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WRITTEN IN STONE is the tenth book in the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries by Paige Shelton. Once again, I was captivated by protagonist Delaney Nichols and the utterly charming city of Edinburgh, Scotland. Not only does the author immerse the reader in the culture and ancient buildings, but she weaves in modern day life, which thrives in the castle’s shadow perched atop Castle Rock. I simply adore the Cracked Spine Bookshop where Delaney works, and her close relationship with the other employees who have become her friends/almost family since she moved to Scotland. In this newest release, Delaney and her husband are taking part in the Hidden Door Festival and have received an invitation to visit a reclusive artist’s studio, that of Ryory Bennigan. I was fascinated by the artist’s devotion to the long-lost Picts and their art. I’d never heard of this ancient group of people, but Ms. Shelton does an admirable job intertwining some of the known history in such a creative way, it never felt like I was reading anything but fiction.

After a chance meeting with a fellow American, a paleontologist from Kansas also interested in the Picts and claiming to have found a valuable artifact, Delaney is horrified to find he was murdered shortly after their encounter. With the police not making any progress on finding the killer, Delaney and her innate curiosity, starts digging into the paleontologist’s life and past. With secrets and scandals, poisonings and Picts, fraud and fakes, the tightly plotted mystery takes the reader on a fast-paced ride. There were twists I didn’t see coming and suspects that had me second guessing myself with every turn of the page. With a heart stopping reveal, Delaney proves that she’s a brave and determined woman and I can’t wait to find out what new adventures she finds herself in!

While the Scottish Bookshop Mysteries don’t contain recipes, you can’t visit Scotland without imbibing strong tea, Scotch whiskey, and nibbling on shortbread. A very dear friend of mine, Joan Wallace, is of Scottish ancestry. Her father immigrated from Scotland to Canada long, long ago and brought his family’s shortbread recipe with him. I was honored when she allowed me to not only have her family’s Grandma Bea Farries’ Scottish Shortbread Cookie recipe that’s been passed down through generations, but allowed me to share on my blog! These Scottish Shortbread Cookies uses only four simple ingredients to create buttery cookies that melt in your mouth and is the perfect accompaniment to a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Amazon Synopsis

When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan’s studio, she isn’t sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts—complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair—recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts’ language really sounded like.

Or at least that’s what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.

With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace’s past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace’s shady background—selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case… or risk becoming a pile of bones herself.

A special thanks to Paige Shelton for offering a print copy of WRITTEN IN STONE to one lucky winner! Contest ends April 27, 2025 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Grandma Bea Farries’ Scottish Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is from a dear friend of mine, Joan Wallace, who's family immigrated from Scotland a century ago. The recipe has been passed down through the generations and I was honored to be allowed the privilege of sharing it.

Makes approximately 27 cookies

Ingredients

1 pound (4 sticks) butter
1 cup (4.4 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
3 cups (16 ounces) flour, pack it down in the cup when measuring
1/2 cup (2.2 ounces) cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the flour, cornstarch, and confectioners’ sugar together. Set aside.
Cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
Form the dough into golf ball-sized shapes (I used my 2-tablespoon spring-loaded cookie scoop) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Gently press the tines of a fork on the top of the cookie, making a criss-cross pattern. You don’t want to flatten the cookies, just imprint them. The dough should remain at least a half-inch high.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.