Jane and Redvers are on a Scottish Isle to find out more about an occult cult. Jane is pretending interest, while Redvers does spying behind the scenes. When the young woman sharing her lodging dies, Jane begins asking questions. I enjoy this series and this book is a good addition. The setting was interesting and a good piece of the story. I appreciated Jane's lead in the sleuthing and look forward to more in the series.
I received an ARC of this book in return for a review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Erica Ruth Neubauer for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Secrets of a Scottish Isle coming out March 26, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I actually have all the books in this series, but this is the first one I’ve read. I was intrigued by the Scottish setting. I loved that there was a lot of action right away. Jane infiltrates a secret society and learned their rituals. I thought the plot was really interesting. I definitely need to go back and read the other books.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical cozy spy mysteries!

3.5 Stars
Cozy mystery series fall into two categories: one in which each installment can be read genuinely as a stand-alone and the other in which it's much better if the reader follows the book order of the series. This historical cozy falls into the second group as there were gaps of backstory I think would have made it easier to follow. That being said, this was still a good armchair travel mystery. I relished the beauty of the Scottish island and its portrayal as a character. I like that real historical events and people were included in the storyline as well. The themes and characters were intriguing and the mystery was okay, although there is room for improvement with the next mystery. I enjoyed this novel well enough (especially the international travel bits, although I cannot conceive someone not liking Scottish whisky) that I plan to go back and read the previous books.

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Grave Danger…?
The fifth instalment of the Jane Wunderly Mystery series finds our protagonist on the Isle of Iona. It is 1927 and Jane is intent on preserving anonymity - or, at least, her real identity - as she investigates a local occult gathering, more specifically the leader of the group. It’s not too long, however, before murder arrives on the island and, as bodies begin to pile, Jane realises that she may well be in grave danger. Another enjoyable outing in this entertaining series with a likeable protagonist, a deftly drawn cast of characters and an engaging plot with a well imagined and atmospheric setting,

So I really love this series and have since the beginning, but this was not my favorite. I love the idea of the setting off the coast of Scotland with Jane trying infiltrate a group for Redver's employers. It just could not connect with it and felt like the Jane was pigeon-holed into the story that the author had wanted to tell. I missed the other characters that we have come to love and the mystery itself was okay. I'll keep reading the series and look forward to its next mystery!

Jane and Redvers are back in this latest addition the series (which honestly might be most enjoyed by those who have followed their journey). This time, they're investigating a cult leader who claims he can support the British government (he claims a lot of things) on the island of Iona. Of course there's a murder and secrets are slowly teased out. I liked the setting and this is nicely atmospheric, Jane and Redvers as always make a good pair. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Don't miss a cameo from Yeats.

This is the fifth in the Jane Wunderly series - a fact I was unaware of when I began reading the book. As a result, I was lost for several chapters. A quick bit of research and a summary of the first in the series put me in the picture. Jane and fiance Redvers are on the island to find out about the leader of an occult group who has offered his services to the British Secret Service. Jane is undercover, posing as an aspiring member of the group. She meets other group members, one of whom,Netta is staying in the same B & B. When Jane finds Netta's dead body on the machair her undercover work takes on a more serious motive. The cult leader is a shady character as are others in the group. When Netta's father is found murdered She suspects the members of the Golden Dawn are involved.
Having spent lots of time on Iona, I was drawn to the book. The author does a good job with the island's setting and sites. All the characters are well-drawn , even W.B Yeats who plays a role in the plot. One small quibble, the Argyll Hotel faces the Sound of Iona/Ross of Mull , not the Atlantic Ocean.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the opportunity to make a fictional visit to one of my favorite places.

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Having fallen madly in love with the Jane Wunderly series last year, I was excited to receive an ARC of this fifth installment. Imagine my surprise when a combination of a reading slump and a slow start to the book dampened my initial enthusiasm for the book. It took me about 30% to get really into the groove on this one, but once the story picked up, so did my enjoyment of it!

This installment had a different tone than some of the others, as Redvers and Jane were concealing their connection for much of the tale. I missed the full brunt of their flirty co-investigation, but it was such fun to explore this little island and all of its residents - and see all of their secret meetings. I did enjoy the bit of role-reversal that Jane and Redvers played with, putting Jane smack dab in the middle of everything with Redvers having to be brought up to speed. That was clearly more fun for Jane than for Redvers, but it’s only fair for Jane to get her turn!

