A Blind Eye by Marion Todd

August 23, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Blind Eye by Marion Todd
Publisher: Canelo Crime
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can DI Clare Mackay unravel a dead man’s secrets?
Harry Richards, a local solicitor, is found in his car, throat slit.

DI Clare Mackay is on the case. She soon learns that Harry was not the upstanding man he seemed to be. Finding the killer should be easy.

Then the wife of one of Harry’s colleagues is discovered dead in her car, and Clare realises there is something more sinister at play…

Can she find out who’s behind the murders before they turn their attention to her?

DI Clare Mackay is called to investigate the seemingly abandoned car of a mission local lawyer who had been reported missing the previous day. When the man is found inside the car with his throat slit, Clare knows this is far more than a missing local lawyer and immediately she and her team begin to search for the truth. When a second, connected, body is found under very similar circumstances Clare knows the treachery extends far beyond just this one man and his questionable actions.

I have been enjoying this Scottish mystery series – delightfully branded as Tartan Noir – and this book was an excellent addition. Similar to British police procedurals this book focuses heavily on the police and their unraveling the truth. Readers who prefer a more action orientated, American or spy syle of novel might find the pace moves a little slowly for them, but personally I really enjoy the slower piecing together of the puzzle as it really lets me follow along and have a good crack at guessing what’s really going on for myself.

There is a strongly written cast of important secondary characters and while there’s quite a history and team network between them, I do feel readers should be able to pick this book up by itself and not need any of the previous installments to fully enjoy this story.

I also enjoyed how there were clearly a few moving parts to this plot, and while they did interweave together very nicely it didn’t feel pay or overly serendipitous, it came across to me as a well plotted and interesting mystery that had a number of different areas overlapping nicely to form a larger picture.

I found this to be an enjoyable and realistic police procedural mystery with a bunch of great characters. I’ve enjoyed this series and am eager to read the next book.

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The House Of Eyes by Kate Ellis

August 20, 2024 By 1 Comment


The House Of Eyes by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When Darren Hatman first reports his daughter missing, DI Wesley Peterson isn’t too concerned. Leanne Hatman is an aspiring model, keen to leave Devon for the bright lights of London.

But Wesley realises something very sinister is going on when Darren is found murdered in the grounds of Eyecliffe Castle, the hotel where Leanne works. Could Leanne have met a similar fate to her father? But, if so, where is her body?

Wesley begins to suspect a connection between recent events and the disappearance of two girls in the 1950s, at a mysterious ruin called the House of Eyes.

As he tries to solve the puzzle, Wesley must face alarming revelations rooted in centuries of evil – as well as deal with a nightmare of his own . . .

DI Welsey Peterson and his team aren’t sure how seriously to take the missing persons report from a father when his nineteen year old daughter hasn’t made contact for a few weeks. Independent and with dreams of becoming a model in London, it seems quite understandable she’s been caught up in the fast paced city life. Only when the father turns up dead, murdered on the edges of Eyecliffe Castle, the hotel where his daughter had been working for some time does it appear likely things aren’t as simple and innocent as they’d suggested. Can Wesley and his team uncover what’s really going on?

This is the next book in a long-running series blending together a current British Procedural murder mystery along with always a dollop of historical and archaeology. I must admit this time around Neil and the archaeology aspect to the plotline takes a bit of a back seat. Wesley has a fair bit of family difficulty going on and that takes a bit more of a front seat in this book and it appears to have squeezed out some of the history. While there certainly is still some history surrounding an old diary I do feel the archaeology element isn’t as front-facing in this book as it often is in the others.

I definitely feel the pace of the current murder and mystery is well plotted and well balanced with the other elements to the story. I also feel that the plot surrounding Pam was delicately handled and while it might have been a little gentle/brief on details I feel Pam and Wesley both reacted to the situation logically and in a believable manner I was particularly pleased Wesley put his money where his mouth frequently is – and he did indeed drop his work commitments when his family needed him there. We’ve seen him do this on lesser scales a number of times, but a big part of me the fact he did this without question or request will hopefully finally shut up Pam and her whining about how much time Wesley spends with his work commitments.

