Death of a Chief

A gripping historical murder mystery set in 1686 Edinburgh — where superstition, politics and clan rivalries collide.

The death of a Highland chief sparks an investigation that tests Reason itself in a world ruled by fear and suspicion.

About the Ebook

Death of a Chief launches the John MacKenzie series with a richly atmospheric mystery set in 1686 — a time when Scotland was riven by religious conflict, political instability and deep superstition.

Sir Lachlan MacLean, chief of a proud but impoverished Highland clan, is found dead in his Edinburgh lodgings. Poisoned. With a lifetime of debts, bitter quarrels and dangerous associates, he had no shortage of enemies — but evidence is scarce, and motives are tangled.

It falls to investigative advocate John MacKenzie and his scribe Davie Scougall to uncover the truth. But in an age where witchcraft is feared, superstition thrives and justice bends to power, can Reason prevail?

Set against a vividly realised backdrop of pre‑Enlightenment Scotland — a nation on the brink of financial ruin and ruled from London — this is a gripping historical thriller from a master of the genre.

Critical Praise

"Move over Rebus. There’s a new – or should that be old – detective in town… a plot as twisted as Rowan on a mountain pass and wonderful characters perfectly set up for many novels to come."
— i-on Edinburgh

Why You'll Love This Ebook

• A richly detailed historical mystery set in late 17th‑century Edinburgh.
• Introduces John MacKenzie and Davie Scougall, one of Scottish crime fiction’s most compelling investigative duos.
• A world of superstition, politics and clan intrigue brought vividly to life.
• Perfect for fans of historical crime, Scottish history and atmospheric mysteries.
• The first book in the acclaimed John MacKenzie series.

About the Author

Douglas Watt is a historian, poet and novelist. His non‑fiction work The Price of Scotland: Darien, Union and the Wealth of Nations won the Hume Brown Senior Prize in Scottish History in 2008. He is also the author of the John MacKenzie series of pre‑Enlightenment crime novels.

Watt has written extensively on financial, historical and political subjects for The Scotsman. He lives in Linlithgow with his wife Julie and their three children.

Also in the John MacKenzie Series

Continue the investigations of John MacKenzie:

• Testament of a Witch — Book 2
• Pilgrim of Slaughter — Book 3
• The Unnatural Death of a Jacobite — Book 4
• A Killing in Van Diemen’s Land — Book 5
• A Case of Desecration in the West — Book 6

Or get the full series in one place:

The Complete John MacKenzie Bundle

Publication Details

Publisher: Luath Press

Publication Date: —

Print Length: — (Ebook edition)

ISBN (Ebook): 9781909912472

Format: Ebook

Language: English / Scots

Categories: Historical Crime / Scottish Fiction / Mystery

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