Legend in Green Velvet

by Elizabeth Peters

Scotland is Susan's passion and obsession—and the opportunity to join a Highland dig is a dream come true for the young archaeology student. But then a sinister stranger slips Susan a cryptic message and is later found viciously slain. A mysterious peril has emerged from the mists to haunt Susan, sending her running for her life in the company of handsome, unconventional laird Jamie Erskine. For she has an unseen enemy hiding in the shadows—someone who, for some unknown reason, is going to great lengths to frame her for murder . . . and to bury Susan, if necessary, in this land she loves.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Scotland, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Romantic Suspense

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1976

About the author

Elizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name. Born and brought up in Illinois, she earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Mertz was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lived in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, western Maryland until her death.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 biased stars ("I really liked it.")

The good: Elizabeth Peters is the equivalent of comfort food; I read a lot of her books in high school/college and I'll always have a soft spot for them. This book isn't so much romantic suspense as romantic comedy with some suspense thrown in. It's lighthearted and silly; the best word to describe this whole book, I think, would be "caper." The historical elements are added with a light hand (as always--Peters is so good at that), characters are vivid, and dialogue is snarky. (Peters loves her rumbling, sarcastic male romantic leads.)

The bad: It's dated. There are some '70s sexist attitudes. The plot could have been avoided altogether with one call to the police. (Though I kind of like the over-the-topness, really. It adds to the farce.)

The hilarious: One plot point revolves around the male lead having a striking resemblance to Prince Charles of England. Utterly ridiculous and I love it.

[Vintage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another review through the lens of nostalgia. Loved Elizabeth Peters as a teenager and still love her. This book is a little tougher to re-read as who knew the baggage that would develop over the years.

Nice little historically-driven romantic suspense story set in Scotland where the underlying not-so-secret joke is that the hero resembles a cross between Prince Charles and Charles Edward Stuart aka Bonnie Prince Charlie and what a hunky catch both were for their times.

Prince Charles circa 1976


Yes, children, once upon a time Prince Charles was THE catch of Europe, the Bachelor Prince. So was Prince Andrew who was known as Randy Andy. 🤢 Some things don’t change.

All the little princesses and non-princesses wanted Charles. Rumor at the time was he was in love with a princess, but she was Catholic and the Crown said no. We now know a little differently. This book came out well before Diana was on the scene, and the whole debacle since makes re-reading it both sad and interesting.

Huge info dump on Scottish history from the heroine which works a little better reading the book than listening to the audio. The narrator attempts various degrees of Scottish acccent, but her heroine’s voice fell flat to me.

I love the book and its kind of crazy characters. Scotland is on my list, and from what my dad has told me from his brief times there is that there is a lot of personality in the Scots. Or it could be the accent and the actual Scotch that does it.

Bonny Prince Charlie’s two portraits. Age is not kind.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars

After coming off a major book slump of 3 library books that became "did-not-finish"-ers, I decided to go back and re-read an oldie from my Elizabeth Peters collection. Sure glad I did, since this offering was just the kind of light-hearted escapism I needed.

Peters knows how to craft an irreverent, campy romp of a novel, and this one is no exception. There's Scottish history aplenty, sarcastic young heroines, less-than-alpha heros, villians to be avoided, and kittens/cats purring and clawing all over the place. Perhaps the funniest moment of the story, and the one that dates it the most as being written in the mid-1970's, is the striking resemblance our hero bares to Prince Charles once his beard is shaved off. Too funny to imagine that Peters might once have cherished a slight crush on the jug-earned heir to the throne, and also quite icky (to me) that she would do so! I'd like to hope that if this book was ever updated, she'd at least make the hero look like Prince William instead :D

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Oh, hell ... So you're one of those Americans."
Elizabeth Peters, Legend in Green Velvet

This is such a great romp!

[fleurette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good if not a unremarkable story.

I generally enjoyed the plot and the characters. Susan, the main character, is not annoying. She is quite smart, even if a little naive. Jamie is fine too. Together they form a rather nice couple. They are not characters that I will remember, but they are all right.

The plot is ok too. There are several situations that could be avoided if the main characters showed a little more insight. Or they just turned to the police for help. But of course then there would be no base for this whole story. The story is a bit more violent and dark than I expected, but still nothing serious. The whole part that Jamie is similar to a member of the royal family (my bet is Prince Charles) is rather ridiculous. But I can bear it.

I was most surprised that this book was written in the mid-seventies. I had no such impression at all. The passage of time did not affect it even a bit. This whole situation could very well be happening nowadays.

It’s a good, nice read.

*Oh, I only noticed now that this author also wrote Crocodile on the Sandbank - a book that I read not so long ago and that I liked very much. More than this one for sure. But this explains my general feelings.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps best known for her mystery series involving Amelia Peabody, an archaeologist/detective who solves murder mysteries in exotic locales, Elizabeth Peters has apparently written numerous stand-alone novels throughout her extensive literary career. "Legend in Green Velvet" is one of her stand-alones, and it is the first of hers that I have read. Peters has a crisp prose and a snappy flair for dialogue, and her professorial intelligence (She has a Ph.D. in Egyptology) clearly shows. While I am not one for the usual "tea-party" murder mysteries (mainly because many of them I have read, with few exceptions---Agatha Christie being one---are rather boring for my tastes), I enjoyed "Legend in Green Velvet". While Peters does occasionally resort to silliness (some scenes are failed attempts at writing slapstick humor, which is admittedly very difficult to pull off in writing) and romance (more of a personal annoyance than anything), she does tell a good story filled with the right balance of humor and suspense. The main protagonist in this book, Susan, is a young, fresh-faced American visiting Scotland for a much-anticipated archaeological dig. Before she even makes it to the dig-site, though, she is embroiled in a mystery. A creepy (albeit harmless) old man encounters her in the street, slipping her a piece of paper with a cryptic line from an esoteric poem written on it. Esoteric, of course, to most, but Susan is an archaeology student and a scholar, so she recognizes it immediately. Soon after, her hotel room is ransacked, she meets a handsome (if brutish) Scottish laird named Jamie, and she and Jamie are suddenly framed for a murder. The rest of the novel is a fast-paced chase from the police and the real killers, who, as Susan slowly deduces, are looking for a thousand-year-old Scottish artifact and buried treasure somewhere in Edinburgh. This is a fun, quick read, nothing more or less, and it may be a good taste of Peter's writing. I certainly look forward to reading more of her.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elizabeth Peters really did write some fun romantic suspense stories. When you've run out of Mary Stewart and M.M. Kaye, you could do worse than looking up some of her works from the '70s. Legend in Green Velvet follows Susan, a young archeologist delighted to take advantage of a dig in Scotland. But things just aren't adding up. Between crazy strangers and mysterious fellow travelers, she quickly realizes she's bit off more than she can chew. And that's before the dead body shows up! Good thing there is a handsome young laird around for the wild ride!
This story does feel very vintage, complete with kisses that leave physical bruises, but don't worry, it won't drive you too crazy.
Fun Scottish romp!

[Elinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading books set in Scotland just now, and I found this one surprisingly good. The plot and the characters didn't set any literary standards, but the writing was clever and the dialogue was amusing. As a bonus, I learned a lot of Scottish history. It's a wee bit dated (see, I'm picking up Scottish expressions already) but the novel has held up pretty well considering it was written some forty years ago. The protagonist is plucky, the romantic lead is dashing without being annoying about it, and the action moves right along. One reviewer called it a "romp" and that's a very good description.

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this decades ago, and didn’t remember anything about it, beyond that it was set in Scotland, and written by one of my favorite mystery authors. I was hooked on her Amelia Peabody series from the first book!

On this reread I listened to the audiobook, ably narrated by Grace Conlin, and have bumped my rating up to four stars. Not Amelia Peabody (I confess I think I held that against Susan, the young American archeology student heroine), but still full of the author’s trademarks: thorough research, adventure and dry humor! It really hit the spot as a fun and exciting summer read.

