This is the fourth in the Whisky Business Mystery series, but the first that I have read. I recommend that you read the others before this one as I missed a lot of the back story and character development. Having said that, I did really enjoy this story and will be going back and reading the first three in the series.

Abi Logan is a former photojournalist who has inherited part ownership of a whiskey distillery, an estate in Scotland and a charitable trust. She has also inadvertently opened a sheep sanctuary. There is a lot going on in this story. Her partner, and former romantic interest, Grant, was injured in a previous book and is recuperating. His former girlfriend has arrived from Wales to nurse him and announced to everyone that they are engaged. While dealing with this, she is approached by the local vet and Minister about shearing her sheep and donating the wool to a store that supports the local women's shelter. This is right up Abi's alley and when she goes to meet Amanda, the young woman who runs the store and the shelter, she is asked if she would be interested in serving on the Board. Abi agrees and gets her self caught up in a murder and disappearance of two of the residents.

I really enjoyed the story, the characters, the plot and the mystery. There was a lot happening in this story, but it all tied together nicely. This was a very well-crafted and well-paced mystery. With many suspects, some red herrings and twists, I never figured out what was going on until just before the big reveal. I loved the showdown. There was sneaking around, danger, fire, and a daring escape followed by a dressing down by the local law enforcement. The characters are wonderful, both the main ones and the secondary ones. They are realistic and likeable. Their problems are real, things that happen in today's world, and could happen to anyone (maybe not the murder part). A wonderful part of this story is the interactions and friendships. Abi is a great protagonist, she is smart, caring, independent and of course willing to do what she believes in right. The Scottish countryside with the distilleries and downtown Edinburgh are both lovely places to set this series. Well done Melinda Mullet, you have a new fan. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Who would have thought that sheep and whisky could be so dangerous! Well if you live in Melinda Mullet's world then, yep, they can be, leading to a cracking story that pulls very few punches!

We open with the new doctor going to visit Grant, one of the owners of the Abbey Glen distillery, and he has the news that no whisky connoisseur wants to hear, namely that the fallout from the previous book has left Grant with no sense of smell or taste! Now Abi (the other distillery owner) and Cam need to find a way of getting him back to work in a capacity that doesn't involve taste, so a limited run with Grant doing the leg work of getting bottling done (in custom made earthenware flasks), meanwhile Abi is learning the ropes (by doing a course in Edinburgh) and getting involved in a women's refuge.

It is this latter thing that causes the problems for Abi when one of the women ends up dead and another goes missing! Now the refuge is under the watchful eye of the Police, whilst one of the board members is trying to sell the property and send all the women to a unsuitable other property, with the police being stonewalled by members of the board and members of the refuge Abi steps up determined to find the missing woman if nothing else!

Can Abi figure out what is going on at the women's shelter?
Died in Wool by Melinda Mullet is a thrilling book about whisky, raising sheep, and life in Scotland. Ms. Mullet has created a wonderful cast of characters in this series, and I enjoyed learning about them.

Abigail Logan
Our sleuth in this series is Abigail Logan, who was a crime journalist who would go off to other countries and take photos and write about what was happening over there. Now she is working at a whisky distillery that she half owns, works at a trust fund that she named after her uncle that left her everything and keeping sheep that are old and we're going to the slaughterhouse. Abi is a very stubborn girl who doesn't know when to keep her nose out of other people's business. She is trying to become a better person by learning more about the distillery and keeping herself busy. Of course, that doesn't always work as she gets wrapped up in another case.

Likes
• loves her sheep
• is trying to figure out her feelings for the other half owner of the distillery
• great at solving crimes

Grant
He is the love interest and has been growing into one for the past three books. Grant is a lord, has a grand house, and loves working at the distillery. He is dealing with the after-effects of getting a concussion in the last book and how that has been affecting him now. It's not going very well for him, and he doesn't know what to do if he can't smell or taste anything as the blend master for the distillery. Abi, of course, suggests some other things for him to do and he is taking a liking to it. Grant is an attractive guy when he isn't moping around, waiting for his smell or taste to come back.

Mystery
Abi is brought on to help out on the board of a women's shelter so that she can help them keep their residence with where they are at. Except it doesn't work out all that well as one of the women at the shelter ends up dead, and another one gets kidnapped. The people running the shelter want Abi to do something but not involve authorities. Abi's biggest question is, are two very separate crimes with two very different reasons, or are they both committed by the same person? Only time will tell if Abi can solve it without endangering herself or anyone else again.

