From the Shadows was intriguing crime fiction that revolved around Monica trying to solve murder and a social worker trying to find his missing client. It was about work-life balance, trying to find peace with traumatic past, and race between killer and detective.

From the Shadows was written in third person narrative mainly from Monica and Michael’s POV and occasional killer’s perspective under title ‘watcher’. Atmospheric setting of Scottish Highlands and Inverness beautiful yet remote with its weather and history of missing people added more darkness to story of murders by a delusional psycho killer.

Story took place in one week that started with, as synopsis said, Robert arriving late at home who was found murdered next day. D.I. Monica could tell this wasn’t killer’s first murder and it won’t be last. At the same time, a social worker, Michael, was trying to find his client who was missing for a week. A gruesome murder, marks on body, and mysterious stone that Michael saw with Nicol made him fear the worst. And then another body was found. It made me curious to find out where was Nicol, did he knew these dead boys, how he had that stone that were found in dead boys’ body, had killer kidnapped him or was he next, how would Monica find killer and how Michael find Nicol. With killer observing their all moves and staying two steps ahead of them made the story thrilling and intriguing.

All characters were interesting. They had traumatic past. Their flaws and vulnerability made them realistic. Monica was clever, observant, and strong but she had her issues. Her past made people gossip about her. Her height references and her uncomfortability related to her height and shoe size was a bit too much but her doubts as a mother, trying find work-family life balance was genuine. I liked her intuitions and logic in this case, she was right most of the time. Her mistakes and ‘not-so-perfect’ character made her more realistic. The only complain I had about her was her decision in climax. It was actually stupid, looking at her concerned motherly nature.

Michael was great character. Lonely, affected by past and tragedy in life, still couldn’t find closure and messed up many things in life. He was different from his colleagues. He cared too much and was empathetic but also reckless social worker. He had many flaws but it was admirable how much risks he took in finding a boy who probably didn’t want to be found.

Michael and Monica, made story interesting. They had their differences but at the end they started supporting each other. Monica’s colleagues D.C. Connor Crawford and D.C. Ben Fisher were also different from each other. There was competitive tension between these two, one didn’t care about appearance and showing superiority while other was orderly, prim and proper, doing everything by book. They made unusual team but I liked how they all worked in the case. There wasn’t much story about them so it was hard to connect with them but I hope I can know them more in next book.

Description of murders was gruesome but not unbearable or overly graphic. Suspense was solid. I couldn’t identify killer till climax. There were not many suspects and we can rule out if they were really culprit or not from killer’s narration which made it more difficult to figure out who he was. Climax was tense and surprising. I didn’t like Monica’s decision but it made me fear for her and her daughter for the first time. I liked surprise at the end. I wish I could see Lee’s (criminal psychologist, who was made to dislike) reaction for being wrong about everything. That would have been satisfactory.

Why 4 stars-

That height references were too much. It made Monica look like some freak woman. And also reference popped at really usual scenes, like when they were visiting Robert’s father to hear his side of story and to let him know his missing son is dead. Monica’s decision near climax was biggest complain. She was smart capable of making better decision but this made me rethink that because no parent would do that.

Overall, #FromtheShadows was compelling, dark and interesting #ScottishNoir with many twist and turns. It was commendable debut novel and definitely recommend it.

From the Shadows" is the debut novel from G R Halliday and features D.I. Monica Kennedy novel.

Young Robert arrives home later than expected but without speaking to his day, he just goes to bed….then he disappears……

Soon after a body is found and DI Monica Kennedy is there to investigate and her first thought is that this is only the beginning….

At the same time, Michael Bach, a social worker is concerned about one of his young clients, Nichol Morgan who has gone missing…

Are these cases linked?

Set in the Highlands of Scotland this is a beautifully descriptive crime thriller and you can almost feel the cool of the rain and wind as you read. It’s a dark and violent read with an ingenious plot and great characters. I’ll be looking out for more by GR Halliday for certain.

I was gripped from the very first chapter. I already knew from the blurb Robert was in trouble but I had no idea how shocking that trouble would be. Just as I had started to like him too.

