Do you know what happened in your family seven generations ago?
Spiritual insight and genealogy research are the heart of Bloodlines – Touch Not the Cat, a novel on cultural inheritance by Thomas McKerley and Ingrid Schippers.
The story of American homicide detective Cathy Stewart from Raleigh, North Carolina leads the reader to Ballindaloch Castle in the Scottish Highlands, the home of the Macpherson family for over 450 years. Although reluctant at first, Cathy gets drawn into a mystery set in motion by her own ancestors.
Victorian period flashbacks reveal the life and times of Alexander Stewart, born in 1875 as son of the Ballindalloch gamekeeper, who emigrates to America, where a dream comes true.
→ More about the book and the storyline
Download a pdf with the first four chapters of Bloodlines – Touch Not The Cat.
Praise for Bloodlines – Touch Not The Cat
“All the elements of a great read; family feuds, suspicious deaths, betrayals and a compelling narrative that switches effortlessly between the past and the present. An auspicious debut and the perfect starting point for a series.”
The Daily Record, The Daily Record book review by Shari Low, Saturday 16th June 2012.
“ Ballindalloch Castle, ancestral home of the Macpersons, is the setting for a long ago tragedy to be revealed. A compelling read. ”
The Scotland Magazine, May/June 2012 edition.
“ This gripping mystery slips easily between past and present, drawing the reader into a rich, multi-layered tale that focuses on the fascinating family history of Ballindalloch Castle. The gripping dual narrative follows Cathy from North Carolina on her journey to the Scottish Highlands as she fights to uncover a family mystery, interspersed with flashbacks to the life of Alexander Stewart in 1875. It’s a page-turning combination of mystery and romance, history and genealogy that will appeal to fans of both detective fiction and family history. ”
Scottish Field, May 2012 edition,
“Cover to Cover” review of Bloodlines – Touch Not the Cat: 4 out of 5 stars.
The book and the story
In 1895 a Scottish laird of the MacPherson clan disappears under mysterious circumstances from Ballindalloch Castle in the Scottish Highland. This sets in motion a chain of events that affects future generations on both sides of the Atlantic.
The authors
‘Bloodlines – Touch Not the Cat‘ was written by author duo Thomas Neil McKerley and Ingrid Schippers. Tom and Ingrid are both first-time mystery novel writers. By combining their fortes of down-to-earth structure and spiritual insight, they make a remarkably compatible writers team.
Buy the book
Bloodlines – Touch Not the Cat is published by WYBT Publishing.
The paperback version has 316 pages and is priced at £8.99 / $13.50 / €10,99.
It is available on Amazon:
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com
Amazon.de (free shipping to the Netherlands)
The Kindle ebook edition is available for £5.74 / $11.27 on Amazon: