This book was a nice change of pace, and very different than everything else I've been reading lately. It was a very light mystery that kept you guessing without being too intense. I haven't read anything else in the series, but the characters were interesting and easy to keep track of without any backstory. ( )

3 ½ stars
I don’t usually start reading a series from anything but the first book but I needed a cozy who’s title starts with an A-Z Challenge and I came across this series. It didn’t hurt that I started so deep into the series, the book gives good introductions to all the major characters especially the main character Liss who I immediately liked along with her best friend Sherri who just happens to be chief of police in their small town.
The mystery itself was satisfying because it’s two fold a treasure hunt and solve a murder. I never suspected Benny until the very end because the murderer needed some strength and Benny didn’t seem capable.

No matter the reason why I started the series I’ll be getting more books in the series and hopefully will be able to start with book one.

Cozies Reading Challenge ( )

As part of a challenge to read at least 26 books this year, each title beginning with a different letter of the alphabet, I discovered that there were very few books which began with the letter, "X". This fun cozy mystery fit the bill perfectly and I enjoyed it in the process.

There were so many things in this book which appealed: a quaint small Maine town setting (Moosetookalook), a grand old mansion set for the wrecking ball, a secret "treasure" quest, a trip to Nova Scotia, a shop specializing in all things Scottish and no graphic death scenes. As a cozy, I would have enjoyed a touch more humorous banter. But over all, it was well written, had an engaging plot and a fair number of red herrings. ( )

I haven't read other books in this series. It didn't seem to matter much as most of the major characters were introduced in such a way that I wasn't too confused. There do seem to be a lot of characters in this book though and by the end, I was getting a bit confused as to who was whom.

I liked the idea of a store that sold only Scottish related items--though I had to wonder if it would be profitable enough to keep open--especially since, as with most cozy mysteries, the owner and proprietor seems to keep going off to investigate the mystery rather than running her business. I also liked the genealogy aspect of the mystery.

But I was a little disappointed that Scotland and Scottish things had little to do with the plot. Also, we never learn why Liss's parents decide to return to Maine (I suspect that will be in book #12.) ( )

When Liss Ruskin attends an estate auction, she doesn't expect the picture she bought to be so much trouble...Liss was taken by a painting of the Piper to the Laird of Grant, and successfully bid against two others. But when she accidentally dropped it, the frame broke and revealed what appeared to be a treasure map underneath. The problem was that it had no distinctive markings, so she didn't know where or what it was actually for.

All she could surmise was that it had something to do with the Chadwick family, and that there must be some sort of treasure on the estate grounds. It was her Aunt Margaret who suggested they make a trip to Canada to see if they could discover anything about the family that would lead them to find the truth. And that was her first mistake...

Upon arriving at her destination, the Chadwick Historical and Genealogical Society in Canada, Liss and Margaret entered the building and called out for Orson Bailey, the man they were supposed to meet. And meet him they did, but not in the way they expected, for Orson was dead, underneath a table. It didn't help when she discovered their hotel room had been ransacked, yet the only two items stolen were an iPad and brooch.

So when Liss eventually returned to her home in Moosetookalook, Maine, she was more curious than ever about the map, and Orson's murder. She wondered if they were connected, especially since other things were occurring - things she knew were connected to the map. And if there was a treasure involved, how many people were interested in it, and which one was interested enough to kill someone to get it?

This, as always, is another enjoyable book in the Liss MacCrimmon mystery series. The author does a commendable job of keeping the plot moving along nicely, and the characters are well-drawn and vivid. It says much for a book when you want to punch a character for being smug and self-satisfied. It was an entertaining read, and the mystery itself was threaded nicely throughout, giving subtle clues along the way.

Although I pretty much had the murderer figured out early (I read a lot of these), it was still quite nice to see how everything was connected, and how Liss began to put it all together. I did feel that this book probably wasn't actually suited to be read as a stand-alone since there are references to other books, it was still easy enough to read, and it will be interesting to see how the return of Liss's parents affect her life in Mooosetookalook. Recommended. ( )