When Strathspey comes to Maine to perform, Liss throws herself into it, making lodging arrangements (including for her old pal Sandy to stay with her) and arranging for a reception, featuring tiny cocktail scones after the show. When the nasty company manager, Victor Owens bites into a scone and dies, Liss’s first reaction is now she will be able to rejoin the troupe as its manager. 

Her second reaction when she learns Victor died from a mushroom allergy is horror, because she knew about Victor’s allergy and gave specific instructions to the caterers not even to think about mushrooms while preparing the repast. 

What’s more, someone in the troupe of Liss’s old colleagues hated Victor enough to kill him and waited until they were in Liss’s hometown to do it. Once again, Liss is on the trail of a killer, only this time she fears it may be personal.

The second mystery to feature young, retired dancer Liss MacCrimmon, Scone Cold Dead, deftly meshes a cozy New England setting with the ancient lore and customs of Scotland. Liss is delighted to be among her friends again, even if one of them is a killer, but has also accepted what happened to her and has settled comfortably into her new life any regrets short lived. 

With Victor and company new to the town, the mystery is much like a traditional locked room mystery, and Liss knows the murderer is very close by. There is a big, but seemingly innocuous clue early in the book that Liss later feels foolish for missing, but most readers won’t miss. Some jealousy from Dan adds to Liss’s troubles as her past, present and possible future meet up and neither she nor Dan is exactly sure which will win out. Cozy readers will definitely want to grab this one.                                                

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry