Unbelievably good ! The pace is furious you can feel the energy and emotions as this story unfurled

The characters are well drawn and balanced nicely with the action. Little baby Moses quietly gurgling away while all hell lets loose around him !

Lots going on - it’s in my home patch do I know the geography well and it all fits together into the story - no gaping howlers

Read and enjoy - just remember to breathe

This book follows on directly from the previous novel and whilst I've read and enjoyed the rest of the series I really struggled with this one.
Far too many characters, mixed up locations, side plots and pointless angles. The author seems to have lost her way a little with this book and I hope we see a return to form in future.

I did not realise that this is part of a series. Nonetheless I read it and I am glad I did.

Plot
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?

DCI Colin Anderson has no time to ponder the loss of his partner of twenty years. With a badly beaten body found on a remote mountain pass; a woman with a serious head wound who won't communicate in any way; and a substantial pool of blood discovered at the edge of Loch Lomond, Police Scotland have their hands full. Could there be any connection to Costello's disappearance ...?

I love books about police procedures and this one features DI Costello and DCI Colin Anderson. I did struggle a bit initially because I hadn't read the previous books but once I updated myself with the gist of it I powered on easily.
It is quite well plotted and an entertaining read. I love the gritty atmosphere created by the author. Sets up the mood and tone of the book.
I am definitely going to go back and read the other books because I enjoyed reading this one and immersing myself in the lives of the main protagonists.

I recommend others to read in chronological order as well. It will make for a way better reading experience.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read the previous books in the series but The Sideman works perfectly fine as a stand alone story.

While this isn’t the strongest thriller I’ve read it’s enjoyable with believable characters and an interesting plot.
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

This follows on from the 9th in the series so you cant just dive in and pick up the background of the characters, however it is still a very good read.

Di Costello has resigned following the frustration of a previous case and noone knows where she is, her colleagues are left to pick up the pieces and deal with an amnesiac women found in Glasgow centre, could this be unrelated to the casenthat led to Costello leaving ?

Interesting and unusual thriller,took a while for all the parts to come together.
Liked the characters and their stories and struggles.

I never repeat the blurb. I gave up with this in the end. Just didn't care enough. I'd LOVED previous instalments but this became overly complicated, unnecessarily so, and there were just too many characters and participants, leading to a disjointed feeling and in the end, life is too short to persevere with a book you're not enjoying. Sadly this means I shall no longer even attempt books by this writer.

The latest novel in the Anderson and Costello detective series should, ideally, be read straight after finishing ‘The Suffering of Strangers’ and certainly not without reading the latter first. ‘The Sideman’ follows on directly from the brutal murders of Abigail Haggerty and her seven-year-old son Malcolm, beginning with DI Costello’s letter of resignation from the force. She has lost faith in the institution given that everyone is ignoring her strong belief that the murderer is George Haggerty, husband and father of the dead. Not long after this Costello goes missing and Anderson is concerned that she may be mixed up in the death of another police officer.
Caro Ramsey gives us a Character List at the outset of the story. Not necessarily an aide to lift the reader’s spirits. Its presence can suggest numerous unmemorable characters and in this rambling story of plot, sub-plots, red herrings and sometimes very loosely tied ends, this is in fact the case. Of course, fans of ‘The Suffering of Strangers’ will be keen to find out what happens next and, for that reason, I am sure that ‘The Sideman’ will fly off the shelf. However, this follow-up is a rambling tale featuring many under-developed characters, questionable motives and implausible links.
Overall, this novel is not representative of the usual quality of Ramsey’s popular detective series. Let’s hope she’s back to form in her next publication.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Black Thorn for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.