Scotland, 1906. While renovating a castle in the Orkney Islands, the new owner discovers a strange suit, like a selkie hide, hidden in an ancient trunk. Maximilian Haywood and Emmeline Truelove, of the Haywood Institute for the Study of Time, are called to investigate. Lord Silverton follows, to press his marriage proposal to Emmeline and to protect her from any danger. On the train, a ginger-haired man of nefarious intent fights with Lord Silverton, and Emmeline’s would-be lover soon disappears with a portfolio. At the castle, Max and Emmeline study the “selkie” suit and the ancient trunk, and somehow trigger Max’s time-traveling juices. Emmeline can feel/see the presence of Lord Silverton in another time, so Max sends her back to him, to the 1300s.

The plot is unpredictable, and I cared about the characters, who cleverly illustrate their respective cultural time-periods, and then also show how experiencing a different time period affects them. The mysteries of the selkie suit, the ginger-haired man, the portfolio and the whole time travel situation keep the reader guessing. I had not read the first book in the series, A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, and although it isn’t required to understand this story, it would certainly help. It took me several chapters before I could figure out the characters, the relationships, and the whole time-traveling component.

The main mysteries are solved by the end, but there are many questions left, so I foresee another installment in this time-travel, mystery series. A fun read.

I love a book that takes me to a different place in time and this accomplished exactly that. This book rightfully earned a place on my bookshelf.

<span style="color: #ff0000;"><strong>***WARNING - THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!***</strong></span>

Emmeline Truelove is a very modern woman - modern for 1906 that is. Emmeline is a researcher and works with Maximillian Haywood, currently along the Scottish shore. They are researching an unusual discovery made recently along the Orkney Islands...a suit of clothing, which, according to family legend, belonged to a selkie (a mythological creature that appears to be a seal when in water and becomes human on land) who came from the sea and married the first laird of the castle.

Truelove and Haywood are joined along the way by their acquaintance/friend, the silky, smooth, Lord Silverton. Silverton shows up just in time to protect Truelove from a curious stranger who follows her aboard a train. This stranger is someone we most likely met in one of the previous books in the series as Truelove recognizes and has some fear of him.

But Silverton is possibly not all he lets on to be. First, he seems remarkably interested in Truelove - to the point where he might be considered a 'stalker' today. He manages to convince her that he should stay in her room with her, in case he needs to fight off another villain. The fact that he gets her tipsy certainly helps his case. But when Truelove wakes in the morning, Silverton and the special item she was carrying, are gone. And when Max and Emmeline discover later that Silverton has truly disappeared, Emmeline follows him, through time - a journey that may not have a return trip.

When I requested this book, I thought I was requesting a historical romance - I did not know that this was a historical romance fantasy. I did not know that time travel would play a crucial role here, until it happened. There were clues, looking back on it I can see that now. And perhaps there were more clues in the earlier books - especially centering around the stranger who follows Truelove on the train.

This is the sort of surprise that is neither good nor bad. I enjoy time travel fantasy/sci-fi books just fine - I just usually know what I am getting into when I read one. Because this took me by surprise, it took me out of the book. I had to stop and go back to re-read a few chapters to make sure I was reading everything right. Yup. Traveled through time. Once I accepted that and moved on, I was fine and enjoyed the book well-enough. I just wish I'd had some sort of clue as to what sort of book I was reading.

Looking for a good book? This historical romance mystery, <em>A Strange Scottish Shore</em> by Juliana Gray, is actually a historical romance mystery <em>fantasy</em>. Be prepared. And then enjoy.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Would read this again. Was well written. Enjoyable read from start to finish

WHY DID I LISTEN TO A STRANGE SCOTTISH SHORE?
Initially, my interest was peaked in A Strange Scottish Shore by Juliana Gray by the cover. I love how vintage it feels, like something you would find at a thrift store. It’s weird but the cover really gives a good sense of time and place. I decided to listen to this book based off my interest in Scotland and historical fiction with a romantic twist. At the time, I did not know there was a book that preceded this one. However, I responsibly listened to book one, and here we are at book two which given how long I had to wait for my Overdrive hold to come in, meant I HAD to listen to it.

WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
Emmeline Truelove and her employer Max Hayward are called by a mysterious artifact, a selkie suit. There’s a pretty big legend surrounding the suit. A woman rose from the sea and married the first laird of the castle while wearing the suit. Regardless, Lord Silverton disappears off the street in Scotland. Then, Emmeline travels back in time to like the 1300s if I recall correctly. This is where she reconnects with Lord Silverton who is also in this time. Silverton is now a fisherman. Meanwhile, he and Emmeline must get married to protect Emmeline in this time. Of course, they consummate the marriage. A few times. And well, we learn the truth behind the selkie suit and the myth and about another woman who is in this time period. There’s more time travel and drama.

HOW DID I LIKE A STRANGE SCOTTISH SHORE?
Well, I liked that there’s a wedding. I like that two characters I wanted to get together finally do so. Granted, that was because of the circumstance. However, it is just SO right what happens. In addition, there’s a lot of suspense in this story. AND THERE ARE BABIES which now that I have one, I am actually interested in them. I ended up liking A Strange Scottish Shore a bit more than A Most Extraordinary Pursuit.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
So, in a weird turn of events there is a different narrator for this sequel. Typically that is a thing that annoys me. I think that audiobook series should have the same narrator throughout. However, judging the new narrator on her own merits is something I can do. Gemma Massot narrates A Strange Scottish Shore by Juliana Gray. I think that her voice is less melodic than Nicola Barber. However, she adds a bit more emotion and gravitas. I really enjoyed Massot’s narration overall. I ended up liking this audiobook a bit better and retaining more. So, I would certainly recommend listening to these books. A Strange Scottish Shore is 12 hours and 18 minutes unabridged.

OMG! What's going to happen when she puts on the dress?

Juliana Gray has created a truly unusual mystery. I was somewhat surprised at how much her plot made me reflect on the challenges in the lives of her main characters. At times it was a little hard to keep up with references to the previous book in the series, but that was usually a temporary distraction. Gray took on a major challenge in combining historical fiction with a fairly modern description of time travel, and she met that challenge by keeping the reader engaged. I look forward to seeing where she goes in her next book.

Here I go again, starting a series at the second book. This time, I wasn’t aware it was part of a series until I went to enter it in Goodreads as currently reading. In some cases, it being the second in a series doesn’t matter, but if A Strange Scottish Shore sounds appealing to you, I advise that you start with the first Emmaline Truelove book, A Most Extraordinary Pursuit. I might just try to find a copy myself.

A lot is going on here, and it takes a while to figure out all of it. It is 1906, and Emmaline Truelove works for Max, the Duke of Olympia, in charge of some type of foundation. Emmaline is a practical, down-to-earth person, but she is helping Max try to learn about a power he doesn’t understand, the ability to move people through time.

Emmaline is on her way to Scotland with important documents when she meets two different men. A ginger-haired man seems to be stalking her until Lord Silverton comes to her train compartment. Lord Silverton, with whom she has had adventures in the previous book, is a handsome man with a reputation with the ladies, so Emmaline can hardly believe him when he claims to have fallen in love with her. Nevertheless, she spends the night with him, only to awaken the next morning and find her papers gone.

In Scotland, Emmaline and Max are summoned to a castle in the Orkney Islands to view a suit that the owner found hidden in a secret compartment of a chest that hasn’t been opened in centuries. The suit sounded to me like a wetsuit, which of course hasn’t been invented yet in 1906. The castle has a legend of the founder of the family having been married to a selkie, so Emmaline and Max begin calling it a selkie suit.

In the meantime, Lord Silverton has disappeared. Emmaline finds clues that he has been in this castle at another time. She concludes that Max inadvertently sent him back in time, so she talks Max into sending her back for him.

This novel features a redoubtable heroine, a nasty villain, and plenty of action, plus time travel! If this sounds like your thing, you will probably enjoy the combination of historical novel, speculative fiction, action, and romantic suspense.

