Beast-Laid Plans - a cozy mystery with dragons

Beaufort Scales Mystery #7

by Kim M. Watt

A dragon is missing.

A Beast stalks the Dales.

And the hunters are coming …

DI Adams' missing person is a human, not a dragon. But the trails of both lead straight to the village of Eldmere, where glimpses of a mysterious Beast have drawn the attention of the nation's monster hunters.

And where, of course, the Toot Hansell Women's Institute and the Cloverly dragons are in hot pursuit of Gilbert. They're not letting a valley full of weekend Yeti hunters and Nessie-loving cryptozoologists stand between them and the young dragon.

But nothing is as simple as it seems. Something strange is happening in Eldmere, and the dragons, the Beast, and the ladies of the Women's Institute are right at the heart of it. As are the hunters, some of whom are more serious - and more dangerous - than DI Adams ever imagined.

She's in a race to find Gilbert before the hunters do, because someone out there doesn’t just want to see a dragon. They want to finish them.

There's more than dragon secrets at stake in Yorkshire this summer …



A funny cozy mystery (with dragons), for anyone that likes their mysteries British, gentle, and well-stocked with cake, tea, and friendship. And dragons, obviously.

Beast-Laid Plans is the seventh book in The Beaufort Scales series of cozy mysteries (with dragons) - pick up Baking Bad today to see where it all began!

Note: This cozy mystery contains:
• no graphic violence
• no sex
• no strong language; however it does contain some blasphemous language
but there are copious quantities of cake and tea. You may need supplies.

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Fantasy, Dragons

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2022

About the author

Hello lovely people!

I’m Kim (as you may have guessed, given that you're on the author page for Kim). I write funny fantasies and off-beat cosy (or cozy, depending where you're from) mysteries set in a world not so dissimilar to ours - and in fact sharing many locations.

And in this not-dissimilar world you'll find mystery-solving dragons with a strong affection for barbecues and scones, and snarky feline PIs with human sidekicks. You'll run across baking-obsessed reapers running petting cafes stocked with baby ghouls, Apocalyptic riders on Vespas, and women of a certain age Getting Things Done. There may even be the odd born-again troll redefining troll-ness for the modern age about the place.

You'll find myth and reality clashing in small and spectacular ways, and discover the healing magic of tea and a really good lemon drizzle cake.

But, most of all, there will be friendship, and loyalty, and people of all species looking out for one another. Because these, above all things, are magic.

And you can find me rambling on about all this (and more) over on my website, or join me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for bad puns and many, many cat memes. Many.

Come join me!

Reviews

[Sam Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't do rehashes of the plot in reviews, you can find teasers elsewhere. What I will tell you is that Kim Watt is a skilled writer of great depth and pathos. You'll find her work under the genre of cozy mysteries, but they are more, so much more. Her work is multi-layered: it can be enjoyed as an easy read, full of chuckling, charm and challenges, or considered more deeply as social commentary. This part is one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read:

"She thought she’d do almost anything to protect the people in this room, all these glorious and different people of all species… She’d do it to protect that wonderful strangeness, because it lived in every one of them. Because everyone is a little strange, in their own beautiful and complicated way, and that should be celebrated."

I just read another review talking about replacing banned kids' books with the Beaufort Scales books, and I couldn't agree more. Because the themes Kim raises are universal; friendship, loyalty, kindness, acceptance of 'otherness', bravery in the face of fear, the concept of helping others because they need it, not because there's anything in it for you. Our children could do a lot worse than study these books.

I strongly recommend Kim's work. It is beautifully written, wonderfully characterised, brilliantly paced and heart-rendingly touching. Plus, there are dragons and cake (with recipes). Win-win.

[Beth G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, the dragons, W.I. ladies, invisible dogs and secret-agent cats sliding into impossible situations do not disappoint! Kim Watt's delightful turns of phrase, charming North Yorkshire settings, mysterious doings, quirky heroes and nasty villains are worth the price of admission. But Beast-Laid Plans is much more: a tale for our time, especially on this American side of the pond. If I were a middle school or teen teacher, or librarian for any age, whose bookshelves were being stripped of anything controversial (as many are this year), I would substitute Kim's Beast-Laid Plans: just a delightful, funny mystery in Kim's expert hand, after all...but, subtly, with much more for adults and youngsters to ponder and discuss. Oh - and cake.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun mystery with newer, unlikely characters, including a rogue detective controlled by his next of kin. Some real peril for our normal members of the Toot Hansell Women's Institute (WI)

A "monster" appears on a farm. Leaves paw prints, anyway. People and dragons alike begin to disappear. What is really going on? Leave it to the WI to find out with our wily DI Adams and Detective Inspector Collins.