Four Stars
I am giving Died in Wool by Melinda Mullet a four-star rating as it was good and kept me entertained but there were some slow moments in the book. The mystery was good even though I kind of solved them ahead of the sleuth. Ms. Mullet did a great job laying out the clues, and that made me keep reading the book. I really wanted Abi to catch the culprit and kiss Grant.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Died in the Wool by Melinda Mullet.

Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

DIED IN THE WOOL by Melinda Mullet
The Fourth Whisky Business Mystery

The Shepherd's Rest is in trouble and it's going to take more than the wool donated from Abi Logan's geriatric sheep to solve it. Their landlord, who also happens to be a board member, wants the residents out within the month and moved to a dilapidated building in a sketchy neighborhood. Quickly joining the board to help the woman's shelter Abi is determined to discover the reason for the sudden move. She uncovers greed, abuse, kidnapping and murder.

Not only does Abi tackle the problems at the shelter, she has to face problems on the home front as well. Her master distiller is recovering from their last adventure. Struggling with the fact he may not smell or taste again Grant is also being smothered by his overprotective old flame. Abi is forced not only to face her own feelings for him, but the future of her distillery.

DIED IN THE WOOL is about standing up for yourself, taking a chance, and conquering your fears. It takes a realistic look at societal issues such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, and the good old boys club.

I love so many things about this book and this series. The characters are richly complex. Abi struggles with her fear of commitment and misgivings about her ability in the world of whisky. Her relationship with Grant is complicated, to say the least, but the tension is riveting. The ambiance is delightful, a whisky distillery in Scotland with a collection of undesirable sheep, now wanted, along with a lovable dog named Liam.

DIED IN THE WOOL is a mystery that grabs you by the heart. Grappling with some of today's most troubling issues while providing an entertaining and thought provoking mystery it's a mystery not to be missed.

This was another intriguing visit to Scotland with Abi and all her friends, which have become like old friends to me. I just love the older guy Hunter that comes and takes care of the house and kind of acts like a butler sometimes. Abi joined the board of a women's shelter in Edinburgh and soon found out that all kinds of underhanded things were going on, especially after one of the shelter guests turned up dead and their housekeeper/cook went missing. Abi's whisky business partner Grant was still recovering from an injury he received in the last book and putting up with his former girlfriend Brenna. It was good to see him break away from that and go sleuthing with Abi and Patrick--and it made him feel useful again. In retrospect, going where they did may not have been the best idea, but at least Abi and Grant might have realized by working together that they'd been missing being together. It seemed like Abi was happy to be able to use her time and some of Ben's money that he'd left her to help out a good cause like the women's shelter, and she made some new friends in the process.

I liked how everything wrapped up and was explained as well as telling what some of the women at the shelter were now going to do with their lives. With the rest of the nice ending this book got, I'm very anxious to read the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

Although this is the fourth installment of this series and the first I've read, I didn't feel confused. The characters are well-developed and I didn't come across any references to earlier books that I couldn't make sense of.

I have added the previous novels in the series to my "want to read" shelf because I liked this one so much. It's a light, cozy mystery that quickly drew me in.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Abi Logan is back for another Scottish adventure. Wanting to be a better contributor to the Whisky business that her late uncle left her, she has started taking classes in Edinburgh. She also works at the non-profit she set up to honor her late uncle and has taken to adopting retired sheep. That last part leaves her with a lot of wool she needs to find a home for, so she was happy to find a friend in the yarn business.

Amanda owns a yarn shop, knits sweaters for the shop, spins her own yarn from wool, and helps out with a local women’s shelter. But it’s when she gets Abi involved in helping the shelter too that things take a dark turn.

First, their landlord tells them that they have to move. Then one of the women at the shelter dies, and another one goes missing. Abi finds that she just can’t walk away. Even though she’s the newest kid on the block with this group, she feels attached and wants to help. But she’ll have to use all her resources and make smart choices to find the answers without getting herself into trouble that she can’t get out of.

