The third book in the Whiskey Business Mystery has Abi Logan attending a 4 days of competition of Whiskey makers at a 5 star resort. Abby Glen has several nominations. She takes her dog, Liam who soon is known throughout the meeting because of his antics. Grant MacEwan, her business partner is next door to her. Before the judging begins two of the judges are poisoned with nicotine. Abi works with homicide detective as he is short of staff. Finding a motive is difficult as the judges had no enemies were well like by their peers. Liam is enjoying himself running with the kennel dogs and getting treats from all the participants.Will Lindsey and her friends managed to save a life? I am looking forward to,the next book.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Alibi for a review copy. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is the third book in the Whiskey Business Series. A great romantic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The setting is in Scotland and is enchanting. Well written with interesting characters and an entertaining story. I read a reader copy via Net Galley and voluntarily chose to write a review.

Having read the previous books in the series (SINGLE MALT MURDER and DEATH DISTILLED) I couldn't wait to see what had happened to Abi and Grant- had Abi realized she wanted to stay at the distillery with Grant, or had she left him to it? The book picks up months later, after the Christmas holidays, and gets Abi right back into the thick of things. As one of the characters says "death does seem to follow you!". In the middle of an awards getaway she finds herself not only in the middle yet again, but targeted for unknown reasons. I finished the book in one sitting, as I couldn't put it down. It has the perfect blend of humor (runaway sheep brought back in a Mini Cooperanyone? LOL) and mystery (and a little romance) to keep you reading!

Deadly Dram is a great addition to A Whiskey Business series. Love the plot, characters and the Scottish setting. A good quick read. I highly recommend this book and series to mystery fans. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my arc. This is my unbiased review.

Deadly Dram is the third book in the Whisky Business Mystery series.

Time is getting close for the annual Golden Quaich Awards for the best Whiskys. Grant MacEwen, manager/co-owner of Abbey Glen Distillery and Cam Lewis, the distiller, have finally convinced Abi that she needs to attend, especially since Abbey Glen is up for the top award this year. As Abi is greeting friends from the past and making new ones, she soon learns that there seems to be those in attendance that feel the awards should be for Scotch produced in Scotland. She also gets the impression that possibly there is a plan to make sure Scotland brewed Scotch will win. Soon the body of Sir Richard Simpson is found dead in his room by the maid, Sophie. An autopsy shows that he had died of nicotine poisoning. Detective Inspector Ian Michaelson arrives to begin his investigation and, since he has worked with Abi before, asks her to take pictures of the room and to keep her ears open for any information that might be helpful. Then a second judge is killed in the same manner. Michaelson and Abi are stymied as to whether these deaths are related to the award program or possibly a business transaction that happened to involve the two judges.

The story is well written and plotted and has a wonderful cast of believable characters. Abi’s adorable dog, Liam, is back once again to provide some lighter moments.

I’m looking forward to the next to next book in this great series. I’m anxious to see what is happening with Abi and Grant.

While this is the third book in the series, it was my first time reading a book from Melinda Mullet’s Whiskey Business series and I have to say that I need to read the other books — fast! I’m always a little wary of starting a book mid-series, but this mystery was so exciting and the setting was fun and overall the series was a lot better than I thought it would be at first glance.

From what I can gather, Abi Logan worked as a photojournalist before moving to Scotland to take over a whiskey distillery that her deceased uncle left her (I assume this is covered in greater detail in the first two books). As owner of the distillery, she is required to attend a prestigious whiskey competition, where her whiskey is up for several important awards. While nervous about attending such a fancy event, Abi and her Wheaton Terrier Liam, set off for the event, not expecting to encounter murder as members of the judging panel are taken out, one by one.

I have to say that I love how Abi worked as a photojournalist. It sounds like she had a cool job taking photographs in dangerous locations and asking people tough questions (which seems to come in handy as she investigates the murders), but it also gives her an inside scoop when the local detective needs Abi to photograph the death scenes due to the lack of resources in the rural area of the hotel. Taking pictures gives her access to the crime scenes, lets her look for clues, and gives her more of an equal footing in her discussions (or arguments) with the detective.

Abi attends the awards with her dog, Liam, her best friend Patrick, and her distiller (but also maybe love interest?) Grant and has to manage not only hobnobbing with the who’s who of the whiskey world, but also trying to figure out who killed two judges at the event. I have to say that I really like how the book mentions Abi’s experience of feeling pushed out by the whiskey elite because she’s a woman (again, this may have also happened in earlier books), but then goes through a series of uncomfortable emotions when she meets a woman at the event who has been working in the industry for longer than her. I like that Abi is self-aware enough to feel uncomfortable about her jealousy, and to label it as such (that another woman has already blazed the trail that she thought she was blazing), rather than just painting the woman in a purely negative light. I thought it was a small point, but a nuanced one that I appreciated.

There was a lot of whiskey in this book and I know nothing about it! I usually like having my cozies being about topics that I know at least something about (like knitting or embroidery), but this was fun because there was so much that was new to me (like detailed discussions about what kind of barrels are good for whiskey, or even discussions about the politics of geography, which played a prominent role in this book). I like that there was a fun, tough-to-solve mystery, but also a subject that was brand new to me.

I will say that had I read the previous books, I think I would have been able to get a bit more engrossed in the book. However, even though I was jumping in mid-series, I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. I think there was even a time when I delayed going to sleep even though the baby was asleep in his crib just because I was so close to finishing the book (and given how little sleep I am running on, this is a really big deal). I have already put in two requests to my library to buy the other books in the series, though knowing me I will be impatient and just buy the books myself.

