Murder in a Scottish Shire

GIVEAWAY

HALL, TRACI

MURDER IN A SCOTTISH SHIRE

Known as the Brighton of the North, Nairn is both a charming Scottish town and a popular seaside resort -- but to Paislee Shaw, it's simply home -- unfortunately to a murderer...

For a twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee has knit together a sensible life for herself, her ten-year-old son Brody, and Wallace, their black Scottish terrier. Having inherited a knack for knitting from her dear departed grandmother, Paislee also owns a specialty yarn and sweater shop called Cashmere Crush, where devoted local crafters gather weekly for her Knit and Sip.

Lately, though, Paislee feels as if her life is unraveling. She's been served an eviction notice, and her estranged and homeless grandfather has just been brought to her door by a disconcertingly handsome detective named Mack Zeffer. As if all that wasn't enough, Paislee discovers a young woman who she recently hired to help in the shop dead in her flat, possibly from an overdose of her heart medicine. But as details of the death and the woman's life begin to raise suspicions for Detective Inspector Zeffer, it's Paislee who must untangle a murderous yarn...

My Review:

Eeeeppp --- exciting new cozy mystery alert! Well, newish, there are only two books out and a third with a release day in early 2022. I listened to the first two back-to-back because these characters, the plots and the engaging way Beverly A. Crick brings them to life were irresistible. 

Love the Scottish setting and the author immerses her readers in the culture through clever dialogue and beautiful descriptions. Definitely an armchair travel kind of read.

I haven't read many cozy mysteries with a young single mum heroine so I found Paislee's perspective on life refreshing. And overwhelming! The struggles of a single mum are something I can relate to but add in all the extra chaos Paislee's faced with in the first chapter and I just wanted to swoop in and help wherever I could. Love the instant connection I felt with her. And I enjoyed the strong sense of family portrayed in this story. Paislee's clan might be on the small side but she's fiercely loyal, even when it comes to a cantankerous estranged grandpa! Great character dynamics and some truly touching family scenes.

Add to that solid background an alluring murder mystery with plenty of plot twists and enough suspects to keep things interesting and you end up with a compelling page-turner (er...rabid listen, in my case,) Plus there's the hint of romance and I'm not even annoyed that there might be a love triangle in the offing, I'm that enamoured with all things in this Scottish Shire!

Please note: while not a Christian Fiction selection, this book is a clean read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Murder in a Scottish Shire, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 31 2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!