The Graveyard Bell is the latest gripping installment in Andrew James Greig’s Tearlach Paterson series, and it may be his most atmospheric yet. Tearlach returns to his childhood haunts in the Scottish Highlands and the remote islands surrounding Mull, accompanied by his loyal assistants, Dee and Chloe, to untangle a web of mysteries that threaten to unravel the quiet island life.

The story begins when Tearlach is approached by an old acquaintance seeking answers about her husband’s suspicious death. Before long, a missing young man and a seemingly unrelated death surface, intertwining three separate cases in ways that are both intricate and compelling. Greig skillfully layers these narratives, keeping readers guessing as each revelation leads to another dead end, a new clue, or an unexpected twist.

Greig excels at using the setting almost as a character itself. The remote islands, stormy seas, and rugged landscapes of Mull are described in vivid, almost tactile detail—icy winds whipping across cliffs, the salty tang of the sea, and the haunting cries of seabirds—which heightens the tension and immerses readers fully in the story. The atmospheric backdrop perfectly complements the suspense and mystery at the heart of the plot.

Tearlach, Dee, and Chloe remain an engaging trio, each bringing their own strengths and vulnerabilities to the investigation. The interpersonal dynamics, particularly the evolving relationship between Tearlach and Dee, add emotional depth without detracting from the central mystery. Family secrets, old feuds, forbidden loves, and echoes of past betrayals emerge gradually, revealing the hidden tensions beneath the island’s tranquil surface.

The pacing is generally strong, though there are moments of introspection that slow the investigation slightly, particularly around Tearlach’s personal history. These passages, however, enrich the characters and make the resolution all the more satisfying. The story’s twists and the eventual connections between the seemingly disparate threads are cleverly executed, delivering both shock and poignancy.

The Graveyard Bell is a masterfully plotted, atmospheric thriller that blends intricate mystery, richly drawn characters, and evocative Scottish landscapes. Whether you are a longtime fan of Tearlach Paterson or new to the series, this novel offers suspense, intrigue, and a touch of emotional resonance that lingers long after the final page.

I thorughly enjoyed this book. as it's well plotted, the mystery is full of surprises and twists, and entertaining. . I liked the good storytelling was glad to catch up with the fleshed out characters
Highly Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was the third book in the series, and really brought everything nicely together. I enjoyed it immensely and Mr Greig will be one of my new go-to authors.

An interesting case for Tearlach Paterson to tackle - on the Isle of Mull. Island life is different to living on the mainland and when an ex asks Tearlach to find out what has happened to her husband, Tearlach, Dee and Chloe are on the case.

Whilst they are there, a father asks him to find his son and another person turns up dead. Are these men connected somehow? It is going to take some sleuthing to figure it out.

I liked this book but did find it a little bit distracting trying to keep track of the three different threads of the story.

Looking forward to reading the next book in the series though.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing.

There are 3 murders in the story. All totally unconnected, except for the same PI investigating. The police are totally useless yet the story spends time detailing what they’ve “doing”. There’s no action, no tension & it feels very flat. Not even all the murders are solved, they just kind of go ‘oh well” #TheGraveyardBell #NetGalley

What a great book this was to read. Great characters and a storyline that was captivating but uncomplicated and kept you hooked with the various twists and turns. Highly recommend.

Third book in the fantastic Tearlach Paterson series. And they just keep getting better. A photographer dies but his camera turns up and his photos are uploaded. A fisherman vanishes. A diver drowns after hearing music underwater. Other strange things happen. It’s so fast paced and well written. Wonderful

This is the third book in the Private Investigator Tearlach Paterson series. I have read all the books in the series and have enjoyed them very much. In the latest, the deaths of a photographer and a marine scientist, and the disappearance of a young fisherman seem unrelated. However, Tearlach is asked to look into the death of the photographer, and returns to his hometown of Mull. Tearlach brings his team of Dee and Chloe along to help look into all of these incidents. As they look deeper into the three men, they find family secrets, forbidden love, betrayal, family feuds, and quite possibly a recording of a siren's song that the marine scientist recorded under water before his death.

