The Orkney Scroll

Lara McClintoch Archaeological Mystery #10

by Lyn Hamilton

When one of her clients falls victim to a scam and becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation, Toronto antiques dealer and amateur sleuth Lara McClintoch follows a trail leading to Scotland's remote Orkney Islands and into the middle of a centuries-old Viking mystery. 15,000 first printing.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Archaeology, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Scotland, Historical Fiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published February 6, 2006

About the author

Lyn Elizabeth Hamilton was a Canadian author of archaeological mystery novels.

She worked in communications in the public service and private companies before publishing her first novel at the age of 50. She had been director of Cultural Programs Branch for the province of Ontario and director of public affairs for the Canadian Opera Company. Later, Hamilton taught mystery writing for the School for Continuing Studies of the University of Toronto and served as writer-in-residence for libraries in North York and Kitchener.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning in Canada and wending its way to Orkney north of the Scots mainland, where Bjarni the Wanderer, before he went mad, hid the cauldron in the tomb of the orcs. Sorry, it's catching.

As ever in this intelligent series, an antique dealer gets mixed up in crime - in this case, a dodgy Rennie Mackintosh writing cabinet sale by a competitor - and follows a trail of murders to places foreign. This is explained by buying trips for her store. Lara tells us a legend or history as she goes, here the wandering Viking saga. Lara also gets under the skin of the people, scenery and feel of the air.

Enjoy.
This is an unbiased review.

[Laura Rittenhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great little book. A Viking saga is woven throughout the novel that adds something a little different to this mystery. Lara, the hero of the book, sells antique furniture and as a result finds herself in the middle of what could be a furniture forgery business and what is definitely a murder mystery. She tromps off to Orkney to save her reputation and a wrongly convicted acquaintence and ends up finding an odd assortment of characters, a treasure map and just enough twists and turns to keep you wanting to read more, but not so many that you groan at the contrivances.

Very readable, very enjoyable, I'll look for more of Ms Hamilton's books.

[Joe White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of repetition in the first half - almost stopped reading due to waste of time in the circular inference process.

The epilogue was a little over the top soft in sentimentality.

Good Viking storyline underlies the contemporary murder mystery.

4 might be an overrating, 3 is more correct, but I did like the supposed underlying Viking saga.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bettie's Books

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
This was the first of the Lara McClintock books that I have read, having won it in the Goodreads Giveaways. I enjoyed the actual mystery story and found the characters fun. I would call it a rainy day book.
Each chapter started with a part of a 'historic' telling of a Viking saga. This extra segment is why I'm giving it three stars in instead of four. This saga was typed in Italics which I found physically hard to read. It was also boring and the hard time I had reading the font really interrupted the actual story for me. After five chapters of it, I just ignored it and only read the actual story. Once I started skipping the saga I got into the mystery story and started enjoying the book.

[Alexandra K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew that it wasn't going to be a literary masterpiece, but I gave it a shot anyway. Who am I to resist a book described as an archaeological mystery set in Orkney? (I love Orkney.)

It was fun, but I can't call it anything other than adequate. I got about 50 pages in and nothing was happening, so I skipped to the part where the main character actually arrives in Orkney and I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything important. The archaeological mystery (when it actually appeared) was mildly fun but also just adequate. It's not like I hated this - I enjoyed it towards the end - but that's mostly down to my love for treasure hunts.

[Syneva · Rating 3 out of 5]

A friend loaned this to me...it took me awhile to get into it, since the writing style isn't very refined and the plot didn't capture me at first. About the last third of the book, I suddenly got quite intrigued. Not a classic, but worth taking on a long plane trip!

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept, mystery involves an antique dealer from Toronto, Lara McClintoch and an adventure to the Orkneys to prove she has not sold fraudelent antiques.

[Shar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth novel written by this author that I have read. All of them have been Lara McClintoch mysteries. She is an antique shop owner in Toronto, my hometown. The author includes her knowledge of archaeology, antiquities, and ancient legends in all her stories. Since ancient history and archaeology have always fascinated me, I really get immersed in these books. The thousand-year-old legend was artfully woven into this novel, in my opinion. I makes me want to visit Scotland, especially the Orkney Islands.

[Karol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this entire series. The author's writing, in my opinion, improves with each novel. One problem I had with the series was the the story switches back and forth between the ancient and the current. In the latter books of the series I have been going through and reading the entire "ancient" part first, and then going through and reading the "current", which is 95% of the novel. It is nice to have the entire older story in my head as a background while I read the main story. This has increased my enjoyment of the series.

[LDuchess · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a travelogue writer, Hamilton is one of the best. I want to get the next plane to the Orkney Islands! But Lara seems a little scatter-brained in much of this one. I love the descriptions of the country, and the people she meets. I love the Norse history and story of Vikings, but she rambles. At the end, several people have died (of course) but all ends well for Lara and the characters you care about.

