I enjoy cosy mysteries a lot, and was very excited that this new series is set in the Highlands, one of my favourite places. I liked the main character and her backstory, as well as the characters from the village. The murder plot was fine, although some parts didn't make too much sense for me. In any case, I definitely want to read the second book but this first one is promising for the rest of the series.

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

"Murder in the Scottish Highlands" by Dee MacDonald is a captivating start to the Ally McKinley Mystery series. The story follows Ally McKinley, who leaves Edinburgh for the charming hamlet of Locharran. There, she transforms the Auld Malthouse into a delightful B&B. When an American guest is tragically found dead, Ally is determined to uncover the perpetrator, especially as a second death rocks the peaceful village. With her endearing puppy, Flora, the charming vet, Ross, and the town gossips, Queenie and Bessie, the book weaves an engaging tale. I highly recommend this series and eagerly await Ally's next adventure. Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW



Review for 'Murder In The Scottish Highlands' by Dee MacDonald
What an absolutely brilliant start to what promises to be yet another addictive series by the extremely talented Dee MacDonald!!

Well, I must admit, after absolutely loving and being addicted to Kate, Woody, Angie, Fergus and Barnie in Dee's absolutely brilliant 'Kate Palmer' series that although I was excited to read this book which is the first in her 'Ally McKinley' series I was also a bit concerned and dubious whether it was going to be as good as her Kate Palmer series or whether I would click with the characters as much as I did with Kate, Woody, Angie, Fergus and Barnie. Well, I am extremely pleased to say that I had absolutely nothing to worry about!! Although I do, daftly enough, feel like I am cheating on Kate and the gang in a way I absolute LOVE Ally just as much as I do Kate. As I have come to expect with Dee her absolutely brilliant, evocative and emotive descriptions really brings the new setting of Locharran in the Scottish Highlands and all the surroundings and characters to life ensuring the reader is really absorbed into the storyline seeing and feeling everything that Ally is seeing and feeling and trying to solve the mystery with her. In this brilliant book we are introduced to our main protagonist Ally McKinley. Ally who is a recently retired researcher visits her friend in Locharran and falls in love. When she notices a building for sale she decides to buy it and renovates it into a gorgeous bed and breakfast called 'The Malthouse'. One morning she realises one of her guests is missing and when she goes looking for him she hears her cleaning lady called Morag screaming. When Ally investigates she discovers the reason that Morag is screaming is because she has discovered the body of the guest and he has been murdered!! When she lacks faith Rigby, the police officer, assigned to the case she is determined to discover the truth and find the killer herself along with the help of her Labrador puppy Flora and several locals. Will Ally be able to find the killer before they strike again? Is she putting herself in danger trying to find them? Grab your copy of this absolutely amazing cosy mystery today to find out for yourselves!! I can promise that you will not regret it!! The storyline takes us on a fun cosy mystery in stunning locations filled with clues, mystery, motives, suspects, red herrings, danger, an adorable puppy and much more!!! This book really is another addictive beauty by the very talented Dee!! One of the things I absolutely adore about Dee's books is that each and every time she creates stunning areas which come to life thanks to her fantastic evocative writing skills. This book is an absolutely fantastic introduction to a brilliant new series and I cannot wait to get stuck into the next book in this series which is called 'Murder At The Loch' and is available to preorder now ready for the publication date of 3rd March 2025.

Clear your schedules as once you've picked this up you won't be able to put it down!! I absolutely devoured it in one sitting as it was 100% addictive!!



These amazing characters are all realistic, strong and an eclectic bunch to say the least. It was really fun learning all of their different characteristics, personalities and backgrounds. I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know all the new characters in this book especially Ally who I really liked and was completely invested in from the beginning. I also liked several of the other characters including the local shop owners Queenie and Bessie who are sisters and massive gossips, Hamish the Earl, Ally's cleaning lady Morag, Ross the vet and many of the other villagers. Dee portrays life in a small community absolutely perfectly!! I live in a small village myself and everybody knows your business sometimes before you even know it yourself, very much like Queenie and Bessie do!!! However, I must admit that my favourite character just HAD TO BE Ally's new puppy Flora!! I am a massive animal lover and even own my own cat rescue called Golden oldies Cat Rescue And Hospice which you can find on social media. therefore, any animals in books are a huge bonus for me and Flora is just absolutely adorable so she has to win best character paws down!! I am definitely looking forward to meeting her again in the next book along with all of the other characters in the hamlet of Locharran . Again, Dee's brilliant descriptions bring each of them all to life and I cannot wait to discover more about them and go on another mystery with Ally in 'Murder At The Loch'. There are a number of new characters to get to know which may take some time especially if you are like me and have come from Dee's 'Kate Palmer' series but I am truly looking forward to making new friends in this series!
Congratulations to Dee MacDonald on yet another absolutely successful and addictive page turning murder mystery and a fantastic introduction to this new series! This is why when I want an addictive cosy mystery which I can read anywhere I hunt your books down and why you are in my top 5 cosy mystery author list!. Here's to you're next success 🥂



