Murder at the Loch is second book in the charming Ally McKinley mystery series by Dee MacDonald set in Locharran, in the beautiful Scottish Highlands.
Title: Murder at the Loch
Author: Dee MacDonald
Series: Ally McKinley Mystery #2
First Published: March 3, 2025
Publisher: Bookouture
Genres: Mystery
Acquired: from the publisher
*** Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture and Books on Tour, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review during the blog tour. ***
Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the cosiest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…
Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her enquiries take her all over the village: from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.
The body in the loch soon has the rumour mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…
Determined to uncover the truth and clear her name, Ally finds poison at the home of one of her suspects and thinks she might be on the right path to solving both murders. But with a killer on the loose in the Scottish Highlands, can Ally unravel the clues before the next person in a watery grave is her?
Happy to be back in Locharran
I was so excited to return to the Scottish Highlands and Ally McKinley’s cozy little guesthouse. As with the first book in the series, the characters and Ally’s growing friendships in the village are making this series incredibly enjoyable.
Ally continues to be a fantastic main character and I love rooting for her as she uses her skills to solve the (double) murder. I like that she has a good, solid relationship with police officer Rigby who takes the time to listen to her info and consider her ideas.
Aside from Rigby, I also really like Ally’s relationships with Hamish, the Earl (platonic), and the local vet, Ross (more-than-platonic). They’ve really developed since the first book and I love seeing the growth. Both men add so much to the series and it’s great to see them come along as characters.
The story and mystery have a nice even pace and I was never bored at any point. I love trying to solve the mystery along with Ally and had a great time trying to figure out whodunnit.
I’m really hoping that there’s many more books to come in this series!
You can buy a copy of Murder at the Loch on Amazon
About the Author, Dee MacDonald
Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.
She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.
Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!
Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.
You can connect with Dee MacDonald online here:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKOUTURE PAGE
Quote from Murder at the Loch