Died in the Wool is the fourth in Melinda Mullet’s Whisky Business Mystery series. I have been a fan of this series from the start. These are just fun, interesting, well-written cozy mysteries. Abi is a likable business woman, and following her exploits makes for a very enjoyable afternoon. While this installment doesn’t spend as much time at Abbey Glen, there is still some good information about smaller artisan batches of whisky, and we get to see a more well-rounded life for Abi. Plus, there are sheep. How can you not love sheep?

Highly recommended.

Galleys for Died in the Wool were provided by Random House Publishing Group - Alibi through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This series just keeps getting better and better!

Book 4 of this amazing series has us back on the farm in Scotland. Grant is out of the hospital with the usurper Brenna at his side and claiming to be his fiancee! Or is she!

We begin by meeting the new town doctor at Larches, Grants estate and quickly become involved helping at a women's shelter. Things progress quickly from this point. A moody Grant, new Whisky, board appointment, school classes, fostering, murder, two new relationships and so much more!!!

I can only advise you to grab a snack and curl-up in your favorite spot with this book because you won't be leaving until you've greedily devoured every last word! 5 Stars

*While this is book 4 in the Whisky Business series you could definitely read this book as a stand-alone. The author does a great job of hitting the highlights of past books making this a fun and easily understood read. But why would you when you can easily pick up the prior three?! ;)

Single Malt Murder (Book 1) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HL180QG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2

Death Distilled (Book 2) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6FSSUX/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

Deadly Dram (Book 3) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B079R3PW46/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

A huge thank you for my ARC to NetGalley, Mrs. Mullet, and the publisher.

Died In The Wool is the fourth book in the A Whisky Business Mystery series.

Grant McEwan, co-owner and master blender is still recovering from injuries received in the previous book. Abi learns from Louisa, cook, and housekeeper, that Grant’s sense of taste and smell has been severely affected and Grant has been in a foul mood and no real desire to leave his room. Also concerning Abi is the fact that Breena, Grants former fiance, has moved into Grant’s home and is acting as an unneeded nurse and is hoping to kindle their former romance.

Meanwhile, Abi’s handyman informs her that her rescued sheep desperately need to be sheared and soon. When Vicar Craig Anderson stops by he mentions that Amanda Forrester who owns Woolies, a yarn and knitting shop, would probably be happy to take the wool. He also mentions that Amanda runs a shelter for battered women and that the charity Abi has formed might want to help the shelter financially.

When Abi meets with Amanda is very impressed with the work she is doing and meets one of the ladies, Sharon, who is staying there. Abi soon learns that Urquhart who had arranged for the use of the house and is a member of the board of directors is trying to force them into a different house that unfortunately in a less than desirable area. One of the directors leaves the board and Abi is asked to take his position which she does. When one of the residents is found dead in her room the police feel that it is a case of suicide. Quite naturally Abi and Amanda feel just the opposite and begin to investigate. They first look to a couple of the directors, one of which thinks the ladies are the underpaid baby sitters of his children and who he has reportedly taken liberties with. Another possibility is Urquhart, wondering how far he will go to get the shelter to vacate the property.

This another wonderful addition to this very enjoyable series. The book is well written and plotted with a great cast of believable characters. The book had plenty of twists and turns and red herrings that kept me guessing until the end.

I definitely will be watching for the next book in this series.

A nice mystery set in and around Edinburgh and the whisky business. Although one of a series, this requires no previous knowledge of the previous books in the series. The protagonist, a former reporter and photographer who has taken on a number of business and charity responsibilities, is smart and engaging as she finds herself in the middle of a dispute between a landowner and women’s shelter that escalated to murder. Several twists keep the plot moving, and the resolution is a satisfying one. I think many readers will enjoy leaning about the whisky business and, possibly, the care of sheep (I says this as someone who first learned about single malts, at about age 11, by way of Dick Francis’s novel Proof.)

I really liked the fact that this entry into the series took a very different path - I found the storylines about domestic violence, charity boards and housing really refreshing for this genre.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

I really enjoy this series so much - after 3 books, the characters have really grown and gelled and you totally can see them as a cohesive unit and I have grown to really like them and the whiskey business, which is TOTALLY fascinating. I am finding that I wish there was more about the whiskey business and less mystery; guess its time to find a book about whiskey making!! ;-)

Abi has very good intentions in this one - after Grant is seriously injured in the previous book and is now dealing with lasting repercussions of that, Abi is ready to just do her job; working at the distillery and with her foundation. And it is in that capacity that she heads over to Shepherd's Rest to help them out with wool [from her ever growing sheep herd] and end up being nominated to their board and steps in just as all heck is breaking loose. And then one of the residents of Shepherd's Rest dies and all of Abi's good intentions goes to heck in a hand-basket!! Throw in a lot of suspicious characters and of course some dangerous situations and you have an almost perfect cozy read. I truly hope that the author continues to write this series as it is fast becoming one of my favorites.

