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Deadly Cairns

A Scottish Road-Trip Cosy Mystery, The Highland Mysteries, Book 1

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Book 1 of The Highland Mysteries

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Pub Date 11 May 2026 | Archive Date 22 May 2026


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Description

Scotland’s Views Are To Die For.
Turns Out Some People Do.

Joana and Brian are the kind of sleuthing duo you’d happily road-trip with – provided you can survive the banter. Armed with cameras, stubborn optimism, and a thermos of green tea, they head north to capture Scotland at its most dramatic.

But then the beauty spots they visit start turning into crime scenes.

Young photographers with drones are being murdered at Scotland’s most scenic locations, and the killer leaves a disturbing calling card: a perfectly balanced stack of stones beside each body, topped with a neat little thumbs up. A deadly cairn.

The police settle fast on a suspect. Joana isn’t convinced. From Aberdeen to Orkney and across the wild, wind-battered Highlands, she and Brian chase leads through villages full of eccentric locals, tartan-clad dogs, whisky-fuelled wisdom, and the occasional truly questionable “Scottish delicacy”.

Can Joana and Brian catch the killer before the next cairn appears?

Deadly Cairns is a cosy, twisty, road-trip mystery packed with clever clues, breathtaking scenery, and laugh-out-loud British banter. Page-turning enough to keep you up far too late, and charming enough to make you forgive the Scottish weather.

Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and M.C. Beaton.


Scotland’s Views Are To Die For.
Turns Out Some People Do.

Joana and Brian are the kind of sleuthing duo you’d happily road-trip with – provided you can survive the banter. Armed with cameras, stubborn...


Advance Praise

"I loved this book. The story was interesting, it was a fun read, and I had several Laughing Out Loud moments when reading it. If you want a fun cozy mystery to read, you should definitely read this book."

"I really enjoyed this cosy crime novel, and thought it had the making of a really good series. Joana and Brian are a likeable duo, and all the descriptions of Scotland are very enjoyable to read. The plot moves along at a good pace, and it was certainly a page turner. If you enjoy cosy crime I would recommend this to you, and look forward to book 2."

"This cozy mystery is a great story with twists and turns, as you'd expect! You visit wonderful places in Scotland, they are real. You follow the lives of photographers, drone operators and influencers, what they are looking for and what makes them tick. There are some great laugh-out-loud moments as well."


"I loved this book. The story was interesting, it was a fun read, and I had several Laughing Out Loud moments when reading it. If you want a fun cozy mystery to read, you should definitely read this...


Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781918260090
PRICE $0.99 (USD)
PAGES 256

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