I like how this involves an illness which sparks a pandemic which mirrors our past year we have had. Like all the mystery surrounding the story too! The characters make the story for me.

It's 1930s in Scotland, and the Ogilvy-Sinclairs have lived at Loch Down Abbey, with its many many acres and 125 rooms, for 600 years! But with the deaths of the children's Nanny and Lord Inverkillen (Earl and head of the household), a pandemic, and the sale of the whiskey distillery, things aren't looking good for the family - or the staff. The children are running amok, the family is in debt, there are food and toilet paper shortages, the staff are slowly succumbing to the pandemic and are down to a skeleton crew...and maybe Lord Inverkillen's death was actually murder?

Mrs. MacBain, the head housekeeper, is trying to keep the house from falling apart while also investigating Lord Inverkillen's death. Fergus, the younger son of Lord Inverkillen, is trying to save the family from massive debt and homelessness while his brother Angus, the new Lord/Earl, is off in the Tennis House. Iris, the family's ward, is trying to keep the children out of trouble while also trying to figure out why some of the expensive paintings on the wall don't match their descriptions in the house log of items. And the rest of the Ogilvy-Sinclairs are... well, I'm not really sure what they're doing beyond pretending none of the chaos around them is happening.

This satirical novel has it all - affairs, mystery, unlikable characters (some of whom eventually get their comeuppance), surprises, and lots of laughs. I enjoyed the read and look forward to more from this debut author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for granting me a copy of this humorous read in exchange for my honest review.

The story of a family living in Loch Down (Lockdown ... get it ?) Abbey while a mysterious illness is spreading in England and Scotland. The mysterious death of Lord Inverkillen leads to secrets being revealed one after the other keeping you on the edge of your seat. And when the servants start to get sick leaving the family to adjust and do things they never imagined they would have to do (like making their own bed, can you imagine) it adds a good dose of humour. I loved the little parralels between the situation we are living right now with covid-19 and the situation the family is experiencing.
I hated some characters and fell in love with others and in the end everyone got what they deserved so what more could I asked for ?

When a mysterious seemingly contagious illness strikes the population of Scotland in the 1930’s the residents of Loch Down Abbey find that they are also impacted by this illness much to their disgust.

The Inverkillen family have lived in the abbey for hundreds of years and are a noble breed, the expect to be treated in a certain way. While the illness is ravaging the is also a death suspicious seeming death within the family, which changes the course of the family’s history forever.

A great read with brilliant references to the global pandemic in our modern world. It was interesting to see how a family from noble lineage react to their staff getting hit by the illness and the shortness of food and other supplies.

A piece of light hearted reading in this uncertain world.

With a mysterious sickness boring down on the United Kingdom, the Ogilvy-Sinclair family stay locked away in their ancestral home. But when staff start dying and then the Lord of the Manor "accidentally" drowns, there may be more to this family than meets the eye. With multiple mysteries and twists as plentiful as rooms in the Abbey, this book is a fun and quick read.

It's obvious that Beth Cowan-Erskine was inspired by our own lockdown during Covid. She took that inspiration and wrote a wonderful debut novel.

This was an okay read for me. It tries to emulate the golden age n gets the right feel. I wasn't much invested in the main storyline though

Brilliant fun! Set in beautiful Scotland in the 1930s, a mysterious illness is creeping into households and causing servants and aristocrats to become sick. In Loch Down Abbey there is a wee problem...the clueless and oblivious family members don't even realize that the servants (what are their names, anyway?) start dropping like flies with the illness until it is brought to their attention. Not only that but post-war hardships are still felt so it's time to economize. As servant after servant fall sick, the family must learn how to manage impossibly difficult tasks such as making beds (gasp!) on their own.

Nanny McKenzie has died, leaving the clutch of children on their own devices. Iris, the family ward, offers to keep track of them but they are a handful, constantly exploring the massive grounds and mansion. Loudly. Lord Inverkillen's death throws another wrench into the family's affairs. Thank goodness for Mrs. MacBain, the housekeeper who knows the ins and outs more than anyone. Her curious and ordered mind is perfect for amateur sleuthing. Inspector Jarvis is the official investigator. As the story continues, we see the foibles and folly of the upper class as they struggle with daily life in the 125-room abbey. There are also more twists than an old hidden staircase.

The wit and humour are laugh out loud delightful. This book is not meant to be taken seriously but in the spirit it is written. I just love that. My favourite character is the kind and resourceful Mrs. MacBain and though the family is jam packed with problems and laughable characters, some do have redeeming qualities the odd time. The children's antics are too funny! So is the lawyer's name. And the details such as the abbey itself with its various seasonal rooms are wonderful. I think more Scottish vernacular would have added an authentic feel but that's hardly a complaint especially as the book more than makes up for it,

Those seeking humour with their historical fiction ought to read this. It is well worth it, utterly absorbing. Love the details which elevate a good read to a great one.

My sincere thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this hilarious and quirky book...it was pure enjoyment.

Set in the 1930’s Loch Down Scottish Highlands. When Lord Hamish Inverkillen goes missing, Inspector Jarvis of the Loch Down police force is called In to investigate.

Lord Hamish is eventually found, dead is it an accident? Or foul play?. But not only is he dead but Nanny McKenzie is also dead, which is very inconvenient to the family as there is no one to look after the children now, what will they do. She was in her seventies.

At the same time in England there is a mysterious illness taking over known as Virulent Pernicious Mauvais and it’s now starting to affect people in Scotland as well.

This is a type of cozy mystery, with a wealthy family who have never had to do anything for themselves, although they are quite able to spend more money than they can actually afford. We are looking at the upper class entitlement here, who don’t see the servants but expect everything done ready for them, such as a bath drawn, breakfast served in bed. There are some fairly numerous moments in the way this is written.

But this is a household with many secrets, and lies. Despite their airs and graces. I’m not sure I was keen on any of the characters. Of which there are a lot, not really sure why there are so many characters as it’s not necessary as some have such very small purpose that you wonder why they even need to be mentioned.

The story is fairly slow going which doesn’t always hold my attention, I like something a little faster paced, it does pick up a little in the second half. The plot is at times very complex and the pandemic doesn’t really add a great deal to the story, except for references of shortages of items which we have had during the Covid pandemic. As well as the fact that it means that someone in the house is possibly a killer. As no one is allowed in or out of the property.

This is a pretty easy read so if you like your cozy mystery it may suit you, with some entertaining and fun parts. I also liked the play on words with the title. Quite apt at the moment!

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Hodder&Stoughton for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

No wonder this book is over 600 pages; there is so much going on and there are so many people involved. The funny thing is that there are not a whole lot more people involved than in the average police procedural or thriller. It's just that all characters live in one house and are more or less related which sometimes makes it look as if there are more people than you would think.
Anyway, I just loved it. There is a murder, there is a mystery, there are hidden surprises in the story - as for instance what happens with one of the characters, who is supposed to be a famous author ;-), but very reluctant to talk about his books.
You could say there is too much going on; you can also say you just have to read this book and enjoy yourself with the story and the funny dialogues.

Thanks to Netgalley for this digital review copy.

I enjoyed the period country house setting of this novel very much. The cast of characters is quite long, and I did sometimes get mixed up between them. By half way through I felt the pace was flagging a little and the prolonged illness of so many of the staff seemed unrealistic. I think the book would have been better if it was either a murder/ country house detective novel or a humorous spoof. It fell somewhere between the two..

A very 'gentle' book, but great fun to read. Modern day problems are set into the 1930's world. Twists and turns in the plot keeps everything interesting. No real expectation for a sequel, mores the pity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advance copy.

This book had me at the title! and it lived up to it’s promise.

Part country house mystery, part historical fiction, part pandemic with a lots of humour, this book is a mixture of everything.