The island was a great setting for this mystery, as it allowed lots of walking - and made me want to take some beautiful nature walks of my own - possibly in slightly warmer weather than Jane’s. I kept wanting the audiobook to be available already. Sarah Zimmerman is my very favorite narrator, so I have no doubt that the audiobook will be an excellent walking companion upon its release! The confined setting for this book was a nice change of pace with some great character development. I look forward to seeing the ramifications in the books to come! If you haven’t checked out this series yet, I definitely recommend starting with Murder at the Mena House and following Jane all over the globe on her magnificent adventures.

4.5 stars

Secrets of a Scottish Isle by Erica Ruth Neubauer is the 5th in the series of Wunderly mysteries, but it works fine as a stand-alone.

In what is essentially a closed room mystery, American Jane Wunderly and her finance, Redvers are sent to investigate Robert Nightingale for his suitability for recruitment to Redver’s shadowy government agency. Nightingale is the leader of the real-life Golden Dawn society that started in the late 1800s, and there are all sorts of mysterious going-ons including a death in the membership, and her possibly fake will.

So, a mystery with a secret occult society that takes place in the 1920s in Scotland with a headstrong, smart, rational, non-traditional, funny main character who is supported and encouraged by her equally likeable finance? I’m definitely in! This novel is well-paced, with interesting characters, and a solid mystery. The setting is beautifully described and seems spot on for that part of the country.

This was a delightful story, and I’m excited to read the others in the series now, too.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing the digital early reader copy.

I'm a big fan of Jane and Redvers and it's lovely to see how far their relationship has progressed. Due to Redvers having been "outed" Jane is lead investigator on this case, and she loves it. She does not enjoy being separated from Redvers though. Her investigation (and the story) drags a little as she has to make frequent walks across the island to share her findings. I did enjoy the inclusion of W.B. Yeats as a character and was surprised to find that some of the other cult characters were real people, as was the cult.

While I read the others in this series I didn’t find this title as entertaining or interesting. I thought it was odd to include Yeats as a character and the use of “WB”
As a familiarity seems out of place. Also, the use of her fiancée in this case hindered the story’s development. Overall, a disappointing addition to the series.

"Spirited American Jane Wunderly must investigate a secret society on an isolated isle off the western coast of Scotland where esoteric rituals blur the line between what's real, what's illusion, and what's deadly...

Isle of Iona, 1927 Cast away on a remote locale, Jane's latest assignment depends on concealing her identity and blending in at an occult gathering. Not even her fiancé, Redvers, can be too close as she uncovers the truth about Robert Nightingale, enigmatic leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn - a group made up of supernatural ceremonies, influential people, and an undefinable darkness. When a woman tries to escape to the mainland only to be found murdered in the moors, the shocking scene reveals it's easier to join the Golden Dawn than it is to leave.

Jane, set on solving the crime and catching the next ferry with Redvers, realizes she may be among the few still grasping reality. One high-ranking member searches for the killer by attempting to access otherworldly planes of existence, while others become immersed in a strange solstice ritual. Then there's Nightingale and the rivals who discarded him to start a new temple. As a second death brings fresh clues into focus, Jane needs to navigate a frightening dilemma - playing along won't help her crack the mystery, but revealing too much could be a fatal mistake..."

I mean, I'm always here for local author Erica Neubauer, but this volume? Scotland? An occult gathering? Sign me up!

Scotland 1927. American Jane Wunderly is sent to the Isle of Iona to investiagte the leader of the cult Order of Golden Dawn. Does Robert Nightingale have the contacts he states that the bosses of Redvers would be interested in.
Didn't really find the mystery and the story that interesting.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I like a good mystery. Add in a bit of the paranormal, and I’m in love. This book was well written, and really captured by attention from the start. There were times I found myself holding my breath, hoping that Jane wouldn’t be found out at other times, wanting to see her more involved in the rituals that were going on.

I’m not usually a big fan of historical affection, but this one really delivered for me. I may have to stop saying that, because I can’t wait to read more in this series.

