DEATH DISTILLED

5 stars out of 5


Guid gear comes in sma' bulk. 

This Scottish phrase says it all about this wonderful book, set in Scotland: At just 240 pages, it may be a small "package" - but it's put together in a really big way. Not convinced? Consider this: What's not to love about a place where folks think nothing of drinking whisky at 10:30 in the morning?

Truth is, I was hooked on the author's "Whisky Business" series when I read the first installment, Single Malt Murder (many thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read advance copies of both in exchange for honest reviews). This one, the second, stands well on its own, but my suggestion is to start at the beginning simply because the first one is so delightful.

Professional photojournalist Abi Logan, who inherited the Abbey Glen single-malt whisky distillery in Balfour when a close relative died, is back in town after three months on assignment. She's accompanied, as always, by her rather large wheaten terrier, Liam; almost from the time they hit the ground running, Liam finds some human bones that turn out to be, perhaps thankfully, really, really old - perhaps connected to old-time whisky runners who plied their dangerous trade in the area generations ago.

Then, she runs into a stranger named Rory Hendricks, who turns out to be a mostly over-the-hill rock-and-roll star who's here to do a solo benefit concert for veterans and a man on whom Abi had a monster-size crush as a kid. Not everyone, though, is thrilled to relive the heyday of his band. In fact, he may be the target of someone who already has done away with a couple of other former band members who died under somewhat suspicious circumstances. Complicating things is that Hendricks is dead set on making up for lost time with a daughter he didn't know he had until recently (and she's less than thrilled with the getting-to-know-you thing). Abi wants to help protect him, of course, but he isn't always cooperative and she has trouble telling him no.

As if that weren't enough, Abi is trying to set up a charitable foundation in honor of the relative who left her the distillery (most of the money from the sale of very rare whisky found at the distillery will be used to fund it). And, Abi's friend Patrick begs her to hold an extravaganza at the distillery for a group of visiting Japanese whisky-loving visitors - an event strongly opposed by Grant, head distiller and strong contender for Abi's heart. Can Patrick, and the rock star's daughter, an art gallery owner who wants to organize the event, convince Grant that it's all worth the time and trouble? And if Rory wants to attend so he can be close to his daughter, can the local police - with a wee bit of help from Abi - unearth the murderer and keep them both from becoming victims?

The answers to those questions remains right to the nail-biting end, and as for what happens, my lips are sealed. All I'll say is the same thing I said when I finished the first book: Absolutely delicious!

Death Distilled by Melinda Mullet (Alibi, September 2017); 240 pp.