I started reading this mystery and couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page. Yeah, it’s that good!

A solid cozy mystery set in Scotland, with plenty of red herrings, laughs, and intriguing that will keep you guessing until the end. But most of all, it will keep you reading until the end because you cannot put it down

This is the first book in a new series and a new author for me. I found this to be a pleasant, fast-moving, cozy mystery with some interesting characters and a beautiful setting. Set in the scenic Scottish highlands, we have an older widow that has bought an old malt house and had it remodeled to host a bed and breakfast. I like that Ally has a sense of adventure, and while still trying to find her feet in her new small village, she is accepting guests. When one of her guests is murdered in her back garden, after revealing to everyone at the local hotel, that he was actually the Earl of the local area and was determined to get his title and estate back, there by making most of the village jobless and homeless the line of suspects is long! Come along for the ride while Ally tries to figure out what's going on while trying to make her new home and business pleasant and successful. I will definitely be interested in the next in the series.
Thanks to #Netgally, #Bookouture, and the author for a chance to read. #MurderintheScottishHighlands #DeeMacDonald #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

Fantastic book!
As a Scot myself, I loved the detailed descriptions of the locations & the storyline was fantastic & extremely gripping!
Absolutely blown away by the twists near the end!
Highly recommend

Dee MacDonald delivers a delightfully quirky cozy mystery with “Murder in the Scottish Highlands.”

After retirement, widowed Ally McKinley has turned the old malthouse in the Scottish Highlands town of Locharran into a bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, her very first guest, American Wilbur S. Carrington, has been found on her property with a dagger in his back. And when his brother and fiancee show up to look into his death, Ally gets drawn into the search for a murder suspect.

Since Carrington was in town to lay claim to the local earlship, there are plenty of suspects. Will Ally be able to figure out who was responsible, all while staying safe herself?

MacDonald does a great job of creating a unique and quirky cast of characters, all while developing a plot filled with twists and turns, including drama, laugh-out-loud moments and maybe even a bit of a budding romance.

Fans of cozy mysteries and series like Ian Moore’s “Follet Valley Mystery” series and Peter Boland’s “Charity Shop Detective Agency Mysteries” will love this, which is due out Sept. 2.

Five stars out of five.

Bookouture provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

This cozy murder mystery was an amusing and entertaining read. Set in Scotland, this mystery about a B&B owner who finds one of her guests murdered and the ensuing events made for an enjoyable book that I couldn’t put down until I finished.

The potential relationship of the main character was fun to read about, the gossipy side characters were funny as you can imagine the type of ladies they are, especially in a small town. And don’t get me started on the Earl, hilarious character that he was.

Overall, the book was great. Easy to read, enjoyable setting, and definitely cozy, I look forward to reading more from this series and checking out some of the author’s other works.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Get a cup of coffee, a comfy seat and dive in to this cosy mystery. I really enjoyed this book, it was light and entertaining. As a Scottish person living just south of the Scottish highland region I thoroughly enjoyed the description of the local area in Locharran.

The protagonist Ally McKinley opened her quaint B&B, and found herself solving the mystery of the murders of one of her guests and a local man. The ending perfectly wrapped up the story.

I'd definitely recommend this if you enjoy a lighter mystery with a great storyline.

Such an addictive murder mystery. I didn't want to put it down. Can't wait for the next book.

Thank you Dee MacDonald, Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC

Ally McKinley, 68 years old, fell in love with the Scottish Highlands on a visit, and has started a new life there as the owner of a renovated malt mill, now a bed and breakfast.

The murder of one of her first guests, an American seeking to claim the local earldom, propels the plot.

Ally, a vigorous, attractive, and engaging woman, had a full life in Edinburgh, as a wife, mother, and TV researcher. Now widowed, she decides to make this major move. The author makes clear why Ally loves the landscape and enjoys the people, trying as some of them can be.
The premise is appealing, but the characters and plot are rather pedestrian. There is a rumpled, plodding policeman, a lecherous earl, a catty, gossipy woman store owner and her passive sister, a plump American woman always dressed in pink. Eventually there is a charming love interest. Ally is 5’10”, and almost everyone is introduced in relation to her height, with many of the men being shorter.

Ally is a very likable protagonist, and this is a pleasant read, though not a particularly exciting one. As the first in a projected series about Ally, perhaps the author can make both plot and other characters a bit more complex.

British Cozy Mystery about a recently retired Scottish TV researcher who's plans for her B&B are threatened after an American guest's found dead on her property.

4/5 stars: This is the first entry in MacDonald's Ally McKinley Mystery series which is a B&B Cozy Mystery set in Scotland and features a widowed recently retired Scottish TV researcher who lovingly restores an old Scottish malthouse as a guesthouse B&B. She puts on her sleuthing cap after an American guest, who was looking into proving his claim to the local earldom, is found sprawled across her cobblestoned courtyard with a dagger in his back. With plenty of twists and turns, MacDonald has deftly crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, MacDonald's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Ally's a joy and I really enjoyed getting to know her and the folks in and around the quaint village of Locharran. I also look forward to seeing where her relationship with Ross, the semi-retired veterinarian. Oh and one mustn't forget to mention Ally's adorable Labrador puppy, Flora. This is a great start to a new series and I can't wait to read more!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I'm a sucker for a cozy mystery set in quaint villages with a "lady of a certain" as the MC. Throw in eclectic supporting characters and a little romance and I'm a goner! Murder in the Scottish Highlands was a quick, charming read that had me excited for future books. Ally McKinley is going to become a favorite for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I’m fairly new to mysteries and was so delighted to get the opportunity to read and advanced copy of the first book in the newest series from Dee Macdonald!

