery lovers!!
I adored the setting and authentic Scottish dialect spoken by the characters. It was evident the author did a lot of research to get it right! Although I'm not a knitter, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Paislee's shop, her customers and even her grandpa helping out! Throw in a kid and a cute dog and you have an entertaining cozy mystery!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first entry in what, I think, will be a series.  The things that I loved most in this cozy mystery were the setting, the characters and the knitting.  The story takes place in a small Scottish town that, aside from murder, sounds like an idyllic place to live.  The protagonist, Paislee, is surrounded by family and friends.  She runs Cashmere Crush, a friendly shop, for wool and knitting.


As often happens in mysteries, there are two murders.  As an amateur, Paislee annoys the detective but...of course, finds the killer.  I was pretty sure that I knew who this was and I was right.  There is a clue that really points to the perpetrator.


This is a good book if you just want something easy and distracting.  There is Scottish dialect which tries to add authenticity but can also be distracting.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful cozy mystery and the first book in a series. Situated in a small town on the Scottish coast, the protagonist Paislee is a single mom of a young boy who juggling the pressures of home, running a business and making ends meet. She owns a wool shop that brings together a whole cast of colourful characters. Throw in a long-lost grandfather, a few murders and you have a fun quick read.

The author does a great job introducing the reader to the world of knitting and wool making. She has written the book using Scottish brogue. The use of the dialect adds more reality to the characters and transports you to the setting. A well crafted story.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murder In A Scottish Shire is the first book in the A Scottish Shire Mystery series.

Paislee Shaw is a 28-year-old mom with a ten-year-old son and an adorable Scottie pup. They have a fairly comfortable life, but that is about to change. Paislee owns the Cashmere Crush, a yarn shop, where she carries fine Scottish yarns and specialty sweaters, and provides a space for local knitters to knit and converse.

As she arrives one morning and is getting ready to open for the day, there’s a knock on the door. When she answers it is Det. Mack Zeffer and he has an elderly gentleman with him. The gentleman turns out to be her estranged grandfather who is homeless and has been sleeping in the park and Paislee is asked to take him in. Shortly, thereafter, Paislee’s landlord and delivers a notice telling her the building has been sold and she has thirty days to vacate the shop. Having had her morning disrupted, Paislee has forgotten that she was to be meeting with Isla, a former employee, about possibly working some part-time hours at the shop. When Isla doesn’t show up for her interview, Paislee tries phoning her, but the calls go directly to voicemail. Paislee decides to drop by Isla’s flat to make sure she is all right. When she arrives she finds the front door ajar and calls out and enters, where she finds Isla on the floor dead. Det. Zeffer arrives to investigate and is ready to call it suicide when he finds an empty vial of heart medicine. Paislee saw a couple of things in the flat which convinced her that Isla hadn’t committed suicide, but had been murdered. Paislee now sets out to find out who might have murdered Isla.

The book is well-written and is a very interesting story. It has a wonderful cast of believable characters. I would like to see more back story of the characters and am interested in seeing how Paislee will deal with Brody’s headmaster and Det. Zeffer. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eeeeppp --- exciting new cozy mystery alert! Well, newish, there are only two books out and a third with a release day in early 2022. I listened to the first two back-to-back because these characters, the plots and the engaging way Beverly A. Crick brings them to life were irresistible.

Love the Scottish setting and the author immerses her readers in the culture through clever dialogue and beautiful descriptions. Definitely an armchair travel kind of read.

I haven't read many cozy mysteries with a young single mum heroine so I found Paislee's perspective on life refreshing. And overwhelming! The struggles of a single mum are something I can relate to but add in all the extra chaos Paislee's faced with in the first chapter and I just wanted to swoop in and help wherever I could. Love the instant connection I felt with her. And I enjoyed the strong sense of family portrayed in this story. Paislee's clan might be on the small side but she's fiercely loyal, even when it comes to a cantankerous estranged grandpa! Great character dynamics and some truly touching family scenes.

Add to that solid background an alluring murder mystery with plenty of plot twists and enough suspects to keep things interesting and you end up with a compelling page-turner (er...rabid listen, in my case,) Plus there's the hint of romance and I'm not even annoyed that there might be a love triangle in the offing, I'm that enamoured with all things in this Scottish Shire!

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the 1st book in Traci Hall’s Scottish Shire Mystery series. It’s the story of a single mother, Paisley Shaw in Nairn, Scotland. She owns and operates Cashmere Crush, a yarn and knitting shop.
When Paisley discovers the body of her former part time employee dead she doesn’t think the coroner’s ruling of suicide is correct. The hot new detective, Mack Zeffer, is not happy with Paisley’s attempts to help his investigation.
I really like the characters, I thought they were well developed and mostly likable. Especially Paisleys circle of friends.
The murderer was not someone I expected and I liked the twist.
I will definitely continue this series.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the first in a series by author Traci Hall. Traci transports you to the little coastal town of Niren, Scotland, where we are introduced to Paislee Shaw, a single mom raising her son Brody and the owner of a yarn shop, Cashmere Crush where she knits items to sell as well as holding knitting classes. This keeps her on the go with very little time to spare. When her homeless grandfather, Angus is brought to her shop, she is caught off guard. Never having met her grandfather throws another responsibility on her plate. With an eviction notice of her beloved shop and the murder of her employee, Paislee begins juggling several things at once.

This is a delightful cozy, I admire Paislee, her persistence and determination in overcoming the obstacles put in her path. I could easily relate to Paislee, being a single mom, and running her own business, it’s not for the faint of heart! The descriptions of the charming shire of Niern, makes it a place I would love to travel to. Traci uses Scottish dialect which had me reading as if I had a Scottish accent. The murder was well set, and the secondary characters enjoyable. There several suspects that kept me guessing, and a killer I didn’t expect. I highly recommend this series.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I’m getting into this series for the cover art, the little terrier could not be cuter. A good cozy murder mystery! Loved the setting!! (Only thing I didn’t care for was how the author has written certain words how they would be pronounced with a Scottish accent, which was a little distracting for me.)

[Marguerite Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found a new author! I would love to settle in a Scottish town--research, read, walk, and write. But murder? Even in a quaint little village...it happens. I'm off to collect #2!

[Cpuryear · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hopeful when I acquired this book. Mystery, set in Scotland, reminiscent of another series I had started and liked. But I found the writing in the Scottish brogue awkward. The protagonist’s thoughts contradicted herself and she jumped to quick conclusions. I almost didn’t finish it.

[Chantelle Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Could use some editing + reworking of the storyline.

[Carolyn Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new cozy mystery series set in Scotland. The book opens with a doozy of a morning for our main character Paislee and her week goes up and down from there. As a single mom, I sympathize with her struggles of making a living while raising a child while dealing with an elderly relative, but like all good cozies, she had a strong support system of friends and the hintings of the requisite 2-men-she-must-decide-between (but we only get a hint of that in the first book). When I read a cozy series I have a few questions I think about before moving on to the next book: 1. Do I want to move to that setting? Um, yes, I'd love to move to the coast of Scotland! 2. Would I want to be friends with the characters? Definitely. 3. Where would I fit in? As a loyal customer of Cashmere Crush and attending the Thursday night get-together and a frequent buyer of the local bakery's raspberry scones. 4. Is there anyone I'd like to smack upside the head and frequently roll my eyes? Nope. At least not yet! The only downside? It's a very new series, and I can't go put the next 4 books on hold at the library because they haven't been written yet. Book 2 comes out later this spring. I'll be waiting!