This is only the second book I have read in the Liss MacCrimmon Mysteries, but I have enjoyed both of them and had no problems following the story. Liss runs the Scottish Emporium in Moosetookalook, Maine. I just love that name. Liss purchases a painting of a piper at the auction of the contents of the Chadwick mansion. When she is putting it in the car, she drops it and the back cracks. There is something behind the painting that looks like a map. This sets off a treasure hunt that sends Liss and her aunt to Nova Scotia where a man they were supposed to meet is found dead. There are also several break ins while on the trip and once they return home. Did the murder have something to do with the map? Is Liss in danger?

This is a complicated mystery because there is not an investigation of the murder, but there is a hint that it has something to do with the map Liss found. She locks it up in her safe deposit box, but that doesn't stop people from following her. When she finally decides that she needs to check out the property around the mansion, there are so many suspects that I had no idea who was involved in what. I really liked the characters in this book. Liss' aunt is a smart lady and once she starts to research the family tree of the Chadwicks, she found lots of clues and information. Liss is also a smart sleuth. For the most part she didn't take chances, but did cause some uncomfortable feelings. Here best friend is also the police chief and she often lets Liss tag along which is the one thing that is unrealistic. Overall, I enjoyed this book, the plot, the characters and the final reveal. I did figure out the culprit before it was revealed in the book, but I still enjoyed this one right up until the end.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This was my first trip to Moosetookalook, Maine and I am so upset with myself that it took me this long to find this series.

Liss MacCrimmon owns the Scottish Emporium and while she is at an auction looking for items for her shop she finds a painting of a bagpiper. She bids and wins the picture after outbidding two other people. While carrying it to the car she drops it and makes a very interesting discovery. It looks like a treasure map was hidden behind the canvas in the frame. The treasure is marked with an “X” but Liss has no idea where to start looking, but she thinks it may be on the old Chadwick property, since that is where the auction is being held. Her aunt does a little research and feels they need to head to Nova Scotia to meet with a man that may have more information. But when they arrive for their meeting, the man is dead, murdered. Liss and her aunt are quickly cleared when their alibi checks out, so they continue will the rest of their visit to meet with vendors for merchandise for their store and to attend the Highland Games in Antigonish. Liss feels as if she is being watched several times, but when their hotel room is trashed and an Ipad and a broach are missing, they report it to the police and head back to Maine. Strange things start to happen at home and Liss is convinced it all has to do with the map she found. Did the killer follow her home? Her life may be in jeopardy, so she has no choice but the find where X marks the spot.

As this was my first adventure with Liss, her family, and friends, I was pleased by how well they were described. I am sure I am missing out on certain nuances of the characters but that did not deter from my enjoyment of the story. I really liked that she is friends with Chief of Police Sherrie Campbell and that she works with her aunt.

Ms. Dunnett has written a well-plotted mystery with plenty of suspects and the exact right amount of suspense. I enjoyed that genealogy was used to lead the way in solving the mystery. A treasure hunt is always fun to follow in a story. I did figure out the culprit a bit before it was revealed. The person just felt shady from the start.

There is a subplot in the story concerning Liss’ parents and that made me wish I had read the previous stories, but it also made me what to jump right into the next new book, Overkilt being released October 30.

I found this to be a very entertaining mystery. My first trip to Moosetookalook was a very enjoyable getaway and am looking forward to visiting again soon.

I have not read any books in this series and was a bit apprehensive to start a series this far in the series. However, I never felt 'lost' as different characters were introduced.
I found the story interesting and who doesn't like the thought of a treasure map? The mystery flowed well and even though some things seemed quite obvious to me I had to keep reading.

I have not read the previous books in this series but I'll be putting them on my 'To Be Read' list.

The latest Liss MacCrimmon mystery is wonderful. I wish I could go to the Moosetookalook Scottish Emporium and have a look around and do some shopping. This is a beautifully crafted series that I'm looking forward to catching up on. The mystery pulls you in with a treasure map, but it's the characters who you'll adore. I truly enjoyed this. Cozy mystery fans need to add this to their TBR list.