Susan is sightseeing in Edinburgh before joining a dig sight in Scotland when she has a series of misadventures that bring her into contact with young laird Jamie. They have to go on the run when someone tries to frame them for murder. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the beautiful scenery as the young fugitives hike around Scotland. The book is definitely dated, with references to Jamie’s uncanny resemblance to a (then) young Prince (now King) Charles-no names given, but obvious hints, and a few humorous run-ins when Jamie uses the resemblance to get them out of scrapes.

An exciting finale tops off the adventure-Peters always tickled my funny bone while entertaining me with archeological mysteries, and this was no exception, I’ll be revisiting more of her books this summer.

[Kristina Coop-a-Loop · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read this book actually several times over the years, probably the first time when I was a teenager. Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels is one of my mother's favorite authors and her books crowded the book shelves in the living room. I have my own copies of these books now and read this one again recently. It does not hold up well to my memory of the book.

Young archaeology student Susan is in Edinburgh, Scotland for the first time in her life when she becomes embroiled in a criminal affair she doesn't understand. She is joined by Jamie Erskine as they flee two murderous men across the Central Highlands.

Okay, so, meh. The mystery is really, really dumb. I mean, seriously dumb. A simple phone call to the police could have avoided all the trouble and the reason Jamie and Susan don't call the police is really, really dumb. There's not even a mystery. Basically the romantic leads run around the countryside and fall in love with each other and the bad guys follow them. That's it. And at the end, they are magically in love with each other and of course will be getting married. After three days of knowing each other. Yup, that's how true love works. It's a silly book but what I found interesting about it is how timely it is. The plot involves the Scottish Nationalist Party, which apparently was considered a party of crackpots in the 1970s (when this book was published) but today managed to make the vote for independence a reality (even if they weren't successful). I'm going to Scotland soon so I enjoyed the historical details and the location of the events in the book. However, this is really one of her lesser novels. Read her Vicky Bliss series or Amelia Peabody books (written under the name of Elizabeth Peters). They are much better.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m addicted to Elizabeth Peters and couldn’t pass up the chance to read a mystery set in Scotland. The mystery and setting were great as usual, but the main characters were not the best. Susan is a Scottish history buff who receives a message not intended for her and, as usual, it draws the bad guys’ attention. This, of course, leads to chaos for our heroine. Susan isn’t a bad heroine, she’s just… average. Nothing stood out about her personality and a lot of the time it felt like her only main purpose was to give us crash courses on Scottish history. The hero, James, was average as well. Except his main purpose was to drag Susan along with him while he was playing super secret spy. At the beginning James really bothered me, because he was an asshole and did very little to prove otherwise.

The plot and supporting characters were good enough to carry my attention throughout the whole book. There were only one or two small parts where the story dragged a bit and it was easily picked back up by another plot twist or quirky side character being added to the scene. The plot involved some small group of baddies bent on getting their hands on something.

I wouldn’t recommend anyone starting off with this book as their first Peters mystery. If you’re going to start off with any of her books I’d start with Crocodile on the Sandbank. But if you’re a fan her books, then there’s no harm in reading this one. It's still a good read, just not one of her best.

