Category: Mystery

Dressed to Drill by Kate Carlisle

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Dressed to Drill (Fixer-Upper Mystery, #10)

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: Fixer-Upper Mystery #10
Publication Date: 5/2/23
Period: Contemporary
Number of Pages: 304

Whoosh! What an exciting read – there is never a dull moment in the book – and the last few pages are the most perfect yet! On the heels of attending the premier of the latest movie based on one of Mac’s books, it is time for Shannon to put on her steel-toed work boots and get started on the massive renovation of a beautiful Victorian church. The church congregation has moved to a new sleek new location and the now empty, centuries-old church will be made into a museum by Shannon and her crew. Everyone is excited to get started – until they almost immediately find a body and the police shut down the job until forensics could finish their examination.

When Shannon found the body, she noticed several ‘odd’ things – and immediately began checking them out while she waited for the police. The police chief, who is engaged to Shannon’s sister, Chloe, quickly berated Shannon for messing around with the crime scene – even though he appreciated her insights. As the crew is allowed back to work, they meet many of the former congregation – and Shannon realizes that they are hiding a secret of some sort – or maybe more than one secret. Was it a secret worth killing over? Then, another murder – how are the two murders connected? Shannon and Mac are determined to find out who committed these heinous crimes before their project gets shut down – and to get justice for the victims.

With a whole congregation full of suspects – along with the staff at the church, there is enough to keep them busy. Who could possibly wish to harm those lovely people? What secrets could be worth that? The victims weren’t really related – one was an employee of the church – and the other was an employee of the museum – what could they have in common?

Shannon, Mac, her crew, her gaggle of girlfriends, and, of course, the local police definitely have their work cut out for them. Luckily they are up to the task. The culprit may surprise you – and the reason may have your jaw-dropping.

It was a fun, fast-paced read and was, as always, excellently written and plotted. Then, as I mentioned earlier, those last few pages are to die for. You’ll love it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Part of a Series, Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

An American in Scotland

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: A Scottish Isle Mystery #1
Publication Date: 4/4/23
Period: Contemporary – Sea Isle, Scotland
Number of Pages: 304

Burned-out American emergency room doctor, Emilia (Em) McRoy, has accepted the position of village doctor in a beautiful, quiet, peaceful seaside village in Scotland. When she arrives, it is everything she dreamed it would be – breathtakingly beautiful, quaint, and filled with warm, welcoming Scots. She’s so excited to begin to explore her new home – until she finds a dead body only a short while after she arrives. No, not just any dead body – the body of someone who was murdered – although she and the handsome constable disagree on that.

Apparently, she didn’t read her contract very carefully because she finds out she is also the coroner for the area. The constable, Ewan Campbell wants her to just sign the death certificate as accidental death and be done with it. The man was a known drunk and Ewan is convinced he just fell and cracked his head open during a drunken walk. Emilia refuses to sign the certificate and, as coroner, begins her own investigation. That investigation apparently doesn’t sit well with the murderer, because he starts coming after Emilia. Can Ewan and her new friends protect her from the psychopath? Has this person killed before? The victim, Smithy, was a surly old cuss that nobody liked, but who truly disliked him enough to murder him?

I’m always looking for new-to-me mystery writers – particularly those who write books set in some of my favorite places – like England, Scotland, and Ireland. I enjoyed the writing style and the characters, but there is a lot about this book that will require you to totally suspend your belief/disbelief. Basically, the whole of the town and its inhabitants require that. There is Ewan who is the constable, mayor, laird, and practically the richest man in Scotland. Well, frankly, from the descriptions of the things he provides for the town, the doctor, the medical facility, and the inhabitants, he has to be the richest man in the world. Then, there is that medical facility – housed in an old church – and with more modern, up-to-date equipment than most modern urban hospitals. Oh – and BTW – what is with dukes and marquesses and aristocrats being royalty? Yes, the reference is made more than once. A duke nor a marquess is royalty – unless they are a Royal Duke such as William or Harry.

All-in-all, this was a nice beginning for a new series and I will definitely read the next book. However, I will be wearing my rose-colored glasses and will have all beliefs and disbeliefs suspended before I start reading.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

View all my reviews