Murder at a Scottish Christmas
A Scottish Shire Mystery #6
By Traci Hall
ISBN 9781496744395
Author’s website: tracihall.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Summary
USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall returns with the latest novel in a new cozy mystery series set in a charming seaside town in Scotland and featuring busy single mom Paislee Shaw, owner of a specialty sweater shop, knitting enthusiast, and reluctant sleuth who must untangle another murderous yarn!
All Paislee wants for Christmas is for her new home to be finished, but it looks like she’ll have to wait for New Year’s Day. Whether the paint on the walls has dried or not, she’ll host a feast for her twelve-year-old son Brody, Grandpa, their black Scottish terrier Wallace, and friends—including police station receptionist Amelia Henry and her brother McCormac, whose black locks can fulfill the Scottish first-footer tradition that a tall, dark-haired man should be the first person to enter your home on New Year’s to bring good luck. But McCormac’s luck is about to run out. During Hogmanay—when the Scots welcome the New Year with dancing, bonfires, and midnight fireworks—he collapses as the sky brightens in a blaze of color. A shooter has used the noise of the fireworks to hide a gun’s blast. Amelia is inconsolable, and Paislee vows to do whatever she can to help DI Zeffer solve the murder—even if it puts her in the killer’s sights next . . . (Goodreads.com)
Review:
Scotland must be beautiful any time of year, but especially at Christmas! The little shire of Nairn has all the feels of the season, from the scents, music, and decorations to cozy, hand-knit sweaters and snow. Paislee makes and sells knit goods at her specialty yarn shop, Cashmere Crush, and at the upscale gift shop in Ramsey Castle, where her hand-knit specialty items sell quickly.
Characterizations are elegant portraits of each person’s inner beauty (or lack thereof), and I felt as if visiting old friends. Paislee is my favorite. I admire how she balances time with Brody, her twelve-year-old son, and Grandpa, who works for her part time, while managing her business with excellence. Paislee genuinely cares about others, and I envy her ability to organize and host a holiday gathering. In this installment, Paislee’s Saturday assistant, Amelia, a weekday receptionist at the police station, is in the spotlight. Her personality and backstory easily burrowed into my heart. I am very impressed with her overall successful choice to be different from her immediate family.
Amelia’s brother, McCormac, came home to visit. He moved to Belfast, Ireland, after having spent a couple years in jail and became a luxury auto salesman. He loved the ladies, though, too much to settle down with just one. He gifted purebred puppies with papers to one of his girlfriends, to Amelia, his brother, and their parents.
Paislee closed her shop while Brody’s school was on holiday break. Her Christmas would have been complete only if they could have returned to their home to celebrate. Major repairs were underway after the pipes burst a few months ago. Her best friend, Lydia, a realtor who also dabbled with interior design, helped with the process and designed a new kitchen for Paislee. The end result would be a surprise for Paislee, Grandpa, Brody. Lydia and her husband Corbin presented the finished work just after Christmas. They called Paislee’s family to rush to their home quickly, where inside awaited the kitchen of Paislee’s dreams! They could move back immediately and Paislee would host their New Year’s Day buffet in their newly-remodeled home.
Nairn presented its residents and tourists with a Hogmanay / New Year’s Eve festival. Paislee, Grandpa, and Brody stayed close together that evening, along with Amelia and her brother, McCormac. The brother of one of McCormac’s ex-girlfriends started a fistfight with him. His other girlfriends also ran into them. The fireworks began to explode at midnight. McCormac, who had been drinking heavily, suddenly spun around, then collapsed. Paislee and another friend of theirs tried to help while awaiting first responders. He was rushed to the hospital but learned he had been shot in the heart and died.
Amelia knew Paislee helped solve murders in the past and begged her to find who killed McCormac, but Paislee was confident in the police. She changed her mind, however, after someone tried to break into Amelia’s apartment, and Amelia showed her a suitcase stuffed with hundred-pound notes that he left behind. Her new puppy needed urgent veterinarian care, and the vet with whom prepaid consults were made, disappeared with her beloved Snowball while treating him overnight for kennel cough. Amelia’s mother and brother were suspects, so her boss gave her a paid leave of absence until the case was solved.
If I could add or change anything, I would wish for a list of characters, at least the primary ones, and in this case, a glossary for the more common Scottish terms used. I do enjoy them, and can’t wait until a good time to spring “numpty” on somebody!
I eagerly followed Amelia and Paislee through each leg of their “investigation” to find who killed McCormac and look into the puppy scheme. It firmly held my attention, and I wanted peace and safety for Paislee and Amelia. I couldn’t determine who the bad guys could be, though, and I was taken aback when learning who was involved in the murder and the puppy scheme! All crimes and associated bad guys were sorted out to my satisfaction. I highly recommend this novel and series, especially those who have Scotland on their travel bucket list.