Greig continues to be a master of infusing atmospheric settings into his stories as if it, too, were a main character. An impending storm adds to the tension as Tearlach and his team try to unwind the strands that connect the three men, and their secrets.

I enjoyed this installment. However, I found it drag a bit at the beginning. And the inspection of Tearlach and Dee's relationship- although important to the characters development, pulled the reader out of the tension building with the investigation. It is relevant as the reader discovers at the end- but there seemed to be a lot more introspection of these two characters in this installment.

I did really enjoy the investigation, and thought it was quite clever the way the author tied it all together. I still enjoy this series, and look forward to the next one!

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The third in the series, I did not engage with this book as quickly as I did with the previous two and I cannot really put my finger on why not. Tearlach is asked to look into the death of the husband of Lucy, who he knew at school. He was a wildlife photographer and was found in Fingal's cave on the Isle of Staffa. The team return to Mull, where Tearlach grew up, living with his aunt. Another suspicious death occurs . There were clues which were not picked up on later in the book and the team were not appreciated by the local police. The pace was slowish at first, picking up later in the book. I did get into the book more as the book progressed and liked the descriptions of the island scenery and life. Tearlach , Dee and Chloe were together, but their working relationship did not seem so close this time, all three do have their own personal issues though. Saying that I will definately read a future episode and would rate this book as a strong 4 star (rather than the 5 for the other two books) . I like the author's writing style and the locations.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

This is one story where the setting added so much to the story. Scottish highlands and remote islands, some with very few inhabitants, some only with birds - puffins and skuas. Turbulent weather, storms, raging seas and a very hardy people.

Tearlach born on the islands is back at his childhood home. He left years ago and has not returned, not even to sort the cottage out. He has plenty of baggage to sort out. A private investigator he is tasked by Lucy Patterson to find out what happened to her wildlife photographer husband. She refuses to accept that her husbands death was an accident. Within a few days the next death occurs which the police conveniently mark out as an accident and when a young man disappears with no trace, it seems very strange that three suspicious deaths have occurred in an area where deaths like this are rare.

Tearlack along with his assistants Chloe and Dee have to tread carefully. The local police do not like them hovering around and cooperating with them is not looked on favorably. Despite putting pieces of the puzzle together much faster than the local police, Tearlach has to step carefully, dealing with volatile characters.

The story apart from the detection held interest especially the descriptive nature of the islands added so much to the story. There are side stories of Dee’s past and Tearlach discovery of a daughter hitherto unknown but they were almost distractions from the main story.

The Graveyard Bell is an absolutely captivating read! From the eerie setting on the Isle of Mull to the gripping mystery at its heart, I was hooked from the very first page. Teàrlach Paterson is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved how his investigation slowly unraveled a web of dark secrets and betrayals. The suspense builds perfectly, and the stormy atmosphere made everything feel so much more intense. The twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was brilliantly satisfying. If you love atmospheric, twisty mysteries, this is a must-read!

If you have ever been to the island of Mull, then you will understand just how remote it can feel although it is not that far from the mainland however in bad weather it may as well be. The story enfolds quickly and when there are additional plots added, the team just seem to absorb it all albeit with a severe lack of internet/mobile connection which just adds to the plot. Beautifully described and a great page turner with the team of three developing nicely. Overall 4.5*

Thanks to Netgalley/Storm Publishing for the ARC to review.

