Tag: Scotland

Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!

I am delighted to feature A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle (A Food and Spirits Mystery) by Darci Hannah today!

A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle (A Food and Spirits Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting – Scotland
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kensington Cozies
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 27, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 149674747X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496747471
Kindle
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1496747495
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F7CH5K32
Audio CD
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228543614
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0F475Q65V
Audiobook
ASIN B0DW64XJKH

When chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride got a role on the reality show Food & Spirits, she thought “spirits” meant cocktails. Instead, she’s cooking up dinners meant to tempt the departed to appear. And to her surprise, she’s discovered abilities to connect with the beyond—and crack murder cases . . .

Now that Bunny’s entrées come with a side of the Other Side, it comes in handy to have a grandma who’s friendly with the elderly owners of a haunted Scottish castle. During Bunny’s childhood she heard all about Dundoon’s bloody history and the “ghostly piper” who roamed the grounds—and soon she’ll be visiting the ancient place with her ghost hunter and psychic co-stars. The annual bagpipe competition in the late piper’s honor will make for some good footage as well.

After Bunny serves a feast fit for a 17th century king, including lamb chops with plenty of fresh herbs, she heads outdoors for the ghost hunt. But in the dark, dense fog, someone fatally plunges from the clifftop over the loch. The sound that follows is a mournful, otherworldly bagpipe . . . and once the body of another perished piper is retrieved, Bunny is determined to solve this Highlands homicide—and prevent a killer from getting off scot-free . . .

Includes Delicious Recipes!

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride’s new job takes her home to Scotland after her grandma sets them up to visit her friend’s ancient haunted castle. Bunny is excited to share with her workmates and their audience the “ghostly piper” and eerie history of Dundoon Castle, which she learned about during her childhood. They arrive just in time for the annual bagpipe competition, which is held in the ghostly piper of Dundoon’s honor.

Bunny hopes her culinary efforts draw the mysterious piper out, and she is able make a connection with him, and that their meeting is recorded by ghost hunter Brett Bloom and psychic medium Giff McGrady. It is very foggy, though, when they venture out on their ghost hunt. They hear rather than see someone fall from the cliff right after a melancholy tune from a bagpipe. The body found was one of the judges from the bagpipe competition.

The last thing Bunny wanted or needed was another death connected to the Food & Spirits group, especially at home, in Scotland. She is bound and determined to catch the killer and get justice without becoming the next ghost to haunt the castle.

I love that this second Food and Spirits Mystery took us to Bunny’s home, allowing readers to get to know her family and catch up with her Granny Mac. All were excited to have her home after 10 long years, but things seemed strained between her and her brother, Angus, at first. Her parents are so proud of her. Granny Mac is excited to take part in another adventure with Bunny and to be nearby as Bunny hones her talents. I really like how the Food & Spirits crew and cohosts have come together. All of Ms. Hannah’s characters are developing well. Getting to know more about Bunny and her family was a treat. We also meet some fantastic new characters at the castle. Could one of them be a murderer?

As I have come to expect from this author, Scotland, Dundoon Castle, and the people we meet come to life in vivid color with her detailed descriptions. I felt like part of the crew traveling across the moorland in the dense fog, trying to find the ghostly piper playing a haunting tune, or at the bagpipe competition, or at the happenings around the castle.

I also enjoyed the ghost stories and mystical creatures that may be real or not. They made solving the mystery very interesting. There are many surprises to be found in Scotland near the castle. While Brent and Bunny were searching for answers, they found a few. It was then that all the clues started to fall into place, and they found help from a couple of unusual sources. I loved the ending. Magical things can happen in Scotland.

A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle is quite a tale with many twists and turns. Filled with unique people, ghosts, and creatures, readers are treated to a marvelous mystery in a picturesque setting. I had a great time in Scotland with the crew of the Food & Spirits reality show and am looking forward to accompanying them on their next adventure.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Kensington Cozies and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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