A BIG thank you to NetGalley and Random House Group/Alibi Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Died in the Wool is the fourth installment in Melinda Mullet’s Whiskey Business Mystery series. We pick up as we left off in the previous novel, Deadly Dram, with Grant MacEwan, business partner in Abbey Glen Distillery, continuing to recover from a brutal attack at a whiskey conference under the watchful eye of his former girlfriend, Brenna. With Grant sidelined, and having lasting effects that may end his days of mixing the Glen’s award winning whiskey blends, Abi comes up with the idea of issuing a single cask edition with a special bottle created by retired rocker Rory Hendricks.

Meanwhile, Abi’s flock of retired sheep need shearing. Her handyman Hunter arranges for the shearing while Vicar Craig Anderson puts Abi in touch with Amanda Forrester, owner of Woolies, a yarn and knitting shop. Amanda also happens to be director of Shepherd’s Rest in Edinburgh, a shelter for abused women. What begins as a donation of wool quickly becomes a position as Abi is offered the board seat of a recent retiree, which she accepts when she learns of the underhanded ploys of some of the board members.

When one of the young women at the shelter dies after babysitting for one of the less than scrupulous board members and the lady who works as the honorary house mother disappears, Abi is drawn into the investigations. She calls in favors from Detective Inspector Ian Michaelson and her best friend Patrick Cooke, and fronts the ransom money when it is demanded.

Once again Ms. Mullet has woven an exciting mystery with rich characters and varied settings. She has masterfully plotted a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. And it is a very satisfying ending, indeed. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

New author to me and this was a really good read. Even though this was the fourth book in the series it was easy to get into the book. The characters and setting was great. Setting was especially interesting since it was so different from the usually backdrops.

Abi is out to learn all she can and save her new business venture. When things go wrong she is determined to find the real killer and save all she is working for.

I have reviewed several books in the Whiskey Business series and enjoyed them all. Died in the Wool is the best by far. Mullet’s plots get more intricate and in depth as she adds to the series. In this fourth offering, photojournalist turned distiller, Abi Logan has been approached to help a women’s shelter by donating wool from her sheep rescue. (Don’t ask just read.) She likes the women of the shelter and when one of them ends up dead, she can’t resist the pleas for help from a board member. This storyline has so many plotlines it seems Mullet can’t possibly tie them up nicely, but she does. It’s evenly paced, and the characters are all fully detailed. As with all cozies, there are threads from previous books, but it’s not necessary to have read them. However, I believe it will be enough to have readers want to go back and start from the beginning just to enjoy the entire adventures of Abi.

I admit up front that I'm a fan of this series, which is technically a cozy but somehow is a bit more in depth than the usual. If you haven't read the previous books, don't worry because Mullet does a nice job of synopsis and you'll totally get who's who etc. This time out, Abi is coping not only with Grant's loss of smell as a result of injuries he suffered in the last installment- making it difficult at the whiskey business- but also the fact that his ex has come to town and is, to put it mildly, hovering. She's got a new purpose, though in the abused women's shelter which she's supporting. And then, regrettably, there's a murder at the shelter and Abi's off to the races, along with Patrick. Abi, who s sort of a fish out of water in her small Scottish town, always works with, not against, law enforcement, which I see as a plus. It's a good, just twisty enough read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Love the characters and am looking forward to the next one!

