Cold Heart was fast paced, police procedural drama based in Scotland. This book is the fourth in the DS Malkie McCulloch series but the first I have read. I had no issues reading this as a stand alone and I intend to go back and read the previous books. The author writes complex characters and a gripping plot to keep you hooked until the end and craving more. Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the digital ARC.

Scottish detective Malkie McCulloch has enough problems of his own even before he comes across a heartbreaking case where a woman is snatched from a housing estate in a brazen and reckless fashion, leaving her family distraught when wife and mother Elizabeth Dunn - who works as a caregiver - is taken.

Distracted by his own emotional challenges, Malkie must find a way of rescuing Elizabeth before it is too late.

An atmospheric and intelligent thriller, this will be especially enjoyed by those who like reading crime fiction. It gets 3.5 stars.

Starts slow and depressing with a heavy load of angst and regrets from many characters, including DS McCulloch. The plot is more convoluted than the earlier ones and needed my attention to keep up. Not a simple beach read, this one. Very well worth the effort, though!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected electronic proof from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Pub Date Aug 07, 2025 #5starreview #goodreads #bookbub #storygraph #librarything
#AColdHeart by @dougsinclairwriter #DSMalkieMcCullochBk4 @stormbooks_co #netgalley
#gripping #Scottishnoir #crimethriller #angst #recriminations #PTSD #familydynamics #procedural

A police procedural tale, A Cold Heart (2025) by Doug Sinclair features Detective Sergeant Malkie McCulloch. Elizabeth is a care worker and mother, who flees a shop without paying, when the pursuing security officer is hit by a car. DS McCulloch unknowingly bumps into her, as he attends the car accident. When Elizabeth disappears, Malkie is assigned the case and learns the injured man is related to a local crime family. Whilst part of a series, this crime mystery was a standalone read, and enjoyable enough, if lacking a gripping enough case, with a three star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to Storm Publishing and the author for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.

A Cold Heart by Doug Sinclair is the fourth installment in the DS Malkie McCulloch series and it is tension filled from the start. You certainly can read this as a standalone because enough background is given to understand the main characters.

While I can understand Elizabeth’s decision to do what she did, it seems a bit extreme and only a temporary fix to a problem. The end result of her action is tragic, but doesn’t seem to warrant the revenge visited upon her by the relatives of the man who ends up dying. It is a very brutal story in the telling of the violence she is dealt with, but there are good points as well. You are taken for a roller coaster of a ride during the investigation and wonder if Elizabeth will be found dead or alive. The ending is amazing and will have you cheering for the determination of women.

Malkie’s personal life is coming along nicely with his relationship with Deborah and his newly discovered daughter. He has decided to have the arson of his family’s home re-opened and discoveries are made that will change his and his father’s lives. Poor DC Steph Lang is having a tough time in this book with her stepfather Dean Lang and his constant threats and manipulations. I hope there is a positive resolution to this soon because Dean is annoying.

I generally read cozy mysteries, but Mr. Sinclair’s writing draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait for the next book in this series because I want to see what the arson investigation will uncover and find out if Deborah will ever recover enough to get back on her horse. That, plus seeing if Deborah and Malkie are able to sustain a long-lasting relationship.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t wait to read this book and was not disappointed at all. Absolutely fantastic with suspense, action, murder, mystery, serial killers and crazy twists and turns

Storyline had me glued - unputdownable

Exciting and well thought out murder mystery

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing

Another cracker in this series. The author manages to create anti heroes that somehow burry under your skin and make you care despite their very obvious flaws and issues that they are dealing with. The case itself is pretty gruesome and not for the feint hearted with violence and blood drops and torture. The impact and ripples that come from a simple, wrong act flow out from chapter one of the book and show how good people can be pushed down and made to act uncharacteristically and then the stakes suddenly change and leave them totally out of their depth.
The ongoing plot lines from the earlier book continues in glimpses and staccato and gave the book a solid grounding. I can’t wait to read on.

