Princess Fuzzypants here: Single mum Paislee is struggling to keep all the balls in the air as she juggles motherhood and her yarn business and everything else on her plate. So when her long lost grandfather is deposited into her care the same day she learns she will have to move her business and the headmaster at her son’s school chides her for her lack of punctuality, she figures things could not get much worse. Boy. Was she wrong?
First she discovers the body of her employee and friend and then realizes the friend was murdered.. When she learns of the various schemes and cons that the woman was running, she is both shocked and dismayed. But she also now has an array of possible suspects- if she could just get the new copper in town to take her suggestions seriously.
When bad things start to happen to Paislee, dangerous, life threatening things, he not only begins to see things her way but there is a strong possibility that he sees her.... in a good way. Who knows there may be romance in the offing. I will be quite happy to follow her adventures further. I really like Paislee, her grandfather and son and the other residents of Nairn. She is spunky and strong, albeit a bit stubborn but this is a cast of characters the reader can get behind.
Five purrs and two paws up.

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is the debut of A Scottish Shire Mystery series. Paislee Shaw lives in Nairn, Scotland with her son, Brody and their dog, Wallace. Her grandmother taught her to knit and encouraged her dream of opening a shop. Cashmere Crush is a specialty sweater and yarn shop where each week the ladies gather to knit, chat, and sip wine on Thursday evenings. I enjoyed the setting of Nairn and the authors lovely descriptions of the village. Thankfully, the accent was easy to read. Cashmere Crush sounded like a cozy shop with sitting area and beautiful yarn especially the ones utilizing natural dyes. Murder in a Scottish Shire has an eventful beginning when Paislee finds DI Zeffer on the shop’s doorstep with Grandpa Angus, her landlord serves an eviction notice, and she finds Isla dead in her apartment. There are two side stories happening in the book. Grandpa Angus lives with his son, Craigh who never showed up for an assignment on the oil rig, Mona. He wants to find out what happened to Craigh. Mr. Shawn Marcus, Paislee’s landlord, serves her with an eviction notice stating he has sold the property (which voids the lease). However, no record of the sale can be found. After finding Isla dead in her apartment, Paislee has her doubts regarding the cause of death. To change DI Zeffer’s mind, Paislee sets out to prove the woman was murdered. Paislee begins questioning Isla’s friends, former employer, and former boyfriend. There are a couple of suspects and misdirection. One clue, though, gives away the identity of the killer. I wish the mystery had been the primary focus of the book (took a backseat to Paislee dealing with Grandpa Angus, Brody’s problems at school, knitting sweaters for customers, Spring Fling) and there had been more activity. Paislee also needs to work on her questioning technique. She comes across as rude and pushy. As a friend told Paislee, you catch more flies with honey. I like that the author took the time to establish the main characters and the setting. The secondary characters still need work. There was a repetition of information (I got it the first time) and the pacing was sluggish. I liked the humor involving the headmaster of Brody’s school. I believe this series is off to a good start, and I am curious to find out what happened to Craigh. Murder in a Scottish Shire is a cute cozy mystery with a grumpy grandpa, a busy boy, an extinct employee, sweater sales, yummy yarn, surprising secrets, and a snoopy shop owner.

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the first book in the series and I was so excited for it.
I enjoyed this cozy mystery that is set in a small charming Scottish town. The story was centered on our main character Paislee, a 28 year old single mum, who owns a lovely shop called the Cashmere Crush – the local knitters’ hang out.
Poor Paislee, when it rains it pours and everything seems to be crashing on her world and to be involved in a murder too. This was a great start to a wonderful series that I would want to read about. The mystery and plot twists were great and loved that I was kept guessing on the who dunnit. I enjoyed reading about the clues, which made for a fun cozy read for me. I enjoyed the small town setting, the knitting club, and the cast of characters. I will definitely look out for the next installation of this series.

