Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Another thrilling read, by a very talented author. This is already the 33rd book in the series, and even though I haven't read all of the previous books, I do feel this book reads nicely enough as a standalone, and I didn't miss too much of the back stories. Book was a rollercoaster read, and I can't wait for book 34!

Another great book in the series,hooked from beginning to end. All the usual great characters and an engrossing story.

I cannot wait to read more by this author. This author has now become a go-to author. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight.

Having read the majority of the Bob Skinner books this was like catching up with old friends & seeing what has been happening in their lives.
The ongoing storyline of the main characters, the inclusion of living through Covid plus an intriguing storyline all add up to another fantastic read.
A bit of a slow burner for me this was well worth sticking with. Already looking forward to the next instalment.
4.5 stars

Deadlock is the latest book in the series and is very topical being as it’s set against the background of one of Scotland’s covid lockdowns and dealing with the resulting impact of living with restrictions . For some people this book might be a bit of a slow starter but for me it was slightly reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel in that it is full of red herrings and weaves a plot filled with intricate details that could easily be overlooked. When I reached the end my first thought was that I have to go back and re-read this book and see if I can spot any more clues that I’d missed first time round

I’m a huge fan of the early Skinner books when Bob Skinner was a detective working his way up through the ranks, then he reached the top and suddenly he became unlikeable as character for me and I just lost interest. It all seemed to be Skinner’s private army and if you didn’t think the great man himself was god then you were out. In the last few books, now that he’s retired and takes more of a back seat in the investigations I’ve rediscovered my love for this series

I would not miss out on reading a Quintin Jardine book although I felt they lost their way a bit more recently. However, I enjoyed this book more than previous ones and it was good to see the characters continuing to move on.

Deadlock by Quintin Jardine.
Bob Skinner Book 49
Sir Robert Skinner's stock is rising - after retiring from the police service he's been promoted to head an international media organisation. Yet a series of unexplained deaths on his home turf in Scotland threaten to bring him crashing back down to earth.
A good read with good characters. Likeable story. 4*.

Another good book in this excellent series, gripping and entertaining.
I liked how the author dealt with the COVID and how he includes it in the plot. It's like an added feature that makes the plot more interesting.
It's a complex story, there's a lot of characters from the past and a sort of "perfect murder" and Bob Skinner cannot help being involved.
It's a bit slow at the beginning but once the tough game starts it's nearly unputdownable.
Quintin Jardin is an excellent storyteller and delivers a riveting story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is an excellent series of books featuring Bob Skinner, well written and with a great insight into Scottish policing. This episode is bang up to date with the Covid mentions, although perhaps a bit too frequent. Aside from that, the plot is really fascinating and I love the character development. If you really want to read this book, there is a lot of past characters popping up so I would definitely recommend starting with the first book, you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley for another brilliant read from Quintin Jardine.

It is like returning to old friends as the characters from earlier stories emerge once more. Set during the time of Covid restrictions it keeps the contemporaneous ethos alive in that and political spheres. The storyline is about creating the perfect crime and trying to lay the blame at the feet of the great and the good. Bob Skinner though no longer part of the Force is never far away from the fray. There are many avenues being explored in this storyline and they are expertly woven together so that you are not overwhelmed. There is no greater kidder than a kidder. Who do you trust?

Thanks to Headline and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I cannot believe that we are at book 33 in the Skinner series and that I've read every single one of them. At first when I picked it up and found that covid and lockdown were part of the story I was reluctant to continue but I did and it was every bit as good as every other Skinner book!

Looking forward to #34 already.

4.5 stars.
Most series books I have been reading of late have skipped the whole Covid thing completely. Occasionally they have referred back to "those days of mask wearing" and "when we were locked down" but, on the whole, timelines have skipped forward. Interesting when we are still supposed to be in the thick of it! Anyway... this book does not do that. In fact, when it opens, we are witnessing Bob and Sarah being released from self-isolation after having Covid. We also see Bob volunteer to aid the vulnerable of the town. Covid is indeed NOT glossed over. In fact, it is integral to the plot of some of what goes on herein.
So... part of the fallout from Covid means that Bob is called upon to head the board of the media company he works at. This means travelling to head office more - something not that easy these days. Meanwhile there are a few fatal accidents happening at the homes of the same vulnerable he has been visiting - putting him on the radar of the Police as a suspect no less!
And then there's the discovery of a headless body in nearly Glasgow which really puts the cats amongst the pigeons when security services are seemingly involved. It's pretty much all go...
We are now well on in the series, and there's a lot of past to be found. In history and characters and, well, things do get a bit busy herein with loads of familiar faces popping up. For those of us who have been with the series since the beginning, it's not too bad, but I suspect you really don't want to dive straight into this book. I think it will be too overwhelming. There's a lot gone on in the past books - a lot of which is still current herein. For those like me with memory issues, there is enough of a catch-up to jog your memory - but not nearly enough to fully explain. But, it's a cracking series which I wouldn't still be reading it if it wasn't. So I would recommend if you want to make a commitment, you could start from book one... etc.
There's a lot of balls in the air in this book and there is a danger it could get too busy but the author just manages to stay on the straight and narrow even though his juggling skills are tested to the limit. The Glasgow murder is interesting and intriguing and had me a bit baffled along the way. As did the deaths of the vulnerable but in a bit of a different way. (You'll see!) And there's a bit of humour with the current Police chiefs wanting Bob to step back and then, next minute, asking for his help... Made me laugh, that did!
Anyway... As always, it all came good at the end and I had to sit back once again and applaud the author for a job very well done. And as things came to an end, as I always do with a favourite series, I started to miss the characters. Hopefully it won't be too long til we can all reconnect - I really do wonder what the author has in store for Bob next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A pleasant, easy read.
We are introduced to a lot of characters at first which I found a bit confusing (maybe that's because I hadn't read any others in the series) but once it settled in, it was entertaining and solid thriller.

