3.5 stars rounded up to 4

It's the 1930s and a mysterious illness is spreading over Scotland. But the noble and ancient family of Inverkillen, residents of Loch Down Abbey, are much more concerned with the dwindling toilet roll supplies and who will look after the children now that Nanny has departed this life. Lord Inverkillen, Earl and head of the family, is found dead in mysterious circumstances. The inspector declares it an accident but Mrs Mrs MacBain, the head housekeeper, isn't so convinced.

There's an epidemic sweeping across Scotland. Lord Hamish goes missing and Inspector Jarvis is called in to investigate .But Lord Hamish is not the only the only one to who's died, Nanny MacKenzie is also dead.

There's a lot of characters to try and remember. Most of the family members aren't very likeable and hardly any of them can do anything without their maids. The story is told from multiple perspectives but the sudden switches of perspective makes it a bit confusing. Filled with secrets, betrayals, lies and some humour, this is an enjoyable read.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #HodderStoughton and the author #BethCowanErskine for my ARC of #LochDownAbbey in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to be in love with this book. The characters are rich. The setting is lovely. However, being in quarantine for over a year and picking a book with a pandemic as a gimmick was not what I was entirely expecting from a cozy mystery with a Downton Abbey vibe. The cozy mystery doesn't quite hit the mark, being a person that reads a lot of them. The pros, the world feels very fleshed out and you feel like the Scottish heritage runs deep throughout the novel. You want to sip tea with these people, I mean you don't trust em, but I digress. It's a solid B-. I would probably rank it way higher 4 years ago.

Loch Down Abbey was a good book, even if I expected something more. The story in general was enjoyable but sometimes it was confusing, especially due to the cast of characters. Too many. I struggled to keep all of them in mind. The mystery/murder and its resolution was a little bit too superficial. I liked the atmosphere, though. All in all, it wasn't bad and if you want to read a mystery not too complex, this is for you.

Lochdown Abbey, 1930s Scotland. Lord Inverkillen, Earl and head of the family, is found dead in mysterious circumstances and although the police declare the death to be accidental, Mrs MacBain, the head housekeeper, has her doubts. Meanwhile a pandemic is spreading across Scotland...

I have heard this book described as “Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie” and those five words really do provide the perfect summary. This book is written in a wry style with tongue firmly in cheek and should be enjoyed as such. There is deliberately little grit or realism to be found here, the author instead aiming for a fun and light hearted read.

The book includes a list of the principle characters at its head – which is fortunate as it took me an inordinate amount of time to differentiate between some of them. It does take a while for some of the characters to be fleshed out and for this reason I preferred the second half of the book to the first. The inclusion of a mysterious (fictional) pandemic felt a little superfluous to the plot to me, jolting me out the 1930s setting every now and then. It would have made more sense had the book been set in 1918/19 to coincide with the very real outbreak of Spanish flu. There are plenty of jokes and wry asides to resonate with the reader in these Covid19 times though.

If you’re looking for a quick read with a light mystery this could be the book for you.

My thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton Publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The market for modern takes on GAD tropes is very competitive.

As there are so many good and underrated authors from the Golden Age to be explored, it means that a writer has to find a special twist or unusual setting or striking set of characters in order to catch and hold my interest.

Here the slants were a strange disease stalking the land, a Highland setting and a servant acting as detective investigating the murder of the head of an eccentric noble family.

Unfortunately this did not add up to a thrilling or amusing experience for me. I found the set-up unconvincing, the characters unendearing and the plot too thin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the digital review copy

Scotland in the 1930's, a mix of Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie? That's my dream story, sign me up! Unfortunately the book didn't quite live up to my expectations. I thought it would mainly be a cosy mystery but that plot was kept in the background and the solution a bit too easy. I felt there was more talk about the family privilege, the pandemic and staff getting ill than about the mysterious death. I love the cover but the advertised murder mystery is misleading.
There were many characters which was confusing at times. I found most of the family annoying and their entitlement very exaggerated. I understand old families stuck in their old ways but they were very obnoxious and not endearing at all. Everyone in the staff was likeable but their characters weren't developed which prevented me from really caring about anyone. I guessed most of the "family secrets" and plot twists but I enjoyed the ending where everyone got what they deserve.

All in all it was a weird book, not quite believable but an easy and entertaining read. I recommend it for fans of Downton Abbey and readers who enjoy a story set up in Scotland.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for a finished copy of Loch Down Abbey in exchange for my honest review.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

How can I resist a novel that is being advertised as a mix of Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie? I am huge sucker for whodunnits with an ensemble cast and hilarious mishaps. So this sounded like a great win to me!

