Overall this was a pretty good mystery. I loved the historical aspect and all the different parts of Scottish culture that the author was able to fit into the story, including how an authentic kilt is made. I also enjoy the relationship between the two main characters. The only downside to this book is that I figured out who the killer was pretty early so I skim read the last bit to finish it.

This is one of my favorite Cozy Mystery Series! Daria is such a solid character.

Everyone in Laurel Springs, PA is excited about the highland games taking place and for a few days everyone is Scottish. With games, dancing and of course wonderful things to purchase.

Daria and Letty are sharing a booth and Daria's tartan bow ties are a good seller. They even have a famous author on site promoting his book about Bonnie Prince Charlie and his missing ring. Even Daria's roommate Aileen and her band are playing. With one of them taking up the bagpipes.

When one of the participants in the games is murdered, secrets come out and Daria needs to do two things. One is prove her roommate is innocent and two throw together an actual kilt plus a wedding gown in just a few days.

This series has everything I love. Great characters, a plot with a lot of historical information, some fact, some imagined. It's a joy to read every time.

Well Done!

Netgalley/Kensington/Lyrical September 11, 2018

I feel like Daria has finally arrived in the latest book in Greta McKennan's A Stitch in Time Mystery Series. Her maturity and temperament has drastically improved and she is immensely more likable. As an historic seamstress her latest foray is into Scottish History and the Highland Games that come to her Pennsylvania town. I love the locales and the additions to the cast of characters were multi-layered and engaging. Throw in a dose of Bonny Prince Charlie and all in all you have a wonderful cozy! I couldn't be more happy for the relationship advances made, and look forward to more of Daria's adventures.

Royally Dead is the third in this series.
Loved the book and this series. The history of costume that Daria makes brings the story to life .
A good plot with the theme of the Scottish Highland games including the description of the kilts and how they are made .
I couldn't put it down .
Would definitely recommend this book .
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for giving me chance to read and review this book .

The Highland Games have come to Laurel Springs, Pennsylvania, and Daria has a booth there to try to build her seamstress business. Aileen, one of Daria's roommates, and her metal band have been asked to entertain the expected crowds between events in the athletic and bagpipe competitions. When one of the popular athletes collapses during the caber toss, Daria gets involved to prove that her friend had nothing to do with the killing.

I've read the previous two books in this series and found both of them to be only so-so. I read this installment, hoping it would help me decide if I want to continue the series, and the answer is maybe? I don't know if Daria's nosiness is rubbing off on me, or if she toned it down in this book, but I wasn't as annoyed with her investigation this time around. She still seemed to put herself in harm's way unnecessarily, which I would find both annoying and frightening if she was my friend or relative. I wonder how much longer Sean will put up with her apparent disregard for her own safety?

Hoping to get some publicity for her business, seamstress Daria Dembrowski was happy to share a booth with another business owner at the Laurel Springs Highland Games. As the games begin, it’s apparent there is a rival between participants and things get serious when one ends up dead. Hopefully Daria can figure things out between her fittings schedule and student lessons or her roommate could end up behind bars.

McKennan’s third installment in her Stitch in Time series is a fun, entertaining mystery. It’s not heavy and weighted down with details. Nor does it skip important facts and information. I’ve not read the first two titles but this one was easy to pick up and become engaged with the characters. Seasoned cozy readers will easily pick up the various clues she drops early on that those involved seem to miss. Even with these little head slaps, Royally Dead is worth the read if you want something light that isn’t going to send you into cardiac arrest. This installment would also be good for a teen who is looking for something a little more 'mature' to read but doesn't cross the line with gratuitous sex or violence. There is a young girl, fifteen, that is a key character who is struggling with that gray area of growning up. McKennan handles the situation nicely.
#RoyallyDead #NetGalley

The author has a great sense of humour - a Mexican food restaurant named Over the Wall provides balance to the historical aspects of Culloden

Seamstress Daria Dembrowski makes custom wedding gowns. She also creates historical costumes.

In volume 3 of The Stitch in Time Mystery series Daria tackles creating a Scottish kilt while solving the murder of heavy athletic games star Ladd Foster, and the death of Melissa King.

A great variety of characters round out the various plots and relationships without leaving the reader overwhelmed.

This could easily be read as a stand alone.

Fans of this series will be thrilled with this latest installment. All the ingredients of a solid cozy series.

I'm a big fan of cozy mysteries and have a high bar for good stories. Royally Dead is a winner in my opinion.. The main character is a historical seamstress in an area chock full of Scottish history. There is SO much Scottish everything in this story: food, Highland games, dances, tartans and of course, history. If you're having withdrawals from Outlander or just love all things Scottish, you'll love this fast-paced fun Scottish-themed mystery.

It's a very fast read. I zoomed through it in just a few hours. Characters are well-developed, story is written by a polished author and the plotting is great. My only complaint? I knew from the beginning who the villain was and why - but I'm pretty good at figuring out whodunnit. I won't hold this against the author and I suggest this book to anyone who loves cozies, especially those with historical sub-plots.

This is the third in the series and can be read as a standalone. I'm going back to read book 1 and 2!

This cozy has a bit of everything, including a wild Scottish corpse, an eclectic group of four or more likely suspects;, and an unlikely Polish seamstress/sleuth trying to unravel it all. Mix in Scottish Pennsylvanian history, games, kilts, wedding dresses, a heavy metal band and a charming small town and you get Royally Dead,! Enjoyed it.

When I saw the tartan I thought I'd found one of the few and far between British cosy mysteries. I hadn't, although this book is set in Philadelphia, it has its connections with Culloden and Bonnie Prince Charlie. It's a well written, interesting book, centred around an historical seamstress and a heavy metal band. Very modern and up to date, with fingers in the past.

I enjoyed it, well worth a read.

Loved it! Totally a good story that includes history and the Scottish games. Add in sewing and a couple romances. Mix it all together for a good story. I liked the fictional author pushing his book. Tho he was a pushy kind of guy and took history just a tab too seriously. I found the book to be a good book that I had a hard time putting down.

I am enjoying this series. Daria's roommate/friend (Aileen) is accused of murder so of course Daria must figure out who did it. She also befriends a teenager who's father might be the killer. There are other suspects of course and what is the history between Aileen and the dead body?

I received an eARC from Lyrical Underground via NetGalley for an honest review. - This is a fun series with enjoyable characters.

I really enjoy this series with it's setting in PA and the reenacting parts which bring back many memories.Beautiful setting with the Highland Games and it's touch of history, quirky characters you can't help but love (a metal band at a Scottish festival) and a mystery that keeps you interested. A fun read.

This is a delightful mystery with a different kind of amateur sleuth - Daria Dembrowski is a seamstress who is trying to expand her business by selling Scottish themed items at the local Highland Games. Her housemate Aileen and her band are also performing at the games when Ladd Foster, who had a prior relationship with Aileen, shows up and the two get into a loud argument. When Ladd is later killed when someone adds poison to his whiskey flask Aileen becomes the police's prime suspect and once again Daria, with the help of her reporter boyfriend Sean, is on the case, This is an interesting story with quirky characters, a well developed plot , lots of suspects, humor and romance. It also gives you an appreciation for the Highland Games and a touch of Scottish history as well. I was captivated from the first page to the very end.