Read it for the history, at least!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series I pick up whenever I want a nice, easy, yet intriguing mystery. They're always enjoyable not just because of the plot, but because of the varied settings to which Lara McClintoch, antique dealer protagonist, travels. As usual, some of what happens strains credulity a bit, but it's worth putting up with that. I'm sad to be nearing the end of the series.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should have been promoted as an antique mystery instead of an archaeological mystery. It was very slow moving at first and didn't pick up until the final 1/4 quarter of the book. That last quarter is the only reason it rates 3 stars. I do believe in the right author's hands this could have been a very good book.

[Enid Schantz-Hagelberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the rare times that the plot and its resolution overrode the prose. I found myself fascinated by the Orkney Island setting and also intrigued by the furniture whose forgery was central to the mystery. Some characters had more depth than I had expected, making the denouement more satisfying than average. Not profound literature, but an interesting read.

[Eavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent train reading. I wanted to practice my German reading and was intrigued by this mystery because it concerned both Jugendstil and ancient Scandinavia. But it was a weak mystery story populated by unpleasant characters.

[Eager Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for Orkney location and history.The plot is a little contrived but holds the readers interest right up to the end of the book. Likable detective.

[Don M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the historical aspects and the author’s tour of the Orkney Islands.

[Marcella · Rating 2 out of 5]

The archaeology was fun, but I thought the narrative was jerky.

[Craftylaurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read.

[Martha Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the history but was unimpressed and disappointed with the main character.
Enjoy archeology and antiques so may try another and hopefully Lara character is more likeable.

[Peg Cullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read. Similar to two other books of hers, the body of the book is engaging but the end goes very fast.

[Nancy 6+ · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of those that drags on, then piles everything into the last few chapters. I did enjoy the Orknian history.

[Laura Kralik · Rating 2 out of 5]

It read like a travel guide going into excessive detail about each and every aspect of her drive around Orkney. As an ex pat it was a nice reminder of home but seriously too much pandering and unrealistic dialogue.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good series and I am glad that I took a few mystery authors up on their recommendation of books by their late friend Lyn. The combination of travel and history/archaeology and antiques is interesting, because even if one aspect doesn't appeal to you in the context of a specific story, the others likely will. This book involves a mystery over an Art Nouveau writing desk -- or more than one -- the axe murder of an antique dealer and the quest for the Holy Grail. Oh, and Vikings. The mystery is well done, the settings, particularly Orkney, are fascinating (I have always had some interest in Orkney and now I really want to visit), and even the Viking stuff is compelling, and I am not hugely into Vikings.

Antiquarian Lara's reputation is somewhat damaged by the apparently fake cabinet that one of her clients apparently bought from someone else which she had tentatively said might be genuine. Client discovers at big show-and-brag gala that it is a fake and takes an axe to it in front of everyone. Shortly thereafter someone takes the same axe to the head of the antique dealer who sold it. A mysterious man from Scotland/Orkney appears and disappears. Big time wealthy criminal defense lawyers squabble. Lara goes to Orkney to see if her theory about a real antique cabinet and a fake being used in a scam by the dead guy is accurate, thinking proof will redeem her reputation. Things get hairier from there. But in the end, it all makes sense -- well, I still wonder if Bev's death might have been a murder, but not a biggie -- and some very nice people end up finding a little more happiness. And I am left with a compulsion to go to Orkney.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, a mystery story and a travel book in one, especially as it reminded me of my recent vacation in Orkney. In addition to the mystery and the descriptions of Orkney, a saga attributed a fictional Viking is built into the story as well. And it all moves along at an easy-to-read pace. Strangely, it's called an "Archeological Mystery", but it's really a mystery involving antiques.


The hero of the book is Lara McClintoch, who sells antique furniture in Toronto. When a piece of furniture designed by famed Scottish Art Nouveau architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh turns up in Toronto, Lara is called on to authenticate it on behalf of one of her best clients. Unfortunately, the buyer takes Lara's lukewarm verification as gold and spends a lot of money, only to have the writing desk turn out to be a fake. He takes an axe to it; the same axe is then found in the skull of the dealer who sold the desk.


Lara, being the one who discovers the body, feels compelled to investigate. (RCMP must have the wrong man...) The investigation leads to Scotland, first to Glasgow, where the provenance of the desk proves completely false, and then to Orkney, where the fake may have been made.


Lara now spends a long time getting to know Orkney (very worthwhile - I recommend it) and some of its very welcoming people. Throw in the Viking sagas, invented and real, a treasure map (!) and we have lots of twists, leading to a nice read.


A good read. Just not archeological!

[Christal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Orkney Scroll is def. not one of Hamilton's better Lara McClintoch books. As far as the archeology and historical knowledge, I give it 5 stars. It's honestly the only thing that kept me reading. But character and dialogue wise this read more like it should have been her first book, as if she had a 2d character and not enough books to have fleshed out her main hero.

It also seemed that there was a lot of fluffy filler just to bulk out the book. Not relevant to the book at all. Hamilton spent so much time in the first couple of chapters about Blair Bazillionair, the murder of her competition, and the fake Mackintosh that you thought it was what the book was all about. Once Lara get's to Orkney it all becomes about this cauldron in an orkney tomb. How she keeps it tied together? every couple of pages she makes Lara go 'oh woe is me' and remembers whats going on at home. So every 50 sentences or so, you get 5 rehashing what went on at the start of the book but actually has no relevance whatsoever on the ending.

And the end? completely blown over. another case of 'oh crap I forgot I had opened this can of worms. uuuhhh, yeah let's do this, it's good enough.'

A disappointment to say the least.

[William Stanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only came upon this book by chance, but I'm glad that I did.

Described as an archaeological mystery, I was worried that I wouldn't like it. However, in the end I found it hard to put down.

The book was set mainly in Toronto and Orkney, both places where I have lived, the latter for 22 years, the former 4. The detail of location, especially in Orkney, made this book very enjoyable for me.

At no point did I find the plot predictable and even when the end came it wasn't what I expected. There were clues along the way, but at times they could have pointed in any direction. I had to finish the book because I really needed to know where it all ended. I have read books before just to get to the end to prove my theory was right all the time. This was not the case with this book, which made it well worth reading.

There are other books featuring Lara McLintoch, the central character of this book, and I intend seeking them out. Unfortunately the author, Lyn Hamilton, passed away in recent years, so there will be no others. I believe there are at least 10 books in this series, all set in different parts of the world. If they are as good as this one, then I think I'll have to read them all!

[Christal · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Orkney Scroll is def. not one of Hamilton's better Lara McClintoch books. As far as the archeology and historical knowledge, I give it 5 stars. It's honestly the only thing that kept me reading. But character and dialogue wise this read more like it should have been her first book, as if she had a 2d character and not enough books to have fleshed out her main hero.

It also seemed that there was a lot of fluffy filler just to bulk out the book. Not relevant to the book at all. Hamilton spent so much time in the first couple of chapters about Blair Bazillionair, the murder of her competition, and the fake Mackintosh that you thought it was what the book was all about. Once Lara get's to Orkney it all becomes about this cauldron in an orkney tomb. How she keeps it tied together? every couple of pages she makes Lara go 'oh woe is me' and remembers whats going on at home. So every 50 sentences or so, you get 5 rehashing what went on at the start of the book but actually has no relevance whatsoever on the ending.

And the end? completely blown over. another case of 'oh crap I forgot I had opened this can of worms. uuuhhh, yeah let's do this, it's good enough.'

A disappointment to say the least.

[Phlaemmle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Saga des Bjarne ist schön in den Roman verwoben, wer sich allerdings viel von dem Wikinger im Titel verspricht, wird enttäuscht werden. Weder befindet sich einer der Herren auf Zeitreise, noch lenkt ein mutiger, muskelbepackter Held das Geschehen. Der Hauptprotagonist ist weiblich, und in keinster Weise wikingerisch. Aber dies macht gerade den Reiz der Geschichte aus, sollte man sich darauf einlassen. Dann werden einem die Abgründe der heutigen Gesellschaft präsentiert, verwoben an historischen Schauplätzen...
Und so denkt diese dann im Epilog:
Es ist uns nicht möglich zu wissen, ob die Zeit, in der wir gerade leben, der Höhepunkt einer glorreichen Epoche ist oder lediglich ihr trostloses, wenn nicht gar katastrophales Ende. Politiker versuchen uns davon zu überzeugen, dass sie uns in eine glanzvolle und glückliche Zukunft führen, während Schwarzseher uns gerne vor Augen halten, dass der Verfall bereits eingesetzt habe und das Ende nahe, doch letztendlich können wir keine Gewissheit haben.

[Aprilleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The backstory on this one was a little hard to follow in places, and had nothing to do with the original piece that launched the story. Lara is asked by a long-time client, to verify the authenticity of a writing cabinet. She does so, only to realize later, after seeing it in her client's home, that she was duped. Upset, she takes a vacation and ends up chasing down the origin of the fake, much to the chagrin of her friends and business partner back home.

In the process, she meets some interesting people, makes some new friends (and new enemies), and helps out an old man with a very talented son. Oh, and she figures out not only where the fake came from, but what was really going on between her client and the antique dealer who sold the fake. It's complicated, but that's pretty typical of Lara's adventures.