Not having read book 1, I had no idea time travel was a part of this book. Book starts in 1906 and then goes back in time to the 1300's. Fortunately the characters make the book.
Goodreads

I haven't read the first in this series, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I enjoyed the time travel aspect and the historical settings. There was more of an emphasis on romance than I am comfortable with, but I will still probably seek out the sequel if there is one!

* Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first agreed to read and review A Strange Scottish Shore, I had not realized it was Book #2 in this series. Sorrowfully, I did not realize it until I was halfway into Chapter Two and I was totally confused as to what was happening. Confused, but also very much intrigued. So much so, that I immediately purchased Book #1, A Most Extraordinary Pursuit and delved right in. I had one of those great "Ah ha!" moments! As soon as I finished that book, I started again with A Strange Scottish Shore with renewed vigor! And this time, I loved it!!

Juliana Gray has created the most astonishing characters ever! Not your typical cookie-cutter characters. No, no, no. These are the most unique characters to ever grace the pages of a novel and I loved every one of them... except for those you need to totally dislike. Shocking revelations come to light when Max and Emmaline discover Max's unique abilities and sends Miss Truelove six hundred years in the past to find Lord Silverton. What all she finds will keep you thoroughly entertained in the mystery and in the romance. Yes, Book #2 has much more romance in it! And I loved the way the story was interwoven with mythology. Beautifully written! I do hope there will be more books in this series.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

A Strange Scottish Shore is the follow up to the first book in the Emmeline Truelove series A Most Extraordinary Pursuit. Whereas I thought Pursuit suffered from an identity crisis, and I was so unsatisfied with it that I almost did not give this second book in the series a try. I am really glad that I did as it is a vast improvement. This time around, all of the elements – Mystery, Romance, Time Travel – all work together to make an exciting adventure worthy of reading.

Emmeline Truelove has resigned her position as secretary for the new Duke of Olympia Max Haywood to be the director of his new Institute for the Study of Time. When Max is away at a shooting party in Scotland, while there to get to know a potential bride he comes across a strange suit. Could the legends of a selkie who married the first laird of the area be true? He beckons Emmeline to join him and, unbeknownst to her, asks his friend Lord Silverton to keep an eye on her and the important papers she carries. Of course, Silverton has additional instructions, and when he disappears while chasing down the thief of said papers, Emmeline cannot help but believe that something bigger is going on. When she and Max encounter the redheaded stranger again, he makes some pretty fantastic claims. This leads Emmeline to believe she knows “when” Silverton has disappeared to, and asks Max to “send” her there, even though neither of them knows how the time travel works. Emmeline does indeed find Silverton…in the fourteenth century. Now what to do? How to get back home? Regardless of the outcome, they are in for one heck of a ride.

Emmeline is a fantastic protagonist written in the same vein as Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody and Deanna Raybourn’s Veronica Speedwell. She is a bit bossy, a little know-it-all, but with a huge heart and intellect that makes her wise beyond her years. This book focuses mostly on her relationship with Lord Silverton, and their chemistry and growing relationship is a lot of fun to watch as it unfolds. I am a little surprised by the turn things took but pleased. I cannot wait to see what is in store for them next. Silverton was my favorite character in Pursuit and he continues to be my favorite here. Considering he was all glitter and charisma before, here he is sincere, humble, and quite lovely. We do not see much of Max, but her plays a crucial role. The supporting characters are varied and interesting, and I love seeing how various people and plot threads are beginning to come together to show the bigger picture.

There are still a lot of questions to be answered about how Max’s abilities and the time travel work, and I am sure they are not easy to write about. You can tell that Gray has put a great deal of thought into her time travel scenario, and we are just beginning to see how it will all unravel. Complicated, indeed.

I really enjoyed A Strange Scottish Shore and impatiently wait for the next installment. Though it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading A Most Extraordinary Pursuit first for better understanding of the characters and events that have led up to book two. Recommended for fans of Edwardian heroines, time travel, and romance with a bit of mystery.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This was good, although I didn't really like where it ended. I am hoping there will be a third book because I am interested in seeing where the story goes next.