Just Wow, this is the first book that I have read by Andrew James Greig but he has just earned himself a place on my "authors to watch out for" list. Although this is the third book in this series the author cleverly gives a potted version of the backgrounds of the well moulded and likeable main characters.
PI Tearlach Paterson and his assistants, Dee and Chloe all had disturbing childhoods, all overcame the adversities and became a team that really shouldn't work but just does, and just does brilliantly.
When Tearloch is contacted by an old schoolfriend to find out what happened to her husband, he leave his Glasgow home and heads to the remote island of Mull, the place where he had spent his childhood with his beloved aunt, the place that he hadn't returned to since her death, the place that he returned to with trepidation.
Lucy's husband, a well known wildlife photographer, had been found dead at the bottom of a cliff close to Fingal's Cave, the police had it down as an accident but Lucy was convinced that it wasn't ,and where was his camera ? To add to his problems, Tearlach was also contacted by a dying man who wanted him to find his missing son, he wanted to know what had happened to him before he died........he only had a short time.
This story twists and turns as the stories intertwine, Tearloch, Dee and Chloe try to unravel the mysteries in this usually quiet, close knit community, they encounter deep family feuds that go back generations, conspiracies, deceptions, secrets, haunting undersea music like sirens drawing the sailors to their deaths.
This story is so atmospheric, the author writes with such passion about the Scotland that I love, I could practically feel the icy cold, the blistering, howling wind, the horizontal rain, I cold practically taste the salt in the sea air.
I really look forward to reading more about Tearloch, Dee and Chloe.
Thank you Storm publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, this review is voluntary.

I've not read this author before but the story sounded interesting.
Teàrlach Paterson PI is called by a friend to find out what really happened to her husband.
What a tangled web this story was, several deaths in such a small place. Were they somehow connected?
The setting is the islands of Scotland, desolate and distant yet the author brought them to life. I think I gave my kindle dictionary a workout for the meanings of certain words.
This was a gripping tale, a little slow paced but I enjoyed it very much.

A really enjoyable read from start to finish from an author worth seeking out.. Decent story line and characters which is always a big plus.

Thank you, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for letting me review this book!

The Graveyard Bell is the third book in the Scottish murder mystery series, Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson, and this is the first book I have read by Andrew James Greig, especially the first book in the series. I did not feel I needed to read the first two, to understand what was going on, and it completely gripped me in the very beginning all the way to the end!

There were three terrible events that took place at the Isle of Mull. The police do not believe anything was amiss, however, the widow of one of the death’s believes her husband did not just fall off the cliff but was pushed to his death. She hires Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson bringing him back to his childhood home.

These three events all tie in together, but you will have to read the book to find out! I recommend this book if you are a fan of mysteries, and whodunits. It held my attention, and ended the same way - with my full attention!

THE GRAVEYARD BELL - An improvement over Silent Ritual with the wordiness. Interesting story lines, a variety of characters, a steady pace and interesting descriptions of the locale and people. Source: Netgalley. 5*

SILENT RITUAL - An interesting but wordy book with good story lines and good characters. While an interesting story, the wordiness made it hard to keep my focus reading, too easy to set down. Gruesome crimes but not graphically gory. Source: Netgalley. 3*

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Graveyard Bell.

Private investigator Paterson returns back to his hometown to investigate a murder. He is hired by the widow to investigate the murder and what he uncovers is a web of lies and deceit. But can he find the truth before someone else gets hurt?

I had such a hard time connecting with this book and the characters. I also feel like it drug on too long. I was unfortunately not a fan.

I downloaded this times 2 as it downloaded the first 1/3rd missing, which happened on both downloads. I did read the remainder as the blurb was to my liking but unfortunately, it did nothing for me.
I did not like any of the players it just seemed a bit mismatched.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I'm sorry I did not like what I read. There was a story, but to my mind, it was not put together very well.

The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig

No 3 in the PI Teàrlach Paterson series treats us to a ferry trip to Mull.

Teàrlach and his team have their work cut out for them. Are 3 mysterious events on this normally quiet island linked? What, if anything, connects a missing fisherman, a wildlife photographer, and an environmentalist?

In this third novel in the series, we uncover more of Teàrlach’s childhood, expanding on previous books (but it could still be read as standalone).
Is he still a local or is he a tourist in his old home?

This is an enjoyable mystery, with some twisted moments. For me the stars are the Hebridean landscape and weather, making it an atmospheric story where you can feel that salty Atlantic wind and sea harr that soaks you to the bone.