A very refreshing new cozy series. Set in the small coastal town of Nairn, Scotland, it features 28 year old single mum, Paislee AnnShaw, her 10 year old son, Brody and her grandfather, Angus. She owns a yarn and knitting shop called Cashmere Crush and she is doing well selling local yarns and custom knitting sweaters. All of that starts to tilt on its ear when her long absent grandfather is brought to her shop by the local constabulary after being found sleeping in the park. Turns out he's been turfed out of the flat he shared with his son, now missing. That becomes one of the new threads of Paislee's life. Then she receives notice that she has 30 days to vacate her shop - the entire block of small businesses has been sold. Add to that list of events, murder appears on her doorstep when a former employee is found dead....by Paislee.
I enjoyed the characters, the setting, the puzzle - all of it. The pace was slow and relaxing, Paislee wasn't a nosy "I know more than the police" character. She observes and makes connections, nothing over the top and that, combined with the slow pace was what I found so refreshing. The various threads set up future books in the series - the missing son and his mysterious history, her grandfather and his history, the future of her business and a hint of a bit of romance. The puzzle was realistic and I'm looking forward to learning more about those threads.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Murder in a Scottish Shire is a terrific start to a brand new cosy mystery series by author Traci Hall. This is the first I have read by her and I found the book to be an extremely fun read.

I loved the setting of Nairn, a delightful sounding Scottish town by the seaside, so imaginatively depicted by the author. Twenty-eight-year-old single mum, Paislee Shaw has made a great life for herself, her son Brody, 10 and their terrier, Wallace. She owns Cashmere Crush, a bespoke speciality knitwear shop where the locals can while away their time at her 'Knit and Sip' group. But Paislee has recently experienced a run of bad luck... her homeless granddad has just landed on her doorstep, her unscrupulous landlord is evicting her and Isla, an employee and friend, has been found dead. Detective Inspector Mack Zeffer is on the case as Paislee sets out to save her business and find out what happened to Isla.

A full cast of interesting characters complemented the disorganised, very determined Paislee though not everyone was as they seemed. The plot was strong and the comfortably paced, puzzling mystery kept me guessing. I loved the Scottish dialect spoken by the locals. I enjoyed reading Murder in a Scottish Shire and I am already anticipating another trip to Nairn and getting to know all of the characters to a greater degree. If you adore a fantastic cosy mystery with strong doses of family angst and community spirit, don't miss out on Murder in a Scottish Shire.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from Kensington Books via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

The first in a proposed new series featuring Paislee, a twenty-eight year old single mom. At start the book introduces some of Paislee’s struggles to get her son to school on time and to run her business while under the threat of the building having been sold. As Paislee is trying to get her mind wrapped around the day’s struggles, the police enter her shop and present her with her grandfather, whom she has never met. He was found sleeping outside on a bench, and learning that he was related to Paislee they delivered him, along with all his difficulties, to her.
There are additional secondary characters, including Paislee’s friends who run the shops in her block downtown, all of whom are concerned about the news the buildings have been sold and they’ve all received eviction notices. There are also two potential love interests for Paislee, the headmaster of her son’s school and the detective who first meets her with her grandfather and later has several encounters with her regarding a recent murder.
The murder happens to be that of a former employee of Paislee’s who fails to show up for an interview when she contacts Paislee asking for her old job back. Concerned, Paislee goes to the girl’s apartment and discovers her body. She becomes embroiled in searching for the murderer and, through her investigation, learns her knowledge of the young woman is at odds with almost everyone else's. As the story unfolds, we learn that far from being the needy friend Paislee thought she was, she was actually more of a con woman who may have been blackmailing others. It doesn’t matter to Paislee, however, she still feels compelled to discover the murderer.
The book is well written and flows smoothly with one major exception. The author, Traci Hall, writes the entire book using dialects for all the characters. This slows the reading and is distracting as the reader tries to work out how something might be said rather than letting it evolve naturally in their head. Most readers are somewhat familiar with a Scottish brogue, and with a few suggestions or keywords here or there they could let this accent resound in their head while moving more easily through the book.
I look forward to the second book in the series, and hope to see many of the characters again. Paislee’s grandfather adds an interesting dimension to the book and to Paislee’s world. Likewise, her son is an excellent mix of loving child and pre-teen trial. Rounding out the character’s who will hopefully be in the series I would include Lydia, Paislee’s glamorous best friend, the headmaster of the school and the detective. I would also welcome learning more about her fellow shopkeepers as they seem to present an excellent group to round our Paislee’s world.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advanced digital read copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A cozy mystery set in Scotland, featuring Paislee Shaw, a single mom who owns a yarn shop in the shire. While I sort of liked this book, what bothered me to the point of distraction was the body shaming of one character. Mary Beth is described as overweight early on, but then we also hear about how she lumbers into a room, how her chins jiggle, how her hands are plump, and even her husband is thick around the middle. In addition, the relationship between Paislee and her long lost grandfather is bizarre: at odds one moment, loving and caring the next. I felt this book was a bit too scattered for my taste.

Murder in the Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is the first book A Scottish Shire Mystery series.

