December 1934. Spending the holidays in a Scottish castle has made Opal Laplume’s festive wishes come true. Sir Blair’s Christmas Eve ball is legendary, and Opal dons her finest gown for an exquisite night of bubbles, baubles, and tartan kilts. But the festivities come to a screeching halt when their gracious host is electrocuted by some faulty Christmas lights.
The mood soon turns from festive to frosty when Opal discovers that what seemed like a tragic accident was in fact a deadly sabotage. Everyone has something to hide. Sir Blair’s marriage was crumbling like a piece of Scottish shortbread. Did his wife take ‘til death do us part’ too far? The butler was promised a large sum from Sir Blair’s will. Did he want an early Christmas bonus? And who is the ghostly figure playing bagpipes in the tower at night?
Just as the killer proves as difficult to find as the Loch Ness Monster, one of the guests is found smothered in their bedroom. Opal soon discovers Sir Blair was hiding a deadly secret on a small island off the rugged Scottish coast. Can she find the key to the mystery there, before the entire party perishes? Or will this Christmas be her last?
An addictive and twisty Golden Age murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. Fans of Agatha Christie. T.E. Kinsey and Verity Bright won’t be able to put this down!
Opal Laplume is very much looking forward to her family’s Christmas travel plans. They’ll be spending the holidays at an elegant Scottish castle and attending the much-anticipated Scottish Ball. Opal couldn’t be more excited. What promises to be a warm, festive gathering quickly turns chilling, however, when their host, Sir Seamus Blair, is found dead—electrocuted by the castle’s Christmas lights.
At first, everyone assumes it was a tragic accident caused by faulty wiring. But as the layers of the story unfold, it becomes clear that something far more sinister is at play. Opal, who has a knack for solving mysteries—though not without putting herself in danger—can’t resist the urge to investigate. Despite her family’s concerns and her own haunting memories from a previous case, she’s determined to uncover the truth behind Sir Seamus‘s death. But will her curiosity once again put her life at risk?
I loved the eerie, atmospheric feel of this story. Millicent Binks masterfully blends cozy mystery charm with a touch of Gothic suspense. The Scottish castle setting—with its snow-covered hills, flickering candlelight, and shadowy corridors—creates the perfect backdrop for a holiday murder. As the author describes, it’s an “airy Gothic atmosphere”—moody yet elegant, dark yet full of seasonal sparkle.
Opal, a delightful heroine, is clever, determined, and wonderfully relatable. Her inner strength shines through even as danger looms. The brisk pacing, cleverly planted clues, and satisfying yet surprising resolution make this a perfect read for mystery lovers who relish a touch of the macabre wrapped in holiday warmth. It’s a festive whodunit that keeps you guessing until the very end.
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