Another small fault was Rachel, Wesley’s colleague and fellow officer, putting off her wedding again. Admittedly it was for a jolly good reason this time – but since this is the second (or third? At least?) time the ceremony has been put off I’m really starting to feel her farmer fiance’s patience should be wearing thin and Rachel really need to either call it all off or go through with it. The previous time she put it all off (about two books ago now) I felt quite sympathetic for the long-suffering fellow and while there was a solid and undeniable reason this time, I really do feel his patience is heading towards saintly levels and not being very believable. I sincerely hope they manage to make it down the aisle in the next book or so.

With quite a bit of character movement in this book along with a solid murder mystery I feel this book might not be the best suited for new readers who haven’t read any of the previous books. But I did find this an excellent police procedural for readers who have read at least a few of the previous installments. With strong and interesting characters and an excellent mix of historical and present day mystery this is a lovely book.

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Beneath Cold Earth by M S Morris

August 19, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Beneath Cold Earth by M S Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A buried skeleton. A dark conspiracy. A ruthless killer.
When flash floods unearth a human skeleton at a local beauty spot, DCI Tom Raven is called to investigate. Who is the dead man, and how did he end up there?

Help is on hand from forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones who enjoys the challenge of working with old bones. But is Raven one challenge too many for her?

Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Becca Shawcross is called to a local nursing home where an elderly resident has taken his own life. The death appears to be a routine case of suicide, but Becca has her suspicions. Could foul play be involved?

As the two investigations widen, Raven and Becca begin to find common threads. And when things take a sinister turn, they must work together to untangle the connections between the two deaths.

Because some secrets are best left buried.

When local flooding uncovers a long-buried skeleton DCI Tom Raven is intrigued, and even more committed when the beautiful forensic anthropologist Dr Chandice Jones can give him some of the answers he seeks. Meanwhile DS Becca Shawcross is convinced that a local elderly man did not commit suicide as his caregivers appear to believe, and when the evidence supports her intuition she finds herself quickly uncovering more than she ever expected. Can Becca and Tom each uncover the truth behind their respective mysteries?

This is the second book revolving around DCI Raven and his small team and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A very well written British police procedural I definitely enjoyed the two main plots in this story. While I felt it a little cliched when the two threads wove together it didn’t feel overly fake or forced. I did however particularly like how it was Becca who joined the two cases together before Tom managed to find the links. I found that very cool.

I also really enjoyed a number of the secondary characters in this book – especially Violet in the nursing home. The only thing I do feel readers should be aware of is while the plot is very well handled and wrapped up in this book one of the longer story arcs revolving around Becca did end on somewhat of a cliffhanger. Readers who hate one book ending and it being fairly necessary to begin the next book immediately might need to ensure they have book 3 readily on hand. As this second book certainly finishes right where book three is about to begin and where from the blurb it appears the next investigation is right about to start.

I found this to be a well plotted murder mystery with two solid plots that interwove together very well. I am thoroughly enjoying the strong cast of secondary characters, and I also greatly enjoyed the strong historical context to this particular murder mystery. While there is somewhat of a cliffhanger ending which is clearly leading into the next book the plot itself is very well contained in this story and I do feel readers can certainly pick up this book and read it very much as a standalone. I am eager for the next in the series.

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The Death Season by Kate Ellis

August 13, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Death Season by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

When DI Wesley Peterson is summoned to investigate a killing, he assumes that the case is a routine matter. But soon dark secrets start to emerge from the victim’s past and Wesley realises that this cold-blooded murder is more complicated than he could have imagined.

Archaeologist Neil Watson is meanwhile studying Sandrock, a ruined village from the First World War that tumbled into the sea. Neil cannot shake the feeling that something is missing from his explorations: a cryptic clue that might be able to help Wesley solve his case.

