Scotland 1927. American Jane Wunderly is sent to the Isle of Iona to investiagte the leader of the cult Order of Golden Dawn. Does Robert Nightingale have the contacts he states that the bosses of Redvers would be interested in.
Didn't really find the mystery and the story that interesting.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like a good mystery. Add in a bit of the paranormal, and I’m in love. This book was well written, and really captured by attention from the start. There were times I found myself holding my breath, hoping that Jane wouldn’t be found out at other times, wanting to see her more involved in the rituals that were going on.

I’m not usually a big fan of historical affection, but this one really delivered for me. I may have to stop saying that, because I can’t wait to read more in this series.

Jane Wunderly is on a remote Scottish Isle where she is checking information about Robert Nightingale, who is leading the Order of the Golden Dawn, a cult that believes in the supernatural. Jane's fiancee Redvers is staying in a house on the other side of the island so that they can meet daily. Shortly after Jane is initiated into the cult, Jane finds the dead body of Netta, a woman who was planning to leave the cult and was staying in the same house as Jane. Netta is naked, and has funny marks on her skin. Jane wants to find out who killed her. It appears that both Netta's father and Nightingale would each like to have her money as they each have "found" a will which leaves her money to himself.

At another occult ceremony (in the dark), someone puts a knife into Nightgale's leg. Jane wonders if he did it to himself. Later, Netta's father is found murdered. And as you near the end of the book, Jane is in a very dangerous place. Will Jane live long enough to marry Redvers?

The book is clever and exciting, although as a scientist I am not crazy about ocult ceremonies. I thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in order to read the book before publication.

This is a well written book, with some fine lines and a few well-conceived set pieces. It works quite well as a cozy, historical mystery, and the setting on Scotland's Iona island adds a great deal. That said, try as I might I found neither the characters, nor their situations, nor the overall narrative engaging enough to arouse or hold my curiosity and attention. As a consequence, it doesn't seem fair to write much more of a review, apart from encouraging inquisitive readers, and especially lovers of atmospheric cozies that have a bit of romance, to give the book a try.

A very well historical written cozy mystery.

Secrets of a Scottish Isle was such a delight to read.

The author weaves a story about Isle of Iona, 1927:

Cast away on a remote locale, Jane’s latest assignment depends on concealing her identity and blending in at an occult gathering. Not even her fiancé, Redvers, can be too close as she uncovers the truth about Robert Nightingale, enigmatic leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn—a group made up of supernatural ceremonies, influential people, and an undefinable darkness. When a woman tries to escape to the mainland only to be found murdered in the moors, the shocking scene reveals it’s easier to join the Golden Dawn than it is to leave.

A very well-written mystery that kept me guesting. Definitely a MUSt read.

American Jane Wunderly decides to investigate a secret society that's on a remote island just west of Scotland. She's going undercover to see if she can blend in with the strange occult. Jane has been on a journey and some of her adventures have been quite excellent. This one wasn't the best but sill enjoyed it. Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

3.5 (not rounding up)

I’ve been a Jane and Redvers fan since the beginning and was ecstatic to get a sneak peek at the next novel. What? Is that a wedding photo on the cover? Even better!
The setting is Scottish isle, which, though can be majestic, can also frequently be cold, gloomy, and, well, somber. I think the issue with this book, which they state themselves, is that they aren’t really working together. We are deprived of the constant Jane and Redvers banter because the assignment, which is a little weak and hard to even remember the point of, apparently Redvers would give everything away with his presence. Jane goes undercover to join this group on a tiny remote island of Scotland with her fiancé hiding under a cloak and meeting up on a distant beach. A cold one, which even they have a hard time making it warm. It’s nice for Jane to be in the no this time, but you are, together, bigger than the sum of each part.

Apparently, this story is very loosely based on a group that was in existence and at least one member visited the island under strange circumstances. The author states that she used information from their writings but had to really scale it back. Well, it should’ve been scaled back even more. The last 25% of the book was interesting and things made more sense and moved, but I really wish I didn’t have to keep pushing myself to find out what happens. I have plenty of other books to read and I hate it when a book really slows me down because I want to finish it but it’s a chore.

There are some great moments and I learned a lot about some random historic things, but, it was no Mena, or Istanbul, or even Boston. I’m glad I had the little novella last fall to give me a bit of a jolt and I’m glad to have some of the romance That is always fun, but I’m a little disappointed. Frown.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

3.5 stars
Not the best entry in this entertaining historical series perhaps, but still fun with some great characters. I have read all the series entries but still felt a little lost -- a bit more back story would have been helpful as it wasn't exactly clear what Jane was doing investigating these particular murders. And the surprisingly lovely ending was perfect.

Jane Wunderly, a smart and capable widow, and her fiance Redvers, who has a sideline in helping the government with sticky situations, are on the small Scottish isle Iona. Jane is infiltrating the Golden Door occult group. But it isn't long before a dead body turns up and the two secretly try to figure out which of the people connected to the sect were responsible.

Jane and Redvers have great chemistry and respect and these are enjoyable reads. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It’s 1927 and American Jane Wunderly and her fiancé, Redvers, have gone to the remote Scottish Isle of Iona to investigate Robert Nightingale and the secret society he belongs to. His followers are gathering to celebrate an occult ceremony during the solstice. Jane is undercover as a member of the Order of the Golden Dawn. Redvers is staying on the other side of the island while Jane is undercover. When a member of the Golden Dawn is found dead, solving the murder becomes as important as investigating Nightingale.

Author Erica Ruth Nuebauer is new to me, and I did not realize this was the fifth book in a series. Still, I didn’t feel lost in the story, it really seemed self-contained. I loved the descriptions of the settings, and the local characters. The pacing was a little slower than I’m used to, but the mystery of the Golden Dawn and the murder were slowly explored leading to an unexpected but very satisfying ending.

I received an ARC of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. These are my honest opinions.

I am looking forward to the official release of this book. This is volume 5 of the Jane Wunderly books and it's my favorite so far. Jane and Redvers are investigating an occult figure in Scotland and once again get more than they bargained for. Bodies keep dropping and it's hard to know who's involved. The one thing I was worried about did not happen, thank goodness, and the rest of it was enjoyable and fun. I loved watching Jane and Redvers sneaking around to be together and then the thing at the end was like awwww. So yeah. Good book. If you like cozy historical mysteries you should check out this series.

Fifth story in a mystery series!

This is the first time that I read a book by this new author Erica Ruth Neubauer. I didn’t know that Secrets of a Scottish Isle was the fifth story in the Jane Wunderly murder mystery series. I guess I should have read them before reading this one, because this feisty heroine is on a journey filled with twists and turns.
This time, on a remote island off the west coast of Scotland, the dynamic American Jane Wunderly decides to investigate a secret society. The heroine wants to conceal her identity and blend into an occult gathering. Jane is determined to solve a crime! Will she crack the mystery without being in danger?

"I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."