Heather and Homicide: The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series, Book 4

Macrae’s delightful fourth Highland Bookshop mystery (after Thistles and Thieves) opens with the arrival of true crime writer Heather Kilbride in Inversgail, Scotland, where she plans to research the recent Murray murder case, which American expat Janet Marsh, Janet’s daughter, and Janet’s two friends and business partners had a hand in solving. The four women are co-owners of the Yon Bonnie Bookshop, the Cakes and Tales Tearoom, and the Bedtime Stories B&B. Heather, who visits the bookshop, disappears more than once before her dead body turns up on a remote hill outside the town. Janet and her colleagues investigate, helped by Constable Norman Hobbs and frequently hindered by Inspector Russell of the Major Investigation Team. Their genteel interrogations uncover a great many suspects, and the culprit will catch most readers by surprise. Appealing local color, including a dash of Scottish dialect, buoys this easygoing mystery, which is heavy on pleasant conversation and deductive rumination if light on action. Cozy fans are in for a treat. Agent: Cynthia Manson, Cynthia Manson Literary. (Dec.)