Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted each week by Rose City Reader. It’s a chance to share the first sentence or so of the book you are reading this week. You can check out others’ book beginnings here. I’ll share a quote from the 56 percent mark for the Friday 56 hosted by Freda’s Voice! I’m also going to link up with Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower for First Line Friday.
This week’s book beginning:
Synopsis:
There’s a dangerous killer lurking by this loch… and only canny Cressida can track them down.
Scotland, June 1925. Socialite Cressida Fawcett has been invited to cast her interior design eye over the Stirling family’s new seat, Ayrton Castle, up in the Scottish Highlands. Thrilled to be spending the summer at the historic estate, Cressida fills her suitcase with this season’s hunting jackets – and some tartan for her little pug Ruby, of course!
But before the party is ready to tramp through the glens, shocking news puts paid to their plans. Hamish Glenkirk, former owner of Ayrton, has been found dead inside a turret room of the castle. The door was bolted from the inside, and the room is three storeys up, surrounded by impenetrable stone walls… How did the murderer get in? And out?
With Detective Andrews of Scotland Yard at least a day’s journey away, Cressida knows she needs to get to the bottom of this case – and fast. There’s no end of suspects among the hunting party. Could it be the local doctor whose wife left him for a fling with the now-dead laird? Or is the gamekeeper hiding secrets under his kilt?
Just as Cressida is closing in on the truth, a blood-curdling scream echoes through the mist. Another member of the party, and one of the suspects, has been shot. With a wee dram in hand, can Cressida find the killer before the bagpipes play for another victim?
An unputdownable and gripping cozy mystery which fans of Agatha Christie, T.E. Kinsey and Lee Strauss will love.
The tortured, high-pitched wail pierced the air surrounding the baronial turrets of Ayrton Castle.
“No, no. I’m just thinking of my Jack. Where can he be?” Lady Glenkirk folded her handkerchief and found another dry corner to dab. Tears seemed to be falling from her eyes, yet she wasn’t sobbing.
Do those snippets have you ready to dash off to the Highlands with Cressida Fawcett? I do love Fliss Chester’s books!
Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. It starts each Friday and runs through the following Thursday. Each week, there’s a new prompt featuring a book-related question. It’s designed to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, make new blogging friends, and gain followers. See what others have to say on this topic and link up your own post here.
When you write your reviews, which do you discuss more – the plot or the characters?
(submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews)
I tend to talk about characters more. If I see a hole in the plot that you can drive a tank through, though, I’ll mention it!
What do you focus on more in your reviews? Leave a comment, and link up on the Hop!
I just love a good cozy murder mystery! Will have to take a closer look at this series. I do like the witty synopsis!
Have a wonderful weekend and happy reading!
Elza Reads
Sounds like a wonderful setting for a mystery!
Death in the Highlands sounds like fun! (Well, except for the murder, of course.)
My reviews go here and there and everywhere.
A locked room mystery with an interesting setting. This sounds exactly like the kind of cozy mystery I’d enjoy. Thanks for mentioning it!
This definitely sounds like a cozy mystery I would enjoy. Good choice!
Sounds like a great read!!! Happy weekend!
Looks like a good book! When I write reviews, I think I usually tend to talk about the plot.
This sounds like the exactly the kind of book I love. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! 🙂
I say I talk more about the characters but sometimes it depends with sticks out more. Some books are more character driven and others are more plot driven.