A Corpse at the Castle

Highland Horse Whisperer #1

by R.B. Marshall

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN B0829GJGC5 can be found here and here

A royal castle. A murder. Only one witness: a horse

When Izzy Paterson takes a job in the Scottish Highlands as horse trainer to the rather eccentric Lady Letham, she doesn't expect to be rubbing shoulders with the Queen and her household.

But even those in privileged circles have enemies, and when a gruesome murder at Balmoral Castle throws suspicion on her new friend, handsome Craig MacDonald, only Izzy's investigative skills stand between him and a long sentence at Her Majesty's pleasure.

As Izzy fights to clear Craig's name, can she gain acceptance from the suspicious residents of Glengowrie, infiltrate the mysterious Horseman's Guild and piece together the clues... before the killer strikes again?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Romance, Horses

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 30, 2020

About the author

Like her amateur sleuth, Izzy, USA Today Bestselling author R.B. (Roz) Marshall is a dressage-riding computer geek who loves coffee - but there the similarity ends. Izzy is far smarter, and a lot younger!

Pretty much all of Roz's books are set in her native Scotland. She writes clever, witty cozy mysteries as R.B. Marshall, fantasy and romantic women's fiction as Roz Marshall, and historical romance as Belle McInnes.

Reviews

[Cheryl (Pfffffft ..... Book Slump!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 🌟 read rounded ⬆️ to 4 🌟.

What can I say - it was the Scottish accent and scenery that drew me in rather than the horsies, romance 🤢 and what was a rather obvious and obnoxious killer that stood out. Still, it was an easy, entertaining read to distract me from a long heatwave and a storm that ripped through my small country town causing massive damage.

[Eliza Svihra · Rating 1 out of 5]

What even was that….

All I can say is “ew”… It isn’t well written at all. If you want a protagonist that can do it all and get all the guys while somehow saving the day with another hobby that shouldn’t even be a part of this story, then I guess this is for you? I couldn’t roll my eyes hard enough. I did finish it only because I never DNF a book. It took me months, but I did it. It was just “maybe this” the entire time until the last 20 pages and then everything was just shoved together. The ending was EVEN WORSE. It just ENDS. I will not be looking for the next book. I will not be looking for anything by this author after this.

[Sandee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Izzy is a nerd who trains horses. She has a job in Scotland doing that. When there is a murder at the Queen's summer castle she and her friend Craig become suspects. Izzy gets to employ all her skills both as a computer nerd and as a horse whisperer to clear their names.
A bit slow moving to start but there is lots of excitement and fun when the story picks up speed. The descriptions are beautiful and the characters well developed. I am looking forward to reading more from this series.

[Cathy Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Corpse at the Castle by Roz Marshall is a fun-filled mystery, featuring Izzy Patterson who is a horse trainer by day and computer geek by night. Izzy, and gal-pal Trinity, have recently changed careers and moved to Scotland to work full time with horses.
Izzy’s boss sends her to Balmoral Castle, the summer home of the Queen of England, to deliver some horses to the grumpy stud manager. Murder ensues, and Izzy must clear her own name and that of her new friend/romantic interest Craig.
A Corpse at the Castle ticks all the boxes for cozy lovers: A small-town murder, a bevy of colorful characters, a handsome yet dismissive police officer, a romantic quandary, some lovable animals -- and for the Brits -- an appearance by the Queen.
A Corpse at the Castle is a page-turner. A quick, fun read, the author kept me guessing about whodunit, and her attention to detail made me want to visit Scotland someday. For Americans, there are some British terms you may not be familiar with, but the author provides a glossary for your enlightenment. You can bookmark it for quick access, if necessary.
I look forward to more from Roz Marshall.

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was prepared to like this -- horses, estates, Balmoral, Scotland, mystery; it has all the elements. It fell flat.

Izzy doesn't appear to be anything. We know she worked in the corporate world but don't know why she left; we know she has a cyber-sleuthing business, which appears to sideswipe American law, though I don't know about Scottish; we know she feels attracted to two men, but she seems unable to articulate what she thinks about either, except they're hot and dress nicely; we know she has a best friend and colleague named Trinity but nothing about what brought them together.

Then - visions from a horse, but she doesn't question them? Nor wonder if that's her new normal? Or where they came from? They seem not to faze her at all.

