Daisy's most recent assignment finds her on the Flying Scotsman train north to Scotland. While she splurges on a first class ticket, she forgets to bring reading material, but soon has her hands full enough to keep her occupied on her long trip.

Belinda Fletcher, Alec's young daughter, runs away from her grandmother and follows Daisy on the train. While she is quite well behaved and easily amuses herself, Daisy still feels she must keep an especially close eye on Belinda for the sake of her blossoming relationship, especially after Belinda finds the body of the elderly Albert McGowan in his compartment.

McGowan and many of his descendants are also on the train traveling to his twin brother Alistair's estate, all hoping to convince the two old men to change their wills so the family might inherit the money rather than Albert's ward, Indian doctor Chandra Jagai. Daisy suspects murder when she notices Albert's pillow missing and Jagai concurs, causing the entire train of suspects to be derailed (so to speak) from their trip while the local police and Scotland Yard investigate. Belinda begins to feel someone is shadowing her, concerned she may have seen something she shouldn't have.

Now Daisy must keep her wits about her to keep the young girl safe and try and uncover a murderer before he strikes again.

Murder on the Flying Scotsman is a delightful period piece, full of emerging independent women and men not quite sure what to make of them. Several references are made to the Great War, reminding readers of the great loss England suffered. Daisy, although she is a self-supporting young woman, does not overtly assert herself as an equal to men and quite enjoys the special protection her relationship with Alec affords her. The McGowan clan is full of quirky and charming characters, all seemingly appropriate for this light-hearted mystery.

The setting of the train limits the number of suspects, but it does not limit the possibilities of motives, giving readers enough plot to hold their interest until the end. This is a reprinting of an earlier Daisy Dalrymple book, but it is as enjoyable to those reading it out of sequence as to those faithful followers of Daisy and Alec.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry