A well written and entertaining cozy mystery. Loved the plot, characters and the beautiful Scottish setting. If you are a fan of murder mysteries you will enjoy this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

Paislee Shaw is a single mum in a small Scottish town, with a lot on her plate and plenty to worry about. Then, all in one morning, she gets more: an eviction notice at the yarn shop that provides a living for herself and her son, a long-lost grandfather picked up by the police, an urgent summons from her child's school, and the murder of her one employee.

Paislee's friends and community city rally round, but she faces uncertainty and even danger. Can she trust the evidence of her senses?

The novel is cozy and the characters are both complex and likable. But much is left unresolved. As a knitter, I was alarmed by the fact that Paislee, whose business is right on the edge of profitability, only got in a few hours of knitting on a big commission with a tight deadline. We don't find out how -- or if -- she manages to get it finished. She has several possible suitors, too, and most of the troublesome issues that start the book are still hanging around at the end.

There will certainly have to be more books in the series, if only to find out about the mysteries in Paislee's life

I feel like the protagonist’s naivety really holds this book back. She’s not a very compelling character so I wasn’t invested in her enough to overlook the cliche flaws of a cozy mystery heroine. And there were a lot of plot set ups that were left hanging at the end of the book.

2.5 stars.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

Murder In A Scottish Shire is a new series by Traci Hall. It was enjoyable once I got into it. The Scottish words were distracting at first but I have been to Scotland and that helped. Paislee is a single Mom with a 10-year old son, Brody. Her Grampa Angus shows up on her doorstep with the police because he has been sleeping in the park. Paislee takes him in but she is on a very tight budget. Grampa Angus's son is missing. Paislee owns a yarn shop. She was planning on rehiring Isla who is back in town but Isla doesn't show up for the interview. Paislee goes to check on her and finds her dead. The best part about this book is the characters and their interactions. The cozy mystery is interesting and there are some twists to keep you guessing. Overall, I really did enjoy this book.

3.75 stars

Strong series debut featuring Paislee Shaw, a single mom living in a small Scottish town and attempting to juggle her family, her knitting and yarn business, and finding she doesn't have enough hours in the day to get everything done.

Paislee is a strong, likeable character. I appreciated the Scottish flavor of the book -- sometimes setting isn't a factor in a cozy and I like the different atmosphere of this one.

As the book opens, Paislee has a bad day: she finds out her building is being sold and she has to find new space in 30 days, her estranged and homeless grandfather is brought to her door by the cops, and her son's school reprimands her for constant tardiness. An old employee who wants her job back never shows up for her interview. But things only get worse, when Paislee discovers a dead body.

Paislee is young, in her 20's, and missing her late grandmother who took her in when her dad died and her mother decamped to the U.S. She is a real person, with a bit of temper but a big heart. She is doing her best to keep everything going and her son is her big priority.

The knitting and yarn business has become a bit of a community center and the local characters are nicely fleshed out. The mystery is satisfyingly puzzling with a solution that is not obvious. I will look forward to the next one. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a little wonky at first, but smoothed out rather quickly. The multiple twists (see murders) kept me on my toes, and the love interest wasn’t thrown desperately in my face; he was an antagonistic character at first, and then sweet on her later in a quiet, stable sort of way. I’d still like to know the full story about Brody’s da and her missing uncle, but the surly grandda is a nice balance to the abundance of female characters, even if he is a wee bit old fashioned and curmudgeonly.

This is a quick read, but an adorable zoy mystery, with likeable characters and honest situations, we can all relate to, as single mothers. When secrets start to unravel, Paislee finds herself drawn to different paths of her past life and they all suddenly converge and she finds herself looking at new ones that offer a new life for her, if she can survive a killer that wants her gone. Fun read for a quite afternoon!

This is the first in a new series. Paislee Shaw is having a rough Monday morning. She is running late in getting her son Brody to school and when she arrives at her sweater and yarn shop Cashmere Crush to get an early delivery she is slowed down by Detective Inspector Mark Zeffer who shows up with a scraggly man who is her long lost Grandfather who she last saw when her Grandmother died 5 years ago. Her day gets worse when she gets an eviction notice for her shop and later finds her friend Isla dead in her apartment. Paislee seems to be the only one in town who saw any good in Isla and she feels obligated to find her killer. This was a good solid mystery and the village of Nairn is so quaint. Paislee has a great group of friends and her Grandfather turns out to be not so bad as well. She sees the good in people and has a couple of possible romance interests with the attractive detective and headmaster at Brody's school. Still some outstanding issues in their lives which hopefully will be addressed in the next book. Looking forward to it. Great first installment.

I absolutely adored this (happily) first in a series by Traci Hall. My ancestors came from a small village near where the story takes place, so it was especially enchanting for me. The characters were all delightful, the mystery full of twists with possible suspects and the potential for romance had just the right touch. I also appreciated that there is so much more to be resolved, but in no way did 'Murder in a Scottish Shire' feel like a cliff hanger. I really am anxious for more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is the first entry in what, I think, will be a series.  The things that I loved most in this cozy mystery were the setting, the characters and the knitting.  The story takes place in a small Scottish town that, aside from murder, sounds like an idyllic place to live.  The protagonist, Paislee, is surrounded by family and friends.  She runs Cashmere Crush, a friendly shop, for wool and knitting.


As often happens in mysteries, there are two murders.  As an amateur, Paislee annoys the detective but...of course, finds the killer.  I was pretty sure that I knew who this was and I was right.  There is a clue that really points to the perpetrator.


