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Scottish Isle Mystery #1
An American in Scotland
The small idyllic town of Sea Isle, Scotland, harbors some dark secrets, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is determined to uncover all of them—no matter what the diagnosis in this charming cozy, sure to enchant fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.
Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy dreamed of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, she hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.
Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing she’ll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new responsibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally, when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia must convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur. The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she becomes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor who breaks into her house at night. But she’s never backed down before, and she doesn’t intend to start now.
Someone doesn’t want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emilia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.
Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy dreamed of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, she hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.
Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing she’ll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new responsibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally, when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia must convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur. The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she becomes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor who breaks into her house at night. But she’s never backed down before, and she doesn’t intend to start now.
Someone doesn’t want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emilia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2023
365 people are currently reading
2129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 596 reviews
December 9, 2024
This one's on me. I know I don't like cozies, but I got sucked in, because Scotland. Don't get sucked in. Wow, a white American with Scottish roots moves to Scotland! So exotic! A murder occurs. She tries to solve it. She chooses the wrong man after already choosing the wrong man. I won't get into it.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media
December 21, 2023
I enjoyed this mystery set in Sea Isle, a small village in Scotland not too far from Edenborough. Dr Emilia McRoy, an ER doctor from Seattle, answered a request for the small village to escape bad memories and get a fresh start in a place where her DNA showed possible relatives. Her life becomes quite busy and bizarre after discovering the body of an older man who made a scene in a pub yelling at her. She also happens to be the coroner. Then the body disappeared from her facilities where she lives in an old church, complete with medical facilities and brand-new equipment, thanks to Ewan, the laird, mayor, and constable. This has a great mystery with interesting and likable characters, including someone who is out to get her before she solves the crime. I loved the setting and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
February 9, 2023
An American in Scotland i the first book in A Scottish Isle Mystery. I really enjoyed this book and the characters that made up this story. Dr. Emilia (Em) McRoy is a new doctor that came to the island of Sea Isle for a change from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. She has found that some of her ancestors have lived there and would like to find out more about her family. Her grandmother, mother and husband have all passed away. She has arrived with Mr. Wilson who's family owns the Pig and Whistle pub. He drops her off at the church on the hill that is the doctor's office and dwelling. He tells her that when she gets settled she should come to the pub for something to eat. While there she meets Mara, Mr. Wilson's granddaughter who works in the pub. An old man, named Smithy comes in and is nasty to her. He does not like the McRoy family. When she heads back home a bad rain storm starts. Em runs into a small cottage for shelter. When there she comes across a dead body who is Smithy. She runs out of the cottage. Ewan Campbell comes to check on the cottage that has been closed for repairs. He asks her what she is doing there. He is the constable, mayor and laird of Sea Isle. This is where the story takes off with much happening. I will leave the story which is full of suspense to the reader to enjoy. There are other characters in this story that add to the excitement of finding out what happened to Smithy and who killed him.
I loved this story and could not stop reading until the end. I look forward to hopefully a second book in this series. I loved the dynamics between Emilia and Ewan as well as other members of the town.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
I loved this story and could not stop reading until the end. I look forward to hopefully a second book in this series. I loved the dynamics between Emilia and Ewan as well as other members of the town.
Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.
August 25, 2023
Dr. Emilia McRoy (Em) has come from Seattle to Sea Isle, Scotland for a new start, after a personal tragedy. She finds out pretty quickly that she is not only the new doctor, but also the coroner when she stumbles upon a dead body. Even though the local constable thinks it was an accident, Em is convinced that the man was murdered. When she begins investigating, there's no shortage of suspects since it seems that victim was disliked by most of the town. This was a great start to a new mystery series, with wonderful characters and a charming Scottish location. I'll definitely be reading the next one.
December 1, 2022
When the high body counts and grit of traditional mysteries and suspense gets to be too much, I love to get lost in a good cozy mystery. Reading An American in Scotland allows you to get lost the a dream scenario for a burnt out doctor from Seattle named Emilia McRoy. Dr. Roy gets hired to move to a small, Scottish town to take over a practice (and residence) in a converted church with every bell and whistle she could want. The practice comes with highly competent staff and a wealthy benefactor paying the bills. I was on board the second the good doctor recognized her devol kitchen and mentioned the Aga range.
There is a requirement that you suspend some disbelief about Emelia's office and living situation to fully enjoy the ride that Lucy Connelly takes us on. That might actually be the strategy the author used to have us breeze by a couple clues to the guilty party in the murder that takes place in this story. There is a blatancy in the writing that might have you thinking the amazing thing you just witnessed (Land Rover? Helicopter? MRI machine?) is just more of the cherries being heaped on top of the sundae.
There are two potential love interests for Emelia, but unlike many series, she is a widow who has no interest in dating. It'll be interesting to see how her feelings evolve as she gets settled in her new home.
All in all, this was a fun start to a new series and it'll be interesting to see how Emelia navigates her new, fancy life in Scotland.
Note: There was an odd jump between chapters 26 and 27 that might have been a glitch. An incident was introduced at the end of chapter 26 and chapter 27 started the next day. The incident never played out. There were also a few continuity issues that were distracting.
There is a requirement that you suspend some disbelief about Emelia's office and living situation to fully enjoy the ride that Lucy Connelly takes us on. That might actually be the strategy the author used to have us breeze by a couple clues to the guilty party in the murder that takes place in this story. There is a blatancy in the writing that might have you thinking the amazing thing you just witnessed (Land Rover? Helicopter? MRI machine?) is just more of the cherries being heaped on top of the sundae.
