The highland mysteries
A COSY CRIME SERIES
SHAGGY BUSINESS
Free PREQUEL
The Highlands Are Full Of Must-Sees.
Shame Someone Took One.
Long before Joana and Brian were Scotland’s answer to witty crime-solving, they had to survive a field trip in 2010.
Shaggy Business is the prequel to The Highland Mysteries. Their first case, a fair bit of bickering, and the dawning realisation that, against all odds, they actually worked rather well together.
deadly cairns
Book 1
Scotland’s Views Are To Die For.
Turns Out Some People Do.
Release Date: 11 May 2026.
You can pre-order now at YOUR FAVOURITE RETAILER
When photographers start turning up dead at Scotland's most scenic locations, each body marked by a stone cairn with a sinister thumbs up, amateur sleuths Joana and Brian find themselves racing across the Highlands to catch a killer the police have already written off. A cosy, twisty road-trip mystery packed with breathtaking scenery, clever clues, and laugh-out-loud British banter.
Amber Warning
Book 2
Hebridean Storms Take Your Breath Away.
Sometimes Permanently.
Release Date: 01 June 2026.
You can preorder now at YOUR FAVOURITE RETAILER
When Joana and Brian lead a photography workshop on the remote Hebridean islands, they promise breathtaking views and no bodies… until a guest turns up dead during an amber storm warning and the local police call it an accident. Stranded with a killer who'll escape once the weather clears, the duo must race across Lewis and Harris, from ancient standing stones to golden beaches, to unmask the murderer before the first ferry departs.
If you can’t wait to read the book, Join My Review Team and get an Advanced Reader Copy (limited offer).
Lethal Laybys
Book 3
NC 500 Memories Last A Lifetime.
Unfortunately, Some Campers Don’t.
Release Date: 22 June 2026.
You can preorder now at YOUR FAVOURITE RETAILER
Joana and Brian set off to photograph Scotland’s North Coast 500, expecting the usual: narrow roads, clouds of midges, and the challenge of living in a campervan. What they don’t expect is a string of murders in remote laybys. As they travel from Wick to Durness and on to Torridon, they find themselves caught up in Highland Games gossip, dog show drama, and the sort of campervan rallies that attract every eccentric within a hundred miles. The real challenge, though, is catching a killer before the NC 500 becomes someone else's last journey.
FREE BONUS LIBRARY.
The library keeps all the free bits and bobs around The Highland Mysteries in one place, so you won’t need to hunt around:
Free Prequel To The Series
Complimentary Scotland Travel Guide
Opportunity To Join The Test Reader Team
Snapshots From Joana’s And Brian’s Investigation Sites
Character Insights On The Main Protagonists
Downloadable Scotland Poster
And more to come…
Join Joana and Brian on their adventures, two travel photographers who set off to find the perfect view... only to discover it is the scene of the latest crime.
The Highland Mysteries are a cosy crime series in which Joana Snowdon and Brian Goodfellow, armed with a full bag of British dry wit, find themselves tangled up in more than just camera straps. The real star, though, is the Scottish landscape, all brooding hills and secrets lurking behind every stone wall.
For Joana, the perfect Highland day means mist curling over the hills, mountains looming in the distance, and a camera ready for action. She sets out to catch the light, but more often ends up chasing clues and evidence before she’s even focused her lens.
Brian, her reluctant partner, would much prefer the glow of his laptop to the unpredictable weather of the Highlands, but somehow he always ends up in the passenger seat, clutching a lukewarm tea and muttering about the lack of WiFi. Still, when the mysteries get tangled, it’s usually Brian’s research skills that find the loose thread.
You can expect mysteries solved with a good dose of heart, a fair bit of humour, and the kind of British charm that arrives quietly but lingers.
In these page-turners, there are plenty of moments that might make you smile, or even laugh out loud. Sometimes at the mystery, more often at Joana and Brian’s attempts to solve it. The Highlands don’t do dull, and neither do they.
Prequel (Free download in the BONUS LIBRARY) Shaggy Business: A Scottish Highland Coo Mystery
Book 1 (Free sampler in the BONUS LIBRARY) Deadly Cairns: A Scottish Road-Trip Cosy Mystery
Book 2 Amber Warning: A Scottish Island Cosy Mystery
Book 3 Lethal Laybys: A Scottish Camping Cosy Mystery
Ask the author
Any questions? Please feel free to contact Joana.
Meet Joana sNOWDON
I live on the coast of the North Sea in North East Scotland, where the salty air and endless horizon are the perfect companions for dreaming up a cosy mystery.
In my previous life, I worked as a journalist and travelled the world. These days, you’re more likely to find me in my garden with a pen and paper than on a plane. I don't write in an old-fashioned way, but I still love to plan my plots and clues with something I can actually hold. When I head out into the Highlands, I usually bring a thermos of green tea and something vegan that is easy to pack for a picnic (I love eating!). And if this sounds familiar… well… yes. Admittedly, I am a bit like Brian. I like my drama and my snacks. But I’m also a bit like my other main character, Joana, who shares my name. I can be dry, often sarcastic, and sometimes a little annoying.
My stories are of course fiction, but they draw heavily on my real experiences in the Scottish hills. Thankfully, there aren’t nearly as many dead bodies in real life, though many of my quirkier characters are inspired by the wonderful people I’ve met.
I’ve chosen the Highland Coo as the symbol for The Highland Mysteries because, to me, there isn’t a more magnificent animal in the world. They are wild, beautiful, and never really tamed. Just like Scotland itself. (Plus their hairstyle looks pretty much like mine after a sleepless night of plotting, so they have my sympathy.)
While my books are full of secrets and the occasional corpse, I promise to skip the grisly details. I believe there’s enough gloom in the world already. My goal is to give you an escape: a clever twist, a bit of amusement, and a chance to laugh before you return to reality.
Cheers, Joana
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