This is a good book if you just want something easy and distracting.  There is Scottish dialect which tries to add authenticity but can also be distracting.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

This was delightful from start to finish for me and just what I needed at the moment to escape into a fun read. I'm Scottish myself and enjoyed the setting and the characters. I do wish the dialogue was a bit more like the Hamish MacBeth books where the accents are more subtle, but it didn't detract from the fun for me. I'll be looking for more in this series from Traci Hall. Thank you Netgalley and Kensington books.

While the mystery was interesting, I had a difficult time getting into the story because of the Scottish accent. I realize it is set in Scotland so it is completely understandable why the author would have the accent. It just made it difficult for me to follow everything that was going on. I would like to know what happened to the grandfather's son however.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite cozies of the past year or so. Smart single mom, Scottish setting, long-lost relative, distant/absent parents, knitting...what more could I want? I found Paislee the slightest bit annoying at first with her lack of organization--that's just my normal impatience with always-running-late people, I suspect! But it's soon clear that she's in overwhelming circumstances, and she's determined to be fair and do better. Whether that means finding out who killed her former employee or getting her son to school on time so that he doesn't get the brunt of her own behaviors, she takes action and tries to balance all the crazy things life sends her way.

A full cast of interesting characters complements her, and the plotting works well, too. The theme of people not being what they seem runs throughout the book, and Paislee is definitely more than she seems at the beginning. I like that's she's no-nonsense but also sees the best in everyone. She's a great mix of vulnerable and tough. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe it's because I live close to the area that this title is set, or maybe it's because I'm a knitter, but I genuinely found myself wondering if the author had any experience of either of these things? The Scots dialect was irritating but that's more me as I've never been a fan of reading Scots, and the references to the expensive yarns etc was out of place. Very few locals in Nairn would be able to afford to knit an entire sweater out of independently hand-dyed yarns. I love a cosy mystery, especially ones that are the book or yarn shop ones, but this felt poorly researched.

First book in series set in Scotland.
Single mom, cute little bit and cranky grand da. The mom, Paislee, owns a yarn shop. Her yarn is from local sheep and died local.
This book introduces us to the community of Nairn. Colorful characters interesting facts on making and dying yarn.
Lovely read.

This book is absolutely delightful. Paislee Shaw is a great character, I felt an immediate connection to her, as I did with her son Brody, and her grandpa Angus.
Raising her son as a single mum, Paislee is doing the best she can, but her best is not enough, she needs help! When a previous employee reaches out to her, Paislee is quick to get her back.
Unfortunately, some events distract Paislee, and it isn’t until later that she realizes her employee didn’t show up.
Things turn from bad to worse, and Paislee finds herself stuck in the middle of a murder investigation, opening up her home to a family member, and trying to save her business.

I was engrossed in this story from beginning to end. The author told a story that flowed smoothly and made me feel as if I was there.
I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.

Wow, the author did some amazing research for this descriptive new series. Always fun to '"visit" Scotland and this was an enjoyable visit. Looking forward to more in this series.

Paislee Shaw, owner of Cashmere Crush wool shop in the town of Nairn Scotland, has a lot on her plate. She’s a single mother trying to keep things together for her young son Brody. Her estranged—and homeless—grandfather Angus has just been dropped in her lap, and she’s been served an eviction notice for her shop. Things go from bad to worse when Paislee discovers the body of a former employee. The police think it’s suicide, but Paislee isn’t convinced and sets out to find the truth.

Hall has created characters that are, for the most part, engaging. Paislee is likable, strong, and independent. Angus makes the perfect cantankerous Grandpa, and Brody is an easy-going pre-teen with potential. There are quite a number of secondary characters, some of whom hopefully will be fleshed out in future books, Lydia, Angus’ mysterious son Craigh, and with potential romance in the offing, the characters of Inspector Zeffer and Hamish McCall.

She has also crafted an interesting setting for what is to be a new series. A small, rather insular sea-side town in Scotland means secrets, some that are well hidden, some that are not. It's an idea that has a lot of potential for future mysteries.

My issue with the book is the although the murder occurs early on, very little actual detecting happens. Paislee does have her suspicions, and acts on them by questioning those involved. Problem is, the mystery often takes a backseat to Paislee trying to deal with all of the issues that have beset her—Angus fitting into the family, Brody’s issues with school, trying to find a new shop, etcetera. In the end she does uncover the murderer, but it is more by chance than anything else.

This was an enjoyable read. I look forward to the next in the series, but hope for more of an injection of mystery in the next round.

This book was a 'cozy mystery' in every way and I loved it! From the yarn shop at the center of the story to the relatable characters trying to make the most of the cards they've been dealt to the quaint small-town vibes of Nairn, this book was the fun and light read I needed right now. It paired perfectly with my afternoon tea and has me excited for more books in this series!

My biggest issue with the book was that the dialogue was hard to follow. It is written as it might sound in a thick Scottish accent, and at times made no sense to me.

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall is an excellent start to what is sure to be an amazing cozy mystery series.

This book introduces us to Paislee Shaw and her family that live in present-day Nairn, Scotland.

I loved everything about this book. I LOVED the location, the descriptions of the buildings, landscapes, culture, and the Scottish language the popped on the page. I love Paislee. So strong, independent, caring, and intelligent. She has accomplished so much : her own business, taking care of her son Brody and their house that was gifted to her by her late and beloved Grandmother. Of course, being modest, she thinks she is barely keeping it together.

I enjoyed the full town and cast of characters. I enjoyed the addition of Grandpa Angus, and I hope he sticks around.

I loved the murder/mystery plot, and I really think there is so much material here for further books. I can’t wait!

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.