Favorite Quotes:

Mrs Frost had acquired a very grand accent– compared to her husband anyway– and spoke with the proverbial mouthful of marbles.

Queenie was the elder– and the boss. She’d acquired a permanent stoop, due to years of stretching across the counter in order to catch every word that any customer might utter, in any part of the shop, no matter how quietly. She was therefore well informed on everyone and everything and, if she ran out of gossip, she was a dab hand at making some up.

Ally had only seen the Reverend Donald Scott from a distance: a tall, gangly, angular man who, she’d been told, had enormous feet. ‘Ye’ll see them comin’ round the corner long before ye see the rest of him,’ Murdo had informed her.

‘How did you deal with it?’ ‘I lifted up his kilt, had a look and said, “Not up to my standard, I’m afraid”! He didn’t hang around to argue!’

My Review:

An absolutely delightful kickoff to a new series and my introduction to the skillful craft of Dee MacDonald. As truly a Scottish name as I’ve ever heard, so well prepared to write cozy mysteries based in bonny Scotland, a land from which many of my ancient ancestors have sprung. I adored her artfully contrived village of amusingly authentic characters, each one more quirky than the next. I enjoyed them so much, I’ve got the next book locked and loaded on my beloved Kindle.

Murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands and featuring a 60ish widow who has moved to the village of Locharran from Edinburgh.

Ally McKinley decided she wanted a change after retirement and fell in love with an old malthouse. She had it made over into a bed and breakfast and is just having her first guests when one of them is murdered and left outside in the courtyard. Wilbur Carrington, an American, was found dead with a skean dhu (a dagger) in his back. He’d been investigating old church records because he believed he was the rightful Earl of Locharran. The current earl, Hamish Sinclair, isn’t too worried about the claim but the villagers are quite concerned about the possibility of losing their jobs and tied homes. So, who killed Wilbur and why? Just as Ally begins her own earnest investigation, Wilbur’s brother, Tyler, and his fiancée, Mamie Van Nuyen, arrive on site to do their own sleuthing since the local police aren’t working hard enough to find the killer.

This was OK but nothing unusual or remarkable. The story was predictable and not suspenseful. Of course Ally gets a pet — seems to be the current trope for all female amateur detectives to have an animal — and there’s even a romance. It’s set in modern day and the setting is interesting but the characters were uninspiring. Lots of small village gossip and stereotypes. This is the first in a series. I’ll try one more.

Thank you to Bookouture for this ebook ARC to read and review.

A lighthearted and entertaining start of a new cozy series. I like Dee McDonald's characters and mysteries and this is a good start, full of potential.
Good character development, an entertaining atmosphere, good mystery.
I had fun and enjoyed it
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I thought this was a decent start to a new series. It's my first book by this author and I enjoyed it enough to try the next one. I did think it was rather easy to figure out the mystery but maybe that was just me. I did think it had a weird ending with the bad guy climbing trying to get away, like where did he think he was going to go? Overall thought it was decent.

I realized quickly this was not my style of book but I can see it being many others style of storytelling. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc. Well written, humorous, and recommended.

When Dee MacDonald announced the end of her beloved Kate Palmer series, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Kate, with her middle-aged charm, had become a favorite. But then came Ally McKinley, and I was all in again. Ally is just as captivating, bringing a unique flair to the world of amateur sleuthing.

In Murder in the Scottish Highlands, Ally is ready to shake things up. Freshly retired, she opens a bed and breakfast in an old malthouse Locharran, Scottland, despite her kids' protests. The quirky setting brings many colorful characters and, naturally, a budding romance. But things take a dark turn when Ally finds a guest dead in her garden. In a tight-knit village, she can't help but worry about the gossip.

The murder mystery is a curious puzzle with twists and turns that aren't immediately obvious. This gives readers the chance to dive deep into the lives of the villagers and uncover their secrets, making the journey to solving the crime even more fun. Dee MacDonald's talent for engaging stories shines through, keeping me engaged until the last pages.