[Tifa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm obviously biased toward Elizabeth Peters' books because she is one of my favorite authors, but I re-read her novels because they are fun, comforting and a wonderful palate cleanser after some of the new stuff I try to read. After seeing reviews on this site, I realize Peters isn't for everyone. But, I absolutely love all her books--from the series to the stand-alones like this one. She brings to life interesting characters, especially women who are real yet strong and independent. She includes fascinating places that she's obviously visited and describes them in detail that often isn't there anymore. I always learn something interesting whether it's a historical fact or more details on archaeological digs. Her dialogue is witty and always in-character, and while the plots can be far-fetched like most mysteries, she can turn a zany rescue into something joyful and fun. Overall, her books are just terrific, and she was a truly gifted writer and storyteller in every way.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars. This was a fantastic mystery/historical romance adventure! My only critique is that it took awhile to get into the story but once the action starts it literally does not stop until the last two pages! The story begins with Susan, an American student joining an archeological dig in Scotland. While she is sightseeing in Edinburgh before joining the dig she is harassed by “daft auld Tammas”, a familiar face to the locals who is always telling stories and repeating ancient legends to tourists. He hands Susan a piece of paper with an old Scottish verse written on it. That piece of paper and a subsequent murder send Susan on her adventure, along with her very own Bonnie Prince Charlie. The story is action packed, full of witty writing, and fascinating Scottish history. I read this book because it is my moms favorite book, by her favorite author Elizabeth Peters. For years she told me how much she loved this book, and now I am so happy that I get to share it with her.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been an admirer of Elizabeth Peters' work for years, so I was delighted to find a book I hadn't yet read.

In this one, archaeology student Susan is on her way to a dig in the Central Highlands. She has a very romanticized idea of what Scotland is like, and is finding herself disappointed on numerous levels -- especially when she winds up being framed for a murder that pulls her into unwanted intrigue.

Along with her is Jamie Erskine, a young Scot who is heir to the ancestral title and wants nothing more to be a policeman. They don't like each other much, although Jamie is very attracted to Susan. She, on the other hand, finds his prickly beard and long hair off-putting.

Pretty soon, the two of them are on the run from a ruthless ring of smugglers. In order to disguise himself better, Jamie cuts his hair and shaves. The result of this is that he looks so much like a member of the sitting royal family that he's constantly mistaken for him. Given the time of the writing, I imagined him looking like a young Prince Andrew. Anyway, the two of them use this to their advantage on several occasions.

What was fun about this book for me is that I have been to all of the places Peters writes about in the tale. Loch Ness, Edinburgh, Culloden, etc., are dear and familiar locations as a result of my travels.

What I didn't feel was the chemistry between Jamie and Susan. That cost a star.

[Susan Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. I read it some time ago, so I read it again. A stand alone mystery of a young woman, Susan, who loves everything about Scotland and it's history (well, most of it). She has gotten a chance to work an archeological dig in Scotland. One of her professors knows Dr Campbell who is doing the survey very well and has gotten her a spot on it. So she has worked and saved her money to come work on the archeological site and intends to enjoy her time in Scotland. But it doesn't start very well. A crazy old man, Tammas, (Tammas is harmless everyone says) put a piece of paper in her purse. She finds it when she's sorting things out in her bag. It's a quote from an old poem about Scotland. She's rather annoyed, but decides to keep the note as a souvenir. She takes a bus tour and when she returns finds that her room has been ransacked - and the note has been taken. She decides to have it out with Tammas and tries to track him down and finds he's been murdered. Then she finds she's wanted by the police. So she and the guy she met looking for Tammas take off to try to find out what's going on and who and why someone wanted harmless old Tammas dead. Lots of fun chases and escapes.

[Teri-K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to classify this. Is there a genre for very silly romantic suspense? If not, this book shows the need for one. Susan is an American archaeology student with a passion for all things Scotland - especially Bonnie Prince Charlie and Scottish poetry and lore, which are layered into this book with a garden spade. James is a young Scot who despises all that and scorns those who prefer to live in the past. Of course they are thrown together when Susan travels to Scotland and they manage to become wanted for murder.

This book is nothing like a typical romantic suspense novel, though it contains all those elements. The fact is it's just too silly to be taken seriously. At one point, when the Cavalry arrives, Susan actually cries, "Whoppee!" lol Since Peters, even in the early part of her career, was capable of writing the real thing I have to believe she was trying out her comic abilities here and meant this story to be silly. Also, James' father is over-the-top in the same way the Amelia Peabody and her Emerson will be later on.

So approach this book with your sense of the absurd intact and you'll probably be OK. :)

[WhatShouldIRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story which, unfortunately, showed its age. By this I mean the heroine was a pushover as far as men went and didn't think anything about it. At least at the beginning of the story. Toward the end she developed a backbone.

