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Scotch Mist
Alison Fairlie takes a holiday from her decorating job in London, and settles into the Glenlochart House, a quiet little hotel frequented by gentlemen fishermen, run by the most pleasant Neil McPherson.
Alison soon attracts the attention of young Roddy Tosh, the spoiled son of a wealthy businessman but Roddy and Alison have different expectations about their relationship. Then Alison's freeloading mother shows up at the hotel to take advantage of Alison's hospitality. Alison's irresponsible sister has had to cancel her planned cruise and also shows up at the hotel to cause more complications. The proprietor of the Glenlochart House is finally convinced that he should go into another line of work altogether, "A hotel is all very well, but I didn't bargain to find myself running a lunatic asylum."
Alison soon attracts the attention of young Roddy Tosh, the spoiled son of a wealthy businessman but Roddy and Alison have different expectations about their relationship. Then Alison's freeloading mother shows up at the hotel to take advantage of Alison's hospitality. Alison's irresponsible sister has had to cancel her planned cruise and also shows up at the hotel to cause more complications. The proprietor of the Glenlochart House is finally convinced that he should go into another line of work altogether, "A hotel is all very well, but I didn't bargain to find myself running a lunatic asylum."
- GenresScotland
252 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1936
About the author
Dorothy Lambert
25 books10 followersDorothy Lambert (born Alice Dorothea Irwin) was known for her many romance novels, often incorporating humor and occasionally farce. She left Ireland when she got married in 1906. She died in Kent, near Dover.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 2, 2026
A lot of the book events in Scotch Mist occur because of the phrase, "yon spinster body." It contributes to a lot of the choices and misunderstandings.
I loved the setting (who doesn't like going on a bookish jaunt to Scotland?) and I found the main character (Alison Fairlie) to be relatable and I wanted a satisfying ending for her. Alison's family members were perfectly obnoxious and served as an excellent contrast to Alison. Alison's mother, Lady Caroline, was especially irksome. I did get slight Lydia and Mrs. Bennet impressions from Alison's relatives.
This is very quick read and is a wonderful way to while away an afternoon. I would certainly re-read this book and I'm very glad that it is back in print!
I loved the setting (who doesn't like going on a bookish jaunt to Scotland?) and I found the main character (Alison Fairlie) to be relatable and I wanted a satisfying ending for her. Alison's family members were perfectly obnoxious and served as an excellent contrast to Alison. Alison's mother, Lady Caroline, was especially irksome. I did get slight Lydia and Mrs. Bennet impressions from Alison's relatives.
This is very quick read and is a wonderful way to while away an afternoon. I would certainly re-read this book and I'm very glad that it is back in print!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.25🌟 Family Drama to the Max!
If (for some reason) your family is driving you batty, this is the perfect book to read. You'll immediately start feeling grateful for who you have in your life—and their faults will probably be greatly reduced in your mind. On the other hand, if your family is making you feel like running away, this Dorothy Lambert title may be too close to the heart.
Either way, it's absolutely worth reading!
"A hotel is all very well, but I didn't bargain to find myself running a lunatic asylum."- Neil McPherson, Laird of Glenlochart House
Scotch Mist is a truly entertaining (though maddening) domestic novel that starts off in London and moves quickly on to a beautiful (but rundown) rural estate in Scotland. The Laird (Neil McPherson) is forced to start taking in guests in hopes that he will earn enough money to repair Glenlochart to its former glory. Meanwhile, Alison Fairlie (a responsible, hardworking artist who has never married) takes a much-needed vacation from her redecorating business and her demanding (and lazy) family and, strangely, ends up at Glenlochart.
Although Alison had dreamed of peaceful and solitary moments to paint and relax, she is soon faced with unwanted family and a whole host of new problems. One of them includes the disapproval of Neil's housekeeper, Mrs. McCaig. Even more craziness occurs when a rich businessman and his son take rooms at Glenlochart House—Andrew and Roderick Tosh are unbearable, entitled and entirely ungrateful. The circumstances reach a breaking point pretty quickly after that.
WHAT I LOVED:
💙 The atmospheric descriptions of the gorgeous Scottish landscape
💙 Wonderfully charming estate of Glenlochart
💙 Being in Alison's mind when she's trying to reason out difficult situations
💙 Alison's loyal and down-to-earth friend and business partner, Jane Barclay
💙 The ending!!!
