A VIEW TO A KILT by Kaitlyn Dunnett

A VIEW TO A KILT is the thirteenth book Kaitlyn Dunnett’s “Liss MacCrimmon” cozy mystery series set in the small town of Moosetookalook, Maine. This story opens with Liss MacCrimmon going about her normal daily routine with a few minor blips on her radar – she’s watching her aunt’s two Scotties while she’s out of town, and she’s preparing for the annual March Madness Mud Season Sale. Using some foreshadowing, Kaitlyn Dunnett introduces the huge conglomerate Merveilleuse International and their plans for Moosetookalook. There is nothing overtly sinister about this company, but you just know it will factor in the conclusion of this mystery in some major way.

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In addition to everything else Liss must handle, a dead man is found in her backyard. Even more perplexing is the fact that the victim turns out to be Charlie MacCrimmon – her uncle who was thought dead during the Vietnam War. It’s a lot to take in. Local friends and her levelheaded husband provide feedback and support as Liss tries to figure out what brought her uncle to his unfortunate end. There are a wide range of suspects to choose from in A VIEW TO A KILT – from town locals, friends and acquaintances from her uncle’s secret life as a PI in Florida, shady business types, and even Liss’ own father. Kaitlyn Dunnett creates a nice mix of cozy mystery staples and suspense in this book. One amusing aspect of this mystery is when Liss’ somewhat overbearing mom wants to team up with her daughter to be a kind of investigative team. Added b to this mix is Liss and her husband going through a few issues with their current cat after the somewhat recent loss of their other cat. For me, the mother-daughter relationship and the pet dynamics ring true.

A VIEW TO A KILT has a lot of moving parts, but Kaitlyn Dunnett can tie everything together in an entertaining way that is realistic. Liss is a strong female protagonist and believable, without being obnoxious in any way. t’s not hammered home but having Liss acting as a detective is a nice connection to her late uncle since he built a career as a PI. I love the mellow but strong relationship between Liss and her husband Dan. He worries about Liss when danger becomes a reality but doesn’t act like a father figure to her. I look forward to Kaitlynn Dunnett’s next mystery.

A series of blizzards have kept tourists away from Moosetookalook, Maine, and shoppers out of Liss MacCrimmon’s Scottish Emporium. But as warmer weather brings promises of tartan sales and new faces, melting snow reveals cold-blooded murder . . . Liss has suddenly found herself in charge of the March Madness Mud Season Sale, a town-wide celebration created to boost the local economy during the slushy weeks of early spring. With businesses ailing after a rough winter, the pressure is on to make this year’s effort the can’t-miss-event of the season. But before Liss can get her hands dirty, her husband makes a horrifying discovery. There’s a dead man on their property, and he didn't die of natural causes . . . Stunned by the murder mystery developing in her own backyard, Liss receives another shock. The victim is identified as Charlie MacCrimmon, an uncle believed to have died eleven years before Liss was born. No one has seen or heard from Charlie since he went off to fight in Vietnam. What secrets could he have been hiding for so many years, and who would want to kill a man long thought to be dead? Enlisting the help of her family, Liss uncovers more questions than answers as she delves into her uncle’s murky past. One thing is clear—before he met his end, Uncle Charlie was desperately trying to warn her about something sinister. And unless Liss can soon track down a maniacal criminal as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster, she just might be the next MacCrimmon to disappear . . .