Dee's return with Ally McKinley worked for me. Ally is as endearing as Kate Palmer, offering a new character in the amateur detective genre. This book is a fantastic showcase of Dee MacDonald's storytelling skills, leaving me looking forward to more adventures with Ally.

I wanted to like this one so bad, but I’ve realized cozy crime is not for me.
If you like cozy crime, in a cute little Scottish town(best part of the book was Scotland) then you should definitely read this.
Nothing was really wrong with this one, but in my opinion nothing was really right either. Ally kinda drove me bonkers, but once again that might just be because this genre isn’t for me.

Such a lovely start to a series I cannot wait to continue! I'm a sucker for anything Scotland related and loved the setting as well as the characters. Can't wait for more!!

What a wonderful book and a great way to start a new series, and one which I am sure to enjoy. 'Majestic mountain views, whisky by the fire and… a murder to solve? Join Ally McKinley at her cosy little guesthouse in the Scottish Highlands as she tackles her first puzzling case!' This made me want to read it even more and I have read it twice now so I can then read the next instalment

I really love Ally McKinley as a character and the tiny village of Locharran as a setting as they just make the story and the book what it is. This is Scottish Cosy Murder Mystery at its best and the story, the mystery, the charm, the people and even the humour make it such an easy book to read that both times I read it I had it done in no time at all. What a wonderful book to curl up with.

Can't wait to see what comes next and how the series will pan out. Keep them coming!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was definitely a very cosy crime novel, I warmed to Ally almost instantly, I really did love her character. The story was easy to follow with little twists and turns that kept you hooked. It was just very enjoyable, the only thing I wish for was for it to be a bit more descriptive as it was set in Scotland!

Cute cozy mystery with an older, confident amateur sleuth. Murder in the Scottish Highlands takes place in rural Scotland, and the author's love for the landscape really shines. The story moves quickly, and the reader is introduced to lots of colorful characters in the tiny village of Locharran.

3.5 stars

An engaging cosy mystery that avoids much of the genre’s cutesiness but maintains all its charm.

Ally McKinley has opened a bed and breakfast in a historic malthouse in the Scottish Highlands, but her peaceful working retirement is interrupted when one of her guests is murdered. Ally, a retired television researcher and cheerfully independent widow, is a fun and capable, yet practical, protagonist to follow.

The murder mystery itself was nothing special, but in a cosy, it’s really the vibes I’m interested in. The Highland village is a picturesque setting populated with genuinely interesting and not-too-quirky side characters, who I think would be fun to catch up with in later series installments.

Overall, a solid first entry into a series.

This was a fun series debut. I will read any and every cozy mystery series set in the Scottish Highlands. I'm excited to continue reading this series.

✨ Publication date: September 2, 2024✨

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a new mystery series by Dee MacDonald. This was my first by this author and it was a cute cozy mystery based in the Scottish Highlands.

Ally McKinley is retired widow who recently moved to the small village of Loccharran after renovating the old malt house into a cozy bed and breakfast. After finally opening her doors, Ally finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when the body of one of her guests is found in her yard.

The problem is, just about everyone in the village is a suspect! The murdered guest was an American tracing his roots only to make an outlandish claim that he was the true Earl of Loccharran and once he was able to prove it, would be taking back his land to build an amusement park.

As each of the villagers come into suspicion, Ally is determined to help solve the mystery. Until the case is solved, she’s not likely to get anymore guests and her dreams of running a successful bed and breakfast will be ruined.

Will Ally be able to help solve this crime so the village can get back to normal? This was a good cozy mystery! I enjoyed the writing and it was a fairly quick read. There were a lot of characters to keep track of which may have been more because it was the first book in the series and an introduction to the characters. It was sometimes hard to keep track. This is a 3 star read for me!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #deemacdonald #murderinthescottishhighlands

A brilliant ‘whodunnit’ murder book. Ally, the main character, left her home in Edinburgh to live in a small town called Locharran where she opens The Auld Malthouse as a B&B. When her first guest is found murdered on her doorstep Ally couldn’t help but get involved to try and solve the case.

