May I say, I LOVE the title and its fantastic wordplay.
This book would make an entertaining movie or TV series.
As a novel, however, it feels like it's trying to do too many things at once. First, there's the Downton-Abbey-esque setting, which IS pretty fun. Then there's an unexpected death in the family, so it's sort of a mystery. And then there's a pandemic, which gets shoe-horned in with lots of wink-wink, nudge-nudge references that people who have lived through 2020 will understand all too well.

However, there's not a strong focus in the narrative. It's a bit hard to tell whether we're supposed to be invested in the mystery or not. And the treatment of the pandemic is both extremely specific (shortages of toilet paper) and vaguely distant (we never actually see anyone who is sick, even though all the staff is catching it like crazy). Again, hard to tell whether we're supposed to care.
The characters have relatively little personality and are more defined by their roles than anything else. So it takes a while to sort them out and remember who is who.

That said, I did enjoy it somewhat as the plot started opening up in the latter half, and was satisfied with the resolution of a couple of plot threads. It's fairly light-hearted overall even though there are some dramatic revelations.

I enjoyed this story. Fun twist at the end. May be a little too soon for the tp jokes. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A good read but unfortunately I didn't enjoy this book as much as I expected to. An awful lot of characters with long names made the story quite confusing trying to remember who is who and how they are related. The storyline was fun and the book as a whole is lighthearted.

This book made the perfect break between the more serious or literary titles I have been reading lately. A bit of light-hearted fun and mystery. The author has her tongue firmly in her cheek writing about the chaos that ensues 'upstairs' when a mysterious illness takes its toll on the downstairs inhabitants. Like many have mentioned in their reviews, getting your head around just who's who in this big cast takes a bit of effort but it is definitely worth it. Having spent many years working backstage in amateur theatre, my mind often went to how well this could work on stage. Look forward to reading more from this author.

I have been in a reading slump for days but I found this glorious mystery and I am enthralled. It has some current nods while still being the 1930’s and also a whodunnit. I am loving this book. The twists and turns were unexpected and I loved how everything turned out for everyone. The story was quick paced and so interesting. I really enjoyed this author and will read anything else they write.

A very fun, lighthearted read perfect for the times we are living in. Set in Scotland, with the characters found in Downtown Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs combined, though a much more unpleasant upstairs family, throw in a death and a pandemic and you have the storyline.

When I say this book is a farce, I mean it as a compliment. I could imagine this being played out on stage, with eye-rolling from the servants at the gentry, who are almost uniformly incompetent or oblivious. There is also much disappearing stage right (frequently to the Tennis Pavilion), secret rooms and passages - also secret heirs. The relationships between family members are fraught, so it′s not a complete surprise to find the head of family dead in mysterious circumstances. In fact, it′s more of a surprise that there′s only one mysterious death.
In the background a pandemic rages across the country, but see above re: oblivious gentry who only become slightly aware when they are forced to undergo privations like not getting a breakfast tray delivered to their room. There are light-hearted references to problems caused by the pandemic, such as the toilet roll shortage. (If you have been badly affected by the pandemic, then I think this book would not be for you.) Everything does resolve itself fairly satisfactorily in the end. A list of characters at the beginning of a book is often useful, but it was a delight to find another list at the end, with everyone now in different positions and combinations.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Loch Down Abbey is a classic country house murder mystery. The family have gathered, naturally they all hate each other then Lord Inverkillen the head of the family is found dead after upsetting everybody in some way or other. Only the plucky housekeeper thinks there’s something fishy about it and sets about sticking her nose in to find out what goes on here.
There are A LOT of characters in this book and they are given little to no physical description so it took me until at least 50% to pin down who everyone was and how they were related to each other. At least three of them could have been cut out and it wouldn’t have made any difference to the plot. There’s also some weird stuff with a ‘mystery illness’ which serves to isolate the house from the general populace and I found that distracting.
The investigation into Inverkillen’s death kind of becomes secondary to the collapse of the estate and domestic issues take priority over the mystery which I suppose is understandable considering our leading investigator is a domestic but I wasn’t that interested in the politics of loo roll appropriation.
However it is enjoyable and fun and it all works out in the end which is nice.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC of this book, the first one after a long time :)

I am actually always stunned how it takes such a short time for some atrocious series of events in the world to come to such a complex medium as a book. And sometimes I'm just bored to death by it. Not with Loch Down Abbey. The thing I respect about this book is that, although it does use some current events, it simply does not revolve the whole novel around it, it is used just as a pinch of spice to the whole story.

But, what's the story?

Set in the 1930s in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Down (nice wordplay, if I may add) Abbey becomes the scene of a series of unfortunate events. That series of unfortunate events would be just like any other series in any other novel if it weren't for the Inverkillens, the residing family which is, put it plainly, peculiar. By peculiar, I don't mean in any supernatural or paranormal way. More like a bunch of egocentric, selfish, and exalted characters that are unable to see anything further away from their noses. And, if I may add, a big part of the family is just a bunch of spoiled brats used to the privileges given to them by their birthright. Well, some walls and dreams are, putting it mildly, are about to collapse.

Loch Down Abbey was, for the most part, a refreshing and entertaining read. I loved the historical setting of the novel, I loved the atmosphere, I loved most of the pace. By gods, I even liked the most hateful characters in this novel, just because they were so bloody entertaining and well built. Although it is easiest to describe this book as a historical mystery, it doesn't lack a smart and subtle sense of humor, a pinch of love drama, and some decent human stories.

The fact that this novel doesn't revolve just around one event, but a series of them has got me confused at times because I was unsure where in the world is all this leading., and there are also, luckily, short parts of it that I found a bit plane. Fortunately, it didn't affect the overall impression of this book.

When it comes to the star quality of this novel, I'm wedged somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. In the end, solid 4 stars. If you are looking for some entertaining read, Loch Down Abbey might be your easiest pick.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley, with thanks to the publisher.

Lock Down Abbey, like the TV show Staged, forms part of the new "Covid" genre. It's a fairly standard Agatha Christie-style mystery, but with lots of nods to the pandemic. Like the non-subtle title. And visitors to the Abbey donning 1930s PPE. And servants being quarantined and dying from a mysterious virus. All these things seemed largely extraneous to a story that clipped along nicely. The characters were generally interesting, though in the first half of the book, the quick jumps between multiple POVs was a bit jarring. But this didn't greatly impact the readability of the book.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I'd be very happy to read more about the very excellent housekeeper, Mrs McBain,

Reading a first novel is always a bit of a gamble - will it be good? Is it worth precious reading time? In this case, it most certainly was. My eye was caught by the art deco style cover, and when I saw it was a Poirot-esque country house murder mystery with a tongue in cheek title, I couldn't resist. And I got just what I was hoping for - light, amusing, well written escapism.

The novel is set in the 1930s in the eponymous Highland mansion, home to a large and quarrelsome extended family of Scottish aristocracy. Oh, and to a very large number of servants of course. At the start of the novel, a mysterious illness has been afflicting the country, and some of the staff have fallen ill. The family however are initially too busy worrying about the sudden, mysterious death of the Lord of the manor in a possible fishing accident - not to mention their precarious financial situation.

There will no doubt be many books inspired by the Covid pandemic, and I'm sure a lot of them will be deep and serious. This one, mercifully, isn't. Right now, with lockdown restrictions still in place where I live, what I want is something daft to make me forget reality. Whilst the mystery illness is in the background, it never becomes a real threat to the characters we know. It is more a plot device to add to the privations of the family and to move a couple of particular plot issues along.

It's deftly written and a very easy read, consistently amusing without being hilarious. It verges on the farcical at points, but never goes too far. I did guess most of the plot twists well in advance - it's quite possible you are meant to - but there was one that did surprise me. But nonetheless I enjoyed reading how they played out even when I knew they were coming. There's something restful about knowing you don't need to take a book entirely seriously. I'm not normally a fan of farces but I find that an early 20th century gives a kind of freedom that makes it much easier for me to suspend my disbelief. Perhaps it's all the Christie I've read.

If you enjoy Agatha Christie or Anthony Horowitz, this is in a similar vein. It's escapist and fun, even though the themes are essentially serious. If you're looking for something insightful and deep about the pandemic, you won't find it here - but don't worry, I'm sure there will be no end of choice of such books coming soon. In the meantime, why not kick back with this saga of squabbling aristocrats and shady goings-on and forget about reality for a bit.

I really enjoyed the opening to this novel! It had a satirical tone that really excited me. I was also excited about the plot and setting, and how so many of the characters seemed on the fun side of unlikeable. Unfortunately, while much of the book to retain this subtly comedic tone, overall it didn’t live up to the expectations I had from the first few pages.
I think the marketing for this book is incredibly misleading. The description pitches it as a locked room high-suspense murder mystery when really this is more of a slice-of-life story set over almost the course of an entire year about how the death of the patriarch of an aristocratic Scottish family contributes to the wider dismantling of the aristocracy that happened in post-war Britain. Unfortunately that just wasn’t what I was expecting from the description. I think this could still find enthusiastic readers in people who love Downton Abbey for the family secrets, discussions of class in a changing world, and upstairs-downstairs drama!

What a little ray of sunshine this book is.
I was only a few pages in and smiling.
It makes fun of the useless rich,and throws in a mystery illness,the likes of which we've all seen.
Some truly ghastly characters,and a few you hope you'd see again.
Its just incredibly good fun.

