Three beloved New York Times bestselling novelists, one marvelously entertaining locked-room whodunit! When a famous writer is found dead in the book-lined study of a remote Scottish castle, three very different American novelists become prime suspects!

Agatha Christie meets Murder, She Wrote in this witty locked room mystery and literary satire by New York Times bestselling team of novelists: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White.

There’s been a sensational murder at historic Castle Kinloch, a gothic fantasy of grey granite on a remote island in the Highlands of Scotland. Literary superstar Brett Saffron Presley has been found dead—under bizarre circumstances—in the castle tower’s book-lined study. Years ago, Presley purchased the castle as a showpiece for his brand and to lure paying guests with a taste for writerly glamour. Now it seems, the castle has done him in…or, possibly, one of the castle’s guests has. Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh, a local with no love for literary Americans, finds himself with the unenviable task of extracting statements from three American lady novelists. 

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The prime suspects are Kat de Noir, a slinky erotica writer; Cassie Pringle, a Southern mom of six juggling multiple cozy mystery series; and Emma Endicott, a New England blue blood and author of critically acclaimed historical fiction. The women claim to be best friends writing a book together, but the authors’ stories about how they know Brett Saffron Presley don’t quite line up, and the detective is getting increasingly suspicious. 

Why did the authors really come to Castle Kinloch? And what really happened the night of the great Kinloch ceilidh, when Brett Saffron Presley skipped the folk dancing for a rendezvous with death? 

A crafty locked-room mystery, a pointed satire about the literary world, and a tale of unexpected friendship and romance—this novel has it all, as only three bestselling authors can tell it! 

My Review

The first thing you need to do is sort out our three main protagonists. Kat is obvious with her slinky body suits, her push-up bra, and her pantaboots – are they really a thing? Apparently they are, even Victoria Beckham has been seen wearing them. Then there is her constant smutty references to sex and intimate body parts. Initially she got on my nerves, though by the second half she was my favourite character.

Then we have Cassie, who writes cosy crime capers, and even has a cat as a main character. She is married to the gorgeous Chip (Cassie is punching way above her weight she believes) and they have six children. She spends half her time at the castle trying to contact him to check on the health of her youngest.

Emma is more high brow, writing historical fiction, often based around little known women from the past. Everything she writes is scrupulously researched and her pet hate is people getting their facts wrong. I am on your side Emma, but it can still be very irritating at times.

They are supposed to be best friends, on a writers’ retreat in a Scottish castle, where they can write a book together. Publisher Rachelle is promoting the venture. However, the truth is that they barely know each other, have suspect links to literary rock-and-roller Brett Saffron Presley who has been found dead in the castle tower’s library, and actually dislike each other intently.

But as the story unfolds, respect begins to replace dislike, and they may even end up being friends for real. That is unless one of them is the killer. Kat is certain Detective Chief Inspector Euan McIntosh suspects her, but he’s just doing his job and interviewing the three lady writers is like herding cats.

There are lots of supposedly typical Scottish characters, or more like caricatures, and I hope no Scots were affronted by how they are being depicted. At times the silliness did grate a bit, together with the ‘rrrr’ in every other word, and the plaid, plaid and more plaid. It took me a while to get into but the second half is the best and had me laughing out loud at times.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Authors

Beatriz Williams

Beatriz Williams is the bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including The Beach at Summerly, Our Woman in Moscow, and The Summer Wives, as well as four other novels co-written with Lauren Willig and Karen White.

A native of Seattle, she graduated from Stanford University and earned an MBA in finance from Columbia University. She lives with her husband and four children near the Connecticut shore, where she divides her time between writing and laundry.

Lauren Willig

Lauren Willig is the New York Times bestselling author of nineteen works of historical fiction. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages, awarded the RITA, Booksellers Best and Golden Leaf awards, and chosen for the American Library Association’s annual list of the best genre fiction. After graduating from Yale University, she embarked on a PhD in History at Harvard before leaving academia to acquire a JD at Harvard Law while authoring her “Pink Carnation” series of Napoleonic-set novels. She lives in New York City, where she now writes full time.

Karen White

With more than 2 million books in print in fifteen different languages, Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 34 novels, including the popular Charleston-set Tradd Street mystery series. Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands. Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.

Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year. Karen’s latest book, That Last Caroline Summer, was published by Park Row Books in July, 2025.

When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.

POWERHOUSE AUTHORS: Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White have all amassed their own loyal following, especially on social media, and are superstars with readers groups. They are at their best when they tour together for their “Team W” books. Publishing their jointly written books is a great opportunity for Morrow to capitalize on three times the popularity with fans from the romance, Southern lit, and historical women’s fiction readerships.

EVERYONE LOVES A LOCKED ROOM MYSTERY: From Ruth Ware to Lucy Foley to all those Agatha Christie films, locked room mysteries are really having a moment. This whodunnit does not disappoint, with a dead literary superstar in the tower room of a Scottish castle. SET IN SCOTLAND! Perfect for armchair travelers and readers who love an atmospheric castle setting. Team W excels at creating stories that immerse readers in the setting, and this book delivers all the misty and mysterious vibes of the Scottish isles. UK Rights: We have World English.