There are two potential love interests for Emelia, but unlike many series, she is a widow who has no interest in dating. It'll be interesting to see how her feelings evolve as she gets settled in her new home.
All in all, this was a fun start to a new series and it'll be interesting to see how Emelia navigates her new, fancy life in Scotland.
Note: There was an odd jump between chapters 26 and 27 that might have been a glitch. An incident was introduced at the end of chapter 26 and chapter 27 started the next day. The incident never played out. There were also a few continuity issues that were distracting.
March 4, 2023
2 stars
Dr. Emilia McRoy moves from being an ER doctor in Seattle to being a doctor in a remote area in beautiful Scotland,
Sadly I didn't like Emilia from the beginning. She was not very smart, she kept repeating she had training from TV shows but then she didn't display knowledge of the most basic things about Scotland. She was completely unaware of her responsibilities, she was easily scared but by the same tolken she thought herself to be smarter than everyone and she kept taking unnecessary risks, hiding things from the police, investigating things herself although she constantly saw that she was doing more damage than good and she was overseeing things or oversharing with the wrong people.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book!
Dr. Emilia McRoy moves from being an ER doctor in Seattle to being a doctor in a remote area in beautiful Scotland,
Sadly I didn't like Emilia from the beginning. She was not very smart, she kept repeating she had training from TV shows but then she didn't display knowledge of the most basic things about Scotland. She was completely unaware of her responsibilities, she was easily scared but by the same tolken she thought herself to be smarter than everyone and she kept taking unnecessary risks, hiding things from the police, investigating things herself although she constantly saw that she was doing more damage than good and she was overseeing things or oversharing with the wrong people.
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this book!
April 2, 2023
I wanted to really love this book because of the setting, etc, but overall it just kind of flat for me.
Some of the issues were with the writing which felt a little basic/ bland for the most part. Some were with bits of the storyline (the doc moving to Scotland to live in a house and practice completely rent free, never had to pay for food out at places or groceries or medicine, car, etc has pretty much everything she needs at her beck and call despite living in a tiny old fashioned little village, secret rooms built into an old church that sound state of the art and unrealistic for the place, and lastly when she was introducing people she met to each other when I feel like everyone there should already know each other since it's been said countless times that it's a small village, everyone takes care of each other, etc etc).
I also felt like the killer was easily predicted quite earlier on as was the motive etc.
But onto some good things, because it wasn't ALL bad! The characters themselves are decently likable. (I did heavily relate to the main character watching a lot of Acorn TV and Britbox though and enjoyed the references to various series 😂). I really enjoyed Abigail and Tommy. The friendship that quickly forms with all the ladies (Emilia, Abigail, Mara and Angie) was one of the best aspects. Ewan grows as a character as the book goes on, and it was nice to fully get Emilia's full back story eventually. It took me a while to really get into the book, and as I stated, it was very easily predicted; however, when the story fully got going, and I knew the characters more and grew to like most of them, I grew to like the book better as I finished it.
I know this is just a cozy mystery type of book and not meant to be some flashy or fancy thriller/ suspense so I'm also trying not to judge it too harshly with that in mind. But I've read a decent amount of Carlene O'Connor's books recently and thoroughly enjoyed those which are billed as cozy mysteries so I think I was hoping this would be comparable to those, and for me, it just wasn't. Given that this is the start of a series, I might still be inclined to eventually check out the next one if and when it's released to fully decide whether I'd stick around for any more or not.
Thank you to Net Galley, Crooked Lane Books, and Lucy Connelly for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
Some of the issues were with the writing which felt a little basic/ bland for the most part. Some were with bits of the storyline (the doc moving to Scotland to live in a house and practice completely rent free, never had to pay for food out at places or groceries or medicine, car, etc has pretty much everything she needs at her beck and call despite living in a tiny old fashioned little village, secret rooms built into an old church that sound state of the art and unrealistic for the place, and lastly when she was introducing people she met to each other when I feel like everyone there should already know each other since it's been said countless times that it's a small village, everyone takes care of each other, etc etc).
I also felt like the killer was easily predicted quite earlier on as was the motive etc.
But onto some good things, because it wasn't ALL bad! The characters themselves are decently likable. (I did heavily relate to the main character watching a lot of Acorn TV and Britbox though and enjoyed the references to various series 😂). I really enjoyed Abigail and Tommy. The friendship that quickly forms with all the ladies (Emilia, Abigail, Mara and Angie) was one of the best aspects. Ewan grows as a character as the book goes on, and it was nice to fully get Emilia's full back story eventually. It took me a while to really get into the book, and as I stated, it was very easily predicted; however, when the story fully got going, and I knew the characters more and grew to like most of them, I grew to like the book better as I finished it.
I know this is just a cozy mystery type of book and not meant to be some flashy or fancy thriller/ suspense so I'm also trying not to judge it too harshly with that in mind. But I've read a decent amount of Carlene O'Connor's books recently and thoroughly enjoyed those which are billed as cozy mysteries so I think I was hoping this would be comparable to those, and for me, it just wasn't. Given that this is the start of a series, I might still be inclined to eventually check out the next one if and when it's released to fully decide whether I'd stick around for any more or not.
Thank you to Net Galley, Crooked Lane Books, and Lucy Connelly for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
May 10, 2023
This goes on my list of the top two books that most wasted my time. I can't decide if the narration was the worst part or the simplistic and repetitive writing. The narrator made Emilia sound like a 7th grade girl instead of a well-respected and highly educated physician. Her Scottish accents were so bad that I thought the characters were choking. The story wasn't much better. OY...
