Another case for the Policing Standards Reassurance Team to investigate which is great news if you like reading action-packed, high-octane police thrillers. Don’t get too hung up on procedures and form filling, bang up those bad guys. Mr Lancaster has done it again with another fast paced, gripping page turner, in keeping with the style of the previous three.

The team come across the case by accident when Max’s wife Katie asks him to look into a case of a missing girl. Katie is a paralegal at a firm of immigration solicitors and the girl, Affrodita (Affi), is a client. She’s Albanian and was trafficked to the UK aged twelve and eventually rescued by the authorities whilst making a drugs delivery to Scotland. Now three years later she is settled with foster parents in the Highlands of Scotland but has gone missing whilst out for a training run. She's now happy and well adjusted, her foster parents cannot believe she has decided to just run away. A bit of digging by Max and Janie reveals a fud of an ex-boyfriend and a bit of help from Barney the helpful former spook provides an opening. She’s clearly been kidnapped using information from a bent copper, so it becomes a live case for them.

Plot the centres on the search for Affi, the tracking down of the rogue policing elements and bringing the Albanian gang to justice. Its straightforward and linear but well thought out and put together, there is some guile, but what it lacks in complexity it more than makes up for in action, bloodshed, and jeopardy.
Keeping a small investigation team allows tight plotting and control over the storyline. Barney comes in to do his magic with the technology and phones and the regular part of the investigation is handed over to DCI Marnie Leslie, but the action centres on the team.

The themes are up right to date and sadly a true reflection of the problems faced by Britain and Europe. Human trafficking into slavery (in this case drug running) and prostitution with no regards to humanity or life together with weak, corrupt men in power.

The subject matter may be serious but there’s still room for lighter moments too. The banter between the officers is a good as usual. There’s a great cameo by Lewis McPhail the ex-boyfriend of Affi. He’s four years older but somewhat behind her in maturity terms and is a wannabe Gangsta and gets all Bolshie to be pulled by the ‘Feds’. He thinks he’s Hip Hop but comes over as a Scottish version of the man from the Staines ghetto, a sort of Ali McG. Silly but hilarious and the sad thing is if you go to any small town, you will find young men like him.

There’re some lovely little touches that bring the characters to life, like when they become worried that they can’t find Barney because he’s left his baccy pouch behind so it must be serious. There’s a little more filling in of a character’s back story with a surprise that shocks everyone (including the reader so no spoiler.) Hoxhaj is a menacing crime boss, and you can practically smell Enver his rank oversized bodyguard.


I would like to thank Net Galley for access to this novel in exchange for a fair review.

Affi Smith loves to run; as she puts one foot in front of another, pounding the mountains and parkland near her home she can forget everything else. For someone who is only fifteen years old Affi has a lot she would rather not remember but others have long memories too and although she doesn't know it yet the young long distance runner is in grave danger.

DS Max Craigie and his partner, DC Janie Calder are, amazingly, going through a quiet spell at work so when Max's wife, Katie, asks for his help he readily agrees. One of the foster children she works with has disappeared without trace, but what seems initially to be a simple case soon becomes anything but. Before long, Max and his team find themselves investigating confidentiality breaches and police corruption at the highest level while also hunting an assailant who won't hesitate to destroy anyone who stands in their way.

Book four in this brilliant series once again hits all the right notes. The action is relentlessly fast moving, while the original characters are scarily compelling and, in some cases, downright evil. Add to this the familiarity and expertise of the main protagonists, and the gallows humour seamlessly slipped into all their scenes, and you have a Scottish Highlands recipe for crime fiction of the highest quality. I loved this, one of my books of the year.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is an excellent book that is easy to recommend.

📚📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖📚

📖 Book - Blood Runs Cold
✍️ Author - Neil Lancaster
📕 Publisher - HQ Digital
🗓 Publication Date - 13th April

Apologies if my review is a bit more short than usual. In bed with a bug, but this book is out tomorrow, and really wanted my review done before its release!

So this was book 4 in the Max Craigie series. Good to see Max partner Janie back again, Max wife in the storyline more and also the ‘beloved boss’ Ross. Now I love the character of Max but as I’ve said before, Ross is my absolute favourite. He makes me laugh so much. He always brings a little light into a bad situation.
There is a conversation in the book about a prosthetic limb … I’m still laughing about it now, a couple days later!

This series was the first books I have read by this author but I’m really curious to have a look at his others, when I can.

Fingers and toes there is a book 5! The characters have so much more to give!!
5 star plus for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plus

Thanks #netgalley #HQdigital , #neillancaster

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Affie Smith is a talented runner. It is something she learned to love whilst coming to terms with the trauma she went through as a trafficked twelve year old. It is her fifteenth birthday & for the last three years she had been safe with her caring foster parents in the Scottish Highlands. After initial teething troubles, over the last year she has settled well. When she didn't arrive at the pick-up point her foster mother is frantic. She gets in touch with Katie, DS Max Craigie's wife. As he and his partner, DC Janie Calder are not too busy with their unit dealing with police corruption at the moment they come up to investigate. Before long it seems that Affie may have fallen foul of the violent Albanian gang she escaped from.