Overall an absolutely compelling, addictive and page turning cosy mystery that is perfect to read on front of the fire and a fantastic introduction to a new series!!!


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Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a first in a new cozy mystery series by Dee MacDonald with Ally McKinley as an amateur sleuth.

Ally, recently retired has now started her own business in the Scottish Highlands converting an old Scottish malthouse into a B&B and taking in new guests when one of them is found dead in the courtyard. Ally must help solve the crime before local gossip ruins her chances of success with her B&B.

I loved the descriptions of the quaint Scottish village and instantly took to Ally's charm and wit. This one had cozy written all over it. I found myself being entertained with feel good humour, relatable and interesting characters, village gossip and lots of tea. However, the book kinda dragged in the middle before picking up towards the end where the identity of the killer and their motive was made known.

Overall, a fun read and a great start to the series. I am already looking forward to Ally's next adventure.

Thank you @bookouture for having me on the @booksontour and for the digital advance reader copy to read and review.

This was very cute and cosy but incredibly predictable, like a murder happens but its barely a mystery. I think there is a large audience that will be fine with that, would just advertise that aspect more. Am curious where else the series will go though.

Bed, breakfast and… butchery? It’s not exactly what Ally McKinley had in mind when she decamped from Edinburgh to run a guesthouse in the picturesque village of Locharran in the Scottish Highlands, but she soon discovers that murder and the solving thereof offer a great way of getting to know the locals. Of course, given that recently deceased American tourist Wilbur Carrington had riled everyone up by claiming to be the rightful Earl of Locharran, one of those locals could well be the murderer.

As a result, after Ally finds Wilbur stabbed to death with a skean dhu, body dumped in the courtyard of the Auld Malthouse B&B that she has just opened, there proves to be a plethora of potential killers. The crime has Detective Inspector Bob Rigby flummoxed from the outset—what else could be expected from an English incomer though—so Ally decides to don her metaphorical deerstalker and do a spot of investigating.

Dee MacDonald’s Murder in the Scottish Highlands is the first cosy mystery in a proposed series featuring Ally McKinley and makes for a great introduction to the nascent amateur sleuth. After celebrating her 68th birthday, having been recently widowed and newly retired from her job as a television researcher, Ally decides to move to Locharran in search of a new adventure in life, and she certainly finds herself embroiled in one.

When it becomes clear that the local police are far from accustomed to dealing with murder and Ally happens to remember the likely location of some key documents concerning Wilbur’s claim to the earldom—which she cannily takes copies of before turning them over—she realises that the only way her guestroom is going to cease being a crime scene is if she solves the murder herself.

Her no-nonsense approach to crime solving is convincing and refreshing, as is the fact that she’s not treated as a two-dimensional bumbling or cutesy elderly person. Whether it’s due to the average age in Locharran being higher than the norm or to everyone in the village already being all mixed up in everyone else’s business, Ally’s enquiries are neither dismissed nor condescended to. For an outsider, she fits in well and manages to convince people to talk to her.

She does annoy the police somewhat, largely due to drawing their attention to key evidence and prompting them to actually do some detective work, but she’s always taken seriously. In treating Ally as an amateur investigator who also happens to be a pensioner—rather than as a kooky senior whose curtain-twitching happens to embroil her in crime—MacDonald has created a well-rounded and believable character who more than holds her own when in pursuit of a killer.

Plus, all good amateur detectives should have a special skill that aids them in their investigations—and situates them in an advantageous position compared to the police—and MacDonald has made a wise choice in making Ally a retired television researcher. This background informs her methodical approach to the case and how she is able to track down and interpret key information, and it also equips her to compile an enviable murder board, which she hides from prying eyes behind a painting.

