Drumdalloch Woods on the Black Isle is a creepy place. It is also a site of scientific interest with many rare trees. The owner has always wanted the woods protected but after his death that no longer seems to be as assured as it might be. Left to his son & daughter, the arguments start almost right away. Oriole want the woods to stay as they are. Perry is only interested in the profit that might be made. He, along with his disturbed son, Jay take up residence. Oriole, used to being the only full time resident feels pressure from various places, especially the intimidating local police detective. Then Perry is murdered. Jay disappears & Oriole doesn't know where to turn. Much to the disgust of the local police DI Kelso Strang is put in charge of the case. Although this is the sixth in a series & I had only read book 4, I found it quite easy to read as a stand alone. I enjoyed the setting & the characters were memorable- mostly for how awful they were! However I really like Kelso Strang so I'll try not to miss out on the next one in the series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book

Book #6 in series but works great as stand-alone, if like me, this is your first dip into the world of DI Kelso Strang. A dark murder/mystery, with plenty of unlikable suspects. Greed, jealousy and even police corruption, all played their part in keeping me on the edge of my seat. DI Kelso Strang makes an excellent lead investigator, although, as with all good fictional detectives, his personal life is aways under scrutiny, although maybe a little unwarranted in this instance. The part real, part fictional location, almost became an additional character in itself, as it was completely immersive and engulfing. I did feel that the ending was maybe a little rushed and vague, compared to the slow-burning and very descriptive build-up, however this didn't spoil my overall enjoyment. Definitely a new to me author who is heading for my list!

Another well written plot in the Kelso Strang series, set in Scotland. I liked the setting and the descriptive passages of the woods, very atmospheric. The characterisation was good with plenty of interesting characters, especially Livvy and they were well developed. A slow beginning but it quickly picked up with plenty of action in the latter part of the book as Strang delves further into the investigation. A well wrapped up ending leaves the reader just wanting a bit more from the next in the series.

A murder mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. An estate in turmoil,a body found, scientific research at stake and a family at odds with one another. These are all the ingredients for a really good story. I enjoyed this book.

Scotland, suspense, crime-thriller, due-diligence, procedural, greed, relationships, revenge, atmospheric, Scottish-noir, justice, rural, environmental, eco-awareness, family-dynamics, family-drama, family-history, murder, investigation. **** Disclaimer: I did not read every word in this book because I forgot to check if it was TTS enabled (NOT) and that made it difficult for me to get engrossed as I would have liked. Even with that, I think that it stands alone very well. The characters are clear and totally believable. The majors are DCI Kelso Strang (his new girlfriend Cat Fleming) and his offsider DS Livvy Murray. I thought I'd have to map out the characters in the first third, but it wasn't that bad once Strang got into the investigation. That first third was important to the basic set-up and plot basics. Despite my vision issues, I found the writing very involving and hard to put down. Now I hope for audio of the series. I requested and received a free temporary digital galley as PDF from Allison & Busby via NetGalley. #Deadfall by @AlineTempleton #DIKelsoStrangBk6 #NetGalley @AllisonandBusby