I loved X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett. I do highly recommend this series!!!!

Liss MacCrimmon Ruskin, proprietor of Moosetookalook, Maine's only Scottish emporium, knows her pipers. So when the painting of the Piper to the Laird of Grant came up for auction at the Chadwick mansion, she was willing to fight to the end for it. Or at least, until $400. Fortunately, that was enough, and the painting was hers. It didn't occur to her that there might be more to the painting than what meets the eye, until she accidentally dropped it trying to get it into the car. That's how she found the treasure map that had been hidden in the back of the painting. 

That discovery leads Liss and her family to start digging. Her aunt, Margaret, puts her recently minted skills in genealogy to work to build a Chadwick family tree. Liss, meanwhile, goes to see her best friend Sherri, the chief of police, to look into the two other people who bid on the piper. One is a well-known local, but the other is a tall, dark-haired stranger who bought a bunch of other paintings and mirrors. Could he be looking for the map that was hidden in Liss's frame? And how far is he willing to go to get his hands on it? 

X Marks the Scot is a charming cozy set in a small town in Maine but with a hearty helping of Scottish love. It's the eleventh book in Kaitlyn Dunnet's Liss MacCrimmon series, and it's a lot of fun. I love the characters and the town of Moosetookalook. But for this one, I did find the mystery a little lackluster. There didn't seem to be much on the line for Liss and her family, so there was not the tension you find in other cozies. That being said, I will definitely give this series another chance as X Marks the Scot was entertaining, very well written, and filled with interesting characters in a lovely town. 

I recommend this series, just maybe don't start with this book. 



Galleys for X Marks the Scot were provided by Kensington through NetGalley, with many thanks.

X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett is the eleventh book in the Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery series.
Liss MacCrimmon is attending the auction of the Chadwick mansion and purchases a painting of a Scottish bagpiper. When it falls and reveals a treasure map in the back of the painting. Liss’ curiosity takes off and Aunt Margaret suggests a trip to Chadwick, Nova Scotia to find out about the Chadwick family.
They arrive for their meeting with Orson Bailey at the Chadwick Historical and Genealogical Society to find the find Orson dead under the kitchen table.
This is a excellent mystery and as always a enjoyable sleuth. The author has a great talent for details and I enjoy the series of clues, suspects and trail that follows the protagonist.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Liss and her aunt get out of Moosetookalook for a while in this one (although, now that I think about it, many (most?) of the other books in the series don't take place in the town proper). The mystery had an interesting premise, but wasn't developed enough and as interesting as a story with a treasure map could/should be.

I think the biggest issue for me is that Moosetookalook and it's inhabitants aren't developed and used as a rich backdrop. Occasionally, a local character may be introduced and have a story written involving them, but then they disappear. Liss is usually investigating on her own and even in this case, her aunt plays a minimal role. She needs a foil to play off of. Sounds like the author may be introducing her parents in that role for book 12 which would be a plus. Liss, alone, isn't a compelling, must find out what's happening to her next kind of character.

I receive my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

When Liss Ruskin attends an estate auction, she doesn't expect the picture she bought to be so much trouble...Liss was taken by a painting of the Piper to the Laird of Grant, and successfully bid against two others. But when she accidentally dropped it, the frame broke and revealed what appeared to be a treasure map underneath. The problem was that it had no distinctive markings, so she didn't know where or what it was actually for.

All she could surmise was that it had something to do with the Chadwick family, and that there must be some sort of treasure on the estate grounds. It was her Aunt Margaret who suggested they make a trip to Canada to see if they could discover anything about the family that would lead them to find the truth. And that was her first mistake...

Upon arriving at her destination, the Chadwick Historical and Genealogical Society in Canada, Liss and Margaret entered the building and called out for Orson Bailey, the man they were supposed to meet. And meet him they did, but not in the way they expected, for Orson was dead, underneath a table. It didn't help when she discovered their hotel room had been ransacked, yet the only two items stolen were an iPad and brooch.

