Lydia Travers is a new author for me, however I love my historical cosy crime (especially when the detective is female), so I took a risk. It definitely paid off!

Initially, The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency was a little slow to get going. For the first third of the book, Maud seemed slightly inept. However, as this is her first proper case (I’m not including the previous one referenced, as the answer to that came so easily to her), that seems realistic to me. I really enjoyed watching Maud improve her detective skills over the course of the book.

I really like both the main characters in this book. Maud is determined, and willing to make mistakes and learn from them. She’s not rich and gregarious as some of the other historical detectives I like to read, but she’s a very admirable character. I really like her calm determination. Daisy is also a great character. She’s cheeky and funny, and very lovable. I’m looking forward to getting to know them both better in future books.

The plot was very enjoyable too. It took a little while to pick up pace (not surprising in the first book of a series), but it involved an excellent combination of mysteries (or is it all the same mystery?), which I really enjoyed getting my teeth into.

Overall, this was an excellent cosy crime, with engaging main characters. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency is the cute, cozy debut in a new mystery series set in Edwardian Scotland. Miss Maud McIntyre has started her own detective agency in Edinburgh, accompanied by her former lady's maid-turned-assistant Daisy Cameron. For their first case, the Duchess of Duddingston asks Maud and Daisy to go undercover at a house party at her country estate. A recent series of jewel thefts has plagued members of the Scottish aristocracy and the Duchess wants Maud and Daisy to prevent a similar theft at her party.

I really liked Maud as the main character. She is very intelligent and resourceful, as well as a lover of classic mystery novels. Throughout the book, she mentions the novels of many popular mystery writers of her day, from Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes mysteries to Baroness Orczy's Lady Molly of Scotland Yard (which I had never heard of before, but sounds super fun.) I also liked the character of Lord Urquhart, who I'm assuming will become a love interest for Maud in future novels.

I do think I would've liked the book better if the story was told from both Maud and Daisy's perspectives. While they are staying at the Duchess's house, we don't get to see what Daisy is doing to investigate, instead we just read about her telling Maud what she's learned at a later date. I would've preferred to see this dramatized rather than summarized. I also think the villain was a bit obvious, seeing as they had the most obvious motive.

All in all, a good book for those looking for a light mystery read.

Maud and Daisy - what a dynamic duo! I loved the setting in Scotland and how Women’s Suffrage was brought into the storyline. And what could be better than four mysteries in one and a detective agency of two whip smart and courageous women! I particularly enjoyed how they disguised themselves and were confident in their detecting habits.

I can’t wait to read about Maud and Daisy’s next adventure. They’re clearly a force to be reckoned with!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a glorious read! Set at the dawn of the 20th century this book is a delight. Maud McIntyre and her former maid Daisy have set themselves up as private detectives in Edinburgh, Their first job is at a private house party where the lady of the house is afraid she will fall victim to a spate of robberies where valuable jewellery has been stolen in other homes. The pair go undercover to prevent a theft. Alas, a valuable piece is stolen and there is also a murder.
This is Lydia Travers first foray into crime writing and is a very enjoyable read, I would highly recommend The Scottish Ladies Detective Agency, anyone who enjoys TE Kinseys series will, I think, also enjoy this book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy. I can't wait to begin the second one. Well done.




 #TheScottishLadiesDetectiveAgency #NetGalley

In early 20th century England, Maud decides to open her own investigative agency. Her first assignment is to go undercover and try to find a thief who keeps stealing jewels at parties. Soon though, a murder occurs. Maud and her lady's maid, Daisy, must investigate to find the culprit.

I wish there had been a little more background early on. I feel like the reader is just thrust into this character's world with references to things that happened/previous relationships and not much context.

1910s, Scotland, private-investigators, murder-investigation, murder, theft, women-sleuths, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, missing-persons, first-in-series, new-series, historical-novel, historical-research*****

I think that this will be a fun series!
Together Maud and Daisy make a formidable team of sleuths in 1911 Scotland. Their first case is a closed circle mystery at a country house, then there are several others involving a few of the characters from their first foray. All of this goes far to establishing credibility with the population and the readers. The plot is sound and reasonable including unusual twists, odd red herrings, and a frustrating amount of misogyny (it was more overt at that time). I loved it and am looking forward to following the series!
I requested and received an EARC from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you!