The characters that frustrated me the most were:
❊ Handsome and Dependent Lady Caroline (Omg...how does one deal with such a selfish and greedy mother??)
❊ Beautiful and Dazzling Pamela (She's no different from Lady Caroline, only with a more dangerous temperament!)
❊ Wealthy and Entitled Andrew Tosh (Can he stop bragging about his wealth for one minute?!)
❊ Roddy Tosh (He's far too idle and conceited. He needs something to do that isn't "having fun" and spending money!)
From the first moment Alison arrives at the Scottish estate, there are non-stop scenes, melodrama and misunderstandings. You get swept into a sea of tension and comedy...but, somehow, you enjoy every minute. (Or, I did when I wasn't feeling frustrated or annoyed by the characters.) Overall, I was rooting for Neil and Alison to get together—and for Glenlochart House!
You'll just have to read this highly entertaining book to find out what happens in the end! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Endless thanks to Victoria at Dean Street Press for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! I always get so much enjoyment reading any DSP Furrowed Middlebrow book! 🥰❤️🌟
If (for some reason) your family is driving you batty, this is the perfect book to read. You'll immediately start feeling grateful for who you have in your life—and their faults will probably be greatly reduced in your mind. On the other hand, if your family is making you feel like running away, this Dorothy Lambert title may be too close to the heart.
Either way, it's absolutely worth reading!
"A hotel is all very well, but I didn't bargain to find myself running a lunatic asylum."- Neil McPherson, Laird of Glenlochart House
Scotch Mist is a truly entertaining (though maddening) domestic novel that starts off in London and moves quickly on to a beautiful (but rundown) rural estate in Scotland. The Laird (Neil McPherson) is forced to start taking in guests in hopes that he will earn enough money to repair Glenlochart to its former glory. Meanwhile, Alison Fairlie (a responsible, hardworking artist who has never married) takes a much-needed vacation from her redecorating business and her demanding (and lazy) family and, strangely, ends up at Glenlochart.
Although Alison had dreamed of peaceful and solitary moments to paint and relax, she is soon faced with unwanted family and a whole host of new problems. One of them includes the disapproval of Neil's housekeeper, Mrs. McCaig. Even more craziness occurs when a rich businessman and his son take rooms at Glenlochart House—Andrew and Roderick Tosh are unbearable, entitled and entirely ungrateful. The circumstances reach a breaking point pretty quickly after that.
WHAT I LOVED:
💙 The atmospheric descriptions of the gorgeous Scottish landscape
💙 Wonderfully charming estate of Glenlochart
💙 Being in Alison's mind when she's trying to reason out difficult situations
💙 Alison's loyal and down-to-earth friend and business partner, Jane Barclay
💙 The ending!!!
The characters that frustrated me the most were:
❊ Handsome and Dependent Lady Caroline (Omg...how does one deal with such a selfish and greedy mother??)
❊ Beautiful and Dazzling Pamela (She's no different from Lady Caroline, only with a more dangerous temperament!)
❊ Wealthy and Entitled Andrew Tosh (Can he stop bragging about his wealth for one minute?!)
❊ Roddy Tosh (He's far too idle and conceited. He needs something to do that isn't "having fun" and spending money!)
From the first moment Alison arrives at the Scottish estate, there are non-stop scenes, melodrama and misunderstandings. You get swept into a sea of tension and comedy...but, somehow, you enjoy every minute. (Or, I did when I wasn't feeling frustrated or annoyed by the characters.) Overall, I was rooting for Neil and Alison to get together—and for Glenlochart House!
You'll just have to read this highly entertaining book to find out what happens in the end! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
Endless thanks to Victoria at Dean Street Press for sending along this book (and three other new Dorothy Lambert books) for me to read and review! I always get so much enjoyment reading any DSP Furrowed Middlebrow book! 🥰❤️🌟
July 2, 2026
Alison Fairlie, an artist and interior decorator, takes a holiday in the highlands of Scotland where she meets a handsome impoverished laird who is trying to run his ancestral home as a hotel. Alison and the laird are attracted to each other, but complciations arise owing to some vulgar rich people staying at the hotel, and Alison’s very trying sister and mother who turn up to complicate things. This is quite an amusing story with some funny incidents and lyrical descriptions of the highland scenery.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews