Enjoyed the opportunity to get to know Rachel narey and follow her as she worked to bring Broome to justice. Good relationships shown with characters throughout

I was at the launch of The Photographer and Craig Robertson gave a very powerful demonstration of the inherent creepiness behind an element of this story. It made me uncomfortable but made me really want to read The Photographer to see how the author addressed the issue in the book.

I was horrified to realise that a good many months (far, far too many) have passed since that launch event and that a review I thought I had written remained outstanding. The good thing about a good book is that it doesn’t go away and on a recent trip to my local bookshop I saw copies of The Photographer on the shelves waiting to find new readers. Go find it – this is a powerful and brilliantly told story.

Photographs – taken without the consent of the subject, or without the subject even knowing they were being photographed, have been found by DI Rachel Narey while she searched the home of a suspected rapist. What was already a harrowing case has taken an even more sinister turn. Narey is convinced her suspect is guilty of the rape she is investigating but now she wonders what other crimes he may have committed. She will throw herself at this case in the pursit of justice and in doing so will bring danger to her home.

This is an incredibly tense read and it’s another cracking addition to what is already a brilliant series. Craig Robertson knows how to hold his readers attention and I found I lost huge chunks of time engrossed in The Photographer. The scenes of tension and peril are nicely balanced out with lighter moments between Narey and Winter as their relationship further develops and they juggle their time between work and caring for their young daughter.

It is always a reading treat to spend time with one of Craig Robertson’s books – if you haven’t read any of his books before now then there is no time like the present to start!

This is the 7th book in the DI Narey series, and sadly, the first one I've read so far, but I will without a doubt rectify this soon. Imagine someone takes photos of you, keep them for one day when he wishes to rape and torture you.... This was a harrowing read, thrilling from the beginning to the very end, and highly recommended.

Another taut and pacy novel from the pen of Craig Robertson - despite being part of a series it reads well as a standalone but I am sure if read you will soon be hurrying off to find the other books in the series.Set in the streets of Glasgow the action is delivered in a beguiling style that grips and draws you in.
So all in all a fascinating read that delivers all its promise and leaves you wanting more

Craig Robertson just gets better and better. This series featuring Narey and Winter got off to a slow start but, my goodness, it has caught fire now! This is easily the best in the series so far. Totally gripping from page 1 to the end.

Brilliant. A really well written edge of the seat thriller. The plot in this story is brilliant and really well put together. There are a few surprising twists. I was gripped the whole way through. I wanted to see the rapist get caught. I wanted justice to be done. The story comes together piece by piece right up to the end. I would definitely recommend this book and and I definitely want to read more books by this author.

I don’t think it’s any secret that I am a fan of Craig Roberton’s writing due to his mix of gritty Glaswegian crime fiction, ability to weave in multiple plotlines and of course his very readable prose. This is the seventh book in the series featuring DI Rachel Narey and her partner, ex-police photographer Tony Winter and it’s made for a cracking start to the year.

In this case “The Photographer” isn’t Winter but a particularly violent rapist who has kept dozens and dozens of candid photographs of young women. Potentially his victims – of course, admissible in court and available to the police – of course not!

Unusually we start without much in the way of doubt about who the perpetrator is and he’s quickly brought to the attention of the police. Initially unaware of the scale of his crimes Narey’s trip to court draws a lot of public attention and this spills over into her family’s private life when she is the subject of a hate campaign via social media. Unsuccessful in the prosecution of the man, Narey becomes aware of more victims but discovering that some have disappeared gives the story a ‘race against time’ aspect. Winter receives some help from an unidentified source which allows him to pursue his own investigation and, as you would expect, he sails close to the wind.

This is less graphic than previous books but rape is a tricky subject regardless of who is writing about it. The attacks are described in enough detail that the reader can understand the terror of the women, and the violence of the assault, but there is nothing gratuitous. The development of the victims’s characters offers an insight to the aftermath – those who crumble and those who rise above it to become more of a crusader for the rest.

