This is book # 2 in the Highlands Bookshop Mystery series. I rather enjoyed book one but this sophomore effort falls far short.

A former resident is returning as “author in residence” and is acting quite the diva, demanding special accommodations everywhere and even arriving two days early. Daphne inserts herself where she isn’t wanted and is not shy about showing her disdain for everyone in the community. Of course, the ladies of the Highlands Bookshop, and the attached tea shop, do all they can to make her welcome, hoping for a boost in business.

I know this is a cozy mystery and don’t expect the kind of gore and mayhem from a hard-hitting police procedural. But I DO expect a murder and a reasonable effort by the amateur sleuth to investigate. There is a murder early on, but there doesn’t seem to be any investigation, either by law enforcement or the Bookshop ladies. Instead celebrity author Daphne Wood takes over with her diva behavior for two-thirds of the book. Another death finally captures the attention of the village; but it doesn’t happen until page 206, and is followed by a lot of hand wringing and some speculation but not much else. When the ladies finally get their noses into the investigation, the killer immediately knows about it and their lives are in danger. But without any effort to get out of the mess they are rescued and law enforcement simply tells them how they captured the culprit and solved the case.

B O R I N G

And I’m done with this series. ( )

I am really enjoying this series. A perfect setting a Bookshop and tea room in Scotland with quirky characters who I can see sitting down to tea and Scones with sharing gossip. It is a fun easy read with a good mystery that just when you think you have figured out whodunit another twist is thrown in. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. ( )

Dry. Dull. Boring. I'm very disappointed with this book, especially after liking the first one so much. The writing was dry. The characters were dull. The book was boring. Unfortunately, I only made it five chapters in before the thought of reading another word made my head hurt. ( )

This is the second book in the Highland Bookshop series. Janet and her business partners have opened their tearoom next door to the bookshop and their B&B located upstairs from the bookshop. All three businesses are doing well.

This time out, Inversgail is hosting a guest author, Daphne Wood, as author-in-residence for three months, for the local schools. She was originally born and raised in Inversgail, but had gone to Canada to live and not been back to Scotland in 30 years. During that time she has written a number of books on the environment for adults and children. She has also agreed to a book signing at Yon Bonnie Books.

Prior to Daphne’s arrival, a letter is received with her “requirements” for her book signing and her three month stay. It is quite detailed and overwhelming, to say the least; listing particular pens to specific food and drink. When Daphne arrives a day early, she also has her dog in tow – which she neglected to tell her hosts she was bringing. This requires a change in her living accommodations.

A young American is found dead behind a pub, favoured by locals. His connection to Yon Bonnie Books is that he had stayed in the B&B earlier in the week. Daphne has read up on a previous murder that was solved by Janet and her partners, and is determined to be part of their team. The ladies are not interested in the rude, cruel and demanding artist assisting any sleuthing they do.

When Daphne is found dead from poisoning in the cottage she is living in, and the source is scones from the bookshop tearoom, Janet and friends feel there is a possible tie to the American. There is also the question of the disappearance of a local teacher who had been seen in Daphne’s company.

I enjoyed the first book and this book and I see there is a third! Yay! ( )

This was a charming cozy mystery, second in series, set in a Scottish village called Inversgail. Four friends have established a combination bookshop/tea room where local folks come to hang out and catch up with one another. They have one mystery solving under their belt and they're hopeful it's their last.

All is going along swimmingly well until a little known customer of a local B&B as well as a nearby pub winds up dead in the pub's back alley. No one could imagine who would have it in for this young fellow who no one in town knows. He was only here on holiday. This is soon followed by the early arrival of a long since gone local girl who's made a name for herself in eco-activism and writing in the wilds of Canada. She steps on each and everyone's corns and is quickly "persona non grata". Then there's a second death and the bookshop/tea shop friends are eager to help vet out the case. There are twists, turns and many'a red herring. The end was rather a surprise. Bookish folks sure can have grand imaginations. ( )