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Scottish Highlands #4
Be Still My Bleating Heart
National Bestselling author Hannah Reed returns with her fourth Scottish Highland mystery, in which she is swept up in a murder following a Sir Walter Scott celebration…
Spring is here, and Eden Elliott has settled into her new life in the picturesque village of Glenkillen working on her next romance novel and volunteering as a constable in her spare time.
Love should be in the air, but Eden is still unattached. Along with that, she’s experiencing a creative meltdown, most likely caused by lack of inspiration, while a robber runs amok in the village assaulting local pensioners.
When she’s invited to a supper in honor of one of Scotland’s most celebrated literary giants and a guest is murdered, Eden puts aside her personal issues to dig into buried secrets. She’d better book someone soon if she wants to be alive to discover that love she needs to overcome her writer’s block…
Spring is here, and Eden Elliott has settled into her new life in the picturesque village of Glenkillen working on her next romance novel and volunteering as a constable in her spare time.
Love should be in the air, but Eden is still unattached. Along with that, she’s experiencing a creative meltdown, most likely caused by lack of inspiration, while a robber runs amok in the village assaulting local pensioners.
When she’s invited to a supper in honor of one of Scotland’s most celebrated literary giants and a guest is murdered, Eden puts aside her personal issues to dig into buried secrets. She’d better book someone soon if she wants to be alive to discover that love she needs to overcome her writer’s block…
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 9, 2019
86 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Reed
12 books332 followersBestselling, award-winning author Deb Baker writes the hilarious Gertie Johnson mystery series set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A native Yooper herself, Deb brings her blend of humor and sass to everything she writes, including mysteries written under her pen name Hannah Reed.
In addition to the Yooper mysteries, Deb/Hannah also penned a doll collecting series, beekeeping mysteries, and a Scottish Highland trilogy.
In addition to the Yooper mysteries, Deb/Hannah also penned a doll collecting series, beekeeping mysteries, and a Scottish Highland trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 25, 2020
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Berkley wrapped up this series back in 2016. I am so happy Hannah Read has decided to continue it on her own.
It is now Spring in Glenkillen and Eden Elliott should be working on her next romance novel. With no romance in her own life, she is having a bit of writer’s block. In her voluntary job as a constable, she is concerned about someone robbing local pensioners.
With not much happening in her life, she accepts an invitation to a supper honoring Sir Walter Scott. The dinner gets a little tense when two diners get into an argument. The party breaks up early but Eden is soon called to return. One of the dinner guests has been murdered. Now Eden has to work with Officer Sean Stevens and Detective Inspector Jamieson to catch a robber and a killer. Maybe then her creative juices will start to flow and she can get back to her real job of being an author.
_____
Even after three years, it was easy to jump right back into this series. I was excited to return to Scotland. Eden has really found her place in the picturesque village of Glenkillen. Whether it be working on a manuscript in her favorite corner at the Kilt & Thistle Pub, or traipsing around the town and countryside trying to solve a case. She has come along way since we met her in Off Kilter. Now it is time for her romantic life to take off. In this story, she took some baby steps in that direction.
The mysteries were well-plotted but I became focused on one individual very early on but wasn’t sure exactly why. Over the course of the story, twists threw me and Eden in different directions. I had a good time following her and her investigation. Sean wasn’t really too much help. Due to circumstances beyond her control, Eden found herself working closely with Inspector Jamieson. One of the robber’s victims was running her own little investigation too. A lot of humor took place in the character interactions. When we reached the two A-HA moments I found out that I was half right, although I was on the right track for the second mystery too.
While shorter than the previous books in this series, the author does a great job reintroducing the characters and setting the scene. There were a couple of places where there could have been more details or things that took place in the background and were just mentioned that could have added for more depth. I am just thrilled that Ms. Reed is writing Eden’s stories again. I hope we don’t have to wait too long for another installment.
Berkley wrapped up this series back in 2016. I am so happy Hannah Read has decided to continue it on her own.
It is now Spring in Glenkillen and Eden Elliott should be working on her next romance novel. With no romance in her own life, she is having a bit of writer’s block. In her voluntary job as a constable, she is concerned about someone robbing local pensioners.
With not much happening in her life, she accepts an invitation to a supper honoring Sir Walter Scott. The dinner gets a little tense when two diners get into an argument. The party breaks up early but Eden is soon called to return. One of the dinner guests has been murdered. Now Eden has to work with Officer Sean Stevens and Detective Inspector Jamieson to catch a robber and a killer. Maybe then her creative juices will start to flow and she can get back to her real job of being an author.
