A famous band arrives in Sea Isle where the murder of 2 of the bands members takes place.

The list of suspects is growing which includes the constable, Ewan so Emilia is working hard to free his name as well as try and discover the murder or murders.

Lots of twists and turns makes this (book 3) a great read and one that will hold your interest until the very end!

I really love the atmosphere in this series. I can just imagine living in a 400 year old church in a small Scottish town by the sea. Now add the Christmas holidays, and you have an amazing picture! After almost six months in Scotland, Em has definitely started to settle in. She has made friends, met her patients, and has a caring support system. With time off, she is planning on learning all she can about what the holidays in Scotland are all about, and Mara has set her up to help with everything. The first night of celebration is highlighted by a big name Scottish band that has local ties and agrees to appear at the pub. Em meets the members early when their tour bus breaks down, and she and her SUV are pressed into service to help get everyone into town and their B & B safety. Like everyone else, she enjoys the performance and has a good time, even dancing with the lead singer. When she finds his body sitting frozen on the beach the next morning, she and the Constable will have their hands full, trying to figure out what is going on. This is quite a winding tale with lots of back history, a creative murder method, and suspects that keep our investigators going around in circles. Add in the holidays flowing around the investigation, and this is a book that's hard to put down. Thanks to #Netgally, #CrookedLaneBooks, and the author for an opportunity to read. #DeathataScottishChristmas #LucyConnelly #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

This was a good story that had a great plot twist. Kept me reading to find out what happened next. Looking forward to what’s in store next for these characters.

This is my first book in the series, but I didn’t feel I missed much since the author seems to like to reintroduce everyone all over again. All her friends and especially the Baker and the Pub owner Molly. I can’t imagine how many times that was done in the first book it seemed very repetitive and not needed. I guess maybe so you don’t have to read all the books in order to pick up a book in the series. I did love the concept of restarting over in this cute Scottish town where everyone knows and loves each other. Well except for the murderer. I liked all the different Scottish traditions the whole town seemed to attend. I barely got the romantic tension between the Inspector and Doctor. I wanted more to progress on that front it seems to be a very slower burner on that romantic front. Overall it’s a good solid cozy mystery read. I would be happy to pick up the next book for sure.

This is book 3 in this series but Lucy Connelly is a new author to me and so this is the first book I have read of hers. I loved it and had no problem with reading the book out of order. I will say it sparked an interest to learn more as to why Dr. Emilia (Em) McRoy finds herself in Sea Isle Scottland. I will be reading books 1 and 2 soon.
Death at a Scottish Christmas has Em attending many holiday festivals. One of the first has a famous band with a local boy as the lead singer Bram. Bram is found dead on the beach early on in the book and it becomes known that Constable Ewan Campbell has a history with Bram and becomes a suspect. So an inspector is sent to oversee the case DI Bethany Thomson. The book has many twists and turns and the outcome is not shown right away. I really enjoyed the series and look forward to more by Lucy Connelly.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC. This review is my own opinion.

In the third Scottish Isle Mystery, Death at a Scottish Christmas, author Lucy Connelly has renewed the promise of the series debut by setting it back in Sea Isle, a lovely Scottish town with quirky, relatable characters.

Dr. Emilia, formerly an ER doctor in the United States, is enjoying her new life as the town physician and coroner, living in an old, renovated church and lucky to have the latest in medical equipment and the support of the local constable (and her landlord). Bram and the Stokers, a popular rock band, comes to Sea Isle--hometown of two of the members-- for a last concert before they embark on their next big tour, and their concert for the locals is a smashing success. But it isn't long before the charismatic lead singer is found dead, and the other band members are reeling. Was it a murder, or a suicide? Can they tour without him? And where is his notebook with the songs he has been writing for their new recording and tour? Dr. Em gets involved in her role as coroner, but also fears that one of the band's other members is responsible for Bram's death when she learns how he was killed and what was going on in his life that may have led to his death.

It's an intriguing story, but I was more interested in spending time with Em, her trusty assistant and her neurodivergent brother, the aforementioned (hot) constable, and her supportive friends, and in the surrounding holiday events. I hope future series entries will allow Em to stay in town and build on the regular characters, their developing relationships, and the small-town ambience.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Death at a Scottish Christmas is the first book I have read by Lucy Connelly. One of my favorite bands is Scottish, so I really enjoyed this book. The death happens early on. The characters are all interesting and keeps you guessing who the murderer might be. This seems to be the 3rd book written and I would guess there will be more. I feel like there are a couple of topics that will find their way into the next book... I will look forward to learning more about the American ex-pat doctor in Scotland.

The lead singer of a famous band is found dead after playing a gig in the small town of Sea Isle, Scotland. Expat Dr. Emilia McRoy, recruited from Seattle to be the town doctor and coroner, puts her Christmas vacation aside to find the cause of death and the killer. Unlike other cozies where civilians investigate, Em's job as coroner validates her right to meddle. If you want a pleasant cozy and no heavy duty forensics, this is right up your alley. Thank you Net galley for the ARC.

This was a fun mystery.
It kept me guessing, which is always the goal with a good mystery plot. I kept going back and forth with suspects. I was sad to realize who it was, which is good character writing!

I am looking forward to more of Doc Em and Ewan and their group of friends!

It’s Christmas time in Sea Isle, Scotland and the festivities are ho ho ho hoing away. The merriment ends for both Em and Ewan a famous singer is found murdered in town and Ewan becomes a suspect. Can Em figure out who killed the singer and why? Or is the Grinch going to win this one and send you one to prison for a murder she knows he didn’t commit.

I have loved this series since the first entry. Every book is a trip to Scotland and I love solving the mystery along with Em. The only thing I wish is that Em and Ewan we just get together already. These two have been dancing around a relationship for far too long at this point. Especially at their age. Hopefully that’ll be rectified in the next entry. Can’t wait!

Dr. Emilia McRoy has relocated to a small Scottish village from the USA. She loves being the village physician, but when a well-known band member is found dead after a local performance, she and others in the village want to find out why. There seems to be something odd about the way the other band members reacted to the death. Could one of them be responsible? And why are there drugs in his system when he had been clean for many years? Then there is another death—could they be related? The town is Scotland is charming, the residents are so friendly, even to a newcomer like Em, and they celebrate every December holiday imaginable in this book—I really enjoyed this Scottish holiday mystery. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love a good cozy mystery, especially one set around holiday time. This was my first Lucy Connelly encounter and I quite enjoyed it. The cast of characters is great, and the story kept me guessing until almost the end. Right after I finished this one, I immediately downloaded a previous book in the series so I could spend more time in Sea Isle.

This was a great story that had a great plot twist and kept the reader wanting more. Love this author and look forward to what’s in store next

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I loved the first in this series but was very disappointed in the second. Unfortunately, that continues with the third. There is just so much repetition! And how often do these people eat nothing but bakery items? Ha. If not for the repetition, the books would be half the length. Starts with a good mystery, then gets lost in the minutiae along the way. Although I'll read anything Scotland related, I think I'm done with this series.

The A Scottish Isle Mystery series is just gripping to me, and it just gets better and better with 'Death at a Scottish Christmas.' The cast of characters is so intriguing, especially Dr. Emilia McRoy and Ewan Campbell. This story takes place during Dr. Em's first Christmas in Sea Isle and involves the death of a popular band member who was raised on Sea Isle. I was completely shocked with the outcome of this mystery, and I continue to think about it which to me is the sign of a great story. I would give this more than 5 stars and recommend the entire series.

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

I enjoyed this read. Having read the first two in the series, I found myself looking forward to this one, and it didn't disappoint. Being in the arts world, I found the depiction of the band life to be well-detailed, and character development of the band members was pretty strong. I didn't pin down the murderer either, so that was intriguing. Wish the slow burn between Ewan and Em would quicken a bit, but alas.

Another great book in the Scottish Isle mystery. I love the mystery and the characters. As well as the Scottish setting. It feels like I'm in Scotland whenever I read these books.

4.5 Stars
The third book in a Scottish cozy mystery series, this novel incorporates all of the same loveable characters from the previous book (including the Scottish isle setting itself), but the writing flowed so well I couldn't put it down. The community feel within the series and MCs that behave in an intelligent and thoughtful way just add to the story. No ridiculous or out of place meddling from the lead character, it's fitting. I am appreciative that the author also includes a character on the spectrum in an authentic and inclusive way. I was initially intrigued that the victim was part of a famous band that had local roots and the mystery aspect kept my interest the entire time. This series is getting better and better, can't wait for the next one.

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Review material was too small to read and I was unable to enlarge the typeface on my device. I was unable to review the copy.

This was a good book overall but I was disappointed with the repetitive nature of some of it and also the implausibility of some of the aspects of Emilia's medical practice in a small town.

I did love the characters and the idea behind the mystery was a very good one.

I guessed the killer before the end but that's not always a bad thing because then you can sit back and see how the author got there. The ending of the book seemed a little bit abrupt - like one minute we were moving toward a resolution and then - bam! - it was over.

While this book wasn't my favorite, I would try others by this author in the future.