As more victims fall prey to a killer, Wesley fears his precious family are becoming a target. Just like the fallen village of Sandrock, Wesley will have to stand tall if he is to withstand the coming storm.

DI Wesley Peterson is summoned to investigate what looks like a suspicious death in a hotel room, he has no idea just how dark and how far back the various threads around this murder will go. And as more people seemingly fall prey to this killer, Wesley has no idea just how close to home the danger is lurking.

I have been enjoying this series which blends together a modern mystery-thriller very well with a historical and archaeological setting. DI Peterson’s old university friend is once again nearby and studying a local ruined village which partially tumbled down the cliffs into the sea just after World War One. While the two cases have no direct bearing on each other it’s always interesting how events of the past so frequently have relevance – or mimic – events still going on in the present day.

Much like in the previous few books I thoroughly enjoyed both the historical story unfolding around Neil and his archeological site and the modern murder mystery and Wesley going through the police procedural aspect to the plots. I thought the plot slowly but with a good pace ramped up until there was quite a fast pace towards the climax and conclusion. I thought this side to the story was exceptionally well handled by the author. Pam Peterson – Wesley’s wife – once again seems to be unhappy with her lot and while I empathize that she feels Wesley’s police work takes up a lot of his time I really am sick of Pam whining about this. While I understand her disliking his sometimes long and unusual hours, I really do feel she needs to grow up and accept this is part of what she agreed to in marrying a policeman. It also looks as if possibly Neil has finally found a sensible woman and a part of me really hope this might work for them both. That would be lovely to see after him being mostly single and carefree for so very long.

A lovely addition to the series, I found this to be a well-paced and exceptionally well plotted story. While I could happily do without Pam and her sourness the rest of the cast are mostly enjoyable and well-balanced characters. A good book from an excellent series.

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The Cat Who Chased Ghosts by Nic Minnella

August 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Cat Who Chased Ghosts by Nic Minnella
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In a sleepy little town, an ordinary-looking cat hides an extraordinary secret that will transform his owners’ lives forever.

When the Thompson family inherits a dilapidated old house, their overprotected son Timmy forms a strong bond with Whiskers—a chronically lazy tabby who’s not what he seems.

As Timmy explores the house’s mysteries, a chilling discovery puts his courage to the test. With the help of Whiskers and some newfound friends, he must face supernatural forces beyond his imagination and rescue a soul in peril.

Would you trust a ghost?

This was a delightfully spooky read that added exactly the right amount of horror to everything else that was going on. I especially enjoyed the scariest scenes that happened right before the end. They played around with the audience’s expectations of which characters we should trust and what might happen next just like Neil Gaiman’s Coraline did years ago, and they kept me guessing until the end.

It would have been helpful to have more character development, especially when it came to Timmy. As much as I liked him, I did find myself wishing I knew more about his personality and how these adventures changed him. He was obviously a caring kid, but I’d find it a little difficult to describe him in other ways like whether he was extroverted or introverted or what hobbies he had with the exceptions of spending time with cats and trying to solve old mysteries. This is something I’m saying as someone who adored the plot and wished I could give this a five-star rating. Everything else about it was excellent.

I loved the timeless feeling of this story. While it was definitely set in the present, there was so much about it that could have just as easily happened fifty years ago or fifty years from now. After all, there are always children who don’t quite understand the mysterious and confusing rules that grownups follow and adults who never quite forget what it feels like to be a child. The author’s humorous approach to these evergreen themes made me chuckle, and I nodded my head along as I found ways to empathize with every single character here, including smart little Whiskers! While this was obviously intended for the middle grade age range, I’d warmly encourage adult readers to give it a try, too, as it has something to say to them about the quiet magic of life as well.

The Cat Who Chased Ghosts made me yearn for Halloween even though I read this in the middle of summer.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Team Of Two by Brad Lee

August 8, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Team Of Two by Brad Lee
Publisher: Simply Sensible Entertainment
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Across Los Angeles, all electronics are suddenly destroyed.

Gone forever. Useless. Is it a single terrorist attack? Or the opening salvo in a larger, sinister plot?

Brilliant young intelligence analyst Haley is convinced the USA is about to be bombed back to the Stone Age, resulting in chaos, death, and destruction.

Has someone successfully created a tactical EMP—electromagnetic pulse—device?

And if so, can she and Axe, a former Navy SEAL, find and stop them before the world as we know it is destroyed?

Or is the situation even more dire than it seems?

Across a three mile radius in LA including a number of their busiest freeways, all electronics simultaneously die. Cars, smart-gear, lights, everything. Is this an isolated attack, or the start of something far greater? Hayley is convinced the whole of the USA is about to be bombed back into the stone age, but she can’t find the proof required to appeal to the powers that be. So once again, Hayley and her former Navy SEAL partner, Axe, are going it alone, determined to save the world.

This book is set just a few months after the ending of A Team of One and I really enjoyed the fact the characters had progressed somewhat after their crazy ordeal in the previous book. Even so, I enjoyed that this book still very much had the feel of picking up just a little after where the last one left off. I loved a few cameos from characters in the first book – and equally adored the introduction of a few more secondary characters that I very much want to know better in the coming few books. This author has a real knack for writing characters I find highly enjoyable and definitely want to get to know better.

I will admit that in some places this book doesn’t have the break-neck speed of the previous book. At first, I thought I’d find the story dragged, but quite the contrary I found it helped build the momentum and, in many ways, kept me eager to turn more pages and find out how everything fit together and how it would all build even further. While there was one main plotline – the EMPs – there were a few smaller threads both supporting and circling around the storyline. There was also an unfinished thread from the previous story. So, while I could understand if some readers feel this book wove a little more back and forth and didn’t simply slam you face-first into the action like the previous book, I honestly feel this added complexity to the plots and the solid weaving together of everything added quite a richness into everything and helped me enjoy the story even more.

The vibrant and interesting characters coupled with the high speed action and the complexity of the plot meant that I practically lost an entire weekend to reading this book without a break and a deeply resented the few times I was forced to stop reading. This book is rather like crack – so be warned: once you start this it will be extremely hard to put it down. While I do feel readers can enjoy this book if they pick it up alone, I would strongly recommend going back to book one (and that book by itself was phenomenal to my mind) mainly because there are a number of secondary characters as well as some small aspects to why Axe and Hayley trust each other so deeply and work so well together that comes from that previous book. This book I think will just feel more complete to readers who have read the first one.

An exhilarating and thoroughly enjoyable action-based mystery/espionage style of book this is a brilliant author and a fabulous new-to-me series that I am thoroughly hooked on. Bring on the next one!

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Neighbourly Mischief by Cristina Mîrzoi

August 6, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Neighbourly Mischief by Cristina Mîrzoi
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In this peculiar story, we follow the lives of a few distinctive individuals living in an old apartment building, ranging from angsty youth to middle-aged couples and senior citizens. Sorrows, insecurities, longings, frustrations, and, above all, secrets are concealed within each of these characters in an intricate maze of dysfunctional yet humorous relationships.

The intrusion of an outsider on a serene night unexpectedly impacts the building and its inhabitants, forever altering their lives and strangely mending some of their inner wounds.

Aristotle famously stated that humans are social creatures. The daily interactions among people, intentional or not, play a significant role in shaping their lives. As our characters struggle against it, loneliness becomes the driving force behind the central conflict, acting as the true antagonist.

Not everything in life is easy to classify.

The character development in this novella was strong and entertaining. This was a delightful mixture of folks, from grumpy to eccentric to whimsical among many other options, and sometimes wildly different traits would emerge from the same person depending on the day and their mood. I also enjoyed seeing how various neighbors brought out new aspects of each other’s personalities. Some of them were honestly not great matches for each other due to conflicting interests or preferred communication styles, but that was what made this such a charming read. Of course, not everyone will get along with everyone else or draw out the same reactions from one another! The same thing happens in real life all of the time, after all.

