Death at the Highland Loch is a charming blend of historical fiction, cozy crime, and a bold, no-nonsense heroine who isn't afraid to challenge the status quo. Set in the early 1900s, this no-spice mystery weaves together threads from the past, present, and future to spin a tangled web of secrets and lies. At the heart of the story is a woman determined to solve a murder despite being overlooked by the men in charge—especially a grumpy policeman who clearly underestimates her. Watching her navigate that tension while digging up clues was not only entertaining, but a satisfying reminder of how often women have had to prove themselves in male-dominated roles.

As the mystery unfolds, it becomes clear that she’s the only one seeing the full picture, even if no one wants to admit it. Of course, in classic fashion, the local lawman eventually has to concede that her instincts and intellect were spot-on all along. The setting was atmospheric, the characters were layered, and the pace kept me turning the pages. It was the perfect mix of light-hearted fun and thoughtful commentary on gender dynamics in historical times. I’m already eager to pick up the next book in this series!

I'm hooked with the first book in this series by Lydia Travers. I loved the setting and bringing in fun historical references in this mystery series. And I adore the banter between Lady Poppy and the inspector. Plenty of twists, turns, and misdirection to hold my interest. I'll be looking forward to the next book in the series. The narrator had distinct characters and a dynamic read.

Great start to a new series! This is my first book by Lydia Travers and I plan on looking for her other series. I loved Poppy and her matter-of-fact style, continuing her investigation and finding helpful clues despite the inspector telling her not to (not that anyone ever listens to this sound advice). This was set in a location that I have been wanting to visit so it was a fun bonus to learn more about the area. I l also enjoyed the ending where she met with the authors of her guidebook (who I think are the main characters in the other series). All in all, a fast-paced, well-plotted mystery that I could not put down. Highly recommended!

The narrator did a fantastic job with different accents and giving all the characters distinct voices.

Great book loved that it wasn't who I thought it was for the murderer it kept me guessing so many books follow the same plot line and this one kept me on the edge of my seat. Not just a murder but multiple not just 1 villain but multiple.

Death at the Highland Loch is a delightful cozy mystery.

Lady Poppy Proudfoot is attending a house party when a man is found dead on the estate. In addition, she’s been asked by her hostess to find a missing bracelet. Are the two mysteries connected? Poppy went to law school, but wasn't allowed to practice law, being a woman, so she turns her mind and education towards these mysteries.

This is the first book in this series, so there was the typical setting-of-the scene that can sometimes be a bit cumbersome, but the story moved along at a good pace.

I enjoyed this book as an audiobook. The narration was good, with different accents and inflections for the different characters.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley – thank you!

I didn’t realize this was a spinoff when I requested it, and the callbacks to the original series were laid on pretty thick. But the Scottish Highlands setting got me, and honestly—it was a cozy enough start.

Poppy Proudfoot is rich, nosy, and refuses to sit quietly while the men sort it out. She’s not your usual fallen-from-grace heroine, which was refreshing. A bit too smug sometimes, sure, but entertaining. Her dynamic with Inspector MacKenzie slowly shifts from cold shoulder to low-key banter, and her dog Major is definitely the scene-stealer here.

The mystery itself is fine. Predictable at times, but enough going on to stay interested. The narration is solid, though the American accents are… a choice. Still, Sarah Barron keeps the pacing smooth and the dialogue engaging.

🖤 Final thoughts:
Cute and inoffensive with a classic setup. Not a standout, but if you like your historical mysteries light, tidy, and set in drafty estates—this one works.

Best for: Readers who enjoy tidy historical mysteries with meddling main characters, subtle tension, and a hint of charm.

A cozy mystery with a hint of flirting 😉
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the audiobook.

Lady Poppy embarked on her first mystery solving adventure in spite of her status in society and lack of experience.

The mystery was interesting enough to keep you guessing, although I had my suspicions about the ending. I liked however, the fact that the plot did not stick to only one investigation path, and that was cleverly used as a red herring.

I generally enjoy works of fiction of the period and thus the type of activities and dialogue, and had plenty to be glad for with this book, including the setting.

Loved the audiobook narration; perfect for the book.

What a great introduction to a new cozy series! I love the combination of history and mystery. The 1920s is such an interesting era, the way it is sandwiched in between two world wars. And, be still my heart, the Scottish setting adds even more of a thrill.

Nothing says summer fun like a Highlands house party complete with a dead body. And Lady Poppy just can’t keep out of the investigation, much to the consternation of a certain dour police Inspector. Great dynamics between these two and lots of tension which was fun.

Poppy’s penchant for keeping important evidence a secret from the Inspector irked me a bit though. It’s pretty standard cozy mystery fare, but I need there to be a good reason…or at least a plausible one…for the amateur sleuth to keep silent about important clues. Poppy is peeved because the Inspector wasn’t taking her seriously enough (at their first meeting, no less!) and so she holds back information which just made her seem childish and petty. Thankfully, she gets better at sharing as the story progresses.

One mystery morphs into two that may or may not be connected and Poppy’s in the thick of things all the way through. Great pacing and wonderful secondary characters kept me engaged right to the very end. Travers has a beautifully descriptive writing style and a knack for writing dialogue that zings which made this an easy book to breeze through.

This is the first in the Lady Poppy Proudfoot series, though it’s a wee bit of a spin off from the author’s previous Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series – at least the heroines from those books make some cameo appearances in this one. Not enough to confuse new to Lydia Travers readers (like me) but enough to tempt us to backtrack post haste to the earlier series.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘Death at the Highland Loch’ and really enjoyed Sarah Barron’s wonderful narration. She was great with the all the accents which really added to my listening pleasure.

My thanks to Bookouture Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.

I felt like I was reading a Scottish Nancy Drew. This book was just fun and light. Nothing deep or life-changing...but just fun. It was nice that there were some interesting bits of information about women's history sprinkled in. It was also fun to see what suffrage was like in the UK. Glamour and mystery, with a touch of aristocracy. Relaxing read/listen.

This is a very enjoyable cosy murder mystery set in Scotland.

"Death at the Highland Loch" is the first in the Lady Poppy Proudfoot series of mysteries featuring the eponymous Poppy as an amateur detective. It is set in the mid-1920s mostly in a country house and estate on the edge of the Highlands but also in Edinburgh, and involves a wide variety of characters from servants to the aristocracy. There is a promising element of romance which I suspect and hope will be followed up later in this series.

The book is read by Sarah Barron whose accent and delivery are ideal.

'Death at the Highland Loch' is the first book in the 'Lady Poppy Proudfoot' series. The story is filled with mysteries (yes! more than one!), delightful characters, cute dogs, and maybe some romance on the horizon.

The mystery, first of all, was interesting, though the ending, which was filled with action, was kind of rushed. I did enjoy, however, the addition of the other small mysteries that come together in the end.

The characters, moreover, were all quirky and endearing, especially Poppy. The author also did a great job creating pretty images, and it was like watching Poppy getting dressed and walking through the Lochs.

In addition, the little and not so little dogs were adorable and funny.

Furthermore, the romance, though there were only specs of it in this first book, was promising and interesting.

Finally, the audiobook was nicely narrated and produced.

Okay I can’t be the only one that needs more Inspector MacKenzie! I truly loved loved loved this book!! I enjoyed going about this case with Lady Poppy and getting the banter I needed from her and Inspector MacKenzie! I can’t wait for more! I need it! The audiobook was magical and made me feel like I was there!! So good!

Whilst I found Poppy to be a rather peevish character, I enjoyed the setting and found the mystery well-woven and intriguing. I'll certainly listen to further adventures

This was such an interesting story. I didn't see who did it until it was revealed. Poppy is a very interesting character and I love how she was working the case when she wasn't supposed to be. Major is such a cute pup and I love that he is involved in the book. Inspector MacKenzie also grows on you through the book. Very quick interesting read.

Right from the start this book is hard to get into, all I got is that there’s something about a movie and a bunch of people have gotten together from different backgrounds. Poppy the main character seems like a know it all, and there are a few people with these Texas accents is the only way I know how to describe it. There are too many people to try to keep track of at most just seem like gossips. I am hoping that the book gets better from here but first impressions are not good.
Puppy is absolutely insufferable. She acts like she knows better than the police just because she had some experience nursing and somehow education. Everyone else is acting like the murder is some type of game something to be excited about because it’s unusual for something to happen in this area.
Poppy ends up, leaving to go to an event and to pick up her friend from the train station. Her friend gets attacked, and the police assumed that the attack was supposed to be for Poppy. There’s also a bracelet that has gone missing and seems to take president over the murder.
There are similar books to this that I would recommend highly.
There is another murder that is used to enhance the relationship between Poppy and the detective and the jewelry store is guilty of sending bills to widows of former customers.
This book is too similar to other ones that I have tried and listened to recently. There is nothing unique about it. If you don’t read a lot of books that are murder mysteries that take place in the 20s and 30s it’s a good place to start, but if you read a lot of books you are going to get bored quickly.

Big cozy Agatha Christie vibes meets the Scottish Highlands. Lady Poppy Proudfoot travels to the Highlands for a summer party in the 1920s. However, when the body of a mystery man washes up in the nearby loch, Poppy is determined to solve his murder and find who is responsible - even if it’s one of her fellow guests. She finds herself in the middle of a second mystery involving missing jewelry and before she knows it, Poppy is left untangling if these two cases are tied together. A murderer, a thief, who else will Poppy uncover as she finds herself in danger on more than one occasion.
Having just returned from the Scottish Highlands, I loved this and couldn’t put it down! It very much reminded me of my favorite Christie novels and I loved that there were moments of suspense and danger, even as it was mostly cozy. Can’t wait to read the next in Poppy’s adventures!
Thank you to Bookouture Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved The Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series so I was super excited for this new one from Lydia Travers. Death at the Highland Loch was just as cozy and exciting! I'm loving Lady Poppy and cannot wait to go with her on her next adventure!

Sarah Barron's narration is perfect!

Title: Death at Highland Loch
Series: Lady Poppy Proudfoot Book #1
Author: Lydia Traves
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Sarah Barron
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Pub Date: May 19, 2025
My Rating: 3.8 Stars
Pages: 350

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Story is set in the Scottish Highlands the summer of 1924,
Lady Poppy Proudfoot arrives at Balfour House expecting a delightful midsummer party~ certainly not a dead body washed up beside the loch.
The police believe it probably was an accident,
Poppy armed with her Oxford law degree and curiosity, is convinced it’s murder.
Inspector James Mackenzie who is full of himself dismisses Poppy’s evidence, as well as any help. He insists a crime scene is no place for a Lady. (Oh but he doesn’t know ‘this’ Lady!-
- Poppy’s quick banter with the Inspector was fun!)
Needless to say, Poopy and her loyal black Labrador- Major at her side they begin!

I am a fan thriller fan and this is definitely not a twisty thriller but is definitely an enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this enjoyable audiobook
Pub Date May 19, 2025.

This was a cute, cozy, mystery novel, and the narrator was such pleasure. The various characters each had their own distinctive voices and personality.

Set in the 1920's, Lady Poppy Proudfoot, and an assortment of other guests, are in the Scottish countryside, set to attend a garden party at the estate of Lady Balfour.

When a body turns up at the loch next to the estate their camaraderie and relaxation are derailed, mostly, while Poppy is insistent on helping the gruff Inspector MacKenzie with the investigation, even if he doesn't want the help.

This is a relaxing period mystery. The banter seems suitable for the time period, but in a more lighthearted way. The wide variety in the cast of characters would do Christie proud with their eccentricities.

Poppy seems to be a force to be reckoned with, with her sharp wit, and unapologetic confidence.

I had a great time with it and look forward to seeing more adventures of Lady Proudfoot.

What a cute book. It was my first time reading this author, and it was definitely not my last. The mystery was done well, and I liked Poppy and Mckenzie.

The only negative was the narration. While the female voice was done well, the male impersonation was a bit like a robot.