Off Kilter (A Scottish Highlands Mystery)

I enjoyed this book a lot. An interesting mystery and good description of Scotland. As someone who has rented a car and traveled there I can really identify with Eden the heroine of this cozy Scottish mystery. I look forward to the next books in this series.

The heroine of this lighthearted mystery, Eden Elliott, is an American visiting the Scottish Highlands, hoping to recuperate from a rough year (divorce, loss of mother). As a budding romance writer, she likes the idea of a nice quiet village where she can work.Glenkillen turns out to be not so quiet. Eden finds a dead body soon after her arrival, and a woman she befriended on the jet coming over is suspected of the murder. Eden can't resist doing a bit of sleuthing to help her new friend – and it's a good excuse to put off writing the sex scenes that her romance novel requires. For a romance writer, Eden is singularly adverse to romance, despite the attentions of a certain attractive local Scotsman.The mystery is a good one involving a family feud over inheritance. The local police inspector has a charming accent and a sharp mind. He is assisted against his will by a volunteer cop whose enthusiasm and bumbling provides a comic element. The locals are convincing, sometimes quirky, characters. Between them, and the haunting scenery and the bizarre local dishes Eden samples, this novel has a rich Scottish flavor. It's also rich in threats to the lives of Eden and her friend.I have never read a romance novel, but I suspect that Off Kilter shares a little of the feeling of one, as well as being an entertaining cozy-style mystery.

Eden Elliott is off to the village of Glenkillenin the Scottish Highlands. She needs a cleanbreak after the death of her mother to MSand a divorce. She is going to Scotland to doher own research for a book she is writing.On the plane ride, Eden meets Vicki McBride.Vicki is returning to her homeland due to thedeath of her father plus she inherited the farmwhich does not sit well with other family members.This story presents interesting array of charactersset in a land which will take the reader to adifferent style of life.The description is so well defined the readerwill feel as if they are right there experiencingthe Scottish culture as Eden does plus theharrowing situations that are aimed to sendher away from Vicki and the farm.Secrets, lies, murder, suspense make for awell written, well plotted mystery that movesalong at a frightening pace.The fur babies adding to the story are Kelly,the Border Collie who helps find clues plusCoco and Pepper, the Highland Terriers.Jasper, the barn cat makes severalappearances helping point to the culprit.

'm William Wallace, and the rest of you will be spared. Go back to England and tell them... Scotland is free! - William WallaceAfter her bitter divorce and her mother's heartbreaking death, Eden Elliott retreats to her father's homeland - Scotland - to jump start her writing career. She flies from Chicago to London for her connecting flight to Inverness, only to meet another "lost" soul, Vicki MacBride, en route to the seaside village of Glenkillen. Eden and Vicki become friends as they integrate themselves into Scottish life. Yet trouble follows both of them, prompting Eden to investigate the untimely death of the sheep sheerer, the fire at the B&B, and other mysterious activities in this quiet village.OFF KILTER is an immersion into Scottish life through the eyes of American Eden Elliott. Reed captures the Highland spirit as the heroine wanders around the village seeking inspiration for her romance novel. Her unexpected turn as as amateur detective riles some of the villagers. Eden finds an ally in a potential suitor - a man in a kilt, of course!Reed delivers an entertaining cozy mystery which will appeal to fans of Scottish culture. She pokes fun at Eden's efforts to write her romance novel while paying tribute to the romance of Alba itself.I purchased OFF KILTER for my reading pleasure.

Hannah Reed's "Off Kilter" is the first book in her Scottish Highlands series.Eden Elliott takes herself off to the Scottish Highlands in order to finish the novel she is writing and to get away for a while to recover from the death of her mother and a recent divorce. At the urging of her best friend, Ami, Eden takes off for an extended vacation among the sheep farms and beauty of the Highlands. While there, she befriends Vicki MacBride, the heiress to her father's farm and money. Not long after her arrival, Eden comes upon the body of a local, well-liked man. Police think the main suspect is Vicki MacBride. Eden sets out to clear Vicki's name.I enjoyed the setting of this mystery and what I learned about the Highlands. Eden's character could use a little more depth, but overall, I liked the book. I have the second in the series ready to be read.

I found this an average cozy mystery. The story in itself was an OK read, but I found some of the details to be poorly researched. For example, Kirkwall is in Orkney, and island of the north of Scotland. In my opinion it would be unusual to take someone to hospital in Kirkwall when they were injured just north of Inverness which has a major hospital. Or Cullen Skink, which is a Scottish dish and, as mentioned, is made from Smoked Haddock. Obviously haddock which has gone through the smoking process, though the landlady of the inn describe it as "coming on today's catch". If you are from the UK you might find, like me, these type of errors distract from the story line.

This book was intriguing and really kept me reading, the story line had many turns and twists keeping me guessing right to the very end .

I quite enjoyed this. The characters were fun, and thankfully quite reserved so there wasn’t an over abundance of unnecessary dialogue that seems to creep into a lot of cozy mysteries. The mystery was investigated by a rather tricksy inspector (and his over enthusiastic and bumbling trainee) who was a nice foil for the confused, worried and determined American transplant. Only reason for not giving this a full five stars is that I wasn’t a fan of the post-unveiling of the killer scene. It was a bit happy families for me. Still, I’m definitely going to be picking up the next book.

Ich habe dieses Buch als Geschenk für meinen Mann gekauft, der alles Schottische sehr liebt und Kriminalromane sowieso. Ihm hat dieses Buch glücklicherweise auch sehr gut gefallen, sodass ich nichts falsch gemacht habe.Ich selbst fand das Buch aber weniger interessant, da hier Schottland allein aus den Augen einer Amerikanerin betrachtet wird, die nur erkennt, was dort, wo sie sich befindet, anders ist als in ihrer Heimat, nicht aber, was für Schottland typisch ist und anders als im übrigen Europa und insbesondere als in England.Die Heldin ist eine amerikanische Schriftstellerin, die sich eine Auszeit in Schottland gönnt, um dort ihren neuen Liebesroman zu schreiben oder zu mindestens die dafür nötige Kraft zu finden; damit ist wohl auch die Situation der Autorin beschrieben, über die gesagt wird, sie sei, um eine in Schottland spielende Serie zu schreiben, wiederholt nach Schottland gereist.Wenn man also nicht erwartet, hier Tiefergehendes über Schottland zu erfahren, sondern dies als einen Reisebericht einer USAmerikanerin, die sich in Schottland befindet, akzeptiert, dann hat man einen ziemlich typischen Cozy, den zu lesen durchaus Spaß macht.

I loved the quirky character of Eden and reading about how she came to be in the village of Glenkillen. I really enjoyed how the writing flowed--it made the reading a pleasure. I liked the descriptions of the village and the dialog of the characters--I could really hear them talking. I have to admit I did figure out who the murderer was, but this does not bother me or detract from the story for me.What does detract is the feeling that the story has run on too long. Oh, it wasn't just this author--this seems to be going on with most of the cosy stories that I use to love so much. I want to stop a book with the feeling that I need to read the next book NOW. But now I get the same feeling that I do when I indulge too much in a dessert I love. I feel over filled and do not really want to look at another dessert for a long time. The same is with a too long story. And that is too bad when I start a new series. I really enjoyed this book but will I remember when the next one comes out?3.5 stars