THE STORY:

The story begins with the Ogilvy-Sinclair clan returning to their home Loch Down Abbey from the McIntyre Spring Ball. Lord Inverkillen and his sons immediately start discussing the declining family fortune in his study while the various other members of the family retire to baths, bed and the numerous other tasks this aristocratic family indulge in.

Soon enough the house descends into chaos when it's discovered that the Nanny had mysteriously died and there is a mysterious illness that has descended on the village and the household (COVID-19 vibes, anyone?). Then in a matter of mere hours, Lord Inverkillen does not turn up to dinner and search parties get sent out. Things take a turn for the worst when the Lord is found dead.

The police are convinced that it was an accidental death, but the head housekeeper, Mrs MacBain, is sure that something fishy is going on and, knowing the Ogilvy-Sinclair family, everyone is a suspect. But then there’s a mystery illness running rampant through the household, and the family is convinced it’s all a hoax, so it’s up to Mrs MacBain to tackle a good ol’ murder mystery and a mystery illness.

THE GOOD BITS:

- The story is told through the POVs of all the adults and the author does an excellent job shifting seamlessly from character to character. I was highly impressed as soon as I read the first 10 pages!
- 'Loch Down Abbey; certainly delivers the Downton Abbey vibes it promised and more. We’ve got the steely matriarch, the ensemble family cast, the lovable staff cast, the huge estate, and financial crises. Check, check and check!
- The humour weaves in effortlessly into the plot. It is a hilarious parody of the whole aristocracy and the privileged upper-classmen, of course. The observations made by the staff and the visitors echoed my own thoughts and I found that super fun!
- The second half of the story is where the story really picks up, from scandals and plots to family fistfights and shocking revelations. The story truly ended with a bang!
- My favourite character was Fergus, the only person with any sense of practicality and kindness in that family. Closely followed by Iris and Elspeth. I always loved their scenes!
- 'Loch Down Abbey‘s ending left me missing the characters the most. The author wonderfully brought this complex story to a worthy finish and I was very content with how all the plot twists worked out.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD BITS:

- Since this Loch Down Abbey was promoted as a murder mystery, I really wish that plotline had played a more prominent role. Overall, I was disappointed with the mystery arc since I found it predictable and not as sensational as I hoped it would be.
- Honestly, the blatant privilege of the Ogilvy-Sinclair clan can get a bit too much, especially in the first half of the story since most of the focus then is on the family’s lifestyle.
- The first half of the story was very monotonous. The only thing that kept me going for was characters like Fergus and Iris. The second half was way better but it’s very easy to just give us reading before I reached the halfway point.
- I would have preferred a bit more focus on the small romances that took place. I love a good romance where the characters connect on a more substantial level than wealth and status, so I really hated not seeing much of the romantic relationships that I knew were budding behind the scenes but never really got any front row seats to.

FINAL VERDICT:

'Loch Down Abbey' delivered a sensational Downton-esque look at 1930’s Scotland that I enjoyed reading. Though it didn’t deliver much in the way of the mystery or the romance, I recommend you hang around for the hilarious antics and mishaps of the Ogilvy-Sinclair family!

What a weird book this is, not entirely believable but actually quite enjoyable. A convenient early 20th Century version of CV19 keeps the number of people involved to a minimum and being set in the wilds of Scotland helped too. An aristocratic tale of aristocrats viewed perhaps through the imaginative eyes of an American author.

It did seem to be going round in circles for a while until the end was in sight and then it all made sense. You will have to read the book for yourself to find out the sting in this tale.

This book is a strange one - but fun!

I thought I was getting a lockdown-referencing cosy crime book, and I was close but not close enough. We're in the 1930s and the Inverkillens are a reclusive old-wealth family who like to keep themselves to themselves at Loch Down Abbey (and surrounding lands) in the Highlands.

Just as a strange illness creeps across the land, Lord Inverkillen goes missing, soon to be found dead. How did he really die, wonders housekeeper Mrs MacBain? And what secrets will she uncover when she goes investigating?

The illness does affect the plot - in terms of loo roll shortages, flour shortages, and there soon not being enough staff to keep the Inverkillens happy. But other than that they seem pretty much oblivious. This was written during the COVID-19 pandemic I believe, and maybe even prompted the author into writing. But I think you could have a solid book without the pandemic-that-wasn't.

So it's not really a pandemic book. And it's not really a cosy crime, either. The police aren't super interested and it's family secrets that are uncovered rather than crazed murderers.

If you were reading for one of the two things above, you could be disappointed. However, there's still a lot to enjoy here. The writing is fun and light, the characters are interesting (though hard to keep track of) and I liked watching the various secrets unravel.

