No one thought that it could happen and can't quite believe that it has: Costello has resigned from Police Scotland. It's all down to her pursuit of George Haggerty whom she believes to be responsible for the murder of Abigail Haggerty (his wife) and Malcolm (her son). Haggerty has a water-tight alibi (caught speeding by Police Scotland, no less) and the powers that be have told Costello to lay off: she's decided to go her own way rather than be hampered by the badge. She didn't even bother telling her long-time partner, DCI Colin Anderson, that she was going. Since then there might have been the occasional text from her, but that's it.

If you've been a long-time followers of Caro Ramsay's Anderson and Costello series then you won't have much trouble in keeping up with what seems like a cast of thousands. For the newcomer it's a little confusing in the early stages of the story, but do persist, because there's a good story waiting for you. Costello was pretty much on her own when it came to believing George Haggerty to be guilty and the team from Police Scotland now find themselves handling the case of a badly-beaten body dumped on a mountain pass, and a substantial amount of blood found at the edge of Loch Lomond. There's also a woman with a serious head wound who won't - or can't - communicate with anyone. Where's Costello, when she's needed?

They might not have Costello, but Complaints - the police who investigate the police - are there. DI Bannon might be able to play good cop, but DCI Diane Mathieson is having no problem in playing bad cop.

Once you've got all the characters sorted in your own mind you'll be able to settle into a very tightly-written mystery, which twisted in ways that I didn't expect. I suspected what was behind the initial killings but Caro Ramsay makes her characters work hard to get the outcome - and it involves people you didn't think would be involved.

As well as reading the book, I listened to an audio download (which I bought myself) narrated by Cathleen McCarron. McCarron wouldn't be my first choice of narrator as I felt that she had a limited supply of 'voices' and, on occasions, struggled with the men and children. DI Bannon's voice seemed particularly contorted, even if it was distinctive. I know that I'm being very picky about this as it didn't stop me listening to the whole of the download in two sessions.

I enjoyed the book. If you read primarily for the involvement of Winifred Costello you might be a little disappointed, but it certainly won't stop me looking about for the next book in this engaging series. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy.

The Sideman by Caro Ramsey.
Detective Inspector Costello has resigned. No notice, no goodbyes. Convinced that George Haggerty murdered his wife and son despite his cast-iron alibi, Costello has gone solo, determined to expose a ruthless killer without being hampered by police protocol. But is she right about Haggerty's guilt? And where has she disappeared to?
A really enjoyable read. I liked the story and some of the characters. 4*.

I felt that this book was not as good as the previous one. It is still a good read and I would read more books in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

First off, you need to read The Suffering of Strangers to understand The Sideman. I rarely say this when I jump in mid-way through a series, as I can usually figure out the who’s and when’s and how’s. When I read other reviews stating this, I dismissed the comments. But this time, I should’ve listened. You can read it as a standalone; I did. But you might be frustrated at not knowing the background and the characters’ complicated relationships.

Think of The Sideman and The Suffering of Strangers as one big book chopped into two smaller ones. That’s my impression, anyway.

Thankfully, Caro Ramsey provides a list of characters and their role. I spent a lot of time flipping back to that page to make certain I understood who was whom. Trying to piece together the plot of a novel while reading another novel was distracting. I rather wish she’d simply put both books together into one! The publisher might not have liked that, but it would’ve made things clearer.

But my confusion wasn’t enough to turn me off from the book and this series; other readers may feel otherwise.

Plot
Caro Ramsey is excellent at building suspense through this book. Even toward the end, I struggled to see how all the elements fit together. She does a terrific job keeping all the various attacks, assaults, and deaths spinning with multiple possible interpretations.

The Suffering of Strangers featured a sensational case: the brutal stabbing deaths of a mother and her preteen son. Costello and her lover, Archie Walker, discover the brutalized bodies. The press has been all over the police to solve the crime, and continues to titillate the public with lurid details disguised as investigative reporting.

It’s a tough crime to read about. Lots of novels have gruesome murders but this one left me feeling gutted. After reading Costello’s angry resignation letter, I felt connected to her and other sympathetic characters. Costello’s rage and sorrow made me feel the needlessness of the deaths. And then, the possibility that the mom opened the door to her own killer . . . that it was someone she knew and trusted. Chilling.

Characters
There are many characters to keep track of in the book. This isn’t a bad thing! But the relationships are complex and it would’ve helped to have read the first book. The line between work and private life doesn’t exist. There are also two different police forces to deal with and not all the characters from one police department know each other.

There’s also the continuing developments from The Suffering of Strangers. Colin Anderson now has a grandson by a now-deceased daughter he didn’t know existed until the previous book. That daughter had been adopted by George Haggerty, so naturally Haggerty thinks of baby Moses as his grandson, too. He feels free to stop by the Anderson house for chit-chats with Colin Anderson and catch-up time with the baby.

That Haggerty is a suspect in the gruesome deaths of his wife and son and Anderson is a homicide investigator complicates the two men’s relationship. Anderson wants to move forward from the case, but it’s difficult.

Ramsey even develops some minor characters. One person who could’ve been a caricature shows unexpected strength and plays a pivotal role in helping the investigation.

Costello doesn’t show up as much as I expected. However, I got to “know” her through the thoughts, actions, and words of others. But thanks to her resignation letter–the prologue of the book–I sensed a woman who is frustrated with the system and guilt-ridden by her own perceived failure to protect others. She’s moralistic, and while her work partner of twenty years can reel her in, once she resigns, Costello cuts off Anderson and the rest of the world.

Violence
Various other crimes complicate these relationships. Some of the crimes happened in The Suffering of Strangers, some in the distant past, and some are ongoing and unknown. Drugs, baby-selling, stabbings . . . it’s a violent book.

Many of the characters appear traumatized. Valerie, the dead mother’s sister, is an alcoholic. She’s still recovering from being strangled (!) in the previous book. At one point, she awakens in a hotel room, hungover and struggling to remember what happened. She has soiled herself, doesn’t know what she has or hasn’t done, and is deeply ashamed. Ramsey describes Valerie’s emotions so poignantly that I felt the woman’s shame. She’s a sad but compelling character to me.

Narrative Style
This is the second book I’ve read recently that had long monologues from characters that didn’t always include dialogue tags. At several points, I wasn’t certain which of the possible two to four characters was speaking. As I’ve run across this twice in police procedurals by UK authors, I wonder if this is simply a US vs. UK style-issue.

There were also some “throwaway” characters, ones that show up only to discover a major clue/the body/etc., and never reappear. Given that there were already so many characters to keep track of, this needlessly complicated things, especially at the beginning when I was still trying to figure out who was important. (Especially true in this novel, where the backstory is VERY important.) If I read two or three pages about a particular character’s actions, I tend to believe that person will be important somehow later on. Then, when it’s clear they were the dramatic extras, it’s disappointing. Maybe not everyone is like this, though.

Recommended
I think many readers of police procedurals will enjoy this, especially fans of previous Caro Ramsey novels. I recommend reading The Suffering of Strangers first, though. I’m adding that to my to-be-read list!

Thanks to Black Thorn Books and Netgalley for a free copy of The Sideman by Caro Ramsey in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be released on my blog on May 6, 2020.

I literally read this book in ONE sitting (which probably isn't as hard for most people anymore, with the stay at home order and all...). I love how this book delves into issues plaguing both Anderson and Costello, making them feel very real ad honest characters. Costello knows her instinct is right, but up against solid evidence, she has to prove to everyone she is right. But as more oddities arise, even Anderson begins to wonder if the police are being played. A well done cat and mouse game, this roller coaster read will asking when the next book in the series is (this is book 10), and wanting to go back and read the previous 9 in the series!