_____
Even after three years, it was easy to jump right back into this series. I was excited to return to Scotland. Eden has really found her place in the picturesque village of Glenkillen. Whether it be working on a manuscript in her favorite corner at the Kilt & Thistle Pub, or traipsing around the town and countryside trying to solve a case. She has come along way since we met her in Off Kilter. Now it is time for her romantic life to take off. In this story, she took some baby steps in that direction.
The mysteries were well-plotted but I became focused on one individual very early on but wasn’t sure exactly why. Over the course of the story, twists threw me and Eden in different directions. I had a good time following her and her investigation. Sean wasn’t really too much help. Due to circumstances beyond her control, Eden found herself working closely with Inspector Jamieson. One of the robber’s victims was running her own little investigation too. A lot of humor took place in the character interactions. When we reached the two A-HA moments I found out that I was half right, although I was on the right track for the second mystery too.
While shorter than the previous books in this series, the author does a great job reintroducing the characters and setting the scene. There were a couple of places where there could have been more details or things that took place in the background and were just mentioned that could have added for more depth. I am just thrilled that Ms. Reed is writing Eden’s stories again. I hope we don’t have to wait too long for another installment.
November 12, 2021
In this last installment you finally get answers as to who Eden's heart belongs to. This last book was the shortest of all of them but surprisingly didn't feel rushed to me,however the romance part of it was a little rushed. I'm glad though that everyone ended up with a happy ending. I was slightly disappointed in Eden's choice but that was only due to the fact that the author made you think it was someone else. When I think about it, Eden made a good choice! The mystery aspect of it wasn't complex as the other ones were, but it was still a fun ride!
October 5, 2020
Out of all the books in this series I feel like this one was a little rushed. The murder happened really early on in the story and I knew who the murderer was almost immediately. The plot was still pretty interesting and the case solving wasn't as linear as the other books. I think Eden is finally learning from her mistakes and thinking things through instead of rushing ahead. In the third book and in this one there were some weird and unnecessary references to food and counting calories that I didn't appreciate. They kind of seemed out of the blue and didn't really fit with Eden's character or the feel of the first two novels. I am still giving this four stars because the plot was decent and the ending was really satisfying, in more ways than one. I have a feeling this might be the last book in this series and that is a bit sad, but not a bad note to go out on.
July 26, 2021
This is a pretty charming series, but I confess myself slightly disappointed.
October 21, 2023
Sad to finish this series on audible. Great, fun, cozy mystery series with a fantastic narrator!
May 21, 2020
2020 bk 170. Another enjoyable mystery set in the highlands of Scotland. This was a little more loosely written than the first three - I think her editor must have changed. I did figure out who done it fairly early in the book. I love the setting, the people of the town, and oh my gosh - some of the humorous scenes stand with the best of them. Yarn, a young thief, a bedroom, and one very angry senior.
January 2, 2020
A quick, fun read taking us to the Scottish Highlands.
Someone has been robbing elderly women and the last two times the perp locked the women in the boot of their own car.
Erin has been invited by her friend, Vicki, to a dinner where
Sir Walter Scott, Scotland's second most beloved writer, is to be celebrated and discussed. A pompous know-it-all, wearing full Highland dress, argues with the local doctor and on leaving the hosts' home is killed with his own sgian-dubh. Was it the doctor who killed him or perhaps the host who may have asked the victim to leave their little group that night? Or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the robber of the elderly women when he robbed a feisty old lady that night and left her locked in the trunk of her car?
Erin, as special volunteer constable, helps the slightly cranky inspector Jameison (she discovers that his problem is low blood sugar from skipping breakfasts) find the killer.
Spoiler alert:
At the end of the book, the feisty, elderly victim of the last robbery demands to be given volunteer constable status. In her words, a "hobby bobby". Vicki's slightly inept real constable, boyfriend Sean Stevens, grants it to her and is told by Jamieson that he hired her, he will train her. :) Will this lead to an interesting partnership in future books? :)
Erin and the handsome Leith Cameron admit they have feelings for each other.
Someone has been robbing elderly women and the last two times the perp locked the women in the boot of their own car.
Erin has been invited by her friend, Vicki, to a dinner where
Sir Walter Scott, Scotland's second most beloved writer, is to be celebrated and discussed. A pompous know-it-all, wearing full Highland dress, argues with the local doctor and on leaving the hosts' home is killed with his own sgian-dubh. Was it the doctor who killed him or perhaps the host who may have asked the victim to leave their little group that night? Or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time and witnessed the robber of the elderly women when he robbed a feisty old lady that night and left her locked in the trunk of her car?
