The Plot

Maud and her assistant Daisy are undercover once again… this time at a Scottish castle on the Isle of Mull. An investigation into the theft of a statue soon turns into a locked room murder mystery.
I really enjoyed the locked room murder scenario, and it got me thinking along with Maud and Daisy how the murder could have been committed. I did guess part of how it was done. The suspects were few, but I liked the fact that there was more than one character with motive. Although perhaps this could have been further developed. The narrative structure maintained pace, with most of the action being all in the one location this time.

Daisy and Maud are brilliant characters with a lovely friendship between the pair. I do hope there are more of these books, especially with the war looming in the book. There could also be a spin off series involving Daisy. Happy publication day, Lydia Travers!

1912 Maud McIntyre at her detective Agency received a letter from Lord Urquhart informing them of a theft at Clachan Castle, and employing them to prove his innocence. Maud and Daisy's aim is to contrive an invitation from the host Magnus Carmichael. While there a death occurs which they decide to investigate. But why is Lord Urquhart a guest.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its likeable and interesting characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy of “Death in a Scottish Castle.” All opinions and comments are my own.

The ladies of the Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency find themselves on the trail of a missing statuette. Seems easy enough. And since it’s Lord Urquhart that’s asking for help, that makes it even better for agency owner Maud McIntyre (faithful readers have been following this on and off relationship for four books now). But when one of the castle guests is poisoned, things take a much darker turn. It’ll be up to Maud, with assistance from her able associate Daisy Cameron (Lord U gets his two pence in, too) to get everyone together and force a killer to come forward. And since this appears to be the last book in the series, we have a happy ending to look forward to, also.

I enjoyed “Death in a Scottish Castle,” although I did spot the killer pretty early on. And I don’t believe that priests’ holes were a necessity in Scotland; they were prevalent in England, but such religious persecution in Scotland was relatively unknown. Minor matters in amongst the rest. “Death in a Scottish Castle” is an entertaining read with two captivating main characters, who follow early 20th century sensibilities while forging a path for modern women everywhere. It has been a pleasure to tag along with them on their crime-fighting journey.

4.5 Stars
Maud McIntyre & Daisy Cameron are asked by Lord Hamish Urquhart to investigate the theft of a statue from Clachan Castle on the Isle of Mull so they set off posing as a crime writer & her assistant. But then their prime suspect, bad-tempered fellow guest Mr Tremain, is found dead in his bed. At first, it appears the murder is impossible. All the doors and windows to the room were locked from the inside, and there was no way for the killer to escape. But then Maud and Daisy find a secret panel with the stolen statuette hidden behind it could the mysteries be linked? When the local sergeant investigating the case is found dead, the crime suddenly seems to have more twists and turns than the castle’s sweeping staircases. And Daisy becomes the prime suspect.
The fourth & final book in the series, which is a shame as I felt that Maud & Daisy were just getting into their stride. This is my favourite of the series so it ends on a high note & for other reasons too! There are only a limited number of suspects but plenty of twists & turns, which kept me guessing. Also secrets are revealed & Maud & Daisy prepare to move forward with their lives & the agency. An entertaining cosy mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

This is the fourth and the last book in the series featuring Maud and Daisy, detective duo.

The book focuses on the duo going undercover to recover a mysteriously stolen item in a Scottish Castle, but gets entangled in a murder. There is also an undercurrent of a romance, which does not impact the way the story is written (yay 😊).

The writing was good and engaging and the characters strong. Since I picked up the last book first, I cannot comment on the character growth, though the book mentions how far Daisy has come and I will be going back to read the series in order.

I received an advance copy of the book and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When Maud and Daisy received a message that their old friend, Lord Urquhart, needed their assistance at Clachlan Castle on the Isle of Mull, the two women left their business - M. McIntyre Detective Agency in Edinburgh - to immediately head there. It was 1912 in a cold, wintery Scotland, with dense fog, storms of fierce lightning and loud claps of thunder, and Maud and Daisy had no idea what was ahead of them. The castle's owner, Magnus Carmichael, was a pleasant man until he was angered, and his few guests were a mottled lot.

