This book had some of the most inventive murders I have read and the mechanisms behind them were so intriguing. While there were several murders it was quite slow paced and it felt like not much was actually happening. It picks up pace towards the end and then ends abruptly. I also guessed who the killer was as there were a limited amount of suspects.

Uncovering the motives and learning who else could be at risk added some suspense and I enjoyed getting to know the team. I look forward to seeing more of them in book 2.

Andrew James Greig weaves a chilling and atmospheric tale in The Bone Clock, a gripping Scottish crime thriller that pulses with tension, mystery, and an eerie sense of inevitability.

When Detective Inspector James Corstorphine is called to investigate a gamekeeper’s gruesome murder—his body ensnared in an intricate trap of wire and bone—the case quickly unearths long-buried secrets in the misty Scottish Highlands. Still mourning the loss of his wife, Corstorphine finds himself in a deadly game where the past refuses to stay buried, and every turn of the case reveals a connection to a decades-old crime. As more victims fall to a murderer who orchestrates their deaths with bone-chilling precision, Corstorphine must navigate a web of deception, retribution, and his own haunted past before the killer strikes again.

Greig’s writing is razor-sharp, his descriptions immersive, painting the Highlands as both breathtaking and sinister. The intricate plotting, combined with a deeply compelling protagonist, makes for an utterly engrossing read. With twists lurking in the shadows and an unsettling sense of fate ticking away, The Bone Clock is a masterclass in atmospheric crime fiction.

⭐ Final Verdict: A must-read for fans of Val McDermid, Ann Cleeves, and anyone who loves their thrillers dark, intelligent, and utterly unputdownable. Prepare to be up all night!

✨ 5/5 ticking time bombs! ⏳⏳⏳⏳⏳✨

Wow!!! This was really good!! A riveting plot, a well accomplished police team , a lot of tension, and a very satisfying conclusion! I read it in two goes as I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait for the next investigation!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

This is the first in a new series and it’s sure to be popular. DI James Corstorphine is investigating dark crimes involving fatal mechanisms crafted from bone. They’re quite genius, but I would’ve liked to see some sort of sketch, especially for the first one, as the author has quite a task trying to describe these mechanisms with no visuals. It was hard to follow, so I just had to envision a vague steampunk-ish mechanical-looking creation.

After another victim is found, the detectives realize the cases are linked because of items left at the scene. And the killer doesn’t seem to be slowing down – for an area that has barely any crime, multiple murders in one week is unfathomable. When they finally do start piecing together links between the victims, they are met with a completely different obstacle – any possible witnesses are too terrified to speak out. Especially when they feel the victims are getting what they deserve. Will Corstorphine and his team succeed in catching the killer before anyone else is hurt?

I loved the creepiness of the bones being incorporated into the murder weapons. I did have an issue with the dogs – without ‘spoilers’ I’ll just say that there could have been other ways of dealing with that character. But the story ends abruptly shortly after discovering who the culprit is. Is it continued into the next story or was that it? Once it was narrowed down, it was kind of obvious who the perpetrator was, since they felt like a weirdly random character anyway.

I’ll most likely read the next book in the series as it has potential and will easily hook you in. Just maybe no more animals?

The Bone Clock is a great introduction to a new series that I certainly cant wait to follow.

Two murders have occured that brutual in nature and precisley planned .

Detective James Corstorphine is racing against the clock to solve them

Corstorphine is a relatable character that you cant help but like. He still communicates with his wife who dies ( I must say I do the same with my late husband) and his heart is in the right place.

The Bone Clock is a hard book to put down with its chilling atmosphere, suspense and solving the crime.

I am a fan of Andrew James Greig ( check out The Girl in the Loch) and I am looking forward to readiing The Devil's Cut.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Bone Clock.

As an introduction to a new detective, this was a great start. I’m really liking James Corstorphine, though I’m not sure he needs to keep communing with his late wife, and I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Scotland is always a great setting for a mystery, and this was no exception. It’s easy to feel the atmosphere and imagine the setting. As the deaths start to mount up, Corstorphine and his fellow officers begin to piece together the story.
This was a deftly handled mystery, and the ending was unexpected, but works well. I’m looking forward to further Detective Corstorphine books.

