Book

Secrets in the Mist Book 1: Mystery, Murder and Romance meet in the heart of the Scottish Highlands

Series · Lochraven Romantic Mystery Series

View all books in this series

by Cait Byrne

A skeleton beneath the stones. A village built on secrets. And a killer who'll do anything to keep them buried. In the mist-laced Highland village of Lochraven, book restorer Isla MacLeod prefers the company of leather-bound first editions to people — especially men like Finlay Fraser, the maddeningly handsome developer determined to drag her sleepy home into the twenty-first century. But when Isla's mischievous spaniel, Shakespeare, unearths centuries-old bones beneath a cottage marked for demolition — and a fresh body turns up days later — Isla and Finlay are forced into an uneasy alliance. Drawn into a tangle of ancient curses, whispered legends, and lies the village would rather forget, they uncover a darkness that has been waiting in the heather for hundreds of years… And the killer is always one step ahead. With Isla's rare synesthetic gift, Finlay's reluctant charm, and a spaniel with a nose for trouble, Secrets in the Mist is the spellbinding opener to a Highland cozy mystery series brimming with folklore, slow-burn romance, and shadowy intrigue. Perfect for fans of: M.C. Beaton's Hamish Macbeth Ellie Alexander's atmospheric whodunits Midsomer Murders and Death in Paradise Moody British cozies with a romantic heart Tropes & Hooks: Scottish Highlands setting, drenched in mist and folklore Buried skeleton & cold-case mystery Grumpy-sunshine, enemies-to-lovers slow burn Bookish heroine with a one-of-a-kind synesthetic gift Shakespeare the spaniel — a furry sidekick with a nose for clues Ancient curses, village secrets, and a killer hiding in plain sight Book 1 of the Lochraven Romantic Mystery Series — a continuous, five-book storyline best read in order. The series builds to a sweeping, emotional finale in Book 5. If you love binge-worthy series with romantic payoff, you're in the right place.

Publication date: September 25, 2025