Puns, one liners, the usual swipes at journalism and human nature in general. Kim M. Watt has established a unique niche in the writing of stories laced with humor. No mystery there.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful brouhaha of dragons, beast hunters -professional and amateur - both scurrilous and charming journalists, good and bad cops, an invisible dog and a vanishing sarcastic cat all connected by the charming members of Toot Hansell W.I., tea, some coffee and cake. The events that follow the disappearance of Gilbert the teenage vegetarian and animal rights activist dragon’s row with his sister lead to the unveiling of a dastardly plot against the magical folk of a neighbouring dale by evil conspirators. Utterly charming, beautifully written and unputdownable. Full of good humour, plenty of tension and lots of wit. A thoroughly charming book, with recipes, to be read when a little comfy escapism from reality is called for.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we are again in Toot Hansell, and life doesn't get any less complicated for the modern dragon. Or, indeed, the modern Detective Inspector. D. I. Adams has a missing person case, complicated by a missing dog, a very much present senior police officer, and *two* lots of Womens' Institutes.

Meanwhile, Beaufort Scales, High Lord of the Cloverly dragons, has a missing dragon to find.

Are all these disappearances connected? Will Adams solve her cases? Will the cryptid hunters swarming across the Dales find anything? And just how many scales will Mortimer shed along the way?

Return to the warm embrace of Toot Hansell and Kim Watt's beloved cast of characters, as fresh and funny as ever. And of course there's cake.

[Tsippi Jelingold · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two missing persons, a human and a dragon, and the Yorkshire Beast has made an appearance, it seems, in a village two valleys over from Toot Hansell. So begins the 7th book of the Cloverly Dragons. As DI Adams investigates the missing person and Beaufort and Mortimer search for the missing dragon, the ladies of the W.I. are devising ways to rid the village of interfering journalists and begin to suspect that there is worse to come. More people keep disappearing, including Dandy, and when a magical invisible dog disappears, you know that things are really bad.
I love all of Kim M. Watt's books, and of course I love this one too. It's just a bit darker in tone, a little scary at times, while still being hilarious and lyrical and beautifully written.
I highly recommend keeping a snack nearby, as sudden hunger may attack.

[Erin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, I love these books. It's another visit to the Yorkshire that makes me want to emigrate. The Toot Hansell WI is back with a vengeance, dealing with nosy journalists, missing dragons, possible Beasts, and frighteningly efficient police, but never a shortage of baked goods or friendship. These ladies are who I want to be when(if) I ever grow up.

[Mary (Biblophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again a wonderful visit to the village of Toot Hansel and the women of the W.I.

Dragons, an invisible dog, a magic cat, a chicken, the Yorkshire Monster, bad cops, and an unrelenting journalist bent on proving dragons exist keep Alice and Marion hopping.

The dragons must lay low and are missing Alice and Marion and their tea and scones. Gilbert has disappeared and Beaufort and Mortimer set off to find him several dales over from Toot Hansel. Meanwhile, Alice and Marion decide to go undercover to the same village as monster hunters in the hope of discrediting the journalist that plagues them. DC Adams joins the ranks as her and her sidekick search for a missing woman in the same village. As all searches converge, as usual, chaos ensues. The total lack of magical folk in the village adds to an already suspicious atmosphere.

Delightful, wonderfully written, and a joy to read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the author. This in no way impacted my review.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Beaufort yet!
(Full disclosure, I was provided an arc for an honest review of the book. This in no way influenced my review. (She really is that good!))

This is the 7th book in the series, but can easily be read as a standalone. I enjoyed this book so much, honestly think it's the best yet. The characters continue developing as does the 'world building' (even though it's the Yorkshire countryside), the plot is well paced, and the ending is as quirky and exciting as you would expect from Kim and her bauble (herd? group?) of dragons! The cast of characters is growing, but it doesn't feel unwieldy or unnecessary. This story ties in nicely with events and characters in previous books, so if you've read them you'll enjoy that, but it's definitely not a prerequisite to enjoy this book on its own.
As dragons are experiencing huge popularity right now there are dozens of books featuring them. This series however is really a standout. Oftentimes given the 'fluffy' (if you can call dragons fluffy, forgive me Walter!) subject matter, the writing, characters, and plot are geared more towards Young Adult (and romance). I read YA, but finding well written 'grown-up' fantasy that isn't dystopian or post-apocalyptic can be difficult. Kim makes these books more of an urban fantasy then a childhood tale in the best possible way.