And Lady L calls Her Majesty "Libby". Yet all the queen's friends and family called her "Lilibet" -- where does "Libby" come from?

SO overall it's a story. A rather average story, with so much potential to be more.

[Tari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this little visit to the Scottish Highlands and meeting Izzy, the horse whisperer. She managed to meet the Queen, solve a murder or two and snag a handsome guy which wasn't the boring life she'd expected there at all. I liked her friend Trinity and what little we got to read about Dev, Izzy's partner in Aye Spy, her cyber investigation side business. I'm anxious now to read the next book that comes along in the series! This was a very good borrow on my KU!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first met quirky Izzy in The Secret Santa Mystery and adored her! So happy to see her again in this novel, with her unusual skill sets and naivete that combine to make her a curiously effective sleuth. This time, she’s in a bit of a pickle as a murder suspect along with her new friend Craig. But that doesn’t stop her from seeking the truth behind this whodunit in order to prevent further mayhem. She’s getting better at dealing with humans, regardless if they are to the “manor born” or not. This is an easy cozy read, with a few giggles here and there. You’ll really root for Miss Izzy to solve this mystery! Drink some tea, read, and enjoy the recipes at the end!

[Suze Prescot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horses and Hot Men

A new job takes Izzy back to Scotland and to Balmoral where a murder occurs.
I loved Izzy and her friend, Trinity. It is a good story, thwarted romance and deaths notwithstanding.
I'll have to buy more of this series.

[Danielle Zimmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit breezier than I’d have liked, and the culprit was extremely obvious (even without the “twist”), but it was an enjoyable read all the same.

The best part was “hearing” the Scottish accents. God I miss Scotland.

[Addie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @60% wouldn’t have even thought about reading it except it was free and a cozy mystery. Boring and uneventful.

[Jenna PT · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. Thought the story was sweet. Was very rusted at the end though. Still I enjoyed it.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely mystery

I really like Izzy and Trinity. I'm glad they get to work together in a job they love. It's a lot of fun reading the mystery that Izzy helps solve and about her man troubles. Hopefully something good will happen to both Izzy and Trinity in the love department.

[Kris · Rating 1 out of 5]

The solution to the murder is so dumb that I could have written it. Also why is Izzy so hung up on a dude she knew for 3 days? He’s clearly a jackass. Look at how he’s treating you after 3 days! You’re not in love with him! Stop perpetuating that nonsense!!

[A.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a "horse addict" who loves dressage, this series is like candy, without the guilt. I absolutely love it! Fast read, likeable characters, highly recommended.

[Tina Petriella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the realism of this book and the imagery of the village, the stables and the characters. The story is quite original including the manner of the murder and how the whole situation is described and planned out by the author. I can imagine the Scottish Highlands when I read this book and that makes me excited because it's a place that I find beautiful and would like to visit someday. The best part about this series is that R.B. (Roz) Marshall likes to add locations and historical events to her fiction writing so when she discusses the attempt on the Queen's life that is a true event in history. Of course, not all of it's true she used it to fit the story she was telling and did a great job of it. Having Hamish as the one who saved the Queen and then offered the position as stud manager at her Balmoral estate is quite the ingenious way of mixing the truth with the fiction of it all. She does this to get a good story and it works.

I really enjoy the characters of the story, Izzy and Trinity, who we first meet in the prequel "The Secret Santa Mystery" when Izzy worked at Bleubank, where Izzy realized that she had a knack for cyber investigations. We had a lot of fun with them while they figured out the mystery involved in that. I like the change of scenery though to the stables in the Highlands. I was also glad to find out that Izzy is still in touch with Dev from the prequel as well. I am so glad that the horses have been brought in permanently. I mean they are, in their own right, characters as well, and Eagle has a great personality, not too mention the visions. So the characters both small and large (meaning main and supporting) are well rounded, fun and have depth to them, which is what makes it such a great read.

This story is both fun and easy to read (I stayed up all night to finish it). It's really entertaining to follow the steps of the investigation and how all the characters come together. I really like Dean the policeman and how he interacts with Izzy about the investigation and on a personal level. If you are looking for a cozy mystery that is a great read then this is the book for you.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Eagle's View

I've been waiting for another Izzy Patterson story, especially set in the northeastern Highlands as I was there among the beautiful Cairngorm Mountains and was actually see bits of Balmoral including a small cafe where the hot chocolate tasted like a melted candy bar with whipped cream an marshmallows.
Izzy chose a fine part of the Highlands to settle into her horse training. Lady Letham owns the stables & allows Izzy & her assistant, Trinity 3 boxes to train private customers. Also, Izzy has her IT consulting business. Lady Letham tells Izzy to bring two mares to Balmoral to breed with none other the one of the Queen's stallions, Eagle. Since she'll be leaving early, a early night ensues. While taking the lorry with the two males, she runs into (not literally) Craig McDonald. Pony Boy @ Balmoral who steers her to thestables to meet Hamish
Stable manager. Not that Hamish is like the friendly Craig. A dour Scot, he is all business with Izzy demanding the pedigrees for Lady Letham's mares. Gruffly telling her to come back at 10 am to see if the stallion, Eagle, will cover the mares.
Hamish shows he.r Eagle & softens for a second when Izzy loves Eagle. So off Izzy goes to the only B&B around Balmoral. Oddly enough, Craig comes into the pub just as a new farrier in town to drum up business tries to drum up some with Izzy. Saced by Craig, they chat & have a good time until Mrs. Douglas comes looking for Hamish as he isn't home get. Craig walks Izzy home & steals a kiss.
But the next morning, Hamish is dead in Eagles stall with a head injury. Did Eagle do it & why is Izzy getting scared feelings when she touches him. When police wants to question Izzy. Sgt. Lovell makes her heart beat faster too. Digging into Hamish's information, she finds a secret society of Horse Whisperers(men only.) Hamish was Grand Master. When there is another murded, Izzy must figure out two things,who killed the men & whom does she want to Craig date Dean Lovell, cop or Craig McDonald, who now has Hamish's job. Is one of them the murderer?
I loved this story. Sign up for her newsletter to newer stories & other series she has on e-reader format.

[Rhonda Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely truly enjoy 1st narrative stories, I mentally argue with most of them. this one was a surprisingly delightful and fun read.

Izzy is a bright, bubbly narrator and pays attention to a lot of detail. She can be a bit naive at times but it does not feel forced. For all that, there is none of the awkward dips into side rants that often bother me in 1st person perspective. instead, she is straightforward and clear and just plain enjoyable.

The story centers on the murder, focusing on the mystery surrounding it. Izzy has several good reasons to investigate it on her own and est of all, does so logically and safely. It is awesome to eard a heroine who does not jump into things without thinking. Yes, she makes mistakes but no drastic or inane ones. The romance is secondary, which is perfect for me. And, even better, it is slow and organic.

The best part of the book is the incredible detail. Yes, it focuses on the primary characters, heroine, romantic interests, best friend, victim. But there are snippets of the locals that are both delightful and amusing glimpses of small town life. And there are tiny things that add up, allowing the reader to see Izzy's epiphany and solve the mystery.

Was it fluffy? Yes, but it was also well done and in its own way a gem

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izzy Paterson has just made the move from London and her IT work to the Highlands of Scotland to pursue her dream of training horses. She’s barely settled into a routine when her new boss, the elderly and slightly vague Lady Letham, springs an unexpected job on her – take two mares to her friend Libby’s stud. At Balmoral. Oh, yes, that’s the queen’s Scottish residence.
Stud manager, Hamish, is rather brusque, but Izzy also meets one of his staff, Craig, who is far more friendly. When Hamish is found dead the following morning and both Izzy and Craig are questioned by the police, Izzy decides she should use the skills she developed back in London to try to identify the killer. The fact that police Sgt. Dean Lovel is hot and interested in her brings a whole other level of challenge to Izzy’s life as she tries to juggle two men, her new job, and a weird connection she seems to be developing with the stud stallion that the police believe killed Hamish.
Could the queen’s horse be the killer? Or did someone set him up?
This is a fun cozy mystery with fabulous settings, a cast of vivid characters, and a plot that confounds until the very end – a perfect light read.

[Milica]

What a silly little book! It embodies everything there is about vanity publishing - except for the typos. I could not find any grammatical errors or typesetting weirdness. That is already a result(!) when the $0 price tag is taken into account.
There seem to be two different cover pages - one of them obviously much cheaper than the other. The one for my Kindle book looks like the avatars that teachers in K-12 use on their course websites to "connect" with the students. Less creepy, though. Some of the teacher avatars are so poorly done that I admire any Pre-Ker who does not run away screaming.
Anyhow, we had to wait an inordinate amount of time for the titular corpse to show up. This might be the author's idea of suspense. The suspect was obvious from the get go. And - it was not even in the usual sense where you can pat yourself on the back for being so clever and guessing correctly who the murderer was.
I did not care for the "love" triangle. It was unnecessary and uninteresting.
Overall, if you are in need of a literary equivalent of the YouTube "music to relax" videos, look no further.

[Julie Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun cosy mystery that was slightly different. Not only was it set in Scotland but also featured the Queen, it was written with respect and and easy to imagine her walking amongst the horses. I liked the characters and unusual job of training horses, this gave Izzy plenty of time for investigating and even a little romance. The mystery was interesting and contained a number of suspects. The only thing I am not sure about was why she needed a vision from the horse, I am not sure if fitted in with the rest of the story and wasn't really explained. Maybe as the series develops things will get explained and I will just have to find out.
Izzy never thought that starting a new job would have her meeting the Queen or investigating a murder. When her boss asks her to take two horses to the Queen's stable, Izzy gets caught up in a murder in investigation , the grumpy stable manger is found dead and his second in command is the police's number one suspect. Izzy gets a vision from a horse and thinks maybe they are focused on the wrong man, especially as she think just maybe he could be someone she wants to get to know better. Can she find the really killer?

[chantellekitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

I got this book on stuff your kindle day - murder mystery set in Scotland, it definitely called my name!

I think I knew from the first few pages that the writing would be simplistic, but I kept on going. I don’t think simplistic writing can ruin a book if the story is good. I felt like the relationships between the main character and the love interests lacked passion and it didn’t feel realistic. I felt like it was overdone and cringey at points too.

The murderer I saw coming from a mile off. I admit, I didn’t expect the reasoning but I knew from early on that it would be them.

I did enjoy the friendship between Trinity and Izzy, it was nice and sweet which is one of the main reasons I kept on reading.

Overall, this book wasn’t the best and it didn’t stand out to me. I mean I got it for free, so I can’t complain right? It wasn’t awful, but I was happier when it was over than when I was reading it.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Izzy is a horse whisperer, and runs a sideline as an IT investigator. When she lands a job as a horse trainer in the Scottish Highlands, together with her assistant, Trinity, things begin to heat up in the quiet town with a murder mystery to solve, and two very different men entering Izzy’s personal life. She also gets to meet the Queen, who, it turns out, is a friend of her employer, Lady Letham.

The writing is fast paced, and the story kept me reading from beginning to end. The characters are colourful and the scenes well described.

The conclusion is a little predictable, but also allows for the continuation of Izzy and Trinity’s story, as they meet more interesting characters in the Highlands. Will Izzy decide which of the two men in her love life she will settle for? Or will she continue to expand her horizons, and find romance in other relationships?

I shall have to read the sequels to discover more of Izzy’s story.

[Anne Donaldson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is accurately described as a cozy mystery, and Izzy is an appealing, if easily distracted, detective. It should be a rule for those intending to veer off their career paths into a spot of sleuthing that they listen to their hunches, and this is not a rule that Izzy follows. RB Marshall writes characters that are engaging and easy to picture; her characters truly come to life, although the queen and Lady Letham are less well drawn. My only quibble with this story is that we had perhaps too many clues/hints and that the ending left me disappointed in Izzy herself. I’d also have liked to know if it was possible for Izzy to fully rehabilitate Eagle. I hope we see more of the Horseman’s Guild in future books; that’s a mystery all its own (and maybe have Craig back!).

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Heather Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed my introduction to R.B. Marshall, reading A Corpse at the Castle, and look forward to more.
Izzy is a tech security "ethical hacker" turned horse trainer in Scotland. Her new employer, Lady Latham, is a wonderful woman, if a little fizzle-headed.
Izzy's new assignment - given to her at VERY short notice by Lady Latham - is to take two horses to Balmoral (yes, THAT Balmoral...summer castle home of The Queen) to breed with one of the studs there.
Hamish, the very grumpy stable manager, is found dead the morning after Izzy's arrival.
Now Izzy will be mixing her tech skills with her horsemanship to figure out the killer. Along the way we meet a cast of quirky characters (including Izzy's right hand gal, Trinity, plus a very braw Scottish detective) that round out keeping the reader engaged in this fun cozy.
I can't wait to catch up with Izzy again!

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Izzy has left the corporate world in London to settle in small-town Scotland as a horse trainer, while still holding onto a part time job in cyber-security. She also works with her best friend, Trini. But… as this is the first book in the series, we really don’t know much about how they met/got together/etc. How did they become friends? While delivering two mares to a stud farm (Balmoral Castle!), she meets a hot horse handler, Craig. And when there’s a murder, she meets hot cop Dean. She’s someone who hasn’t had a relationship in a while and now she has two possibilities.
For me, the killer was obvious from the beginning, so the ending was no surprise. I thought the story a little slow in spots, especially the beginning, but the mystery was solved by the end, so that was good. And there were enough threads left dangling that we know there will be more stories to come.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaving behind a London desk job and beginning a new career as a horse trainer in Scotland, Izzy Paterson's life has suddenly changed direction. Working for Lady Letham has certain perks; one of which is visiting Balmoral to introduce the Letham estate mares to the Queen's prized stallion. It's a shame everything goes pear-shaped when the head groom is murdered in the stables and Izzy's new friend Craig is implicated. Izzy now finds herself embedded in the investigation, trying to clear Craig's name.

This cosy was a delight. The story was enticing, and the characters were incredibly easy to connect with. Moreover, the setting was richly detailed, leaving me with a sense of being in the places described. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next in this series.

[Kassandra Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horses, the Scottish countryside, and Queen Elizabeth...what's not to like in this cozy mystery?

Horse trainer (and I.T. geek) Izzy Paterson has landed the perfect job, in the stables of Lady Letham's estate in the Scottish Highlands. But when she takes two of their brood mares to Balmoral, the Queen's summer castle, to be bred with a prize stallion, things go awry. A body is found in the stall of the stallion, and Izzy must take on the role of amateur sleuth...to save both the horse and clear herself of suspicion.
The plot and the characters are well developed, and bits of humor and a touch of romance spice things up. There are 2 more books and a prequel in this series, plus 2 new releases due out in 2023. I give A Corpse at the Castle four fingerprints.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

My summary - Izzy is a horse trainer at a Lady’s school. The lady want to breed her mares to one of the Queen of England’s stallions, so Izzy takes them up there when one of the stable hands is murdered. They’re trying to figure out who dun it and Izzy catches the eye of one of the other stable hands and the detective. There’s a storm and then they catch the killer.

My musings - okay so not the best writing or plot or twist or anything, but I really enjoyed it?? I’m confused too. I did not like how this book had many modern idioms and casual language. I didn’t love that every man she encountered ways hunky because that’s just not realistic. I guessed the killer almost immediately. However, I enjoyed how easy this book was to digest. It was as if I was watching a movie. I might even read the next one.

[Jeanette C. Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izzy Paterson leaves a lucrative IT security job to train horses in the Scottish Highlands. Employed by Lady Letham, neighbour to the Queen's Balmoral estate, Izzy gets pulled into a murder investigation simply because she met the murder victim hours before he was killed. Relating much better to animals than humans, she is shocked to find she is attracted not only to the main suspect but also the investigating officer. Trying to clear her friend from a murder charge and trying to prove a beloved horse isn't a killer drives Izzy to use her investigative computer skills to discover the real culprit. A bit too much romance for me but a lot of fun to read.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roz Marshall a rather excellent cozey mystery murder mixing fiction with drops of factual places and events bringing to life some exciting characters and intriguing events. The heroine is a mixture horse Whisperer and computer tracking PI working horses by day computers by night the array of characters in this cozey drew me in first page to the very last while their intriguing challenges had me entranced turning page after page laughing, gasping and guessing until the exciting and dynamic conclusion. Acquire " Corpse at the Castle " ( Highland Horse Whisperer #1)in this lively series for hours of intriguing and enjoyable entertainment. Kat