Lower-middle tier tartan noir - really inventive set of murders which created a truly evocative serial killer vibe, but aligned to some very basic characterisation and limited sense of place. For a book set in the highlands it didn’t feel particularly Scottish to me - calling a sergeant Hamish and having a laird feels like slightly ineffective shorthand.
I understand The Bone Clock to have been published in two prints as Whirligig. This does mean some of the things that annoyed me should have been picked up now - we have a member of the House of Lords also referred to as an MP and holding constituency surgeries, which wouldn’t be possible. There are links to the Catholic Church which are in part illustrated by a papal coin for Paul II dated 1997 - I waited to see what the connection with Paul II was but it didn’t come up again - I’m left assuming it was intended as John-Paul II as the current pope in 1997. Little things like this are distracting when I’m not sufficiently engaged in the narrative.

So overall - clever and effective deaths, weak characterisation and a rather rushed ending. The second book is also available and I’m sort of interested to see where we go but I’m not going to rush into it. A good beach read perhaps.

What a cracker! A truly brilliant book - I didn’t want to put it down. I normally find the first in a new series quite hard work, as one doesn’t know the characters and there is so much backstory to get the story arcs up and running. Not so with this. Humble characters that I already love and mastery of story telling. I did solve it fairly early on, but I’m willing to overlook that as I cannot wait to start Book 2. Don’t hesitate - read this book!
I’m grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in return for this honest review.

This is the first book in The Detective Corstorphine Series. Still grieving his wife’s death, Corstorphine finds himself hunting a killer who crafts elaborate deathtraps from human remains – clockwork mechanisms that deliver murder with chilling precision. When the victim’s pregnant girlfriend Margo – her face a map of bruises – shares a reporter’s notebook found among her boyfriend’s possessions, Corstorphine discovers a connection to a journalist who died at the same hanging tree twenty years earlier. But Margo guards secrets of her own, and speaking the truth in this Highland community carries a deadly price. I love a good Scottish mystery and this one did not disappoint. It had great characters and a great plot. If you like Scottish mysteries then you will love this book. The ending was a great surprise. Highly recommended.

Murders, a serial killer, police investigations. I really enjoyed this first installment in this brand new series. I've been reading quite some cozy mysteries lately but this kind of story is my favorite. I just didn't want to stop reading. Nice writing style, easy to read, suspense, well developed characters realistic ... I can truly recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy via NetGalley/Storm Publishing and I'm leaving a voluntary and honest review.

In the Scottish Highlands where secrets settle like mist in the glens, Detective Inspector James Corstorphine is summoned to a macabre scene a gamekeeper hanging from an ancient oak, ensnared by an intricate trap of wire and bone. Still grieving his wife’s death, Corstorphine finds himself hunting a killer who crafts elaborate deathtraps from human remains clockwork mechanisms that deliver murder with chilling precision! Great read!! Oooh I absolutely loved this book! First book in a new series and it was a great start! It definitely got the heart pumping!! This book was a very chilling thriller! It had great suspense, mystery, gruesome murders, intriguing, fantastic characters and some wild twists and turns! I highly recommend reading this book and series! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

The Bone Clock is a novel by Andrew James Greig, this book introduces Detective Inspector James Corstorphine, marking the first installment in the Detective Corstorphine series.
THE BOOK IS set in the Scottish Highlands, and the story begins with DI Corstorphine investigating a chilling crime scene where a gamekeeper found hanging from an ancient oak, ensnared by an intricate trap made of wire and bone. As Corstorphine delves deeper, he uncovers connections to a journalist’s death at the same tree two decades earlier. The investigation reveals a series of murders linked by elaborate death-traps crafted from human remains, pointing toward a killer delivering retribution decades later. A really good book that is engaging from the beginning until the last page. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It's sunny days for Storm Publishing with the release of another brilliant book from Andrew James Greig. The Bone Clock introduces us to Detective Inspector James Corstorphine and his small team in the Scottish Highlands. I'll go ahead and tell you to plan on reading it in one setting. It's one of those books that's literally too good to put down. It's a scintillating start to the new series. It's a tale that could be ripped from the headlines. Corstorphine's challenge is to bring some buried crimes from the past out into the open. It won't be easy because of the players involved. I like the dogged determination of the DI to find justice for the victims. The supporting cast is a good one too. The Bone Clock also features a terrific twist which Greig makes work. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Secrets have a way of resurfacing, no matter how hard one tries...

