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Dead Man’s Grave: The first book in a gripping new Scottish police procedural series for crime fiction and mystery thriller fans (DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, Book 1)

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It started off reasonably well, but began to pall as implausibilities and clichés mounted up. I wouldn’t dream of including spoilers, so you will have to guess for yourself whether, for example, Max is Taken Off The Case or whether there is a Tense One-To-One Climax In A Deserted Location From Which He Only Narrowly Escapes. I just didn’t find any of it believable; not the characters, not the way in which things developed and not the over-convenient way in which Max Gets The Better Of His Opponents. I'm not usually a fan of novels based around organised crime and gangs, but Dead Man's Grave is so much more than that. Yes, it's a tense, taut and gritty thriller, but it's also a character study of a man who serves his country with every fibre of his being, and continues to do so in the face of every obstacle.

I found the opening of this book very atmospheric. An old crime boss visits the grave of a very old relative. It says "this grave can never be opened" on the grave stone. However, when the crime boss disappears and his family (also hard core villains) ask the police for help, the grave is opened. DS Max Craigie is the policeman who is involved. He has only recently returned to Scotland from England and has some issues from his time there. Will Scotland bring him any peace... When Max reports to the sons of the crime boss about his findings they don't seem surprised by any of the news. Could they have possibly found out before Max saw them and if so how? More than a ‘Who Dunnit’, this is a sharply focused police procedural with an expert eye for the hierarchies within a department. Good cops, bad cops, and corruption at many levels. I’m sorry to be so critical, but I really didn’t get on with Dead Man’s Grave. I struggled to the end, but I won’t be bothering with DS Craigie again. The missing person in question is notorious gangster Tam Hardie, head of Scotland’s most powerful and ‘influential’ crime family - nothing happens without Hardie’s say so. Looks like someone did open the Grave though, as Tam Hardie’s decomposing body is discovered beneath the heavy slab of granite covering the grave, in what turns out to be a centuries old feud. One thing’s for certain, the Hardie family will not take this well, they already have connections to numerous murders, and someone murdering the head of their family will not be tolerated - retribution will be had!

Creative Play

In a sense this is as much an action thriller/suspense story as an ordinary cop story. While this comment will date think "Line of Duty" but with a much better ending rather than anything else! In the end I found a book that I was not expecting at lot from initially very enjoyable. Personally I will read another by Neil Lancaster and I would definitely want to read the next in this series. 4.5/5 So the plot is good but it is accompanied by an excellent writing style that is lively and encourages further reading. The humour is rough, realistic and funny and wouldn’t be out of place in most workplaces. The plotting is clear sighted and logical with little room for misunderstanding or ambiguity (not always a given). There are also some great descriptions of the Highlands scenery and locations. I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Dead Man’s Grave, the first novel to feature DS Max Craigie and DC Janey Calder of Police Scotland.

DCI Max Craigie & his partner DCJanie Calder are called to a burial ground near a church to look for a missing person they see a grave that says NEVER TO BE OPENED, but that doesn’t deter Max & Janie they open it to find the body of a notorious drug lord Tam Hardie he is the most wanted gangster in Scotland .

Multibuys

Dead Man's Grave is the first in the DS Max Craigie series, and what an introduction to Max! He's a bit like a bull terrier - once he gets his teeth into something, he just doesn't let go. Tam Hardie is the head of the biggest Scottish OCG and is on a quest into the past. He finds a burial ground in the far north and a grave marked ‘this grave never to be opened’ .... it is the last thing he sees on this earth. His death unleashes a vendetta pursued by his ruthless son Tam Jr and a net of corruption that spreads far and wide. DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder of the Serious Crimes Team at Gartcosh are instructed by boss DI Ross Fraser to carefully tread in a close enquiry. The author was previously a Metropolitan police detective investigating serious crimes in addition to serving in the military police so I would recommend this to those connoisseurs of police tactical methods. I’m afraid I’m badly out of step with most other reviewers here, but I really didn’t think Dead Man’s Grave was much good. I tried it because it came with strong endorsements from Ian Rankin and Jane Casey, both of whose work I admire very much, but this is nowhere near their league.

ways draws me to a 📚 it was very atmospheric & thought I was there I can’t wait to read the next instalment in this wonderful new series.

Toys

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Dead Man's Grave by Neil Lancaster for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. Since retiring from the Metropolitan Police, Neil has relocated to the Scottish Highlands with his wife and son, where he mixes freelance investigations with writing. This was a compelling read from start to finish enjoyed every minute the characters were well fleshed out & likeable loved the setting of Scotland that a As the body count rises, the investigation uncovers large-scale corruption at the heart of the Scottish Police Service. Now Max and Janie must turn against their closest colleagues - to solve a case that could cost them far more than just their lives... I like Max and Janey. They are well developed characters who are smart and dedicated, even a little idealistic at times, and their banter is great.

The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally murdered, his body dumped inside an ancient grave in a remote cemetery. Max is an admirable character with along with his lovable dog. I look forward to the next in this new series and unlike other first books, this wrapped up well. No annoying loose strings or unfinished business.

Diaries & Calendars

The best police procedural I've read in years – fast-paced, compelling and deeply authentic. DS Max Craigie is a brilliant hero and I can't wait for the next in the series’ Jane Casey I just recently read The Blood Tide - book 2 of the DS Max Craigie series by this author and I loved it so much I had to buy the first book. Unfortunately I knew some of what would happen but it didn’t detract too much from what was an otherwise explosive story! An ages-old feud between two Scottish families is unearthed when a top crime boss is found murdered in an unnamed grave. Dead Mans grace by Neil Lancaster is the first in a series featuring DS Max Craigie and if this is to be the standard to expect then I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

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