I think I'd come back to this author again - as long as the pandemic-related gimmicks are gone.

I love a good word-play and LOVE Downton Abbey so just for that title alone, this just get a couple of stars. Unfortunately, the rest didn’t meet my expectations. By the synopsis, I thought this would be a hilarious Downton Abbey parody in the middle of a pandemic mixed with a murder mystery, and while it was all that in part, I think it never reached its full potential. I expected to laugh out loud and at most I chuckled.

The cast of characters, with a clear DA inspiration, is sooooo huge that it took me quite a while to know who was who. All of them, save for a few exceptions, were pretty one-dimensional and defined by their rank in the family or the service and though that may have been the author’s intention to poke fun at the absurdities of the aristocracy and their relationship with their employees, it made me detached from all of them and not care about what was going on.

The “illlness” part was so superficial that it didn’t add much apart from a few mentions to face masks and a shortage of toilet paper and the murder mystery and its resolution were pretty bland.

Though not what I was expecting, I don’t regret reading it, so if you’re in the mood for a quick read with some absurd characters, a few pandemic observations and a light mystery, this would be the perfect choice.

It’s the 1930s and a mysterious illness is spreading over Scotland. But the noble and ancient family of Inverkillen, residents of Loch Down Abbey, are much more concerned with dwindling toilet roll supplies and who will look after the children now that Nanny has regretfully (and most inconveniently) departed this life.

Then Lord Inverkillen, Earl and head of the family, is found dead in mysterious circumstances. The inspector declares it an accident but Mrs MacBain, the head housekeeper, isn’t so convinced. As no one is allowed in or out because of the illness, the residents of the house – both upstairs and downstairs – are the only suspects. With the Earl’s own family too busy doing what can only be described as nothing, she decides to do some digging – in between chores, of course – and in doing so uncovers a whole host of long-hidden secrets, lies and betrayals that will alter the dynamics of the household for ever.

There is a very good plot to the story but there are far too many characters! Thankfully,  there is a list of who's who at the front - a necessity to keep up with them all. I love the setting of the Abbey and the descriptions of the house and its grounds along with the separation of the classes - it really is Upstairs Downstairs meets Downton Abbey in that sense. 

However, the pandemic that is occurring in the novel is just too similar to what is happening now, with reference to masks, gloves and lack of toilet paper, flour and yeast. Yes, we're not the first to go through a pandemic but I just wasn't prepared for it to be quite so close to home when set in the 1930s. 

There are some very likeable characters (Fergus and Lady Georgina)  along with some you love to hate - for me Eva and Cecil.  

It's definitely worth a read but I just wish I'd known there would be pandemic references. I read to escape it as much as possible 🙈😂. 

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

“Why on earth should we have to change anything?” Loch Down Abbey by Beth Cowan-Erskine

3 stars. I liked this one, though it moves at a much slower pace than I’m used to.

The Ogivly-Sinclair family is rocked by the unexpected death of Hamish, the 19th Earl of Inverkillen. They’re a self-absorbed lot, with just perhaps 2 people who were more... aware? Kind? Nice? So it’s up to the housekeeper, Mrs MacBain to make sure it was really an accident. The family couldn’t be bothered to investigate anyway.

The main cast here, save for the staff and a few of the family, are annoying and exasperating, if you take them seriously. Best that you don’t. Which I didn’t. And besides, the novel feels light.

It’s a little funny too, how secrets came out and the unapologetic obliviousness of most of them. It was a bit of a work to recall all the characters - I had to bookmark the list - especially since the POV would move from one to the other. And it’s always fun to read about a titled family who is so entitled, but had to learn anyway. The ending was a bit of a surprise. Good for them!

Again, this is no fast paced mystery. In fact, often times the mystery is pushed back because of the domestic crises in the Abbey.

It wad the pace I needed anyway so I’m good.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the arc of this book. Cover’s great, by the way.

Overall, I liked this book. It starts off as a locked-room kind of historical mystery but it turns out to be more of a parody of the classic 1920-1930ish county house mysteries. There was lots of humor and honestly some moments when I was laughing out loud (I mean, toilet paper hoarding when we’re reading it in a pandemic was pretty funny).

There were a few pacing issues, I felt the middle of the book dragged a bit. I also wish we had a few less characters to keep track of, but it re-evaluate didn’t end up distracting from the story at all.

If you like historical county house murder mysteries that don’t take themselves too seriously, I definitely recommend this book!

