I generally liked this, although I wish Abi and Ben had been closer. I enjoyed the mystery and I didn't see it coming - whether because it was that good or because there was no evidence leading to it I'm unsure. Either way I was kept entertained. I would've liked to see Abi build more of a connection with Grant and Cam but I'm sure that'll happen in future books. I did like her relationship with Patrick and how he helped to solve the crimes. The whisky angle was interesting and I haven't read a cozy mystery in a similar vein before. I'll definitely continue with the series. ( )

Sehr schöne Geschichte und guter Roman. An einigen Stellen für mich etwas langatmig. ( )

In my time blogging about books, it has been a rare occurrence indeed that I get a cozy series from the beginning. It is quite an enjoyable experience. Abi Logan, photographer from London, is having a rough time of it lately. Her uncle Ben, the only family she has had since childhood, has recently died after a long illness and left her his farmhouse and distillery in Scotland. She has her booze journalist pal Patrick and her loyal dog Liam, to help her through her grief, but someone is not at all happy about her inheritance. Macabre and menacing gifts try to persuade her to stay away.

Her investigation in the small highland village doesn’t give her much insight into who is threatening her. On the surface it would seem that a woman owning the distillery, and brewing the iconic liquor, doesn’t sit well with the traditionalists. On the other hand Balfour is a small close knit community with long traditions and as an outsider Abi doesn’t get much sympathy from the locals, especially when a young employee ends up dead in one of her vats. Abi searches for the killer and searches her soul as she faces a tough choice.

I am not much of a drinker, but I still enjoyed learning about the process of making and selling whisky. It is far more involved than I had imagined and made a terrific backdrop for the unfolding story. I was able to figure out some of the more obvious components of the mystery, yet reading it play out in the end was still worth it. Abi, Patrick and few of the townsfolk were memorable well written characters, and the prospective buyers with their individual stories and quirks made for great reading. However, most of the rest of the residents in the village could have used a bit more fleshing out. That does leave a lot of room for growth during the series. There is obviously also a colorful town history that can be tapped into for inspiration. All in all this was a great afternoon’s read and this seems to be a series that will be enjoyable for a long time to come.



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ( )

Single Malt Murder is the first book in a brand new series -- The Whisky Business Mystery series. The theme and the cover got my attention, pulling me in to read this book by new author, Melinda Mullet. I'm glad...this was an enjoyable read!

First, the basics: Following the death of her Uncle Ben, Abigail Logan inherits Abbey Glen whisky distillery in rural Scotland. Abi is uneasy about the situation. Not only because as an award-winning photojournalist, she knows nothing about whisky distilling, but also because she immediately begins receiving threats. Anonymous notes, bouquets of thistles and even a dead duck are left to warn her against a woman running Abbey Glen. Acts of sabotage are occurring at the distillery, too. When Abi and her friend, Patrick, discover an Abbey Glen employee dead in a vat of whisky, she decides to start investigating the events. Who doesn't want her running the distillery? Is the same person sabotaging the business? When another murder occurs, Abi starts to wonder if it's her fault....did her inheritance of the single malt whisky distillery just lead to the deaths of two people? Who feels strongly enough about it to kill?

This is an engrossing, enjoyable mystery novel! Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. The mystery portion of the plot is well-paced. There are a fair number of suspects and the ending caught me by surprise. Well done! Sprinkled throughout are interesting facts about the process of distilling and fermenting whisky. I had no idea it's such a long and involved process. The subplot didn't overwhelm the mystery, but added depth to the story. I liked Abi as a main character. She is a strong, independent woman who went about her investigations with skill. The supporting characters are interesting with enough small village quirkiness to make them interesting and appealing. There is a touch of romance within the story, but it isn't a main focus, rather like the frosting on the cupcake.

This is Melinda Mullet's first novel. It was well-written and an excellent cozy mystery. I highly recommend it to mystery lovers and whisky connoisseurs alike. Thanks to this book the next time I take a sip of whisky I will definitely be thinking about all that went into producing it.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series! Death Distilled will be published in September 2017.



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What a great introduction to a cozy mystery series. Abi Logan, who is actually a photographer, inherits from her uncle and foster father a whiskey distillery in Scotland. While she tries to take over the heritage locally, not only is the distillery sabotaged, but a young man is murdered. Abi faces many hurdles, as it is also unusual for a woman to run a whiskey distillery. The distiller is very fond of her, but Abi takes a long time to accept it. Furthermore, she must first work up the history of the company so that she can dissolve the murder. At the same time, she herself is in grave danger.
A great exciting book and I will definitely read the rest of the books in this series. ( )