The Crown Agent

The Crown Agent is a thrilling novel, wonderfully laced through events occurring in 1829 Scotland, and somewhat further afield.

The writing is assured, the action fast-paced, the mystery thrilling and in need of solving, and our hero, Dr. Mungo Lyon, a fascinating and tenacious hero. I was enthralled by the attention to detail, the seamless weaving of a tale well told. And the addition of a certain character only led to the enjoyment. (No spoilers here).

A fantastic novel, helped, no doubt, by the fact I actually know my way around this part of Scotland and could picture many of the places, but with the aid of the well-drawn maps at the beginning, I'm sure anyone will enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy. 5 stars from me:)

Disgraced Edinburgh surgeon Dr Lyons is hired to solve a mystery of a murdered lighthouse keeper, a ghost ship on the rocks with some missing cargo,and missing men. From the moment he leaves his sister with a mysterious clue and heads to Greenock he is in danger from a mysterious group of men. The men in charge of customs who hdbis to work with don't want him there and his assistance appears to be in the form of a known murderer. In this thriling tale if deceit, smuggling, murder, kidnap and slavery you are kept guessing,. Who is friend, who is foe, and who will survive in this fantastic mystery set in Scotland's docks innthe 1800s

Debut novel brings elements of surprise to not only smuggling but the case of Burke and Hare body snatchers in Edinburgh in Victorian Scotland.
Liked the central character Dr Mungo Lyon and particularly the relationship with his younger sister Margaret, an invalid but excellent at deciphering codes and languages.  
When Mungo falls because of his involvement with Knox taking the stolen bodies his work as a leading doctor is under threat. He is then called in by people of note including the Attorney General to investigate the strange murder of a lighthouse keeper and a ghost ship with dead passengers with links to odd tattoo signs and coded messages.
It is a bit Poldark on the Scottish Isles although romance is not at the fore and perhaps female characters could have been developed more fully. The mysterious links to codes, secret agents move a regular case of smuggling illegal drink into a new realm of danger which is explored well within the plot.
I loved the descriptions of the islands and the sea around the west coast of Scotland which I have visited. 
This is probably going to start a series and could provide some entertaining follow ups.