As for those who populate the murder board, the villagers of Locharran are the perfect mix of oddballs, busybodies and suspicious characters. In particular, sisters Queenie and Bessie, who run the gossip hub that is the local shop, are delightfully eccentric, both welcoming Ally to the village and being overtly suspicious of her motives. When Hamish Sinclair, the current Earl of Locharran, takes a interest in her, the conversations around Ally being a potential femme fatale are hilarious. And despite being the most likely suspect, Hamish himself is a very funny and engaging character.

To widen the suspect pool further, MacDonald brings in a couple of outsiders—Wilbur’s fiancée, Mamie Van Nuyen, and his brother, Tyler Carrington. While Tyler is more quiet and conciliatory than his brother, Mamie is just as eccentric as some of the locals, albeit a touch more flamboyant, and they’re both determined to stay at the B&B until Wilbur’s murderer is brought to justice. The detective trio they form with Ally works really well, even if they do spend more time drinking wine than interviewing suspects.

The scene-setting in Murder in the Scottish Highlands is just as rich as the characterisation. MacDonald clearly establishes the features and personality of the Auld Malthouse—including its rumoured ghost, Wailing Willie—and the wider village of Locharran. Both of them quickly develop into realistic and characterful places, and they form a deceptively bucolic background to the murder. Ally’s exploration of the churches and countryside of the surrounding Highlands also splendidly evokes the landscape and atmosphere of the place.

With its intrepid amateur sleuth, eclectic supporting cast, vivid setting and intriguing central puzzle, Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a great start to the Ally McKinley cosy mystery series. The plot races along as Ally throws herself into the role of detective and makes impressive strides towards uncovering all manner of secrets and unmasking the murderer, and she encounters plenty of suspects, clues and red herrings along the way. Plus, the descriptions are so good that no measly murder could spoil the atmosphere of the Highlands.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Watch out Miss Marple, Ally McKinley is on the case! Ally is recently retired and decides to open a guesthouse. Ally is enjoying her new life when her first guest is found murdered on her property. Ally, and her cute puppy Flora, are on the case. This is a quick paced cozy mystery that will keep you glued to your seat.
This book pairs well with a cup of tea. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series! Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of the Books on Tour. Thank you to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#MurderInTheScottishHighlands #DeeMacDonald #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInScotland #BooksSetInASmallTown

A good start to a new cozy mystery series featuring Ally McKinley, a widow who moves out of Edinburgh to a small town, restoring an old malt house into a B&B. With her children grown with families of their own, Ally decides to make a new start, feeling comfortable in her small town until her first guest, an American, is murdered in her back yard. Many of the townspeople are suspects, since the American was threatening the status of the Earl, which would displace them and cause them to lose their jobs. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Ally is a great main character and it was so easy to root for her and want her to do well – in both her guesthouse venture, but also to solve the murder that happens right on her property. You want her to succeed, and her interactions with most of the village residents is great to see.

The mystery moved along quite quickly and the pacing was even and the story never got boring. There were a few clues that were a bit blatent so I had a really good idea of who the killer was pretty early on but honestly, it didn’t ruin the story at all. The conclusion and reveal was really enjoyable and one of the best I’ve read in recent memory. Also, as I am CONSTANTLY yelling at the amateur sleuths on my television screen – COVER UP YOUR MURDER BOARDS! 😂

The policeman on the case is a bit… let’s just say “absent”? He’s not the usual surly, antagonistic cop (which I really don’t like), and while he’s not exactly helpful, he isn’t outright hostile, so I’ll give him a pass for now.

This is a fairly light-hearted mystery and is a great cozy read for a weekend. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

A very enjoyable story about a woman intending to make a new start by escaping life in the city and intending a quiet semi-retirement surrounded by the beauty of the Highlands of Scotland, funded by the opening of a Bed and Breakfast Guest House in her newly converted Malt House in a small village. As she opens for business, she becomes embroiled in a murder investigation, and discovers an ability to discover and order information while the local police seem to be floundering. Despite the drama of the murder, Ally finds her rooms are in demand and some rather odd guests arrive and all is not as it seems. Romance also raises its head, but Ally manages to avoid unwanted distractions and all is well that ends well. The characters are interesting, there is plenty of wry humour and it is a good, agreeable read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Sarah Hardy and the publisher for issuing me with my review copy of the book and for inviting me to take part on the blog tour.

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is the first in a new series following Ally McKinley, a widow who moves from the comfort of her Edinburgh life to the more remote (but very beautiful) Scottish Highlands to open a Bed and Breakfast. Following renovations of the Auld Malthouse, she finally opens her doors and welcomes her first guests – unfortunately things don’t quite go to plan when one of her guests is found murdered on her doorstep!

