This opening story of a new police series from Caro Ramsay is a treat. Plenty of suspense and threads to keep the reader engaged, and nuanced relationships between the characters. The setting, the narrative voice and the attention to detail all support the compelling plot and sub-plots.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers Canongate for this review copy.

DCI Christine Caplan is in the ‘naughty corner’ and gets seconded to the Highlands when the investigating officer of a crime goes missing.

Members of a wealthy family in a village are found brutally murdered in what appears to be a botched burglary, but the only thing that seems to have been taken is the Devil Stone. It’s an heirloom which is said to bring death if it’s ever removed from their home.

Christine is sure that she can find the perpetrator/s swiftly and then go back to civilisation, and her family. Then she realises that her life could be in danger.

This was a brilliant storyline and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

What a great start to the new series with DCI Christine Caplan. Very entertaining from start to finish. I'm already looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

A twisty police procedural thriller, which starts with satanic mass murder before deviating into organised drug crime, this first novel in a new series from Ramsay is smart but somewhat convoluted. The protagonist, DCI Christine Caplan, enters the book having just been demoted to DI and with her home life in shambles all for reasons that are not fully revealed over the course of the novel. I liked it, I’ll definitely read the next in the series, but I would feel short-changed if there was any expectation that The Devil Stone was standalone.

This book is the first in an intended series with the main character of DCI Christine Caplan, a Scottish detective. Thus the author, Caro Ramsay, has to establish the characters, the setting and provide a gripping plot. The reader certainly finds out a great deal about DCI Caplan, a former ballet dancer who faces disciplinary proceedings in the police force and has significant family problems. Caplan, a DCI in Glasgow, is sent as a demoted DI to the HIghlands of Scotland to assist a less experienced DI in an investigation into the horrific multiple murders of a family of 5. The settings in various Scottish locations are very well established as is the atmosphere created by both the weather and the small town attitudes.
The team in the Highlands is quite large for a remote area and, led by DI KInsella, is out to prove that the murders have been committed by the two local teenagers who found the bodies. Caplan becomes less and less convinced of their guilt. Meanwhile the sixth member of the family, Adam, is missing, which leads Caplan to investigate the island based commune where he had made his home. Caplan herself is increasingly concerned as to who she can actually trust and finds herself in some very worrying situations.
I was gripped by the story for most of the book but towards the end the number of characters (some of whom had two names) became rather difficult to follow and I found the final stages of the investigation a bit too speedily reached.
My thanks to the publisher, Canongate, for a complimentary ARC of this title via Net Galley.

After I finished reading the second in the series of Highland police procedurals featuring DCI Christine Caplan a day or so ago, I wasted no time in getting hold of the first book in the series. Caro Ramsay is a talented writer, and in Caplan, she has created a terrific character.

In this book, Caplan is on thin ice - her personal life is almost as much in a state of shambles as her professional credentials - and she is sent to Scotland to deal with a case as something of a punishment.

An entire family has been massacred in the small village of Cronchie, their lavish home vandalised and the remnants of satanic worship left strewn around. But could this really be as simple as blaming it on the satanists?

Of course, the minor detail that an artefact known as the Devil's Stone appears to have been the main target of the perpetrators doesn't help to shift the focus from them.

But there is a lot that isn't adding up here in Caplan's opinion - not least a missing investigator and the fate of the scion of the family...

Ramsay's writing is pitch perfect. And often, even in the most macabre moments, she manages to inject a wry sense of humour into a scene - like when the would-be burglars Bainsy and his pal come babbling to call the police for help after they discover the dead bodies! All in all, highly recommended.

The Devil Stone has a good pacy, twisty plot - there’s genuinely lots of activity to get swept up in and an opportunity to run with the various possible allegiances and threats.. I did find the characterisation a little weak - troubled detective, difficult family life, hard nosed superior etc etc, and a selection of other cops with one predominant personality trait to make sure a casual reader can differentiate…

In a book like this that’s arguably all you need though - the central plot was all I needed and I really enjoyed that. I have a weakness for a Scottish bit of supernatural (even if that drifts away later on). A middle rank Scottish thriller, probably more a 3 1/2 ⭐️ than a 4… but I’ll likely read the next - could be fun to see how Caplan gets on.

A Plethora Of Suspects…
A brutal, gruesome family massacre is at the heart of the first outing for DCI Christine Caplan. The small Highland village will never be the same. The only thing that seems to have been been stolen from this well off family is an heirloom known as the ‘Devil Stone’. Are known satanists the culprits or is this an inside job and the crime scene staged? Caplan may well have to put her job and her life on line before the end. With a well crafted cast of characters, an engaging protagonist and an immersive, compelling plot peppered with suspense, a plethora of suspects and misdirection, this is an excellent start to the series.

