Death at the Highland Loch is book one in the new cozy mystery series by Lydia Travers. Set in Scotland in the 1920s at a grand house, this book has the feel of a murder mystery taking place at Downton Abbey. Readers looking for a low-angst cozy mystery series with no profanity or romantic interactions will enjoy this book!

Quick Plot Summary: Lady Poppy Proudfoot finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery when she is visiting a friend for a party. Poppy takes it upon herself to investigate the murder and assist police inspector MacKenzie. Poppy is joined by her adorable dog, Major, in interviewing the staff of the house to see if she can determine the killer's identity. To make matters worse, a bracelet is reported missing, and Poppy wonders if the two events could be linked. Will Poppy be able to solve the crime without putting herself in harm's way?

My Impressions: I found Poppy to be endearing and fun and a likable main female character, and the scenes with her dog Major were adorable. Although no romantic interactions happened in this book, the stage/tension was set between Poppy and Inspector MacKenzie for more romantic developments in subsequent books in the series.

I enjoy books set in the United Kingdom, historical mysteries, and psychological mysteries and thrillers. I found this cozy mystery to be a little too cozy (slower pace, low-angst) for my taste. I wanted more excitement and intrigue, but I recognize that is more of a personal reading preference and not a reflection of the book's quality within its genre of cozy mystery.

I had a hard to time keeping track of the vast number of characters, and didn't connect with the story. Again, I think character-driven stories are my personal preference and this book landed on the plot-driven side. The plot resolved and there were no questions left unanswered.

Although not the best fit for me personally, this is a well-written cozy mystery for those that love the genre!

Notes on Audiobook Narration: The female narrator did a good job with the different Scottish and British accents. However, since there were such a vast number of Scottish characters in this book, it was hard for me to remember and distinguish each one. I found the narrator's voices for the American characters to be grating, but they were distinct from the Scottish voices so it was obvious when the Americans were talking. The narrator's voice was a little too whispery/soft for my taste, but I tried not to let that influence my rating of the book.

Content Considerations: No profanity, sex, or romantic interactions. Appropriate for all ages.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the publisher or author.

Lady Persephone “Poppy” Proudfoot is an independent woman in 1924. This Downton Abbey/Agatha Christie type novel was a cozy, lighthearted murder mystery set in Scotland. A bookie is killed on the edge of the loch and Poppy is determined to help Inspecter Mackenzie solve it. Poppy and Mackenzie grow on you as the story goes on, as do the background characters. The second murder remains as much a mystery as the first til the very end. I love that this book brings awareness of women’s suffrage post war as well as the issues still at play.
At first I was scared the audiobook wouldn’t have a Scottish narrator, but boy was it done well, especially Mackenzies western isles accent (as someone from the western isles this high praise)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Another cozy historic mystery set in Scotland. A fun plot of a Lady turned detective in the 1920’s. I’ve read Lydia Travers before and The Scottish Ladies detective agency and thus first in a series is certainly very similar, infact the ladies cross paths along the way.

Lady Poppy is in attendance at a house party accompanied by her ladies maid and her dog Major when a body washes up on the loch her detective instincts kick in and shes soon on the case much to the chagrin of the local detective. Soon the cases are rolling in and Poppy is a very busy lady.

Lots of fun, lots of laughs and it definitely fits its category, I didn’t guess whodunnit.

If you love a historic fiction cross murder mystery this is for you. 3.5 🌟

Sarah Barron’s narration was lovely 🎧

Huge thanks to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Thank you to Lydia Travers, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this cozy mystery! Lady Poppy is a likeable and sympathetic lead, accompanied by the darling Majors. She's intelligent without being arrogant, playful without being immature. I did lose track a bit of who was who among the secondaries, but still followed along well enough. The references to the previous series was a little heavy-handed for my taste. I'm not sure this book is particularly memorable, but it was pleasant to listen to while I worked outside. If Travers's other books were at my library, I'd listen to more, but they're not. Bummer. Sarah Barron was an excellent narrator and handled the accents well, as far as I could tell.

A cute and cozy mystery. I liked the audiobook narration and found the story itself to be playful and engaging. The 1920s Scotland setting was a fun touch, and I look forward to reading more about the interactions between Lady Poppy and the Detective. The dual cases were slightly odd, but that didn’t detract much from my enjoyment of the story.

Netgalley read and a new author for me, have come across the previous series but never read,but I will.