The guest, an American had ruffled a few feathers in the small village of Locharran mainly due to his claim that he was the actual official heir of Lochlarron and not the actual Earl.

Ally can see that the local police force aren’t quite up to the task and decides to take on the investigation of trying to solve the murder – the added incentive is also the reputation of her newly opened B&B.

I really enjoyed this new cosy crime series and adored the descriptions of the beautiful and peaceful Highlands. I don’t blame Ally for moving here! The village is small and quite closeknit so Ally has her work cut out trying to integrate but they are an interesting cast of characters in what you would expect in a small community! Hamish, the current Earl has his eye on Ally (along with every female in the area!) so he is of course one of the first suspects in the case with his family history under scrutiny. The local shop owners are sisters Queenie and Bessie – they know everything that happens in the village before you are even aware of it!

The story moved at the perfect pace with plenty of other storylines to keep you invested and sprinkled with some red herrings to keep you guessing.

A really enjoyable start to a new series – I’m looking forward to delving into book 2!

MURDER IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS (An Ally McKinley Mystery Book #1) by Dee MacDonald is an entertaining guesthouse cozy mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. This is the first in this new series featuring a retired TV researcher, Ally McKinley, who is widowed and starting over in an old malthouse converted to a guesthouse.

Ally McKinley believes she is in the perfect place for her next phase of life. The old Highland malthouse has been beautifully converted to a guesthouse with three rooms to let besides her own living quarters and a room for family or friends. When she hears her cleaning lady scream, Ally finds she has discovered her first paying guest, an American, stabbed with a dagger in his back outside the back door.

Ally feels the local police are getting nowhere, so her inquisitive nature takes over and as she meets all her new neighbors, she begins to take their measure and piece together the mystery. The small village Highlanders do not like outsiders, especially when they threaten to destroy their livelihoods and take away their homes. No one is sad the American is dead, but when one of their own is murdered, Ally becomes determined to uncover the killer.

This story was a mixed bag for me. I loved the author’s descriptions of the highlands which were vivid. Ally and the cast of village characters were entertaining with dialogue that made me laugh at times, especially the gossip mill that was faster than the wind. I also enjoyed Ally trying to pretend there is no ghost in her one guest bathroom. I loved meeting everyone, and would enjoy reading about them again, but it also took too much of the story away from the murder mystery plot. I do not mind that it was easy to solve, but there were times I felt you had to believe the police were incompetent and Ally was only simi-involved in solving the crime until the last few chapters.

I enjoyed Ally and the villagers, but I hope now that they are introduced the next book in the series has more cozy mystery plot intertwined throughout and Ally as a researcher is more involved than just the last few chapters.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5 (Rounded Up)

‘Oh, just a death on our doorstep.’

There’s a lot of tea drinking happening in the new Ally McKinley mystery series along with a ideal backdrop of the Scottish Highlands and an intriguing mystery with historical ties to the local landed gentry, The Sinclairs. I love that that the story features a more mature sleuth starting a second chapter in her life and the locals that are a hoot!

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is the first in a new cosy mystery series by Dee MacDonald.

Ally McKinley has opened the guesthouse of her dreams in the tiny village of Locharran in the Scottish Highlands. Just when she feels she is settling into the village and making friends, one of her guests, an American tourist, is found murdered in the courtyard.
Not having much faith in the local police, Ally can't resist launching her own investigation to find the murderer. The list of suspects mounts and has Ally even questioning her new friends.

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is a fun read. Ally is a likeable main character and the imagery of the delightful Scottish village is superb.
As this is the first in a series there is lots about getting to know the supporting characters as Dee MacDonald introduces each of the residents of the village and how they interact with each other.
There are a mixed lot of characters who all had a good reason for wanting the tourist dead.

I did feel like the murder investigation slowed through the middle of the book until the end when it was all wrapped up very quickly.

Lots of humour, cups of tea, local gossip and the introduction of a love interest for Ally make this a fun and entertaining read. I finished this eager for the next book.

A cozy murder mystery that had me giggling all the way through. An easy, fast paced read that will be perfect for a lovely autumn afternoon 🍂

I read many genres, but I've always got a cosy mystery on the go. They're my "escape from it all" reads.

Ally McKinley has just retired to a wee village and opened a B and B in a restored building. It's all as she hoped. Right up to the moment she sees the murdered man in her courtyard...

And you know what's coming don't you? Yes, Ally decides to work on the 'case' herself.

All the elements are here for a wonderful cosy. A small village where 'things like this don't happen', A number of quirky (and nosy) villagers, some quite handsome ones too, an amateur sleuth, a dog and a good plot.

I enjoyed Ally as a lead character in this new series. I definitely want to see what happens next in little Locharran.

I think Dee MacDonald's own life adds much to this series - She grew up in the Highlands and has run a B and B for ten years.

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years. She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70! Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

You can find Dee on Facebook as well as on X. See what some others thought as well.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve always wanted to visit the Scottish Highlands and I love a good mystery, so I knew I was going to love this book.

Ally is living the dream in her recently converted B&B The Auld Malthouse ( even if her children don’t approve and think she’s too old).

Ally is enjoying having paying guests finally until something goes terribly wrong, her first guest has been murdered!.

What an absolute riot this book was, it had me smiling and laughing all the way through.

I just loved everything about it, the setting was breathtaking and the mystery kept me on my toes and the cast of characters kept the story entertaining until the end.

It’s a cozy read that will leave you wanting more.

Ultimately I'm leaning more towards cozy books and this cozy mystery has fallen into this marathon, and what I loved the most is that it is inspired by one of the countries that I like the most and that is on my list of dream destinations.

Our protagonist has moved to the Scottish Highlands after her retirement in order to have a peaceful life and open a small B&B, but this is short lived when someone is found murdered after opening, now Ally (our protagonist) must solve the mystery in order to continue with her business.

I loved it because it had a great humor throughout the story and how she gets to know the different people who can help her but can also be suspects.

Although it is a predictable mystery I loved following this new amateur sleuth in the Higlanders.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love a cozy mystery and one that is set in a part of the world that my heart longs to see, it’s an immediate yes for me.
Ally is a recently retired widow and has decided to relocate to the Scottish Highlands to convert and old malt house into a B& B. However, she finds her dream of a peaceful life in the country quickly shattered when a guest at the inn is found murdered soon after opening.
Ally then finds herself an amateur sleuth trying to figure out “whodunnit” along with the help of the eccentric people of the town, some of which are, of course, suspects, and she also finds herself with a potential love interest along the way.
This was filled with loads of good natured humor and characters that you feel like you’ve met before, which is a good feeling for ones that are to be part of a series. It’s comforting and relaxing. There were moments that it dragged and thr murderer was fairly easy to predict, but overall this ticked the cozy mystery boxes for me and I’m looking forward to continuing the series.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Murder in the Scottish Highlands is the first book in the new Ally McKinley mystery series from Dee MacDonald. This contemporary cozy mystery is set in Locharran, a small village in the Scottish Highlands.

The sleuth, Ally McKinley, is a 68-year-old widow who has retired from her job in television research. To the surprise of her adult children, she moved to the Scottish Highlands and converted an old malthouse into a bed and breakfast. Ally is kind, intelligent, thoughtful, and curious.

The first body drops very quickly at the start of the book. The American victim is one of Ally's guests. She finds him on her B&B property with a knife in the back. Ally is curious by nature and is worried about the murder damaging the reputation of her new business. She starts sleuthing on her own and even creates a "murder board" on the back of a painting in her kitchen. This board helps her (and the reader) keep track of the suspects.

Ally chats up many locals, including an earl at a nearby castle. The earl likes the ladies and quickly tries to woo Ally. But he isn't the only gentleman giving her some attention. The romance is light and sweet in this book and stays in the background so that the murder mystery can take center stage. The romance subplot, while not the main focus, adds depth to Ally's character and provides a welcome break from the intensity of the murder investigation.

Dee MacDonald's expertise as a mystery writer shines in this book as she carefully lays out clues and red herrings, keeping the reader engaged and guessing. I managed to solve the murder shortly before the sleuth, which is a testament to the author's skill in crafting a compelling mystery.

Two additional things that I really liked:

1.) The cover is excellent. This is a prime example of how to do a simple, eye-catching design that hints at the theme. I liked the tartan teapot (which screams Scotland) and the tiny bit of tea being spilled (an excellent metaphor for the local gossip that helps fuel the investigation).

2.) The setting is wonderfully described. The author's use of literary dialect to convey the flavor of the characters' speech adds a charming authenticity to the Scottish theme and locale.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murder in the Scottish Highlands and look forward to the next installment. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy a good whodunit set in a picturesque location.

Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.