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Neil Lancaster

‘The best police procedural I’ve read in years’ Jane Casey
‘Grabbed me from the first page’ Ian Rankin

This grave can never be opened.
The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally murdered, his body dumped inside an ancient grave in a remote cemetery.

This murder can never be forgotten.
Detectives Max Craigie and Janie Calder arrive at the scene, a small town where everyone has secrets to hide. They soon realise this murder is part of a blood feud between two Scottish families that stretches back to the 1800s. One thing’s for certain: it might be the latest killing, but it won’t be the last…

This killer can never be caught.
As the body count rises, the investigation uncovers large-scale corruption at the heart of the Scottish Police Service. Now Max and Janie must turn against their closest colleagues – to solve a case that could cost them far more than just their lives…

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

‘The best police procedural I've read in years – fast-paced, compelling and deeply authentic. DS Max Craigie is a brilliant hero and I can't wait for the next in the series’ Jane Casey

‘Genuinely gripping, a total page-turner and one of my favourite reads of the year’ Matt Nixon, Daily Express

‘A stone cold classic of the genre; the strongest start to a series I’ve seen in years’ Tony Kent

‘Absolutely blown away by how good this is’ Marion Todd

‘A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists’ C. L. Taylor

‘The most authentic voice in thriller writing’ Tony Parsons

‘A genuinely thrilling adventure’ Scottish Sun

‘A page turner you won’t want to miss’ Denzil Meyrick

Don’t miss the first stunning thriller in the new DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime series!

Angus King

HQ Digital

DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers

Dead Man’s Grave

‘Think Jack Reacher fronting Line of Duty’ Ian Rankin
You get away with murder.
In a remote sea loch on the west coast of Scotland, a fisherman vanishes without trace. His remains are never found.

You make people disappear.
A young man jumps from a bridge in Glasgow and falls to his death in the water below. DS Max Craigie uncovers evidence that links both victims. But if he can’t find out what cost them their lives, it won’t be long before more bodies turn up at the morgue…

You come back for revenge.
Soon cracks start to appear in the investigation, and Max’s past hurtles back to haunt him. When his loved ones are threatened, he faces a terrifying choice: let the only man he ever feared walk free, or watch his closest friend die…

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR! Max, Janie and Ross return in the second gripping novel in this explosive Scottish crime series.
Readers LOVE The Blood Tide
‘Line of Duty on steroids… It just never lets up!’ John Barlow

‘The Blood Tide grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. Be warned: don’t sit down planning to read only a few pages!’ Kate London

‘Tightly plotted, tense and thrilling. Neil Lancaster just gets better and better’ Marion Todd

‘You can’t beat the voice of experience… A rugged tale from a writer who’s done this chilling stuff for real’ Paul Finch

‘A rattlingly good read. The pages practically turn themselves…’ John Sutherland

‘An absolutely thrilling read from a brand-new star of Tartan Noir. Superb.’ Cass Green

‘Authentic to a tee. A story to die for. Characters that leap of all the page-turny pages.’ Imran Mahmood

‘What a gripping page-turner – it kept me guessing until the very end’ Michelle Davies

‘I’ve been hooked on this for a few days. It has it all: action, humour, tightly plotted with the most satisfying of endings!’ Chris McDonald

The Blood Tide

‘Well, this is a belter of a book! A hugely entertaining and gripping read!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

He’ll watch you.
A lawyer is found dead at sunrise on a lonely clifftop at Dunnet Head on the northernmost tip of Scotland. It was supposed to be his honeymoon, but now his wife will never see him again.

He’ll hunt you.
The case is linked to several mysterious deaths, including the murder of the lawyer’s last client – Scotland’s most notorious criminal… who had just walked free. DS Max Craigie knows this can only mean one thing: they have a vigilante serial killer on their hands.

He’ll leave you to die.
But this time the killer isn’t on the run; he’s on the investigation team. And the rules are different when the murderer is this close to home.

