November 15, 2023
A Scottish wedding is plagued by snow and murder. Dr. Emilia McRoy left the pressure cooker atmosphere of a Seattle ER for Sea Isle, Scotland, and in a short time made many friends and helped solve a murder. Now her friend Angie is getting married in a castle belonging to Ewan Campbell, laird, mayor, and constable of Sea Isle, who hired Emilia as coroner but has a fraught relationship with her. Ewan drives Emilia, her friend Mara, and some medical supplies Emilia hopes will not be needed through heavy snow to the destination wedding, which is not without problems. The groom's father is against the marriage, and Angie's father's current wife and all his exes are in attendance. While taking a break, Emilia witnesses something going on in the turret that turns out to be a murder. Since her office is already snowed in, it's up to her, Ewan, and his men to investigate. Back in her room, Mara feels sick, perhaps from overindulging. But when Emilia and her clever assistant, Abigail, do an autopsy on the dead man, her diagnosis is poison, and she suspects that Mara and Angie may be suffering from the same toxin. As the wedding events continue, the dead man is identified as Robbie, Angie's former boyfriend and the groom's estranged friend. Although they have indeed been poisoned by antifreeze, Emilia's strategy of pushing lots of fluids on her headachy friends has flushed most of the toxins from their systems. Now Emilia and Ewan must race to identify a killer from among the ill-assorted and feuding groups of wedding guests. Plenty of suspects in a locked-castle mystery in which whisky flows and secrets come to light.
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November 27, 2023
In Connelly’s diverting second whodunit with Dr. Emilia “Em” McRoy (after An American in Scotland), the American expat is delighted to accept an invitation to her friend Angie’s wedding at a remote Scottish castle owned by constable Ewan Campbell. Soon after she arrives, a blizzard knocks out all modes of communication, isolating the wedding party. While wandering through the castle’s turret, Em stumbles across a body: the bride’s abusive ex, who was not invited to the festivities and hasn’t been in touch with anyone in the family for years. After several more suspicious accidents and close calls, Em realizes she and the rest of the wedding party have been trapped with a killer. With no way out of the snowbound castle, and no certainty about who to trust, she teams up with Ewan to investigate. While there are a few too many repetitive conversations and instances of creeping through dark hallways alone, Connelly provides memorable characters, an immersive setting, and an exciting enough mystery to solve. It’s an enjoyable puzzle. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary.