Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly is a most enjoyable read. A cozy mystery with a pet lamb, it takes place at Morrigan Castle, owned and operated by the town’s constable and Em’s nemesis, Ewan. He is very wealthy and owns several huge properties which he rents out for special events to help pay the bills. The bride, Angie, was part of Em’s small circle of friends in Sea Isle, where she had relocated three months ago. Not only was she the town’s doctor, but as it turned out, she was also the coroner on the rare occasion one was called for. Her assistant was Abigail, who apparently could see the future as she was always prepared for any eventuality. She kept Em’s office stocked with all the medical necessities as well as groceries. She lived with her younger brother, Tommy, who was neurodiverse. They all rubbed together well. Angie’s wedding was to have a Gothic theme, and so the castle, when she finally saw it, worked well. There were ninety-two rooms, which would prove to be a problem later on. Em was not much of a drinker so she excused herself early from the hen party, gathered her coat, and went to sit in the garden where it was cooler but protected from the snow outside. From there she saw a body drop. She went to find Ewan and also found her friend, Mara, fully dressed, sitting in the bathtub, holding a bucket. She said she hadn’t drunk that much but she was definitely ill. Em took steps to assist and then returned to Ewan and the body they had discovered.

Doc Em is a good character: in some ways out of her element, but professional, dedicated, and a talented doctor. She played well against the other characters, taking both her doctor and coroner personas very seriously. She worked well in very poor circumstances and assisted in finding the culprit, saving lives, and rescuing the wedding. This very character-driven book is an excellent example of the cozy genre. The crimes were well-orchestrated, the characters were all good, the perpetrators a surprise, and interesting. Very well written. The book was a joy to read. The character of Tommy was written kindly and accurately, as was that of his sister and caretaker. What a great series this will be.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Death at a Scottish Wedding by Crooked Lane Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #CrookedLaneBooks #LucyConnelly #DeathAtAScottishWedding

Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly is a charming blend of Hallmark-esque Christmas vibes and gripping mystery, making it a must-read for enthusiasts of Christmas-themed murder mysteries.

The diverse character line-up, from a neuro-divergent teenager to an American-immigrant coroner to a Lord of the castle who also plays the role of the town's police chief (constable) adds a depth to the engaging narrative.

Emilia's anticipation of her friend's wedding takes a dark turn when she stumbles across a dead body. With an incoming snow storm and an avalanche, the wedding guests are snowed-in and one of them is the killer. As Ewan and Emilia begin to investigate, it becomes clear that someone is harboring ill intentions to halt the wedding. Later on, the killer begins to target Emilia.

The Scottish wedding traditions, vividly depicted, offer a delightful glimpse into their unique customs. The storyline, filled with red herrings and motives, keeps readers guessing until the end. The atmospheric setting of a 500-year-old castle shrouded in frosty-snowy weather adds an extra layer of intrigue to Connelly's well-crafted mystery.

With excellent storytelling and character portrayal, Death at a Scottish Wedding leaves readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in this captivating series.

A locked (well, snowed in) castle murder mystery - in Scotland! Who is putting antifreeze in drinks at the wedding party of Angie and Damien, a wedding held in the castle owned by Constable Ewan Campbell? And who brought Angie's ex to the island- and who murdered him? That's the question Em, an American physician now living in Scotland must solve before things really go bad because everyone is snowed in. It will help to have read the earlier book to appreciate all the relationships but don't worry- it's a pretty basic cross cultural cozy with good characters and, well, a castle. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Death At A Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly is book two in the Scottish Isles mystery series. I enjoyed this addition to the series but I didn't love it.

The plot was smoothly paced until the middle where it dragged as it was filled with mostly theorizing about who had motive, means and opportunity. I did enjoy spending time with Em, Mara, Abigail and Angie and learning about Scottish wedding traditions. The skillful mix of clues and red herrings throughout the story kept me guessing as to who was behind the murder and chaos.

The second Scottish Isle Mystery has Doctor Emilia McRoy back on the case. This time a found body at a Scottish Castle is the start. Emilia and her friends are at the castle to prepare for the wedding on one of the friends. Angie and her fiancé Damien are determined to marry there. However, murder, attempted murders, and a blizzard might get in the way.

Emilia doesn't have access to her usual medical facilities when the body of a man is discovered in one of the towers. However, her assistant Abigail has packed enough that they can do a preliminary autopsy which reveals a strange finding: poisoning by antifreeze. Perhaps even stranger than the cause of death is that no one recognizes the man or knows how he came to be in the highly guarded castle.

When the bride and another of Emilia's close friends are also diagnosed with poisoning by antifreeze but manage to survive due to Emilia and Abigail's prompt action, Emilia has even more incentive to want to find out who wants to stop the upcoming wedding and who doesn't think killing the bride is too far to go.

There are a host of suspects trapped in the castle because of the blizzards. Both the bride and groom's families are there as are the bridesmaids and groomsmen along with Emilia and her friends. While the groom's father who has made no secret of his dislike for the bride and the upcoming wedding is the best suspect, he doesn't seem to have any connection to the dead man. Casually listening to conversations as the group gathers for meal and drinks gives Emilia lots of people who might want to derail the wedding plans. And attempts on Emilia's life indicate that she might be getting close to some answers even though she still has many questions.

This was an entertaining story. I loved the setting. I do think that the book could have done with some editing since I got tired of being reminded that Emilia had only been in Scotland for three months and that she had developed a very close gang of friends in that time. I also thought that the repetition of the clues with each of the friends was unnecessary especially since nothing new was added in each repetition.

Fans of the first book in the series - An American in Scotland - will want to read this one for further adventures of the characters.

Death at a Scottish Wedding

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“ Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.”

This was my first Lucy Connelly book but it won’t be my last. Wonderful writing and loved how all the characters were written. The mystery was written wonderfully and had me guessing until the very end which is my favorite kind of mystery. I would for sure recommend this can’t put it down cozy mystery.

Death at a Scottish Wedding is the second book in the Scottish Isle cozy mystery series by Lucy Connelly and I enjoyed it even more than the first book! I love a good snowed in mystery and there isn't a better place to set one than in a Scottish Castle amid a wedding. I felt like I was there for most of the book. Dr. Emilia, Constable Ewan, and their friends are great characters and I truly adore them all! The list of characters is quite long and yet each feel as real as if I were on the Isle with them. A page turner with twists and more action than I expected, I couldn't put it down! As soon as I finished I immediately wished for a third installment!

Here is the second in a series, following on An American in Scotland. Those with a fondness for traditional mysteries set within the UK will want to take a look at both of these titles.

The American in Scotland is Dr. Emilia McRoy who is starting to feel more at home in her new country. She is invited to attend a multi day wedding celebration and accepts.

Most fortunately, Dr. McRoy is a coroner and a constable owns the wedding venue, a castle. So, when everyone gets snowed in and a murder occurs, investigators are right there.

This novel uses a familiar mystery trope, that of a group of suspects who are isolated from the rest of the world. There are a number of twists and turns. Find out both who the victim was and “whodunnit” in this enjoyable mystery. I look forward to the next entry in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

The author does a good job keeping the mystery moving with plenty of suspense. There are lots of suspects and red herrings to keep you guessing and lots of quirky side character's. I hadn't read the first book but didn't feel this affected my reading of this one. Overall an enjoyable read and I will keep my eye out for more. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly is a perfectly played whodunit with quick-witted characters in a fantastic setting.

Will Doc Em and her Scooby crew find out who killed the ex-boyfriend of the bride before anyone else is taken out?

Four days at a Scottish castle, so romantic and fun, unless there is a killer who keeps trying to get the wedding canceled. With one dead man, a snowstorm, an avalanche, and no access to the outside world, what are they going to do? Well, this group of sleuths will help the constable and his men find the real culprit and keep the wedding going as planned.

Dr. Emilia McRoy
Our sleuth, the local doctor and coroner of Sea Isle, Scotland, is at her friend's wedding. Locked in a castle with people she doesn't know, Doc Em is going to help as many people as she can. That is her job, and she is a professional.

I like Em. She seems to have found her place in the world. Now, she has friends, who are her family, a home, and she loves her practice. The murders just add variety to her already busy schedule. I really enjoyed her mindset and ability to find a motive in the midst of chaos. Ewan could be a romantic interest if she would be open to the possibility.

Five Stars
I loved the way the author mixed Scottish words and American slang throughout the book. Ms. Connelly does a fantastic job of keeping the mystery moving, with a bit of suspense and the wonderful dynamics of the characters throughout the story. My rating for Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly is five stars. I highly recommend this to all mystery fans out there.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. 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 Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

Release Date: January 9, 2024

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Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan’s Castle. Her friends have warned her that it’s a three-day party and it’s bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.

The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia’s job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place­––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn’t helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere? It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.

This is the second in the #scottishislemystery series by @lucyconnellybooks and I LOVED it. I love the idea of the heroine being an ME (in a round about way) instead of a nosy librarian or a book shop owner. Any scene with Ewan is sure to keep you warm on a cold Scottish night. I was glad to see plenty of Abigail, Tommy, Mara and of course Ewan. I can’t wait for the audio version to re-listen!! 🤞 they used @voxkimberly again!!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

#murderatascottishwedding #lucyconnelly #ascottishislemystery
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Thanks to Netgalley, I was able to read the first book in this series loved it so much I looked to see if maaaybe the second was there too and it was! You do not have to read the first book, to love this one! It is a unique series that follows an American doctor who moves to a small town in Scotland where she is the doctor as well as the coroner. The characters are likeable and Connelly is really good at setting the atmosphere. In this book we are at a wedding where all the step moms are invited - this leads to some fun situations. Everyone is snowed in at the manor when an unexpected guest is found dead. Dr. Emilia McRoy will stop at nothing until the killer is found and the wedding can go on. I found the book intriguing and will definitely adopt it.

Cozy-ish Mystery following an American doctor and coroner living in a Scottish village who turns sleuth after finding a dead man during a blizzard at a wedding.