April 5, 2023
A fantastic start to a new series! I love stories of Americans moving abroad for a fresh start and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed getting to know Em and her new Scottish friends as well as learning more about the town and Scotland as a whole. The mystery was well-paced and had twists and turns to keep you guessing. I figured out who the murderer was early on but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see what they get up to next.
Bonus points for the narrator; this was so well done, especially switching between accents. I could listen to “lovey dovey” in that accent all day long.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for an honest review.
Bonus points for the narrator; this was so well done, especially switching between accents. I could listen to “lovey dovey” in that accent all day long.
I received a copy from #NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for an honest review.
July 16, 2023
This book was so much fun, I really enjoyed my time reading it. My friend Tammy recommended it to me and it was definitely an "Amanda" book :) In this delightful Scottish cozy mystery, we have our American protagonist, Dr. Emilia McRoy, at the heart of the story as she is Sea Isle's new doctor in town. She moved from the busy emergency room in Seattle in hopes of settling down as a small-town doctor in a town where she learns she may have ancestorial heritage roots. She's been through some really tough things losing family members and a traumatic experience with losing her husband so she is hoping to start fresh in this new place. But as soon as she gets to Sea Isle, she stumbles across a dead body and realizes she has to be the one to help investigate as the towns new doctor. She meets the local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell, and while they butt heads for a while, they work together to solve this mystery.
What really made this cozy mystery great for me was the characters - even the side characters were amazing. The strength of it lies in the well-crafted characters and the immersive Scottish setting. My favorite side characters were Abigail and Tommy. Tommy is a character on the autism spectrum and while he can't speak, he works well and helps others, so that was amazing to see. His sister helps take care of him and becomes great friends with Em. It was also cool to see Em's setup as a doctor there and how the village was so small and quaint that they all really took care of one another. There is a little bit of a side romance starting to bloom that I really liked too :)
There were a few parts of this I didn't love reading but overall it's on the higher end of my Scottish cozy mystery reads that I plan to pick up book 2 when it comes out!
What really made this cozy mystery great for me was the characters - even the side characters were amazing. The strength of it lies in the well-crafted characters and the immersive Scottish setting. My favorite side characters were Abigail and Tommy. Tommy is a character on the autism spectrum and while he can't speak, he works well and helps others, so that was amazing to see. His sister helps take care of him and becomes great friends with Em. It was also cool to see Em's setup as a doctor there and how the village was so small and quaint that they all really took care of one another. There is a little bit of a side romance starting to bloom that I really liked too :)
There were a few parts of this I didn't love reading but overall it's on the higher end of my Scottish cozy mystery reads that I plan to pick up book 2 when it comes out!
June 20, 2023
A doctor moves to an idyllic village. Handsome Scotsmen. Three lively besties. Sounded like a fun read.
But Emilia does so many stupid things (like concealing evidence from the constable), is so blind to the obvious, and betrays so many confidences, that I was more irritated than intrigued.
Add in the myriad inconsistencies, and the book became ridiculous. Minor character's name changed back and forth on one page. Emilia became Amelia for a short while. Facts established early in the book are suddenly different later on. A bonfire is lit twice within a few paragraphs. A scarf is stolen from her purse and later she thinks the only secure place to keep another piece of evidence is her purse. In the midst of a deadly confrontation she tells us, "I might die tonight." It's morning. She picks up two cords of wood--wow--a single cord weighs 2000-3000 pounds.
But Emilia does so many stupid things (like concealing evidence from the constable), is so blind to the obvious, and betrays so many confidences, that I was more irritated than intrigued.
Add in the myriad inconsistencies, and the book became ridiculous. Minor character's name changed back and forth on one page. Emilia became Amelia for a short while. Facts established early in the book are suddenly different later on. A bonfire is lit twice within a few paragraphs. A scarf is stolen from her purse and later she thinks the only secure place to keep another piece of evidence is her purse. In the midst of a deadly confrontation she tells us, "I might die tonight." It's morning. She picks up two cords of wood--wow--a single cord weighs 2000-3000 pounds.
May 30, 2023
The first book in a brand new cozy mystery series and it was an enjoyable one. I had a lot of fun reading/listening to it with major credit going to the narrator, Kimberly M. Wetherell, who did great work with the different voiceovers and pacing. The male lead, Laird Ewan Campbell is as wealthy (or even wealthier) as Bruce Wayne and holds a handful of important job positions in the town of Sea Isle. Him being handsome and Scottish are added bonus points.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Crooked Lane Books/ Dreamscape Media and the author for both the e-Arc and audio Arc of the book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Crooked Lane Books/ Dreamscape Media and the author for both the e-Arc and audio Arc of the book.
May 18, 2023
3.5⭐️
The first in a new series in The Scottish Isle Mystery.
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.
Dr. Emilia McRoy moves to Sea Isle for a fresh start as a small-town doctor away from her busy emergency room in Seattle.
But when she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.
If u like cozy mystery you might enjoy this.
This was quite good with funny likable characters.
The first in a new series in The Scottish Isle Mystery.
Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.
Dr. Emilia McRoy moves to Sea Isle for a fresh start as a small-town doctor away from her busy emergency room in Seattle.
But when she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.
If u like cozy mystery you might enjoy this.
This was quite good with funny likable characters.
May 29, 2023
So many issues with this story that could have been improved. Em leaves her job in Seattle to become the doctor in Sea Isle, Scotland. The name of the town invokes Florida, not Scotland and no Isle in sight. In Chapter 19, Em ends up in the hospital after being ‘incubated’ before being flown to the hospital. The price of something was in dollars, not pounds. Initially, Em can’t keep saying how she learned all her sleuthing skills from British television.