When first one of the castle's guests was murdered, then the police officer who was collecting clues and interviewing staff and guests, was also murdered, Maud and Daisy were well on the trail of the killer - obviously someone from within Clachlan - but they were puzzled. A locked room murder for the first one; an impossibility for the second. But the two detectives were determined. Would they discover the killer before the police arrived on the island?

I was sad to read at the end of the story, that Death in a Scottish Castle is the final book in The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series by Lydia Travers as I have enjoyed them all. This one (#4), is the best yet in my opinion. Maud and Daisy are well written characters, and complement each other well. I love "listening" to Daisy talk in her broad Scottish accent, as they work out the clues and head toward a result. An excellent story; a great series and one I recommend to fans of historical cosies.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

This was a true who done it mystery that had me feeling like I was playing a Clue game the entire time. I thought it was cute and had some funny parts at times but was nice to see that it was women being the main detectives who solve the murder. Despite death it has a cute ending as well that I did not really expect to happen. If you want just a cozy mystery this is a good one. This is book 4 so I would be interested in checking out the other by this author too.

Death in a Scottish Castle is bk 4 in this series, and while it can be read as a standalone, which is what I did, I think if I had read the others the relationship between Maud and her love interest would have had a greater impact.
I like Maud and Diasy's friendship and how well they work together to solve the murder. There are some great twists and turns, and hijinks that kept me glued to the pages until the killer was revealed. This book was a lot of fun to read and I would definitely go back and read the others in the series.

Maud McIntyre and her assistant Daisy have come to the Isle of Mull at the request of Lord Hamish Urquhart to investigate a missing bronze statue at an estate where he is a guest. What they find is a house with tensions and secrets. In the course of solving the missing statute, they suddenly find themselves with a locked door murder mystery.

I had not read any of the previous books in this series and I was able to enjoy the book with no problem. I did realize that Lord Hamish Urquhart was a reoccurring character in the books.

The story takes place in 1912 in Scotland just prior to World War I. It has theft, spies and murder as well as old secrets. I was hooked and kept turning pages. The pacing was good, characters were engaging, and they mystery was one of the best I have read in a while. My only complaint is that this is the final book of this series and I just found it!! I did like how the author gave us a glimpse to the main character's futures, that was very nice and appreciated. I am going to immediately seek out the other three books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to read this story.

My link to my blog review.

https://www.shellielovesbooks.com/2024/07/death-in-scottish-castle-by-lydia.html

Maud and Daisy find more than expected at the castle on the island of Mull. Yes there's the statue but there's also a murder,. a locked room, and some hijinks. These two make a nice team (and I like that they think about mystery writers while trying to solve their own mysteries). I'm sorry that this is the last of the series but know that this will be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Death in a Scottish Castle by Lydia Travers is an easy-to-read murder mystery. It would also make a good YA sleuth novel.

Releases July 11th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fourth and final mystery in the Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series. This has been a very enjoyable series, and this one is the best of the lot. This time, Lord Urquhart is once again their client, and has asked them to come to where he is staying on the Isle of Mull to discover the whereabouts and thief of a brass figurine. Once there, naturally, a murder occurs and presents the ladies with a classic locked room puzzle. So classic, that once again Maud refers to the mystery novel oeuvre for ideas of how the crime might have been committed. This mystery is well plotted and well investigated. Maud and Daisy are fearless and persistent but also clever and sensible in their inquiry. Lord Urquhart, obviously smitten by Maud while Maud remains oblivious, tries to assist at every opportunity. The secondary characters/suspects are well developed and complex enough to engender suspicion at every turn. And the series comes together at the end in a most satisfying manner. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The murder kept me guessing. Loved they were comparing the probable to how mystery writers had the murders committed.

