A thrilling mystery in a fictional Scots village

The Purified is the second of C F Peterson’s high-octane thrillers set in the fictional village of Duncul. Eamon Ansgar (the hero of the first novel, ‘Errant Blood’) has found happiness in marriage, but community life is shaken by a brutal murder and he finds himself helping the local police force to investigate (an entirely…

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A gripping read that thrills to the very end

Master of crime Denzil Meyrick transports his readers to the urban gangland of the Scottish town of Paisley and the dark underworld of London. Packed with brutal crime, dysfunctional families and dark humour, follow gangland boss Zander Finn on his quest to right his wrongs, only to learn some life decisions can’t be undone. This…

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A murder mystery with humour and intensity

Bad Debt is a cracking crime novel with less gore, more intrigue. The storyline is a little far fetched – defence lawyer Robbie Munro’s wife is stalked by a witness in a trial that she is prosecuting, and Robbie is charged for the witness’ murder. But with Robbie’s first person narrative immersing the reader fully…

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A murder mystery on the isle of Jura

We didn’t have to wait long for the next instalment of Inspector Angus Blue’s whodunnits, and it doesn’t disappoint. Called to Jura after an attempted assassination on a cabinet minister, the inspector finds himself in a series of fantastically eerie landscapes and is forced to overcome several unexpected hurdles. As with The Peat Dead, the…

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When gambling debts lead to a kidnapping

Middle-class parents Victoria and Nicholas Foulkes are distraught when their children are kidnapped against Nicholas’ gambling debts. Penniless and desperate, the couple turn to crime as a way to raise the ransom. Can they save their children before time runs out? New talent Smith delivers a fast-paced page turner in this brilliant and believable debut…

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Former policeman uses his eye to write new novel

Peter Ritchie uses his past experience gained from a career as a senior police officer to write this crime fiction novel with astonishing authenticity and intrigue. The book has such character and charm that it makes the life of crime seem almost appealing, if it weren’t for the violence, illegality and constant paranoia that accompanies…

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Detective solving a murder crime back in time

Seventeenth-century detective duo MacKenzie and Scougall are asked by a Highland clan to solve a case, after a young lawyer’s body is found near Edinburgh. Their investigations are set against the political turmoil of the time, with Jacobite rebels and Bonnie Dundee, as they try to fi nd out just who wanted Aeneas MacLeod dead.…

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Car boot find leads to a new case for sleuth

Private Investigations, an instalment in the Bob Skinner mysteries, sees the Edinburgh sleuth plunged into a gruelling new case.  The former Chief Constable has seen his fair share of crime scenes, but few affected him as much as the horrifying sight he finds stowed in the back of a stolen car that collides with his.…

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Gripping thriller will keep you glued into the night

Fans of the Inspector McLean crime novels will not be disappointed by this instalment, The Damage Done, with Oswald delivering another gritty page-turner that will keep you reading late into the night. When an Edinburgh Police vice squad raid goes embarrassingly awry, Inspector Tony McLean finds himself haunted by echoes of his first case. With…

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A new case for Sherlock Holmes in Edinburgh

A combination of an intriguing crime novel for young adults, with a new case for Sherlock Holmes and a reawakening of Scotland ‘s forgotten heroes, The Calling is a magical story set during the Edinburgh Festival. Nearly all of its characters can be  observed standing on plinths in the heart of the city. Only one…

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