The characters are interesting so perhaps this will develop into a good series. If only it had better editing and continuity.
The characters are interesting so perhaps this will develop into a good series. If only it had better editing and continuity.
April 5, 2023
GREAT. GOOGLY. MOOGLY.
IF you follow my reviews [all 3? 4? of you], or you are my Mom or my bestie, you know that I have not had the best experience with new cozy series as of late. There have been so many awful [for me] reads as of late that I will admit that when I remembered that I had this book to read, I almost cried, and then I almost bailed without even trying it [when you have been burned by so many new series' as I have, you'd feel the same; I mean, IYKYK absolutely applies here]. NEVER have I been so glad that I chose to give it a chance.
Y'all, THIS WAS FREAKING AMAZING. I don't think I was even 5% in and I was going to my group messages and telling my bookish friends that they NEEDED to be reading this, and then talked about it almost continually to my Mom [who is no longer reading] the whole time I was reading it [I couldn't talk about it to the bookish friends because I TOTALLY want them to read and experience this]. Even when I knew who the killer was [at 60%; I knew the why about 70%], it absolutely DID NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE BOOK. And that reveal....HOLY FREAKING COW. I don't think my heart has beat that fast in ages. ;-)
Emilia is a really great MC that just grows as the book goes on [again, IYKYK]; I love that she is older, an established Doctor, and has lived life, not always for the best and is so open to living a new life in Scotland [and as you read about this town, WHO WOULDN'T? I want a Pig & Whistle and a Chippy and I WANT. IT. NOW. ;-) ] I am not really going to go into the story, because truly, this is one of the books that you need to go unto blind. Everything needs to unfold as it unfolds and you need to experience it with absolutely no preconceived notions. You will thank me later for this. Trust me.
[As a side note, I can only hope there are MANY more books to come - M A N Y. I am officially in love with Sea Isle and all its inhabitants]
Now, go find this and read it. Yes, right now. Go on. I'll be waiting here when you are done and need to talk about it. And you're welcome.
**I was thankful to receive the audiobook ARC of this and boy-howdy this was a really great audiobook. I think much of my enjoyment of the book came from the amazing way the narrator read this book [rarely have I loved someone who does accents/voices as much as this narrator - she is 100% spot on and never did I feel her voices were forced or unbelievable]. SO. WELL. DONE. I will be looking for more books read by her in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Connelly, Kimberly M. Wetherell - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for providing both the book ARC and the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
IF you follow my reviews [all 3? 4? of you], or you are my Mom or my bestie, you know that I have not had the best experience with new cozy series as of late. There have been so many awful [for me] reads as of late that I will admit that when I remembered that I had this book to read, I almost cried, and then I almost bailed without even trying it [when you have been burned by so many new series' as I have, you'd feel the same; I mean, IYKYK absolutely applies here]. NEVER have I been so glad that I chose to give it a chance.
Y'all, THIS WAS FREAKING AMAZING. I don't think I was even 5% in and I was going to my group messages and telling my bookish friends that they NEEDED to be reading this, and then talked about it almost continually to my Mom [who is no longer reading] the whole time I was reading it [I couldn't talk about it to the bookish friends because I TOTALLY want them to read and experience this]. Even when I knew who the killer was [at 60%; I knew the why about 70%], it absolutely DID NOT TAKE AWAY FROM THE BOOK. And that reveal....HOLY FREAKING COW. I don't think my heart has beat that fast in ages. ;-)
Emilia is a really great MC that just grows as the book goes on [again, IYKYK]; I love that she is older, an established Doctor, and has lived life, not always for the best and is so open to living a new life in Scotland [and as you read about this town, WHO WOULDN'T? I want a Pig & Whistle and a Chippy and I WANT. IT. NOW. ;-) ] I am not really going to go into the story, because truly, this is one of the books that you need to go unto blind. Everything needs to unfold as it unfolds and you need to experience it with absolutely no preconceived notions. You will thank me later for this. Trust me.
[As a side note, I can only hope there are MANY more books to come - M A N Y. I am officially in love with Sea Isle and all its inhabitants]
Now, go find this and read it. Yes, right now. Go on. I'll be waiting here when you are done and need to talk about it. And you're welcome.
**I was thankful to receive the audiobook ARC of this and boy-howdy this was a really great audiobook. I think much of my enjoyment of the book came from the amazing way the narrator read this book [rarely have I loved someone who does accents/voices as much as this narrator - she is 100% spot on and never did I feel her voices were forced or unbelievable]. SO. WELL. DONE. I will be looking for more books read by her in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Connelly, Kimberly M. Wetherell - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media for providing both the book ARC and the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2023
This is a nice cozy mystery, but with a lot of characters.
Dr. Emilia moves to Sea Isle in Scotland to be a small town doctor. She is looking for a fresh start, but ends up finding a body.
I liked that the Doc turns into an amateur sleuth,, which can't be any worse that Laird Ewan being on the case. Wow is it a really small town with some secrets.
I liked the overall plot and concepts, but there are so many people in town to keep track of. At least that allows for many potential suspects, whichbI was thrown off for sure. The middle seemed a bit slow, but the last several chapters redeemed the slow part by picking up the pace.
Overall a good classic style, curl up in a blanket type mystery.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
Dr. Emilia moves to Sea Isle in Scotland to be a small town doctor. She is looking for a fresh start, but ends up finding a body.
I liked that the Doc turns into an amateur sleuth,, which can't be any worse that Laird Ewan being on the case. Wow is it a really small town with some secrets.
I liked the overall plot and concepts, but there are so many people in town to keep track of. At least that allows for many potential suspects, whichbI was thrown off for sure. The middle seemed a bit slow, but the last several chapters redeemed the slow part by picking up the pace.
Overall a good classic style, curl up in a blanket type mystery.
Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
March 14, 2023
When Amelia McRoy move to Scotland she was excited for her new life but while on a treck to get to know the area the rain started coming down in droves. She was lucky enough to find what she thought was a cabin in the woods but her luck soon ran out when she also found the dead body of smithie. When leaving the shelter she ran in to Ewing the head constable in Scottish layered and gorgeous all get out! Unfortunately Amelia and Ewing get off on the wrong foot and although they will come to have to work closely together and will definitely respect each other it seems he always tends to get under her skin. Because she quickly learns that snithy was murdered and soon she start getting threatening letters of her own. The longer she’s there however the more she likes the area her new friends and especially her new home but will Amelia live long enough to enjoy it all or will the murderer make good on his threats? I don’t think I have ever read a book that made me want to pack my bags and go to that location but I want to visit the pig and whistle I want to be friends with Sandy get a look at hot dirty to Ewing and get a check up from Dr. Amelia. I love this book and cannot wait for the second one this is a book I honestly didn’t want to put down it is a cozy mystery that is interesting and the authors talents keep you wanting to turn the pages or in my case continue listening as I listen to the audiobook and found the narrator to be so good I love her so much! This is a definite five star read/listen and one I highly recommend. I received this book from NetGalley in dreamscape media but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
April 24, 2023
I read this book on the suggestion of many of my book groups friends who insisted I would love it, yes indeed they were correct. Dr Emilia McRoy comes to Scotland looking to start over. Burnt out from long hours running an emergency room in a large Seattle hospital and running from personal tragedy she wants the peace of a small town setting like Sea Isle, Scotland. At first this looks like exactly what she'd expected until she runs into a dead body and finds out she is also the coroner. Now invested in finding out who murdered the man, Em meets her neighbors, makes new friends and deals with her new patients while trying to figure out which one of them is a killer. Excellent start to a series, great atmosphere and characters, I definitely want more!
April 7, 2023
4.5 stars
Pro:
* Quaint, idyllic setting
* Great cast of characters
* Audio narrator does character designations and accents well.
* The MC has a good angle to investigate, making the book a unique combo of amateur sleuth and police procedural.
* Excellent start to a new series
Con:
* Blackmail is overdone in cozies.
* The main character’s backstory is a bit overmuch.
* Audio narrator (Wetherell) becomes nasal and whispery when not doing character dialogue.
Thank you to Lucy Connelly, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Pro:
* Quaint, idyllic setting
* Great cast of characters
* Audio narrator does character designations and accents well.
* The MC has a good angle to investigate, making the book a unique combo of amateur sleuth and police procedural.
* Excellent start to a new series
Con:
* Blackmail is overdone in cozies.
* The main character’s backstory is a bit overmuch.
* Audio narrator (Wetherell) becomes nasal and whispery when not doing character dialogue.
Thank you to Lucy Connelly, Kimberly M. Wetherell, Crooked Lane Books, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2023
New favorite audio series! Seriously the plotting of this mystery is fantastic. It draws you in and keeps you guessing. Add in wonderfully well-developed characters that make you want to be friends with them and you are set for hours of enjoyment. The narrator does an outstanding job of bringing the emotions, suspense and characters to life while helping you fall in love with this small Scottish town! Added bonus, set in Scotland so a wonderful backdrop for a well-crafted story! I absolutely can't wait for the next book in the series and in the meantime I am off to see if this author has written anything else as I can't believe that I am just now finding such a wonderfully talented writer!
February 28, 2024
Lovely
I really enjoyed this story. It was very descriptive in almost every scene, especially the Scottish countyside.
A nice clean book that works.
I really enjoyed this story. It was very descriptive in almost every scene, especially the Scottish countyside.
A nice clean book that works.
March 29, 2023
“ An American in Scotland” by Lucy Connelly the 1st instalment in the " A Scottish Isle Mystery" series. I loved this book and totally added it to my favourite series list! The small idyllic town of Sea Isle, Scotland, harbors some dark secrets, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is determined to uncover all of them—no matter what the diagnosis
I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland, and seeing how Em started her journey on the island. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em and Mara right from the start you knew they would be best friends and have each others back. I also loved the characters of Abigail and Tommy. It's great how the people of Sea Isle take care of their own and opened their arms to adopt Doctor Em into their town family.
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Em did.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!
I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland, and seeing how Em started her journey on the island. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em and Mara right from the start you knew they would be best friends and have each others back. I also loved the characters of Abigail and Tommy. It's great how the people of Sea Isle take care of their own and opened their arms to adopt Doctor Em into their town family.
It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Em did.
I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out!
July 28, 2023
Triggers: sexual situations, infidelity, language, murder
Dr. Emilia McRoy moved to Sea Isle to become the small towns doctor after years as a stressed-out emergency room doctor in Seattle.
After the murder of a local man, Dr. Em finds she is not only the town doctor but also the coroner. The body goes missing before the autopsy, so Dr. Em and the handsome constable, Ewan Campbell, work to solve the murder.
I would not describe this as a cozy murder because it was fast-paced and had a thriller/suspense vibe. I loved how the characters worked together. The relationship between Emilia and her new friends and Ewan is dreamy.
This is not for younger cozy readers. It is, however, a great mystery! 5/5 stars. I'm looking forward to book two in the series.
Dr. Emilia McRoy moved to Sea Isle to become the small towns doctor after years as a stressed-out emergency room doctor in Seattle.
