The town of Sea Isle is one that I couldn’t quite locate when I recently spent two months in Scotland. Ms Connelly has NAILED the vibe and feel of a small Scottish town. The title is a misnomer as the deceased didn’t actually die on the train, but it’s close enough.
I did notice quite a few spelling errors (gaol being printed as goal), and some clunky formatting and sentence structure, but I am confident that was all caught and tidied up before it went to print.
I adore this series, and I can almost taste the full Scottish breakfast Dr Em treats herself to often.

We join Em and friends as they board a newly renovated train in Sea Isle where storytellers entertain them with folklore and more. However one of the storytellers never ends up on the train and is later found dead in a closet. While on the surface it looks like a tragic accident, Emilia soon learns it's anything but. She and her friends help Constable Ewan track down a murderer.
I've not read the previous books in this series but I didn't feel lost or left out as to who was who. I wish we had more time on the train, and I feel like the middle of the book dragged a bit, but overall I really enjoyed the book and getting to know these characters. Between the various townsfolk and all of the events Sea Isle sounds like a fun and inviting place to be!
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc

I am a Lucy Connelly fan and enjoyed this book very much. I am excited to see where her relationship with Ewan goes. I love all the returning main characters/side characters. I definitely recommend this book as it was a fun read.

Dr. Emilia McRoy is on the inaugural ride of the refurbished train from Sea Isle to Edinburgh.
Storytellers have been hired to entertain the passengers on the journey. When the body of a missing
storyteller is discovered back at the station, the autopsy will reveal his death was deliberately caused
by his allergic reaction to bee venom. The investigation reveals that the storyteller who was an
investment advisor had many unhappy clients due to poor investments. After a year in Scotland,
Emilia has a better working relationship with the local constable Ewan as week as a change in their
personal relationship. Enjoyed catching up with the characters.
#DeathonaScottishTrain #CrookedLaneBooks #NetGalley

Dr. Emily McRoy has been on Sea Isle for a year now and is active in the tight-knit community. Attending the initial run of a refurbished train, Emily finds a body tucked into the closet of the train station. In her duty as coroner, she is busy helping Ewan, the constable and mayor, find out what happened.
This is a wonderful cozy mystery and you may find yourself ready to run off to Scotland! The characters are well-rounded and very likable, with just the right amount of quirkiness. Emily and her friends do find themselves in danger while they are snooping, but that won’t stop them. There is also a hint of a possible budding romance between Emily and Ewan.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I was happy to have an opportunity to catch up with Dr. Em, Ewan, Abigail, and her brother, and the rest of the Sea Isle crew. We are coming up at the end of the tourist season and the ten day summer festival, but first, there is the grand opening of the new train service from town to Edinburgh. The five car train has been totally restored, as has the station. In addition, there are storytellers that will keep the guests entertained. Em is all dressed up and enjoying the premier ride with her friends until Mara realizes that one of her storytellers is missing. She had checked him off her list as he entered the station, but he was not to be found on the train. Em joins in the search when they return, and his body is found stuffed in a closet in the office of the train station. When the cause of death is found to be something really unusual, Em and Ewan's team get together to figure out if this was an accident or murder. This was a good mystery, Em and Ewan are finally working together. They check out possible suspects while attending festival events, getting clues from the regular crew and exploring their new in sync relationship while looking for answers. We get a wild solution and interesting relationship development with our answers! Thanks to #Netgally, #CrookedLaneBooks, and the author for an opportunity to read. #Death on a Scottish Train #AScottishIsleMystery #LucyConnelly #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun mystery novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

I really enjoyed this as a fourth entry in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, it had that mystery element that I enjoyed from the previous three books. It kept the world building that I enjoyed from the first couple of books and how the mystery was done. It was realistic and beautifully written. The characters were written perfectly for this type of book and from the other books I read from Lucy Connelly.

A cool, weekend read for anyone looking for a light, cozy mystery.
I hadn't read the previous mysteries in this series, but I had no problem understanding the plot or the characters. The mystery had a lot of red herrings and began with nearly a town full of suspects. Considering how the investigation progressed, the end seemed a little abrupt for my liking. But I enjoyed reading the book anyway and I've grown fond of the characters, so I will surely come back for more Scottish Isle mysteries.
The story is set in a beautiful Scottish Isle: the author paints a beautiful picture of the town and the characters that it makes you wish you were living there.

I thank the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Note to the author and publishers:

I'm not sure if this was an uncorrected copy, but I strongly recommend a light edit or a thorough proofreading before publication. There are several typos, wrong words, minor language and formatting issues throughout the text. Also, the title is misleading as the death did not take place on the train.

This series is just getting better and better! This is book four in the series, and it has been a full year since Em has moved from Seattle to Sea Isle. I love how the characters are developing, and the romance is also developing. Even though I have read all the books, I feel this book could be read as a stand-alone book. Lucy Connelly does an excellent job of writing in such a way that you are not overwhelmed by the past books. I can't wait for the next great adventure.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

This is the 4th installment of an excellent series. Dr. Emilia McRoy is enjoying an elegant evening ride on a newly refurbished Steam Engine. But all is not well when one of the evening's performers turns up dead. Was it an allergic reaction or was it murder? Emilia will figure it out along with some help from her new friends. This is a wonderful series. The character development is excellent...I feel as though we're slowly getting to know everyone in the town. The romance is a very, very slow burn, starting as friendship, which makes it very believable. Read the series....you'll love it.

Unfortunately, this book won't be published until October, which means I have to wait until next year for the 5th in the series!!!

