Murder in a Scottish Garden

Murder in a Scottish Garden by Traci Hall has Paislee Shaw acting as chaperone on her son’s class field trip to the Leery Estate. Paislee is hoping to see her wayward landlord, Shawn Marcus while there because there is only five days left on the thirty days’ notice he served her. While waiting for one of her charges to exit the restroom, Paislee hears a pop and then Lady Leery’s nephew, Charles Thomson falls through the hedges dead. DI Mack Zeffer is on the case, and he is interested in Paislee’s keen observations. DI Zeffer, though, does not want Paislee investigating, but her curiosity gets the best of her. She soon discovers that there are more suspects than sprouting weeds in a spring garden. Paislee needs to narrow down the list and zero in on the guilty party. Murder in a Scottish Garden is the 2nd A Scottish Shire Mystery. It can be read as a standalone if you have not indulged in Murder in a Scottish Shire. I like that the main characters (Paislee, Brody, Gramps) are developed. We continue to learn more about this little family. I enjoyed the descriptions of Nairn, Scotland with its nosy residents and charming shops. Not as much time was spent in Cashmere Crush this time which is a shame because I love the cozy shop. I enjoy reading about the beautiful yarns Paislee carries and the items she creates with them. The mystery was complex and thought-out. There are a handful of suspects along with good clues. I enjoyed solving this whodunit. I did feel, though, that the book lacked action. The pacing was sluggish in the middle. I am surprised Cashmere Crush makes money with the amount of time Paislee spends running around town with the shop closed. There is a way to balance work and sleuthing (hint to the author). I was not a fan of the lawsuit storyline (parents sued Paislee—who has no money—because she protected a little girl from seeing a dead man). It seemed silly and unnecessary. There are two potential suitors for Paislee, but issues keep her from getting together with her son’s headmaster who runs hot and cold. Grandpa is still looking for his missing son. This storyline started in Murder in a Scottish Shire and is touched on in this book. I wonder how long the author will stretch out this thread. Murder at a Scottish Social is the next book in the series. Murder in a Scottish Garden is a charming whodunit with a mystifying maze, a striking sculptor, a dedicated detective, a trivial lawsuit, real estate miseries, and a mysterious murder.

I enjoyed this story,