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Buy or rent from www.recordedbooks.com In this 15th book by Lilian Jackson Braun, Pickax City columnist and millionaire Jim Qwilleran, nicknamed Qwill by all who know him, fears for heart-throb Polly Duncan when it appears that someone is stalking the middle-aged librarian. He's sure Polly When Irma Hasselrich proposes a tour of Scotland peopled by residents of Pickax, Qwill's happy to sign up as Polly's traveling companion. She'll be safer if she's out of Pickax, thinks Qwill. Unfortunately, someone else on the Bonnie Scots Tour is not as safe. Irma Hasselrich may be a good friend of Polly's, but she soon gets on Qwill's nerves as she guides the group of 15 Pickaxers around Scotland. Her pushy ways are second only to those of Dr Melinda Goodwinter, Qwill's ex-girlfriend who's also on the tour. A recent returnee to Pickax, Melinda is in the process of selling her deceased father's house along with all his belongings. Having lost her brother in an accident some years earlier, Melinda is alone in the world and currently strapped for cash. Qwill's wealth makes him an attractive catch as a husband, and Melinda goes all out to capture the heart of the millionaire. Embarrassed by her open advances, Qwill eventually faces off with the woman, telling her that Polly is the only woman for him. Shortly afterwards, the tour breaks up when the bus driver takes off with one of the tourist's jewelry and Irma is found dead of a heart attack in her hotel room. Melinda signs Irma's death certificate and accompanies the body home, while Qwill and the others make their own way back to Pickax. It's only when he's home in his apple barn house with his beloved cats, Koko and Yum Yum, that Qwill begins to suspect Irma's death was not natural. He investigates the death in his own inimitable way while also helping out with the local theater group's production of Macbeth. Koko's odd behavior leads Qwill towards the truth even as Polly is once again stalked by a mysterious stranger. The motive for Irma's murder is a little weak, as the motives in this series have been lately. Still, this is one of the better recent offerings by Jackson Braun due to the descriptions of Scotland and Scottish lore. Polly is as prudish as ever, which makes her more than a little annoying. But the other characters make up for this deficiency, especially Melinda's cousin, the outspoken Amanda Goodwinter, and the teddy bear-collecting Chisholm sisters. George Guidall does an excellent job of narration, making this book light but pleasant fare for fans of the best-selling Jackson Braun.
Reviewed by Mary V. Welk, April 2004
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