Murder at Glenloch Hill (A Stella and Lyndy Mystery)
In 1906, Kentucky heiress Stella Lyndhurst and her husband British Viscount Lyndy Lyndhurst travel to Scotland. They want to reconnect with distant cousins, the McEwens, at their grand estate called Glenloch Hill. Stella and Lyndy arrive with his sister and her fiancé, golfer Freddie Kentfield. Freddie will tee it up at the British Open on a course near their hosts’ estate. The arrival of the four guests starts awkwardly with missing hosts and waylaid luggage. Freddie’s pushy father, Sir Edwin, who has come to Glenloch unannounced, acts as their greeter. A bit later, the McEwens do show up, and the four travelers settle in.
While scouting the estate’s expansive grounds, Stella stumbles on and saves a pretty maid being assaulted by a stranger. The culprit escapes before Stella can get a look at him. Not long after that, the maid discovers Sir Edwin’s bludgeoned body. Local Chief Inspector Docherty bumbles his way through many potential suspects—the maid, her groundskeeper boyfriend, others of the large staff, guests, even some caddies in the Open. Eventually Docherty arrests and jails Lyndy for murder, and now only Stella can save her husband.
This newest Stella and Lyndy mystery will work best for those familiar with the earlier five in the series. It takes patience to sort out the many names (with variations) of the lead characters (Lyndy, Lord Lyndhurst, Viscount Searlwyn), of their relatives, the guests, the staff, and golfers. However, the old Scottish land and buildings, the golf, the customs, and the dialogue are all well done. The main story line and its several subplots evolve into an intricate page-turner. Readers seeking an escape to Edwardian Scotland and its golf traditions will enjoy Murder at Glenloch Hill.