So when Liss eventually returned to her home in Moosetookalook, Maine, she was more curious than ever about the map, and Orson's murder. She wondered if they were connected, especially since other things were occurring - things she knew were connected to the map. And if there was a treasure involved, how many people were interested in it, and which one was interested enough to kill someone to get it?

This, as always, is another enjoyable book in the Liss MacCrimmon mystery series. The author does a commendable job of keeping the plot moving along nicely, and the characters are well-drawn and vivid. It says much for a book when you want to punch a character for being smug and self-satisfied. It was an entertaining read, and the mystery itself was threaded nicely throughout, giving subtle clues along the way.

Although I pretty much had the murderer figured out early (I read a lot of these), it was still quite nice to see how everything was connected, and how Liss began to put it all together. I did feel that this book probably wasn't actually suited to be read as a stand-alone since there are references to other books, it was still easy enough to read, and it will be interesting to see how the return of Liss's parents affect her life in Mooosetookalook. Recommended.

This is the first book in this series of 11 that I've read. The Liss MacCrimmon series is funny with a good murder to solve. Set in a small town in Maine Liss and her friend attend an auction and buy a painting of a kilt dressed Scott. When she knocks the frame an old map fall out from behind the painting and she's all set for a treasure hunt. Someone else is more intent on finding the treasure and kills the archivist that Liss got to help her. With several good leads, she needs to find the killer before she's the next victim. Moosetookalook, Maine sounds like a fun place to visit and is a good setting for Liss and her friends.

3.5 Stars

I thought this story was a fun cozy mystery, but this is the first in a long running series. I thought I would try it because I used to read Ms Dunnett under one of her previous writing pseudonyms. Liss has a knack for mysteries and her friendship with the sheriff and her aunt provides fun as her sidekicks. There were plenty of red herrings as she pursued this mystery. Another thing that works well is that she and her husband have no children which would be problematic as she chases down clues. I enjoyed the story, but I wished I would have started the series sooner.

This continues the Liss MacCrimmon mystery series. She attends an auction where she buys a painting, thus starting the mystery. She finds a map hidden in it - why was it hidden, where is the item burried, who burried it? On a shopping trip tied in with trying to find the answers, Liss finds a dead body instead. Now she needs to solve that mystery as well.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review .

X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett is the eleventh book in the Liss MacCrimmon Mystery series. This is the first book I have read in this series, but I had no problem jumping right in. Liss buys an old painting from the Chadwick mansion auction and is shocked to find a treasure map hidden in the back. It quickly become apparent that she is not the only one interested in the map. When strange things start happening even on her trip to Canada, Liss becomes determined to solve the mystery of the mysterious map. While it was not the strongest mystery I read recently, it did hold my interest until the end. The characters work well together, and the side stories were all relevant. This is a solid cozy mystery.

This is an entertaining mystery. The characters are likeable and the mystery engaging. There were some red herrings and so I wasn't sure who to suspect. The murderer was a surprise to me. It was fun to "chase" after a hidden treasure and trying to figure exactly what that treasure might be. I would read another book by this author.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
I do enjoy a good cozy especially if there is a kitty on the cover who could be my twin. When it is a good plot, I like it even more.
Liss owns a store that sells products from Scotland or are Scottish in origin. She picks up a painting from an auction to put up in her store but manages to drop it on the way to the car. She discovers a hand-drawn map where X marks the spot. Now it is up to Liss and her friends to discover where X is and what is hidden there.
She goes on a road trip to Nova Scotia but when she stops in New Brunswick to pick up some documents about the family who owned the mansion, she finds a body instead. After being cleared by the Mounties, she is off to the HIghland Games in Antigonish. She finds more that she wants when her room is burgled and her iPad stolen.
Back home, between suspicious activities in both her home and store, a deranged scientist who was fired from his job in a Pharmaceutical company, possibly nefarious employees of said company and a woman who seems to turn up at the most unusual times, it is not easy for Liss to get to the bottom of the mystery. Even when everyone shows up for the treasure hunt, things are still far from resolved.
I must admit I suspected the villain but that never stops me from liking a book. Oh, and did I mention, while all this is swirling around Liss, she is worried about her parents who have unexpectedly pulled up roots from their retirement home in Arizona to return to Maine. Liss' relationship with her mother is testy to say the least.
All the elements combine into an entertaining quick read. I give it four purrs and two paws up.

