Scots on the Rocks

by: Mary Dahiem

Published by: William Morrow

Reviewed by Kathy Perschmann

This is 23rd in the series of Bed and Breakfast mysteries featuring Judith McMonigle Flynn and her cousin Renie, this one is set not in Judith’s Seattle Hillside Manor B & B, but in Scotland.

Judith is aging, her hip replacement surgery has slowed her down. Her husband Joe, a retired police detective, and her cousin Renie and her husband Bill conspire to set up Judith with a surprise vacation. Her B & B is staffed with substitute innkeepers, and they are off. Judith is sure the locale is southern California, and packs accordingly.

Unfortunately it is Scotland, a stay in remote Grimloch castle due Joe’s police connection, with a promise of some great fishing. The men skip off soon after arrival to fish, leaving Judith and Renie to get to know the Gibbses, the surly and unhappy couple running the castle. They venture into town to get Judith some warm clothing and meet many more eccentric and dysfunctional people, including Moira Gibbs, her husband Harry (grandson of the Gibbses working in the castle); and cranky Mrs. Gunn. Wealthy Moira Gibbs has inherited a large petroleum company, and Mrs. Gunn is running her husband’s transport firm and believes in the supernatural.

Soon Philip Fordyce and his young wife Beth, owners of the castle, return early from an island vacation to stay in the private wing. Fordyce runs a company making Scotch whiskey and has a very strange young son, Chuckie, who skulks around the castle being obtuse and nasty.

An explosion on the beach signals the death of Harry Gibbs. Who could have wanted him dead? Was he meddling in his wife’s Blackwell Petroleum company too much? The accidental death months ago of Moira’s personal assistant, the dashing Italian Davey, is suddenly questioned when his bloodstained coat is found with a note. Then Chuckie begins hinting he knows who killed Harry. Judith and Renie have sporadic and sketchy phone contacts with their fishing spouses, until suddenly they seem to have disappeared.

Judith is her usual kind and inquisitive self; Renie as usual, is always hungry, argumentative and pushy. There are several truly hilarious episodes as they careen around the village of St. Fergna trying to ferret out the facts.

Armchair Interviews says: 23rd in series, and still doing just fine, thank you.