Publication: 14th May 2025 – Bookouture
Move over, Inspector! Lady Poppy Proudfoot is here to solve her very first case.
Scotland, 1924: When Lady Poppy Proudfoot travels to the Highlands for a midsummer party, the last thing she and her fellow guests expect is for a body to wash up beside the loch.
Despite protests that it could have been an accident, Poppy is convinced it’s murder and decides to dust off her law degree and hunt for clues. But when the police arrive, the grumpy Inspector MacKenzie dismisses her evidence, insisting a crime scene is no place for a Lady. The nerve!
With the help of her trusted Labrador, Major, Poppy begins to unpick the case. But she soon has two mysteries to solve, as her host Lady Constance Balfour claims a diamond and emerald bracelet has been stolen. Could the two cases be linked? Was it Freddy the footman, a favourite of her ladyship? Or American actress Miss Cornett, with a keen eye for jewels? Or with such a dazzling guestlist, was someone from the local village tempted into the grounds by the party?
When a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Poppy is attacked, she realizes that someone wants her off the case. Someone connected to Balfour House is a murderer and a thief, but who? And can Poppy solve the mystery before she, too, washes up beside the loch?
A warm, unputdownable page-turning historical whodunnit, perfect for fans of Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, T.E. Kinsey and Catherine Coles.
Death at the Highland Loch is my first novel by Lydia Travers and I enjoyed it very much. The writing is immersive and the story is fun, mysterious, and fast-paced with a strong female protagonist.
The novel is set in Scotland in 1924, specifically in a house party in the Highlands. The protagonist, Lady Poppy Proudfoot, is independent and strong-minded, having also gained her own law degree. Accompanied by her loyal labrador, Major, Poppy is expecting a relaxing stay with Lady Balfour and her guests, which include actors and movie producers, when, first she is asked to find a diamond that has disappeared and then someone is found murdered by the loch. Poppy, with a passion for solving mysteries and armed with a notebook and a pen, starts to investigate, very much to the annoyance of the grumpy Inspector MacKenzie.
First of all, I loved the setting of the Highlands with also a brief stop at Edinburgh, having finally visited Scotland myself and being now completely obsessed with it. The story and the mysteries are also well-plotted. There is the disappearance of a jewelry and a murder and I liked how the twists in both cases kept me quite intrigued. Poppy is an interesting character. Her determination in solving the cases puts her (and also those close to her) in danger, but I enjoyed how she turns into a resourceful amateur sleuth and her witty exchanges with Inspector MacKenzie were quite entertaining.
Death at the Highland Loch is an engaging and compelling cozy historical mystery and I am looking forward to reading more about Poppy and Major’s adventures!
A huge thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a proof of the novel.
Lydia Travers writes historical cosy crimes; and historical romances under the name Linda Tyler. She is an award-winning author. Born in London, she moved progressively north until settling with her husband in a village on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. She has kept chickens, bred dogs and raised children. A former legal academic and practitioner, she runs self-catering holiday accommodation, sings in a local choir and is walked daily by her dog. She loves to read reviews from readers who have enjoyed her novels. Lydia is a member of the Crime Writers Association.
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