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A
Dream of Death, is Connie Berry’s debut novel.
American
Kate Hamilton has returned to the Isle of Rothsay in Scotland
to attend a gala. The Tartan Ball is held each year at the
end of the tourist season. For Kate, this trip is fraught
with painful memories as her beloved husband, Bill, who was
born and raised there, died there just three years ago. She
had not gone back there since. But when her sister-in-law,
Elenor Spurgeon, calls and begs Kate to come, she summons
her strength to return to Scotland to attend the gala in the
hopes of repairing her relationship with Elenor.
Elenor
told Kate that she was in trouble and had no one else to turn
to. Given that they had been estranged since Bill’s
death, Kate felt compelled to help her because she knows that
Bill would have wanted her to do so. Yet once Kate arrives,
Elenor seems just fine and initially appears to only want
Kate’s expertise as an antique dealer. But within a
short time, Elenor is murdered, and Kate’s return to
Scotland is now enmeshed in solving the murder.
The
murder appears to be patterned after an unsolved murder from
200 years ago. Somehow an antique casket that Elenor had seems
to hold clues to who the killer is. Bo Duff, who was a childhood
friend of Kate’s late husband, is taken into custody.
Kate knows in her heart that Bo is not a killer. He has some
cognitive disability but also a kind heart. Kate is more determined
than ever to get to the truth.
I
often read in the evening, and it is fitting that given the
title, A Dream of Death, I found myself dozing off
and dreaming of Scotland and Scotch Mist-- the combination
of mist or fog and drizzle which is common in Scotland.
The
Scottish atmosphere is captivating, the characters are well-drawn,
and the dual mysteries blend together perfectly. This is exactly
the type of book that I read cover to cover with barely a
break. I found myself so involved that I couldn’t put
it down and can honestly recommend this book to anyone who
loves a good mystery.
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