Usually a big fan of Quintin Jardine and Sir Bob Skinner, I found this book really frustrating. The general premise of the perfect murder without a suspect was great, however the rest of the book was made up of honourable mentions and short bio’s of every character that has ever appeared in the previous 30 something Bob Skinner books. There seemed to be a part for everyone whether tangentially related to the storyline or not, sapping my concentration as I tried (unnecessarily) to link them all. The covid mentions were also a little heavy - we were there, we know what it was like. Sadly a good story let down by too much filler but thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Headline for an advance copy of Deadlock, the thirty third novel to feature former Chief Constable of Edinburgh and Strathclyde Police, Bob Skinner.

Lockdown has affected everyone, so tragedy leads Bob to a promotion in the media group he works for and causes him to start helping out the elderly residents in his community until several accidental deaths make him suspect something’s not right. Meanwhile in Glasgow one of Bob’s friends become the prime suspect in a brutal murder.

I thoroughly enjoyed Deadlock, which has a clever plot and a few twists along the way. It is slow to start with some lockdown scene setting and a catch up on the various characters in the series. This latter may be confusing to new readers as there is a host of regulars but to us readers who know and love them it is a welcome update.

I found the novel intriguing in both investigations. The Glasgow murder has top level connections that foreshadow trouble and that proves to be the case. It has a few neat twists that surprised me at every turn and a wee bit of humour to keep it real. It’s great stuff. The deaths of the pensioners is intriguing in a different way, chiefly because if it is murder, why? That’s where the clever comes in. I think the solution to this mystery is ingenious and inventive.

As ever with this series it is the Bob Skinner show as he has an imposing, authoritative personality. He tries to move on with his media job and accepts that the new Chief Constable, Neil McIlhenny, wants him to bow out of his behind the scenes role, but even he can see the irony of him soon begging for help when both cases need his expertise. Again, clever plotting to come up with a scenario that makes him indispensable.

Deadlock is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I can't put into word my passion for these books. I love reading about Bob Skinner and his merry men, and women.
I get that feeling of being somewhere familiar when i'm reading this series. I've read series this over a number years and sometimes wish I could un'read them, so that I could start all over again.
I didn't think i'd enjoy any books based around the covid pandemic as I think we've all had just about enough of hearing of it. Yet with this it was done brilliantly. Sir Bob and Lady Skinner, or Bob and Sarah to us have just got to the end of there isolation period after contracting covid. The world has gone mad and everything is going crazy.
Bob with time on his hands becomes a volunteer in his home town, helping the vunerable and elderly with odd jobs or shopping while they issolate or are shielding. A group of his pals are also doing the same and it's a great way to look after your comunity.
This is book 33 in the series, so over the years i have gotten to know a lot of the regular characters and as always the book is filled with them and their goings on. I can never bore of this lot. I love how over time the characters have become friends and look forward to finding out about them.
Of course through this book there is crime, and lots of it or it wouldn't be an epic crime thriller that it is. I am not going to go on about the plot of the book as I don't want to be spoiling anything for any readers. what I would say is, if you get the chance then read this series right from book 1, i promise you wont be disappointed.

This is number 33 in the Bob Skinner series – if it’s not a series you are familiar with, I would highly recommend it if you enjoy crime fiction.

We find Bob and his wife, Sarah, coming to the end of their self-isolation period, after suffering from Coronavirus. As the pandemic hit his home town of Gullane, Bob volunteers in his community offering help to the older residents. When a series of unexplained deaths occur, he yet again finds himself at the centre of a police investigation, and even becomes a suspect himself at one point. He’s not the only one of his ex-police colleagues to come under suspicion – when a headless body is found in a Glasgow flat – the secrets of a nation and one of it’s rising stars are at risk of being exposed.

Jardine has a style of writing that draws the reader in, together with an excellent handle on the workings of Scotland’s police force. He keeps the reader engaged throughout both with the story line and the characters – many of whom have been with him since the start of the series and it’s always interesting to see these develop.

Many thanks to Headline and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

Although this series has been going for a very long time, it never loses interest or relevance because Quintin Jardine continually mixes things up. This is very much the Covid novel and it does feel at times as this is rather too heavily inserted. Nevertheless the plot is fascinating, the characters are almost like members of the family and the twists keep coming. Very enjoyable.

Arguably my second favourite author. My favourite is no longer alive, so obviously doesn’t write anymore, so in reality I look forward to every Quintin Jardine book and needless to say it was read over the course of twenty four hours.
Of course I enjoyed the read, as always, but the ending, as I think it was meant to, left you high and dry and wondering if there was a follow up coming closely behind.
I think everyone who has featured alongside Bob Skinner is mentioned within the pages in some shape or form, but Skinner remains the man.
Have always placed Skinner above Rebus and continue to do so, but always wonder how long he will go on for.
Obviously recommended and would do so in any case even if I wasn’t biased.