This was an interesting and entertaining read of the 4th book in the "Whiskey Business Mystery" series and my first book by Melinda Mullett. She develops her characters well and has an intriguing plot. I always appreciate an author even more, when the supporting characters are of great interest to the story and their interactions with the main characters.

Abi is the central character and she is a fiercely, independent spirit, and is trying to better the community, as much as she can. She has a great friendly relationship with Patrick and a blossoming romance with Grant. Abi establishes other relationships along the way, since she has settled in the community.

Abi has inherited a part ownership in the family whiskey distillery and a home with a large amount of money, as well. Abi finds out about a local women's abuse shelter and she takes part in donating wool to the shelter. For some reason, people keep giving her their sheep. Soon an eviction notice is given to the shelter and than there's a suspicious death, which turns out to be murder.

One of the key aspects of this story is how the author approaches a very delicate subject matter, abused women and treats it with respect and dignity. Melinda Mullett is able to weave a wonderfully written story around by still encapsulating all the fine qualities of a great murder mystery read. I highly recommend this novel and I am looking forward to reading more of her novels.

Died in the Wool is the first book of I've read from Melinda Mullet's "Whisky Business" mystery series. Abigail "Abi" Logan is starting to get the hang of things at the Scottish whisky distillery she inherited from her uncle. Between whisky-ed at a university in Edinburgh, her new role on the board of a women's shelter, and her unsettled love life, there's a lot to enjoy. Abi also hosts an unofficial rest home for elderly sheep on her estate. Each sheep is named after a writer xD <333 A well-characterized cast of friends, coworkers, townsfolk, add to the mystery's charm and lived-in feel. The progression of events sends Abi back and forth between city and countryside, giving readers the best of both worlds.

Whodunnit? The death of a shelter resident is more than suspicious, especially after a relocation of the facility is treated as a foregone conclusion by the building's landlord and fellow board member. Abi investigates, despite repeated demands that she leave it to the police. She doesn't go it alone, however, as any good amateur sleuth worth her salt has an equally good crew beside her. Melinda Mullet spins a yarn in which separating the culprit from a flock of plausible suspects is a wonderful challenge. Are anyone's hands clean? Maybe. Maybe not.

I enjoyed this book and have enjoyed the series. The character is well written and handles the problems that come her way in a reasonable fashion. Her relationships with the secondary characters are good and she is always willing to help others. This of course, puts her in the way of figuring out the murders that occur.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. - I hope this series continues for a long time.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. While not the first book in the series, this is easily read as a stand-alone. Abi is now the part owner of a distillery business in Scotland, having inherited it from her uncle. This also includes a home and, apparently, quite a bit of money (probably all developed in the previous books - again, not a requirement to have read!). Abi is invited, through friends, to donate wool (because people keep giving her sheep!!) from her newly shorn flock, to a local women's abuse shelter. When visiting for the first time, Abi ends up on the shelter's board. Within a day, there's a threat of eviction and a suspicious death. Abi, with the help of new friends and old, is drawn into solving the mysteries of protecting the shelter and determining if the death is murder or not (of course it is!). Good story and I look forward to reading the rest in this series!

3.75 stars

Another entertaining book in the Whisky Business series, set in Scotland at a distillery. Former photojournalist Abi Logan has inherited a distillery, and runs it with business partner Grant MacEwan. Things are a little tense right now, due to Grant's injuries (stemming from an earlier mystery) affecting his ability to blend and taste whisky. And his former girlfriend Brenna is on the scene. Since Abi and Grant have been dancing around a relationship, things are awkward all around.

Abi is plenty busy not only with whisky-making, but with classes and with her new charity board work for a local women's shelter. Her involvement at the shelter suddenly becomes almost full-time when one of its residents is discovered dead. The police think it's suicide, but Abi and crew are not so sure.