There were a few things about the mystery that I wish had been explained better. For example, when exactly was this tale set? It felt like it was no more recent than the 1970s, but even that was a fuzzy guess due to how little the characters talked about things like technology and current events. The reason why this mattered so much to me as a reader had to do with the development of crime scene investigation over the years. It would be nearly impossible to dispose of a body these days without being caught at some point, but a century ago there were no smartphones, DNA tests, fingerprint readers, or security cameras to provide additional clues about what really happened and who may or may not have been involved. With that being said, this a minor criticism of something I thought was otherwise quite well done.

Some of the most memorable passages were the ones that asked readers to think about the messiness of being human. That is to say, nobody is perfect or irredeemable. Terrible folks can be generous, and even the sweetest person one has ever met might still be harbouring a dark secret or two. The ambiguity of it all made these characters feel real to me. I never quite knew what to expect next, and I was surprised more than once by revelations about characters I thought I’d already figured out.

Neighbourly Mischief was a genuine exploration of what it means to be a good – or a not-so-good – person.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Operation North Sea by William Meikle

August 2, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Operation North Sea by William Meikle
Publisher: Severed Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The chill grey waters of the North Sea off the Scottish coast are treacherous at the best of times and become even more so when something attacks an offshore oil rig.

An old friend calls for S-Squad’s expertise but what they find is a bigger enemy by far than any they have previously encountered.

This time they’re going to need bigger guns.

The lads from S-Squad are sent just a short jump away onto an oil rig on the chilly waters of the North Sea off the Scottish coastline. While they’re sent away with an old friend what they hadn’t anticipated was the monster they find lurking beneath the dark water is far, far bigger than even they could have imagined.

I really love this series and thoroughly enjoyed this addition. Short and very fast paced, this time more guns and fire power weren’t helpful against the biggest beastie the boys have faced yet. I thought this quick story was exceptionally well thought out by the author and I was very happy with the progress of some of the characters – Wiggins in particular. His character is certainly growing and learning, and I found that a joy to read. A few of the small interactions between Wiggins and Captain Banks in particular really had me feeling there was room for more to come in the next few books.

As always – this series is a rollicking good time. Fine literature and twisty turning complex plots is not the aim of the game here. Rather this is a loud, brash and joyous good time with plenty of drinking, swearing, monsters and bravery. I adore these squaddies and this series and while it’s certainly not needed to have read any of the previous books you’re missing out if you haven’t.

With monsters, brave soldiers and a whole bunch of collateral damage this is a fun and frivolous read that is sure to brighten anyone’s day. I love this series and found this to be a wonderfully good time. Recommended.

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Hell Bay by Kate Rhodes

August 1, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Hell Bay by Kate Rhodes
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

DI Ben Kitto needs a second chance. After ten years working for the murder squad in London, a traumatic event has left him grief-stricken. He’s tried to resign from his job, but his boss has persuaded him to take three months to reconsider.

Ben plans to work in his uncle Ray’s boatyard, on the tiny Scilly island of Bryher where he was born, hoping to mend his shattered nerves. His plans go awry when the body of sixteen year old Laura Trescothick is found on the beach at Hell Bay. Her attacker must still be on the island because no ferries have sailed during a two-day storm.

Everyone on the island is under suspicion. Dark secrets are about to resurface. And the murderer could strike again at any time.

For ten years DI Ben Kitto has worked in London with the Murder Squad, but after a tragic event he worries his nerves are shot. Refusing to allow him to quit, Ben’s boss instead convinces him to take three months off and not make a hasty decision. So, Ben returns to his uncle’s boatyard on the tiny Scilly Island of Bryher where Ben passed more than a few happy holidays as a child. But that peace is shattered when the body of a sixteen-year-old local girl washes up on the beach at Hell Bay – and due to a two-day storm, no ferries have sailed since she was last seen, so the killer must be a local resident. Does Ben have the strength to search for a killer in the place that was meant to be his refuge?

