In this book of the series (which I haven't read), Dandy Gilver and her partner, Alec Osborne, travel to a remote, small fishing village in the wilds of Scotland to further investigate body parts found in barrels of herring. At least I think that's what they are investigating; people are too polite to be specific. The pair say that they are philologists studying the phraseology of the locals, who are surprisingly friendly and invite them to participate in the forthcoming weddings and the strange rituals that accompany them; they are asked to be the worst maid and worst man for one couple. The traditions of the people in the village are the ultimate cause of the body parts in the barrels. A related mystery was strange. The consistently awful weather was an important part of the story. I nearly stopped reading the book because it was so hard to understand what people were saying, but the ending was poignant enough that I'm glad I finished it. ( )

Well written and certainly creative with humor and fascinating backdrop--but just not my cup of tea. Perhaps the characters are not strong enough to overcome the unusual surroundings? May try another in the series and see how I react to that. ( )