I have read, and enjoyed, every book in this series and was excited to read this, the newest offering. The personal stories within this book, focus largely on Max, starting with a visit to his feisty elderly aunt and the imminent arrival of his baby. The ‘team’ are a great bunch of quirky characters, who have strong relationships, reflected by their teasing and the nature of their easy banter. This is turn is also clear in their honed investigative skills, knowing each others strengths and caring about them personally. In this book the tension is palpable as Janie goes undercover, I felt very uneasy. The pace of the book is unrelentingly fast, action-packed, uncovering a dark side of modern society. The settings add another formidable layer of tension, with mountain walking and rock climbing providing a dangerous back drop. I love this series, devouring the latest book way into the early hours of the morning. Long may they continue (please).

This is another superb tale in the series about Max Craigie and the team investigating corruption in the Scottish police force. The characters and their relationships have been well built up over the series but this title could be read as a stand alone. However I do believe readers encountering the team for the first time here would want to read the previous books in the series. In addition to the team, the books have some well-loved family characters in Max's Aunt Elspeth, his wife Katy and his dog Nutmeg. In this book Katy is nearing the end of her pregnancy and this is causing conflicting emotions for Max as he considers how to be a good father and continue in the job he loves. These emotions are well written by the author Neil Lancaster and add to the credibility of the book. 'When Shadows Fall' introduces some new characters who I think will be returning: Chay, a schoolfriend of Max, who is now a helicopter pilot with the mountain rescue team and Clive, a former student of Barney, the team's technology whizz. This story was particularly terrifying and brought a number of contemporary issues to the fore, most significantly the 'incel' culture of men who hate women and the dangers of social media. Chay brings to Max's attention that there have been an alarming number of deaths of lone women hikers on the Scottish mountains recently which have not been thoroughly investigated by the police.. The team begin an investigation which tests all their skills and their emotions. Janie has recently completed an undercover course and is swiftly putting this to use in an attempt to unearth the killer. Barney brings on board the skills of Clive to help uncover the deeply hidden secrets of the dark web. Team boss Ross is brought up sharp when Janie and Norma alert him to how traumatising the serial killing of women is for them as women and begins to acknowledge the need for more consideration of the individuals of the team. There are some nail biting moments in this fast moving story which was once again a thrilling tale with true heart. In addition to being a great story in the genre of crime fiction I do think this series would be an excellent introduction to the genre for those who may have steered away from crime / police procedurals in the past. My thanks to the publisher via Net Galley for an ARC of this title which I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and offering this voluntary review.

Just brilliant! This is the sixth in the Craigie series, but they can be read as standalones. When Max's good friend Shay, the Scottish coastguard, phones him with concerns that there have been five deaths by falls on the mountains, he is concerned. They are all single females and experienced climbers. Max is asked to take a look at the latest victim, a 40 year old blonde woman. This doesn't look like an ordinary fall. There are clues that she was pushed. By who? And why? And so another case for Max and the rest of the team. I loved catching up with Janie, Norma, Barney, and new recruit Clive. Their boss Ross is still the same old rogue who injects some laugh out loud moments with his dry sense of humour, which is needed as this is very dark and twisted. The descriptions of the scenery are absolutely stunning, but you won't catch me climbing up a mountain anytime soon. It was lovely to see that Max and his wife Katie are about to become parents. There are plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing and some heart-stopping moments, too. This is a fantastic series. I can't wait for the next one. I absolutely raced through this.

I eagerly anticipated the next DS Max Craigie series book, which was as original, suspenseful and vivid as the earlier books. It begins with a violent death in a wild and beautiful place, but the undercurrents of menace are present from the beginning. One death reveals something more, and soon, Craigie and the team are in a dark game as they try to discover the truth and prevent further needless loss of life. I enjoyed the twisty plot, the vibrant characters that resonated and the clever and resourceful police team. It's an action-packed story with suspense and twists that keep you invested. I listened to an audiobook version of the story and enjoyed the narration that made every character distinguishable and immersed me in the action. I received an arc from the publisher and purchased it as an audiobook.

The sixth book in the Max Cragie series and it did not disappoint. It all starts with Max getting a call from Shay, an old friend who works in mountain rescue, about a woman who has fallen to her death while climbing munroes. Then another similar death occurs. Max and his team start to look into these deaths and it's not long before they realise these deaths were no accident but cold blooded murder but why were the police not investigating further?? Again, Neil Lancaster has written another superb book that had me gripped as well as giving us the usual characters that we love. Hopefully we see more of the team and new dad Max Cragie soon. Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for advanced copy.