Scones and Scoundrels

The lovely town of Inversgail is in for a nasty "hurricane" named Daphne Wood. Famed environmentalist and modern day recluse, Daphne returns home after 30 years to be an artist-in-residence at the local school. In Scones and Scoundrels by Molly MacRae the women of Yon Bonnie Books and Tearoom find themselves in the middle of the storm.

Before the illustrious writer makes her appearance, her impact is felt in the long list of demands she has for her author-in-residence. When Daphne arrives early, bringing her dog and makes a fuss over the accommodations that have been hastily reorganized, no one is a fan.

Daphne is expected to appear at Yon Bonnie Books at a signing, but Janet begins to worry about her quirky behavior and hopes she doesn't disrupt the event.

When a visiting tourist is found dead behind a bar frequented mostly by locals, Janet, Christine, Tallie

and Summer would love to investigate, but the upcoming author event has them hopping. When said author decides she wants to investigate with them, she dreams up the name SCONES for their group. Janet and friends try to coax her out of investigating, but Daphne has a mind of her own.

Daphne makes no bones about her desire to investigate and she continues to alienate nearly everyone in town with her abrupt behavior. She harangues Gillian, the teacher who organized the author-in-resident, badgers Maida, the homeowner where she is staying, and torments just about everyone she encounters. Janet wonders if her years of living in solitude in the woods have had their impact on Daphne's behavior or is there something more.

A whispers of whiskey society, a Peeping Tom and another murder or two compound the efforts of the book shop owners while they investigate. There investigation leads them to an unlikely suspect.

Scones and Scoundrels is another enjoyable mystery featuring the technology-savvy women from Yon Bonnie Books.

For a review of Plaid and Plagiarism, the first book in the series, click here. 

A Murder in Scotland

I have always been a fan of Molly MacRae's books and Plaid and Plagiarism doesn't disappoint. It finds Janet Marsh, her daughter Tallie, her friend Summer Jacobs joining long-time friend Christine Robertson in Inversgail, Scotland. Not for a vacation, but to be co-owners of Yon Bonnie Books. What better place to open a bookstore, than in Scotland, home of famous storyteller Robert Louis Stevenson.

Janet and her family had spend many summers in Scotland until her professor husband started an affair witha married graduate student. Now after the divorce Janet is waiting to move into the house she has owned for years. The realtor tells her it will be a few more days before the renters leave, but when the days keep passing, Janet and Christine decide to see what the problem really is. What the discover it a completely trashed house and a bewildered realtor standing in the middle of it in shock.

When shrewish journalist Una Graham is found dead in in the garden shed at the house a few days later, Janet wonders who else besides Jess, the realtor, didn't like Una. After discovering nasty letters, the friends decide to investigate. They set up a Goggle doc so they can share information and put down their thoughts on the murder. "I" for information, "F" for facts.

I was really impressed that MacRae allowed these women to be tech savvy and not stereotypically afraid of the computer. They text each other during the investigation and check the Google doc for updates. I really enjoyed them and their Scottish setting. I look forward to other books in this series.

You can read a review of another Molly MacRae book by clicking here.

For books by MacRae, click here.