This is a very good series, featuring Anderson and Costello, although I would recommend reading the previous book, The Suffering of Strangers first. This book follows on and builds on the previous plot. Costello resigns from Police Scotland and disappears, convinced that George Haggerty has murdered his wife and son. It is a bit of a puzzling plot as Costello really does not feature much. I enjoy this series, it's gritty and full of interesting characters and I really advise readers to start with book one, you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Net Galley and Severn House for my ARC.

Anderson and Costello #10

Costellomhas handed in her notice and disappeared. Where has she gone? She's convinced that Goerge Haggerty murdered his wife and son despite the fact that he has a cast iron alibi. Anderson is working on cold cases, trying to solve them before they are closed for good. Further developments have Anderson wondering if Haggerty really is innocent, but can they gather any evidence to prove this?

You do have to have read the last book in this series, Thr Suffering Of Strangers before you read this book as this is a continuation from that story. There is a ,ot of characters to keep track of. You need to keep a clear mind whilst reading. This story is complex, fast paced and gritty. I was quickly caught up, needing to know if Costello was going to get her man. But we don't hear a lot from her. We focus more on Anderson's work and home life. A great read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Cannongate and the author Caro Ramsay for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maybe this was too high brow for me, but I found it difficult to get into. There are many characters to keep track of. Granted there is a list with a brief description of how each character relates to another person but that’s 25 people to keep track of. The story is written with small vignettes that are sometimes seemingly unrelated but of course they culminate into a whodunit ending. I did persevere and did appreciate the storytelling but this is not a quick casual read.

I hate to say this but I didn't enjoy this book. For me there were just too many characters that were just "there" without any introduction and too much going on that I couldn't follow. This is part of a series and I wouldn't say that it read well as a stand alone book. Had I read the previous books I suspect that I would have enjoyed it more.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this boo in exchange for an honest review.

DCI Costello provides the focus for this Detective Crime novel.
Although at times I somehow got a little lost with the references to so many characters and their relationships I did become involved and concerned for those involved.
If you like Detective crime novels, especially those involving DCI Costello, you will enjoy this. I would award it a 4 1/2 star rating.
Thank you to Black Thorn Publishers (Canongate) and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you've read any of Caro Ramsay's Anderson and Costello series before then you'll want to read this one also. While it can be read as a standalone I'd strongly recommend reading the previous book The Suffering of Strangers first as the events in The Sideman directly follow from that book. At times I found it difficult to remember who all the characters were and I had read the previous book! To be honest I'd go back to the first book Absolution and follow through from there but you can certainly jump in later in the series. On a separate issue I see my request for the next Ramsay book The Red Red Snow has been declined. Ah well you can't win them all. I shall be buying it anyway as I'm a fan of the serious.

Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for ARC.

#TheSideman #NetGalley I had read the previous book in this series 'The Suffering of Strangers' and I was keen to know what had happened where the previous book left off. However, I found the cast of characters and the relationships between them totally confusing and I was left scratching my head on many occasions. When the author has to list a very long list of characters and heir relationships at the beginning of the book, it did ring some alarm bells. I would say that this definitely could not be read as a stand alone. The chapters are extremely long which personally, I always find off putting and within the chapter the book switches from scene to scene without any real links and it all seems very disjointed. I persevered with this book and the underlying storyline is a good one but I did not really enjoy it and I didn't think it was up to the previous books standard. I am now torn as to whether to read the next in the series.

The Sideman is a very gritty and atmospheric police series .I hadn't realised that this was the 10th in the series so had never met the characters before or their stories before and the reader really does need to have read at least some of the books especially The Suffering of Strangers previously, in order to enjoy and understand this book.I found it a struggle with all the many characters and their history's to keep up with .Nevertheless I did enjoy the story but a stand alone book it is not .I am going to read the previous book so that I can understand this one more fully .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my review book n return for an honest review .