It feels like it’s in this book that the author has really found the perfect balance with the series. The split of story between the two main characters (not forgetting Uncle Danny), the fact that their relationship is more settled, perhaps less violence, or at least less gore than previous books and a resolution that I was happy with – there’s nothing to criticise. As with the recent books in the series the topics are ‘cutting edge’ tackling issues you can see in the news any evening of the week. And one aspect that I must mention is Robertson’s turn of phrase – there are moments where it’s a pure joy to read, not something you can always say about crime fiction!

Oh my giddy aunt, what a read! I am such a naughty reader as this is the first of Craig Robertson’s books I have read – but not the last! I have a few books to catch up on in this series, and I can’t wait!
Set in Glasgow, we start with a powerful prologue which takes us back to 2008. We then jump to 2017 and the reader is faced with rape, power, control, social media trolls, manipulation, anger, fear, objectification, depersonalisation, stalking, revenge and the search for the truth and justice.
As I mentioned earlier, the books starts with a jaw-dropping prologue and I was immediated hooked! I thought the storyline was relevant and absolutely intriguing. I loved how I just could not stop at one chapter and found myself reading well into the wee hours as Narey and Winters worked separately to bring the criminal to justice. Just when I thought I had figured it out…BOOM! The author knocked me for six as more revelations came to light.
DI Rachel Narey and her other half, Tony Winters (a journalist) seem an unlikely professional couple but boy do they just work! Although both are protective of those they care about- Rachel is feisty, determined, passionate, insightful and a bit of a risk-taker while Narey is sensible to a degree, precise, logical and doesn’t hold back when he wants answers. Love this pair!
The Beast… *shivers*… a narcissitic sociopath with influence …hmmmmm….the very worst kind. We find out early on who this is (no spoilers) but I hated this character the moment I learned what this person did in the prologue. Uses others (internet trolls) to do some of the dirty-work and think they are so clever, but like most people of this nature – their self serving, self absorbed attitude is their downful ..I may have cheered when karma (and justice) kicked this person in the arse.
Lainey Henderson was also another great character – despite her vulnerability, she had courage and strength to help Narey and Winters bring The Beast to answer for the crimes committed. There were actually quite a few characters, like Danny for instance, who I really enjoyed but I couldn’t possibly name them all and actually, I think that is the wonderful part of reading – discovering these things for yourself.
Would I recommend this book? Holy Sh*tballs – you bet your ass I would! A tight plot, with a great build up of tension and suspense – and superb characters you invest in – definitely a #TopRead2018 for me! I highly recommend you grab The Photographer and if you are worried about it being a series…don’t be – I’ve yet to read the others and found this to easily read as a stand-alone. However, I am now looking forward to catching up with this series!
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

The Photographer was topical, emotive and disturbing. Narey & Winter go toe to toe with a brutal and devious women hater who sees any attractive young women as being his property to do with as he wishes. The photographs are the key and Craig Robertson's twisting plot builds the intrigue. An anonymous coded letter leads Narey and Wilson to a woman's grave and Winter's headlines then push the 'photographer' over the edge and into their trap. This book was compelling and the writing excellent. 5 stars from me. - Eddy Weatherill

What a brilliant book! Absolutely terrifying but compelling. I love the characters of DI Rachel Narey and her husband Tony Winter. When Narey's rape case fails in court due to the evidence being inadmissible, she is determined that the perpetrator will be brought to justice. In partnership with some of the victims, there follows a cat and mouse game where the main characters try to outwit each other. I also loved the Glasgow setting, which was very familiar.
The villain is absolutely horrific and scarily realistic. Quite a few twists and surprises and I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good crime thriller.

4.5 stars !!!

What an intense plot ! I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book. I have not read any books from this series, so I've reviewed this book as a stand-alone. What I liked most about the book, that it was not a one-man/woman show, it was team work. An inspector, her journalist husband and her husband's retired cop uncle all working independently to get the culprit. And what a culprit !!

In the prologue, 9 years ago, Jennifer,a rape victim, reaches out to Lainey Henderson, a rape Councillor, sharing her gruesome experience of a home invader. He had raped her, beat her badly while calling her a slag ! This alerts Lainey, because she herself was a victim of a similar attack on her, where the man raping her had called her a slag. Jennifer disappears after this leaving behind no clue about her whereabouts.

Fast forward 9 years,a young Leah Watt barges into Stewart Street station and demands to see an Inspector immediately. Detective Inspector Rachel Narey was on shift and agreed to talk with Leah. Leah shares her experience about a man breaking into her house 3 months ago and raping,beating and calling her a slag. She tells Rachel that she had seen the man who did this to her then, and was shocked to see him the newspaper in a feature about his business. Rachel takes up the case, and soon they take Mr William Broome to court based on the photographs found in his house. There are more than 500 photographs of women, taken without their consent. But the case is thrown out in the court by Mr.Broome's lawyers and Rachel is left to face the social flak.

Rachel is left picking up the scrapes off the floor while smug Mr.Broome is confident he won't be caught. Enter Rachel's husband, Tony Winters, who's also a journalist and one day an untraceable courier is delivered to his office with supposedly destroyed photographs belonging to Broome. He begins his own investigation where he meets several ladies attacked with the same MO. With matters escalating in social flak, he asks help from his ex-cop uncle , who pitches in with some Twitter investigation of his own. Slowly but steadily, the noose is closing around Mr.Broome. But, Leah Watt who was a witness to this case has disappeared. How are they going to nab this monster ? Will any of the other victims dare to go public ? How are they going to stop twitter trolls? Who's the woman who's body has been found ? Another victim of Mr.Broome ?

The plot itself was very disturbing and scary. How can you anticipate such a personal attack in the safety of your own home ? The online trolls were ridiculously troubling ! The words, the intentions, the hate from these men claiming to be it's man's world and that women should stick to taking care of home ! It's such a brutal world out there !

" I'd see women that I liked. It could have been their face or the way they walked, it might have been their hair or their figure or the way they looked at me. If they had something about them that grabbed my attention then I'd want them. If I photographed them, I'd be able to take them home with me, look at them when I wanted. They'd be mine. "

Isn't it ironic that the MO became firm when all the victims mentioned being called a 'slag' while being beaten ?? Talk about leaving bread crumbs..

It was heart-breaking to see the turmoil and far reaching effects this experience had for different women. I loved Khalida, a victim, but such a strong woman !!

"My wounds healed pretty quickly.What didn't heal was trust. That took a long time. It took forever for the fear to go away and it probably still hasn't. Noises in the night spook me. Men approaching suddenly, men who look at me because they're attracted to me, sometimes men who have the height and built of the man who raped me. Dozens of times, I've seen tall men with light blue eyes and wondered, was it him ? That's so unfair on them and me.

It was fascinating to read how the evidences were slowly collected against this man ! I loved the last few scenes where he'd thought he was off the hook, but DI Rachel brought it home ruthlessly !! Loved the feel of a win at the end !

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Craig Robertson has delivered another cracking book. What really intrigued me here was that we're presented with the answer right from the word go. Broome is a bad man, accused of bad things, but he seems untouchable. We have the answer, and are left with the question of how anyone expose him. Love the combo of Narey and Winter. Having one of them outside the police force opens up a whole other angle to the case. The subject matter is a topical and delicate one, with privacy and stalking a regular feature in the news, so something I think all of us can relate to, and find a compelling topic to read.

I am not a fan of crime novels but I have to admit that I enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend this.

This is the first book I have read by Craig Robertson and what must I have missed! Will definitely be reading the previous books in the series, but The Photograher can easily be read as a standalone. The book is about a serial rapist and deals with some very disturbing and emotional issues, sometimes making uncomfortable reading but it is a very topical issue that is featured in the news and social media. DI Narey interviews a distraught Leah Watt, a rape victim, who claims to have recognised the rapist from a newspapers photo. The police raid the home of a well known businessman William Broome, where hundreds of photos of young women are found, taken without them knowing, The case against Broome collapses when the judge rules that the photos have to be returned to him. When rogue copies of the photos are sent to DI Narey’s husband, a journalist, he then has to try and identify the women. He finds that more than one of the victims are missing so he and DI Narey have a race against time to find evidence to convict Broome.
I found this book so compelling and gripping that I could not put it down, even reading it whilst cooking the dinner! Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have a BIG Confession to make “I have never read a book written by Craig Robertson” what a terrible book blogger I am! so my apologises to Mr Robertson in my defence I would say “I have so many books, but so little time”. Anyway I have now rectified the situation by reading The Photographer and I'm so glad I did! I loved it. I should mention this is the seventh book in the series, now I'm one of those readers that likes to start a series at the beginning as I always feel I'm at a disadvantage if I start a series midway, but strangely enough I didn't feel like this reading The Photographer, so I would say it can easily be read as a standalone.

What a read The Photographer turned out to be, compelling, thought provoking and so well plotted, it’s a book that deals with some highly emotional and disturbing themes. I must mention that every scene, every description is relevant to the plot, and although uncomfortable at times the author writes with a great deal of sensitivity and insight. This book made for a topical and a very credible read, you only have to pick up a newspaper to see such crimes are very much part of the society we live in today, alongside that comes the ugly side of human nature, the need to judge someone else, form an opinion without the facts and then trolling their venom and inflammatory comments on social media. Craig Robertson has created an array of characters who are well developed, each has a different opinion on the crimes committed, but each and everyone of them brings something to this well told story.



The author has written a compelling crime thriller but this book has so much more to offer there are so many themes that are bought to light in this book which I would like to discuss in more detail but then I would definitely be entering spoil territory which is never my intention when writing a review. What I will say is the author raises many issues, thoughts and views which in turn evoked strong emotions in myself. As I read The Photographer the tension became unbearable I found myself desperate for justice to be served for the victims. This has to be one of the best crime books I've read this year gripping, horrific and so cleverly plotted, this is one book I will be highly recommending to anyone and everyone.
Review maybe altered slightly and edited prior to publication on my blog

DI Rachel Narey is called down to the front desk during the small hours if the morning as Leah Watt a rape victim has by chance seen her attacker's picture in the newspaper.

A dawn raid on the suspect's home gives up more than they would hope for: boxes of photographs of women taken without their knowledge. However, once the case gets to court, those photographs are deemed inadmissible as evidence, the witness flees and DI Nareys case collapses. Feeling she let down her witness she carries on, with her husband Tony, a journalist, looking for other victims, plus looking out for his wife and young daughter once they become targetted by internet trolls.

I am new to this author and having enjoyed other detective stories thought I'd give this a go. I was pleased with the story, the main characters, its setting and the pace. Each chapter was well written, just the right length each time, sometimes from Nareys view, others from Winters which took the story along well. I liked the way the prologue wove its way into the story partway through too. The ending came as a slight surprise in one aspect, perhaps predictable in another but it tied it all up nicely.

I would certainly consider seeking out previous stories in this series, though The Photographer could be read as a stand-alone book without needing to read the others.

I received #ThePhotographer from #Netgalley in return for a honest review.

The Photographer was bang on target, highly addictive, horrifically beautifully written and to be honest my favourite of this series to date.

Craig Robertson tackles some currently relevant and highly emotional themes here, with a novel that is not a “whodunnit” but a “how will they catch him” story featuring our favourite duo of Narey and Winter. Not only is this a hugely impacting story but it is done with finesse and authenticity, walking that difficult to see line between entertainment and compassion pretty much to perfection.

It is scary and it is highly current in it’s underlying message, but also a real page turner with many thought provoking levels. It is a tale that evokes a genuine response in the reader, I was at turns angry, sad and, well, pretty much the gamut of all emotions, I read this in a day in a few gulped down sittings so anxious did it make me to discover the resolution.

Managing to put some unexpected outcomes in along the way, giving loyal readers of the series a good dose of the interactions we love between the two main characters, adding in a fascinating look at the problem of social media trolling and keeping it real every step of the way, The Photographer is cleverly insightful, incredibly compelling and utterly utterly gripping.

Yes. It’s a bit good.

Highly Recommended.

Reading this book was incredibly strange for two reasons. Firstly, it is about a violent, serial rapist and how a police investigation is foiled from the start, leading him to be released without a stain on his character. The book specifically references John Warboys and as I was reading it, the news came through that Warboys release from prison is not to be challenged. So this book is certainly on topic.
Secondly, and Craig Robertson’s locations are spot on throughout the book, it just so happens that he has put the serial killer’s place of business right in the building where I live. Let me tell you, that creeped me out not a little. I have taken to checking my doors are locked more than once a day now.
Despite that, this is a terrific read. The Narey and Winters combination works incredibly well and though they are in different jobs with different employers, the narrative is never less than utterly plausible and entirely convincing.
Craig Robertson has done an excellent job of ensuring that, despite the awful subject matter, the women in his book are all seen as individuals rather than victims and he describes the court and police procedure extremely well.
From the outset, we know who our rapist is. He’s a man with a profile in the business community, respected for his business achievements and not short of a few shillings. He is therefore able to hire the best defence that money can buy and to proclaim his outrage at the injustice of the police approach at every turn.
Thwarted by the legal system and burdened with guilt at letting the survivor of the rape down as a result, Narey is determined that this is one perpetrator who will not get away with his crimes, whatever it takes to prove her case.
In turn, this makes her the focus of some extremely vicious and hate filled online trolling which escalates into more than words on occasion. And when she is photographed with her baby and those photos are put online with the threats, Winters knows he has to protect his family.
The pair follow parallel lines as each takes their own path to find a way into the perpetrator’s life and to bring him to justice.
Though the violence is clear from the outset, the book handles this with sensitivity and care and there is nothing gratuitous. Rather the survivors are carefully portrayed as reacting in different ways and each has their own way of handling it and their own story to tell. It is Narey and Winters persistence and their cool heads that lead to these stories being told.
The Photographer is a gripping, compelling read with taut prose, a strong and well told storyline and characters you can believe in.
Very highly recommended.

A poignant police procedural with an unsavory crime at its core; The Photographer is creepy from the get-go.

When a self made tech company owner's home is raided, a collection of photographs is discovered hidden in a floor cavity containing snapshots of women in public who are clearly unaware of their picture having being taken. Some of these women, it is later discovered had been the victim of a vicious assault and rape - the perpetrator, however, was unidentifiable at the time.

Through police work and investigative journalism, the perpetrator's ties to freedom begin to fray, while Narey's personal life comes under threat from online bullying which raises questions over her families safety such is the profile of the case.

Despite being book #7 in the Narey and Winters series, The Photographer reads perfectly well as a standalone. I haven't read any of the earlier books and didn't feel 'lost' at all.

My rating: 3/5, largely formulaic, readers know what they're getting into with The Photographer. The courtroom and case technicalities combined with legal tricks and journalistic schemes are hallmarks of this genre and all are well written, plotted and fit the tone of the narrative perfectly.

Okay. It's official. I am useless. I admit it. Useless because, in spite of having had Murderabilia on my shelf for over twelve months, I've still not read it. In fact ... I'm more useless than that as The Photographer is the first Narey and Winter book I have read proving what a complete fool I have been as this was a cracking read and I know I have been missing out terribly.

Confessions over, I guess I should tell you why huh? Well - it's hard to explain but I think that a lot of people will understand however badly I explain it. First up, this is, technically, a very easy book to read. The characters, as you would probably expect from a series, are so well developed, so real, that in spite of this being my first introduction, I didn't feel at too much of a disadvantage and was easily able to pick up with them and liked them instantly. It is clear I've missed something - do not tell me wha, I shall go back and read for myself - but for anyone new to this series, this won't stop you from reading the book and understanding what is what and who is who. and the quality of writing, the narrative style and pacing , is absolutely fantastic. It just flowed. No awkward moments, no questions unanswered and no doubt that from the moment I started reading I was absolutely absorbed by the book. 100%. That is what I mean by it is an easy book to read. Quality writing that engages and often enrages but reels you in like a fish on a hook.

