When Shadows Fall by Neil Lancaster is book 6 in the DS Max Craigie police series. This has an excellent storyline and is about rock climbing in the Monro mountains in the highlands of Scotland. It is brought to Max Craigie’s attention that there have been a number of single blond female walker’s deaths that have not been fully investigated. When the team start looking they uncover a series of deaths that have not been looked at properly, the team are convinced that a serial killer is on the loose. What they find is a cover up of a number of women’s deaths, whose deaths have been recorded and then sold on the dark web for viewers willing to pay. Max is also due to become a father and needs to make sure he doesn’t miss the birth of his first child, whilst fully investigating the deaths of women pushed mountain sides while climbing. Highly recommended

Another brilliant read in the DS Max Craigie series. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, it is filled with suspense, witty dialogue and interesting unique characters. I love the humour from Norma and Ross, unexpected and laugh out loud at times. Everything you could want in a crime thriller from the author and another 5* read which I highly recommend to lovers of crime thrillers. I can't wait to see what happens next for Craigie and his team.

Neil Lancaster delivers another gripping thriller in When Shadows Fall, the sixth book in the DS Max Craigie series. This time, the case kicks off with the mysterious death of Leanne Wilson, an experienced climber found at the bottom of a mountain. At first, it looks like a tragic accident—but when Max and his team start digging, they realize she’s the sixth woman to die in similar circumstances. Suddenly, they're on the trail of a serial killer, and things get even darker when they uncover a wider conspiracy. Lancaster’s background as a former detective brings a real sense of authenticity to the investigation, making you feel like you’re right there with the team. The banter between Max, his no-nonsense boss Ross, sharp-witted DC Janie, and tech whiz Norma adds some great moments of humour, balancing out the tension. The Scottish Highlands setting is also beautifully described, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Packed with twists, sharp dialogue, and a fast-paced plot, When Shadows Fall is another winner from Lancaster. If you love crime thrillers with strong characters and a gripping mystery, this one’s a must-read!

I just love the Max Craigie series and this sixth book in the series is probably the best yet. It works as a stand alone book but I thoroughly recommend reading the whole series. His team who investigate corruption in the Police are a small, tight knit group who have each other’s backs and trust one another implicitly but the banter between them is on another level. Dealing with difficult and dangerous cases this helps relieve the tension. In this book an unusually high number of single women have fallen to their deaths while climbing. They appeared to have had proper equipment and no apparent reason to be careless. Max and the team begin an investigation that leads them into a complex and dangerous mission. Meanwhile, Katie, Max’s wife is heavily pregnant and not happy when he rushes off to the Cairngorms to try and prevent further deaths. The case progresses with increased urgency and without knowing who to trust they have to keep their investigation completely confidential. A fast moving case and an absolute page turner. Another gripping book from Neil Lancaster.

This is the sixth book in the DS Max Craigie series and it leaves me wondering if there are any police in Scotland left to serve and protect the public? Max operates within a tightly knit group headed by DI Ross Fraser (think a less windy version of Jackson Lamb of Slow Horses infamy) and they look in to police corruption. This novel centres on a number of climbing 'accidents' that seem to have gone unnoticed. That was until ex-matelot and now helicopter pilot Shay Hammond reached out to his old mate Max, something was troubling him in his role as search and rescue pilot for the Coastguards. It would seem that too many women climbers had fallen to their deaths than he felt statistically likely. Max took an interest and approached his boss Ross to see if they could open up some sort of investigation as the reported deaths went suspiciously beneath the police radar. I found the novel had great pace, an immediate hook and was very hard to put down. My thanks got to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.