He knows their weaknesses, knows how to stay hidden, and he thinks he’s above the law…

Max, Janie and Ross return in the latest gripping novel in this explosive Scottish crime series. Fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride and Marion Todd will love The Night Watch!
Readers LOVE The Night Watch!
‘Wow! Max Craigie and his team are back in this amazing book and they bring with it a little bit of everything! A murder, a suicide, some suspense, intrigue, action, police, dead lawyers, twists, turns, a bit of corruption and serial killers!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This is the book that you are desperate to finish so you know ‘who did it’, but on the other hand you don’t want it to come to an end.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Once again Neil Lancaster has written an absolute blinder. It starts off at a furious pace and doesn't let up.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A brilliant addition to the series and Neil is now an auto-buy author for me. Roll on the next one…’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘The pace doesn’t let up at all and Neil keeps you guessing with his clever dialogue and excellent plot. Loved it. You won’t be disappointed with The Night Watch.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Night Watch

‘This book is one hell of a ride. Neil Lancaster’s Blood Runs Cold is spellbinding.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

She was taken against her will.

On her fifteenth birthday, trafficking victim Affi Smith goes for a run and never returns. With a new identity and secure home in the Scottish Highlands, she was supposed to be safe…

She escaped once.

With personal ties to Affi’s case, DS Max Craigie joins the investigation. When he discovers other trafficking victims have disappeared in exactly the same circumstances, he knows one thing for certain – there’s a leak somewhere within law enforcement.

She won’t outrun them again.

The clock is ticking… Max must catch Affi’s kidnappers and expose the mole before anyone else goes missing. Even if it means turning suspicions onto his own team…

Don’t miss the next book in the DS Max Craigie series! Fans of Ian Rankin and Marion Todd will love this utterly gripping Scottish thriller!
Readers LOVE Blood Runs Cold!
‘A nailbiting, energetic read.’ The Sun

‘Utterly compelling, ingeniously plotted and incredibly entertaining.’ Liz Nugent

‘A masterclass in how to deliver a taut pacy thriller hot off the page.’ Imran Mahmood

‘Compelling, emotionally charged, and impossible to put down… the stand out crime read of the year so far.’ John Barlow

‘Want pulse-pounding, shallowed-breathed, toe-curling police action? Here you go. Thank me later.’ Helen Fields

‘Thrilling, gripping, breathlessly brilliant crime-thriller that just won’t let you go until you know how it ends.’ Miranda Dickinson

‘A dark, gritty and fast paced police procedural that I was totally and completely absorbed by from the very start.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘One of my favourite crime writers by a country mile.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blood Runs Cold

‘A tense and twisty thriller that had me gnawing my fingernails one minute and laughing out loud the next.’Marion Todd

A CASE GONE COLD

Six years ago, Beata Dabrowski arranged to meet her lover in Glasgow and was never seen again. There were no leads… until now.

AN UNRELIABLE WITNESS 

Imprisoned gang boss Davie Hardie wants to talk in exchange for his freedom. He knows exactly where Beata is buried, and he’s prepared to take the police to her grave.

A KILLER DESPERATE TO ESCAPE

But when the mission to locate Beata’s body is hijacked, DS Max Craigie is drafted on to the case. Someone is selling secrets.

Max will stop at nothing to expose police corruption and uncover Beata’s murderer… but can you ever really trust a killer to catch a killer?

Don’t miss the next book in the DS Max Craigie series! Fans of Ian Rankin and Marion Todd will love this utterly gripping Scottish thriller!
Praise for The Devil You Know
‘Neil Lancaster is one of the most exciting, innovative crime writers in the UK right now… One of the best police procedurals I’ve read in a long time. Consider me a fan’ M. W. Craven

‘This tale is fast and furious with blue lights and screaming sirens all the way’ The Sun

‘Action-packed & lightning-paced with some of the best dialogue I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of Lancaster and he’s a true rising star in crime fiction. Explosive & compelling’ Helen Fields

‘As hard as it is to believe, these books just get better and better’ Tony Kent 

‘A wickedly clever and riveting thriller’ Graham Bartlett

‘Neil Lancaster just gets better and better. This is a gripping read that feels entirely authentic, seasoned with lovely flashes of humour' Cass Green

The Devil You Know

Don't miss Book 6 in the DS Max Craigie Series!
Available to pre-order now!

* * * *

A TRAGIC DEATH

When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

A RISING BODY COUNT

Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off 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.

A KILLER IN THE SHADOWS

The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

* * * *
Praise for Neil Lancaster:
‘Think Jack Reacher fronting Line of Duty’ Ian Rankin

‘Fast-paced, compelling, and deeply authentic’ Jane Casey

‘Neil Lancaster is so damn clever’ Marion Todd

‘A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists’ C. L. Taylor

‘Deliciously dark’ Daily Mail

DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers - The book series

DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers - The book series

DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers books in order

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