You know pretty early on how but not who and why, which the armchair detective in me loved. With another boy missing the race is on for Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy.

There are lots of clues from strange stones, burning incense, perfume, stars and drugged drinks and occasional narration from someone called “the watcher”. Also you have the social worker Michael taking it upon himself to try and find Nichol who has been missing a week.

The characters in this are fantastic. From Michael with his feral cats including Colonel Mustard. DI Monica, single mum to four year old Lucy, and her mum. Now Monica’s mum was my favourite and I loved how nosy she was due to watching too many police dramas. The author made me chuckle when Monica admitted that her mum wanted her to drink because all her favourite detectives were alcoholics.

This does contain quite graphic descriptions, luckily I’m not squeamish in the slightest, but it is the vivid imagery of the highlands and the portrayal of the weather and isolation that are the author’s skill. Bringing a real sense of atmosphere and adding extra creepiness to an already creepy and macabre plot.

This is a really solid debut and I can’t wait to read the next book for the tour in July.

Unfortunately not for me. Monica Kennedy was not a particularly likeable character constantly complaining about being tall. It was too grim and bloodthirsty to be enjoyable. I did think about giving up on it several times as it was slow going especially as I didn't care what happened. As I was reading a complementary copy, I felt it was unfair not to finish. Having downloaded Halliday's latest book I thought I should read the first one in the series, but this will be my last.

A really gripping thriller. Definitely not for the faint hearted as there are some very graphic moments storyline kept me gripped the whole way through,

Like a number of other reviewers I struggled with aspects of this book, which surprised me as there were a number of positive features. Thee was, for example: a broad range of characters; the setting in rural Scotland (used to such good effect by authors Peter May and Ann Cleeves), and - at least to begin with - an engaging plot. However, this set of promising components were not fused together to make a compelling read; indeed, there were several times when I was seriously tempted to cut my losses. Nevertheless, I stuck with it out of s sense of curiosity about one or two of the leads and red herrings that were used to good effect. So, in fairness, it did just about merit a positive judgment about wanting to get to the end.

Less positive aspects of the book for me, however, were what seemed to be an excessive incidence of violence and an overly bleak rendering of the rural Scottish landscape. The main character was hard to like and strayed just too far from the reality of police procedure to have made it to a DI post. Whilst the writing showed promise in several places greater care needed to be taken to ensure that the reader did not have to struggle too often to. establish which character the author is referring to. Finally, it may be tempting to tease the reader by leaving several loose ends that might conceivably be addressed in a follow on book, but there is a limit to the patience of readers for that tactic.

Sixteen year old Robert goes missing from home one night. His body is found. He has been assaulted, murdered and left in a remote location posed as if praying to the skies.  DI Monica Kennedy and her team are put in charge of the case.  Soon other deaths are being investigated.

Along side this we meet Michael, a social worker who has reported one of his clients as missing.  Feeling that he has let the young man down by not answering an earlier call, Michael is determined to find him.

Both our protagonists appear to have secrets and regrets from their pasts and these are used to great effect to add even more to the dark and moody feel to the whole of the book.  Along with the remote and rugged setting this really is a book to curl up with.

I liked both the main characters very much.  Yes Monica has her issues like a lot of fictional detectives that make her a bit stand offish, but I felt she was a character that I would want to find out more about in following books.  Michael is an endearing character that plays as much of a part in the solving of the case as the police do and I thought the two 'investigations' worked well along side each other.

The story line is dark with some unpleasant scenes in places but not overly so and I really enjoyed the way the landscape, wet weather and remoteness were used within the story. I found it well written with lots of detail and an interesting new police procedural to try.  I look forward to meeting up with Monica again next month in the second novel, Dark Waters, which I will be reviewing on July 9th.

Very interesting mystery set in the Highlands. I'm hoping this is the first of a series as I'd like to hear more about DI Monica. Still a couple of loose ends so fingers crossed. Lots of plot twists and red herrings here with interesting characters.