This turn of the century lady's detective story had me hooked from the first page. This book was so good. I wish book 2 was already out because I was so sad that I had to leave this world. I was completely entertained and loved the story line!
I just reviewed The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency by Lydia Travers. #TheScottishLadiesDetectiveAgency #NetGalley
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Mystery, Mayhem And Murder..
Mystery, mayhem and murder in the Scottish Highlands with Maud McIntyre and her Scottish Ladies Detective Agency. The agency’s very first case begins in an impossibly glamorous and picturesque setting and soon one case becomes several combined. Enjoyable historical, cosy mystery with a lovely backdrop, a cast of well drawn characters and a lively narrative.

When Maud McIntyre sets up her own private detective agency, she never imagines her first case will involve murder… A mystery in the Highlands? The Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency is on the case! Full of twists and turns, it will keep you furiously turning the pages. Giving this one four starts ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Read it!

This is a new author to me and I found the characters clever, and fun especially Daisy. The plot was different to most as one mystery was solved then there are three new mysteries that are linked and lead back to the first mystery that wasn't solved and is also linked to the other three. It is much clearly than it sounds as each lead seamlessly into the other. I’m so looking forward to the next in the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Edinburgh, 1911 — Maud McIntyre and her former lady’s maid, Daisy Cameron, have just opened Maud’s long dreamed of detective agency. Now they just need a case. So far prospective clients have taken issue with a woman detective. Women aren’t supposed to have careers. Nor are the delicate sensibilities of a woman suitable for dealing with certain facts of life.

But then the Duchess of Duddingston steps into their office. A jewelry thief has been targeting country house parties, and the Duchess is concerned that she may be next on their list. She employs Maud and Daisy to go undercover as a guest and her lady’s maid, to prevent a theft from taking place at Duddingston. But the thief does strike, and they take not only jewels—they take the life of one of the guests. Maud and Daisy never expected to be solving a murder. Are they up to the challenge?

When I read the description for The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency I was going to pass. Did I really want to read yet another mystery about an aristocratic gentlewoman and her maid/servant/companion solving crimes? But something made me take a second look. Happy that I did.

The author has created a plot that, while sticking to many of the cozy mystery tropes, does so with intelligence and wit. Her characters are clever, and often quite humorous. I found the plot inventive as one mystery expands into four. Spotting the culprit(s) was pretty easy, that doesn’t really matter when you’re having so much fun reading.

As I understand it, this is the first of three novels in a new series by the author. I can already say that I’m looking forward to the next in the series.
Simply a pleasure to read.

A cozy book I wasn’t expecting to be so charming!

What can I say? I’m a sucker for cozy crime books and this one was everything I hoped for.
The books follows the story of Maud and Daisy, in the 1900s, two friend who open a detective agency together wanting to work for their own instead of marrying like they were obliged to. Maud comes from a wealthy family while Daisy was her lady’s maid, which it never comes out of her (once a lady’s maid, always a lady’s maid). They get called both for a very big case which they can solve but when they are called for another case later on, Maud realizes that perhaps they were wrong on the first case and everything goes on around that specific case…

I can’t tell you how much this lovely book entertained me! It was a surprise. I specially loved the way the dialogue went on, the expressions used by Daisy, the Scottish inside the book was wonderful! I’ve never read a book with Scottish expressions or grammar and it was astonishing to read that. I’m Portuguese but I only read books in English since the translations always get mixed up and the words are pretty much different and I cannot imagine if this book gets translated in here someday, how much my Portuguese fellow readers are going to miss from the expressions Daisy uses…

I can’t wait to read the second book, for the life of me!

Charming, but implausible
Really just s step above Nancy Drew in plotting
Dull dialogue and overly long
Only recommended to those who really really like cozies