Plot/Storyline: 4.5 stars
This historical mystery gets off to a pretty fast start, as the barrel's arrival distracts Gil from his everyday activities. The story is solid and moves right along to a satisfactory ending. This book is plot-driven, as nearly all mysteries are, and McIntosh stays completely in period (15th century Scotland) even when unfamiliar words distract the reader from the narrative flow - just about the only flaw in the storyline, but a significant one. What is a yett? Or a pend? I could figure out "guid day" and eventually connected "heidit" with "beheaded," but McIntosh's dedication to accuracy made a glossary necessary, and it's not included. Unsurprisingly, the Kindle's own dictionary can't handle 15th century Scottish terms.
Characters: 4.5 stars
In this third book in the series, the main characters are pretty well set. But McIntosh holds the reader's interest with new characters, from understandably-bitter Kate to untrustworthy carter Billy and his girlfriend Mall to king Jamie Stuart and his scheming ministers. McIntosh excels at the details that make a character feel real, from the reactions of the yard men to Kate's desperate attempts to avoid carping at her favorite brother's happiness. The complicated relationships and machinations between the members of the king's court were all too believable. Augie's little girls are a bit too precious, but not unbelievable. The ax-man is probably the weakest character, a story-monster come to life with no background or rationale. There are a couple of minor flaws that do not detract much from the storyline. Why is Kate addressed as "my lady" when her brother Gil bears no title? How did Kate's un-titled suitor dare to pursue her?
Writing style: 4.5 stars
Sentence structure is fine. Dialogue is believable and flowing, but sometimes difficult to understand because of McIntosh's use of correct but unfamiliar terminology. Descriptions are typically pretty scanty, which I normally don't mind as I prefer seeing the scene in my own imagination anyway, but I never felt I understood the layout of Augie's yard or the castle.
Editing: unrated
Grammar, spelling, editing, and Kindle formatting were all fine.
