Some of my favorite books are set in Scotland; it's such a lush and memorable setting. In the two novels I'm sharing today, the setting is Scotland, which only enhances these stories. One is a satirical mystery and the other is a contemporary romance with a paranormal twist to it. Let me know your thoughts on these novels in the comments below.
Goodreads says, "There’s been a sensational murder at historic Castle Kinloch, a gothic fantasy of grey granite on a remote island in the Highlands of Scotland. Literary superstar Brett Saffron Presley has been found dead—under bizarre circumstances—in the castle tower’s book-lined study. Years ago, Presley purchased the castle as a showpiece for his brand and to lure paying guests with a taste for writerly glamour. Now it seems, the castle has done him in…or, possibly, one of the castle’s guests has. Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh, a local with no love for this literary American show-off (or Americans in general), finds himself with the unenviable task of extracting statements from three American lady novelists.
The prime suspects are Kat de Noir, a slinky, sexy erotica writer; Cassie Pringle, a Southern mom of six juggling multiple cozy mystery series; and Emma Endicott, a New England blue blood and author of critically acclaimed historical fiction. The women claim to be best friends writing a book a historical novel about the castle’s lurid past and its debauched laird, who himself ended up creatively murdered. But the authors’ stories about how they know Brett Saffron Presley don’t quite line up, and the detective is getting increasingly suspicious."
Fans of Team W will notice many similarities between the three authors and the three authors in the book. So, in turn, The Author's Guide to Murder felt very meta and satirical; it was not the Agatha Christie locked room type of mystery I was hoping for. While there was a mystery to solve in The Author's Guide to Murder, due to all the tongue-in-cheek and satirical references, it was hard to take the story seriously. So, unless you are in the mood for a satire, I would avoid this one as it just felt average to me. Team W's collaborations are some of my favorites, so I was disappointed. The most redeeming part of the novel is the fantastic Scottish setting and some of the funny moments; otherwise, look elsewhere.
Goodreads says, "Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.
Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.
When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess."
Keyanna MacKay's father has died and she doesn't know much about their family in Scotland. Key decides to go to Scotland to get to know her father's family, and in turn, honor his memory a bit more. But when she gets there, her father's family, including her grandmother, is not exactly welcoming. She also meets Lachlan Greer, who works for the MacKay's and that got off to a bumpy start. He thinks she is an annoying American, but slowly he starts to feel bad for her as she is a fish out of water in Scotland. Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson isn't just a contemporary romance; there is also a paranormal twist involving a family curse that is explored throughout the novel.
I do think Ferguson did a good job with the grumpy/sunshine trope between
Lachlan and Key; I enjoyed their romance in addition to the memorable setting.
The setting made me want to plan a trip to Scotland ASAP. Also, the paranormal twist was also a lot of fun and involved The Loch Ness Monster. However, I will say that I felt there was a bit too much going on in the story. The "monster romance" portion, the family estrangement, the death of a family member, and the family curse made for a lot of different story threads. That's pretty ambitious in a romance novel and I can't say that Ferguson entirely pulled it off. Nonetheless, Under Loch and Key is a fun romance and unlike any I've read this year.
I'm waiting for both of these in Libby (had a hard copy of the Ws book, but the wait list was huge and I wasn't going to get to it, so I jumped on Libby, haha), and think they'll end up being a fun start to 2025 reading :)
ReplyDelete