15 March 2023.
ISBN: 978-180483-127-4 (PB)
Sophie Sayers has been very happy since she inherited her great-aunt’s cottage in the delightful village of Wendlebury Barrow. She loves her home and enjoys her job helping at the village bookshop, Hector’s House, especially since Hector, the owner of the shop, has become her boyfriend. She has made many good friends and discovered a new interest in becoming a writer and increasing confidence in her ability to do so. Sophie has dedicated herself to advancing the prosperity of the bookshop, suggesting many innovations and building up the cafe in the shop, but she has become increasingly restless and concerned that Hector tends to take her for granted. She has persuaded Hector to leave his beloved bookshop and accompany her on holiday to stay with her parents in the Scottish Highlands. However, she is worried that the lady who has been employed to take her place in the tea room will be a more popular baker than Sophie herself and that Hector seems unaware of her unique contribution to the business.
Sophie is eager to return to the country she loves but nervous about whether her parents will like Hector and whether he will get on with them. She is glad that he has made the effort to buy a vintage book of Gaelic poetry for her mother, who is a lecturer in Gaelic Language and culture. They have just started the drive to Scotland when one of the people who is helping them by serving in the shop, phones to ask after the Gaelic book because a customer has heard Hector bought it and has travelled some distance to buy it from him. The man offers a tempting mark up on the book but, to Sophie’s relief, Hector insists it’s not for sale. Soon after this, the journey becomes even more stressful when they are harassed by the aggressive driver of a white van.
Wendlebury Barrow is always a hotbed of gossip and the rumour has gone round that Sophie and Hector are heading to Gretna Green to be married. While they know this is nonsense, Sophie isn’t happy when they need to break the journey at the services at Gretna Green. Hector parks his Land Rover at the far side of the car park next to a very similar vehicle and, getting into conversation with the driver, they discover that he is also a bookseller. The man is experienced in the second-hand book trade and invites them to visit his shop so that he can give Hector some hints to improve the startup of this part of his business. Sophie and Hector go into the services and when they return they are horrified to see that both Land Rovers have been cordoned off by Scene of Crime tape and discover that somebody has attacked the other book seller.
Sophie’s parents make them both very welcome, but Sophie is worried about them. Her mother used to be passionately fond of wild swimming but, after the death of her best friend in a swimming accident, she has not only given up swimming but has also become so anxious that she will not allow those she loves to do anything in the least risky. This has resulted in her doing all she possibly can to stop her husband walking the mountains known as the Munros and the frustration of this has made him habitually drink too much.
The holiday starts well with a visit to an iconic bookshop, followed by swimming at an indoor pool but Hector suffers a series of accidents, these are minor but have the potential to have been serious. More incidents occur and it seems increasingly unlikely that these are coincidental. Neither Sophie nor Hector can think of any reason why Hector should become a victim, but Sophie is afraid that her boyfriend’s life is in danger.
Murder in the Highlands is the eighth book in the series featuring Sophie Sayers, a
delightful cosy crime series. Several of the earlier books in the series have
been republished under different titles but this is a new publication under
original title. This is a very enjoyable book, which develops the main
characters in many fascinating ways. Sophie reveals new skills and strengths,
notably her strength as a swimmer and her talent as a pianist. On the other
hand, Hector is forced to admit to certain vulnerabilities, which had not been
obvious when he was on his safe home territory of Wendlebury Barrow. This has
the result of readjusting the balance of power in their relationship, which is
satisfactory for both Sophie and, I suspect, many long-term readers. Sophie is
an engaging protagonist, and it is enjoyable to see her blossom, and for the reader to be introduced to other characters, especially Sophie’s parents, as well as brief
appearances by the usual Wendlebury Barrow residents. Murder in the
Highlands is an enjoyable cosy crime novel, which I recommend.
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Reviewer:
Carol Westron
Debbie Young was born and raised in Sidcup, Kent. When she was 14, her family relocated to Germany for her father’s job. Debbie spent four years at Frankfurt International School, broadening her outlook as well as gaining the then brand new IB (International Baccalaureate). She returned to the UK to earn her BA (Hons) in English and Related Literature at the University of York, then lived and worked for a while in London and the West of England as a journalist and PR consultant. In 1991 she moved to the Cotswolds. In 2002, she married a Scot named Gordon whom she met in Swindon – and not, as village rumour once had it, a Swede named Scottie. In 2003, her daughter Laura was born. Best Murder in Show was the first in her series featuring Sophie Sayers. There are now a further three books in this series.
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To read a review of Carol latest book The Curse of the Concrete Griffin
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