Feelings were tense in the small village. A public relations event that Maggie Lauder, a local island archaeologist, had organized and invited her American friend, Jean Fairbairn, a journalist connected with Great Scot now living in Edinburgh to attend, so Jean could write up the story. Hopefully, it was to be about finding the burial place of Genevieve, King Arthur's Queen, but things had to be quickly cancelled when the body of a man was found in the grave instead. Then things went when horribly wrong when another murder occurs.

When the investigating detective arrives, Jean is shocked by Grinsell's manner and his overbearing and loutish attitudes. After all, she is used to how professional police would behave as she is married to Scottish born Alasdair Cameron, who himself is a former Detective Chief Inspector and now Head of Protect and Survive, Edinburgh. Turns out, Cameron had dealt with Grinsell in the past and attempts to stop Jean from getting involved. But, as that would be like not breathing to her, she can't help but try to make sense of the clues she knows about. The mystery man had been killed by a chanter, a thin woodwind instrument whose function is adjunct to the Highland bagpipe. Was a musician involved? That has possibilities, but when it goes missing; folks have even more worries about who may be killed next.

In addition to her sleuthing abilities, Jean is a very intelligent woman with a keen intuitive ability and the occasional experiences with the paranormal and with ghosts. What messages are they trying to give her? Is she being too sure that her friend Maggie is innocent? As they fog rolls in, everything is murky and no one can leave as the ferry has been cancelled. Was the murder a crime of passion or not? As circumstances continue to point to one person, Jean is relentless in pursuing the truth, but can she find out more before the murderer kills again or even turns on her? Meanwhile, she suspects some of her informants are not entirely truthful. What will happen next?

Lillian Stewart Carl has crafted a very intriguing multi- layered tale that lies in the present, yet with deep roots reaching deep back into medieval history as well as to the almost forgotten shards of memories of a brilliant woman now suffering with dementia. Filled with suspense and intrigue that captures the broody mood of the foggy and close knit community on Small Farnaby Island, close to the holy isle of Lindisfarme, off the coast of Northumberland.

The novel reads well both as an intriguing mystery on its own or as a further adventure with these two main protagonists as this is the seventh book in Carl's Jean Fairbairn/ Alasdair Mystery series highly regarded by her fans. I found her characters, both main and secondary, to be quite diverse, yet well-drawn and believable in their actions and roles. There is also an appearance of Jean's friends, Michael and Rebecca Campbell-Reid, who come to help Jean, so fans of the series will be happy to get their updates. THE AVALON CHANTER is a treat for any historical mystery lover! Enjoy the sleuthing and the drama!