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Member Reviews

Fourth in the Freddie and Grace mysteries, the twists and turns in The Highland Heist had me happily surprised! I was not expecting the location or the characters involved. I think the relationship between Freddie and Grace has been my favorite thing from the first three books, but this time it took a second place to the plot!

Read all the Freddie and Grace mysteries! Read the Skymar series! Read ALL the Pepper Basham books! ♥️

Favorite banter:
Blake: "If tonight has taught us anything, it's that libraries are far more dangerous than I previously gave them credit for. And I gave them plenty of credit." ~~~
"Very Dangerous and wonderfully intriguing, all at the same time," Grace added, teasing.
"Ah, yes," Blake murmured from his chair. "Like women."

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What an adventure! The story had so much going on, it was hard to put down. Thinking Freddy and Grace would have a sweet little reunion with her family in America, when it all hit the fan. A story has adventure, mystery, a treasure hunt, and great detective work. There was great banter that helped lighten the mood and gave it a charming appeal. The characters are intriguing and dimensional, and I loved that you never knew quite what would happen next. This is the first book I’ve read in the series. I believe it would be even better reading them in order. I am anxious to read prior books. I would love if the author chose to write another story, possibly about the father. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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This is an entertaining read that hooks you on the first page. It has romance, drama and the mystery will keep you guessing until the end.
It's a very enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Another adventure with Freddie and Grace! This adventure had me not wanting to put this book down.
A trip to America that turned into so many different twists and turns. Grace has so much strength throughout this story and Freddie is the definition of the perfect husband. I mean.. who couldn’t love him! If you enjoy a good mystery you are going to love this book.

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Freddie and Grace are still on their honeymoon and returning to the states for a visit with her family. Talk about going to hell in a handbasket. By the end of the first day back in her hometown, Grace will find her faith tested in more ways than one.

It's the strong supporting characters that really make this one shine. Here are five examples:

👭 Grace is reunited with her older sister Lillias Ferguson Dixon. Despite the troubles affecting the Dixon household, Lillias falls into her old ways of looking down on Grace. Will they shake free of the old patterns?
👩🏽 Zahra, their adopted Egyptian daughter, is travelling with them and shows herself to be quite capable of joining in on some sleuthing. Such a nice surprise!
🤓 A man calling himself Mr. Clark is lurking around the town of Harrington. Does he have a role in the stange happenings? Is he a murderer?
🧔 Stephen Blake, Frederick's cousin and friend, joins their group in Scotland. This guy has some organizing skills and is really good at misdirection.
🏰 Mosslea, the castle near Loch Ness, is a character all its own. With secret rooms and a ghost, the visit seemed much too short.

This is the fourth book in the Freddie and Grace Mystery series. If you want to try the series for yourself, you will want to start with book one: The Mistletoe Countess. There are exciting cases to investigate with adventurous elements. Happy Publication Day to this one!

Thank you to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

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While Hurricane Helene may have pushed back the deadline of The Highland Heist, it was well worth the wait. This fourth book in Basham's Freddie & Grace mystery series is every bit as delightful as all the rest. Lady Astley might not be the most adept at demonstrating the manners of a well-bred lady, but she is quite adept at solving crimes, especially with the assistance of her husband. This time the crime is her brother-in-law's murder with her sister being a prime suspect. Things are complicated further by the clock's ticking on the discovery of a hidden treasure.

The Highland Heist is a lighthearted read. The protagonists' reliance on God is a testimony to the other characters as well as to the reader, yet the faith-based element is tastefully done and not heavy-handed. While it will work well as a stand-alone read, the book will be best enjoyed by reading the series in sequence.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Highland Heist from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. I highly recommend Pepper Basham's historical novels.

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4.5⭐️ It was so nice to have a historical mystery to break up all my romance reads. Grace is so kind and patient despite being belittled by her own family. Frederick loves to follow her on these detective missions and is so devoted.

This time the mystery is close to home. Grace must find her sister to claim their inheritance in Scotland. When she finds Lillias, it’s with her brother-in-law dead on the floor and Lillias holding the knife above him. Frederick and Grace must now try to clear her name. But the more they look into the case, the more it seems someone is preventing them from going to Scotland. Will they be able to make it to Scotland or will they be caught?

