The Low Road By Jo Hiestand

The McLaren Mysteries

British mystery

Date Published: Sept 19, 2022

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Former police detective Michael McLaren arrives in Scotland, ready to
immerse himself in the fun of the Highland Games and to enjoy a holiday with
Melanie. But the old saying of plans oft going awry rears its ugly head:
Simon Shaw, a member of McLaren's folk group, dies. Murdered a year to the
day following his uncle's death.

McLaren is determined to find out who killed Simon. Needing justice for his
friend is only half of his incentive. He also needs to appease his guilt for
suggesting the group sing there in the first place.

As McLaren becomes immersed in the investigation, he wonders if the two
deaths are linked, or have to do with the family or their clan. Perhaps
Simon's former wife killed him, bent on revenge more powerful than mere
divorce. Or was the killing tied to an old hunt for diamonds? After all,
diamonds aren't only a girl's best friend. Sometimes they birth greed and
murder. And entrap the innocent.

About the Author

Jo A. Hiestand grew up on regular doses of music, books, and Girl Scout
camping. She gravitated toward writing in her post-high school years and
finally did something sensible about it, graduating from Webster University
with a BA degree in English and departmental honours. She writes a British
mystery series (the McLaren Mysteries)—of which three books have
garnered the prestigious N.N. Light’s Book Heaven ‘Best Mystery
Novel’ for three years straight. She also writes a Missouri-based cosy
mystery series (The Cookies & Kilts Mysteries, of which "A Trifling
Murder" is the second book) that is grounded in places associated with
her camping haunts. The camping is a thing of the past, for the most part,
but the music stayed with her in the form of playing guitar and harpsichord and singing in a folk group. Jo carves jack o’ lanterns badly and
sings loudly. She loves barbecue sauce and ice cream (separately, not
together), kilts (especially if men wear them), clouds and stormy skies, and
the music of G.F. Handel. You can usually find her pulling mystery plots out
of scenery—whether from photographs or the real thing.