cover image The Burning Glass: A Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron Mystery

The Burning Glass: A Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron Mystery

Lillian Stewart Carl, . . Five Star, $25.95 (397pp) ISBN 978-1-59414-591-9

Veteran Carl brings Great Scot reporter Jean Fairbairn and ex-cop Alasdair Cameron to the hills of the Scottish border in their engaging third outing (after The Murder Hole ). Alasdair, now a security guard at crumbling, haunted Ferniebank Castle, and Jean, on assignment to do a story about the history and legends of the castle before its transformation into a spa and conference center, anticipate a romantic two-week idyll. Then a councilor in the nearby town of Stanelaw goes missing, as does a folk harp once played for Mary, Queen of Scots. When three people die in quick succession, the lovers dive into a dangerous and intriguing investigation. Authentic dialect (marred only by too-frequent clichés), detailed descriptions of the castle and environs, and vivid characters recreate an area rich in history and legend. The tightly woven plot is certain to delight history fans with its dramatic collision of past and present. (Sept.)