What do you think?
Rate this book
A Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron Mystery #3
The Burning Glass
Isabel Sinclair died at Ferniebank Castle 400 years ago on her way to a lover's tryst. Now Jean Fairbairn is on her way to write Ferniebank's story - and to her own tryst with ex-cop Alasdair Cameron, a caretaker of historic properties.
397 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
9 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Lillian Stewart Carl
64 books58 followersAuthor bio:
Lillian Stewart Carl's work often features paranormal/fantasy themes and always features plots based on mythology, history, and archaeology. Most of her novels take place squarely in the twenty-first century, where the past lingers on into the present, especially in the British Isles, Lillian's home away from home.
She is the author of nineteen novels so far, including the Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron mystery series---America's exile and Scotland's finest on the trail of all-too-living legends.
Her newest novel is Fairbairn/Cameron number six, THE MORTSAFE.
Of her mystery, fantasy, and sf short stories, twelve are available in a collection titled ALONG THE RIM OF TIME, and thirteen, including three from "Best Of the Year" anthologies, are collected in THE MUSE AND OTHER STORIES OF HISTORY, MYSTERY, and MYTH.
All of Carl's work is available in electronic as well as paper form.
She has also co-edited (with John Helfers) a retrospective of Lois McMaster's Bujold's science fiction work, titled THE VORKOSIGAN COMPANION, which was nominated for a Hugo award.
Lillian Stewart Carl's work often features paranormal/fantasy themes and always features plots based on mythology, history, and archaeology. Most of her novels take place squarely in the twenty-first century, where the past lingers on into the present, especially in the British Isles, Lillian's home away from home.
She is the author of nineteen novels so far, including the Jean Fairbairn/Alasdair Cameron mystery series---America's exile and Scotland's finest on the trail of all-too-living legends.
Her newest novel is Fairbairn/Cameron number six, THE MORTSAFE.
Of her mystery, fantasy, and sf short stories, twelve are available in a collection titled ALONG THE RIM OF TIME, and thirteen, including three from "Best Of the Year" anthologies, are collected in THE MUSE AND OTHER STORIES OF HISTORY, MYSTERY, and MYTH.
All of Carl's work is available in electronic as well as paper form.
She has also co-edited (with John Helfers) a retrospective of Lois McMaster's Bujold's science fiction work, titled THE VORKOSIGAN COMPANION, which was nominated for a Hugo award.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 24, 2019
2019 Reread
Look, I'm a bit of a sucker for a castle and a historical mystery, SO. I also like the conspiracy theories of a sort that are associated with this. Upon reread, the second in this series might be my favourite, but I do like watching Alasdair and Jean cautiously inch towards each other.
This might also be the one where I can picture the setting most clearly.
Also, I was surprised at how behind on my reading challenge I was this year. It seems that's mostly because I forgot to add a bunch of books. Convenient.
2017
Bumping this one up to four stars, from three, because unlike the previous two in the series, this one didn't have a 50 page lag time for me. I also found the interactions between Jean and Alasdair made more sense, and were better done. Perhaps because they're tentatively inching into a relationship in this one...
Also quite liked the setting in this, and how Alisdair's ex-wife cropping up unexpectedly was handled. Hurray for adults behaving like adults.
The resolution of the mystery was fairly obvious, but that's never been a deal-breaker for me.
Look, I'm a bit of a sucker for a castle and a historical mystery, SO. I also like the conspiracy theories of a sort that are associated with this. Upon reread, the second in this series might be my favourite, but I do like watching Alasdair and Jean cautiously inch towards each other.
This might also be the one where I can picture the setting most clearly.
Also, I was surprised at how behind on my reading challenge I was this year. It seems that's mostly because I forgot to add a bunch of books. Convenient.
2017
Bumping this one up to four stars, from three, because unlike the previous two in the series, this one didn't have a 50 page lag time for me. I also found the interactions between Jean and Alasdair made more sense, and were better done. Perhaps because they're tentatively inching into a relationship in this one...
Also quite liked the setting in this, and how Alisdair's ex-wife cropping up unexpectedly was handled. Hurray for adults behaving like adults.
The resolution of the mystery was fairly obvious, but that's never been a deal-breaker for me.
June 16, 2018
Alasdair Cameron steps in as caretaker for a recently-sold, supposedly haunted castle, largely because it will be an ideal place for him to spend time with Jean Fairbairn, who, in turn, will write an article for her magazine about efforts to make the place into a new age center. Neither of them yet knows that the new owner of the castle is Alasdair's much-disliked ex-wife, nor do they realize that one too many people will die of an unexpected "heart attack" soon. Since both Alasdair and Jean are sensitive to the supernatural, they're not surprised by the ghost they see; it's the real, live people around who prove to be problems.
December 3, 2011
wanted to really like this as I love anything scottish but the characters were soooo bland and the dialogue lacking! Found it a struggle to get through.
March 21, 2013
Couldnt get into this book. :(
May 27, 2023
"HISTORY, MYSTERY . . . MURDER
"Ghostly rumors and the promise of a romantic getaway lure American historian turned journalist Jean Fairbairn to remote, crumbling Ferniebank Castle. Jean's beau, ex-DCI Alasdair Cameron, has been hired for security as renovations to turn the castle into a wellness spa are about to begin. But on the crumbling grounds, something sinister is afoot. An old caretaker is found dead in the dungeon, a harp played for Mary Queen of Scots has disappeared and a local man is missing.
"Strange lights, looters, angry villagers and another dead body add intrigue both spectral and corporeal. And when the trail leads back to the new owner of the property -- Alasdair's ex-wife -- Jean suspects that something more disturbing than even murder awaits. Especially as she gets closer to the castle's long buried secrets . . ."