This is a great book; this is the eleventh book in the Liss MacCrimmon Mystery Series written by Cheryl Hollon. This book can be read as a standalone, but once you read it you will defiantly want to go back and catch up with the other book in this series. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

When I got a review copy from NetGalley and saw that this is #11 in this series, I realized that I had missed a few of them. After enjoying X Marks the Scot I'm adding those missed ones to my TBR stack. How did I get so distracted?
Liss has gone to an auction and is the winning bidder of a painting of a bagpiper. Perfect for her collection. As she transports the painting, an interesting piece of paper falls out of the frame and Liss and her aunt add a stop on their way to Canada to get more information. Why not, it's on the way. What isn't in their travel plans is to arrive, find the Genealogical Society locked, then to find the person they were to meet dead in the kitchen. All over a piece of paper found hidden in the frame of an old painting. Treasure map, tunnels, mysteries galore. Just what I have come to expect from this cozy series. Now to find those entries I missed and I will be a happy camper.

X Marks the Scot by Kaitlyn Dunnett is the eleventh book in A Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery series. Liss MacCrimmon is attending the auction of the Chadwick mansion and purchases a painting of a Scottish bagpiper. While trying to load the painting into the car, it falls (cracks) and reveals a treasure map tucked into the back of the painting. Liss’ curiosity is peaked and Aunt Margaret suggests a trip to Chadwick, Nova Scotia to obtain details on the Chadwick family (it is on the way to the Antigonish Highland Games—they can obtain new items for the shop). They arrive for their meeting with Orson Bailey at the Chadwick Historical and Genealogical Society to find the place locked up. When they gain entrance, Liss finds Orson dead under the kitchen table. Who knew of their trip to Chadwick? What had Orson uncovered? While at the highland games, their motel room is broken into and ransacked. Liss returns home determined to find out where the map leads and what is hidden where X marks the spot. It seems that trouble has followed Liss home. Someone has broken into the shop and her home. What will Liss uncover in her latest investigation in Moosetookalook, Maine?

X Marks the Scot is not a standalone. Some readers may find it confusing with the various characters and relationships. It becomes clearer the further you read into the book. I have read all the books in A Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery series, and X Marks the Scot is my least favorite. I knew the killer’s identity long before the murder took place. The mystery had some interesting aspects (a treasure map, hidden tunnels), but it could have done with a little tweaking. I wish the mystery had been stronger (it was light). I want to be gobsmacked! Moosetookalook is a charming Maine town with unique characters and plenty of charm. It will be interesting to see what happens now that Liss’ parents have returned to town and Liss is dreading it (she gets along better with her mother when there are a couple of states between them). I found the pace of the novel to be too slow (made the book seem long). I will read the next book in A Liss MacCrimmon Scottish Mystery series in the hopes that the series will get back on track. I have a feeling, though, that the series has run its course.

When Liss comes across a piece of paper hidden inside a recent art purchase she wonders where it may lead to. You see it looks like a treasure map but is it the real thing or just some fake? Liss decides she just has to know, so she is off to Canada with her Aunt in tow. When thing start to get weird Liss thinks maybe they aren't alone in the search for treasure, and maybe it's time to return home. There just one problem, was she followed home, could someone be after her map? Follow along as Liss tries to answer these questions and more. This is a fun series with eccentric characters who are easy to get to know. I look forward to visiting with everyone again.

This was both interesting and slightly boring. The concept was great. I loved the idea of the genealogy part, but it was too much of an info dump and not enough of a story. The mystery started out great, but by the end there were too many characters and I ended up not really caring who did it.