A Wee Murder in My Shop by Fran Stewart

A Wee Murder in My Shop (ScotShop Mystery, #1)

by Fran Stewart

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!

Hamelin, Vermont, isn’t the most likely place for bagpipes and tartan, but at Peggy Winn’s ScotShop, business is booming…

While on a transatlantic hunt for some authentic wares to sell at her shop, Peggy is looking to forget her troubles by digging through the hidden treasures of the Scottish Highlands. With so many enchanting items on sale, Peggy can’t resist buying a beautiful old tartan shawl. But once she wraps it around her shoulders, she discovers that her purchase comes with a hidden fee: the specter of a fourteenth-century Scotsman.

Unsure if her Highland fling was real or a product of an overactive imagination, Peggy returns home to Vermont—only to find the dead body of her ex-boyfriend on the floor of her shop. When the police chief arrests Peggy’s cousin based on some incriminating evidence, Peggy decides to ask her haunting Scottish companion to help figure out who really committed the crime—before anyone else gets kilt…

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

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Humor, Murder and a fourteenth-century Scotsman provided an entertaining mystery.

Peggy Winn owns a Scotshop in Hamelin, Vermont where they sell everything from dragons to tartan kilts. While on a transatlantic trip to Scotland in search of authentic wares for her shop she ends up buying an enchanted tartan shawl. It comes complete with a specter.

When Peggy returns to Vermont, things get interesting when she discovers the dead body of her ex-boyfriend in her shop. Things get more complicated by the minute as Peggy’s cousin is arrested and charged with the murder. Convinced of his innocence she seeks the help of her Scottish ghost, her brother and a local detective named Harper.

Stewart provided a lively cast of characters and I enjoyed spending time with Peggy and her circle of friends. The banter between them at times made me laugh aloud. Trying to answers her specters questions about twentieth century expressions and technology and solving the mystery had Peggy exasperated at times. We see a little smidgeon of a romance and I will be curious to see how it develops throughout the series. Our Scottish specter is quite fun, overly protective of Peggy and did a good job of assisting in solving the case.

The murder mystery Stewart provided was well done and kept me engaged throughout the tale. A few twists and discoveries were well placed. I was impressed by how skillfully she tied all of the threads together keeping things edgy and interesting without overly stretching on plausibility. Clues were provided allowing the reader to put things together and while I pieced things together the reveal and why all proved interesting.

Tanya Eby narrated the tale and I felt she did a great job of bringing the characters to life. She was pleasant to listen to and I quickly devoured the story.

If you are looking for a satisfying cozy with a solid mystery and delightfully charming characters then A Wee Murder in My Shop is an excellent choice.

Audio provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 7 July, 2015: Finished reading
  • 7 July, 2015: Reviewed
  • Started reading
  • 7 July, 2015: Finished reading
  • 7 July, 2015: Reviewed