Things at the shelter and on its board of directors are challenging. The landlord wants to move the shelter to a much less desirable site, and one of the other board members is accused of sexually exploiting the shelter residents. Abi is not sure who to trust.

The plot is a little over-the-top at the end, but Abi is an appealing heroine, and the ensemble cast of distillery employees and locals is well-drawn. It's always nice to have read other series entries, but this would work as a standalone. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read. The characters are smart and well drawn. An unscrupulous landlord is kicking out a women's shelter from one of his many buildings. The director enlists the help of Abigail who agrees to help even though she's dealing with a number of things with her own business. Can she get her partner to get back to work after an accident leaves him with a side effect that could ruin his career as a master whiskey developer? Abigail's rescue sheep need shearing, and a woman goes missing from the shelter. The author handles all the storylines very well and I had to read the book in one sitting as I had to know the answers.

Died in the Wool by Melinda Mullet in the fourth installment in her Whiskey Business Mystery series. It takes place in a smaller village (although encompasses Surrounding larger cities in Scotland) and focusses on the main character of Abigail (Abi) Logan. It follows off from the last installment where Grant is still recovering from a previous injury and Abi now has the dilemma on her feelings on Grant as a friend vs more, which adds a nice romantic aspect to the multi-layer mystery. Abi is trying to juggle her duties with her trust, Abbey Glen and her elderly sheep sanctuary and distillery, and her new position as a board member for Sheppard’s Rest, a shelter for abused women and children.
I love all of the characters. I enjoyed Abi and the fact that I could relate to her (being close to my age of early 30s) in that she is imperfect and recognizes her faults, but is a good person despite it all. The supporting characters were like able and believable and the murder mystery was intriguing and was interlaced so that I was not able to figure out the culprit(s) until the end.
It was enjoyable and I look forward to a continuation of this series.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and in return this is my voluntary and unbiased review and opinion.

Abi Logan has a lot on her plate, running the Abbey Glen distillery with her partner Grant, running her charity in her Uncle’s name, and most recently supporting a women’s shelter. When she agrees to help the shelter by donating the wool from her sheep, she didn’t see herself become part of the board that oversees the shelter, but she agrees when asked and serves with her whole heart.

When one of the residents of the shelter is found dead and the cook disappears leaving her daughter behind, Abi steps up to help find out what is going on. While a few of the other board members don’t seem to genuinely care about the women, other flags go up and Abi wonders if they might have had a hand in the death and disappearance.

Back in Balfour Abi is coming up with ideas to help the distillery run the business while Grant’s sense of taste and smell come back to him as he recovers from his injuries. But Brenna, her partners ex girlfriend is also in town and trying to weasel her way back into Grant’s life, making it hard for Abi to declare her feelings for Grant and stake her own claim to his heart.

Before long, Abi, Grant and Abi’s BFF Patrick are all involved in trying to mystery and trying to get the abducted woman back before it’s too late. With Abi’s timing and luck, she may be too late after all. Too late for saving the woman, too late for declaring her feelings for Grant, and too late to save herself and her friends.

This is a fantastic series set in Scotland and I savor each book like a fine glass of Abbey Glen’s best. The characters are multi dimensional and come to life as you read. A great whodunit that will leave you wanting more!

I love this series! Not only is it a fun escape, it also teaches you a great deal about the whisky world. New readers can jump right in with this installment, though of course characters are more fleshed out if you read the entire series. This book is a tad darker than others in the series, but of course things always work out OK in the end.

Died in the Wool is a Whisky Business Mystery Series and it doesn't disappoint. The mystery is entertaining,well written,and I loved the characters.

Melinda Mullet has another winner in her Whisky Business series. This time Abi finds herself as a newly appointed board member for a woman's shelter. Shortly after taking on her new role a woman at the shelter is found dead and another goes missing.. Abi, feeling that the police are dismissing the women at the shelter, launches her own investigation. We see more personal growth from Abi, Patrick and Grant in this novel. I can't wait for the next book in this series.