Poppy Proudfoot is off for a Midsummers party at ady Balfours manor, it doesn’t take long before there’s a dead body… and Poppy is on the case.

At time she reads a little self-centered and arrogant but I don’t mind that much, could have used more of Major, her dog. Hits the spot for a historical cozy and I will keep an eye for the second and the other series as well.
3,5 but rounding up

Lydia Travers is a new to me author and I was delighted to start this brand new series.
Set in 1920's Scotland, it follows lady Poppy Proudfoot and her dog Major as they find themselves embroiled in investigating events involving murder and missing jewellery.
Poppy is a young wealthy widow and excited to begin a new path in life. She is particularly interested in sleuthing and is inspired by the work of fellow female investigators.
A country house party is a classic setting for a cozy mystery and the Highlands hold a charming appeal and picturesque backdrop.
The story has an intriguing plot as it involves more than one murder and a secondary mystery of missing jewellery. The local inspector, grumpy but good looking, is initially dismissive of her attempts to steer the investigation but as time goes by he begins to tolerate and reluctantly take heed of her ideas.
I loved Poppy's role in finding out what happened to the missing jewellery. It showed her skills in interviewing people and following a lead with tenacity even if it did put her in danger. She also solved it without the help of a man.
Regarding the murder, there were plenty of red herrings and suspects with interesting backstories to weave through and again Poppy was always a step or two ahead of the inspector. I liked how their relationship slowly developed from aloof disinterest to light flirting by the end of the book and I'm looking forward to see their friendship grow as the series progresses.
There was quite a lot of drama at the end when all the pieces pulled together revealing the murderer providing an exciting and satisfying conclusion to Poppy's first case.
I found the story extremely easy to get caught up in with the excellently performed narration. There was a nice soft, barely there Scottish lilt to the narrator's voice which added to the charm and general feel of the story.

How much can a Lady get away with? If you're Poppy, more than most.

I am always a little apprehensive when I start a new series, especially when it is a cozy mystery series AND it is historical fiction. It could be easy to create just another cozy mystery series that is mediocre, semi-bland, and not much to look forward to. Now, with all that being said, I haven't read many of the other historical cozy mysteries that are out there, but I have read my fair share of cozy mysteries, and some get pretty redundant. And honestly, with some cozy mystery series, I am just trying to finish the series to just say I completed it. 😂

So when I started this series, I didn't know what to expect. And I am very happy to say that I cannot wait for the second in this series to come out. The beginning was a little slow for me, but often in whatever book I read I have a little trouble at the onset, unless it's an intense thriller from the first page.

This book is well written, well researched, and has the right amount of sass to be funny- but not obnoxious. And I like that there is an undertone of romance, but it isn't dominant throughout either. And what really put this over the top for me, is I could not figure out who did the crime(s). And that is always a win. I thought I did, and I don't like when I do- I find that too predictable and boring. But Lydia kept me guessing until the end, and I appreciated that in any book.

Scotland, 1924: A glamorous midsummer party in the Highlands turns deadly when a body is discovered beside the loch. Lady Poppy, armed with her law degree and a loyal Labrador, is convinced it’s murder. But grumpy Inspector MacKenzie dismisses her meddling. Can she solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim?

This fun and entertaining mystery kept me guessing. It has a strong plot and well-developed characters. I like Lady Poppy, even if she’s sometimes a bit smug in her treatment of MacKenzie and withholds information from him. The audiobook narration was well-done. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Historical fiction meets cosy murder mystery? Yes please! Lady Persephone “Poppy” Proudfoot leads the case as a widow with a law degree and an eye for clues. Teaming up with Inspector MacKenzie (much to his reluctance; classic Grumpy x Sunshine) she sets out to find out why there is a body that has washed up for her midsummer party.

Sarah Barron provided a thoroughly enjoyable narration, with many accents and distinct voices for the many characters. The Scottish accent can be a tricky one for a lot of people to understand and it was so brilliantly executed.

With lots of descriptive detail about the era it is set in and many red herrings, fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy this. The conclusion was good, the story was clean and overall I felt this was very cute and fun — shoutout to Major, the dog.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC; all opinions are my own.

I read the Scottish Ladies Detective Agency series by this author, which I liked, but I really loved this one. Poppy is a much more relatable and interesting character, and I really enjoyed her dynamic with the inspector(who I assume is the love interest). Poppy seemed much more capable and had a background in law which helped with her authenticity when investigating. I also really loved the inclusion of Major her adorable Labrador puppy. I listened to this on audio and I think that boosted my experience of the book overall. I can’t wait to read the next one! Read this if you enjoy books set in Scotland, spunky investigators and cozy mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this early arc! All opinions are my own.

Lady Poppy Proudfoot has traveled to the Highlands for a summer party. When a body turns up on the loch Poppy is convinced it was murder and not an accident. She is also convinced by her host, Lady Constance, to investigate some missing jewelry that had been purchased by her late husband prior to his death. Poppy decides to put her law degree to work and sets out to solve both crimes much to the dismay of the inspector on the case,

I am a big fan of the Scottish Ladies' Detective Agency series so I was excited to see this new series from Lydia Travers. This is another fun one. Lady Poppy Proudfoot is smart and willing to stand up for herself. I love that she has a law degree and is putting it to use even when society won't really let her. I'm interested to see where her relationship with Inspector MacKenzie goes in the future. The mystery was really interesting and had some good twists. I will be watching closely for any follow ups! The audiobook was great. Sarah Barron did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Move over, Inspector! Lady Poppy Proudfoot is here to solve her very first case.

My first experience with Lydia Travers' work is Death at Highland Loch, expertly narrated by Sarah Barron, and I must say the author's mystery plot is quite reminiscent of scottish Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and outlander vibes ❤️

Death at the Highland Loch was so engaging! I loved Poppy (and the whole cast of characters, really, especially the detective) and can't wait to read more of her adventures!

That was what I had hoped it would be, a lot of fun! The interactions with the lead and the inevitable police detective was much better than most, he was exasperated with her but he also clearly enjoyed having her around. Usually you get the idea the detective wishes the amateur would take a long walk off a short cliff, but there was none of that annoyance here. The only thing that bothered me was the conclusion she jumped to about the pregnancy, her assumption wasn't impossible but didn't seem any more likely than the alternatives. I just rolled my eyes whenever it came up. Not worth knocking a star off, though.

Definitely gives Agatha Christie vibes. This is the first Lydia Travers book I've read and it was an enjoyable story. I'm curious enough to continue reading the series to see where the partnership/relationship between the detective and Poppy go,

🎧 good narration

Death at the Highland Loch is an absolute delight and a fantastic start to a historical mystery series! Watching Lady Poppy Proudfoot step into her role as a detective in 1924 Scotland is both charming and empowering. The cast is wonderfully likable, and her loyal Labrador, Major, stole my heart. I can't wait to dive into the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the chance to listen to this title in exchange for my opinion.

Lady Persephone Proudfoot is here to solve crimes. This book was wonderfully developed with great mysteries that kept my interest and had enough twists and turns for me to have solve the puzzle along with Poppy. The narrator brought Poppy to life and I loved her that her accent fed into the Scottish setting so perfectly.

This author is new to me. I enjoyed the start of this new series. The dynamics between MacKenzie and Poppy were fun. Lady Poppy is a memorable character. This author is quite descriptive which adds an intriguing layer to the story. The story was fast paced in that it was difficult to put down. The narrator was perfect for this series. Looking forward to the next.

I was blessed with an audio ARC and the opinions expressed are my own and unbiased. Highly recommend.

Move over, Inspector—Lady Poppy Proudfoot is on the case.
Set in the Scottish Highlands, Death at the Loch by Lydia Travers is everything you want in a cozy historical mystery: a sharp heroine, a glamorous 1920s setting, and a twisty whodunnit that keeps you guessing.

Lady Poppy arrives at Balfour House for a summer party—only to find herself investigating a murder, a missing bracelet, and a house full of secrets. Armed with her Oxford law degree, a loyal black Lab named Major, and a lot of nerve, Poppy is impossible not to root for. Add in her fiery chemistry with the stubborn Inspector MacKenzie, and you’ve got a series starter you won’t want to miss.

The audiobook, narrated by Sarah Barron, is a total delight. She captures Poppy’s wit and spirit perfectly, bringing the lively 1920s world to life. If you love Helena Dixon, Verity Bright, or Catherine Coles, you’ll devour this.

Lady Poppy Proudfoot has arrived—and I’m already counting down to her next adventure.

#cozymystery #historicalmystery #ladydetective #audiobookrecommendation #deathattheloch