Years ago, there were a few children that went missing, but as they were orphans, no one gave it much thought. Then a apparent suicide from a local reporter started a few tongues wagging. With no forward movement, things are quiet for many years, until a couple of gruesome deaths start a whirlwind of activity in the town. With a few mysterious clues, and the clues pointing in disturbing directions, the detectives are trying to prevent future deaths.

Five major suspects, five gruesome deaths, and a handful of children who have been missing for decades, time is running out to stop the killer.

Who is going to be next?

I absolutely LOVED this book! I read this in one sitting. What an amazing new series to follow. I look forward to reading many more books from this author.

A fast-paced police procedural. This is the first in the series featuring DI James Corstorphine, previously published under the title Whirligig.
A murder enquiry soon turns into an investigation into historic child abuse. The book has good characters, that hopefully will be developed as the series progresses. This is an enjoyable and compulsive read. There were a few holes in the plot and I guessed the murderer fairly early on. Nevertheless, it was a very entertaining read.

This really is one of my new favourite series (for reference I've currently read the first 2 books at time of reviewing) The characters in these books, especially the DI are fantastically written. There really is something honest but brutal about the way Greig portrays the policing world, the hardships and pure corruption. The fact its set in the Scottish Highlands makes it almost feel like a cosy novel but mixed with thriller. If you are a crime fiction reader these books really will appeal to you, they draw you in so you never want to get to the end. There are some gory parts, some twists and turns but if that appeals to you i cannot recommend these books more!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Andrew James Greig and Storm Publishing📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚

The Bone Clock by Andrew James Greig is book 1 in the Detective Corstorphine series. It is published on 17 April. Thank you to Storm, Netgalley and the author for the advance reader copy to read and review. This book was previously published as Whirligig. A dead rabbit is the only witness to Oscar’s death. Margot, his partner, is greeted by the sight as she makes her escape. Soon there are more deaths but how are they linked? DI James Corstorphine is still coming to terms with the loss of his wife 5 years previously and dipping his toe into the dating game. He is based at a very small Station near Inverness that has 5 employees – himself, the Duty Sergeant Hamish McKee, DC Frankie McKenzie, PC Phil Lamb and PC Bill McAdam. The characters are an interesting mix, relegated to this backwater town. There is humour mixed through, which is welcome in the darkness. A fascinating story which has its tentacles in the past history of the town, with the depravity and evil behaviour coming through very clearly.

The Bone Clock is my first Andrew James Greig novel, but it won’t be my last. Greig’s construction of the bright, but small police force in the Scottish Highlands, led by a clever Detective Inspector Corstorphine, a widower, made me feel like I was there with them.

The historic case behind the naming of a local tree “the hanging tree” was the catalyst for the newest murder, which at first glance didn’t look like it shared anything at all with the reporter who died there decades ago. Initially, it just looked like the town bully crossed the wrong person, maybe even his battered girlfriend.

As more evidence is found, to include confessions given over the phone only, DI Corstorphine puzzles it all out…but is he too late to do anything about it? Williamsburg the killer always remain two steps ahead? Or will he get blamed by the powers-that-be for daring to name names in their sleepy Highlands town?

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this wonderful ARC!!

This book absolutely kept me on the edge of my seat! The whole time I’m turning pages trying to figure out “Who dun it?”, and the ending just completely took me by surprise! The only reason I knocked a star off was because it was written in third person and sometimes the character transitions were hard to follow. Other than that this was a fast paced thriller, and it was excellent!

I'm becoming quite a fan of this author's work. His PI Teàrlach Paterson series is fantastic. This new series is just as good. DI James Corstophine is the head of a very small police force in a small town in the Scottish Highlands. He's called to the scene of a murder. A game keeper hung in a tree, the trap set and sprung by a bizarre clockwork mechanism made from bone. Then another murder, and another! At each scene, a similar mechanism made of bone, but each murder completely different. It takes a lot of work by James and his small team to link everything back to an event from 20 years ago. James doesn't let the cases go, regardless of pressure from the powers that be. He's a strong character with a good team. The story is fast paced and takes place over the course of about 10 days. Plenty of red herrings and twists. And the most unusual methods of murder! Thoroughly enjoyable!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Andrew James Grieg for the free ARC. All opinions are my own