What a great book to start what will hopefully become a series of crime novels. A gruesome, chilling and compelling read that keeps you hooked until the end. Kennedy is an intriguing character for Halliday to develop and the crime scenes were well thought out. The whole book is gripping up to and including the twist at the end.

From the Shadows is one of those books that throws a lot at you, and you can’t help but become immersed in the world described. It’s not pleasant reading, but it’s a tense experience.
Our story really begins with the discovery of a body of a young man. A serious attack, and the autopsy reveals the boy has had a stone lodged in his throat. DI Kennedy (as the main investigator) is our focus, and we get enough snippets to know her back-story is an intriguing one. Perhaps as the first in the series we’re not told everything, but certainly enough to know that Monica Kennedy has a little more to her than meets the eye.
Set in and around the Scottish Highlands, this beautiful setting forms a macabre backdrop.
Nobody is sure what they’re dealing with. The boy who was found was at home, fine, and had then disappeared by the morning. Before long, we’re starting to see links with other disappearances.
There’s a lot of characters involved, and some suspects are set up as quite deliberate red herrings. We get the voice of the killer but very little to identify them until late on. There’s evidence of police corruption, and Kennedy has to rely on some rather unconventional methods to get results.
Suffice to say there’s some parts that could have been refined but this was a solid introduction to a new character, and definitely had me keen to read more.

Perhaps a little biased as I stayed in Inverness for ten year in the 80/90's and still visit regularly so recognise the places mentioned. Introduction to Monica Kennedy and her team in what appears to be a planned series of book featuring them. Cracking story that grabbed me right from the start and had a right few twists along the way. Here's to many more Mr Halliday.

‘Outstanding… Grips you from the start to the end till the end amazing characters and outstanding police thriller highly recommended

I had never read anything by G.R. Halliday and, in fact, think this might be his debut novel. His setting in the Highlands, with its vicious weather and unforgiving landscapes is perfect for a police procedural which features such horrific, graphic murders. Apparently he became interested in mysteries through his father, who must have been a policeman. He obviously loves his homeland, which he portrays so well.

The story is quite convoluted and there are lots of characters to keep tabs on, which I felt made it quite hard going at times.

I enjoyed the writing and the setting, , but really found the amount of killing and bloodshed rather overwhelming.

I would have like to know a bit more of Monika Kennedy's back story. Maybe that will be revealed in later novels. If they are all this bloodthirsty, though, I am not sure that I will want to read them.

I tend to write reviews in my head when I’m reading a book and the one for ‘From the Shadows’ changed multiple times. At first it was “2 stars, badly written, DNF”, then it was “3 stars, competent but painfully familiar”, but towards the end it was “4 stars, this is actually really good”. It’s fair to say then, that ‘From the Shadows’ is a mixed bag. Ultimately though, it was good enough that I’m eager to read GR Halliday’s next book.
The plot revolves around the abduction and murder of a teenage boy and the investigation of that crime by police detective, Monica Kennedy, and a social worker, Michael Bach. It took me some time to get into the book. The beginning has some good parts, the details of the abduction are chilling, but something about the prose really turned me off. The middle third worked better for me, but is a bit convoluted. The book is too long at over 450 pages and I think this is where the editor’s knife was needed most. Fortunately, the final act is really gripping. A book that had seemed like an also ran finally found its feet. Plot and character development suddenly clicks into place and the result is great. A book I’d almost given up on became one I couldn’t put down.
I’m not sure why the book was such a rollercoaster for me. Looking back many of its strengths were clear from the start. It’s set in northern Scotland and Halliday makes good use of the location. Everything feels suitably remote and windswept and that lends the book a desperate atmosphere at times that works well. It has two strong leads in Kennedy and Bach. They are very different in many ways, but similar in their complex mix of determination and self doubt. The depiction of the villain and his crimes works well too, he is mysterious and his insanity is convincing enough to be genuinely disturbing. I think perhaps the problem is that the market for this kind of thing is so massively crowded at the moment that any book really has to shine to lift it’s head above the herd. ‘From the Shadows’ does that at times, but maybe not often enough.

