This novel was based on a real trial in Scotland. I found it interesting to see if Kitty was really the murderer. There were a scenes that was drawn out. I also did not like the ending. Still, I recommend this for fans of true crime!

The story takes place in Scotland in 1765 where Kitty Nairne marries the much older Laird Thomas Ogilvie. Kitty is not only young but immature as well and begins an ill advised relationship with her husband's younger brother, Patrick. Then a terrible murder takes place and Kitty is blamed.
I am a fan of true crime and remember reading about this case. I was very interested to read a fictionalized version of this crime and the trial that took place.
I found the writing and the story interesting and refreshing. The author did a good job of detailing everyday life in Scotland during the period in which these events took place.

I knew that this book was based on a real murder trial but l do not know if I really enjoyed it .There were parts that kept me interested but on the whole l found the end disturbing . Sorry.

I am a huge fan of true crime books. This one was the first ever written like an actual novel instead of just telling any information about the crime itself.
I was excited to read it - and I was dissapointed. While the first half was intriguing and interesting, the second one felt rushed. The ending came out of nowhere and I was honestly devastated by it. I had hoped for a somewhat more exciting read and I feel left wanting more.

I received a free ARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A silly girl married to a man twenty years her senior, but this was her choice despite a lot of warnings that it may not turn out well. She was so taken up with the idea of marriage till she went to live in his home - an old deaf autocratic mother, near penury, terrible living conditions, maids who were dirty and who had no idea of how to keep a home clean and she herself not used to giving orders or managing a home.

A recipe for disaster. Add to that two younger sons - one retired from the Army back from India with tales to tell, a light spirit and a yen for flirting. A husband who actually wanted his younger brother to entertain and keep his wife happy. Then there was Alexander the black sheep of the family, now married to a porter's daughter and written off the family. The main character who controlled the story - Alexander's one time mistress - Anne Clarke who looked at the overall picture coolly and clinically with the idea of making Alexander heir to all and in the process murdered, got one person hanged, one person removed from the country and the downfall of the entire Ogilvie family.

Whilst the story is moving on, you know what is going to come and there is nothing to halt it to its doom. You can see it very clearly but the characters of course have no idea that anything is going to happen, till it does.

It was a different style of writing, gloom and doom, aided by the desolation of the countryside in deep winter and the general decay of the Ogilvie household.

Characterization was perfect for each of the main people in the story whilst it unfolded and the general descriptiveness of the era was spot on.

4.2 Stars
The story takes place in Scotland, 1765. Kitty, aka Katherine Nairne, barely 20 years old and from a rich, influential family, marries Thomas Ogilvie, 40 years old, suffering from stomach ulcers, and belonging to a poor Scottish family.
The book starts with the wedding and moves on to show how Kitty’s youthful stupidity, Thomas’s laidback approach, Patrick’s happy attitude, Lady Eastmiln’s actions in the past and the present, and the hidden agenda of Anne Clarke end up ruining and taking lives.
The atmosphere on the cover picture and the little piece of news that the book is based on a true crime made me request this book.
For someone whose Scottish stories have been limited to historical romances with the lairds, this book was a fresh and interesting take set in the same land. The Ogilvies are not rich. But they are not poor. Their lives are the opposite of what Kitty was used to. Her dreams of having a lovely marriage with her husband don’t come true.
Away in Edinburgh is Alexander, another member of the family who has never gotten the love he deserved. Anna Clarke, a relative and a mistress, offers a simple solution. Then begin the mind games and manipulations.
As readers, we know every thought and action before the characters can even comprehend them. We see what is happening and can guess what would happen (to an extent). We know whether or not Kitty killed her husband. There is injustice, and there is karmic justice. But ultimately, lives have been lost. Is it only greed? No. Alexander’s motives and actions stem from something far more personal.
What about Anne Clarke? She is the key character in this book. It’s her brain that plots and executes. Yet, underneath it, all lay emotions that never let her lead a happy and contented life.
The actual trial starts somewhere after 70% or 75% of the book. It doesn’t last long either. But the focus of the book is not the trial. It is the people, the characters, and their personalities that keep us engaged.
We could say they have been stereotyped a little, but that only makes us want to roll our eyes or smack them on their heads. The writing is steady. It starts slowly and still hooks us. The observations about the settings, the characters, and their actions are woven into the narrative with ease. Even when there was an information dump at one place, it had subtle insights that would later make sense.
I wouldn’t call it a delightful book, but it sure was entertaining. The dry humor and ironic undertones added to the narration.
Fans of historical fiction and crime (without gore) will enjoy this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sapere Books, for the ARC.

#TheCaseofKittyOgilvie #NetGalley

Based on a true murder trial, this book drew me in with elements I gravitate towards...atmosphere, suspense, tension, mixed cast of characters (some despicable, others likable), Scotland, twists and tangled plots.

Not yet 20, flighty Katherine marries Laird Thomas Ogilvie in 1765, much older (and wiser) than her and moves in with his eccentric family. She quickly becomes disenchanted with her new dull life and marriage and befriends Patrick, her younger and fun brother in law. Kitty is disliked by most of the household including her odious mother in law who makes her feelings clear. Kitty is beautiful but not bright so is oblivious and naive and does what she likes which naturally causes problems.

Anne Clark arrives on the scene and soothes and organizes the brittle household and inveigles her way into minds and hearts. Other characters are introduced as well, as are twists and turns leading to quite an ending! And what an enticing cover, too.

History Fiction fans, grab this unputdownable book and be swept into another era and let time stand still while you enjoy it.

My sincere thank you to Sapere Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest. Much appreciated.