by Hilary Pugh  (Autthor)

A Novella Review by Jackie Houchin

A Book Review by Jacke Houchin Finding Lottie is a free novella given by the author as a prequel and introduction to her 5-book Ian Skair Scottish Detective Mystery series. In it we are introduced to Ian Skair, and ex-copper in Dublin who was injured on the job and been laid aside. He has now begun a Private Detective Agency, bought himself a new house in a small town in Northern Scotland with the money from an inheritance, and inherited a dog from his ex wife. Lottie, a Cairn Terrier, is the dog who has a penchant for escaping any confinement.

But in just a day or two, Skair has become attached to her, so when she goes missing, and there is a ransom note, he shifts into copper mode to find her.  The problem is, the dog in the ransom note is a male Cairn Terrier – an exact look-alike – named Angus.  He is not missing, and is owned by a single, middle school teacher, the beautiful and smart, Caroline.  It seems the kidnapper has made a mistaken identity.  No problem, Ian Skair and the lovely Caroline work together to locate the missing Lottie, and in the process find a kid on the wrong tract, and a very serious crime also being perpetrated.  It all ends well, of course, and Lottie (as well as Caroline) is now in the detectective’s life for a while it seems.

Finding Lottie is a well written, fast paced, introduction to the series – I found it hard to put down – and I have gone to Amazon to buy the first full-length book in the series, The Laird of Drumlychtoun.

If you go to the author’s website, perhaps you can also get a free copy of Finding Lottie. www.hilarypugh.com