“[McPherson’s] character-driven romp is sparked by the larger-than-life, quirky residents of the Last Ditch Motel, putting this laugh-out-loud whodunit on a par with the early Janet Evanovich.”—Library Journal (starred review) For Scottish-Born Marriage Counselor Lexy Campbell, the American Dream Becomes a California Nightmare Lexy Campbell fell in love and left her native Scotland for a golden … and left her native Scotland for a golden life in California—hitched to a hunk, building her marriage counseling practice, living the dream. Six months later she’s divorced, broke, and headed home. There’s just one last thing. Lexy’s only client—sweet little old Mrs. Bombarro—is in jail for murdering her husband with a fireworks rocket.
Lexy knows the cops have got it wrong; all she needs is a few days to prove it and somewhere cheap to sleep at night. But checking into the Last Ditch Motel brings an unexpected slice of life and a whole world of trouble.
Praise:
A 2019 Lefty Award Winner
“McPherson, a master of creepy psychological mysteries, shows an utterly different side of herself in this zany series kickoff.”—Kirkus Reviews
“McPherson gives the fish-out-of-water theme a hilarious and original spin with Lexy Campbell, a Scottish therapist who falls for and marries a sexy California dentist who turns out to be more horndog than hero. Throw in a sweet old lady accused of blowing up her pyrotechnic husband and a hilariously bumbling supporting cast, and you have the perfect comic caper. Lexy is my new favorite unwitting detective and her cultural observations and mistakes are laugh-out-loud funny. Scot Free is a little sexy and a lot funny, with a heart and a bang.”—Jess Lourey, Anthony and Lefty-nominated author
“The only times I stopped turning the pages were when I was laughing so hard it took both hands just to hold the book. McPherson is an ace plotter, a vivid, original stylist, and great company. A great beginning to a new series.”—Timothy Hallinan, author of the Junior Bender series
“Everyone who knows me knows that I don’t throw the word ‘hoot’ around lightly. So if I were to say that Catriona McPherson’s new novel was a hoot, believe me, I would mean it. Filled with an entertaining cast of eccentric characters, Scot Free is a funny and original mystery. Quite frankly, it’s a hoot. There, I said it.”—Johnny Shaw, author of Big Maria and Imperial Valley
“Scot Free is a proper cuppa Scottish mystery served under harsh California sunshine—and everyone’s a little crazy from the heat. Lexy and her Last Ditch friends are charming, weird, and laugh-out-loud funny. A real treat.”—Lori Rader-Day, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of Little Pretty Things
“Lexy’s snide observations about the California lifestyle can’t cover up her affection for her friends, who are as warm-hearted as they are weird. Readers will look forward to Lexy’s further adventures.”—Publishers Weekly
“McPherson, who has earned acclaim for her dark thrillers and Dandy Gilver period cozies, blends jaunty pacing, a comically rendered Southern California setting, and quirky characters in this series starter. A sure bet for fans of Janet Evanovich and Sarah Strohmeyer.”—Booklist
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What an awesome start to a new series from Catriona McPherson. It’s lively, funny, wry, and deadly. I bought an early copy at Left Coast Crime in Reno, NV — worth the trip!
Catriona McPherson has a great new series and you need to read it! Lexy is a character you’ll want to see more of as she negotiates her way through the tricky maze of American life while trying to solve a murder mystery. Who knew there was such a language barrier between the US and Scotland? Just the thing to take your mind off a pandemic!
I’ve read one of her earlier books, but I’m sooo glad to see that Catriona has finally done cut loose and let’er rip with all her natural sense of humor. (If you’ve ever heard her talk at a book conference, you’d see what I mean–she’s a hoot). So, we got a murder to solve. Clovis and Visalia. (names are of cities in the San Joaquin Valley of California. I was born in Visalia, and lived for two miserable years in Clovis…not the town’s fault, it was a miserable marriage.
Awrighty, so plot and characters are hilarious-love the gang at Last Ditch motel and especially funny is the author’s witty take on Americans. Tossers everywhere! Fun read, highly recommended!
the cover page was so accurate! “Lighter side of the dark underbelly of California life” is right on target! I loved the play on language and the differences between British words and American words. Spotted dick made me laugh!
Scot Free, a Last Ditch Mystery #1 by Catriona McPherson is a mystery character trying to be Stephanie Plum. I am swimming upstream here, but I don’t think she pulled it off. In trying to be quirky McPherson was simply ridiculous. The amusing parts were entirely the British word and phrases use throughout the story. The cover says it is “the lighter side of the dark underbelly of the California dream.” If that was the target, I’m afraid she missed it. I cannot recommend this book, which breaks my heart since I have read some others by Catriona McPherson and loved them.
The leading character and amateur detective is Lexy Campbell, a family therapist who left Scotland to marry a dentist in California. The marriage only lasted four months. She discovered (by finding them in bed together) that he had brought her home to convince his previous wife to give him another chance. That, apparently, worked. He current clients are Mr and Mrs Bombaro, a couple in their eighties, well actually Mr. Bombaro is the murder victim and Lexy is Mrs. Bombaro’s alibi. A wide assortment of people become involved in this case, all odd and together they determine the murderer.
I received a free ARC of Scot Free. All opinions and statements are my own.
Catriona McPherson’s Scot Free is a laugh-out-loud, funny romp with quirky characters with points of view that prompt readers to look at the world around them in a new light. McPherson’s Scottish wit takes dead aim at the pretentious lifestyles of the wealthy.
Catriona McPherson writes across the spectrum of mystery – so whatever your mood (historical, mystery, or funny) she’s got a book you’ll like. Scot Free is light enough for a beach read, or a rainy day read if you prefer your summers in the Scottish Highlands. It features a just divorced Scottish woman living at a motel in California, trying to sort out a mystery and her life. It’s funny, filled with quirky folks, and the oddest death I can recall reading.