Murder at a Scottish Wedding
Paislee’s specialty sweater shop and yarn business Cashmere Crush, in the charming Scottish village of Nairn, is closed today for a special occasion. Her bonnie bestie Lydia is moments away from walking down the aisle of the church at Old Nairn Kirk to wed Corbin Smythe with the family brooch on display. Gramps and Paislee’s eleven-year-old son Brody is seated in the pews with the other guests; the only family not in attendance is their black Scottish terrier, Wallace.
As matron of honor, Paislee is at her friend’s side when Lydia lets out a frantic cry. The Luckenbooth brooch her betrothed gave her is missing. A traditional Scottish love token, the gold heirloom has been in his family for generations, and not wearing it could bring bad luck, according to the superstitious Smythes. But the real misfortune falls on a distraught cousin who suddenly disrupts the ceremony and dies with the brooch in her hand. The Smythes insist it’s the curse. But Paislee must broach the subject of…murder. And was the intended victim the guest or the bride? Only Paislee can determine who to pin the murder on.
The Details
Series: A Scottish Shire Mystery – Book #4
Author: Traci Hall
Genre/Category: Cozy – Exotic Location/Hobby
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
ISBN: 1496739248
Page Count: 304
Rating: 
The Review
Is there anything better than a Scottish wedding, a mysterious heirloom brooch, and murder? I’m sure there is, but Murder at a Scottish Wedding will make readers believe there isn’t. Of course, it isn’t every day Paislee is a matron of honor at her best friend’s wedding, or that so much controversy surrounds the wedding and traditions. But when a missing brooch leads to murder, this wedding is one for the history books!
Paislee, Gramps, and Brody are some of my favorite characters. This series revolves around their lives, mainly Pasilee’s sweater and yarn shop, Gramps’ missing son, and Brody growing up. During a Scottish wedding filled with tension and tradition, an heirloom brooch the groom gave to Lydia mysteriously goes missing, and a guest stumbles to her death. When everyone is convinced the death was an accident, it turns into a murder investigation, and Paislee jumps in to solve both mysteries.
Suspects abound in this fourth book. Some are far-fetched, while others seem guilty from the start. The dead guest is found clutching the missing brooch, and all eyes turn to Lydia’s soon-to-be family and, eventually, to Lydia herself. Tracking down this killer isn’t easy, as the Scottish mentality of heritage, before all, gives readers pause for concern. I found Murder at a Scottish Wedding slow and challenging to comprehend. I understand putting family first, but pointing fingers at someone based on their heritage or financial status, has a feeling of meanness I don’t usually see in this series, and I am not a fan of either. There was not enough of Pasilee’s shop and its regulars, and the entire missing brooch angle was disappointing. I certainly expected more from that mystery. However, I found some side stories far more exciting and enjoyable. Many readers will be thrilled that some unanswered questions from the series finally have a solution. The killer is found in the nick of time, but I have to say, it didn’t come as a surprise. All of this said, I enjoyed most of the book and look forward to the next.
The Author
Traci Hall has lived in South Florida for the last twenty years. She loves the ocean and any food dish with shrimp. When not creating new fictional worlds, she reads, travels…and eats. Reach her on social media or through her website.
Other books by this author that readers will enjoy are Mrs. Morris and the Pot of Gold from the Salam B&B Mysteries or from the “Scottish Shir Mystery” series Murder At A Scottish Social.
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