Because ... compared to that it is easy to say that, subject wise, this is less easy to read. Less palatable and, by a cruel twist of fate that so often occurs when drawing inspiration from real events, so incredibly topical right now. This is a book about a serial rapist. No ifs, no buts. They are not what people may expect, not an obvious monster, although their actions are monstrous. They hide in plain sight, a respectable member of society. And this becomes a true battle of nerve as Narey knows who has done it but lacks the ability to prove it, the entire story then becoming the journey to prove his guilt. And the book itself refers to a major case which has been dominating headlines of late, proving that such a serial offender can and does sadly exist.

Rightly or wrongly, it has to be acknowledged that this is a very brave book for any male writer to attempt right now. With all the horror stories in the media about abuse of power and position by strong male authority figures, for any man to attempt to portray the impact of rape upon women could easily be taken in entirely the wrong way. It shouldn't matter who is writing this story but, as things stand, it sadly does.

It might be tempting to over compensate, to justify the rape as an act of evil as men are evil and used to having power over women. It might be easy to simplify the portrayal of the victim, that all women who suffer sexual assault become either quivering wrecks or gung-ho warriors for justice. Nothing is that straight forward. The relationship between abused and their friends and family, how they interact with others and their reaction to the abuse they suffer is far more complex than that. And while you would like to think all men should be outraged and up in arms about what has happened, demanding justice, life is not that simple for men either.

In truth there is no one size fits all reaction to this kind of serial abuse and there is no simple explanation for why a person should choose to commit rape either. I have to take my hat off to Mr Robertson as I think he has reflected this perfectly in the book and the way in which he has approached it is just right. There is no justification, no simply writing the perpetrator off as being born evil, and yet there is no absolute ruling out of that fact either. In that respect the reader is allowed to pass their own judgement.

For me, Winter's reaction as he tries to get into the mind of the rapist is very telling, perhaps the most honest depiction of how most, but not all, men would react. The fact he is torn between the recognition of some of the victims or potential victims as beautiful women, the inability to completely shut off from natural reaction he has to the attraction, but his acknowledgement that to take things any further, even just the act of investigating the women without their knowledge makes him feel seedy. And then the overriding need to protect his family - his wife, his daughter - pushing him on above all else. This ... this is the reaction most men would be expected to feel. Most ...

But sadly not all. There are the opposite kinds of people out there. The keyboard warriors, the permanently angry. The misogynistic, chauvinistic, vicious kind of haters who will gladly accept any reason to put women down and accept a slanted and corrupt version of the truth. They are all represented here. The truly negative side of social media laid bare and threatening Narey and her daughter. This adds an element of threat to an already dark case, but not enough to hold either Narey or Winter back. If anything it spurs them on and makes the reader even more engaged in seeing the guilty brought to justice. And the guilty party is never hidden. It's not one of those kind of cases. Their aggression is there for all to see, but not enough for anything to stick. Yet, like a cheap Teflon pan, that non-stick quality is only effective until the coating starts to flake. It is just up to Narey and Winter to find that first little chip, grab a hold and peel it all back.

Which brings me back to feeling like a fool. A complete tool for not having read any of these books before. I'm going to have to make it my mission to catch up as this is a writer too good to miss. The balance of this book, the way in which the atrocities are depicted in such clear terms but without being gratuitous, the fine line walked between outright condemnation and a simple portrayal of the complicated truth of this kind of case and people's reactions to it, be it the victims or simply those who follow it on the news, even the individual reactions of the victims, is pretty much perfect. A difficult subject but extremely well handled, avoiding cliché but not avoiding the harsh reality of the situation.