After the murder of a local man, Dr. Em finds she is not only the town doctor but also the coroner. The body goes missing before the autopsy, so Dr. Em and the handsome constable, Ewan Campbell, work to solve the murder.
I would not describe this as a cozy murder because it was fast-paced and had a thriller/suspense vibe. I loved how the characters worked together. The relationship between Emilia and her new friends and Ewan is dreamy.
This is not for younger cozy readers. It is, however, a great mystery! 5/5 stars. I'm looking forward to book two in the series.
December 3, 2025
Bonus November read on hoopla. So-so. I will read the next if l can get through library again.
May 29, 2024
I have a lot of thoughts on this book, more than I would usually have on a book of this type.
First what I liked. The setting, I have visited the Edinburgh area and I love it. It's beautiful and rugged so I was really excited to read this book set not too far away. I also really love that the main characters home and medical practice are in an old stone church. I think I would love a house like that. I also really liked most of the secondary characters, especially the three women the main character became friends with. They were fun and quirky and provided a lot of fun. I also in general enjoyed the mystery aspects. There were plenty of clues, and though I had a decent guess as to the murderer, I wasn't fully convinced until the end. It was the murder that kept me reading to the end or I probably would have DNF'd the book half way through.
Now onto the issues. Generally I allow myself a good amount of suspension of disbelief in a cozy mystery because obviously booksellers, society ladies, and doctors aren't generally going around solving mysteries, especially murders. This book however had some major issues that went over and beyond my ability to tolerate the license the author took.
My first issue is with some of the editing. The book has inconsistencies in names (the main character is named Emelia and several times the book calls her Amelia), as well as common words that are used incorrectly (ie incubated instead of intubated). Also there seems to be something missing between chapter 26 and 27. Chapter 26 ends on a cliffhanger which is not resolved in chapter 27 or anywhere else in the book.
My second issue is with the main character herself. I found her to be quite immature. She has been a doctor for many years, and yet doesn't seem smart enough to have read her contract. She doesn't know what is included in the salary (ie cars, and food) and she doesn't know that she will also function as the coroner. This is a pretty big thing to miss. She says her lawyer took care of that all for her, but who moves halfway around the world to take a new job without looking at the contract. I also found the way she worked to solve the crime (not usually the work of the coroner) was haphazard and lacked any real knowledge despite how often she referenced learning how by watching shows on britbox and acorn (there were times I wondered if this was an add for britbox with how often it was referenced). She also often failed to pass on the information to the constable (who should have really been investigating) mostly because of her feelings of irritation towards him over what was essentially just doing his job. Although he could have stopped entering her house without her being aware, that really is not acceptable no matter the situation.
The final issue I have is with the medical stuff. I found there was inconsistent medical research used. The doctor was able to use osmotherapy to reduce brain swelling, but then performed an MRI by herself wearing lead to protect from the radiation. A simple google search would have told the author that MRI machines do not use radiation but a magnetic field and lead would not be necessary (maybe she meant it to be a CT scanner?). Also the fact that this small village clinic inside an old stone church would have room for an MRI, MRI machines are huge, when they are installed into hospitals walls have to be removed and rooms basically built around them, there is no way one would be able to be installed into this clinic. Additionally from the description, the MRI, Ultrasound and X-ray machines are all in the same room. MRIs are large magnets that attract any metal in their vicinity and special care has to be taken to avoid damage to the machine or the patient. Doctors do not operate this equipment by themselves, and do not generally read the images either. Operation is done by a technologist (the idea that Abigail the assistant would have all the training to operate an MRI, US, and X-ray as well as some lab work is crazy as it doesn't seem she has had any formal training and each of those programs are usually 2-4 years each), and reading is done by a radiologist. This is the part of the book that I had most issue with. As a Medical Imaging Technologist myself, I am used to seeing doctors on TV do all the imaging, but the way it was described in this book, along with all the safety rules that are being broken I can't let this one stand. MRI machines are upwards of a million dollars, even if the Laird is a billionaire as the book says, this is an exorbitant amount to spend to install a machine for a population that small, when it sounds like Edinburgh is an hour or so away. I have not met a doctor yet in over a decade of doing my job who would be able to take their own x-rays, let alone operate an MRI.
I have another book from this series to read for a review, and I'm really hoping that it will be better than this one.
First what I liked. The setting, I have visited the Edinburgh area and I love it. It's beautiful and rugged so I was really excited to read this book set not too far away. I also really love that the main characters home and medical practice are in an old stone church. I think I would love a house like that. I also really liked most of the secondary characters, especially the three women the main character became friends with. They were fun and quirky and provided a lot of fun. I also in general enjoyed the mystery aspects. There were plenty of clues, and though I had a decent guess as to the murderer, I wasn't fully convinced until the end. It was the murder that kept me reading to the end or I probably would have DNF'd the book half way through.
Now onto the issues. Generally I allow myself a good amount of suspension of disbelief in a cozy mystery because obviously booksellers, society ladies, and doctors aren't generally going around solving mysteries, especially murders. This book however had some major issues that went over and beyond my ability to tolerate the license the author took.
My first issue is with some of the editing. The book has inconsistencies in names (the main character is named Emelia and several times the book calls her Amelia), as well as common words that are used incorrectly (ie incubated instead of intubated). Also there seems to be something missing between chapter 26 and 27. Chapter 26 ends on a cliffhanger which is not resolved in chapter 27 or anywhere else in the book.