[Lisa W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Another mystery starring the well-known main characters and some new ones. This time it mostly takes place in another town called Eldmere. Very wholesome last chapter as well.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most fun of the Beaufort books. The separate story lines came together cinematically at the end and it was quite engaging.

[Rosa Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

as always , I have read the book in one go. I loved it! this time we leave Toot Hansell and go hiking to another village. the narrative style is beautiful, visual. this episode looks more like a thriller, exciting but still cozy!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

And we're off again!! Yet another amazing adventure from the author!!

Dragons, cake, mystery, cake, snarky cats, cake, women I want to be if/when I ever grow up. And did I mention cake??

Ms. Watt has a great sense of humor and it comes out in interesting ways throughout the book. You may think "cozy" means just fluff, but there are also some deep subjects in this one. And Cake.

Received this ARC with a promise to "try" to read it before the 9/15 publishing date. DONE!

Of course, I couldn't put it down once I opened it so it was a 3am finish for me. Worth it. I think I need a nap now. After some cake, I think.

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things aren't going well for the Cloverly dragons. To avoid dragon hunting journalists they've spent weeks staying away from their friends in Toot Hansell. As a result they're running low an gas for their barbeques and haven't had a decent (or otherwise) scone in ages. When young dragon Gilbert goes missing Beaufort and Mortimer break their self imposed isolation to find him. His trail leads not to the familar Toot Hansell, but another village two dales over.

In Toot Hansell, the monster hunting journalists have left the village, heading instead to check out a reported sighting of the 'Yorkshire Beast' in another village, two dales over. Missing their scaled friends, the ladies of the WI decide to do a little snooping on the journalists and the mysterious 'beast' and soon find that not all village WIs are quite the same as theirs.

Meanwhile, DIs Adams and Collins are assigned to investigate a missing person. While initially relieved that their case has no connection to Toot Hansell and it's formidable WI but another village two dales over, DI Adams is soon distressed to be spotting familiar faces belonging to ladies of a certain age and dragons and not to be spotting a certain invisible dog.

Soon the number of missing persons (and dragons and folk) begins to mount in a village filled with dueling WIs, monster hunters, stray chickens, tourists in costume, dragons and police. Amist all the chaos, will the dragons, WI and DI be able to crack the case without the secret of the dragons' existence being revealed to the world?

Like all the books in the series, this one is flooded with charm, warmth, humour, cake and the occasional chicken. What more could you ask for?

[Jingizu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent in Every Way!

I absolutely love these books, and this new installment may arguably be the best one yet.

The plot is multi layered and finely woven, the pacing is perfect, and the stunning characters steal the show. Filled with friendship, witty quips, humour and beautiful love and loyalty between species; and as always, tea, cake and all manner of delicious baked goods.

With serious cryptid hunters in the area, the Cloverly dragons are living in self-imposed isolation, deprived of tea, scones and their human friends. But when Gilbert, the young vegetarian dragon, goes missing, Beaufort and Mortimer must leave to find him.

Two dales over, cryptid hunters both serious and casual, descend on the ancient village of Eldmere, after suspicious footprints are found. Both the ladies of the W.I. and DI Adams must investigate to find missing dragons, a missing woman, and find out who has it in for the dragons, and all Folk, before its too late.

Once again highly recommended!

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Dave Wadler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has it all, dragons, (one missing), tea, cake, chickens, llamas, a cat and dogs, including an invisible daemon dog. Not to mention a wood full of weird monsters and monster hunters. And, of course the Toot Hansell WI are right in the middle of it.

A mysterious beast has been reported in the village of Eldmere, which is why it is now full of cryptozoologists and other monster hunters. Which is not helping DI Adams in her hunt for a missing human. Nor is it helping the Toot Hansell WI find the missing dragon. And, just to make it even more difficult, there is something very strange in Eldmere that more dangerous than anyone realises.

As usual Kim M Watt has crafted a wonderful story which is not only funny but also takes a serious look at prejudice.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Missing dragons and monster hunters are the background to another of Kim's wonderful cosy mysteries set in Toot Hansell and a neighbouring village where there are no magic Folk.

