DS Max Craigie and his rag tag band of colleagues are back, and this time we are plunged straight into the action. Max is contacted by an old friend who has suspicions about a series of 'accidents' on the mountains - could there be more to it? As the team open an investigation, it very quickly becomes clear that something more sinister is at play.

There's a fresh tone to this installment in the series, with some straight up 'old fashioned' police work in progress alongside the team's usual corruption focus. That, along with Max's imminent new family arrival and the creepy bad guy POV, made this a real stand out for me. It's like reading a new series but with the comfort of the characters you're already familiar with.

A welcome return for DS Max Craigie, DC Janie Calder, DI Ross Fraser and Barney Illingworth, tech wizard! This time, we see Max and the team investigate a mysterious death of a woman doing a Munro Bagging Holiday and this leads the team to uncovering more than they expected! They suspect why and how but still need to uncover the who. The characters are brilliant and work so well together and there are a few laugh out loud moments! Strap yourself in and settle down with a cuppa - Yorkshire Tea or decent coffee and snack on Tunnocks as the story is fast paced, well written, rollercoaster of a book and the ending came as a total surprise to me!!! More please, Neil!

Brilliant! I love this series which could easily be read as stand alones.

This book covers a difficult subject of violence against women. It is dealt with brilliantly and helped by the ever present humour of the characters. I love the team dynamics and Ross always has you groaning and rolling your eyes!

Max is about to become a father and so the story is also about whether he can balance his job and his new role.

A brilliant story all round. Well rounded, great plot, brilliant character, what more could you want?

DS Max Craigie, #6 When Shadows Fall....what can I say? Yet again Neil Lancaster has written an absolutely cracking murder mystery set in the Highlands of Scotland. This book has everything, a great plot, twists, turns, scenery, banter and humour. I could go on at length but suffice to say I loved it and highly recommend it (and the complete series) to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a great cast of characters. Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for an early read. Roll on DS Craigie #7.

Another great case for Max Craigie. Love this series and to see what he and the team get up to next. Plenty of twists and turns and suspense to keep me hooked. Well rounded characters. Great writing style. Eagerly awaiting the next adventure. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Neil Lancaster has done it again! This team of detectives is humanly flawed, funny and engaging, but above everything else - honest. This time they’re investigating a rise in the number of female climbers being killed in the Cairngorms. The deaths aren’t being investigated fully, is there something dodgy going on? Of course and the team’s investigation makes for a cracking read.

Neil Lancaster does not disappoint. Fast paced, original and excellent.

When several women die in separate incidents in the Scottish highlands, no one thinks of it as anything but tragic accidents until two plus two is put together and an investigation involving the dark web ensues.

I just love the Max Craigie series and this sixth book in the series is probably the best yet. It works as a stand alone book but I thoroughly recommend reading the whole series. His team who investigate corruption in the Police are a small, tight knit group who have each other’s backs and trust one another implicitly but the banter between them is on another level. Dealing with difficult and dangerous cases this helps relieve the tension. In this book an unusually high number of single women have fallen to their deaths while climbing. They appeared to have had proper equipment and no apparent reason to be careless. Max and the team begin an investigation that leads them into a complex and dangerous mission. Meanwhile, Katie, Max’s wife is heavily pregnant and not happy when he rushes off to the Cairngorms to try and prevent further deaths. The case progresses with increased urgency and without knowing who to trust they have to keep their investigation completely confidential. A fast moving case and an absolute page turner. Another gripping book from Neil Lancaster.

Book 6 in the DS Max Craigie thrillers and in my view the best yet. Sits well as a stand alone but then you would miss the enjoyment of the previous 5. The body of a blonde woman has been found at the bottom of a hill and whilst the local police are treating it as an accident someone is suspicious! As always this is well written with a great plot and so fast paced I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough.

Briefly, when Max receives a call from a pilot friend in the Coastguard a chain of events open up a trail to the darkest crime. Very quickly Max and his team discover that a number of blonde women have suffered fatal falls on other mountains (Munroes) and a pattern is falling in place. As the investigation deepens they discover the most appalling of crimes and the killer is clearly receiving inside help.