Otterburn House is as quiet as the grave when the two teenagers break in. Their screams break the silence when they find five bodies ritually arranged on the landing. Abandoning their task of stealing the famous relic known as the Deilstane (that’s Scottish for Devil’s Stone), they run back to Cronchie, the nearest village, claiming that the McGregor family have been murdered by Satanists, and that they had been chased by the Devil himself. The McGregor’s are by far the richest family in the area, and Otterburn House by far the grandest dwelling. And now all but one of the family is dead and the other, Adam, is missing. He was last seen at a sort of commune on the island of Scone, just across the bay from the scene of the murders. The local police, led by DCI Bob Oswald, attend immediately. Nearing retirement, Bob might be expected to let his second in command, DI Garry Kinsella lead the investigation but Bob, a reborn Christian, is worried about the satanist slant and wants to keep control. However, Bob then disappears.
In Glasgow, a hundred miles South (the locations are fictitious but are roughly in the Oban/Mull/ Lismore area), DCI Christine Caplin has just been disciplined for losing some evidence (she took the rap for a colleague) and temporarily demoted to DI. Nevertheless, she is a highly experienced DCI, while Kinsella, covering for the missing Oswald, is only newly promoted to DI and still wet behind the ears. ACC Linden decides send Christine North to work in tandem with Kinsella. It is almost a cliché to say that police officers are ‘troubled’ but Christine has a whole kit bag full. To add to the demotion, her husband is pathologically depressed, her son is a tech nerd dropout, her ex-lover was the husband of her now best friend, her daughter is a student and a bit of an environmental activist, and she’s just got entangled in an accidental death case where witnesses are saying she assaulted the victim. Despite all that, she takes on the task of solving the murders. The local police seem intent on pinning the crime on the two teenagers but she thinks this is unlikely. She is also convinced that Oswald has not just gone AWOL but has been deliberately removed from the scene. As she progresses with the case she is subjected to a series of problems which can only mean that someone is trying to sabotage her career once and for all.
This is the first book in a new series and its central character has a lot of potential. There is a solid attempt at getting the language correct and the writing overall is sound. The plot is interesting but I just don’t see how it can possibly work. The mechanics are just not credible, but I can’t explain why without giving away the whole deal. I’m disappointed, but readers carried away by the flow (turbulent though that is) might slide over the gaps, and procedural inconsistencies.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A new detective on the Scottish noir block and one with enormous potential. Caplan has problems at home and in her Glasgow post such that she is sent north to get her out o the way. She's to help the local police solve the beautifully staged murder of 5 members of the local big house family. Two young villains who broke into the house, and found the rotting corpses, are the main suspects as far as the local police is concerned, although they are hardly organised or have the skills to carry out such a forensically aware crime. Then there's the missing younger son, favourite with Grandma but 'different' and disappeared, not to mention the disappeared-later-found-dead local senior detective. The locals don't like incomers, the local police are a bumbling load of idiots or natty dressers or gossipy or resentful. Add to the mix a local sanctuary, alternative life-style/hippy, according to your predilections, an age-old story of satanic rituals, as well as a new super-drug that might give you an exceedingly good high or might just kill you and you're off on a roller coaster of a ride. Some quirky black humour, believable and most likeable characters (even the bad ones), some slightly stereotypical west coast fishing locals and some thought provoking moments. Caplan grows on you and this should ensure more stories. Oh, and she solved the crime. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Two young boys break into a manor house in the highlands and find the entire family dead. Suspicion falls on them as one of them at least is known as a troublemaker. DI Caplin however, seconded onto the case is far from convinced. The murder, she feels, is too sophisticated for these boys to have carried out. Before long, one of them is also murdered leaving her more convinced than ever that someone else is behind it. Will she find out who before she too gets bumped off.

I enjoyed this story and liked the character of Caplin. This is the first in the series and I'll certainly look out for more by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

I don’t know what it is that make the Scottish islands and highlands such a perfect crime setting - but it works all the time. With The Devil Stone, Carol Ramsey presents her readers not only with a nail-biting murder mystery but also with a chilling police procedural.

Glasgow based recently demoted DCI Christine Caplan is sent to the west coast to redeem herself and to help with the investigation into the murder of a wealthy family. All the obvious evidence points to a ritual killing involving Satanism, but Caplan finds out quickly that nothing is quite what it seems. The plot thickens when one of the main suspects is murdered and the chief investigating officer dies in a dubious car accident.

The story is told in a countdown of days leading to an event of which we have been given only a little glimpse in the prologue. With this countdown Ramsey keeps you on your toes, having you figure out where all this is heading and at the end (which is not the end of the book) it definitely is not where you thought it was going. – She delivers a masterclass in well-paced suspension and deception.

This book - in contrast to many other crime thrillers features some strong women and I liked the undercurrent of solidarity they show towards each other. Generally, all of the characters are however given some depth, which makes for a great reading experience.

This is a fast-paced crime story that will keep you on edge throughout, its many twists and turns has you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Canongate Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh wow! Now this was quite the ride. Its an amazingly well written and complex book that gives the reader a little bit of everything..... its more than just a police procedural! The characters are complexly crafted with backstorues and depth. The tension is built throughout and leave you second guessing who you can trust. And the writing style keeps the plot moving at a good pace but gives the reader enough description to really make you feel like you're there watching it all play out. Amazing!