A Strange Scottish Shore is a multi-layered story that rewards a perceptive, patient reader. The first of the Emmeline Truelove series, A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, introduced readers to the three main characters: Maximilian Haywood, the heir to the Duke of Olympia; Miss Emmeline Rose Truelove, the recently departed Duke of Olympia’s personal secretary; and the Marquess of Silverton, a “watchful and jovial” aristocrat with an eye for Miss Truelove.

What makes A Strange Scottish Shore a mystery that embraces the fluidity of time? One element is the excerpt at the beginning of each chapter from A. M. Haywood’s re-telling of the selkie legend The Book of Time, published in 1921. A. M. Haywood, aka the Duke of Olympia. And yet the story opens with Miss Truelove at King’s Cross Station, London, in August of 1906. She is on her way to join the Duke at Thurso Castle in the wilds of Scotland.

Another feature is Emmeline’s continuing conversation with two ghosts, or visions. The first is Queen Victoria, who joins Emmeline in her first-class compartment to excoriate her for her unconventional choice of profession. She is the director of The Haywood Institute for the Study of Time, a markedly unusual post for a woman at the turn of the century. Why, the Queen wonders, is Emmeline traveling to Scotland at all? Why can’t Mr. Miller, the duke’s new private secretary, fulfill the duke’s “urgent request?”

“Because—as the duke’s telegram informed me—he has discovered another one of his mysterious objects, and Mr. Miller, for all his admirable qualities, is not especially qualified to assist in that kind of investigation.”

“I don’t see why not. I don’t see why he should require a woman to perform this task, when she lacks the strength and judgment of a man.”

“A quaint sentiment, from a woman who once reigned over half the globe.”

Her Majesty disappears at the appearance of the Marquess of Silverton “like the extinguishing of a light.” Adventure ensues when the pair is interrupted by a mysterious intruder. Silverton gives chase, the two men tussle, but Silverton is not able to restrain him. All of the excitement and delays make the pair “irretrievably late,” and they miss their train connection from Edinburgh to Thurso Castle.

Emmeline’s second spectral companion (dead for six years) makes a visit to her in her “elegant room in the North British Station Hotel, in the splendid shadow of Castle Rock”:

“Good evening,” said my father, folding the book over his thumb. “How do you like Scotland so far?”

“I have scarcely seen it. At least the drizzle has let up.”

“Has Lord Silverton been behaving himself?”

“Does he ever?” I levered myself from the door and walked to the desk in the corner, on which I placed the leather portfolio I carried under my arm. “We meet for dinner in an hour.”

“Do you? I’m glad to hear it. I like the fellow.”

Truelove and the Marquess arrive at the castle the next day. Duke of Olympia is anxious to meet privately with Miss Truelove because he wants her to examine an object he has found. An unnerving aspect of Truelove’s life is that she’s neither fish nor fowl—not a guest of the duke and not a conventional member of his staff. To be a private secretary, like she was for his father, was unusual enough, but for a female to lead a scientific institute is unheard of. Emmeline tries to stay oblivious to the whispers, but it’s difficult.

Who the devil was that? asked one, and Olympia’s secretary, I believe, said another, and yet another one began, No, no, haven’t you heard, she’s his—

By then I was out of earshot, my skin aflame, turning down a succession of corridors without any consciousness of where I was going, only that I had to get as far away as possible from those voices, from those eyes that had stared at me with such unnatural, avaricious curiosity.

Emmeline calms herself by looking out at the sea, “now turned gray and pink in the gathering sunset,” until the duke calls her name. They go to his Chinese library where they examine a mysterious life-sized, rubberized object.

I laid it carefully down on the table and straightened it out into the shape of a human being, minus head and hands and feet, almost perfectly formed, about the size of a tall adult female. The smell was strong, almost overpowering, a queer mixture of seawater and rot and rubber.

A twentieth-century wetsuit in Edwardian Scotland? It’s yet another example of Juliana Gray’s deft ability to insert modern or medieval objects into the plot. It’s impossible to stop speculating about how and why.

No stranger to the study of anachronisms in archeological digs, Haywood is nevertheless puzzled by the artifact: a suit of clothing, which, according to family legend, once belonged to a selkie who rose from the sea in ancient times and married the castle’s first laird.