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

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lydia Travers for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Death in a Scottish Castle coming out July 11, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This series is one of my favorites! I love cozy Scottish mysteries. The castle setting was perfect. I didn’t realize it was the last book in the series. So sad! I would love a spin-off series and a lot more from this author! Maud and Daisy are a strong team. I love that they’re brilliant and really grew into solving mysteries. I loved the ending so much! It was such a fun series! I definitely will check out future books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy Scottish mysteries!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read "Death in a Scottish Castle" in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the fourth book in The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency and quite disappointingly it appears to be the last book in this rather short series. The reader has barely had a chance to get to know the characters and to look forward to their adventures. When a series is well-written and interesting, one wants to see more of the characters and their stories, instead of starting over with a new series and characters.

Maud and Daisy from the M. McIntyre Agency in Edinburgh receive a request from a favourite character from all the previous books Lord Hamish Urquhart to come to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull to help investigate a stolen bronze statue - that he may have been accused of stealing. It is a figure of a lion that Magnus Carmichael might be interested in selling. The Lord believes that another guest Neil Tremain might have stolen it. Hence asking the ladies to come and investigate. They decide to arrive undercover are Miss Maisie Smart an author and her secretary Miss Lucy Graham.

No sooner do they arrive at Clachan Castle than there is a murder. It is a true locked room mystery where there is no way that the murderer could have left the room. The door was locked, the windows were shuttered, there is no other way out of the room. One character will immediately be suspicious to the reader.

When the murder feels that he is about to be exposed, another murder occurs to prevent suspicion falling on him. Unfortunately, the prime suspect for the second murder is Daisy and the penalty for murder is hanging.

Everyone seems to overlook a key piece of evidence that the reader will catch onto early.

There is also a historic case, once revealed will lead to the murderer. The Procurator Fiscal in that historic case ruled it an accidental death but for our murderer, revenge is the only ruling.

We learn Lord Urquhart's true profession (which could have opened up several more books in the series). Sadly this was a very interesting series that had a very short life-span.

When Lord Urquhart is subtly accused of theft in an acquaintance’s Scottish castle, Maud and Daisy of the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency are called in to clear their friend’s good name. But what starts out as a hunt for an antiquity soon becomes a much higher stakes search for a murderer as fellow guest, Mr. Tremain, is found dead in his bed. What makes the case more puzzling is that Mr. Tremain had locked his room before bed, so how did the killer get in and out to commit the act?

A cast of colorful characters with different possible motives and an array of personalities are all on the suspect list. There’s one thing the killer did not count on though – the presence of two of Scotland’s most tenacious and observant mystery solvers!

I adore this series – the mixture of Scottish language, locations, and cultural nuances mixed with the Bridgerton-esque hierarchy of the early 1900s combine to create a sophisticated mystery. Maud and Daisy are very likable characters, strong female protagonists who are carving a unique path for themselves. This is the fourth and final book in the series, and I think the author has gotten stronger with each installment. While you do not have to have read the first three books to enjoy this one, the character development is fun to watch unfold. While I’m sad to see this series end, I’m very much looking forward to what this author comes up with next!

In 1912, on the Scottish Isle of Mull, detectives Maud and Daisy investigate the theft of a statuette at Clachan Castle. When their prime suspect is found murdered in a locked room, the case takes a sinister turn. Facing a web of suspects, Maud and Daisy must unravel the castle’s secrets to discover the truth.

This is a tense and puzzling mystery with a unique cast of characters. It can be read as a standalone, but it might be more fun to read the series in order.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

It was such fun to be back with Maud and Daisy of the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency again. This time they’re staying in a remote castle on Mull.

I’ve very much enjoyed watching the ladies get more skilled at detection with each book, and I love the way they take their inspiration from detective stories of the time.

The mystery itself was very interesting, and definitely kept me turning the pages to find out who could get in and out of the locked room. Although I suspected the culprit from early on, I also suspected a number of other people too. It was great fun to see Maud and Daisy figure it out.

I love the characters in this series, especially Maud and Daisy. The contrast in their characters means they work really well together, and I love their friendship and loyalty.

Overall, this was an interesting mystery that kept me turning the pages. I’m sad to learn that this is the final book in the series, I feel like there’s a lot more stories to tell.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This is the 4th instalment (and sadly the last) in Maud and Daisy's adventures and this time they have to solve the mystery of a murder behind a locked door! Can they beat the clock that is ticking?