This is an amazing start to a new series by Caro Ramsay! I loved the characterisation, especially Caplan, who is under extreme pressure to solve a multiple murder of a wealthy local family, living in a small village in west Scotland. The setting is beautiful and I felt transported right to the heart of the action. Caplan soon finds herself working with a team of strange detectives, uncovering a web of police corruption and drug smuggling. The whole story, with it's clever plotting just pulled me in from the beginning and I am sure this is promising to be a new, and superbly crafted, crime series which I highly recommend. I look forward to the next in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A storyline like no other.

DCI Christine Caplan had recently been demoted to Detective Inspector after some evidence had gone missing on her last case. She’s had to accept the demotion as her husband is ill and her teenage son is out of control.

In the new position of Detective Inspector, Christine is sent to help with a case in Cronchie, a small town on the coast of Scotland. Christine is only supposed to be there for a few days until the missing Detective Chief Inspector hopefully, re-appears.

A decomposed family is discovered when two young boys break into the manor house, Otterburn. The family had not been missed as they were all supposed to be away on holiday. The only member who has escaped being murdered is the youngest son, Adam. However, he can’t be found.

Christine finds herself with a young Detective Inspector who shows no respect for her. He wants the case to be his big step up in the police. Other members of the team go out of their way to hinder Christine’s inquiries and the big question hanging over everything is where is DCI Oswald?

The case of discovering who murdered the family, where the missing “Devil Stone” is and whether there are corrupt police working on the case trying to scupper all inquiries, Christine finds herself completely out of her depth.

I’m a huge fan of Caro Ramsay and must admit that when I started this novel, I was a bit nervous because there were so many threads to follow. However, once I’d worked out where everyone fitted in, I needed to disappear into my “reading corner” so as not to be disturbed until I reached the climax of this remarkable novel featuring a woman who is prepared to fight for justice, regardless of the obstacles put in her path.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

I’ve read most of Caro Ramsay’s books. This is the start of a new series. Great to have a female lead albeit one with some serious back story. There are clues along the way to solve the murders but then something else happens and one is forced into rethinking whodunnit! The pace of the story is good - several recaps give the reader time to breathe. The characters are believable and there is enough gallows humour to lighten the mood. The team that survives has the unlikeliest of members but I look forward to their next adventure.
Thank you to NetGalley for a prepublication ebook.

What a gripping read...we are introduced to DCI Caplan when she is brought in to the massacre of a wealthy family in the highlands of Scotland. She is a little out of her depth as being used to working in Glasgow and not used to dealing with small highland communities. We learn a bit about her own home life. She is an interesting character. The McGregor family are fund by two Satanists....is it a ritual killing? I loved this book and Caro Ramsay has excelled herself yet again....Well done.

DCI Caplan's career is in trouble, demoted to DI after a minor infringement of the rules, she's sent off to the highlands to investigate the murder of five members of the same wealthy family. She hopes a quick resolution will help her get her rank back but the local DCI goes missing, she's not sure who on the team she can trust, and the ACC is on her case. The further she gets into it the more she realises that a huge amount of money is involved and whoever is behind the murder will do anything to get it. Fast and furious, violent at times, its a cracking thriller.

The Devil Stone is a cracking yarn and has a super exciting finish. As the first in a new series, introducing DCI Christine Caplan, it does its job. A well fleshed-out main character, complete with problems and foibles and a very irritating family!
It got off to a bit of a slow start, a little predictable in that there are people “out to get herr“ and the usual question of whether or not the cops are bent but it’s handled confidently.
There are a multitude of characters, some of whom we could have done without, as they became a bit difficult to keep hold of at times. Caplan tended to make lots of notes and think a lot, none of which we were privy to, and I mised being able to look for clues and try to work out the denouement myself. I feel some of the recapping that Caplan did could have been cut out to make a tauter story.
Nevertheless, it’s a new author for me and I’ll look out for the next one because there is something in Caplan’s quirky character that appeals to me.
My thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the invite to read this eARC.

This is my first read by Caro Ramsay and all I can say is wow, wow, wow. The author certainly grabbed my attention with the opening chapters and then held my interest all the way through the story to the final page. DI Caplan needs to kick start her career after a demotion and is sent to assist on an investigation where five family members are found murdered in Cronchie. Caplan is so likeable, believeable, has a good history and is very determined and I enjoyed the little glimpses into her home and personal life. The story is well written, flows easily and I found this to be one very entertaining and absorbing read. I loved the sense of intrigue and suspense the author created that made this a real page turner of a read and at times had me desperate to know more. The plot line is intricate, well thought out and executed and I loved all the story threads that began to tie together as the book reached its conclusion. The short time period for the story and the move from past to present days really work here in my opinion and make this a very moreish read - one I kept returning to and continuing reading whenever I could.

So - overall a very, VERY good police procedural that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. I will definitely read the next book and also look at the authors other police series when I can.

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