Leigh Russell delivers a gripping and atmospheric crime novel with Guilt Edged, another strong entry in her popular Geraldine Steel series. The book follows Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel as she tackles a complex and chilling murder case that unearths more secrets than expected. Russell’s ability to craft a compelling mystery, paired with her knack for creating multi-dimensional characters, makes Guilt Edged a thoroughly engaging read.

What an awful book. I didn’t like the level of bullying towards the main character.
This made me feel so uncomfortable

This is the seventeenth adventure for DI Geraldine Steel, and as you can imagine, there is quite a bit of history now in this great series. Geraldine's life has been varied, finding out she was adopted and helping her newly discovered birth sister escape the clutches of a drug dealer which led to her getting demoted from the rank of Detective Inspector to Sergeant as a result. She moved to York and found herself working for her former sergeant, Ian Petersen, now a DI and a man she has secretly been in love with for a long time.
The man was ten years old when he witnessed his mother drown to death. Later in life, when memories of his mother bring his nightmares back, he selects a victim and becomes familiar with his routine. As George Gardner takes his final breath, the man takes his revenge on Death and his nightmares abate. It’s not long before DI Geraldine Steel and DI Ian Petersen, finally living together and determined to make a go of things (hurrah!), are called to the murder scene. With no obvious cause of death, they must wait for the post mortem. They discover George was suffocated and DNA on a scarf leads them to a prime suspect, a man who swears he is innocent. Geraldine is unsure when he is arrested – the evidence is tenuous at best – and harbours these doubts until he finally gets an alibi and is released. Was Geraldine right to listen to her gut instinct or has she just put more lives in danger? As the killer scans the newspapers for details of the police investigation, he revels in the fact that he has now made a deal with Death. But how long will it last until he needs to kill again?
With a dazzling array of guilty looking people who all seem to be hiding something and a very clever killer determined to carry out his ruthless plan, it’s not surprising the detectives are baffled by evidence which seems almost too good to be true. There is plenty of action and intrigue for the reader in this great twisty and riveting plot. Geraldine shows herself to be as dogged and tenacious as ever as she tries to convince her colleagues about her theories but is she the only one who should be questioning themselves? Another super addition to one of my favourite series from an author who simply never disappoints. 5*

Who is right Geraldine or her team. The evidence points to one suspect but is he guilty? Full of twists ,A good read which will keep you guessing.

This is the seventeenth book in the series featuring Detective Geraldine Steel and her team and it certainly didn’t disappoint. They are called out to the murder of a man in a seemingly motiveless attack but find DNA from an apparent stranger on the body. He is then arrested but released when he is given an alibi but when a second body turns up with his DNA again he is rearrested. Everyone but Geraldine are convinced that he is the murderer so she starts to investigate on her own as she is convinced he is innocent, I am really enjoying this series which is set in and around York, a place I am very familiar with. I found this book a very enjoyable read and I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The latest Geraldine Steele instalment, and it did not let me down.
Leigh Russell had me hooked from the first chapter, and did not let me down!
Geraldine does not believe the evidence that is being presented to her and is at odds with her team about this, but is she right?

Great read and unputdownable

I'm a huge fan of Leigh Russell, and this book did not disappoint! Highly recommended, fast paced from start to end.

I enjoyed this story, it was well written, had good narrative and good pacing and the characters were well developed and relatable. I read this quickly and would definitely recommend it

Another great book in the Geraldine Steel series
Will have you guessing right from the start
Can’t wait for the next in the series
Thanks NetGalley

Not my usual genre but good all the same and made me keep wanting to read more. A well written book. Well done.

Once again Leigh has knocked it out of the park with this outing for Geraldine and co! ‘Guilt Edged’ is the 17th book in the series and it looks at the people left over after a crime takes place and the injustices they may be subjected to or feel. I found the psychology behind this case fascinating although I must say I did know who the main baddie was going to be from quite early on. However, the twist at the end of this one I was certainly not expecting and did not see that one coming at all.

In this book we see the story unfolding from Geraldine’s and the perpetrator viewpoint and it was great to have that balance in the narrative. I also liked the nod to how witnesses ‘truths’ vary depending on how long a period as past. This was something Imran Mahmood brought up at a panel at Bloody Scotland as he has this experience as a barrister. He suggested that the public would be scared if they knew how a witnesses memory can decay to practically being nonexistent by they time trials reach court!

Geraldine is a character I have always felt a connection with and I especially felt that with her moral sense of what's right and wrong in this case. I hope I would be the one pushing for answers even if there is a seemingly simple explanation in front of my face. It was also satisfying to see Geraldine and Ian start to find themselves on a more grounded footing.