Jane Wunderly is on a remote Scottish Isle where she is checking information about Robert Nightingale, who is leading the Order of the Golden Dawn, a cult that believes in the supernatural. Jane's fiancee Redvers is staying in a house on the other side of the island so that they can meet daily. Shortly after Jane is initiated into the cult, Jane finds the dead body of Netta, a woman who was planning to leave the cult and was staying in the same house as Jane. Netta is naked, and has funny marks on her skin. Jane wants to find out who killed her. It appears that both Netta's father and Nightingale would each like to have her money as they each have "found" a will which leaves her money to himself.

At another occult ceremony (in the dark), someone puts a knife into Nightgale's leg. Jane wonders if he did it to himself. Later, Netta's father is found murdered. And as you near the end of the book, Jane is in a very dangerous place. Will Jane live long enough to marry Redvers?

The book is clever and exciting, although as a scientist I am not crazy about ocult ceremonies. I thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in order to read the book before publication.

This is a well written book, with some fine lines and a few well-conceived set pieces. It works quite well as a cozy, historical mystery, and the setting on Scotland's Iona island adds a great deal. That said, try as I might I found neither the characters, nor their situations, nor the overall narrative engaging enough to arouse or hold my curiosity and attention. As a consequence, it doesn't seem fair to write much more of a review, apart from encouraging inquisitive readers, and especially lovers of atmospheric cozies that have a bit of romance, to give the book a try.

A very well historical written cozy mystery.

Secrets of a Scottish Isle was such a delight to read.

The author weaves a story about Isle of Iona, 1927:

Cast away on a remote locale, Jane’s latest assignment depends on concealing her identity and blending in at an occult gathering. Not even her fiancé, Redvers, can be too close as she uncovers the truth about Robert Nightingale, enigmatic leader of the Order of the Golden Dawn—a group made up of supernatural ceremonies, influential people, and an undefinable darkness. When a woman tries to escape to the mainland only to be found murdered in the moors, the shocking scene reveals it’s easier to join the Golden Dawn than it is to leave.

A very well-written mystery that kept me guesting. Definitely a MUSt read.

American Jane Wunderly decides to investigate a secret society that's on a remote island just west of Scotland. She's going undercover to see if she can blend in with the strange occult. Jane has been on a journey and some of her adventures have been quite excellent. This one wasn't the best but sill enjoyed it. Thanks #Netgalley and #Kensington for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

3.5 (not rounding up)

I’ve been a Jane and Redvers fan since the beginning and was ecstatic to get a sneak peek at the next novel. What? Is that a wedding photo on the cover? Even better!
The setting is Scottish isle, which, though can be majestic, can also frequently be cold, gloomy, and, well, somber. I think the issue with this book, which they state themselves, is that they aren’t really working together. We are deprived of the constant Jane and Redvers banter because the assignment, which is a little weak and hard to even remember the point of, apparently Redvers would give everything away with his presence. Jane goes undercover to join this group on a tiny remote island of Scotland with her fiancé hiding under a cloak and meeting up on a distant beach. A cold one, which even they have a hard time making it warm. It’s nice for Jane to be in the no this time, but you are, together, bigger than the sum of each part.

Apparently, this story is very loosely based on a group that was in existence and at least one member visited the island under strange circumstances. The author states that she used information from their writings but had to really scale it back. Well, it should’ve been scaled back even more. The last 25% of the book was interesting and things made more sense and moved, but I really wish I didn’t have to keep pushing myself to find out what happens. I have plenty of other books to read and I hate it when a book really slows me down because I want to finish it but it’s a chore.

There are some great moments and I learned a lot about some random historic things, but, it was no Mena, or Istanbul, or even Boston. I’m glad I had the little novella last fall to give me a bit of a jolt and I’m glad to have some of the romance That is always fun, but I’m a little disappointed. Frown.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

3.5 stars
Not the best entry in this entertaining historical series perhaps, but still fun with some great characters. I have read all the series entries but still felt a little lost -- a bit more back story would have been helpful as it wasn't exactly clear what Jane was doing investigating these particular murders. And the surprisingly lovely ending was perfect.

Jane Wunderly, a smart and capable widow, and her fiance Redvers, who has a sideline in helping the government with sticky situations, are on the small Scottish isle Iona. Jane is infiltrating the Golden Door occult group. But it isn't long before a dead body turns up and the two secretly try to figure out which of the people connected to the sect were responsible.

Jane and Redvers have great chemistry and respect and these are enjoyable reads. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.