The Castle in the Glen by Rhys Bowen: Book Review
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Rhys Bowen’s The Castle in the Glen had so many things I love in a novel that it almost felt tailor-made for me: an atmospheric Scottish setting, a mysterious old castle, long-buried family secrets, and a mystery that stretches across generations.
Set primarily on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, the story begins in 1965 when Australian writer Emma Callander is asked to help celebrated mystery author Iris Blackburn complete her final novel. But the story Iris wants Emma to finish turns out to have roots in a very real, decades-old mystery.
From there, Bowen layers one mystery inside another, moving between different periods and gradually revealing what happened years before.
And I loved every bit of it.
My Take: I loved The Castle in the Glen. Rhys Bowen combines a mystery within a mystery, multiple timelines, long-buried family secrets, and an atmospheric Isle of Skye setting into a story I couldn’t put down. The beginning is leisurely, but it sets the stage beautifully — and once the mystery took hold, I flew through the book. Add a dark Scottish castle and characters I genuinely loved, and this one was an easy READ for me. My Verdict? Read.
What Is The Castle in the Glen About?
It is 1965, and Australian writer Emma Callander has been hired to help acclaimed mystery novelist Iris Blackburn finish the final book in her historical mystery series.
Iris’s memory is beginning to fail, but she is convinced Emma is the person who can complete the novel properly. The unfinished story concerns a murder on Scotland’s Isle of Skye – and Emma soon discovers that Iris’s fictional mystery isn’t entirely fictional.
The story reaches back decades, particularly to events in 1904, when the suspicious drowning of a couple was followed by the disappearance of a mysterious young woman known locally as the Wild Girl.
More than fifty years later, questions remain about what really happened.
Emma travels to Skye to research the story, where she encounters a powerful aristocratic family, a medieval castle, and secrets that certain people would very much prefer she leave alone.
With Iris’s lawyer, Tony Gordon, helping her investigate, Emma begins piecing together a story that connects the past and present – and discovers that solving Iris’s fictional mystery may mean solving a real one as well.
The Castle in the Glen – What I Liked
The Mystery Within a Mystery
This was probably my favorite part of the book.
We aren’t simply watching Emma investigate an old mystery. We’re also discovering the story Iris has been writing, while gradually realizing how that story connects to events that actually occurred.
That layered structure could easily have made the novel feel cumbersome. Instead, I found the opposite happened.
For some reason, I expected the historical portions of the story to slow me down a little. They didn’t. I whipped through them.
Each new piece of the past made me want to know what happened next, and the different threads kept pulling me toward the eventual answer.
The Multiple Timelines
Bowen moves the story among 1965 and earlier periods, including events surrounding 1904, allowing the mystery to unfold piece by piece rather than simply explaining what happened in the past.
I loved this approach.
The timelines aren’t there merely to provide background. The past is the mystery, and understanding what happened decades earlier becomes essential to understanding what Emma encounters in 1965.
That made the historical sections feel integral to the story rather than interruptions to it.
The Isle of Skye Setting
Oh, the setting.
The Isle of Skye seemed like the absolutely perfect place for this story.
There is something about misty Scottish landscapes, isolated communities, old family histories, and a medieval castle that practically begs for a mystery. Rhys Bowen takes full advantage of that atmosphere.
And then there is the castle itself. Dark? Check. Mysterious? Check.
Filled with people who aren’t particularly thrilled that someone has arrived asking questions about their family’s past?
Even better.
The setting didn’t simply provide scenery. It added to the feeling that Emma had stepped into a place where the past was still very much present.
Emma and Iris
The mystery drew me in, but Emma and Iris helped make the book one I genuinely loved.
Emma is intelligent, curious, and easy to root for, while Iris brings another dimension to the story as a successful mystery writer whose fading memory makes completing this final book increasingly important.
I became invested in both women, not simply in finding out whether the mystery would be solved.
They’re keepers.
The Castle in the Glen – What I Didn’t Like
The Pacing
This is probably the closest I can come to a “didn’t like.” The beginning is leisurely.
I’ve seen that word used to describe the book, and I think it’s fair. Readers looking for a mystery that launches immediately into danger and nonstop action may find the opening slower than expected.
But I wouldn’t call it a flaw.
For me, that opening established the characters, circumstances, and atmosphere necessary for the mystery-within-a-mystery structure to work. Once those pieces were in place, the story moved quickly.
And by the time Emma was investigating on Skye, I was turning pages as fast as I could.
So yes, it’s a leisurely beginning. It’s also one I wouldn’t want to remove.
The Castle in the Glen – Read, Re-read, or Reconsider?
Read.
This was an easy decision.
I loved The Castle in the Glen for its layered mystery, multiple timelines, atmospheric Scottish setting, old family secrets, and memorable main characters.
It’s especially well suited to readers who enjoy historical mysteries where uncovering the past becomes just as compelling as following the present-day investigation.
And if the words Scotland + castle + decades-old mystery + family secrets already have you reaching for the book?
I suspect you’re my kind of reader.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Castle in the Glen
Is The Castle in the Glen a historical mystery?
Yes. The Castle in the Glen combines historical fiction and mystery, with a story that moves between 1965 and events occurring decades earlier. The mystery Emma investigates in 1965 is directly connected to events from the past.
Where is The Castle in the Glen set?
Much of the novel takes place on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The remote Scottish landscape and medieval castle play an important role in creating the novel’s mysterious atmosphere.
Does The Castle in the Glen have multiple timelines?
Yes. The novel uses multiple time periods to gradually reveal the events behind the central mystery. Rather than simply describing the past, Bowen allows readers to experience portions of the earlier story as the mystery unfolds.
Is The Castle in the Glen part of a series?
No. The Castle in the Glen is a standalone novel, so you do not need to read any of Rhys Bowen’s other books before starting it.
Is The Castle in the Glen a fast-paced mystery?
Not immediately. The opening is more leisurely as Bowen introduces the characters and establishes the story, but the pace picks up as Emma begins investigating the mystery on Skye. I found the mystery increasingly difficult to put down once the different timelines and clues began coming together.
Does The Castle in the Glen have romance?
There is a romantic element involving Emma and Tony Gordon, but the mystery and Emma’s investigation remain central to the novel. Readers looking primarily for historical mystery rather than a romance should still feel very much at home here.
Is The Castle in the Glen Worth Reading?
Absolutely.
The Castle in the Glen gave me almost everything I could ask for in an atmospheric historical mystery: a remote Scottish setting, a medieval castle, an aristocratic family harboring secrets, multiple timelines, a mystery within a mystery, and characters I wanted to spend time with.
Even the leisurely beginning worked for me because Bowen uses it to put the pieces into place before sending Emma – and the reader – deep into the mystery.
And once we got there? I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.
If you love historical mysteries in which secrets buried for decades begin creeping back into the present, The Castle in the Glen deserves a spot on your reading list.
If You Enjoy Rhys Bowen, Try These Next
If The Castle in the Glen leaves you wanting more Rhys Bowen, try one of these next:
- The Rose Arbor – Another excellent choice if you loved the dual timelines, atmospheric setting, and mystery rooted in secrets from the past.
- Where the Sky Begins – Try this one if you want more of Bowen’s standalone historical fiction, with a strong heroine and a wartime English setting.
- Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure – A lighter, warmer Bowen standalone set primarily in the south of France, with memorable characters and a strong found-family element.
- From Cradle to Grave – Head to the Royal Spyness series if you’d rather have Bowen’s signature blend of historical mystery, wit, and Lady Georgie’s sleuthing.
Or explore our complete Rhys Bowen Books in Order guide to find all of her series and standalone novels.
