Book review: And The Corpse Wore Tartan by Stuart MacBride

And The Corpse Wore Tartan by Stuart MacBride is apparently officially the second in the ‘Steel and Tufty’ series, though MacBride points out it’s the first to solely feature DS (demoted from DCI) Roberta Steel who’s a regular in the Logan McRae books penned by the Scottish author. MacBride tells us he started this as a novella just before the first Covid lockdown so it’s simmered for a while before becoming a short novel. I’ve only read one of two of the Logan McRae series and didn’t remember Roberta (Robbie to her wife Susan, who features prominently here). And it has to be said, Robbie is certainly an acquired taste. If she were male she’d certainly be considered lecherous and/or lascivious and I was kinda horrified on Susan’s behalf how outwardly pervy Robbie is toward other women in her presence.

The great and the not-so-good are gathered at Skirivour Castle Hotel, in the heart of the Highlands, for the wedding of the year – but they weren’t expecting Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel to crash their party. And get horribly, horribly drunk.

The whole valley’s been cut off by a massive thunderstorm and the phone lines are down, so when the father-of-the-bride’s body is discovered – decoratively impaled on a stag’s head in the hotel lobby – it’s up to DS Steel to find out whodunit. Which isn’t easy when you’ve got a monstrous hangover and only a world-weary sergeant and a halfwit police constable for backup.

With no witnesses and every wedding guest a suspect, Roberta will need to use every one of her little grey cells if she’s going to catch the killer and get out of there alive.

My thoughts

In his note to readers MacBride also said he was keen to pay homage to the Golden Age of crime fiction and this is certainly the quintessential locked-room mystery. As an aside, I feel like a lot of authors have gone down this route in the last year or so. Perhaps it’s the success of Knives Out franchise movies and/or the fact Agatha Christie creations are seeing somewhat of a renaissance, reappearing on streaming services. It also feels like Dame Agatha’s cosy crimes are being increasingly referenced by other writers… as is the case here when Robbie starts to wonder if the victim isn’t the result of a Murder On The Orient Express-style collaboration.

We earn he ripped off most of the locals—many of whom are at the wedding and staying in the hotel—through a dodgy investment deal, so there are no shortage of suspects for Robbie. She’s frustrated though, that all of the wedding however guests and staff tend to use innocuous phrases when describing him… given he was obviously far from that.

Helping Robbie here are a a couple of local coppers (the father and brother of the groom are both on the job) and willing to lend an often-eschewed hand. Robbie’s keen to resolve this before back-up appears so methodically picks through clues and alibis until another death requires a second body to be stored in the hotel’s coldroom. Once I got used to Robbie’s brash ways and appreciated her droll humour I bonded with her a little more, getting invested in her success. As for the outcome here, well… there’s closure and there’s justice.

And The Corpse Wore Tartan by Stuart MacBride will be published in Australia by PanMacmillian in early-mid February 2026.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.