More surprises—the intruder of the train, Hunter, appears at the castle and holds the Duke and Truelove at gunpoint. He rattles off an improbable story that stuns the duke.

“And how did you come to know that story?” Max asked.”

“Because you wrote a book about it duke-man. That story and others like it.”

“I haven’t written any books. Not about what happened on Naxos, anyway. I haven’t told a soul.”

Would it come as a surprise that the book is called The Book of Time? Hunter snarls, “You wrote it in 1921, my man. Nineteen hundred and twenty-one.” Is Hunter a villain who has traveled back in time—to what purpose? Modern-day artifacts, stories from ancient times, danger and mystery—Juliana Gray’s A Strange Scottish Shore weaves all these elements into a compelling tale.

I very rarely pick up books out of order in a series but since time was short and I really wanted to read this, I took a chance and dove right into the somewhat murky waters that is this series.

Being that I at the time was craving the historical setting of Scotland, it was hard to resist such a story. I can say without a doubt that while I don't like just diving into a series, I did so with this one with relative ease and little discomfort.

What I didn't expect was this not to be your typical historical mystery. Oh no, not by a long shot. With the added supernatural theme, a romance that is every bit as swoon worthy as you would expect from this time, and an unexpected time traveling element, this book kept me on my toes in a very good way.

Overall it was a delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

A Strange Scottish Shore
Emmeline Truelove #2
Juliana Gray
Berkley, September 2017
ISBN 978-0-425-277089
Trade Paperback

From the publisher—

Scotland, 1906. A mysterious object discovered inside an ancient castle calls Maximilian Haywood, the new Duke of Olympia, and his fellow researcher Emmeline Truelove north to the remote Orkney Islands. No stranger to the study of anachronisms in archeological digs, Haywood is nevertheless puzzled by the artifact: a suit of clothing that, according to family legend, once belonged to a selkie who rose from the sea and married the castle’s first laird.

But Haywood and Truelove soon realize they’re not the only ones interested in the selkie’s strange hide. When their mutual friend Lord Silverton vanishes in the night from an Edinburgh street, their quest takes a dangerous turn through time, which puts Haywood’s extraordinary talents—and Truelove’s courage—to their most breathtaking test yet.

After Miss Emmeline Truelove sets off by train to Scotland to join her employer and colleague, Max Haywood, the late Queen Victoria appears, not an unusual occurrence, to warn her that she’s being followed, no surprise to Emmeline. Then, her friend and would-be suitor, Marquess Frederick Silverton, boards the same train and chases after the stranger who jumps off. Clearly, we’re off on an adventure.

An odd man named Hunter Spillane later disappears after attacking Emmeline and Max at a house party in Scotland. When James Magnusson, Earl of Thurso, shows them a box found in a castle’s ruins, the mystery deepens and yet holds a hint of their own recent past. Affairs of the heart and Emmeline’s visions of her deceased father and the late Queen add to the mystery they must solve without undue attention from others.

In a blend of mystery and fantasy, people literally come and go through centuries in a time-traveling kind of vortex as the puzzle begins to come clear and a beautiful woman named Helen tells an incredible tale. The story itself is highly entertaining but it’s the various characters who really engaged me and kept me turning pages. Now, I need to find the first book and do some catching up.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, September 2017.

I am a sucker for anything Scottish, so obviously this title hooked me right away! I do like the cover, though it puts me more in mind of a cozy mystery, and other readers on Goodreads have shelved it in mystery, so I spent most of the book thinking it was a mystery, and I'm pretty sure that it showed up in that genre to me on Netgalley, even though they considered it Historical Fiction and Romance in the write up. Be that as it may, there IS a mystery to be solved, and a very interesting one at that!

First off, this is the second in a series, but that didn't give me too much trouble, other than making me want to go back and read the first one! It has several of my favorite touchstones, time travel, archaeology, mysterious artifacts and Scotland, and it didn't disappoint! I found Truelove to be a bit like Amelia Peabody in my favorite Egyptian mystery series by Elizabeth Peters, which is to say, she must be in the middle of everything and she will satisfy her curiosity, even at great danger to herself! I'd like to see the development of her friendly/working relationship with Max which I believe happens in the first book, as we don't see much of him here. It seems like a very close friendship, which causes more than a few misunderstandings for them, The main focus of the story is on Truelove and Silverton (also an enigma as we get to see two very different versions of his personality).