5/5 stars: This is the second entry in Connelly's Scottish Isle Mystery series, which is Cozy-ish Mystery that takes place during October in Scotland and follows an American former ER doctor turned village doctor and coroner. With plenty of twists and turns, Connelly has crafted a perfectly balanced mystery with clues, red herrings and suspects that come together effortlessly and will keep you guessing until the final reveal. Connelly's character work is excellent; Em's tough yet incredibly likable. Additionally, I love the found family she's built, each character is unique and yet of oh so lovable. I especially like how thoughtfully Connelly's written Em's assistant Abigail's brother Tommy, who's neurodivergent. And I have to say I'm loving to oh so slow build-up of Em and Ewan's “can't get along with each other but really like each other” relationship is utter catnip! Plus Connelly's delightful descriptions of Scottish village life and in particular the perfectly Gothic castle the wedding takes place in continue to draw me in. Some might find the medical and crime scene a bit intense, so be sure to check the CWs. This is an excellent series for those looking for something unique that has all the “Cozy Mystery” feels but is a tiny bit grittier. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to check out book one, An American in Scotland.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

“ Death at a Scottish Wedding” by Lucy Connelly the 2nd instalment in the " A Scottish Isle Mystery" series. What a great follow-up to book one! Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…

I really enjoyed visiting Sea Isle, Scotland again, and seeing how Em has fit in on the island. Another thing I enjoyed was the relationship between Em, Mara, Abigail, Angie and of course Ewen. I’m still hoping something romantic develops between Ewen and Em maybe in book three…

It was entertaining, full of twists and turns and I didn’t completely guess whodunnit until Em did.

I highly recommend this series to all my cozy loving friends and I can’t wait for book 3 to come out!

I requested and received an advanced readers copy from Crooked Lane and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.

I read book one earlier this year and loved it! So I couldn't wait any longer to get to book two which comes out in January. Even though it wasn't as good as book one it was still very good.

Emilia who is an American living in Scotland in a small seaside town, where she is the local doctor, has been making some good friends and one of them is getting married. Angie wants her good friends to be at all the functions as it seems the Scotts like to do a lot of celebrating leading up to the wedding.

They are having the wedding at a local castle that is owned by Ewan who is the Liard of the small town they live in and also the constable. The man that Angie is marrying comes from money and so Ewan will be there with some of his men for security which was a good thing because once they get to the castle things don't go so well.

Emilia and Ewan find a dead body and it happens to be Angie;s ex who was also Damien's ex friend. That isn't the only problem as it's been snowing and snowing so they are snowed. Then Angie and Mara are not feeling well and because of what happened to the victim she is worried about them as they could have been poisoned too. Em who is not only the doctor but coroner doesn't have a lot of supplies and they are cut off from going anywhere.

So everyone there is a suspect and Em is determined to find out whodunit even if it almost gets her killed in the process.

I really like Em, she is a fun character with lots of spunk. All the characters are great actually. I think what I missed from this one that was in the first one was the banter between Em and Ewan, there just wasn't as much in this one.

I really enjoyed the mystery in this one as it was really hard to figure out who exactly done it as there were lots of good suspects. I had it narrowed down to who I thought it was and I was right but I couldn't figure out the motive.

So this is called a cozy mystery but I will say that for some it might not be as cozy as they would want. The main character gets injured pretty good in this one and that isn't even what happened at the end when she figures out who the bad person was and gets in trouble. I feel that for some people it might not feel cozy so giving you a heads up. It's cozy in the sense of a amateur sleuth, small town setting, etc., just a little more injuries. :)

I can't wait for another one though so I highly recommend it!

4.5 stars

Scotland based intrigue with romance
Emily is a physician who has moved to Scotland to tend a small village. She hadn't read her contract thoroughly because she desperately wanted out of New York. The little addendum she missed...she was also the coroner. No biggie really, she thrived in her new environment and made lots of good friends. A pair that were getting married in a hauntingly beautiful castle. Ms Connelly wove this tale so enchantingly, I'm going to check her back list and want for new ones.
The murderer is a cunning fiend and Emily, her crew and the constable need to weed through the clues to find out who is so cold and calculating. It was hard to put down and is fat moving. I rate it highly and loved every bit of it.
I requested and received a NetGalley arc gratis and offer my opinion in the same.

This was a fun follow-up to the first in the series. I loved the descriptions of the castle and learning more about all of the characters.

The mystery wasn’t too surprising or difficult to figure out, but I still wasn’t exactly sure what happened and why until the end.

I would have liked to see more development in the relationship between two of the main characters. I feel the series is building for them to be together, and I wanted to feel more tension!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Publishing and NetGalley for the advance read copy!

Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.Who killed him? I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

This mystery is just plain fun, especially if you like mysteries with interesting locales. The characters are engaging so it's easy to go along for the ride. Thank you NatGalley for the ARC.

Title: Death At A Scottish Wedding
Author: Lucy Connelly
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publish Date: January 9, 2024
Rating: 4 stars

An enjoyable second book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series. When a death occurs at a high society wedding, American ex-pat, Dr. Emilia McCoy is onsite to help figure out what's happened....even if others don't think they need help.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.