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an easy enough read, but I never really felt invested in any of the unnecessarily long cast of characters and the twist at the end wasn't too hard to guess. Stories of aristocratic families, and series like "Downton "and "upstairs downstairs" are very easy to parody and I felt at times the author tried too hard for humour. I was interested to note she is an American married to a Scot so maybe comes with a different attitude and is still surprised by things that more cynical Brits aren't!
However, I seem to be very much in the minority of readers and I wish the author success with her novel
Thank you to netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.

Not much to like about most of the family members featured in Loch Down Abbey. The idea of work is something foreign to them. For six centuries the Ogilvy-Sinclair clan has lived in the Abbey and with each succeeding generation they have become more demanding, spoiled, and entitled with no need to remember the names of those who launder their clothes, dress them, cook for them as well as serving them the lavish meals they demand. They also own a distillery that produces a Scotch Whiskey that is so inferior even the family will not drink it. The “in-fighting” among the family is only surpassed by their foibles and the individual secrets they all hide. Everyone seems to be expert at that age old game of CYA.

When the Lord of the manor goes missing and later turns up dead under unusual circumstances, questions arise. Accidental death or murder?? To add to the problem there is a strange new illness in the area that has most of the servants either taking to their beds or dying from the same. A lack of servants….oh dear…….what is the family to do? Seems the group is in for a surprising and rude awakening.

LOCH DOWN ABBEY is a somewhat amusing quick read that will have readers rooting for the few “good guys'' 'found in this tome and wildly cheering when they others get the comeuppance they so richly deserve.

Intrigued by the blurb and the fancy cover, I thought the title was a great find. If all the ingredients seemed to be there for a riveting mystery, unfortunately, I didn’t click with the story. It is mainly due to the colossal number of characters involved, it lost me and I found them too set in their aristocratic ways to be even remotely relatable and/or endearing. Besides, the plot was a bit too slow going for my taste. However, the high number of enthusiastic reviews shows that this novel does please others, so give it a go to form your own opinion!

Thanks very much to the editor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this quaint book

think downtown abbey and upstairs and downstairs
then think Poirot and that will give you a hint of the flavour of this book

there are a lot of characters to this book so i tried not to get to bogged down with each and everyone...they each in their own way add to the flavour of this story, there are so many twists and turns and red herrings galore that it makes for an enjoyable read

Lord Inverkillen is found dead under strange circumstances and it throws the whole family into chaos, life will never be the same again for all and with revelation after revelation revealing itself the family start to disintegrate and with a betrayal from one family member will life ever be the same again

an entertaining read that gripped me right to the end
will be keeping an eye out for more of this authors work

This was a kinda cool take off on Downton Abbey except that it takes place back during the 1930’s but there’s also a Covid-19 type virus going around as well. In the midst of all the upheaval in the castle, the Nanny dies and the Lord of the Manor is found drowned in the lake, When the will is gone over, it’s discovered that the estate is in debt and they have to figure out how to resolve all the many issues they are dealing with.
It always amazes me the difference in class-the idea of having to make their own beds was appalling to them even in the midst of the pandemic type virus and all the other stressors-like having to sell the castle off.
The biggest issue is that there’s so many characters to keep up with but once you get a couple hundred pages in, it pretty much all makes sense-there’s also a character listing at the beginning and the end of the book to help.
Thanks to Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

As usual in my reviews I will not rehash the plot - plenty of other reviews like that out there already!

I wasn't sure what to expect from this novel - initially I thought it would be a light and fluffy read. However it's actually a very good read with more depth to it than I'd anticipated from the publisher's notes!

The book is set in and around a Scottish stately-home which immediately sets the scene, and you feel on familiar ground - an aristocratic family (and newcomers!), faithful staff, a multitude of rooms, extensive grounds, secret passages, gamekeepers, whisky - all of which adds to the atmosphere.

During the book a mysterious illness that's sweeping the UK wreaks havoc on the household, and there are amusing parallels with the Pandemic (including shortages of various items due to hoarding!!). Further disarray follows the apparently accidental. death of the Lord of the manor, and as various mysteries unfold, we see people in their true colours - good and bad.

I really enjoyed the book - an interesting mix of family saga, potential murder mystery, financial disaster, various scandals, and a mystery illness The book has a definite humorous tone (but not in a cheesy, obvious way) which all added to my enjoyment.

I was particularly pleased by the final outcomes, and the Epilogue confirmed my suspicions about two of the characters!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Net Galley for this ARC. I was excited by the title, the cover and the description but unfortunately, the story just didn't match up and I couldn't make it more than 50 pages in. The characters are so unlikable - there is no one I had an affinity with and it was so hard to follow all of them even though the author had added a list at the beginning of the book, which is difficult to refer to when you are reading on a Kindle. There is to much going on to keep track so in the end I gave up.