DI Monica Kennedy and her team set about solving a series of murders in the Scottish Highlands. Two young men have been murdered and left posed in remote places in the Highlands. The connection between victims is black stones left with their bodies.
Michael Bach is a social worker trying to find Nichol Morgan, a client. Michael seeks Monica's help.
I gave up on this book numerous times but did finish it. I found the frequent authors jibes about Monica being like a man, tall with big feet tiresome and unnecessary.
The formatting was appalling, inconsistent use of upper case letters, lack of spacing and at times switches between characters were unclear.
The plot was good, just very, very slow.
I thank NetGalley, Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and author G R Halliday for a copy of the book to review.

This is the first book in the debut series of D.I. Monica Kennedy.

It is set in Inverness, Scotland and I loved how it was so atmospheric and the setting was so well described.

It follows DI Kennedy and also social worker Michael Bach, which I found to be a great character and hope that will be featured in future books!

It was very suspenseful and I really enjoyed the plot. There were some very graphic descriptions that may be too much for some readers. This killer is twisted so, be ready for some gruesome stuff!

I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with the ending and also didn’t enjoy some descriptions about DI Kennedy and her height as I found them repetitive and overall didn’t really make a difference to the plot.

Overall I found this to be a great debut crime book and will definitely want to read more books by this author.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for an advanced copy of this great debut novel in exchange for an honest review

Great example of classical diversions from straight plot expectations - every time I had decided that I now knew exactly who the killer was, he - or she, I even wondered about the DI at times - turned out to have an cast-iron alibi or was found dead. A feminine Rebus ? Maybe not, but definite echoes of Perez or Vera. I've just heard that the other Halliday title I requested has turned up so I have a treat in store.

A chilling serial killer book, with a fabulous main character. I really love the fact that Monica Kennedy is so different from many detectives. She's an Amazon - at over six feet tall. As a bit of a short ass , I find it intriguing to get some insight into how she percieves herself because of her height. I think women do this to themselves regularly. However, I digress - Kennedy is also a single parent with secrets regarding her baby's dad, her own upbrining and her relationship to people on the less savoury side of Inverness.

The concept of young boys having their home invaded by a mysterious killer who abducts them kills them and then poses them in a ritualistic manner is chilling. The killer is given an added chill factor by being seemingly all-knowing.
I love the way Kennedy isn't afraid to follow her instincts , even if that involves enlisting help from other quarters.
her team are also appealing - her boss DCS Hately (what a name) is pushy and that's exciting as Monica finds her own ways to push back.
From The Shadows is skillfully plotted,with just the right amount of tension, a few red herrings and some brilliantly odious characters. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first chapter of this book really sets the scene for the entire story, which has a creeping, insidious sense of horror throughout. DI Monica Kennedy is investigating the disappearance and murder of teenage boys in the Scottish Highlands, while trying to balance her own personal life and the past that she has been trying to escape from.

A bit of a change from the usual maverick detective trope, I thought this was really well written. A good mystery, with lots of twists and turns, going right up to the end, and a great resolution! I got the impression that the book could have ended with a number of different characters being the culprit, which I thought was interesting. I also really enjoyed the setting , I love the Scottish Highlands and the setting almost felt like another character. The books has finished in such a way that it leads naturally to a sequel, and I honestly can’t wait to read it.

This was a dark, gritty, vivid story and I felt that the characters and the plot were very well written and believable. Monica is described as being a particularly tall woman (around 6ft), and I thought the author really captured her awkwardness around how that felt, down to the boots she wore, and it really helped to contribute to her sense of otherness and isolation from her colleagues.

A great read, would definitely recommend!!

I'm very undecided about this book. At times I thought it was great and then there were passages when I couldn't work out how we'd ended up with those thoughts. Had I missed a page? I got so confused as to who was whom and who we thought the bad guy was. I want to say here that it may be my fault as I'm struggling with concentration at the moment, (Corona virus lockdown), but haven't got as mixed up with other books I've read. I shall try and revisit this at a calmer time and see if I enjoy it more. As things stand I'm on the fence.