In a sixth outing for Lancaster’s DS Max Craigie, police procedural meets mountain misogyny, and the spider at the heart of the web hits close to home. When the body of a blond woman is found at the foot of one of the Cairngorms, Craigie’s crime senses are piqued when the rescue pilot suggests this isn’t an isolated incident. As the count of other similar deaths mounts up and their investigations botched or mislaid, it’s up to Craigie and his crack team to get to the truth and end the sickening murders, but their prey might be closer than they know. A cracking read that uses the Scottish Highlands brilliantly, this is political with a little p, exploring women’s rights to be in the outdoors and the threats to their safety. There’s a deep undercurrent which I won’t spoil here, but it’s timely given the dark times we’re living in. As in all police procedurals, the journey and the destination are one and the same, and the detail and colour that Lancaster gives to the characters makes this a cut above the rest. Four and a half stars

I admit to being a fan of Neil Lancaster and of his Max Craigie series so could not miss the opportunity of reading book 6 in the series and I definitely wasn't disappointed; I was hooked and loved it from start to finish. You can read it as a standalone but I would definitely suggest you read the others in the series as you miss a lot of the character and relationship development and you won't be disappointed. This addition is another cracker; with fantastic recurring characters (Ross being one of my favourites with Barney in hot pursuit!) and a few new ones that have only added to the excellent ensemble. The story is disturbing but absolutely riveting and, sadly, not beyond the realms of reality. The pace is fast and totally engrossing and the language used by Mr Lancaster paints vivid pictures of the landscape and perilous situations clearly. What can I say? This instalment is a triumph; a brilliant book and one I would highly recommend as I would the rest of the series and many thanks to the author, HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, an excellent addition to a brilliant series.

The latest in the brilliant Max Craigie. Series and possibly the best yet., Initial suspicions about the deaths of lone female climbers open up to a web of corruption and killings. Max and the team have to use every tool at their disposal and then some in order to understand the depth of depravity while at the same time Max is concerned about leaving Katie alone with the birth of their first child now imminent Excellent plotting and writing make for a great read which will be enjoyed by everyone who likes modern British and in particular Scottish crime writing. Neil Lancaster is surely now at the top table of authors in this category.

DS Max Craigie #6 When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it's classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off the 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. I was pulled in from the first page of this perfectly paced and descriptively written book. The answer DS Max Craigie had to find was where the women's deaths and accident - or was it murder? The characters are well-portrayed. this is a gripping page turner and you will not be able to put it down. Published 27th March 2025 I would like to thank #NetGalley #HQDigital and the author #NeilLancaster for my ARC of #WhenShadowsFall in exchange for an honest review.

Max Craigie is back in another gripping installment of this gripping series. Although it is part of a series it can be read as a standalone. Women are dying on the Scottish mountains what appears to be an isolated incident it soon develops into something more. A great set of characters that keep thos series fresh. Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for this review copy.