Erin, as special volunteer constable, helps the slightly cranky inspector Jameison (she discovers that his problem is low blood sugar from skipping breakfasts) find the killer.
Spoiler alert:
At the end of the book, the feisty, elderly victim of the last robbery demands to be given volunteer constable status. In her words, a "hobby bobby". Vicki's slightly inept real constable, boyfriend Sean Stevens, grants it to her and is told by Jamieson that he hired her, he will train her. :) Will this lead to an interesting partnership in future books? :)
Erin and the handsome Leith Cameron admit they have feelings for each other.
September 15, 2019
Finally!
I love this series and was so happy to see a new one had come out. I suspected who the killer was early on, but it was fun watching it play out. I was really disappointed, though, that Eden and Leith's Big Talk was not included, just a short statement about it. I would have liked at least a little romance, but there was none at all. I still can't figure out what Vicki sees in Sean, though.
I love this series and was so happy to see a new one had come out. I suspected who the killer was early on, but it was fun watching it play out. I was really disappointed, though, that Eden and Leith's Big Talk was not included, just a short statement about it. I would have liked at least a little romance, but there was none at all. I still can't figure out what Vicki sees in Sean, though.
December 2, 2019
4 stelle e mezza
Questa era una delle serie "terminate" per decisione della casa editrice che la pubblicava, con mio sommo dispiacere, così sono stata felice di vedere che l'autrice è, alla fine, riuscita a continuarla a pubblicarla altrove. L'unico mio disappunto è che questo è più un racconto lungo che un vero e proprio libro...
Questa era una delle serie "terminate" per decisione della casa editrice che la pubblicava, con mio sommo dispiacere, così sono stata felice di vedere che l'autrice è, alla fine, riuscita a continuarla a pubblicarla altrove. L'unico mio disappunto è che questo è più un racconto lungo che un vero e proprio libro...
December 22, 2022
Eden begins this story in a writer’s slump. She moved to a small town in Scotland, has made many friends, and even earned the title of Constable to help Inspector Jamison and his assistant Sean solve local crimes. So while Eden struggles to put words to the page for her latest romance book, her life doesn’t lack for excitement when there is a murder and the town doctor is the most likely culprit. Her gut struggles to accept that he is the murderer yet he isn’t giving up much of a fight for his innocence. As Eden digs into his past she learns of a deep secret he’s been keeping.
While Eden and the grouchy Inspector Jamison work on solving the murder mystery, Sean is focused on finding the recent thief who’s been holding up pensioners (elderly women) and stealing their purses and phones.
These two mysteries weave in and out throughout the book, along with the question of who is the man in Eden’s steamy dreams of a romantic encounter. There seems to be a growing distance between Eden and her handsome friend Leith. While he is absent for much of this book, are things heating up between Eden and Inspector Jamison? You’ll have to read it to find the answer to that mystery.
It took a long time for this, presumably, last book in the series to get published. So I was a bit disappointed in it being shorter than previous books in the series. Although Eden is a romance writer, her romantic life didn’t develop as much during this book as I would have liked. But it does get neatly, too neatly and quickly for my taste, get wrapped up at the end. This was why I only gave 4 stars.
While Eden and the grouchy Inspector Jamison work on solving the murder mystery, Sean is focused on finding the recent thief who’s been holding up pensioners (elderly women) and stealing their purses and phones.
These two mysteries weave in and out throughout the book, along with the question of who is the man in Eden’s steamy dreams of a romantic encounter. There seems to be a growing distance between Eden and her handsome friend Leith. While he is absent for much of this book, are things heating up between Eden and Inspector Jamison? You’ll have to read it to find the answer to that mystery.
It took a long time for this, presumably, last book in the series to get published. So I was a bit disappointed in it being shorter than previous books in the series. Although Eden is a romance writer, her romantic life didn’t develop as much during this book as I would have liked. But it does get neatly, too neatly and quickly for my taste, get wrapped up at the end. This was why I only gave 4 stars.
August 20, 2023
Now I'm happy / sad. Happy because the romance worked out the way I wanted it to. Sad because it looks like this is the last book in the series and I was hoping to find out more about Eden's family history too but that didn't happen. It looks like this was a three book deal with a publisher and then they dropped it (gah --- why????) so the author kindly provided some closure with an independently published final book. Again, a great mystery, though I figured this one out fairly early on. Not sure if that's because I've become a super sleuth or because I read all the books in this series back to back so I was in the Scottish Highland grove. :-) If you're looking for a shorter series featuring local colour, quirky characters and a nice humour/mystery balance, this is definitely one to check out.