My second issue is with the main character herself. I found her to be quite immature. She has been a doctor for many years, and yet doesn't seem smart enough to have read her contract. She doesn't know what is included in the salary (ie cars, and food) and she doesn't know that she will also function as the coroner. This is a pretty big thing to miss. She says her lawyer took care of that all for her, but who moves halfway around the world to take a new job without looking at the contract. I also found the way she worked to solve the crime (not usually the work of the coroner) was haphazard and lacked any real knowledge despite how often she referenced learning how by watching shows on britbox and acorn (there were times I wondered if this was an add for britbox with how often it was referenced). She also often failed to pass on the information to the constable (who should have really been investigating) mostly because of her feelings of irritation towards him over what was essentially just doing his job. Although he could have stopped entering her house without her being aware, that really is not acceptable no matter the situation.
The final issue I have is with the medical stuff. I found there was inconsistent medical research used. The doctor was able to use osmotherapy to reduce brain swelling, but then performed an MRI by herself wearing lead to protect from the radiation. A simple google search would have told the author that MRI machines do not use radiation but a magnetic field and lead would not be necessary (maybe she meant it to be a CT scanner?). Also the fact that this small village clinic inside an old stone church would have room for an MRI, MRI machines are huge, when they are installed into hospitals walls have to be removed and rooms basically built around them, there is no way one would be able to be installed into this clinic. Additionally from the description, the MRI, Ultrasound and X-ray machines are all in the same room. MRIs are large magnets that attract any metal in their vicinity and special care has to be taken to avoid damage to the machine or the patient. Doctors do not operate this equipment by themselves, and do not generally read the images either. Operation is done by a technologist (the idea that Abigail the assistant would have all the training to operate an MRI, US, and X-ray as well as some lab work is crazy as it doesn't seem she has had any formal training and each of those programs are usually 2-4 years each), and reading is done by a radiologist. This is the part of the book that I had most issue with. As a Medical Imaging Technologist myself, I am used to seeing doctors on TV do all the imaging, but the way it was described in this book, along with all the safety rules that are being broken I can't let this one stand. MRI machines are upwards of a million dollars, even if the Laird is a billionaire as the book says, this is an exorbitant amount to spend to install a machine for a population that small, when it sounds like Edinburgh is an hour or so away. I have not met a doctor yet in over a decade of doing my job who would be able to take their own x-rays, let alone operate an MRI.
I have another book from this series to read for a review, and I'm really hoping that it will be better than this one.
September 1, 2023
A fun cozy mystery with an American Doctor who moves to a small Scottish town to be the town Dr. She’s put up in a church and immediately is presented with a murdered body. Which then promptly goes missing.
That’s just the beginning.
Grab your favorite warm drink and blanket to cuddle up for this fun cozy!
That’s just the beginning.
Grab your favorite warm drink and blanket to cuddle up for this fun cozy!
April 4, 2023
Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: A Scottish Isle Mystery #1
Publication Date: 4/4/23
Period: Contemporary – Sea Isle, Scotland
Number of Pages: 304
Burned-out American emergency room doctor, Emilia (Em) McRoy, has accepted the position of village doctor in a beautiful, quiet, peaceful seaside village in Scotland. When she arrives, it is everything she dreamed it would be – breathtakingly beautiful, quaint, and filled with warm, welcoming Scots. She’s so excited to begin to explore her new home – until she finds a dead body only a short while after she arrives. No, not just any dead body – the body of someone who was murdered – although she and the handsome constable disagree on that.
Apparently, she didn’t read her contract very carefully because she finds out she is also the coroner for the area. The constable, Ewan Campbell wants her to just sign the death certificate as accidental death and be done with it. The man was a known drunk and Ewan is convinced he just fell and cracked his head open during a drunken walk. Emilia refuses to sign the certificate and, as coroner, begins her own investigation. That investigation apparently doesn’t sit well with the murderer, because he starts coming after Emilia. Can Ewan and her new friends protect her from the psychopath? Has this person killed before? The victim, Smithy, was a surly old cuss that nobody liked, but who truly disliked him enough to murder him?
I’m always looking for new-to-me mystery writers – particularly those who write books set in some of my favorite places – like England, Scotland, and Ireland. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters, but there is a lot about this book that will require you to totally suspend your belief/disbelief. Basically, the whole of the town and its inhabitants require that. There is Ewan who is the constable, mayor, laird, and practically the richest man in Scotland. Well, frankly, from the descriptions of the things he provides for the town, the doctor, the medical facility, and the inhabitants, he has to be the richest man in the world. Then, there is that medical facility – housed in an old church – and with more modern, up-to-date equipment than most modern urban hospitals. Oh – and BTW – what is with dukes and marquesses and aristocrats being royalty? Yes, the reference is made more than once. A duke nor a marquess is royalty – unless they are a Royal Duke such as William or Harry.
All-in-all, this was a nice beginning for a new series and I will definitely read the next book. However, I will be wearing my rose-colored glasses and will have all beliefs and disbeliefs suspended before I start reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Series: A Scottish Isle Mystery #1
Publication Date: 4/4/23
Period: Contemporary – Sea Isle, Scotland
Number of Pages: 304
Burned-out American emergency room doctor, Emilia (Em) McRoy, has accepted the position of village doctor in a beautiful, quiet, peaceful seaside village in Scotland. When she arrives, it is everything she dreamed it would be – breathtakingly beautiful, quaint, and filled with warm, welcoming Scots. She’s so excited to begin to explore her new home – until she finds a dead body only a short while after she arrives. No, not just any dead body – the body of someone who was murdered – although she and the handsome constable disagree on that.