Meanwhile Max is stressing as he is about to be a father for the first time and doesn’t want to miss the birth. Can he resolve one thing in time for the other? Such a brilliant cast of characters in Max’s team and the wonderful banter is great to counteract what is a dark and distressing story. A fantastic and thrilling police procedural.

OMG. What is not to like about having Max and his team back - with a special mention to Ross !! Great plot and story which is fast paced and thrilling throughout, all with the background of the stark Scottish munros. Just love this series to bits with all the dark humour yet efficiency of the team . A definite one to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

You wil have to put all other things on hold, settle down with a cuppa and enjoy this book. It really is an on-the-edge of your seat thriller.
The Scottish landscape sounds wonderful and the great team of police sound a good supportive lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is not the first that I have read by this author, and it will certainly not be the last.
Wonderful writing.

Another brilliant book in the Max Craigie Police Scotland series.
The characters are strong and familiar and the storyline is fresh and interesting.

Book 6 in the outstanding Max Craigie series.

You just know when you pick up a Neil Lancaster book you are in for a cracking read. And this was exactly that. I was totally engrossed in this fast paced and very dark thriller. If you love an intense story line that's dark and gritty then I can't recommend this book, in fact this whole series, enough. Each book just gets better. A serious contender for my book of the year.


A TRAGIC DEATH

When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

A RISING BODY COUNT

Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose.

A KILLER IN THE SHADOWS

The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

* * * *

Excellent book. Very good story line & very believable characters. Looking forward to next one in the series

Another great book in the Max Craigie police Scotland series. This one involves seemingly unconnected women coming to a sticky end after taking up hiking in the Munros of Scotland. Max is alerted to this strange occurrence by his old friend who is in helicopter search and rescue. The old team are here again as they work to finding out why, who and what next. A very well written book which transports you to the beautiful Scottish highlands while exposing the darker underbelly of corruption.

Another excellent read in this DS Max Craigie series from Neil Lancaster. Max is asked by an old friend, a helicopter pilot to look into the death on a mountain of a woman who was out walking alone. Shay suspects that the death was not accidental and moreover, he thinks that there are other women's deaths that have not been investigated correctly. As Max investigates it becomes clear that procedures have not been followed and the deaths have not been fully investigated.
It is a good story line but what really draws the reader in is the relationship between the team - a group of relatable and likeable characters who despite their bluster work well together, each knowing their strengths and who to rely on. Their banter and back chat as they work is irreverent and fun and provides a little lightheartedness in what could otherwise be a grim police procedural.
As usual with this series the setting plays and important role and this time it is the mountains and in particular the munros that are in the forefront. An excellent, well paced, page turning thriller, with some fun characterisation. I look forward to the next in the series.
With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins/HQ Digital for an arc copy in return for an honest review.

Wow just wow, How has this series got past me? Why has it taken till book 6 to attract my attention?
Hooked from page 1 of this superbly written, well paced with stunning scenery great characters., what more can you ask for.
Thank you to the publishers and the author for an ARC in exchange for a honest review. My book of the year so far. 5 stars is not enough.
Now I have to catch up on the previous 5 books before book 7.

Another fabulous instalment from Neil Lancaster. The Max Craigie series gets better and better. I could not put this book down. Authentic characters you really care about, strong women, good balance of personal and professional as well as some very unlikely heroes, stand up Barney! Still on path of rogue cops, Max discovers a pattern of women climbers falling to their deaths. Behind this lies a dark web of incels and misogyny which weaves so deeply into the criminal justice system it needs a team approach to smash it apart. Excellent.

Wow, this moved along at a fast pace and boy, it really kept me reading. This can read as a standalone book as I haven't read the others in this series. The characters are good and the investigation just flowed along. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Another cracking piece of Scottish crime fiction in the Max Craigie series ,this time set in the Highlands and involving the Mountain Rescue team.The book features all the great characters from previous books ,with all the expected humour and the edge of your seat suspense and clever computer experts.
When a Mountain Rescue team member becomes suspicious about the number of lone female climbers who have died in the Cairngorms,he alerts Max and an investigation begins.Gradually we become aware of the reason behind these deaths,involving a mysterious group,of men.
I really couldn’t put this book down until it was finished-highly recommended to all fans of Scottish crime fiction .I can’t wait for the next in the series!
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.