The latest entry in the charming Highland Bookshop mystery series finds the women of Yon Bonnie Books embroiled in the death of a local doctor, which sets off a chain of other curious—and deadly—events.Out for a bicycle ride in the hills beyond Inversgail, Janet Marsh discovers the body of Dr. Malcolm Murray. The elderly Murray and his own bicycle went off the road and down a steep slope—he’s … road and down a steep slope—he’s sprawled in the burn at the bottom, his damaged bike in a patch of thistles on the bank. Janet calls the Police Scotland emergency number. Tire tracks at the side of the narrow road suggest a vehicle might have been involved. But if it was an accident, the driver hasn’t come forward. And if it wasn’t an accident. . . . But who would want the well-loved, retired doctor dead?
A few days after the death, a box of vintage first editions is left on the doorstep of Yon Bonnie Books with a note: “Please look after these books. Thank you.” Janet and her crew at the shop are at first delighted, and then mystified—what exactly does “look after” mean? Are they free to sell them? And what are the odd notes penciled in the margins? With a little digging, the women decide the books might belong to Malcolm Murray or his reclusive brother, Gerald. When Janet and Christine call at Malcolm’s house, they find his confused, angry sister and evidence of a burglary. When they go to Gerald’s modest croft house, they find the door ajar and Gerald dead inside, stabbed with a regimental dagger.
While the police try to determine if the Murray brothers’ deaths are connected and who’s responsible, Janet and the bookshop owners try to find out how and why the box of books ended up on their doorstep. The police are interested in those questions, too, and they’re more than a little suspicious. Are the Yon Bonnie women as good with burglar tools as they are with books—and at finding bodies?more
I’m so glad I stuck with this series. It has gotten better with each book as the characters have grown. The pace continues to be the perfect slower pace found in a cozy. The perfect reading getaway.
Janet and her daughter, Tallie, along with Janet’s long time friend, Christine and her daughter, Summer, run a combination book store and tea room. Janet and Tallie are American transplants and Christine and her daughter have returned to their roots in Scotland. Together they make quite a team. They don’t just sell scones, tea and books. They have a knack for ‘bumbling’ over bodies and then figuring out who dunnit. They have a very good relationship with two policemen, both named Norman and share every bit of information and gossip with them. Respect goes both ways between them. The ladies have named themselves the S.C.O.N.E.S ( the Shadow Constabulary of Nosey Eavesdropping Snoops) and Janet has brought them a new case.
All Janet wanted was to try out her new bike with a plan to get into shape to ride in next years Half Hundred Haggis ride. While enjoying the local scenery she discovers the body of a local doctor, tossed like a rag doll on the rocks below a stone bridge. Was it a tragic accident, he was almost 70 and he may have had health issues that led to him going off the road to his death. That would have been the end of things but soon Janet and Christine encounter the dead mans’ sister who happens to be an old classmate of Christine’s. With that connection, they offer condolences and are surprised at her reaction. It’s not long before two more deaths occur and they are most certainly not accidents. When they realize that they are getting conflicting descriptions of each of the victims, the puzzle gets more complicated.
Christine sums it up well. “We are amateurs and we know it. We bumble and muddle and we are certainly led astray by red herrings…….”And passively trying to uncover answers, rather than actively trying, is both pleasingly subtle and well within our amateur skill set”.
If you need a nicely paced well crafted puzzle in a lovely setting, complete with pots of tea, scones, good friends and a couple of sweet cats named Smirr and Butter to warm your lap, give this one a try. It works fine as a stand alone.
This has just been an OK cozy mystery series for me. Janet discovers a body while out bicycling one morning. No one is sure if it was an accident or something more. When his brother is also found dead everyone is sure there is a connection. A mysterious box of books is found in front of the bookshop as well. While researching the books they look for clues that connect the books to the deaths. I found the book to be very slow moving. I had a hard time finishing. I found the characters to be more annoying. The mystery was only OK and I did not like the solution. I enjoy the bookstore, tea room and Scottish background. I enjoy this author’s other series.