The Scottish history bits were told in such a way that even if history isn't your forte, it would be interesting. At least it was for me but I enjoy this sort of stuff.

The adventures through the Scottish landscape was with peril, but fun to listen to. And I liked the various felines the couple met along the way.

Would recommend this one for a rainy day. I think it would be perfect. Warning, though, avoid the audio version. The reader on this one was just horrible.

[Laura de Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading an Elizabeth Peters romantic adventure, and this one was no exception. I'm not sure how I managed to miss it until now!

Susan has a passion for Scottish history, (and so I learned a number of tidbits as the story advanced) and this leads to a case of mistaken identity, and gets her embroiled in a nasty affair, with bad guys trying to kill her. Luckily her wits and the resources of the guy that gets dragged into this with her are enough to keep them a step or two ahead.

Bonus points for a brief appearance by an inconvenient and adorable ginger kitten.

[Emily Ragsdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third Elizabeth Peters book I've listened to on Audible, and I'm starting to hate seeing Grace Conlin's name as narrator. She's DREADFUL. Robotic and inflectionless, she might as well be reading a shopping list or a page from the dictionary. I enjoy Peters's zany, improbable mystery-romances, but hearing Ms Conlin drone on and on sucks the life and fun out of them. Really wish Audible would record new versions with a reader who could bring the story to life.

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars rounded up because it was just what I was in the mood for. A light comic adventure-romance with enough Scottish history woven in to keep me interested. Not as good as Peters' Amelia Peabody novels but fine for a quick beach read.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun adventure story, best not taken too seriously. The pacing is a bit all over the place, but I still enjoyed it. 😆

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a big Elizabeth Peters fan many moons ago. Came across this book and did not remember reading it and it sounded interesting.

I think I did read this, but so long ago I didn't remember it. It was a fun read, easy read. Lot of Scottish history came up, which was interesting. This book hints that the Stone of Scone never actually left Scotland. That is part of the mystery here, but there is a bit more going on than meets the eye.

Enjoyable read.

[Pat Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun, this early work is a clear forerunner of the Emerson and Peabody books in its characters, humor, and plot twists. In reading the author's earlier books I have really enjoyed watching the development of her style. This is one of my favorites so far.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was Elizabeth Peters at her best. There was mystery, there was romance and most important there was humor. Jaimie's father is the best over the top laird I've read and the mystery of Jamie's beard was funny.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

[Penelope · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY RATING GUIDE: 3 Stars; not my favorite Peter’s novel but entertaining enough while getting the yard prepped for spring.
1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= THIS WAS OKAY/cute; 3.5= I enjoyed it; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= I Loved it, it was great! (I seldom give 5 Stars).

UPDATE:
I am rereading Elizabeth Peter’s Standalone adventure mystery titles and decided to reread LEGEND IN GREEN VELVET since I rated it poorly a number of years ago. LEGEND IN GREEN VELVET is dialogue driven with Peter’s typical tongue-in-cheek manner. It is less complicated and both the characters and the story less developed than her Amelia Peabody series. It’s a bit of a caper/farce adventure rather like her (slightly silly) Vicky Bliss series. This time, I listened to the audio version read by Grace Conlin and appreciated the lightness and humor she added to her performance. I enjoyed LEGEND IN GREEN VELVET better through the audio than when I read it a number of years ago. I listened to the audio on a brisk pace.

Some readers may be offended by certain scenes which reflect the period in which LEGEND IN GREEN VELVET was written (think Sean Connery’s interaction with women in the early Bond movies). These eyebrow-raising interactions occur rarely but are present.

ORIGINAL POST:
This was a 2.5* read for me. Legend in Green Velvet is a standalone title - separate from Elizabeth Peter’s Vicky Bliss or Amelia Peabody series. The FMC/Susan is a US archeology student participating in a Scotland dig through the referral of one of her professors back home.

