I am not usually a crime thriller reader, but I enjoyed this. One- the setting of Scotland. I do love the UK so this was the first thing that drew me in. Second- the characters. I actually wanted to know what had happened all around. Very good even for a new crime thriller reader.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Matador for a review copy of The Well of the Dead, a police procedural set in Inverness and its environs featuring DI Neil Strachan. great modern thriller with tangible links to 1746

Enthralling throughout, crimes, history and great characters. My attention was gripped from start to finish with the plots and sub plots but never confusing just downright enjoyable. A really good read !

Wow. I must admit that I have a soft spot for stories like this, and Mr. Allan did a fantastic job on weaving a history in with a modern day mystery. The writing of the scenery was so clear that I could envision it with no troubles at all. Of course the fact that Scotland and its history are one of my favorite things didn't hurt! I did have one minor pet peeve that kept me from giving this book 5 stars, and that was all the exclamation points. They were everywhere, and it drove me nuts. Reminded me of Brian Lumley's books, and how fond he seemed to be of scattering exclamation marks all over the place! Still, the story was solid, and I liked the characters. Especially Holly. One thing's for sure, I will be reading more from Mr. Allan. Yep, I'd recommend this book and author. Thanks to Matador Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Matador for a review copy of The Well of the Dead, a police procedural set in Inverness and its environs featuring DI Neil Strachan.

When the mutilated body of Laura Fraser is found in her castle and her husband, Duncan, missing DI Neil Strachan is put in charge of the case. The castle has been ransacked but nothing is missing which, allied with the strange carvings on Laura's chest, leads Neil to believe that he is looking at something more than burglary. The reader knows that the killers are looking for hidden treasure.

I enjoyed The Well of the Dead. It is a long read but it never seems to flag and my only problem was trying to keep the characters straight in my mind. Mostly it is a straightforward third person narrative told from Neil's point of view but there are glimpses of the killers and their plans and some interesting flashbacks to the events surrounding the Battle of Culloden in 1745 and this is where I fell down, trying to make sense of the 1745 characters and the Fraser family tree.

I think the subplot of Neil's girlfriend Cat's strange behaviour is a bit unrealistic but can't say more without issuing spoilers and a distraction from the main plot and its action. The main plot, however, has plenty of action and twists and is an exciting read. Some of the main perpetrators are known to the reader from the several chapters which give their point of view but others are well hidden and their identities came as an unexpected surprise.

Neil Strachan is a likeable protagonist, a smart and dedicated detective who gets on well with his colleagues. Mostly he abides by the rules but can go off piste when things get personal. He is probably the only well developed character in the novel and I would have liked to see more of his "bagman" DS Holly Anderson on her own.

The Well of the Dead is a long but satisfying read so I have no hesitation in recommending it.