This delightful mystery series is set in Pitkirtly (Scotland) and I love the minutiae of ordinary community life  and Cecilia Peartree picking out the small observations that we all do everyday and weaving them into the story and then we throw in the larger than life character of Amaryllis Peebles - mysterious, a supposedly retired agent who attracts and is attracted to trouble wherever she goes.  Her friend and companion Christopher Wilson who works in a museum is an over thinker and I so empathise with him as I am just the same. 

 

This time Liam Johnstone, Penelope’s husband is found dead in the cellar of the Queen of Scots pub and Neil, the landlord is arrested and much to Jock McLean’s horror his local is now out of bounds.  The mystery needs to be solved as soon as possible so Neil can get back behind the bar where he belongs so a meeting is soon organised and the usual suspects get to work - Christopher, Jock, Dave, Jemima and a whole host of other locals including Maisie Sue and Jan from the woolshop (Amaryllis is temporarily unavailable being involved in a hostage situation). 

 

Thank you Cecilia for making me laugh so many times through this story you have such a great turn of phrase!  

 

I love Christopher and Amaryllis’ relationship being described “An item? Not exactly. More of an enigma inside a conundrum in the middle of one of those jigsaw puzzles with a picture of lots of baked beans or something.” 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

243 pages (6,636 pages)