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

For recently retired Ally McKinley, the tiny village of Locharran is the perfect place to open the guesthouse of her dreams in a lovingly restored old Scottish malthouse. Before long she is making friends with the locals, including Hamish Sinclair, the earl who owns the nearby castle. But things take an unexpected turn when her first paying guest, American tourist Wilbur Carrington, is found sprawled across her cobblestoned courtyard with a dagger in his back…

With the police baffled, Ally’s instincts get the better of her, and she can’t resist launching her own investigation. In no time at all she and her Labrador puppy Flora are on the case, making enquiries over tea and excellent shortbread. She finds that Wilbur, a keen amateur genealogist, was convinced that he was the rightful Earl of Locharran… Even worse, he had plans that would put many people out of their jobs and even their homes.

But which of the locals resorted to murder? The hotel owner furiously trying to save his business? Locharran Castle’s fiercely loyal housekeeper who’d do anything for the earl? Or the earl himself, whose entire way of life was threatened by what Wilbur knew?

Looking for clues, Ally finds a faded photograph in a hidden drawer in Wilbur’s room. Could this be the key to solving the mystery? But when one of her suspects dies in a suspicious accident, Ally realises that things are getting a wee bit too close for comfort… Can she uncover the truth or will a killer get off scot-free?

An utterly unputdownable new Scottish cosy mystery series from bestselling author Dee MacDonald. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Faith Martin and Clare Chase.

What readers are saying about Dee MacDonald:

‘OMG … Absolutely brilliant… I just HAD to know what happened next and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book in one sitting in a few hours … Heart-racing… Absolutely spine-tingling, heart-racing page-turner … A fantastic, addictive and gorgeous series … I LOVED it.’ Bookworm86,

‘An absolute delight and a must-read… This rapid page-turner is one that will keep you up reading, unable to stop until the very end. I absolutely loved it ‘ Page Turners,

‘Superb… The perfect novel to curl up with… delightful.’ Brianne’s Book Reviews,

‘What a brilliant mystery… I found myself racing through this one, eager to find out who did what – and to who A terrific read.’ Grace J Reviewer Lady,

‘I loved it… Enjoyable, humorous, relaxing read from a fabulous author.’ Book Mark ,

‘A fantastic murder mystery, a charming whodunit… with lots of red herrings to keep you guessing until the last page … I’m hooked.’ Goodreads Reviewer,