Mrs. McPhealy's American

by Claire R. McDougall

Hollywood director Steve McNaught is drinking heavily and on the brink of a midlife crisis. Although he has had commercial hits, his more creative talents lie unexplored. With guilt over two failed marriages and his role as near-absent father, he buys a one-way ticket to Scotland, hoping to find solace in his grandfather’s ancestral home. Soon the entire town is abuzz with the news of Steve’s impending arrival at his aunt’s Mrs. McPhealy’s. The ladies exchange glances; the men in the only pub wonder if there might be some cash advantage. Bent over the bins in the alley behind the shops, the three tinker brothers barely register the goings-on. They know they are related to this Hollywood character. Everyone knows. It is only Steve McNaught who is in the dark.

But from the outset, Steve is a misfit in the small town of Locharbert. Georgiana (George) MacBrayne, the local midwife, suffers no fools, and this is exactly what she expects to find in Steve McNaught. When Steve buys the dilapidated cottage by the shore where George grew up and which she has always hoped to restore, the tension between them increases. As these things go, so does the attraction.

George lets her guard down long enough to let Steve in, but when he starts making a film called As it is in Heaven starring Locharbert’s local characters, she throws him out. He takes his film reels and heads back to California. And then, one day close to Hogmanay, Steve reappears in Locharbert, months sober, and brandishing his newly edited film.

Genres: Scotland

344 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Claire R. McDougall, a native of Scotland, graduated from Oxford University and lives now in Aspen, Colorado, with her family. After an early start as a newspaper columnist, her career in creative writing moved through the genres of poetry and short stories to settle on Scottish novels.

Reviews

[Fictionophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was transported to Argyll, Scotland in this charming and often humorous novel.

Mrs. McPhealey - a sixty-five year old widow who has lived in Argyll all of her life. She is a fastidious housekeeper, a staunch church goer, and a traditionalist. At first she is quite accepting of her new lodger from America, then when he makes a huge mistake of judgment and underestimates her, she makes him very aware that he is no longer welcome in her home...

Steve McNaught - a fifty year old film director. He is twice divorced and the father of three sons. He is also a recovering alcoholic and a womanizer. Living life in the fast lane of Malibu, California, and having a 'breakdown', Steve decides to search out his forebears and moves to rural Scotland, and the house of his distant relative, Mrs. McPhealy.

George MacBrayne - a woman in her mid forties who works as a midwife. She lives with her two cats in a tiny cottage on the shore of the Mull of Kintyre. Born in the village she left in her twenties to explore the world. Now, she has returned, she finds herself appreciative of the small things in life. She finds herself quite attracted to the new, visiting American, despite her better judgment.

Peter Duart - the son of the upper class family who own the local castle. He has always been at odds with his family and works as the village window cleaner. He drives his blue VW beetle around with his ladder atop the car. He is married to a sensual French woman, who is viewed by the village with suspicion.

Murdo, Donal, and Doolie - three brothers, Tinkers, who are small in stature, simple of mind, and reek of the unwashed. They live in a tent near the beach and wear most of the clothes that they own every day, summer and winter.

"What Americans thought of affectionately as 'Scotch mist', was really just Sky coming down to see what was going on."

This is a charming story about the inhabitants of the small Scottish village of Locharbert. A village where few things change from year to year. A place where everyone knows everyone else, a place that hates pretentiousness. Locharbert is shaken up by the arrival of the American, Steve McNaught. His living there changes many of their lives. What results is a study of human relationships, dour Scottish weather, and sly Scottish humour.

"In Locharbert, silence was just another form of discourse."

I delighted in every page of this wonderful novel. Highly recommended to those readers who love Scotland and appreciate a well told tale...

[Lora Chilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mrs. McPhealey’s American opens with two sentences that immediately grab your attention and make you, as the reader, smile. “Every village had its idiots. Locharbert in Scotland had three.” Add to the intrigue by including a flawed, alcoholic American looking for his Scottish roots, a free-spirited local midwife, an uptight distant cousin and secrets galore; suddenly you have a fun read that you cannot put down! Claire R. McDougall has done a masterful job developing the characters with plenty of twists and turns in the story. Her Scottish heritage shows through, giving the setting authenticity and grounding. A delightful read! Thank you Sibylline Press for the ARC.

[Elisa Speranza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire McDougall is a master storyteller. The characters in Mrs. McPhealy's American are well-drawn, the story arc is satisfying, and the setting is unforgettable. I was thoroughly delighted and drawn into the shenanigans going on in Locharbert, and I was also struck by the parallels to some of the same forces communities everywhere face: preserving their culture in the face of encroaching "progress," losing their children to the wider world, struggling with poverty and discrimination. These and other themes are laced throughout the novel, but never in a heavy-handed way. Plus, McDougall's writing is deft and witty, with some moments of almost slapstick comedy that made me laugh out loud. Now I want to put on a heavy sweater and sit by the wild sea with a wee drink from a flask of whiskey and contemplate life.

[Ava Teedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire R. McDougall's, Mrs. McPhealy's American, captivated my heart and imagination. Set against the backdrop of Western Scotland, the persistent rain and ever-present dampness described dovetail with the weight of the main characters' unresolved pasts. An American film director, disillusioned by the entertainment industry and burdened with the disappointment of two failed marriages, embarks on a journey to uncover why his family left Scotland for America generations ago. Meanwhile, a midwife has returned to her homeland after traveling to Europe, and America has her own issues with abandonment. As they each work through their struggles with their pasts, their developing romance takes them down a rocky path that will keep you turning the pages.

[Edwin Priest · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the mid March selection for our IRL book club and didn’t really seem like my kind of book. But in an effort to broaden my reading horizons, I downloaded a digital version from our library, and in I went.

The story is set in small town Scotland and certainly is full of local charm. The characterizations are richly textured and quaint and bring plenty of flavor to the story. And McDougall definitely has the ability to turn a phrase.

Unfortunately, the quaintness seemed a little too stereotyped, and with all of the intertwined relationships and personal histories, the story itself felt like a rather dull soap opera set in rural Scotland. Furthermore, the conflicted love story running through the book plodded and was ultimately unsatisfying.

So despite all the tea consumption that took place, this was just not my own personal cup of tea. 2-½ stars for me, which I will graciously round up to 3.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A jaded American director heads to Scotland, home of his ancestors, to rejuvenate and find purpose. While the result is entirely predictable, it’s still enjoyable.

[Kate W · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s plenty of drama in a small town if you’re paying attention, and Claire McDougall pays attention. Her delightful cast of characters includes Steve - the American who has come to Scotland to discover his roots and recover from a breakdown; George - a strong and independent midwife who wants nothing to do with Americans or love…maybe; Peter - born of the castle and now of the town; the delightful Mrs. McPhealy herself, with all her rules, judgements, and secrets; and, of course, the three Tinkers, the goat named Butthead, the stork, the cats and the ancestors and spirits who twist and turn when the time is right, causing all sorts of mayhem.

This delightful tale of love and redemption in a rural Scottish village will leave you craving tea, shortbread…and more from this author.

Thank you to Sibylline for providing a review copy in return for an honest review.