Thank you @netgalley @barbourbooks and @pepperbasham for the advanced reader copy. I may already be listening to the audiobook because I enjoyed it so much.

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The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham is a delightful story featuring Freddie and Grace in another sleuthing adventure. I’m convinced Basham cannot write a bad book. She creates the most wonderful characters, intersperses copious amounts of humor, and provides a lovely, not in your face, faith message. This is the fourth book in the Freddie and Grace series, and I so hope there will be more. This time the amateur sleuthers begin their mystery solving adventure in America before moving to Scottland. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the novel is how Freddie has accepted his fate as a crime solver and now seems eager to jump into the fray. Grace, of course, is her indomitable self–a mixture of naivete and a strong sense of justice. In the Cairo Curse, the couple adopted a little girl named Zayra. She is a delight and seeing her become a part of her parents’ adventures offers some stellar reactions from Freddie. If you liked the three previous books, you’ll adore this one. Basham had me laughing out loud and a little misty-eyed a time or two. It’s just what you’ll expect from the series. The mystery wraps up nicely and readers will surely love this couple even more after they finish The Highland Heist. It’s a quick read because it’s so entertaining.

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With her charming, witty style, Pepper Basham has become an automatic read for me! The Highland Heist opens with a twist in the first chapter and it doesn’t stop there—the plot twists are brilliant in this novel! 🔍❤️

I absolutely adore the friendship and support that is part of Frederick and Grace’s romantic relationship. Their connection throughout the series is lovely—they are wonderfully written—but what stands out the most is their faith. God is their certainty.

Events in our lives have the ability to change us, and I love seeing the characters’ growth. To mention one, Grace is maturing without losing what makes her … Grace. On that note, there’s a moment with Zahra 🥹 How to put the feeling into words … A theme of identity is woven through the story, and I love that it is explored through different characters! It’s written in a very interesting and relatable way, and it is a reminder that we are the Lord’s children, that we belong.

The Highland Heist is an on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of book in the best way possible—suspenseful, yes, but also cozy with plenty of reasons to smile and enjoy the story. I loved reading this book! ❤️

Content:
Scottish folklore | Violence | Fade to black between a married couple

The word clairvoyance is used, but it’s more in reference to how well Grace and Frederick have come to know each other.

Thank you to Barbour Publishing for providing a complimentary eARC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Stepping back into the world of Freddie & Grace was everything it should be. Mystery, suspense, inheritance, murder, what else could we want. This story captivates you from the beginning. It never slows down and keeps you guessing, just a smidge. I absolutely hope that we get 1 more story. There seem to be just a few tiny loose ends that needing tying up. I cant wait.

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Frederick surprises Grace by sailing to America rather than England as she expected. The next stage of their honeymoon trip is about to be more surprising than he expects. Upon arrival Grace learns her home is no longer in the family. Seven months into their marriage the couple has a new mystery to solve as they try to keep her sister Lillias from prison. Grace is questioning if she truly knows her own family at all.
I want to thank Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this fourth book in the series. This is my own unsolicited opinion. I loved this new adventure for Freddie and Grace. Their characters are growing closer, and it is amusing that Freddie is picking up on Grace's need to investigate. I couldn't stop reading and finished before twenty-four hours were up.
From America to Scotland for a race to make it to inherit an incredible gift from their mother takes the sisters and Freddie into danger. The reader gets to read about ghosts. kelpies and sea monsters all in one case. Freddie's dear friend and cousin Stephen Blake shows up to help. There are sinister happenings in the land where their mother grew up. It's like two stories in one, or is it?
This is a five-star read for me.

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Once again I loved this book!! Pepper Basham always delivers!! Freddy and Grace are the perfect couple and I love the dynamics of their relationship. The story was compelling and drew you right into the plot. Old world and new collide as this mystery spans from America to an old castle in Scotland, complete with ghost! I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!! I give this book 5 stars all the way!! I received a complimentary review copy of the book and am writing this review voluntarily.