I put off starting this latest addition to Melinda Mullet's A Whisky Business Mystery series because I knew I was going to love it and wanted to prolong my anticipation. I was in no way disappointed. I love Abi, and all of the cast surrounding her. The subject matter of the mystery was dark and filled with suspense. There were heartwarming moments that provided insight into various characters in the book which I found entrancing. I have enjoyed learning about whiskey and whisky making throughout the series, even though I don't drink alcohol. It is fascinating. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I was very happy with resolutions in the end of the book. I just really want more, and there was a bit of finality about 'Died in the Wool'. I hope I was just imagining things.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Alibi Division of Random House Publishing for providing me with an Advanced Digital Read copy of DIED IN THE WOOL by Melinda Mullet. This is the fourth book in the Whiskey Business series by Mullet, and my second read, having read DEADLY DRAM just last year. I’m delighted to report that this is another excellent entry in an intriguing series.
In this series, Abi Logan, former photojournalist has inherited part ownership of a whiskey distillery and an estate in Scotland. On this occasion, Abi is working to reconcile her feelings for her partner, Grant who was injured in an attack meant for her in the previous book. The details of that book are not necessary as the reader can easily catch up to what is happening between the two people, along with Breena, Grant’s former fiance, who appeared in the last book and has moved in with Grant, declaring herself chief guardian of his health and, in a surprise statement, Grant’s fiance.
The feelings between Grant and Abi as well as where their relationship goes from here is only a small part of the book, although if the reader is invested in the series they will be interested in reading what happens. Most of the book focuses on the new mystery which develops when Abi is forced to deal with the problem of excess wool growing on the herd of sheep she has rescued from various unhappy fates. She has developed something of a reputation of a home for unwanted sheep which she takes and gives literary names. Much to her chagrin she learns she must have the sheep shorn for their health which poses the question of what to do with the wool.
In terms of finding a need and filling it, a friend of Abi’s introduces her to a woman who owns a knitting shop and who also runs a women’s shelter called Shepherd’s Rest. Abi is just getting acquainted when she becomes aware of an unsavory lawyer who is trying to railroad the shelter’s inhabitants into a less than desirable property. If there is anything Abi can’t stand it’s someone being taken advantage of, so when she’s asked to become a board member and try to help the shelter ward off this particular problem, she agrees and immediately becomes immersed in their situation.
Things get more complicated when one of the shelter resident’s winds up dead and although it looks like suicide the shelter director, as well as Abi and other residents, has her doubts. Abi agrees to investigate and calls in help from a detective she has worked with in the past. Although it’s not in his jurisdiction, he agrees to speak to the local authorities and urges Abi to leave it at that.
Unable to do that, Abi begins an investigation of her own. Meanwhile another resident disappears, leaving her ten year old daughter abandoned. This convinces Abi the disappearance is either a kidnapping or worse, and she moves into high gear trying to solve both mysteries, the death of the first resident and now the disappearance of another.
There are some regular characters who appear in this novel who are part of Abi’s regular world. How Abi involves Patrick, one of her friends from her old life and Louisa, a new friend and Grant’s housekeeper add color to the story and substance to Abi’s relationships in general. Mullet provides enough information about the various relationships that the reader can “catch up” quickly, however if you are a person who enjoys reading about relationships as they develop I recommend reading the series from the beginning.
These murders, along with several other mysteries that are revealed as the book progresses, are well crafted. There are plenty of clues along the way and the veteran mystery reader may find the solution one they reach before finishing the book. However, the story is so well written and tightly crafted, solving the mystery is unlikely to negatively affect the reader’s enjoyment of the story.
This is a classic cozy and an excellent example of how to craft a good mystery and develop characters who are interesting and whom the reader would enjoy knowing all at the same time. It is also placed in Scotland which adds to the interest as the reader gets to spend a little time in that country without feeling as if (s)he is reading a travelog.
This is a book and series I highly recommend. Here’s hoping Abi and company continue to develop and provide new and interesting mysteries for us to solve.

I loved it! Another mystery for Abi Logan and her friends. I swear I thought I had the mystery solved, only to find out that i was totally wrong in the end. Well written mystery, I did not want to put the book down and it kept my attention to the end of the story. Can't wait for the next installment.

This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Died in the Wool - by Melinda Mullet is the 5th installment in the A Whisky Business Mystery series. This was the first time I had read one of Melinda's books and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the earlier books.

The protagonist Abigail is a strong independent woman but she seems to find trouble at every turn. I enjoyed the relationship between Amanda and Patrick and her blossoming romance with Grant.

The mystery was well written and carries through the entire story. There were a couple of twists and turns that I didn't see coming but I did guess the killer halfway through. The author brought all the characters to life for me and I really love a book that makes me feel like I can see everything in my minds eye.

I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, and I highly recommend this series to all my cozy mystery loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Alibi and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.