Scandal in Scotland, Karen Hawkins’ second installment in the Hurst Amulet series, is a fast-paced adventure that begins where the previous book, One Night in Scotland, ended. This story follows Captain William Hurst, merchant sea captain, and Marcail Beauchamp, an acclaimed actress. The two estranged lovers are thrust together after years apart when Marcail is blackmailed into stealing an artifact from William, who needs it to ensure his brother’s release from imprisonment in Egypt. William pursues Marcail and the artifact is lost, and together they must race across England and Scotland to get it back.

Hawkins competently weaves a story of young love lost and regained, illuminating the difference maturity can make on opinions and emotions. Hawkins has a masterful control of dialogue, making every interaction feel organic and authentic.

The driving force in this series, the search for Hurst amulet and the mysterious onyx box that is somehow connected to it, is only lightly touched upon in this book. This is understandable given the occupations and natures of the protagonists, but beyond a brief revelation that plot was not much furthered. Hopefully that will be remedied in the final two installments of the series.