Death at the Highland Loch is a charming blend of historical fiction, cozy crime, and a bold, no-nonsense heroine who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo. Set in the early 1900s, this no-spice mystery weaves together threads from the past, present, and future to spin a tangled web of secrets and lies. At the heart of the story is a woman determined to solve a murder despite being overlooked by the men in charge—especially a grumpy policeman who clearly underestimates her. Watching her navigate that tension while digging up clues was not only entertaining, but a satisfying reminder of how often women have had to prove themselves in male-dominated roles.

As the mystery unfolds, it becomes clear that she’s the only one seeing the full picture, even if no one wants to admit it. Of course, in classic fashion, the local lawman eventually has to concede that her instincts and intellect were spot-on all along. The setting was atmospheric, the characters were layered, and the pace kept me turning the pages. It was the perfect mix of light-hearted fun and thoughtful commentary on gender dynamics in historical times. I’m already eager to pick up the next book in this series!

This was a delightful cozy mystery! I really liked Poppy and her Inspector. It was a hard to put down book. I can’t wait to see what mystery she solves next.
Perfect for all mystery lovers!

Quick read through the highlands, murder and mystery. Following Poppy along for a nice time in the countryside takes a dramatic turn when a random man is discovered murdered at the loch.
Poppy cannot leave it alone and must discover the details of how this man came to the loch and who had need to kill him.
Quick and easy read.

Great start to a new series! This is my first book by Lydia Travers and I plan on looking for her other series. I loved Poppy and her matter-of-fact style, continuing her investigation and finding helpful clues despite the inspector telling her not to (not that anyone ever listens to this sound advice). This was set in a location that I have been wanting to visit so it was a fun bonus to learn more about the area. I l also enjoyed the ending where she met with the authors of her guidebook (who I think are the main characters in the other series). All in all, a fast-paced, well-plotted mystery that I could not put down. Highly recommended!

I like this author's other series, so decided to give this one a try. I enjoyed it and can't wait to see what else this Lady amateur detective gets into.
The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author and while very similar to a lot of other mysteries set in the 1920s with a title lady and a dog sidekick it is still a good read. The mystery was twisty enough to keep you guessing and while I did spot the culprit before Poppy this didn't affect my enjoyment. I look forward to more in this new series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When Lady Poppy Proudfoot travelled to the Scottish Highlands in 1924, with her beloved Labrador, Major, by her side, the annual midsummer party was all that was on her mind. The home was owned by Lady Constance Balfour, and it had only been a few months since her husband had died, so this event would be smaller than usual. The day Poppy arrived, she took Major for a walk before dinner, to the nearby town, spotting one of the footmen at the entrance to the local pub. When, the following morning at breakfast, that same footman rushed into Constance and her guests, announcing he'd just discovered a dead body by the loch, chaos ensued. With the arrive of Inspector MacKenzie, a brusque individual, Poppy decided she would assist him with his enquiries - but he brushed her off immediately...

Death at the Highland Loch is the 1st in the Lady Poppy Proudfoot series by Lydia Travers and I enjoyed it very much. I did pick the perpetrator before the reveal, but reaching the conclusion was absorbing. I enjoyed the characters, who were portrayed well, and Poppy's first case was intriguing. I'm looking forward to #2 and recommend this one to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley & Bookouture for my digital ARC to read & review.

I very much enjoyed Lydia Travers’ Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency series, so I was thrilled to discover she had started a new series - the Lady Poppy Proudfoot series. I was not disappointed.

This series is set in my favourite decade for cosy crime - the 1920s. The physical setting was also enjoyable - a country house party, though the first murder occurs before most of the guests arrive.

I liked Poppy - she’s very confident and quite pushy, but is also kind. She’s determined to be useful, and does her best to be so.

There’s a good selection of characters who make good suspects, and I very much enjoyed seeing Poppy investigating them.

Overall, this was an excellent start to a new series, and I can’t wait to see what Poppy gets up to next.

I was given a copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: It was fun

1924, Scotland
Lady Poppy Proudfoot travels to the Highlands for a midsummer party, where a body turns up beside the loch. When Inspector MacKenzie doesn’t seem to take her seriously, Poppy jumps into action and decides to solve the case.
Of course, another mystery grabs her attention - Lady Constance Balfour, the host, claims her diamond and emerald bracelet is stolen. Are the two events connected? Without more than enough suspects in the house party, Poppy has work cut out for her.
The story comes in Poppy’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
While I didn’t particularly enjoy the first book of The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series, I liked this better.
The FMC is an almost 30-year-old rich widow with a university education and some social service during WWI to her name. This makes her quite entitled, which comes across clearly in her thoughts, actions, and reactions.
You’ll have to be patient initially to get used to the FMC’s attitude. Yeah, she has quite a few flaws. However, these feel realistic and aligned with how the ladies with titles behaved back then. Makes it hard to like her immediately, but good for the character arc.
There’s a large cast since a house party is going on, and more people pop up in Edinburgh, but I didn’t find it confusing. The key ones are easy enough to track. Gregor, the 14-year-old lad, is a delight to read. He adds a lot of humor and lightness to the story.
The lady’s maid is a bit annoying, but I think that’s the intention. We also have two dogs, a chihuahua named Ollie and a Lab named Major. Major is the FMC’s dog, so he’ll be a recurring character. Yay!
Inspector MacKenzie, the prospective love interest, is actually a decent guy. He shows much patience dealing with the FMC’s antics. He’ll need to be patient in the coming books, too!
The mystery or mysteries, as such, are decent. I like how they don’t go into the tried and tested path but try something different. The reveal is believable, too.
The characters from the previous series make an entry as both books are set in the same region, and they have overlapping social circles.
We get enough descriptions of the highlands to imagine the beautiful place without getting distracted from the main plot. This keeps the pacing moderate and steady.