Legend in Green Velvet is an action-adventure caper in the light-hearted style of most Elizabeth Peters novels but I found it less engaging than others I have read. As I read, I had difficulty determining the identity of the MMC - was it James, or Jackson, or perhaps one of the other archeology students, or even someone we hadn’t met yet? Even by the end I wasn’t totally sold on the idea that it was James. In addition, although this novel reads as a caper - with a lot of running around and mystery, I found myself yawning and reading just to get to the end. I wasn’t captivated nor did I particularly care about the outcome for the main characters. This story is a contemporary novel, taking place probably around the time it was originally published - 1976.

Legend in Green Velvet may be suitable for certain YA readers. There are no intimacy scenes present or inferred. There is occasional strong language, an off-scene murder and (surprisingly) slapping/thrice? (mentioned above).

[Deanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know, I generally love Elizabeth Peters, but this one left me cold. I didn't like the main character, who comes across as both prudish and easy, know-it-all and clueless, depending on the plot device used at the moment. Hiking back and forth across Scotland, with her brave man (spitting image of the current royal Prince, apparently) in a kilt, the whole thing just felt totally contrived. I was listening to it, and I had trouble finishing it. Don't bother.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've probably reread this book more times than any other, starting when I was a teenager. Classic Elizabeth Peters: the American heroine thrust into an mysterious adventure in Scotland, with just enough romance to complete the suspense.

[Allison]

A mystery romp through the hills of Scotland set (written) in an era where Prince Charles was still young, attractive, and likeable. An Elizabeth Peters (MPM)’ early work standard kind of book. Features: *real* archeology, a FMC who is sassy and smarter than the men presume, and a cursed (my emphasis not the author’s) eventual romance between the main characters. Maybe only cursed because it was published in 1976, and this was feminist for the time it was in.

I love MPM’s sass and the actual archeology in the books! This one circles around lost Pict loot and specifically the Stone of Scone and Scotland’s desire to be independent from England, and our American FMC who is a true aficionado there on a collegiate program to help an archaeological dig.

HOWEVER nothing is as innocent as it seems! There is a plot to steal things away from the public. A frame job on Susan and Jamie, and let me tell you, my Outlander knowledge (just the show) really helped with this book.

The mystery of this novel is what makes MPM books shine, in my opinion. There’s ludicrous things that happen to these characters and I love that it was the 70s and all that technological advancements in the 50 years between are, obviously, not in the text. The people of society (and particularly three ancient ladies) that keep thinking Jamie is the modern Prince Charles and then all the Bonnie Prince Charlie stuff was just MPM at her finest humor (despite it being weird because Charles isn’t the villain yet in society).

Fun fact though, the Stone of Scone was actually returned to Scotland in 1996, 20 years after the book was published, and I wish I had EP’s thoughts on that - I’m sure they exist *somewhere*. The Stone has also been in the center of Environmental Protests the way Picassos and Van Goghs are so you can tell it actually matters to the Scots, despite this book being this American’s introduction (my Great-Grandparents are likely rolling in their graves due to my lack of knowledge).

[Rosario · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot, but I should warn you that I read this with no objectivity whatsoever. I have so many fond memories of Elizabeth Peters' books that when I read her books I already start out with a warm glow that the book itself hasn't really earned.

This was just incredibly fun. The plot was preposterous, but I didn't care. I loved the characters, particularly Susan and Jamie, and completely bought how they fell in love while tramping all over Scotland avoiding villains. The secondary characters were also fantastic, especially Jamie's dad. I adored how he and Susan basically fell in love at first sight.

I even loved the ways in which it was clear that this book was written in 1976. Yes, some of the attitudes are a bit dated, but Peters was always actually quite modern for her time in many ways, so I cut her a lot of slack. The best of the 'dated' elements is Jamie's resemblance to a particular famous person and how it plays into the plot. That reads a lot different these days than it would back then, but I would argue this makes the book even better and more hilarious.

And that very final scene. Just wonderful!