This is the first book in a new-to-me author and series. Set on the small islands off the Cornwell coastline this British police procedural is based around a small island with only a few hundred residents on it. Readers looking for an action-orientated novel or a fast pace to the plot probably won’t find what they’re after here. I really enjoyed the slower pace to the plot, helping to really set the scene and let me ease into the new character of Ben and the residents of the island who are so familiar to our protagonist.

It felt clear to me that the slower start to this novel really was just to set the landscape for the reader. The opening scene is the murder of the teenage girl and while it takes a few chapters for her body to be found, I was pleased this time was given for me to get so attached to both Ben’s character and the small coastal town he had returned home to in order to recover. I had no doubt the murder would be discovered and so I didn’t feel any rush and the fact the author clearly had a similar idea really sat well with me. I do find these smaller town, police procedural style of novels are equally as much about the characters as with the murder and mystery aspects so having them each given plenty of time had me eagerly turning the pages.

Once the murder is discovered and Ben is – somewhat reluctantly – drawn in to the whole situation I did feel the pace quickened a little. Readers who like the slow and steady progress of many British police procedural style of novels should absolutely find this fits the bill for them. I really enjoyed the cast of characters and I’m always astonished how quickly I can get drawn into another small and sleepy village setting of any novel. This book was no exception, and I hadn’t even finished this book before I had purchased the next on in the series.

With well drawn characters, and interesting plotline and a “locked door” stye of murder mystery this was a great book and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Recommended.

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Old Bones Lie by Marion Todd

July 31, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Old Bones Lie by Marion Todd
Publisher: Canelo Crime
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

DI Clare Mackay is about to face a test of her loyalty…
When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?

DI Clare Mackay leads the team but has to do without her right hand man; DS Chris West is a cousin to one of the missing prison officers and must not be involved in the case. With a new sergeant at her side plus a previously unencountered DCI, Clare’s people skills are pushed to the limit. Especially once she realises her boss is keeping her on the sidelines. Just what is it that Clare doesn’t know? And if she has to choose between keeping secrets from a friend, or letting slip something that could see a culprit go free, which path will she take?

DI Clare Mackay is racing the clock trying to find a missing prison van with two guards and a seemingly escaped convicted jewel thief. When it quickly becomes apparent the wives of the two missing guards are also nowhere to be found, the question is asked were the guards complicit in the escaped man – or are they innocent men caught in a terrifying crossfire. Without her right-hand man – DS Chris is the cousin to one of the guards, and with both a new partner, new DCI and new team members Clare has her plate full.

I found this to be an interesting and well-paced police procedural style of mystery/suspense novel. I feel it stands very well alone, and while a number of the team members have been working cohesively together for a while now, there are a number of new characters introduced here and so I don’t feel readers will feel like they need any of the previous books to thoroughly enjoy this novel. I also feel the author did a good job helping this story feel fresh without casting too much tension or an unbelievable amount of conflict into the story. Adding new characters and changing the team’s dynamic like this certainly to my mind helped keep everything feeling fresh and different.

I also really appreciated the complexity to the plot. There were two to three main investigations interweaving throughout the whole story and working out what was linked and what was independent kept me on my toes for much of the story. Tension and emotions were also running high – with one of the prison guards being a well-loved cousin to a long-standing team member and with the new characters not immediately being transparent there were plenty of questions and double-guessing going on for me personally. This helped keep the complexity of the plots high to my mind and I enjoyed trying to unravel everything.

Each of the main plotlines had a solid and thorough explanation and conclusion – so readers who detest cliff hangers or “find out more next book” shouldn’t find anything here to annoy them. I also enjoyed how while Clare’s personal relationship with their previous DCI is still ongoing and was continued in this book at no stage did I feel it detracted or overshadowed the police investigations or the main plotlines. I thought the author balanced all these elements really well and I found it an excellent and enjoyable read.

Readers looking for a solid, well-paced and cleverly plotted Scottish police procedural story should definitely give this book a try. While all the books in this series are good this can easily be read by itself, and I feel it’s an good addition to the “tartan noir” Scottish based mystery/suspense genre.

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