Book Description Review “A box full of old books may hold the secret to a mysterious death in a small Scottish town.” – Kirkus Reviews“Enjoyable. The plot steadily gains momentum as it heads toward the satisfying ending. Well-drawn characters enhance the story line. Armchair travelers will have fun.” – Publishers Weekly“Cozy fans are in for a treat.” – Publishers Weekly [praise for the Highland Bookshop Mystery Series]“Enough motives and suspects to provide plenty of twists and turns.” – Kirkus Reviews [praise for the Highland Bookshop Mystery Series]“A new cozy mystery series in which the drama is tempered with humor.” – Marilyn Stasio, New York Times [praise for the Highland Bookshop Mystery Series]“With its cast of appealing amateur sleuths and quirky town residents, this leisurely paced mystery will attract cozy fans.” – Library Journal [praise for the Highland Bookshop Mystery Series] Read more About the Author Molly MacRae is the national bestselling author of the Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery Series, including Crewel and Unusual, and the Highland Bookshop Mystery Series, including Plaid and Plagiarism and Scones and Scoundrels. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazines for more than twenty years, and she has won the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Molly lives with her family in Champaign, Illinois. Read more Customers Review: Full disclosure upfront, I’m retired so unless I’m quilting I’m reading . I read a lot of books but don’t review a lot because I love books and find it hard to find fault with them. I have no problem giving The Highland Bookshop Series a solid 5 Stars ⭐️. Thistles and Thieves is a very entertaining entry in this ongoing series, hopefully #4 is nearing fruition with #5 & 6 waiting in the wings.Reading this installment will not disappoint, all my favorite characters are back in a new adventure, along with a quirky dog named Ranger. I don’t like spoilers so I won’t include any. I love the beautiful descriptions of this quaint Scottish village and it’s surrounding countryside, I don’t travel anymore so this series allows me to do that from my couch. Inclusion of Scot and Gaelic phrasing gives this book a fun, interesting flavor hard to find in most “cozy” mysteries and I don’t really consider this a cozy at all. I’ve read mysteries since a child, can we say a Nancy Drew die hard fan. Enough well placed red herrings allows you to keep entertained and guessing until the end. Please do yourself a favor and add Thistles and Thieves to your Kindle, Audio subscription or TBR stack on the bedside table. You will enjoy every moment and find yourself waiting for the next one. Drop in at Yon Bonnie Books, have a scone and a cuppa tea at Cakes and Tales and enjoy your afternoon, maybe you’ll get to visit with Ranger.
Each time I read one of Molly MacRae’s books in the Highland Bookshop Mystery series, I laugh a lot and picture the crazy and eccentric characters of the village of Inversgail, Scotland.Janet March and her friend, Christine Richardson, have started a book shop, Yon Bonnie Books, along with their daughters, Tallie and Summer, in the small village of Inversgail. They are forever falling over or running across dead bodies, much to the consternation of the local constabulary.When a beloved local doctor, Malcolm Murray, is the apparent victim of a bicycle accident, it is Janet who finds his body in the burn off the side of the road. Tire marks make her wonder if this is truly an accident.As if that isn’t enough, a box of first editions appear on their bookstore steps, and the women trace them to his Murray’s brother, Gerald. In rapid succession, the bookstore owners meet the Murray brother’s strange sister, and his brother Gerald is found murdered, the victim of a stabbing.The SCONES (Shadowy Constabulary of Nosy Eavesdropping Sleuths) go into action. How are these deaths related? Or are they? And what might they have to do with the books mysteriously left at their bookstore? Or is there any connection?I love Molly MacRae’s series because the main characters are interesting and believable, and the secondary characters are typical village eccentrics. Constable Hobbs is back, as well as Inspector Reddick. They aren’t real interested in the SCONES’ help, but I’m not sure they have any choice. Red herrings, twists and turns abound. If you love cozy mysteries, and the Scottish setting is to your liking, you will definitely like this third entry in the Highland Bookshop Mystery series. Bravo, Molly MacRae!
I loved Thistles and Thieves!! The returning cast of characters feel like old friends. I also love that the author inserts bits of Scottish Gaelic and Scots words. This was my favorite book from this series!! Looking forward to the next book in the series.
This book does not disappoint. The four main characters, owners of a bookshop and tea room are each unique and have a particular place in the story and in their business. The mystery carried the story along and the surprise at the end was satisfying. I await the next book in the series.
This is a great series. I kind of have a hard time understanding the Gaelic and Scottish words, but love the characters and setting. The plots are believable. I never guessed who did the murders. I hope the next one comes soon!
I always, always love her books. This one didn’t disappoint.
The Highland Bookshop Mystery Series Book 3Back to Scotland at Yon Bonnie Books with Janet and friends.Janet is out for a bike ride by Inversgail when she sees tracks and finds Dr. Murray and his bike down a very steep slope. Calling the Police Scotland emergency number, she is struck by what look like tire tracks. If this was an accident why in the world didn’t they stop? And if it wasn’t an accident who in the world would want to kill a much loved and already retired doctor?In the next few days, Janet finds a box of vintage first editions on her bookstore doorstep. The note tells her to look after them. But she and her team aren’t sure what that even means. There are mysterious writings in the books and they all agree that they must have belonged to the doctor. And off they go to find Gerald, the brother.First calling the doctor’s home they get his sister. And boy is she angry and from the looks of things the house has been robbed. Moving on to the reclusive Gerald, they instead find a dead body killed with a dagger. Now both brothers are dead and things are starting to look sketchy.The police are investigating the deaths for connections but are also looking askance at Janet and her team. They just want to find out how the books got to the shop and why.And so the mystery begins. But will Janet and her team end up in jail?The third book in the series is really good. The characters are so real and the descriptions of the area make you feel like you are right there in bonny Scotland!Very Well Done!!’NetGalley/ January 7th, 2020 by Pegasus Books |
14 reviews