A Wee Dose Of Death

3 stars even though the author probably deserves a fourth just for writing something outside the cozy box. While I appreciated what she was doing intellectually, emotionally I was just getting irritated.

Being thrust into the modern world hasn’t been easy for Dirk, but Peggy is at her wit’s end trying to keep the ghostie galoot in line...

When the local police chief finds the body of Peggy’s friend Karaline’s college professor in a deserted mountain cabin, everyone is thrown for a loop. It seems the secretive professor may have been killed over his ecological work, an idea that’s only reinforced when Karaline herself is shot.

First, Dirk is a stupid nickname; the ghost has something like 6 middle names and his first name is show more MacBeath; she couldn't choose a less porn-sounding nickname from one them?

Second, Peggy, isn't a very nice person. She seems a bit emotionally stunted, which makes for a realistic protagonist, but not a likeable one. She admits when she's been impatient or intolerant, but she does it begrudgingly and she acts out like a brat when she's called out on her behaviour. She's not unlikeable, but it's close.

Finally, the ghost. I like him, but - and this is realistic (assuming a 14th century ghost existed) - he questioned everything. Which he would, given that our English and his couldn't be much more different without being separate languages, but it gets really annoying after awhile. Also, he abused wee as an adjective. He called everything wee, including motor vehicles.

The book is told in alternating POV's and the author does it well. It flowed nicely and I don't normally like POV jumping. The story was well-plotted although a clue early on gave away the murderer for me, if not the motivation. It was a subtle clue, I think; readers that aren't a fan of word games might not pick up on it.

Overall, it sounds as though I didn't like the book, but I didn't hate it either. I think the author has a lot of talent, but the balance between realism and like-ability in her main characters was off (and the sheriff just needs to die; near as I can tell, he has no redeeming qualities). There's a lot more to this cozy than it appears from the title and cover and there's a lot of talking points about this one. But it's not as good as it could be. I'm not sure if I'll continue this series or not. show less

Wee Dose Of Death is the second book in the A ScotsShop Mystery series.

Peggy Winn, who owns ScotShop, a Scottish apparel shop in Hamelin, VT., decides to do a little cross country skiing and sets out on her favorite trail. As she nears a cabin where she plans to turn around and head back, she notices an area in snow that looks as if someone has fallen and has dragged their selves to the cabin. As she nears the cabin she hears Mac Campbell swearing and figures that he must be all right. She then turns around and heads back to town. Everything is not all right, as Mac had broken his leg and there is a dead body in the cabin.

A day or two later, Peggy hears that Campbell is supposedly missing and she lets the police know where he is. Soon show more after Mac is rescued, the body is identified as a biology professor that had gone to the cabin for some solitude and to work on a secret paper.

Peggy and Karaline Logg, a former student of the professor, visit the campus to talk with some of his grad students to gather information as to who might have wanted the professor dead.

Gilda who works in Peggy's store has returned after being in an alcohol abuse center and has returned with an adorable Scottie pup who has set residence in the shop. This is an enjoyable series with interesting and believable characters. Of course her Dirk, her ghost, is back to provide some humor.

Looking forward to the next book in the series to what mischief Dirk and the Scottie, Scamp, will get into and visit with the other residents of Hamelin. show less

Not as good as the first one. It felt scattered and jumped around too much. A little irritating.

Mystery