Loch Down Abbey is set in 1930, the golden age of house party mysteries, but has constant echoes and allusions to recent coronavirus related events. The Inverkillen family live in Loch Down Abbey, a rambling old house, with unexplored rooms and large grounds. There are rather fewer servants than the family would like, and Nanny has just died, so keeping the children in order is a challenge. There is much bickering between the arrogant and lazy upper class characters, the children keep disappearing, the only effective grown ups seem to be the dedicated servants.
Then the Earl is found dead, an incompetent police officer labels it as an accident. An epidemic starts to impact the downstairs team leaving ever fewer servants, eventually requiring the lords and ladies to do some actual work. The head house keeper Mrs McBain investigates the murder, and uncovers multiple layers of family secrets, which eventually turn all of their lives upside down. She also discovers how the children escape and appear again in strange places. The final twist was unexpected, it felt satisfying.
The narrative moves along at a good pace with wit and charm, laugh out loud funny at times. I enjoyed this book

This was a welcome break for me from my usual dark crime thrillers. It is a mystery story set in a stately home in Scotland in the 1930s. I think anyone who has watched Downton Abbey will feel quite at home here as there are unmistakable similarities. In a nod to current time, a mystery illness is spreading and leads to quarantining and stockpiling and shortages of food and toilet rolls. There are a lot of characters and fortunately the author supplies a who’s who at the start. Is there anyone who doesn’t have a secret? This reminded me of the mystery dramas that are on tv in the early afternoon slot, a bit of fun and just shy of farce.

Downton Abbey meets Knives Out! It was a little slow to start but as you got into the story, and the family drama unfolds, the story is riveting. An aristocratic family learning how to make their own beds in the midst of a staff shortage, kept me thinking about how they would survive if they were left to their own devices. The twist at the end? Perfection.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.The characters were entertaining a mystery full of humor so well written kept me turning the pages.New author for me I will be recommending .#netgalley #hodderstoughton

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book!

The ‘List of Characters’ section was extremely helpful when I started reading, as it took a little while to get my head around who’s who in this story.

I love the types of stories where the house staff stick their noses into the ongoings of the house and the lives of the people there, so Mrs MacBain was certainly up my street as a character when she started investigating the death of Lord Inverkillen!

Loch Down Abbey and their virus made me think of lockdown and coronavirus, so the timing of this book (and the title of it) is perfect in my opinion, but I may just be weird!

I enjoyed the satiric description of the privileged family members, the entitlement this certain class of people felt back in the 1930s, and how they looked down on the staff they were clearly heavily reliant upon. This book made me laugh and I enjoyed guessing and seeing if my instincts were right - thank you for the read!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of Loch Down Abbey, a stand-alone novel set in the Highlands in 1930.

Lord Inverkillen, head of the Ogilvey-Sinclair house, dies unexpectedly and the local police inspector is quick to call it an accident. Mrs MacBain, the housekeeper isn’t so sure and launches a discreet investigation while coping with a mysterious pandemic and a family full of secrets.

I found Loch Down Abbey in the mystery and thriller section and thought it sounded appealing - 1930s country house murder, but it’s not quite that and I didn’t find it particularly mysterious or thrilling. It is more an unraveling of family secrets than murder mystery and I found it hard to maintain my interest in a bunch of entitled aristos acting like children. I think it is intended as satire, but if so it passed me by.

Initially I found it impossible to keep up with all the family members and where they fit in. I found myself constantly referring back to the cast list to sort them out (this is not as easy on a Kindle as in a physical book). And they have lots of secrets, some more obvious than others, the novel basically consists of family squabbles over money and hierarchy, Mrs MacBain’s attempts to manage a depleted staff and the family and the unraveling of said secrets. As this does not meet my reading interests I found that the novel dragged and lacked punch, although, having said that the final solution was a lovely, if improbable twist.

I understand that this is a first novel so the author has time to refine her style. It seems to lose its way at times and some twists have no lead up, which can be a bit strange. I also think that the characterisation is uneven, for example we learn next to nothing about Mrs MacBain the supposed protagonist and too much about Cedric who has no real role to play.

Loch Down Abbey is a solid read which will appeal to readers who like cosy mysteries. It’s just not my kind of book.

After a rocky start, where I had difficulty keeping up with all the characters and had to keep referring to the list at the beginning of the book, I really enjoyed my trip to Loch Down Abbey. The antics of the children made be laugh and the house with so many hidden doors snd passages made me want to explore myself

Mrs McBain, the housekeeper, holds everything together while the family argue amongst themselves and can’t possibly run their own bath or dress themselves. Staff are reduced when servants are hit with a virus, stocks in the village run low and Lord Inverkillen is found dead.
After his death the family learn they are in financial difficulties

There is so many twists and turns that this book certainly holds the readers interest. How the story ended was a surprise - I do hope there will be more books by Beth Cowan-Erskine to enjoy.