Fun setting. Fun topic. Really cool main character. :)

Sometimes you just want a simple murder, or two, perpetrated in the company of interesting characters, some likeable some not so much, and all wrapped up in a welcoming setting that beckons you to come inside and spend some time. That’s what Deadly Dram by Melinda Mullet was for me. It was a welcome respite, the perfect stress reliever; like curling up in front of a warm fire in a pair of comfy sweats in winter or sitting out on the balcony of a beachside condo with a relaxing cup of coffee in summer.

When the book opens, Abi Logan, former award-winning news photographer and newly minted distillery owner, is preparing to attend the judging and awards ceremony for the year’s best Scotch whiskey which this year is being held at a posh resort in Scotland. She and Liam, her delightfully engaging Wheaten terrier, check in to the dog-friendly resort and settle in for a few days of luxurious living, whiskey sampling and, of course, a couple of murders to add to the enjoyment.

As expected, this is a mystery novel after all, one of the guests is murdered and suspicions abound as to why. Is it because of rivalries between Scottish distilleries and newcomer foreign one? Is it the age-old issue of money and inheritance? Is it something else more obscure? Initially Abi is drawn in partially because her friend is in the group of suspects and partially because she was asked to photograph the scene of the crime by the police detective in charge of the case.

The means for the murder is clear, nicotine poisoning, it’s the motive and opportunity that Abi spends her time exploring. As in any good mystery novel, clues and red herrings abound with Abi traveling first down one path and then another. The final piece of the puzzle isn’t revealed until the last night of the competition and Abi is pressed into action to prevent yet another murder.

This is the third in a series of books featuring Abi, but it stands alone with ease. You do not need to read the first two in order to enjoy the mystery. There are some interesting secondary characters who help round out the story, although they don’t get much attention and as such their depth is more hinted at than fully explored. There is also a love story that is left hanging which adds little to the story and serves more as a hook for the next book in the series. These are minor detractions and do not negatively impact the enjoyment of the murder and its solution as the reader is given ample opportunity to solve the question of “who done it” before reaching the denouement.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Alibi for providing this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Overall, this is an outstanding example of cozy fiction, well written and smart. If the first two Whiskey Business Mysteries are as well-written, this is series well-worth exploring.

I love this series. After the first book I had concerns that the second and third wouldn't be able to hold up. How many murders can happen in a very small remote Scottish town after all. For the third the action is moved away from the town and to a whiskey awards weekend. The characters that we already know are pushed aside a little in this one. This is a little more Abi-centric than the previous books, or a better way to say that is that the side characters didn't feel as developed in this one, probably because they action is moved away from the location of the first two books. I was a little confused by Liam, Abi's dog, was allowed to trot along everywhere with her, including murder scenes, but you can't not love Liam so that was forgivable.

I could have done without the drama around Grant. Either get your characters together or don't but leave me out of the stupid drama. I prefer characters that actually communicate rather than characters that fret and never talk. It's just a trope I hate.

Book # 3 in the series, but the first I've read. I was able to jump right in and enjoyed the characters and the story. I look forward to seeing more in the series and will find the previous two. The interaction between Abi and the two men in her life Grant MacEwan (business partner) and the Detective is interesting.

I received an eARC from Alibi via NetGalley for an honest review.

For my money, this is the best cozy mystery series out there. It takes the familiar cozy tropes (single gal who is more beautiful than she realizes, unexpected inheritance, city gal moves to small town, etc.) and does them so well you forget they're tropes. The story is nice and tidy, if not twisty and shocking, and it still leaves you wanting the next book. Plus, you get to learn a lot about whisky! Highly recommended for any cozy fan, and those who sometimes need an escape.

A new to me cozy series, but I found the description interesting enough to give it a try. I really enjoyed the Scotland setting and the inside look at the whiskey industry, which I didn't have a clue about. Well done characters and well developed enjoyable story. This series will go on my to be read pile after this one.

3.5 stars

Abi Logan is back in the third entry in the Whisky Business mysteries. Abi inherited a distillery from her uncle and has had a big learning curve fitting in to the small village and its male whisky community. She is torn between resuming her career as a war correspondent and photojournalist and settling down to the mostly appealing life in the Highlands. Her distiller Grant MacEwan would like to be more than her business partner, but Abi's track record is not good for romance, and she's afraid a botched relationship would also ruin their business arrangement.

Their company, Abbey Glen, has been nominated for a prestigious award and Abi has been persuaded to attend the festivities and network. But the event is plagued from the outset and it doesn't take long to wonder who is bumping off whisky makers as the bodies accumulate.

I enjoy the writing and the unusual and appealing setting. In my ARC, I found the ending disappointing -- straight out of a romance novel and clearly geared to force us all to read the next novel to read what happens. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review.

This is a fun cozy with a well developed plot, interesting characters and an inside look at the whiskey industry in Scotland and beyond. Abi Logan has inherited the distillery Abbey Glen from her Uncle Ben and their whiskey has been nominated for the prestigious Golden Quaiches award. Abi and her business (and perhaps more) partner Grant go to the posh Eagles Lodge resort for the awards weekend. Abi meets some of the event judges and her fellow competitors and learns about the disagreement between some of them concerning whether whiskey from countries other than Scotland should be considered for the awards. One of the leading proponents of international competition, Sir richard Simpson is found dead, poisoned by nicotine in a bottle of whiskey by his bedside and when Abi's best friend Patrick was the last to leave his room and therefore a prime suspect, Abi gets involved in the investigation. The story flows at a steady pace,with plenty of twists and turns and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.