Apparently, she didn’t read her contract very carefully because she finds out she is also the coroner for the area. The constable, Ewan Campbell wants her to just sign the death certificate as accidental death and be done with it. The man was a known drunk and Ewan is convinced he just fell and cracked his head open during a drunken walk. Emilia refuses to sign the certificate and, as coroner, begins her own investigation. That investigation apparently doesn’t sit well with the murderer, because he starts coming after Emilia. Can Ewan and her new friends protect her from the psychopath? Has this person killed before? The victim, Smithy, was a surly old cuss that nobody liked, but who truly disliked him enough to murder him?
I’m always looking for new-to-me mystery writers – particularly those who write books set in some of my favorite places – like England, Scotland, and Ireland. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters, but there is a lot about this book that will require you to totally suspend your belief/disbelief. Basically, the whole of the town and its inhabitants require that. There is Ewan who is the constable, mayor, laird, and practically the richest man in Scotland. Well, frankly, from the descriptions of the things he provides for the town, the doctor, the medical facility, and the inhabitants, he has to be the richest man in the world. Then, there is that medical facility – housed in an old church – and with more modern, up-to-date equipment than most modern urban hospitals. Oh – and BTW – what is with dukes and marquesses and aristocrats being royalty? Yes, the reference is made more than once. A duke nor a marquess is royalty – unless they are a Royal Duke such as William or Harry.
All-in-all, this was a nice beginning for a new series and I will definitely read the next book. However, I will be wearing my rose-colored glasses and will have all beliefs and disbeliefs suspended before I start reading.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 30, 2023
I discovered this cozy mystery from fellow GR member, and award-winning author, Linda Castillo, who I follow as well as a die-hard fan of her Kate Burkholder series. I am also obsessed with crime thrillers and murder mysteries, especially ones with a strong, female MC and centered around small-town crime, especially of the unusual and quirky type.
One of the first things that I loved about this book was the humor and comedy. So much so that the first night after starting the book, I was banished to the living room because hubby complained that my laughing was keeping him awake. Quite often, the interactions between Em and the townspeople were hilarious, especially when Mara was around. The whole disappearance of the body was like a comedy skit. For Em, her introduction to the intricacies and workings of her home/office was like being transported to an alternate reality (her words, not mine). I immediately liked Em; she’s sassy, spunky, and brave with a great sense of humor😊
The book summary pretty much lays out the first half of the book with the primary storyline being the discovery of a dead body and its disappearance, and the subsequent investigations of the two. The other secondary storylines are Em’s assimilation into the community, the weird and creepy things that keep happening to Em since the body went missing, and the negative attitudes and tension between Em and the constable/laird, Ewan.
In the second half, while the constable and his department investigate the two incidents, their investigations are actually secondary to Em’s own investigation. With the help of her new BFF’s, Mara and Angie, the ladies actually collect more clues and evidence than the constable and his department, adding to Ewan’s growing frustration. This also angers the killer. The end is very scary and intense for Em with a very satisfying conclusion to the case. The last chapter was a bit of a tear-jerker😊 I look forward to future installments.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @CrookedLaneBooks @AnAmericaninScotland
One of the first things that I loved about this book was the humor and comedy. So much so that the first night after starting the book, I was banished to the living room because hubby complained that my laughing was keeping him awake. Quite often, the interactions between Em and the townspeople were hilarious, especially when Mara was around. The whole disappearance of the body was like a comedy skit. For Em, her introduction to the intricacies and workings of her home/office was like being transported to an alternate reality (her words, not mine). I immediately liked Em; she’s sassy, spunky, and brave with a great sense of humor😊
The book summary pretty much lays out the first half of the book with the primary storyline being the discovery of a dead body and its disappearance, and the subsequent investigations of the two. The other secondary storylines are Em’s assimilation into the community, the weird and creepy things that keep happening to Em since the body went missing, and the negative attitudes and tension between Em and the constable/laird, Ewan.
In the second half, while the constable and his department investigate the two incidents, their investigations are actually secondary to Em’s own investigation. With the help of her new BFF’s, Mara and Angie, the ladies actually collect more clues and evidence than the constable and his department, adding to Ewan’s growing frustration. This also angers the killer. The end is very scary and intense for Em with a very satisfying conclusion to the case. The last chapter was a bit of a tear-jerker😊 I look forward to future installments.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
@NetGalley @CrookedLaneBooks @AnAmericaninScotland
October 13, 2024
Love discovering new authors and Lucy Connelly is a winner. First in series set in the small town of Sea Isle, Scotland. Dr. Em McRoy is a burnt out ER doctor from the States, she is hoping to find an easier life and maybe discover her roots. Unfortunately that isn’t what happens! Seeking shelter from a sudden storm she enters the closest cottage. No one answers and as she enters she can smell blood and an attack dog is guarding the body. And the deceased is a man she had a run in with at the pub.
Love the development of the characters and the banter between the Dr, and the Laird of all trades is great. The narrator was fantastic! Looking forward to reading the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #AnAmericaninScotland
Love the development of the characters and the banter between the Dr, and the Laird of all trades is great. The narrator was fantastic! Looking forward to reading the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #AnAmericaninScotland
June 1, 2023
There isn’t anything about Lucy Connelly's, An American in Scotland that I didn’t absolutely love. The author has set this novel in an idyllic Scottish place and the characters are enjoyable; the way they interacted with each other came across as extremely genuine. I immediately warmed to the main character, Dr Emilia McRoy. She is smart, determined, capable and has a grand sense of humour.
The author describes food in a delicious manner and the novel was a great combination of mystery, medicine, Scottish life and a soupcon of romance. I certainly hope there will be more of these novels from this author. So good and extremely highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
The author describes food in a delicious manner and the novel was a great combination of mystery, medicine, Scottish life and a soupcon of romance. I certainly hope there will be more of these novels from this author. So good and extremely highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
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