I loved Ally, she was such a strong main character and I loved watching her relationships with the locals evolve. I loved the humour, the picturesque descriptions and the cosy feeling that this book brought with it despite it being a murder thriller😂 This the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to read more and discover Ally’s next adventure.

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a cozy mystery that is set in a small village in Scottland and that follows Ally as she opens a charming guesthouse. Ally is excited to get to explore her new home and get to know the locals. As she welcomes her first guests, Ally is determined to make their stay memorable. Unfortunately, one of her guests is discovered murdered in her backyard. Now, instead of making friends with the locals, Ally is putting everyone on her suspect list, including the Earl of the village. Then, two unexpected visitors show up on her doorstep claiming to know the deceased. They too want answers for the guest's murder. Ally doesn't know who to trust and is worried that her time owning the idyllic guesthouse will be short-lived.

While Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a cute cozy set in a charming village, I just didn't find the main characters overly interesting. I also thought the mystery was quite predictable. The 'twists' weren't really that surprising. I did like the malthouse and the village locals. I always think it's fun to get to know the town and the people right along with the main character. With that said, while I think plenty of people will enjoy this series, it just wasn't for me.

I loved this book. I love everything about Scotland and as I was travelling to Scotland before reading this book I felt like this was a true glimpse back into the wild and beautiful Scottish highlands. And I'm up for a good murder mystery any day. I also enjoyed that the characters weren't in their 20s, but rather a second change at the dream and a second chance love. So sweet!

This was fun. Definitely the epitome of a cozy mystery. Older woman in a bed and breakfast in rural Scotland has to take it upon herself to solve a mystery. She obtains a puppy, goes for drives and walks through the heather, meets with the colorful locals. The setting was really fun, the characters interesting. I actually didn’t guess whodunit either, until right around when Ally did. The writing was quaint and British, just like many cozy mystery fans want.
Deducted a star because the plot was a bit slow. It was a short read but a slower one, if that makes sense. But it may also simply be that I was in the mood for a quicker paced read at the time, being a mood reader, so it’s hard to judge whether it was a flaw or a personal preference.
The author is clearly well versed in what is expected of the genre, so if a cozy, quaint mystery with a sudden high stakes ending is what you want, go for it.

2.5 ⭐️

This had some enjoyable elements, but unfortunately, it wasn't quite the book for me.

What I liked:
I enjoyed the charming, cosy Scottish town setting — I love the atmosphere and the sense of community that these kinds of mysteries typically bring.

What I didn't like:
The writing style wasn't my personal preference, and the pacing felt slower than l'd have liked, making it harder to stay fully invested in the plot. Also, a few threads felt unresolved by the end of the book. That said, as this is the first in a series, I'm sure those elements will be resolved in later books.

Overall, I don't think I was the intended audience for this book, though I can see it appealing to those who enjoy a gentler, more laid-back cosy mystery.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Murder In The Scottish Highlands, An Ally McKinley mystery by D McDonnell, Allison McKinley a pensioner went to the West Highlands in Scotland for vacation and loved it so much she moved there and after renovating her cottage she started renting out rooms to make her money go even further but when one of her first guest Wilbur, the American on a mission is murdered, Ally is astonished and doesn’t know what to do. At first however she truly believes investigating inspector constable Rigby does but when no progress is made on the case and there is another murder Ally takes it upon herself to solve the crimes. Just to give a quick overview because there’s lots to the book Allie is gifted a dog by one of the lead suspects Wilbur‘s brother and fiancé both come to stay in Ally‘s guest rooms, despite her age she has Queenie at the one and only grocery store thinking she is man crazy, because she starts dating the most eligible bachelor in town. Aly is making new friends but her investigation also causes her to lose her loyal employee. Can Allie solve the crime save her reputation get her friends/employee back and continue to be happy in the Highlands? You have to read the book to find out I laughed out loud while reading this book more than once. I do want to say however to Miss McDonald if someone who is American would use their birthday the date would come after the month and not vice versa but that’s neither here nor there not a negative nor positive just an observation from a big fan. This is a great start to a funny cozy mystery that I definitely want to continue reading. #NetGalley, #DMcDonald, #AMurderInTheScottishHighlands