It starts as a typical locked room mystery – an eccentric and large family gather at the family estate of Loch Down Abbey a sprawling mansion and large estate in the Highlands, when Lord Inverkillen is found dead.

with no one entering or leaving the house due to a mysterious illness that has the villagers staying inside and only leaving for essentials (sound familiar) suspicions fall on the family. And what a suspicious bunch they are!

Eccentric, selfish, money-grabbing, title-hungry this family has it all. No one really likes each other, the children are wild things running rampant across the estate, the heir shows a complete lack of interest in the survival of the estate and there are far too many rooms for the dwindling staff to maintain.

Most of the characters are hateful and ridiculous, complete caricatures of Downton Abbey style aristocrats.

The servant are completely running the show and are clearly more competent than most of the family put today.

This a fun parody with lots of 2020 twists such as toilet roll hoarding to add to the madness.

A silly, funny but thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the gifted copy.

What a fun mystery! Scotland and mysteries go hand-in-hand, and this one was so cute! The author gave her characters a good sense of humor, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a cozy, fun read!

An utter delight. Tartly funny, witty, cosy mystery which makes a few gentle jabs at class and wealth, as well as examines the close knit bonds of village, hearth and home in 1930s Scotland. At the centre of all this is would-be though somewhat unwilling investigator, Mrs MacBain, the head housekeeper of Loch Down Abbey, who was a brilliant, engaging character. This was a lot of fun.

A good story with some great characters (although this is not a character study). This doesn't have the polish of a more experienced (mystery) author. Readers will have to pay close attention to who the characters are (so for those that don't want to work hard, this may not be a good fit). The author shows promise, so I hope she continue to write. Enjoyable overall.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

A fun, lighthearted bit of murder in an old country house with a rather over-the-top bonkers family. A bit confusing trying to remember all the names and family tree but an easy, mindless (in a good way) quick read. Actual plot was a bit lightweight but passed a couple of hours. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this read.

What a treat this was! Initially, I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into despite the terrific title; there are a lot of characters in this and the first chapter or so is essentially introducing all of them - kind of like a camera panning from one to the next, to the next, etc., and the POV changes as they all 'introduce' themselves. I admit I put it down a couple of times to read something else before settling in properly to it.

It's decidedly Downton Abbey-esque in the way it's set up, but with a cast of brilliantly inept and self-absorbed aristocracy. The mystery of the death of Lord Inverkillen runs parallel to a plotline of a COVID-like sickness that begins to afflict the servants in the house and ultimately affects how the family runs their lives - or doesn't, really, seeing as they can't seem to manage without the help. In a house with 125 rooms, how on earth does a family of nine manage to live in only sixteen of them?

The timeline is quite long, over a period of months rather than days, but I suppose that's partially due to it being set in the 1920s/30s rather than in a contemporary setting. The police officer in charge appears only once or twice after the body is discovered, and then it is the housekeeper, Mrs McBain, who ultimately solves the case.

Despite the slightly slow start with this - and the large number of characters - it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and particularly recommended if you're a fan of Downton Abbey (I'm not, btw).

1930s in the Scottish Highlands where Loch Down Abbey, home of the Earl of Inverkillen and his family, are experiencing death and illness among their staff. When a body is discovered in a stream.
The housekeeper, Mrs Alice MacBain, is suspicious and investigates. Unfortunately the large cast of characters are a bunch of unlikable aristocratic people. Not really a historical mystery (which I was hoping for) more a story of people not coping or caring when disaster strikes. But how will they be saved. Overall an enjoyable historical story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premises of this book sounded really good and I am a big fan of Downton Abbey so I loved the word play and setting of the book, but the actual book itself wasn't for me. I found the story hard to follow with so many characters and it constantly jumped from one character to another character what didn't help the flow of the story. Some things were mentions but never really explained. There is a lot going on, maybe to much.

3.5. This was a cute book for fans of early 20th century mysteries and Downton Abbey or the like. The author did a good job of inflecting humor into a number of the characters and storyline, and the setting was an enjoyable one. Rounded up to 4 stars here as I read the afterword that this is the author's debut novel, and I think it was really good for a debut!

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, and Beth Cowan-Erskine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.