To summarize, Death at the Highland Loch is a solid start to a new cozy mystery series with yet another female amateur sleuth. As I look forward to the next book, I hope the FMC’s arc shows some growth.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Okay I can’t be the only one that needs more Inspector MacKenzie! I truly loved loved loved this book!! I enjoyed going about this case with Lady Poppy and getting the banter I needed from her and Inspector MacKenzie! I can’t wait for more! I need it!

This was my first book by Lydia Travers. It was a really fun mystery that keep me guessing. I really enjoyed the setting and will definitely be checking out her other books.

Fun little book with a strong tie-in with the Scottish Ladies’ Detective Agency series.

Scotland, 1924: Lady Persephone ‘Poppy’ Proudfoot has journeyed to the Highlands with her maid and Labrador Major Lewis for a house party being held later in the week at the mansion of her new friend, Lady Constance Balfour. Along with Poppy, there’s a few other guests that are stayinHg the week, including a Hollywood director, his leading lady, and leading man (all looking to get some ‘atmosphere’) and Constance’s brother-in-law, Nick and his wife Morag. Things quickly go south when the next morning the footman rushes in, announcing there’s a body floating in the loch. Poppy, in part because of her law degree and in part because of the nursing she did during the Great War, soon realizes the man was murdered and that they needed to summon the police.

The police soon arrives in the form of Inspector MacKenzie; he and Poppy almost immediately start butting heads. But soon afterwards, Poppy gets a ‘case’ - Lady Constance has bill from a jewelry shop claiming her recently deceased husband bought a bracelet there a month or so before he died. But the bracelet is nowhere to be found - was it stolen or did her husband give it to another woman, perhaps the lovely blonde actress now staying with them who’s wearing a bracelet that matches the bracelet listed on the bill?

This was a nice beach read! I liked Lady Poppy, although I was curious why, as a widow, she was using her maiden name - which came up several times as people kept wanting to refer to her as ‘Miss’ instead of ‘Lady’. It got a bit annoying how often Poppy did something against the Inspector’s wishes, leaving the Balfour estate or asking people questions. But the characters were likable, and it feels like the series has lots of potential between Poppy, her maid Elspeth (who disapproves of Poppy’s asking questions) and the Inspector who may have more than a slight romantic interest in Poppy.

Recommended. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.Com which I voluntarily reviewed.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for this ARC. I've read the lady detective agency series and was hoping this would be as good but it was quite long winded and i guessed the culprit quote early on.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

A cozy mystery which introduces Lady Poppy, a buddying amateur detective. Fun read and I look forward to more adventures with Lady Poppy (and Major the dog)

3.75 stars rounded up. I do love a cosy historical mystery, bonus points if there’s a hint of romance and a dog! This one sees Lady Persephone Proudfoot (Poppy) take her dog Major to a country house for the week when she is invited to join the Balfour family for parties. A body is soon discovered by the loch and Inspector MacKenzie arrives to investigate, while Poppy has a go at putting her law degree to use and trying to solve it too. Add in some American film people, a potential jewel disappearance, a visiting friend of Poppy’s back in Edinburgh who gets mistaken for Poppy and attacked… and overall this is a good read and introduction to what promises to be a fun cosy mystery series.

I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Bookouture, in return for an unbiased review.

Scotland, 1924: A glamorous midsummer party in the Highlands turns deadly when a body is discovered beside the loch. Lady Poppy, armed with her law degree and a loyal Labrador, is convinced it’s murder. But grumpy Inspector MacKenzie dismisses her meddling. Can she solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim?

This fun and entertaining mystery kept me guessing. It has a strong plot and well-developed characters. I like Lady Poppy, even if she’s sometimes a bit smug in her treatment of MacKenzie and withholds information from him. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A good cozy mystery set in 1920s Scotland. When Lady Poppy goes to a house party she finds a body washed up on the shore of the Loch. Naturally there is a grumpy police chief who I hope will be a love interest in future books. Fun read and fun to follow the clues in this one. Would highly recommend.

Death at the Highland Loch is a murder mystery set between the First and Second World Wars. Lady Poppy Proudfoot is of that class of woman who doesn't need to work, but is very keen to stick her nose into everyone elses' affairs, a bonus when you are investigating a murder. She is also a little aragant and irritating, but hopefully as the series progresses, some of her rougher edges come of and we warm to her a bit more.
There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and it certainly kept me guessing, although I had figured out one or two things by the end. I wasn't keen on the way that Poppy decided she was a detective on the strength of solving one mystery. Most amatures are a little less keen to label themselves straight away.
There are mentions of characters from a previous series I believe, I haven't ready any of the books, so didn't really understand who they were, but fans of Lydia Travers other books might well appreciate them.
This was an entertaining read and a good start to a new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Lady Poppy is a strong, smart and independent woman who wants to solve a crime using her budding detective skills. I really enjoyed this book. I love historical murder mysteries and this one didn't disappoint. I’m already looking forward to find out what happens next.
I received an advance review copy via Netgalley/Bookouture and I’m leaving a voluntary and honest review.

I just loved this book! I loved the story and the characters I just couldn’t put it down.

I would highly recommend reading this book if you love a cozy mystery and I look forward to the next book in the series.

I would like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book early.