December 29, 2020
This is a cute mystery series. In this particular installment, I knew who the murderer was right at the beginning and was just waiting for Eden and the inspector to figure it out. I like the characters so I read on. I am not keen on the way the author is leading the possible love triangle, if you can call it that. So, who knows, if I see another installment, I might pick it up but I may not seek it out as I did this book. It is disappointing because I was liking this cozy series.
June 13, 2023
A story that I couldn’t put down.
Hannah Reed does such a great job of writing. Be Still My Bleating Heart was fun, yet believable.
It is so nice to read a Cozy Mystery that the main character isn’t at odds with law enforcement. Not trying to solve a case while going behind their back.
The Scottish Highland Mystery Series is such a great interesting series. I have read it one after another because it is so good. I can’t wait to read more by Hannah Reed.
Hannah Reed does such a great job of writing. Be Still My Bleating Heart was fun, yet believable.
It is so nice to read a Cozy Mystery that the main character isn’t at odds with law enforcement. Not trying to solve a case while going behind their back.
The Scottish Highland Mystery Series is such a great interesting series. I have read it one after another because it is so good. I can’t wait to read more by Hannah Reed.
July 13, 2023
Gripped to the edge of my seat
I had the opportunity to listen to the first 3 books on audible. I have to say I absolutely love this series. This series follows Eden Elliott, an up and coming American romamce novelist, as she finds herself immersed in murders most unexpected in the small village of Glen Killin. Definitely worth a read if you're a lover of mysteries and highland living.
I had the opportunity to listen to the first 3 books on audible. I have to say I absolutely love this series. This series follows Eden Elliott, an up and coming American romamce novelist, as she finds herself immersed in murders most unexpected in the small village of Glen Killin. Definitely worth a read if you're a lover of mysteries and highland living.
February 25, 2022
Very good concluding volume to the series. The murder was a bit complicated, although I figured out the murderer early on I didn't figure out the reason until later. The side characters were great, including a new snoop who was hilarious. The mystery got solved and all the characters got an appropriate future.
June 11, 2020
Love Scottish Cozies
I really like this cozy mystery series set in a Scottish village. Because the main character is from the States, she often asks for clarification on some cultural point. Big help for those of us not blessed to be from Scotland.
I really like this cozy mystery series set in a Scottish village. Because the main character is from the States, she often asks for clarification on some cultural point. Big help for those of us not blessed to be from Scotland.
January 20, 2021
Enjoyable and Easy Read
This was a very quick read for me. A couple of days and some enjoyable time. I loved the story setting, the characters, and while I guessed the culprit, I still enjoyed the journey.
This was a very quick read for me. A couple of days and some enjoyable time. I loved the story setting, the characters, and while I guessed the culprit, I still enjoyed the journey.
September 4, 2021
I usually enjoy this series, and while I'm glad to see another entry, this didn't hold my attention. I guessed the culprit pretty early and finished to find out the "why," and enjoy the local characters.
July 21, 2025
Proper ending. Quick read. I will miss these characters - except maybe Sean. Haha. Very likable and somewhat predictable. Love all the Scottish words, descriptions, etc. Will probably read more by this author.
October 5, 2020
Cute, cosy mystery. A perfect afternoon read with a cuppa.
January 10, 2021
This was a lot of fun. I always wished there would be more books in this series and I'm glad to have been reunited with Eden and the others.
October 7, 2021
I enjoyed every book in this series, and loved the happy conclusion in this book. The love connection did seem a little haphazardly thrown together at the end, but it still made me happy.
January 3, 2022
Another fun read
March 7, 2022
I absolutely adored this installment! I hope there are more!
August 10, 2022
Such a great book and series. I ripped through it so fast I had to read it again!
August 26, 2022
Great stories, great characters. I got addicted to this series.
March 20, 2023
Another good book in the series.
November 5, 2023
Started and finished in a few short hours. Enjoyable, quick series with delightful characters and always a crime to be solved.
January 30, 2025
I’d say 3.5. Cozy murder mystery! Haven’t read the other books in the series, so it might have been weird coming in in this book but it was a quick, fun read.
June 5, 2025
The depth of characters and the twists and turns always surprises me! Can hardly wait for the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews