Single Malt Murder: A Whisky Business Mystery Cozy Mystery
New Series
Setting – Scotland
Print Length – 300 Pages
Alibi (March 21, 2017)
E-Book ASIN: B01HL180QG
When Abi inherits her uncle’s quaint and storied single malt distillery, she finds herself immersed in a competitive high-stakes business that elicits deep passions and prejudices. An award-winning photojournalist, Abi has no trouble capturing the perfect shot—but making the perfect shot is another matter. When she starts to receive disturbing, anonymous threats, it’s clear that someone wants her out of the picture. But Abi’s never been one to back down from a fight.
Arriving on the scene with her whisky-loving best friend, Patrick, and an oversized wheaten terrier named Liam, Abi seems to put everyone in the bucolic village on edge—especially her dour but disturbingly attractive head distiller. Acts of sabotage and increasingly personal threats against Abi make it clear that she is not welcome. When one of Abi’s new employees is found floating facedown in a vat of whisky, Abi is determined to use her skills as an investigative journalist to identify the cold-blooded killer and dispense a dram of justice before he strikes again. But distilling truth from lies is tricky, especially when everyone seems to have something to hide.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This series is off to a spectacular start!
Photojournalist Abi Logan lost her parents early in her life in an auto accident. She was then raised by her Uncle Ben. She has been traveling around the world to some pretty dangerous places while Uncle Ben retired to Scotland and opened a single malt distillery. Sadly Ben passes away and leaves his business to Abi. She and her friend Patrick, a wine and whiskey aficionado, travel to Scotland along with Liam, Ami’s Wheaten Terrier to look the place over and decide its future. No one seems happy to have Abi around. They expect her to sell the place and move on because the whiskey business is no place for a woman.
Before bids for purchase start to flow in Abi starts to receive threats and there are several mishaps at the plant, clearly sabotage. The threats become more blatant and then one of the employees is found floating in a vat of whiskey. That isn’t the last malicious act either. Abi knows it is up to her to find the killer and stop the madness. She hopes her keen sense of observation will help her solve the case quickly but she has too many suspects and they have too many secrets. Tightening the lid of this keg may be more than she can handle.
Whiskey is my alcoholic beverage of choice but I am not savvy in the way it is made and my sense for taste is far from refined. This story taught me quite a bit but the mystery is what kept me positively glued to these pages.
Abi is a fantastic protagonist. Strong and feisty and when she finds people’s biggest problem with her is her gender it really gets her dander up. She has something to prove. Patrick is a great friend. He has her back and is great sounding board. He notices things she misses and gives valuable advice. They make a great team. The author has created a great supporting cast too. They are all very real and believable. Liam is a great canine companion and is smart as a whip.
I would categorize the plot as very complex. More twists and turns that your average mystery. It seemed that each chapter introduced something new that sent things is a totally different direction. The author really keeps the reader on their toes. She immerses us right into the story giving us the feeling we are on the shoulders of these great characters. Stories like this are so much fun to read.
The setting is unique. Scotland is beautiful and Uncle Ben has built a distillery doing things the old fashion way. There are several buildings and a unique operation. The “cabin” has also been beautifully updated. It is a place I would love to visit.
I absolutely loved this story, beginning, middle and end. The suspense ratcheted up in all the right places but never crossed the line from cozy to thriller. The characters continued to evolve and romance just started to bloom. I was unable to put the book down. I read the whole thing in one day.
Melinda Mullett has set the bar extremely high for herself. This is going to be a story that is tough to top. Another Best Read for 2017. I cannot wait to our next trip to the Scottish Highlands and Abbey Glen.
Melinda Mullet was born in Dallas and attended school in Texas, Washington D.C., England, and Austria. She spent many years as a practicing attorney before pursuing a career as a writer. Author of the Whisky Business Mystery series, Mullet is a passionate supporter of childhood literacy. She works with numerous domestic and international charities striving to promote functional literacy for all children. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family.
I received this book from NetGalley so I do not have a review copy to give away.
So I am going to give away 1 e-copy as a gift from Amazon.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
You do not have to be a follower to enter but I hope you will find
something you like here and become a follower.
Followers Will Receive 2 Bonus Entries For Each Way They Follow.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Click the Like Button at the top of this post for a Bonus Entry.
If you publicize the giveaway on Twitter or Facebook or anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End April 20, 2017 at 11:59 PM CST
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Click Here For Entry Form
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I am really fond of this new series. I love the characters, the setting and the story line. It’s different but similar to other cozies, and I feel like the author adds a little something special to it. I can’t wait for the next book. Great to see it on here.
Thank you for the introduction to this author and her book. I have added it to my to read list.
Interesting story. Looking forward to reading it. Thank-you for the chance.
Hi Lori ~ I just love your blog and especially your review of Single Malt Murder. I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for all of your hard work ~
Great to get in on the start of a new series.
Sounds like an interesting book.
thanks for the chance to win it.
Sounds like a great series, fun to get in on the beginnings of it, thanks for the giveaway!
Ah new writer or at least to me not sure, will definitely have to check in to it.
This is such a good series debut! I am eager for the next book.