Set in a tiny Scottish coastal town, this book tells a story about Paislee, a single mother of a boy named Brody and an owner of specialty sweater shop.
Paislee is a young woman who is trying to hold things together as she gets an unexpected eviction notice, has her estranged grandfather brought in by the police like a homeless person and finds her assistant dead. All in the same day.

I really liked the synopsis of the book, I like her craft, the setting and the story seemed very interesting.
However, I found it slightly hard to follow due to the local expressions.
I also thought it was a bit slow going.
The characters are very interesting and have their own quirks. I also liked Paislee's knitter community, they were nice and supportive and acted like friends.
The mystery was well done and engaging.

A great fun cozie mystery that I devoured in one afternoon. The story of Paislee is a great quick read that shows you what a mess Paislee's life is and how one small move can change everything. It was a fast paced adventure that I truly enjoyed. Thank you to Kensington Books, TLC book tours and Netgalley for my advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

An enjoyable read. The author does a wonderful job creating full bodied characters and a plot full of mystery. A book you can read again and again.

Murder in a Scottish Shire is the first book in Traci Hall's A Scottish Shire Mystery series. Set in a charming coastal Scottish small town, the story follows Paislee Shaw, a twenty-eight-year-old single mom, who owns a knitting shop called Cashmere Crush, where she makes specialty sweaters and local crafters gather weekly to knit and hang out with friends. Paislee is doing the best she can, but lately, she feels as if the universe is conspiring against her. First, she is served with an eviction notice. Then her grandfather, who she hasn't seen in years, is now homeless after his son's disappearance and she has no choice but to invite him to stay at her house. As if all that wasn't enough, she finds her friend and employee, Isla, dead in her apartment. Isla had a lot of enemies, and Paislee is determined to uncover the truth about her murder.

This was a delightful and well-written read, with interesting characters and a puzzling mystery that will keep you guessing until the reveal. The setting was beautiful, and I loved the Scottish dialect spoken by the characters. I felt an instant connection to Paislee and saw a lot myself in her. Family is definitely a strong theme in this story. I loved Paislee's relationship with Brody and Angus. Angus was an intriguing character, and I thought he added a great dimension to the story. I can't wait to see what the author does with the Craigh storyline. Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and eagerly await my next visit to Nairn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is the 1st book in A Scottish Sire Mystery, and my first book by this author. Paislee is a twenty-eight-year-old single mom, who owns Cashmere Crush a specialty sweater shop. One day the police show up with her grandfather, who she has not seen in years. Apparently her grandfather is homeless after his son went missing. On top of that Paislee is served with eviction notice on her shop, the business has been sold and she will have to move within thirty days. On top of everything else she finds the body of a young lady who use to work for her. I really liked this book, and can't wait for the next book in the series. If you enjoy cozy mysteries,than give this book a try, you won't be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is the series debut in the new cozy series "Scottish Shire" by cozy author Traci Hall. This is a charming series set in a delightful coastal Scottish small village. I was drawn to the cover and soon found I love the charcters, the location and the sleuth. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. My review opinion is my own.

We are introduced to our protagnist Paislee Shaw a twenty eight year old single Mom with a talent for knitting. She has moved to a picturesque small village in Scotland called Nairn. Paislee starts a knitting shop where sweaters are made and local gather to knit together. The shop is called Cashmere Crush. She holds weekly knitting events call;ed Knit and sip. Her life feel back on track when all of a sudden she is evicted and her homeless Grandfather shows up with a police detective. While she is dealing with her Grandfather's reappearance in her life and managing her shop a murder occurs of one of Paislee's employees.

Paislee decides to investigate and assist the local detective who she has a growing interest in. Soon suspects and clues abound as Paisllee is on the right track. I enjoyed the sleuth which kept me guessing to conclusion. I like all the charcters and the charming location. This is a winning cozy series that I hope will continue for a long time. I look forward to further adventures of Paislee and friends.

Traci Hall has now become a favorite author of mine. This story is well written and Traci's descriptions incredible.

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is the first in a new series featuring Paisley Shaw, a single mother and the owner of a yarn/knitting shop in Nairn, Scotland. She has trouble getting her son to school in time, for which she is in constant turmoil, and now, her long-out-of-the-picture grandfather has turned up and threatens to become a fixture in her life. Her grandmother has died and left her her house so she has that...and her business...and her son...and now, maybe, her grandfather. It is altogether an intriguing situation. Then there was a murder.