Book review: Doug Sinclair’s A Cold Heart is a searing, brilliantly paced addition to the DS Malkie McCulloch series—one that grips tight from page one and refuses to be polite about it. Thank you to Storm Publishing and to NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

This is book four in the series, but let’s be real—you can absolutely jump in here and still get knocked flat by the story. If you have been following Malkie’s journey, brace yourself. He’s older, angrier, more exhausted, and somehow still dragging himself toward justice like it owes him money. When Elizabeth Dunn—ordinary carer, wife, mother—is abducted in broad daylight, Malkie is called in. The scene is messy. The motive? Even messier. And of course, because Sinclair doesn’t believe in coincidences or your emotional wellbeing, the case spirals into something much darker, touching on corruption, murder, and enough family dysfunction to make your own relatives seem downright charming.

Doug Sinclair’s writing is razor-sharp and completely free of filler. He’s not here to hold your hand or spoon-feed you exposition. If you miss a detail, that’s on you. Livingston is painted in bleak, honest strokes: cold, grey, and full of people trying to outrun their past. It’s not gritty for the sake of aesthetic—this is realism with cracked windows and unpaid bills.

And let’s talk about DS Malkie McCulloch. If brooding was an Olympic sport, Malkie would have a gold medal and a chip on his shoulder about it. He’s still carrying trauma like it’s a second badge, still navigating a raw, tentative relationship with Deborah (who deserves an award for her patience), and now he’s knee-deep in a reopened investigation into his mother’s suspicious death. You’d think that would be enough, but no. Throw in a violent murder, a missing woman, and the ever-present threat of Malkie self-sabotaging everything good in his life, and you’ve got yourself a proper storm.

“There’s a line between justice and vengeance,” Malkie says. “I’ve crossed it so many times I’ve worn a groove in the road.” That’s the quote that stuck with me. Because this book doesn’t just dabble in moral ambiguity—it unpacks it, drinks it black, and lights a cigarette next to it. You’re not reading about heroes here. You’re reading about people trying not to drown in their own compromises.

The plot moves fast—blink and you’ll miss something critical. Twists are earned, not dumped in for shock value. And when the ending comes, it’s both satisfying and emotionally bruising. There’s no moral cleanup, no easy answers. Just Malkie, standing in the cold, trying to hold onto what little still matters.

If you’re new to the series, congratulations—your weekend just disappeared. If you’re a returning fan, A Cold Heart might just be the best one yet. It’s dark, emotional, sharply written, and full of the kind of characters who’d rather punch a wall than talk about their feelings. In other words: exactly what a crime thriller should be.

This is the fourth book in the Malkie police procedural series and the characters' personal stories continue to evolve for better and worse. The police team continue to support each other in their usual sarcastic style.
In this book, a security guard is run over chasing a shoplifter, but he is connected to a violent criminal family who want their revenge, so Malkie and Steph are in a race against time.
Very good.

I only started reading this series by Doug Sinclair with his last book featuring DS Malkie McCulloch A Deadly Flame, both work okay as standalones but I really should go back and read the first two just to understand Malkie a little better, Malkie is a complex character, but he has opened up a little more since the last bookalthough he has a n uncanny knack to rub people up the wrong way but deepdown he seems like he is a lovable rogue really, The story is really gripping and hits the ground running and builds steadily throughout, I found all the characters are relatable, even the ones you don't really like and all the time, simmering in the background Malkie and his partner Steph are dealing with their own family dramas wilst trying to find a kidnapped woman. Doug Sinclair has written a great series so far and I can not wait for a new chapter.

This is #4 in the DS Malkie McCulloch but can easily be read as a standalone.

Malkie has a lot going on in his life – both at home and at work - including investigating his mother’s suspicious death. He’s called when a woman called Elizabeth vanishes, and it looks as though she’s been kidnapped. Malkie and his team have their work cut out to find her alive.

A great police procedural, highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

A Cold Heart by Doug Sinclair is a gripping, emotionally layered police procedural set in Glasgow. I have followed the DS Malkie McCulloch series from the start, and A Cold Heart might be the most emotionally powerful yet. DS Malkie McCulloch investigates the shocking abduction of a mother in broad daylight, uncovering links to murder and personal tragedy. The case is gripping, but it’s Malkie’s personal struggles his grief, guilt, and complicated relationships that really stay with me. Sinclair captures the human side of policing so well. Gritty, authentic, and heartfelt. 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.

Another fantastic read about Malkie McCulloch Very harrowing in parts due to the subject matter of the premise. Well written with amazing characterisation. Kept me enthralled from the first to the last page. Loved the backstory and looking forward to the next offering.