~~back cover
As always, a very complicated plot enhanced by a very complicated romantic relationship, complicated by numerous characters all with their own set of eccentricities and motives. Oh, and of course, the ghost . . . that Jean and Alasdair can both see and hear, and who walks at night and plays the stolen Ferniebank clarsach (a medieval folk harp). Ms Carl definitely has an infinite knowledge of Scotland, past and present and weaves the more arcane knowledge into her modern day settings.
The plot, as always, wanders through all the characters and motives and ghostly sightings, and in the end, all is resolved of course (what mystery isn't?). A grand read, providing you can keep all the characters straight and at least begin to suss out the various motives . . .
"Ghostly rumors and the promise of a romantic getaway lure American historian turned journalist Jean Fairbairn to remote, crumbling Ferniebank Castle. Jean's beau, ex-DCI Alasdair Cameron, has been hired for security as renovations to turn the castle into a wellness spa are about to begin. But on the crumbling grounds, something sinister is afoot. An old caretaker is found dead in the dungeon, a harp played for Mary Queen of Scots has disappeared and a local man is missing.
"Strange lights, looters, angry villagers and another dead body add intrigue both spectral and corporeal. And when the trail leads back to the new owner of the property -- Alasdair's ex-wife -- Jean suspects that something more disturbing than even murder awaits. Especially as she gets closer to the castle's long buried secrets . . ."
~~back cover
As always, a very complicated plot enhanced by a very complicated romantic relationship, complicated by numerous characters all with their own set of eccentricities and motives. Oh, and of course, the ghost . . . that Jean and Alasdair can both see and hear, and who walks at night and plays the stolen Ferniebank clarsach (a medieval folk harp). Ms Carl definitely has an infinite knowledge of Scotland, past and present and weaves the more arcane knowledge into her modern day settings.
The plot, as always, wanders through all the characters and motives and ghostly sightings, and in the end, all is resolved of course (what mystery isn't?). A grand read, providing you can keep all the characters straight and at least begin to suss out the various motives . . .
June 20, 2011
Jean Fairbairn, a reporter and co-owner for Great Scot!, a magazine with a historical bent is sneaking away on a busman's holiday with her, hopefully, lover former Chief Inspector, Alasdair Cameron, also on a busman's holiday to a haunted castle "Ferniebank" next to Kelso, Scotland.
What they find upon arrival is two deaths, most likely murders and a gray lady's ghost. All this mystery is revolving around spys, and intrigue with Mary, Queen of Scots, or is it Mary Magdalene of the Bible? Perhaps, both.
There are Knights Templar, cops on the take, ladies of the manor, dead bodies in healing pools, and Alasdair's ex-wife, who has bought the property that he is guarding. Is she sane or is she really psychic and going to open a smart business of New Age Healing Center?
The action in this book is non-stop. There is a great deal of history cleverly woven in with fiction to keep you glued to the storyline.
Each book in this series makes me eager to read the next. This book is for serious mystery readers that enjoy the occasional bite of humor. Excellent read.
What they find upon arrival is two deaths, most likely murders and a gray lady's ghost. All this mystery is revolving around spys, and intrigue with Mary, Queen of Scots, or is it Mary Magdalene of the Bible? Perhaps, both.
There are Knights Templar, cops on the take, ladies of the manor, dead bodies in healing pools, and Alasdair's ex-wife, who has bought the property that he is guarding. Is she sane or is she really psychic and going to open a smart business of New Age Healing Center?
The action in this book is non-stop. There is a great deal of history cleverly woven in with fiction to keep you glued to the storyline.
Each book in this series makes me eager to read the next. This book is for serious mystery readers that enjoy the occasional bite of humor. Excellent read.
June 6, 2016
The first book of this this series that I read even though it is not the first book OF this series. Perhaps some paranormal acitivity drew me to this book and series? Because like Jean, I have had to escape a work-related "incident" while living in Texas, like Jean I am dirvorced, like Jean I own a cat/s and like Jean I have known someone from Scotland that would have fit the description of Alasdair-only we have never been able to get beyond the first date. That was over nine years ago. So, it is good to read this book and imagine........
April 16, 2011
I'm hooked on Carl's books. My family has a Scottish heritage and I love the way she weaves in the history and mystery. Makes me want to plan a trip to Scotland and use her books as a guide. The relationship story doesn't interest me as much. However, there are moments that ring true as Jean wrestles with whether or not all the complications of are worth it when you've lived quite successfully and peacefully on your own.
February 18, 2015
I didn't think that this installment of the series was as good as the previous books, but I still enjoyed the familiar byplay between the two main characters, Jean Fairbairn & Alasdair Cameron. The changes in their relationship in this book are promising, but the "mystery" in this story didn't hold up for me. I couldn't shake a "who cares" feeling throughout, even as more details were revealed indicating the who's and why's. I will still be seeking out book 4, though.
May 8, 2011
My only regret about finishing this book, is that I've now read all five of them. At this time the author has no plans to produce a 6th Jean and Alasdair adventure.
June 15, 2011
Main characters were a little bland and shallow, but I liked the setting and the plot. I will try more by this author.
June 30, 2011
I enjoyed reading this series on vacation, although reading four of them in a row might not have been the best way to enjoy them.
February 11, 2016
3rd in series, good!!! want to read the 1st 2!!
November 9, 2018
I read fifty pages and skimmed through the rest. Her writing style doesn't appeal to me at all. Seemed very dry and hard to get excited about the characters or book at all.
November 11, 2025
All right, I'm definitely hooked up on this series.
March 8, 2014
Another great adventure
May 2, 2017
Another great one in the series :)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews