Part of Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James, book 9
First published 2005
Detective Inspector Gemma James accepts her friend Hazel's invitation to visit the Scottish Highlands, expecting a peaceful retreat. She discovers too late that Hazel has hidden a dangerous secret from their past. At their remote bed and breakfast, they encounter Donald Brodie, who owns the local distillery and once shared a passionate relationship with Hazel. Years ago, their romance ended without warning. Donald believes he can reclaim what they once had together. The reunion between former lovers produces deadly results that no one anticipated. Gemma finds herself investigating murder in a close community where suspects abound. Every resident harbors grievances and motives. Family feuds stretching back a century simmer beneath the polite exteriors. Old rivalries and inherited hatreds threaten to destroy the fragile peace. Gemma must navigate Highland secrets and generational conflicts to solve a crime rooted in both recent heartbreak and ancient wounds.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Scotland, Scottish Highlands
Period: Contemporary
400 pages · Paperback · Pan