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The Highland Heist starts with Grace's murdered brother-in-law! Grace and Freddie (Lord Astley) are back to solving crimes. I did not like Lillias any better now than in the earlier books but she is Grace's sister so she loves her! She makes me thankful for my sister! Grace and Freddie's adopted daughter brings joy to the book. There are several unexpected events including an unexpected castle inheritance in The Highland Heist! While not my favorite of Ms. Basham's books, it was enjoyable. I enjoy anything in Scotland! I received an advance copy of The Highland Heist from Barbour Publishing and Net Galley. This is my honest opinion.

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At this point I don't know if Freddie and Grace are going to drive their honeymoon. Hahaha Just when you think they cannot find themselves in any more shenanigans, the door opens and there's a dead body. I'm loving this series, and can't wait to find out what they find themselves in next!

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I’m not typically a fan of mysteries where murder is involved, but I couldn’t help but adore the Freddie and Grace Mysteries when the heroine is a dedicated bibliophile. Grace’s tendency to view every problem through the lens of fiction is just the type of creative thinking that is needed again and again.

Author Pepper Basham is also utterly creative, with twists, turns and surprises all along the way. From the shores of the US to the highlands of Scotland the fast paced and layered tale pulls the reader in and keeps them on their toes.

I’ve enjoyed the whole series and wholeheartedly appreciated this latest installment in Freddie and Grace’s adventures.

If you like globe trotting, treasure hunting, mysterious, edge of your seat adventures and don’t mind a healthy dose of romance thrown into the mix then this series is one you should check out.

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I was so excited that I would get to read another adventure of my favorite amateur sleuthing couple! Lord Fredick and Lady Grace Astley’s love for another is so pure and unexpected. Their banter makes me smile. Their uncanny knack for finding themselves in trouble amuses me. Grace’s blatant love, and Freddie’s reluctant love, for mystery keeps me entertained and makes me laugh out loud!

In the Highland Heist, you come right alongside them as they once again run right into the hard and difficult instead of fearing or dreading it. Between Grace’s antics, and how Freddie cherishes and treasures her, I kept turning the pages! Some of the fictional references were lost on me at times and I would have loved to have more of the story set in Scotland. But nonetheless, The Highland Heist was another delightful and riveting addition to the Freddie and Grace Mystery series!

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Confession: Historical novels usually aren’t my first pick, but I couldn’t resist this one after loving the last Pepper Basham book I read—and I’m so glad I gave it a chance!

The Highland Heist swept me straight into a world of charming relationships, witty banter, and an adventure that had just the right balance of romance and mystery. The characters were full of heart, the chemistry was fantastic, and the mystery? Took me by surprise! (There was a fantastic twist about 3/4 of the way through the book that I DID NOT SEE COMING).

Now I have to go back and read the rest of this series—consider me hooked!

If you love smart, charming historical romance with a bit of mischief mixed in, this one’s worth the read.

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Grace and Frederick are such an amazing pair. While this may be my first time following them on their journey as they unravel the mystery behind Grace’s brother-in-law’s death, it feels like I have already known them for a while.

It isn’t difficult at all to envision their deep love for each other. And oh my, little Zahra is a revelation and such a fun sidekick.

If you love a good suspense romance and being detective as you read, you would love this mystery novel which takes you on an exhilarating ride.

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Well that was an unexpected whirlwind.

This book has it all romance, sleuthing, mystery, twists and turns, family drama, and a level of intensity I wasn’t expecting in the best way.

In this fourth installment of a Freddie and Grace mystery they are still on their honeymoon tour and have traveled to America to visit Grace’s father. They find out that the childhood home is no longer in the family and in a secret letter given by her former butler Grace finds out that she and her sister inherited a Scottish castle. When they arrive at her sister’s house for answers they find themselves face to face with a crime scene.

There are ruthless players in play who want the Scottish castle for themselves and are willing to do whatever to get it. After helping with the investigation and Freddie being assaulted they travel to Scotland to find the last missing will. The will that will name the sisters both the heirs to Mosslea castle. The ruthless players try to intimidate and steal the will themselves. The conclusion is intense and epic. I haven’t read the first three and didn’t feel like I was missing the meat of the story. I hope to go back and read the first three eventually.

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I love this authors writing and this story didn’t disappoint. The development of Characters and story always keep me wanting to know more. I have enjoy all of books and am always waiting for the next one to come out.
Thanks for the advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

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