Cosy as! I loved this cosy crime. What's not to like? Very well-written, lots of possible suspects, romance is in the air and in great settings. Nice to cuddle down to on a cold night. I look forward to the next installment. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The setting of a Scottish village is charming, and the return of many recurring characters will please readers of the previous books. The plot is still understandable even if readers haven't read books 1-3. Dr. Em is a good doctor and coroner if not a particularly competent detective - she gives away a lot of information and stumbled into the solution rather than solving it - and the mystery itself took a long time to unravel before a very rushed ending. Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.

I enjoyed this book so much. A refurbished train, a Scottish isle, a murder, an interesting storyline with plenty of red herrings, an engaging amateur sleuth who also happens to be the American ex-pat town doctor and coroner, colorful townspeople, a Scottish Laird and local garda... What more could a reader want or need in a cozy mystery? I couldn't put it down!

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.

The fourth installment of the popular and fun Scottish Isle Mystery Series, Death on a Scottish Train , finds protagonist, Dr. Emilia McRoy, who has now lived on the Scottish island of Sea Isle, on a committee with her friends that has restored an old train to become The Storyteller Train, and after a weeklong celebration, many of the residents are going to go on the maiden ride of this refurbished train. Unfortunately, after the ride, the body of a committee member and volunteer storyteller has been found in a closet. At first it was believed he died of allergies, but with careful investigation, it is found that he was murdered. Now it is Em’s job to help the police find the murderer.

Connelly’s writing is easy to follow – it is succinct and straightforward and very well done. Readers will appreciate her excellent development of her characters, from Em, to Abigail, her assistant, Abigail’s brother, Tommy, Em’s best friend, Mara, and the incredibly good-looking Ewan McGregor, who is the town constable, as well as the Laird. Sparks fly between Ewan and Em, albeit a bit of friction on how things should be done. Anyone who has read the previous installments will be familiar with these characters, and they are very likable. The new characters that carry the story along are developed enough that they seem real and interactions with the main characters are viable.

All told, this is a good cozy series, and this installment is fun to read. The book is perfect for a summer beach read or for a vacation read.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

An entertaining read and I enjoyed the characters. The title is misleading, but the story was good. I hadn't read the other books in the series, but didn't feel like I missed anything by not having read them.

Dr. Emilia McRoy is celebrating one year since her bold move to the Scottish Highlands. As the town prepares to close the season with a weeklong festival, excitement builds around the launch of the newly refurbished Storyteller’s Train—a magical ride promising scenic views and local lore. But the celebration quickly derails when an unexpected death mars the journey. What initially appears to be an allergic reaction is soon revealed to be something far more sinister: murder. With the clock ticking and tensions rising, Emilia and her capable assistant Abigail dive into the investigation, determined to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.
#MurderonaScottishTrain #NetGalley

Interesting plot and characters. Typos, wrong and missing words disturb me, title is misleading - maybe I received an uncorrected copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the fourth installment of the Scottish Isle Mystery series, Murder on the Storyteller’s Train, Dr. Emilia McRoy returns to the beautiful Sea Isle in Scotland for what it was looking forward to be a celebratory weeklong festival. It has been since one year of her move to this picturesque town, and the unveiling of the newly big launch of the refurbished Storyteller’s Train offers a sense of wonder and excitement. But this lighthearted beginning is quickly overshadowed by a missing storyteller and his unexpected death, setting the stage for yet another gripping mystery.

What initially seems like an unfortunate case of deadly allergies and poisoned lip balms soon takes a dark turn when Dr. McRoy, her assistant Abigail, and the ever-reliable Constable Ewan McGregor begin to unravel a chilling murder. As the clues unfold, they discover that the killer’s reach extends far beyond what they initially imagined—and it’s not just the townspeople at risk. The trio’s investigation puts them directly in the crosshairs of the murderer, escalating the tension as they race against time to expose the killer before they become the next victims.

The pacing in this book is wonderfully tense, drawing readers in as Emilia and her friends uncover the sinister truth behind the death. The author lucy excels at crafting a chilling atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The descriptions of Sea Isle—though idyllic—are steeped with an underlying sense of danger that makes the island feel both cozy and foreboding. The mystery itself is intricately plotted, with twists and turns that will keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing until the very end.

Emilia’s growth as both a sleuth and a person is a highlight of this series, and in this installment, she continues to evolve. Her chemistry with Abigail and Constable McGregor adds depth to the narrative, and their dynamics bring a sense of camaraderie that enriches the storytelling. As always, the strong community of Sea Isle plays an essential role in helping Emilia and her team, showing the power of friendship and unity in the face of danger.

The suspense is palpable and pays a high stake as the killer targets those closest to Emilia. The mystery unfolds in a heart-stopping climax that ties everything together in a satisfying, yet unexpected, manner. Loved the mix of characters trying to look for evidences and clues.

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a cozy mystery with a touch of suspense and a dash of romance. Highly recommended!
Thanks netgalley and crooked Lane Books Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.
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Review for Murder on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reading Copy of Murder on a Scottish Train by Lucy Connelly. I've been following this series from the beginning and continue to enjoy every new installment.

Emilia’s “fish out of water” journey remains one of the most charming aspects of the series—her adjustment to life in Scotland, along with her unique role as both doctor and coroner, keeps things fresh and make me want to visit. I appreciated how her medical knowledge usually plays a crucial role in solving the mystery – and in interesting way to go if one is to be murdered, in this one.

The romance continues its slow burn; I’m glad it isn’t rushed. It feels more organic though the couple in question is moving forward which is satisfying. The found family dynamic adds warmth to the story—though it occasionally borders on too much, it never fully crosses the line into overly saccharine.

The train is mostly tangential but an interesting bit. I personally enjoy when the mystery focuses on interviews, suspect dynamics, and evidence-gathering—and this book delivers on that front.
A solid addition to a delightful cozy mystery series. Looking forward to what comes next for Emilia and the rest of the cast!