The whole premis of this book depends on having read the one before it in the series, luckily I had, but couldn't remember it sufficiently to get into this book. It assumed too much previous knowledge. I re read the previous book before giving this another go, and then really enjoyed it. Not a standalone novel, so would be a shame if someone purchased it before reading the previous one and then gave it a bad review on Amazon.

The title of this book is the key to getting the point of it. There are many strands which take some time to be brought together. It also jumps from one part of the story to another without warning and you can be well into the next bit before you link it up to what has gone before. That can make for a bewildering read. There are also many of the families interconnected and too close to the events particularly given their professional roles. That can make it hard to believe it would have been allowed to happen. The setting of the Highland parts is well written if a bit too descriptive. The ending would have been more satisfactory if the culprits had been arrested not killed. But remember; the 'Sideman' means it is never the obvious person,it is his sidekick.

An intricate and confusing storyline, Interwoven puzzle of events, not everyone’s cup of tea I didn’t feel it was up to the normal high standard of Scottish based crime novels. Nevertheless worth a read.

It took me a while to get into this book. I found it confusing, in the sense that I found it difficult to remember who everyone was and the chapters did not always seem to be related to each other. It did all come together towards the end though, which is why I have given it 4 stars .It is well paced and is quite believable. Characters well described on the whole
This is one of a series, I don't normally mind not reading the books in order, but I think it would have helped this time because I didn't have the background information about the characters... this is the first one I have read by this author , though I will try and catch more of the series
Thankyou to net galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review . Thanks also to the author and publisher for an interesting read

The Sideman was a great story badly told. Too many characters and some strange interpersonal relationships. I found it confusing in its deployment and the numerous angles which tried to build the story as a whole. Jumping from person to person, military to police and location to location with but a paragraph’s spacing. The ‘stop box’ at first sight seemed a cunning device. However, the VW camper engine has a magnesium-alloy engine casing which is non-magnetic. You could possibly attach a magnet to one of the cast-iron cylinders but are you certain that the temperatures of the cylinders wouldn’t cross the Curie boundary making the magnet devoid of magnetism? Furthermore the VW camper is a ‘lifestyle’ vehicle with a rear mounted engine a long way from the driver who would probably be listening to the Beach Boys blasting through the sound system. Not a Good Vibration’s chance in hell of hearing a few steel balls clunking in a small tobacco tin before it fell off! However, I will give it a four star rating as underneath it all there was something very creative.

I would like to thank #Netgalley , #Canongate and #Blackthorne for the opportunity to read an advanced copy #Thesideman in exchange for an honest review.

It's my first book by Caro Ramsay and although you can read it as a stand alone, I feel that it will be easier to follow the story if you have read the previous books. I do have to say, you will want to read the previous books once you finish this one!

Following previous events, Detective Costello goes solo, in the pursue to find the truth about who murdered a woman and her son. DI Costello is convinced it was that George Haggerty, the father and husband, but with a solid alibi, he can't be considered guilty, forcing DI Costello to go rogue, resign and disappear.
In the meantime, DCI Anderson has more and more cases pilling up, and although his partner's disappearance is becoming increasingly worrying, he has his own cases to solve.

With a great plot, filled with suspense and really vivid description of beautiful Scotland, this book was a great read. I would have wamted a little bit more of background on what happened, but it is completely possible to read this book as a stand alone without missing any relevant parts on this plot.

The narrators vary but are mostly focus on DCI Anderson and again, it is easy to follow. I really enjoyed all the mystery and how there were so many twists and turns that make this book so unpredictable. Some readers may find it frustrating they cannot puzzle it together and understand what one thing has to do with the other, but I find it quite gripping and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The characters are really interesting and have very distinct personalities and this made it all even more belieavable.


Overall, The Sideman is a great read and I would really recommended it. I have added the previous books to my list of books to read.

First in the series for me a true tense rollercoaster of a read.Well drawn characters will be reading the rest of the series.#netgalley#cannongate