Reviews: When Shadows Fall (78)
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”
(Paperback)
Having served twenty-five years in the Metropolitan Police, most of them as a lead detective, Neil Lancaster is perfectly placed to write authentic, razor-sharp crime fiction. And considering ‘When Shadows Fall’ is the sixth book in his DS Max Craigie series, he’s clearly doing something right.
Craigie, a former Met officer now working with Police Scotland’s Policing Standards Reassurance Team, is on the brink of fatherhood when a troubling pattern emerges in the Scottish Highlands. Recently single women are plunging to their deaths from remote mountain paths - tragic accidents at first glance. But when Max chats with his friend Shay, a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, the sheer number of cases raises suspicions.
What Max and his team uncover is chilling, a possible lone-wolf serial killer targeting a very specific type of victim. But if he’s acting alone, how does he stay one step ahead of the investigation every time?
The characters bring lightness to an otherwise disturbing storyline. DI Ross Fraser -‘Ross Boss’ - is a standout with his gloriously foul mouth and intentionally over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek misogyny. Despite his rough edges, he leads a hardworking team determined to bring justice to the women who’ve been cruelly taken.
I already own a couple of the earlier books in the series, and although I haven’t read them yet, this instalment works brilliantly as a standalone. If you enjoy hard-boiled Scottish thrillers with grit, pace and authenticity, this series is well worth diving into. I’ll definitely be picking up the previous books and any future ones too.
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
“Thrilling!”
(Hardback)
Neil Lancaster’s When Shadows Fall, the sixth instalment in the DS Max Craigie series, delivers a gripping narrative that seamlessly blends intricate plotting with character development. Set against the evocative backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, the novel explores a series of mysterious deaths among experienced female climbers, initially dismissed as tragic accidents. However, DS Max Craigie’s intuition prompted by comments from his friend in the mountain rescue team, leads him to suspect a more sinister pattern, propelling readers into a complex investigation that delves into the darkest corners of human nature. Digging down into one of the most disturbing themes of today’s society, When Shadows Fall examines the hideous nature of toxic masculinity and what can happen when it is given free reign.
The perilous beauty of the Cairngorms serves as both a setting and a character, the treacherous landscapes mirroring the dangers that lurk within the plot. Lancaster’s portrayal of DS Max Craigie is nuanced and authentic. A former Metropolitan Police officer, now serving in Police Scotland’s Policing Standards Reassurance Team, Craigie is a dedicated officer with a strong ethical and moral core. His wife Katie is on the verge of giving birth to their first child and max is struggling to balance the demands of a harrowing investigation with his responsibilities to Katie. This internal struggle adds depth to his character. His colleague, the more than able DC Janie Calder and his boss DI Ross Fraser enrich the narrative tapestry. Fraser’s brash demeanour and potty mouth provide moments of laugh out loud humour, offering a counterbalance to the novel’s darker themes. Norma is the team’s analyst and I loved the scene in which she and Janie point out to Ross that his attitude leaves a lot to be desired. In this team, however, it is the formidable computer specialist Barney, who steals a few scenes away from Ross and Craigie.
The novel’s structure is well crafted, with a compelling opening that immediately immerses us in the central mystery. The discovery of solo climber Leanne Wilson’s body at the base of a Munro sets off a chain of events that unravel quickly and soon bring Max and Janie to Ross with a horrible theory. Lancaster adeptly interweaves multiple plot threads, maintaining a brisk pace that keeps up engagement. As the investigation proceeds, each step follows a logical police procedural investigation, but despite some progress, the body count rises, leading to a refining of their theory.
Every time they think they are getting somewhere, something hauls them back, and the pace of these one step forward, two steps back discoveries only heightens the tension. The suspense is palpable as the team race against time to stop these cruel, voyeuristic and misogynist deaths.
Verdict: Drawing from his extensive background in law enforcement, Lancaster infuses the narrative with a level of detail and authenticity that is compelling and credible. When Shadows Fall showcases Neil Lancaster’s ability to craft authentic and engaging crime fiction. The novel’s blend of suspense, well-drawn characters, and authentic procedural detail is excellent. Whether you are a longtime follower of DS Max Craigie’s journey or a newcomer to the series, this instalment offers a thrilling reading experience.
“The team investigate a series of murders in the mountains”
(Hardback)
DS Max Craigie is contacted by a former colleague in the Navy (can one say colleague?) who now works on Mountain Rescue, a middle-aged blonde woman has fallen to her death whilst walking the Munroes, sadly deaths are not uncommon, but Max's friend is worried that the number of women dying has increased dramatically and is at odds with the normal statistics - ie women are traditionally better prepared and more cautious than male climbers.
Although not their usual purview, when the team start investigating they discover that there have been five other women in the last year who have had similar 'accidents' and they all look eerily similar, middle-aged, recently divorced/separated, and blonde. More worrying, none of the deaths appears to have received more than a cursory investigation.
As the team dig deep they put Janie undercover, but could her life be at risk?
I love this series, I like the way they have branched out of pure police corruption (although TBH there would be no-one left in Police Scotland if they didn't) and I like the addition of the new team member.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
“Max Craigie strikes again - always reliable and a good read.”
(Paperback)
One of the comfortable features of Neil Lancaster’s DS Max Craigie crime thrillers is that you can be reasonably confident in what you’re getting. This could be irritating, if the content was just a rehash of the same tired plots or an exercise in ‘writing by numbers’, but this is not the case. Instead, the author assembles a broad cast of individuals, each with a part to play, who entertain the reader as the crime fighting team take on the forces of darkness. The pace is always maintained to keep the reader engaged and shows a steadily increasing tempo as the denouement is reached. From these few words you’re probably not expecting a contender for the Booker Prize; great literature this isn’t, but if you are looking for an opportunity to suspend disbelief and enjoy a team doing what they do best this could be the book for you. The only slightly ‘out of tune’ element, for this reader, was the misogynistic nature of the crimes the team were investigating. Whilst most murders reveal a darker side of life, authors need to take care to avoid any sense of normalising such violence directed at women, for its own sake.
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.
“Another good pacey Max Craigie story”
(Hardback)
The body of a woman is found at the base of a Scottish mountain. She appears to have been a well equipped and fairly fit walker but there's nothing to indicate that this is anything but an accident. However the search and rescue helicopter pilot, who attended the scene, is an old military friend of Max's and has an inquisitive mind. He gets in touch with Max to point out that this may not be a one off. Max and the team do some preliminary work and realise that this may well be worth investigating.
Book six in the Max Craigie series looks at just why no connection has been made with previous "accidents" and whether there really is a pattern. In the main it is the usual gang working on this and they do make a good and interesting team. It feels as though the boss - Ross - has been tamed a little and that is no bad thing in my opinion. His views had started to feel more than a little off key. It will come as no surprise to fans of this series that there are enough twists and turns to satisfy and keep you reading.
An interesting facet of this book is that the fact that Max is about to become a father for the first time and it will begood to see where this leads. In generally this is quite like other books in the series which is no bad thing. The characters are good. The settings in the Scottish hills are well used. As always the pace and tension is well worked. Ultimately I'm a fan of Lancaster's writing. You get a decent feel of "Line of Duty" type stories but rather better than most in that genre for me. I do like the characters in this and the way they are used and the writing is very good indeed. Maybe not my favourite in this series but highly readable.
Note - I received an advance digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
Page of 16