Another fantastic book in the series although you could read it as a standalone. Great to see all the main characters back again, so it’s just the new ones for this book you need to get used to, which you do pretty quickly. A great main storyline but I like the continuing one about Malkie and his past just simmering away in the background (it’s that which helps if you’ve read the past books to get the full picture but enough is given to get you up to speed). Highly recommended,

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for my copy of #AColdHeart by #DougSinclair.
The book starts off with a woman, just a normal mother who decides to do something for her daughter. Something she knows is wrong.
But nothing could prepare her for what comes next.
Malkie, DS Malkie McCulloch is given the case that ensues, along with everything else he is dealing with at the moment, could this be the case that breaks him.
This book takes you on a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs, twists and turns, hope and despair. You will be glued to the page.
BRILLIANTLY COMES TOGETHER.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re ever in trouble, DS Malkie McCulloch is the police officer you wouldn’t want to be on your case. He’s an old school detective, relying on his gut feeling, blurting out his thoughts unfiltered but determined to find the truth, whatever the costs to himself. I love the way the characters are developing in this series, as well as Malkies relationships with Deborah and Stephanie. Added to that, there is a really good story, a well planned & satisfying read which feels really authentic. Can’t wait for the next one in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is book four in the DS Malkie McCulloch series, and the only book I have read. Due to joining at this late stage, I was fearful that I would have a disjointed reading experience – this wasn’t the case. The author provides just enough backstory to highlight the important parts, but it is clear that starting from book one would be beneficial. The characters are well-written, and as you expect by book four, well-developed. I liked Malkie, he seems to wear his heart on his sleeve and is clearly trying to ‘be better’. It’s apparent from the backstory highlights that Malkie has had a hard life and that he has suffered with his mental health, these elements make him feel human and relatable. It was also refreshing to read about a police team that don’t hate each other’s guts and that work together to crack the case they are dealing with. The book deals with kidnap, bullying, self-harm, and violence towards women – all tough subjects, however, I did feel that the author handles these elements sympathetically and that they are included to enhance the tale, not simply to shock/upset the reader.

For me, and although well written, this book is a slow burner, and sadly, it never quite reached the level I was hoping it would - I didn’t feel the exhilarating tension that I have come to expect from police procedurals.

A Cold Heart is another outstanding book in the DA Malkie McCulloch series that is both brutal and devastating.

When Malkie who is dealing with alot of his own personal issues witnesses a man who is chasing a woman get hit by a truck he has a feeling that is more than just an accident.

Elizabeth has made the mistake of her life shoplifting as the security guard who chases her belongs to a major crime family.

Revenge is on the way in full force.

Malkie and his team are racing against the clock as they know very well that Elizabeth's chances are slim to none with every second that the clock ticks down.

There is just something about Malkie that is so endearing. He doesn't always make the right choices, he says what most of us are thinking, he truly cares about his cases and co workers and I find myself laughing out loud at times as he talks to himself.

Doug Sinclair masterfully leads the reader down a tense, brutal and highly emotional path that keeps those pages turning with just one more chapter.

I cant wait to see what DS Malkie McCulloch faces in his next case, I will be first in line.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing A Cold Heart.

This is a brilliant, emotional and gritty read from the author, one of the best in the Scottish crime fiction genre. It's the fourth book in the series and I highly recommend starting with book 1 for background information. DS Malkie Mc Culloch is such a complex character, struggling with work and the turmoil in his personal life, whilst dealing with past trauma but I absolutely just love him! The cast of characters, the gritty plotting and the build up to the ending, left me almost in tears. The writing is raw, there are some hard hitting scenes but the author writes from the heart and I think this ever improving series could easily translate to a television series. It is up with the best in the genre and an easy 5* from me. Bring on more Malkie please! Thanks to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for my ARC.

Fantastic. Malkie is faced with some difficult situations in this one. A road traffic accident and an abduction, a race to find the victim in time. He has to decide whether to request that the case of his mother's death in the house fire be reopened for further investigation. He's trying to support Steph, who's facing her own issues as well. Malkie's such a great character, muddling along as best he can even though he keeps getting himself into sticky situations. I'm really enjoying this series!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and Doug Sinclair for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.