First we find the dragons in hiding from nosy journalists and then discover that vegetarian Gilbert is missing. The highly dramatic, suspenseful and frequently hilarious tale involves the W.I., police who can see the dragons, and (of course) lots of scones, cake and tea. (Plus the odd chicken)

Apart from the rollicking good tale, Kim has a great eye for description of landscape and nature, such as "the trees shifting colour as a light breeze turned their leaves, like brushing a cat's fur in the wrong direction".

Loved every minute of this book. If you like dragons, you cannot fail to love Beaufort Scales and Mortimer.

I suspect the author would want to be Miriam

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC and this is my voluntary unbiased review. I will read anything this author publishes. She has a quirky sense of humour and creates funny situations for her characters that have me giggling as I read them. There is always a mystery to solve, happily not always a death! This one features the poor DI having to investigate a missing person at the same time one of the local dragons has gone missing, an invasion of beast hunters and journalists.... as well as a possible beast and another WI... as if one interfering in her investigations wasn't enough! Lots of fun, and almost impossible to put down once you start reading :)

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable mystery novel with engaging characters and a wonderful cosy atmosphere. Definitely a one to read on long winter evenings, cuddled up with a hot beverage of your choice and a blanket.

[Jacky Mercury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous Beaufort tale

This series just gets better and better. The fearless Alice and the WI are back searching for a missing dragon, and encountering a very different sort of WI. Will DI Adams ever get a decent supply of coffee?! Brilliant stuff!

[More Books Than Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts were slow and I put aside. Came back and enjoyed last half.

[Kathie · Rating 3 out of 5]

DI Adams, her invisible dog, the WI ladies, the talking cat and, of course, the dragons all reappear in this seventh book of the series. When Gilbert goes missing, the dragons and the WI trace him to a nearby valley where, oddly, no magic folk exist. As usual, their crazy plans sort of work and sort of go awry, but ultimately, the villains are captured and life resumes it usual not-quite-normal pattern. The story bogs down quite a bit in the middle, with no plot or character development, and the climax is really confusing to read. Nevertheless it was an overall enjoyable read.

[Trish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure why, but I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous ones.

[GeraniumCat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cloverly Dragons are just the best! I'm always impatient for a new book from Kim Watt (I'm not quite sure which of her series I enjoy most) and this latest one had me laughing delightedly from page 1 as the perpetually anxious Mortimer discovers that his young friend Gilbert has gone missing since his sister accused him of not being a proper dragon. Gilbert's a bit of a new-age dragon - he's a vegetarian and doesn't believe that any animal should be held in captivity. There's been trouble with humans before over Gilbert's liberation of Christmas turkeys. To make matters worse, there are cryptid hunters abroad and a particularly avid journalist who's desperate to prove that there are monsters in the area, so the Cloverly dragons have been keeping their heads down - no visits to their friends at the Toot Hansell WI for tea and scones, which is making everyone miserable.

In the end, of course, the WI ladies have to get involved (try stopping them!), as do police officers DI Adams and Colin, and Dandy-the-invisible-dog (how can I get so worried about a creature who can't be seen by most people?) and the foul-mouthed cat Thompson and even a chicken who may, I suspect, turn up in future books. I hope so, I was getting fond of it.

Best-Laid Plans is pure joy, full of the sort of gloriously rich detail and characterisation which makes you believe in and care about everyone from the outset. If you haven't read any of the series then you have a treat in store, because you really ought to start with Baking Bad so that you can get to know everyone. A warning though: you'll probably want a pot of tea and a home-made cake to hand while you read.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I really really enjoyed this book. It’s charming, funny and exciting. As a previous reviewer has said it is multi layered you can read it as a cosy mystery or a work of more depth. It can be read as a simple and exciting mystery and chase but also as a call to celebrate the differences in all of us and that we can all learn compassion kindness and tolerance from both young and old.

Gilbert the young vegetarian dragon who cares for a menagerie of sick and injured animals has had a fight with his sister Amelia. Gilbert has gone missing for a week before Beaufort and Mortimer find out. They decide to go and search for him, however they have to be careful as monster hunters have descended on the area following a Cryptologist discovering that dragons exist when she spots Mortimer.

Meanwhile the members of the WI in Toot Hansel are missing their interactions with the dragons but become aware of a monster sighting in another village so decide to investigate.