I found this one fascinating - the debate of how injustice can lead to the spiralling of circumstances and lead to more injustice.

Let me know if you read this one!

Guilt edged by Leigh Russell.
A DI Geraldine Steel Thriller Book 17.
An inoffensive man is murdered in a seemingly motiveless attack. Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel and her team are baffled, until DNA from an apparent stranger is discovered on the victim's body.
Geraldine is not convinced the suspect is guilty. When a witness comes forward to offer the suspect an alibi, Geraldine lets him go. That night, a second murder is committed. The evidence points to the suspect who has just been released.
As Geraldine attempts to make sense of the suspect's complex history, he goes on the run. Even his wife appears to condemn him. Only Geraldine still doubts that he is to blame for the murders, but is she prompted by her own guilt for having released him to kill again?
As the story races towards a breathtaking twist, Geraldine is tormented by self-doubt, and struggles to focus all her attention on the case. Someone is lying and the police must uncover the truth before anyone else is killed...
A very good read with good characters. I do love this author. Great story and characters. 4*.

This is book 17 in the Geraldine Series which also features Ian Peterson who briefly had his own series. The pair of them have a rather chequered past, both together and separately so, for full enjoyment, I would recommend reading all those books first. That said, the main story is self-contained but you might not quite appreciate the characters if you just dive straight in.
In this book, Geraldine finds reasons to doubt her ability. Track record notwithstanding she does something that has repercussions which she believes to be her own fault. But I'll start at the beginning. A man is murdered and the police are clueless until they get a DNA hit. A suspect is arrested but released by Geraldine when alibied out. There's another attack and this is where Geraldine starts to worry it's her fault. Instead of getting support, fingers start to point and this really doesn't help her powers of investigation as she starts second guessing everything going forward, impacting on the case.
I have to admit that this book wasn't the strongest in the series. There's a bit too much personal stuff going on - what with Geraldine and Ian and their "relationship". And for most of the book Geraldine is just not herself. That said, the case is interesting enough and although I did guess some things early, I definitely didn't see the half of it coming.
All the rest of what I love about the author is present herein. The story gets on with itself very well, there's no superfluous padding or waffle. Characterisation is good and the plot is tight.
All in all, although not as good as some, a worthy addition to the series nonetheless. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I've been a fan of Leigh Russell's books since day one and I think this is her best work yet. Geraldine, Ian et al have a really baffling case on their hands, a seemingly motiveless murder. The way the author delved into the psyche of the killer and showed how twisted someone can become was inspired and kept me reading long into the night. I read a lot of crime fiction and love to try to work out who the perpetrator is but I don't mind saying that this book had me stumped. It was shock after shock and a couple of twists that left me speechless. Definitely worthy of 5 stars

In this story we are given a rather unexplained murder followed by another however Geraldine is not convinced that they have the right man in custody as the evidence is too obvious. She is now working alongside her partner Ian who is a bit sceptical of her views but at the same time moving in with her. If I am being honest, it is not the best book in the series however Leigh still weaves her plot well and as the reader, you are kept wondering "is he? isn't he...guilty!"
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Another very good read from this talented author. I love that the main female detective is unsure of herself at times; both at work and in her private life. Great plot and nice twist near the end.

Always an enjoyable read from Leigh Russell. One of those books that you simply pick up and keep reading until you have to put it down for another day. Recommend.

Another first class Geraldine Steel thriller just what you expect from Leigh Russell. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to Oldcastle books and Netgalley for this review copy.

I really enjoy the series of books to feature Geraldine Steel but this one I struggled with slightly. The book opens with the murder of a man and the usual suspects but the plot was just a bit too hard to believe. The story is told between Geraldine and the killer and there were a few good twists in the tale. I liked the character of the suspect's wife, I had a degree of sympathy for her as the story unfolded. This is a well established series which I have always enjoyed but this is not my favourite read. Having said that, I would recommend the series to lovers of the genre. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

George Gardner is killed while out cycling on a Saturday morning. There seems to be no motive for the murder and the police are beginning to think that it's a random attack. When DNA is found on a scarf left at the murder scene an arrest is made; Ben Foster's DNA was in the system following an accident which led to him being charged with careless driving. DI Geraldine Steel isn't convinced that Ben Foster is the perpetrator though and is relieved when an eyewitness comes along to corroborate his alibi. When another murder occurs where Ben is implicated Geraldine fears that she has released him to kill again.

Always enjoy reading this series by Leigh Russell and this was another great instalment.

Thanks to Netgalley, Oldcastle Books and Leigh Russell for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.