This is a different cozy: different setting, different heroine, different situation. I like it. I am always happy to read a book, which takes place somewhere I'd like to go. I'd like to go to Scotland, more now than before. Paisley is an interesting gal and her business takes her interesting places, despite the fact it doesn't sound so exotic. She has interesting friends, Lydia, her friend, who is looking for love. Some of her clients have interesting lives, too, even if they are a little mundane. Her problems, mostly, are garden variety, ones I could have; ones which make sense. The plot was good with plenty of side trips to keep it interesting, and there were plenty of red herrings, plus just a jot of romance. It is a keeper. I recommend it.

I was invited to read an ARC of Murder in a Scottish Shire by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #murderinascottishshire

I was rather shocked by this book. It’s the start of a new series that takes place in Scotland and centers around a yarn shop. I have zero experience with that craft, but I enjoyed all of the chatter and scenes that occurred in the shop or during the evening club. I even learned a few tidbits about merino wool, cashmere and the dying process.

The Scottish setting was wonderful. The author chose to have the characters use the dialect, but that didn’t bother me at all once I got use to it. Paislee was a likeable lead. Love the fact that she’s a single mum and doing her best to make ends meet. Her struggle with schedules was a great way to tie in a side story with her adorable 10 year old son. Loved the relationship between the two of them. Looks to be a budding love triangle in the making between Paislee, the strict headmaster and the detective with seaglass green eyes. The most intriguing character was the estranged grandpa. He quickly caught my attention when the authorities found him sleeping in the park. He is the perfect curmudgeon who manages to show up right when Paislee desperately needs help.

The mystery stumped me. There was a huge cast of suspects and enough red herrings that I was shocked when the murderer was finally revealed. The story included a few action packed scenes where the MC actually got hurt a few times which seemed more realistic.

At the end of the book, there were a few storylines (where the heck is Craigh?!) that were left unfinished so I’ll be on the lookout for a sequel.

Great Start Too A New Series
This book is the first of a new series. Just from reading this book, I can tell that this will be a great set of cozy mysteries. It is written in a Scottish brogue which makes for slow reading. The story is set in a small Scottish coastal town. While there are lots of characters, they come across as real people and not 'characters'. I did not see one spot that was not realistic. Even though the heroine has a yarn shop, it is not over-the-top like so many cozies. There is none of the who wore what and which wine pairs with what food. It is more than a good and believable story. The mystery part was fantastic. The reader travels along with the heroine, trying to figure out the murderer. I had it all figured out several times. It was not until the big denouement that I really knew. And it really surprised me. The clues were there all along and I missed them. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

What a wonderful series debut! A murder mystery that keeps you guessing, wonderful character development and fantastic storytelling, I enjoyed reading Murder in a Scottish Shire.
Unlike a handful of cozy debuts I read this year, this book does not have a slow start. Paislee is likeable. The mystery behind Isla's murder kept me guessing until the end. The identity of the killer was unexpected and surprising. Red Herrings are plenty and sure to take the detective in you on a wrong path.
Highly recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Many thanks to Kensington Books for the ARC.

🔎Whodunit mystery right through to the climax: good yarn😉!

4-4.5🌟stars
I was drawn to this book by the Scottish setting and, must admit, that Scottish flavour was a big part of my enjoyment of the story. But the murder mystery is good, with plenty of characters and suspects and a touching subplot involving the heroine craft shop owner's homeless grandfather. I was kept in the dark about the murderer and the "weapon" right up until the big action climax. It is cozy thanks to Paislee's bevy of friends, the mother-son close connection and the small-town atmosphere. And grumpy grandad adds a bit of starch and sass😄.

The murder plot had good suspense and heroine single mother Paislee Shaw even had a bit of budding attraction on the side. It all added up to a relaxing, good yarn, although I don't see Paislee as a great businesswoman; she spends so much time on errands and following up on Isla's death that she's rarely manning the shop or working on the knitting projects that make a major slice of her income!😕

I would gladly read more works by the author in this same vein.

Thanks to publisher Kensington and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I love that this is based in Scotland. Paislee Shaw is a single mom, owner of Cashmere Crush and sleuth. She feels the pressure of taking care of her son Brody and keeping her business running. It gets worse when her distance grandfather is dumped at her door. Then an ex employee and friend is murdered. She has her heart broken as she realizes her friend wasn’t who she thought she was. While all of this is going on she gets an evection notice on her business.
Great setting, characters and mystery.
#MurderinaScottishShire #NetGalley