Iron Canuck Reviews & More: Review Tour: The Low Road (A McLaren Mystery) by Jo A. Hiestand with an excerpt, a giveaway, and my review

The Low Road

by Jo A Hiestand

GENRE: British mystery

BLURB:

Former police detective Michael McLaren arrives in Scotland, ready to immerse himself in the fun of the Highland Games and to enjoy a holiday with Melanie. But the old saying of plans oft going awry rears its ugly head: Simon Shaw, a member of McLaren's folk group, dies. Murdered a year to the day following his uncle's death.

McLaren is determined to find out who killed Simon. Needing justice for his friend is only half of his incentive. He also needs to appease his guilt for suggesting the group sing there in the first place.

As McLaren becomes immersed in the investigation, he wonders if the two deaths are linked, or have to do with the family or their clan. Perhaps Simon's former wife killed him, bent on revenge more powerful than mere divorce. Or was the killing tied to an old hunt for diamonds? After all, diamonds aren't only a girl's best friend. Sometimes they birth greed and murder. And entrap the innocent.

EXCERPT:

Jamie set the cup down, nearly breaking it. "Oh no. You asked me up here to help Mike and I'm going to. Alone. This could be very dangerous, dealing with a criminal. Mike would never forgive me if..." He broke off, a memory of Mike's fiancée welling up in his mind. Shaking his head, he repeated, "No. He'd have my guts for garters if something were to happen to you. I appreciate you wanting to help, Melanie, but I can't agree."

"You need me as your front, Jamie. I think that's the word. Someone to lend credence to the reason you want to find Paul. If I go with you and I have a nice piece of jewelry, you won't seem dodgy." Her eyebrows rose as she gave him a faint smile. She seemed to be holding her breath.

"Melanie "

"A woman hocking her jewelry won't have the whiff of the fishmonger, especially if she seems reluctant to part with an heirloom. We can even have a bit of dialogue about having to part with great aunt Agnes' favorite necklace. And while I've got his attention, you can have a shufti around his place to suss out what the police will need to pinch him unawares."

Jamie scratched his head, clearly astonished. "I've never heard you use these words before, Melanie. Dodgy. Shufti, Suss out. Fishmonger. Where'd you get them?"

"I listen to Mike. What about it, Jamie? I won't let you down. I was in the thespian club in school."

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jo A. Hiestand grew up on regular doses of music, books, and Girl Scout camping. She gravitated toward writing in her post-high school years and finally did something sensible about it, graduating from Webster University with a BA degree in English and departmental honors. She writes a British mystery series (the McLaren Mysteries)—of which three books have garnered the prestigious N.N. Light’s Book Heaven ‘Best Mystery Novel’ three years straight. She also writes a Missouri-based cozy mystery series (The Cookies & Kilts Mysteries, of which "A Trifling Murder" is the second book) that is grounded in places associated with her camping haunts. The camping is a thing of the past, for the most part, but the music stayed with her in the form of playing guitar and harpsichord, and singing in a folk group. Jo carves jack o’ lanterns badly and sings loudly. She loves barbecue sauce and ice cream (separately, not together), kilts (especially if men wear them), clouds and stormy skies, and the music of G.F. Handel. You can usually find her pulling mystery plots out of scenery—whether from photographs or the real thing.

Social Media Links

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jo-a-hiestand

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jo.hiestand.3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AnglophileJo

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/joahiestand

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/JoHiestand

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoHiestand

Website: http://www.johiestand.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MysteryAuthorinSTL

Buy Links

Trade Paper – https://amzn.to/3r1RHH7

Ebook –

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BjnsQx

B&N: https://bit.ly/3BOnGAo

iTunes: https://apple.co/3RRnYMB

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3eRpcJc

The book will be on sale for $0.99.

GIVEAWAY:

Jo A Hiestand will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4429/

My Review - 4 of 5 stars -

This was an interesting story. I loved the historical and location details throughout. Mike McLaren and Melanie's relationship added a human factor. There were so many events, incidents, and hints to keep one guessing as to who the murderer was and the why. Danger followed them as Mike and Melanie worked at solving the case, and I enjoyed that journey.