There are many twists and plenty of action! I expected the ending to work out differently than it did, and I'm interested to see where the series goes from here, because the premise can't just end there! I definitely recommend this one to the Scotland/Ancient Scotland romance and time traveling fans, this wasn't your typical historical romance in my opinion, as my notion that it was a mystery really never ended. I felt there was just as much focus on that, as on the romance, and I'm interested in more!

It all starts with call to her boss about a mysterious object found at an old castle. He goes to see what it is and asks her to follow him with paperwork. As she's getting on the train, she sees a man following her. She knows she's in danger. Then a friend from her past shows up, saying the duke sent him for her protection. She's a bit worried about her heart needing protection but what can she say? When the man tailing her gets off the train in mid-trip, she's hoping it's over. No, it's just beginning...

Berkley sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you). It is being published today.

This is a very interesting time travel tale. Truelove's present time was in 1906. When Lord Silverton goes missing, she wants to travel back in time to find him. She manages that but then she can't figure out how to get back. The man who follows her like a bad penny is from the future. And when the past and the future collide, it produces very interesting results.

One thing I especially loved about this book is that the relationships were all real love. There's no farce, no half-heartedness about it at all. That's what carries the story and helps right wrongs. This was a fascinating read and I really enjoyed it.

I'd tell you more but it might spoil the story. There's an old legend involved. And I'm not sure that they've seen the last of Haywood, her boss. But we'll just have to see what the next book brings.

When I read A Most Extraordinary Pursuit, the first of Juliana Gray’s historical mystery series featuring the intrepid Emmeline Truelove, I wasn’t – at first – quite sure what to think. There’s a mystery, yes, and a bit of romance… but I wasn’t expecting the time travel element or the fact that the heroine has regular conversations with both her deceased father and the late Queen Victoria! In the end, however, I enjoyed the story, which is quite unlike anything I’ve read before – or since, really – and in which the author does a great job of interweaving the various plot elements – mystery, romance, time-travel and oddness! – with a caper-type adventure and a hefty dose of Greek mythology. The somewhat starchy Truelove and the gorgeously dashing Lord Silverton made a wonderfully odd couple as they struck sparks off each other throughout their travels and I was sorry to leave them at the end while also looking forward to the next book and hoping for answers to some of the many questions raised.

Before I go on, I should point out that there are likely to be spoilers for A Most Extraordinary Pursuit in this review, so if you haven’t yet read that book, proceed with caution. And I’ll add that while it might be possible to read A Strange Scottish Shore on its own, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Maximillian Haywood – who became the Duke of Olympia upon the death of his formidable great uncle – has made a name for himself as an archaeologist, and specifically as one with expertise in historical anachronisms; in analysing objects discovered in strata at a time and place they shouldn’t have existed. In the previous book, Max had gone missing – had been kidnapped, in fact – which is what led to Silverton and Truelove’s expedition to Greece to find him, and eventually to the discovery that Max is possessed of an incredible power which somehow enables him to reach through time and bring people through to the present or send them back to the past. A Strange Scottish Shore picks up a few months after Truelove and Silverton parted on the Greek island of Skyros, having located the duke and gone their separate ways.

Truelove is no longer working as the Duke of Olympia’s secretary and instead heads up The Haywood Institute for the Study of Time which Max set up following his return from Greece. He has sent for her to join him at a hunting party being held in the north of Scotland by Lord Thurso, where he has come across an object that doesn’t belong – but as she is boarding the train in London, Truelove catches sight of a familiar face, one of the men she, Silverton and Max had encountered on the Greek island of Naxos months earlier. She knows he is likely following her to Scotland to get to Max and to get hold of the documents she is carrying to him – but before she can think more on the matter, she is joined in her first class compartment by none other than the Marquess of Silverton, looking as cheerfully handsome and nonchalant as ever as he informs her he’s received a telegram from Max and is also on the way to join the hunting party.

The sudden appearance of the red-haired man she had glimpsed in London sees Silverton haring off in pursuit, but following a scuffle, the man jumps from the train, and the ensuing delay while the matter is investigated leaves Silverton and Truelove unable to continue to their destination that day and forced to stay in Edinburgh overnight. Worried that perhaps the man is still following them, Silverton announces his intention to stay the night in her room, on the sofa of course – but when she wakes, he – and her document portfolio – are gone.

Truelove continues her journey and is met at Thurso station by Max, whom, she is troubled to discover, has no notion of what could have happened to their friend. Once arrived at the castle, Max is able to show Truelove exactly what he has found that has so intrigued him. Hidden away at the bottom of an old wooden chest is a suit made of a cool, slippery, unknown material that appears to have been fashioned for a tall, adult female. The chest was found during the refurbishment being undertaken at one of the family’s properties in the Orkney Islands – an old, dilapidated castle which the present owner, Mr. Magnusson – the illegitimate son of Lord Thurso – intends to remodel into an exclusive hotel and resort. Neither Max nor Truelove has any idea what the suit is made of or its purpose, when Magnusson tells them it’s a selkie suit and then of the old family legend that tells of their ancestor – a fisherman – who fell in love with a beautiful maiden who came from the sea. Having fallen instantly in love with her, the fisherman found her sealskin suit and hid it so she could never swim away and leave him – she stayed for seven years and bore him two children, but then found her suit and disappeared back into the sea.

Shortly after this discovery, Truelove and Max come face to face one more with their red-headed nemesis – who introduces himself as Hunter – and who seems to want something from them that they do not have. He also has knowledge of the future, telling Max that he will write a book in 1921 about his experiences with time travel and says that he himself was born in 1985; but before he can explain further or harm either of them, Magnusson intervenes and Hunter escapes by diving out the window into the sea below.

When, the next day, Truelove receives a telegram from the duchess asking for information about Silverton’s whereabouts, she is forced to confront the heart-breaking truth; that he really is missing and she has no idea how to find him or even where to look for him. Until something happens that makes her think that perhaps asking where to look is the wrong question…

A Strange Scottish Shore is an incredibly creative and entertaining story that kept me eagerly turning the pages as I wondered what had happened to Silverton, how – and if – Truelove was ever going to find him, exactly what Max’s power entails and how all of it related to the legend of the selkie, which is very cleverly woven throughout the novel with excerpts from it prefacing each chapter. (The author points out in her note at the end that while this legend is her own invention, such stories are frequently to be found in Scottish folklore). The characterisation of both leads is excellent and Truelove’s distinctive narrative voice is as strong as ever. She is intelligent and perceptive, but wary of falling for Silverton, while he is a thoroughly charming rogue who, as her father tells her, should not be judged by the mask he wears. Their relationship continues along the same lines as in the first book until his disappearance, when Truelove is forced to confront the truth of her feelings, and by her willingness to make a potentially life-changing sacrifice in order to find him, to admit that her attempts to resist him were useless.

The mix of romance, mystery and the supernatural is just about right for someone like me, who likes there to be an emphasis on the romance in mystery and adventure stories – and saying that is probably a bit of a spoiler, so I’m not going to say any more about the plot, which is complex without being impenetrable (but you do need to concentrate!) and superbly constructed. Ms. Gray does answer some of the questions I had at the end of book one, but then proceeds to pose more and the book ends… if not quite on a cliffhanger, then certainly at a point at which it is clear that there is more to come.

A Strange Scottish Shore has cemented my commitment to this series, and I am eagerly looking forward to more. I’d definitely recommend both books to anyone who enjoys romantic historical mysteries and is on the lookout for something a little out of the ordinary.

Grade: A- (DIK)/4.5 stars

If you like historical fiction, romance, and a bit of science fiction this series will be for you. I think that this book is a bit stronger than the first as it seems to really be settling into its identity. It has some ups and downs that will keep you turning the pages. This series is really starting to pick up and I’m looking forward to the next book!