DI’s Adans and Collins are also tasked with attending the village as a member of the community has gone missing.

So mayhem ensues as the ladies of the WI and the members of the police and the magical members of the community including Thompson the cat, Dandy the invisible dog and the dragons search for Gilbert and try to divert the attentions of the Cryptozoologists searching for monsters.

It’s an exciting and funny adventure, but it also has something to say about intolerance and bigotry.

I loved it and look forward to the next exciting adventure.

[Daydreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Now, I must admit, that I’ve had this book on my kindle for like three months and only just got around to read it. Shame on me. But life’s been crazy busy…

Anyway, the plot is quite entertaining and while the suspect is not quite a shocking revelation in the end, I did like the sense of pressure and doom, the fear of the culprit getting away with it all.
I had a lot of fun reading this book and never felt bored.

I really missed Toot Hansell with all the dragons and ladies and even snarky Thompson. I felt right at home with them. I also really liked the new village Eldmere and its people. Especially Ash grew on me quickly! also fascinated how Daphne is so busy kidnapping and murdering half the population, or so it feels, lol

The Hills and Valleys, rivers and villages feel as magical and picturesque as always, and really make me want to go on a lovely hike there.

All in all, this is a wonderful book about magic, friendship and different definitions of keeping people and places safe.

[Susan Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the world continues to be a dumpster fire with few signs of it abating, I need copious doses of fantastical fiction to keep functioning. Beast-Laid Plans by Kim M.Watt serves that function perfectly. I’ve long been a fan of talking beasts, be they dragon or cat, and both appear in this book. It was fun to watch the dragons search for Gilbert, the missing dragon, and more fun to witness the reunion of the dragons and the women of the W.I., all of whom eventually get in on the hunt. The mix of paranormal creatures and lovely people, including the W.I. crowd, some detectives, and one sole journalist, come together to save the day from the villains. Although I’ve been reading British fiction since Agatha Christie in grade school, I learned from Beast-Laid Plans that a lemon slice is not a piece of citrus to put in one’s tea or ice water, but rather a type of cake. Not being handy in the kitchen I will just have to trust the author’s word for its deliciousness.

[Anne Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again a very enjoyable read. Mortimer discovers that young Gilbert the vegetarian & non flying dragon has been missing for a week. Beaufort senses Mortimer’s disquiet & convinces Mortimer to tell him what is wrong & then decides they have to go & hunt for Gilbert. There is talk of a wild beast in The Dales in the village of Eldmere. There are people everywhere & the6 are all seeking for this beast. Meanwhile, there is a woman missing, too, so D I Adams is sent there. There is something wrong with the “feel” of this place, noticed by the dragons, D I Adams’s (invisible to most people) dog gets smaller & smaller & the Toot Hansell ladies visiting to see if it really is a dragon! There are a lot of things happening & some of it dastardly. This is a very exciting read as things come to a head & get sorted out!

[Ginny & Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another highly enjoyable romp (with a body count) with the barbecue-hoarding dragons, Women's Institute members, a detective with an invisible dog, and plenty of baked goods. Someone (human) has gone missing in the the village of Eldmere, but D.I. Adams, whose jurisdiction is it, has been warned off the case. Well, that's suspicious. To make matters worse, the vegetarian dragon Gilbert has vanished and his trail leads in that direction. The dragons and WI are worried. What the heck is a Yorkshire Beast? And why are there NO supernatural creatures whatsoever in Eldmere? Like all the books in the series, there are thrills, chills, skullduggery, ridiculous situations, and an ending that left me sighing with happiness. (I received an Advance Reader Copy and plan to buy the "real" version when it goes on sale tomorrow!)

[T.L. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still ambling my way through the Beaufort Scales series. And this one may be the best yet. A fine mix of the endearing chaos and loathsome danger. When the WI goes bad!

A village further along the Yorkshire Dales is host to the madness only monster hunters can bring. But the Toot Hansell hipster dragon has gone missing, and all eyes turn to that village. Is Gilbert OK?

The usual host of marvellous characters aren't likely to sit still when one of their own goes missing and needs them. Ladies of a certain age unite! And rope in our favourite police and distant relatives.

The language used is so eloquent - descriptions lull you into the folds of the Dales with poetic beauty. Juxtaposed with riveting peril. These books are simply charming yet enthralling.

And I keep diving in for some comfort reading I know I'll enjoy.