‘A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson

Published by Constable,
5 November 2024.
ISBN: 978-1-4087-2040-0 (HB)

When the three best friends Caro, Rosalind, and Posy, actors and amateur sleuths, known as the three Dahlia’s, are invited to the Christmas society wedding of their friend Libby to Duncan Alexander, held in his remote Scottish castle. They are in no time packed and ready for good food and plenty of mulled wine, accompanied of course by their partners.

Initially all looks good. The castle is amazing, and the location is stunningly beautiful all set for enjoyment and romance.  Unfortunately, the weather has distinctly other ideas, and the storm of the century brings unprecedented heavy snow and leaves them with no electricity, phone connection, internet, and in short, they are completely cut off from the mainland.   

It could be worse, they have food, and Bill the husband of Nora, the parents of Duncan manages to get an old generator working providing some heat for the castle.  But then the dead body of one of the guests is found outside in the snow dressed in Libby’s wedding gown and wearing a necklace of diamonds that the housekeeper Elsbeth has been trying to find, as they are family heirlooms and Nora wants Libby to wear them on her wedding day.

Unable to contact the police, or leave the castle, Jack, Rosalind’s partner, who is ex-police takes it upon himself to question everyone to get someone idea of their whereabouts during the day, as he does so secrets start to immerge.  And there are a lot of secrets.  The three Dahlia’s put their heads together to unravel the history of Dunwick Castle, and Kinley House that is situated on the other bank of the loch. The two families fell out decades ago, but why? There are many twists and turns in this fascinating book.  It will keep you reading into the early hours it did me. Highly recommended.
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Reviewer: Lizzie Sirett

Katy Watson Grew up in a family of murder mystery addicts, Katy learned early to look for means, motive and opportunity. After studying English Literature – with a sideline in crime fiction – at Lancaster University, she set about teaching herself to write her own stories, while also experiencing enough of the world to have things to write about. Two careers, a lot of airmiles, one husband, two children, three houses and forty five published books for children and adults later, lockdown finally gave her the means, motive and opportunity to create her own murder mystery – with the aid of her scientist husband’s worryingly thorough knowledge of poisons. The Three Dahlias is the result.