I absolutely loved the main character, Ally McKinley! I loved how no-nonsense she was and how she always stayed true to her character. Her curiosity and amateur sleuthing was something that any fan of true crime might be able to relate to!

I thought that the plot was very interesting and I appreciated that we get right into it with the initial murder happening very early on. And even though I did guess the murderer correctly, I enjoyed the journey and the possibilities along the way.

If you’re looking for a cozy mystery to curl up with, I would recommend giving “Murder in the Scottish Highlands” a read when it comes out on September 2nd!

Finally thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and the author, Dee MacDonald for providing this ARC!

Lowland Scot Ally McKinley, widowed 60-year-old, splurges and purchases a dilapidated Scottish highlands malthouse (where whisky was malted). After renovating it and opening a small B&B in the tiny town of Locharran, she’s now praying for a steady stream of guests to help pay the renovation loan. When her first guest turns up dead in her courtyard, things steadily get stranger. With the local policeman unwilling to see the clues in front of his eyes, Ally’s determined to sleuth and prevent her guesthouse from failing before it really begins.
Filled with quirky local characters and a few odd visitors, the setting for this cozy is good. There’s a potential love interest and, of course, a new puppy. This series has potential to continue with lots of stories. I look forward to seeing how it develops.

First time reading a cozy murder mystery ! I really enjoyed this read. I loved that the setting takes place in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, makes you feel like you are really over there as well. This is definitely a quick fun read you could finish in one sitting. I liked Ally's character and her interactions with all the people in the small town and potential suspects. I suggest giving this one a read if you enjoy a cute cozy mystery.


Thank you Netgalley and Bookoture for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ally McKinley is living the dream. Waking every morning to an uninterrupted view of the Scottish Highlands, she now lives in a converted malthouse and, as she was the one who planned it all, everything is just as she wanted. Now proudly serving her first guest in her own little B&B, Ally has made new friends, discovered beautiful walks, and thoroughly confused her children, all of which,  unfortunately, pale into insignificance when a body is discovered behind her home!

With plenty of suspects, including the local laird and her own cleaner, Morag, Ally is dismayed when the local police seem to have no idea how to solve a murder. As Ally was a researcher in her previous life she is absolutely sure she can solve everything herself, especially as she's also sure her new friends can't possibly be involved! The stakes are high however, and it soon becomes clear that there is a desperate killer on the loose, but can she discover their identity before alienating everyone in the small village of Locharran which she now calls home?

Book one in a new series, when you loved a writer's previous work, is always a trip into the unknown, but I needn't have worried. Ally McKinley is a brilliant new main protagonist who I liked from the get go, while the landscape is also a main player in this story and it's clear the author is very familiar with its beauties and dangers. The more minor characters, who are definitely going to keep Ally on her toes over what I hope will become a regular series of adventures, are both humorous and full of potential.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bookouture, but the opinions expressed are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this. It didn't read like the first in a series, the characterization is great, and I'm happily looking forward to more.

The premise of this book felt very similar to the Home Repair Is Homicide series by Sarah Graves. An old house. A small remote village. Entertaining locals. A cozy mystery with a protagonist in her 60s and it was quick, fun read. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

This is a fun, quick read. I really enjoyed it. Eccentric characters, a dash of romance, a puppy and some mystery. Overall a great mix that makes for good reading.

Thanks Netgalley!

This is a cute, cozy mystery about a 60 year old woman, moving to Scotland to open a bed & breakfast. I loved the setting and characters were introduced to, but at times the writing style was not for me. I still would be interested in reading more if this becomes a series from this author.

This is a sweet and simple cozy mystery. The lead is very likeable, as are most of the characters, and there's a lovely camaraderie in the community. Might Ally solve a murder and find love?
It was a quick, enjoyable read. I figured out the murderer quite easily.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Dee MacDonald for an advanced copy for review.

Ally McKinley’s new life in retirement operating a B&B in the Highlands of Scotland quickly becomes less than idyllic when one of her guests is found murdered. The police don’t seem to be following leads as quickly and thoroughly as she thinks they should and starts her own investigation with the help of her 2 new guests, who are connected to the murder victim. The murder may have been triggered by ancestry research that calls into question who the real Earl of Locharran Castle is, which frightens and angers most of the village residents. Ally shows everyone that she knows her own mind and isn’t afraid to speak the truth when gossip follows her as she gets to know several attractive widowers. Definitely some twists and turns in the mystery and a 2nd murder to complicate things.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed meeting Ally and the other residents of Locharran in this new series! I was able to figure out about half of the mystery from the beginning, but I didn’t put all of the pieces together until the end. I did find the climactic scene to be a bit chaotic and hard to follow, particularly with the geography of where this was all taking place. The ending too felt rushed, like the loose ends weren’t tied up. But overall, I enjoyed the read.