This story deals with some very dark nasty events, but the interaction between Max & his team stop the narrative from becoming depressing. It was a totally engaging read & a good addition to a great series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Blood Runs Cold is the next in the DS Craigie series, and is as packed full of crime and corruption as the previous books. This time the team are on the trail of an Albanian gang, responsible for people trafficking, prostitution and a lot of grisly violence. But how are they staying one step ahead of the police? There are plenty of twists and turns throughout the story, with a fair amount of shocks thrown in for good measure.

Blood Runs Cold is an excellent fast paced read, perfect for Line of Duty fans.

Contemporarily relevant, with an authentic investigative team and a twisty plot, make this story compelling reading. Told from multiple viewpoints, the reader is given an omnipotent view of events that keeps you invested and part of the investigation. It's a dark and disturbing story with plenty of surprises. The vibrant characters and vivid settings make this believable and events easy to imagine.
I like the investigation team dynamic, the clever plot and the fast-paced action.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

An excellent read Stomach churning at times. I almost read it in one sitting so engrossed in the story was I.
Energetic, vigorous characters,a great story line,gripping and compelling I loved it.

Are you ready for the fourth installment in the Max Craigie series? I wasn’t and am guilty of wishing I had a print copy to hide in my freezer during those intense moments. Lucky for me, this book is available for purchase the day after I publish this review.

Readers be warned, this book does touch on severely emotional themes such as forced labour, human trafficking, and drug running. Yet there are comedic moments that had me laughing out loud, so skip the tough stuff if you have to, but I recommend giving this book the chance it deserves.

Meet Affi Smith. She is a teenage victim of human trafficking being given a fresh, safe start in the Scottish highlands. When she heads out for a run and is late returning home, she is written off as a runaway. Meet Max Craigie. He is part of a law enforcement team whose friendship and banter are quite loveable amidst their overall goal to uproot corruption from within the police force. Tasked with looking into Affi’s disappearance, Max and a teammate head north to interview her parents. Or will this interview turn into something neither expected, with potentially deadly consequences?

Lancaster delivers a storyline that hooks you from the beginning and doesn’t let you go until the final sentence has been read. This series is loaded with action, excellent characterization, and written in such a way that you may find yourself awake into the early morning hours. I don’t know about you but this is exactly what I want from my crime fiction reads. A tip of my hat to Lancaster for being able to tackle dark themes and uncomfortable situations with authenticity and tact.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ, and HQ Digital for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love Neil Lancaster's detective thrillers and this is another winner. Hard to put down with real suspense and several twists. Bring on the next in the series!

On her fifteenth birthday, trafficking victim Affi Smith goes for a run and never returns. With a new identity and secure home in the Scottish Highlands, she was supposed to be safe – she’d escaped once. With personal ties to Affi’s case, DS Max Craigie joins the investigation. When he discovers other trafficking victims have disappeared in exactly the same circumstances, he knows one thing for certain – there’s a leak somewhere within law enforcement.
The fourth outing for Max & another page turner, it’s dark, it’s gritty but it’s riveting & once started I found it hard to put down. I love that DI Fraser lightens the book with vernacular Scottish phrases. If you’re wanting a cosy mystery give this a miss but if you like well written gritty murder mysteries with a touch of humour then I highly recommend this enthralling read
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

A highly accomplished police procedural story about the disappearance of a young girl who had previously been rescued from an Albanian trafficking gang. As she had been given a new identity and adopted by a local family, her disappearance suggests that there is an insider leaking information to the organised crime gang who have taken her. The novel is well paced and has the right amount of tension and suspense to keep the reader absorbed and engaged from start to finish. Although part of a series, it works just as well as a stand alone story, so hats off to the author for achieving that.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance of publication.

There are now a few great series of books coming out of Scotland at the moment, and this is definitely one of them! Although it may be read as a standalone, it would be churlish not to read the other books in the series. With wonderful descriptions of the Scottish landscape and attention to detail regarding not only what happens in Police Scotland but also the harrowing facts about people trafficking and especially young women. As with the other books DS Craigie and the rest of the team, are set the task to find those who are benefitting from these crimes among their own colleagues and to bring them to justice. Great pace and page turner with a solid ending too.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

The best Max Craigie to date. I'm not sure enjoyed is the right word for a story involving the Albanian Mafia, with such evil characters, but this was a cracking read. The book starts with 12 year old Afrodita Dushuku on the train to Glasgow delivering a package for her evil trafficker. Fortunately she is intercepted by police. Fast forward three years to Affi, living a happy life in the Highlands with a lovely foster family. Affi sets out for a training run on er 15th birthday to break in her new running shoes and that's where it all begins to unravel. DS Max Craigie is drafted in by his social worker wife to investigate Affi's disappearance, and soon his anti corruption team find themselves in the thick of a major investigation involving corruption at the highest levels. The hotch potch of characters making up the team seem more diverse and highlighted than usual- Barney, the elderly gadget expert, Norma who finds things nobody else can in the digital world. Max and Janie at the centre of the investigation and DI Ross Fraser, cursing everyone as usual. A serious subject, a major investigation but oh my, there were some laughs. My favourite line: "Excuse Barney, boss. He's old and forgetful and we've just learned he has a missing leg". Excellent read. #netgalley #BloodRunsCold

Affi has had a terrible life.
As a young child, she was taken from an orphanage in Albania and brought to the UK.
Here she was made to work as a drug mule but fortunately for her, at the age of 12, she was rescued by undercover police officers. Three years later she's living her dream life with a family that adored her but is she safe?
She disappears while she's out on a run and DS Max Craigie and DC Jani Calder start looking into her disappearance.
They are up against it with corrupt policemen and some seriously bad thugs to deal with.

I love the style of writing and the storytelling. It grabs you from the first page and is unputdownable!

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book deals with the exploitation and trafficking of children which highlights an important issue that too few people properly understand. This multi-character perspective story is told from the perspective of the traffickers, Affi and the team of police who are trying to find her and return her to her foster parents. There are unexpected twists and a cast of characters that leave you questioning just who you can trust. Overall, this is a well-structured and satisfying read.

Book 4 in the DS Max Craigie series set in Scotland and its another cracking read in this excellent series. It can be read as a stand alone but as always with any series best read in order to get a feeling for the characters and their relationships. Loved the relationships between Craigie, Jayne and and the rest of the team which is so hilarious at times despite the seriousness of the situation. Brilliantly written, masterfully plotted this is an exciting and engaging read.

Briefly, Afrodita Dushku is an Albanian teenager who has been trafficked to the Uk and forced to act as a drug runner by an Albanian Crime group. She is caught by police who also arrest her controller. Three years later, having been taken in by a couple and given another name, Affi Smith, she is living happily in the Highlands. She has become quite an athlete. One day on a run she disappears. Craigie and his partner DC Janie Calder are asked to investigate as it is clear somebody in the force has leaked the girls address and it is their job to find out who it is whilst helping to locate the girl.

A fast moving police procedural thriller involving people trafficking, drug smuggling and corruption in the highest offices. Full of suspense as they race to locate Affi in time to save her. One of my favourite police procedural series this was a compelling read. Dark and gritty but with wonderful moments of humour amongst the violence and shocking acts. Fabulous.

Wow! Loved this - couldn’t put it down…

Book 4 in the DS Max Craigie series, but unnecessary to read previous ones.
Max and DC Janie Calder find themselves with little to do, until they hear of a missing girl. Once they start investigating things go from bad to worse, with an Albanian people trafficking ring and possibly a bent copper.
A Fast paced thriller with you wondering what was going to happen next.
Thanks @netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

This is a series that has yet to let me down. This is another great read. I'm intrigued to see more of Max and the gang.

Neil Lancasters writing keeps me on the edge of my seat throughout. Giving just enough detail to make you question people but leaving enough for the twists and turns.

This time we follow a story with the serious topic of child trafficking. The chapters of Affi nearer the beginning were intense and sad. You could feel the fear she felt in those moments.

I've really enjoyed this series so far and it was great to be back with DS Max Craigie and his wonderful team. I absolutely love the relationship between them all and the banter provides some much needed lighter moments in what is otherwise a very dark story. It was also great to learn more about Barney, the freelance technical expert and also see Katie, Max's wife at work.

The investigation in Blood Runs Cold is centred around trafficking, which seems to be a hot topic in crime fiction at the moment. However, that's not to say that I felt at any point like the author was covering old ground: the angle he takes felt fresh and researched in incredible detail. His experience as a police officer shines through and makes the novel feel authentic.

Blood Runs Cold deals with some despicable criminals and Neil Lancaster conveys their menace really well. There is a fair bit of violence and blood and gore, which is absolutely up my street, and the tension this creates makes it almost impossible to stop thinking about this novel. I was on the edge of my seat as each twist and turn was revealed.

I look forward to reading more in this series. There is a hint at the end of Blood Runs Cold of what might be to come and it makes me very excited!

Having just read another police procedural novel that involved people trafficking, I was interested to see how they would compare. This is such a great book and definitely did not disappoint me. I had read book 3 in the series, The Night Watch, prior to its release last year and so I was delighted to get the opportunity to read this, the fourth book in the series. There is even a great little short story added to the end of the book.
The author creates wonderful characters that he introduces you too and you really get to know them throughout the book, and his knowledge of police procedurals shines through in the writing, but it never gets too heavy and there is always lots of action. For me, in the book, I really loved the character of Barney, as the story progresses you get to find out more about him and this new info really added an extra dimension to the character. I also love the character of Norma. Both Barney and Norma should be given their own series.
If you like TV programmes such as Line Of Duty then you need to read this book. Although it is book four in a series I feel that there is enough background information for readers to be able to read it as a standalone, and those that have read the series so far will not be disappointed.
People trafficking must be a very difficult subject to write about but this author does it very respectfully and with compassion you does not feel to keep the action and pace coursing throughout.
Many thanks to the publishers, HQ, NetGalley and Neil Lancaster for providing me with an electronic advanced copy of the book in return for an honest, unbiased reviews.
Blood Runs Cold is published on the 13th April and will be available in various formats.