** 3.6 Stars Rounded up to 4 **
I love historical mysteries and I love Scotland, so this sounded like the perfect book! I believe this is the author’s first book under this pen name, but she has written other books under the name Linda Tyler. This series is set in a politically turbulent time in England and Scotland. The country is still dealing with the loss of King Edward and George V ascending to the throne. There are whispers of war and the females of the population are demanding the vote and to be recognized as people rather than property.

Miss Maud McIntyre is a fortunate young woman. She has money of her own (from her mother) and a father who is doting enough and supportive enough to allow her to try to follow her lifelong dream of being a detective. She has read and practically memorized every detective story ever written (and you will see quotes from them as you move through the book) and she is particularly fond of Sherlock Holmes. Maude has invested a great deal of her money into setting up the agency along with her friend and former lady’s maid – so, when a potential client walks through the door on that first day – excitement abounds. Only to be lost again when he promptly leaves after discovering that the M. McIntyre Agency is run by females rather than males. He’ll come to regret that.

Daisy Cameron is Maud’s former lady’s maid who became a dear friend and is now her assistant at the detective agency. They work very well together with each augmenting the other's weaknesses. Daisy is pragmatic, saucy, and grateful to be working where she is rather than being in service.

While their first potential client may have walked out the door, he was soon replaced by an even better one – the Duchess of Duddington. The Duchess is having a house party and since there has been a recent rash of thefts at house parties, the Duchess wants Maude and Daisy to catch the thief if they are at her house party.

There is a fairly quick but unsatisfying end to the case at the house party – and that case is quickly followed by three others – a missing dog, missing letters, and a missing fiancé. When those last cases are solved, there is still that unsatisfying end to the first case. Was the wrong man arrested? If not him, who? Then – Maud and Daisy are attacked – again. Why?

I liked this book, but I did not love this book. I liked it well enough to want to read the next book to see if it solves any of the issues I had with this one. For me, there was just way too much historical detail. Having the historical details around the suffragette movement would have been great had there just been less of it. I felt as if the mystery was just there as some filler space for all of the suffragette information. The story was also fairly slow and plodding during most of the book – no real excitement at all. Perhaps this is the author’s first attempt at a mystery, so I’ll definitely try another book to see how things go. ( )

Enjoyable Edwardian Mystery!

Edinburgh 1911! Women are demanding the vote! Two women whose sympathies lie with the suffrage movement have opened a detective agency, Maud McIntyre and Daisy Cameron, who had been Maud’s maid for the last seven years. It’s officially their first day of business and a likely candidate turns up, Lord Hamish Urquhart, looking for help with a delicate matter. Only when he realises that a woman was in charge he decided against using their agency. Disgruntled, Maud is fuming against the dismissal from men when another client arrives, the Duchess of Duddingston, who has no objection to employing women enquiry agents. She’s having a weekend house party and as there’s been a spate of jewel thefts lately. She hires Maud and Daisy to keep watch. Oh, and guess who’s a house guest? That’s right, Lord Urquhart. Others on the guest list include Duchess’ daughters attend as does an Earl and his American wife, a pleasant advocate-depute Douglas Laing, and a popular author Esmeralda Taft.
A quiet beginning to the weekend gathers steam and there’s plenty of excitement when an elderly Viscountess is murdered, her diamonds go missing, and her husband arrested for the murder.
Case solved! Back in town a High Court Judge, Lord Miller, hires the agency to look for his missing daughter who’s about to be married. Has she had second thoughts or has something more sinister occurred. No sooner have Maud and Daisy started their investigations than another would be client appears, Lord Urquart.
A fast paced cozy mystery, with two gleeful, determined, and creative lady detectives where nothing is being left to chance, mostly.

A Bookouture ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. ( )

Edinburgh 1911 Miss Maud McIntyre with the help of her ex-lady's maid, Daisy Cameron, have set up a Detective Agency. Their first major case involves a house party at Duddingston Hall. Because of the recent spate of jewellery thefts the hostess is concerned for the safety of these items in her home. The weekend results in a theft and a death. But soon after further cases soon arrive. But what will the result of their investigations bring.
A delightful cozy historical mystery with its likeable and varied characters. A good start to this new enjoyable series. ( )

1910s, Scotland, private-investigators, murder-investigation, murder, theft, women-sleuths, cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, missing-persons, first-in-series, new-series*****

I think that this will be a fun series!
Together Maud and Daisy make a formidable team of sleuths in 1911 Scotland. Their first case is a closed circle mystery at a country house, then there are several others involving a few of the characters from their first foray. All of this goes far to establishing credibility with the population and the readers. The plot is sound and reasonable including unusual twists, odd red herrings, and a frustrating amount of misogyny (it was more overt at that time). I loved it and am looking forward to following the series!
I requested and received an EARC from Bookouture via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )