Review:

I always say ex policemen write the best books, and Neil is no exception. He draws in his vast experience in the force and pens excellent novels, that are exciting, fast moving and a great read.

I was delighted to receive this as an ARC and to get back in the fold with Max and his team. His team deal with matters that are not the usual run of the mill and this time once again, we are back with his old adversaries the Hardies. Davie wants to bargain in exchange for his freedom because he knows what’s happened to a missing woman years ago, and in exchange for information he’s willing to talk. However, someone, somewhere needs to shut him up.

In order to keep Davie safe, they have to go to great lengths, as someone, somewhere is scuppering their every move. Whatever Davie knows cannot be allowed to get out whatever happens.

What follows is indeed an exciting read, and I held my breath on several occasions,as the book progressed I finished it in a day more or less, and it was absolutely brilliant. I usually guess who’s the “baddie” but this time I was literally amazed. It wasn’t who I thought at all. Normally the clues are all there, but Neil had me stumped.

I would just say, loved the police dog Wendy, she made me laugh, as my daughter has, a Malinois ,named Winnie and she’s just the same, chews everything!

My thanks to Neil, the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Gritty, black, caustic, irreverent, thorough, team work - yep, Ross, Max, Janey and Barney are back in the thick of it whether approved by the new Campbell or not. This time they're dealing with the old gangland Hardie family, much diminished in numbers but still with sufficient knowledge to be dangerous to someone. That someone and henchmen is out to remove anyone involved. Well written, of course, plenty of action, plenty of descriptions of places, some humour and family relationships. Lovely use of Scottish words, especially by Ross. Excellent read. More please.

DS Craigie is back for a fifth outing. I have read them all except number two (I'm sure I will get round to it at some point)
A polish woman has been missing for six years. Davies Hardie has information that can lead to her body being found, but he attaches conditions for leading them to her whereabouts. He wants to move prisonsOne.of the conditions is that Craigie must not get involved.
Things do not go according to plan, and there are repercussions.
DS Craigie is brought in with the team to sort out the mess. There is corruption within the force. Who is feeding Droopy information?
Action packed, full of drama and heart-stopping moments. Lancaster certainly knows how to wratch up the tension.
It was great being back with Max, Jamie, Ross,Barney, and Norma.
Roll on number six.
Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Another dark Max Craigie Scottish tale of underworld mayhem and murder. The unsolved murder of a Polish woman six years earlier is brought back into view by the apparent wish of one of the Hardie family imprisoned but willing to break the family code of silence to get an easier time inside as well as earlier parole by revealing details of a mysterious individual behind the killing. This individual it is hinted is in a position of influence but without the evidence hidden by the Hardies nothing can be proved. The investigation itself is taken away from Max and his boss Ross by a new ACC but as the death toll suddenly rises they’re soon back in the midst of it. Great black humour throughout which has been a super feature of all these stories it all races along to the fabulous denouement!

I haven’t met a Neil Lancaster book yet that didn’t hook me in quickly and keep me page turning till the very end!
DS Max Craigie has been specifically named by Davie Hardie, currently in a high security prison, as ‘not to be involved’ in the information he is willing to give to the police in order to shorten his sentence and get himself moved to a prison where the inmates are given more privileges. He claims he knows where the body of a young polish woman has been dumped after she became a missing person years earlier and agrees to show the police exactly where she has been deposited.
Max Craigie is a nemesis for the Hardie family and is immediately suspicious. Although excluded from the first expedition to find Beatta’s body, it’s not long before Max and his team is involved and once again it seems there is corruption within the police ranks.
I cannot praise Neil Lancaster’s books too highly. I get restless for the next one and he simply never fails to deliver.
I love the use of the Scottish dialect and humour, and find myself smiling at words I haven’t heard since I left my homeland many moons ago.
Each book in this series gives us more insight into the members of this small team and their private lives - I love the latest revelation about Max’s life and look forward to reading more about it in the next book! Please write quickly Mr Lancaster!! If this is your first Max Craigie experience (you lucky person!!) it’s perfectly possible to read this as a standalone, However, I’ll be more than surprised if you aren’t motivated to go back to book 1 and read the entire series!
Five stars is just not enough for this book!

The Devil You Know is the latest in the DS Max Craigie series of novels. Frankly, Neil Lancaster should come with a health warning, more precisely a sleep warning! I was so hooked that when I woke up at 3 AM I read right through to daybreak and beyond. The hook centres on the death of a Polish woman carried out at the behest of a scorned lover (although 'lover' is over-egging it a bit). The man in question was in his ascendency as far as influence is concerned and he will do whatever it takes to keep his position. The Scottish polis already reeling from corruption uncovered by DS Max Craigie are somewhat wary of letting Max off the leash again. Meanwhile Max is reeling from something his wife told him. Something world changing. Can he concentrate on the job in hand sufficient to uncover the villain at the centre of the carnage and his controller? You'll have to suffer a few sleepless nights like I did to find out.

The Hardie Clan have a rule to never help the police, but with their numbers dwindling, the incarcerated Davie Hardie takes the opportunity to try and shorten his sentence and in the process help find a missing woman, despite his brother's wishes. There is only one rule - Max Craigie and his team cannot know a thing. With a new Assistant Chief Constable already breathing down their necks, there are still some who will do anything to stop the Hardies getting what they want.

This is book #5 in the Max Cragie series and probably the best yet. Six years ago a women was murdered, a hit requested by someone in a position of power known as "The Ace" and they want anyone involved eliminated for good. When Davie Hardie of the renowned Hardie family contacts police with information on the murder, in exchange for a deal on his prison sentence, events spiral and yet again Max, Janie and their team do what they do best, bringing down bent cops. This book had me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. Can't wait for the next installment from Neil Lancaster. Thanks to Net Galley and HQ Digital for the ARC

The fifth in this excellent series featuring DS Max Craigie. The case of a missing person who disappeared six years ago is reopened when a prisoner wants to do a deal with the police in exchange for giving information on the person's murder. However. someone doesn't want this information to come to light and is taking extreme means to ensure no evidence is found.
This is a well-written, tightly controlled plot. I love the characters that make up the special investigation team. The technical details of the police procedures are amazing. This is one of my favourite series. Highly recommended as always.

Thanks to Neil and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Devil You Know before the publication date.
This is the 5th book in the DS Max Craigie series.

Recently appointed DCC Louise Campbell has her attention focused on her next promotion, utilising the corporate dictionary which she has swallowed at every opportunity.
She is annoyed that the Policing Standards Reassurance Team reports directly to Chief Constable MacDonald. When the CC goes on holiday, Campbell seizes the opportunity which Davie Hardie provides when he offers to show them where to find the body of a woman who was murdered 6 years earlier.

Max hears from his source what is happening. Knowing that the Hardie family would never snitch to the police, he tries to get the DCC and DCS Wakefield to listen to him, only for DCC Campbell to further isolate Max and the team from the operation, sending them off duty for the week.

Not to be outdone, the resourceful team mount their own operation on the qt.

As you would expect from the author, this is a page turner in which I suspect he draws on characters whom he has encountered within the police service and the timing of introducing DCC Campbell is spot on.

The portrayal of D.I. Ross Fraser’s character has become almost a parody of the TV detectives of the 1970’s.
His use of Scottish slang is hilarious.

The Devil You Know is book 5 in the DS Max Craigie series and yet another page turner, with so much action that will have you on the edge of your seat.
With the same wonderful Policing Standards Reassurance Team we have each member with their own stand out personalities, with great dialogue and humour.
With a jaw dropping plot and the criminal Hardie gang centre stage again this thriller has jaw dropping moments, corruption at the highest level and quite a few murders taking place.
It reads well as a stand alone but you’ll be rushing to read the previous books if this is your first read of this series. Absolutely brilliant.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Book 5 in the DS Max Craigie series, another winner by Neil Lancaster. Max takes on the Hardie gang, the plot is faced paced and you are glued to the page. Max has a great team around him, but may well have to root out those who are corrupt, no mean feat! Its a complex book but never looses its way. I really enjoyed this title and can't wait for number 6!!!

Quick off the mark (which I love), this new edition to the Max Craigie series is brilliant!

A fast paced, cat and mouse’ style narrative with lots of technical details and excellent character development.

When it comes to choosing my next book, Neil Lancaster has, for me, become a reliable read. You’re guaranteed a good plot, a bit of action, lots of hilarious dialogue and banter (Ross) and a book that’ll keep you coming back for more.

Admittedly I’m new to this ‘new’ series but it’s never been an issue with the previous novels I’ve read from this series. Neil gives you just enough to kick start each story without using half a book to give you the book you might’ve missed! Something that some authors go a bit overboard with in my opinion.

I highly recommend this series (and this book) who loves a series that they can invest in. All the characters are fantastically written and Neil has a lot of experience in the actual field which means you get a lot of procedural details (again I’m a nerd for these kinds of things!).

Thank you to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow book 5 already and Neil Lancaster’s novel does not fail, The devil you know sees Max Craigie back along with his partner Janey, the irascible Barney and their amazing non PC boss Ross who as always is telling everyone how he feels at being left out of an investigation involving the remaining Hardie brothers, who Max and the team saw them convicted for their crimes, the pace just doesn’t let up and I couldn’t put it down. Roll on the next book, I can’t wait.

The dynamic duo are back! 🥳

When Davie Hardie makes a request to speak to officers regarding the cold case of a missing young woman six years previously and says that he will not speak to DS Max Craigie or any of his team immediately Max is suspicious. Having taken the whole of the Hardie family down, and his brother Tam missing Davie is holding a grudge. That is until the day when Davie is taken to reveal the location of the body and Max is brought on to the case when a high jacking takes place. It becomes apparent that someone is selling secrets. As the bodies start to turn up, it’s down to Max, Janie and the team to uncover who the corrupt officer is, but can Davie and Max trust each other enough to unveil the person behind it all?

This series just keeps getting better and better! Right in to the action from the word go, it had me sucked in to the pages like a vortex of action and page turning thrills! I couldn’t stop reading, and when you thought the twists were over oh no!! Think again! Excellent storyline, excellent plot and brilliant characters who are really coming into their own! Fantastic Neil, you smashed it! I loved this adrenaline packed 5 star read! Thank you for my advanced copy!

I'd forgotten how much I love this series and the perfectly imperfect characters of the Policing Standards Reassurance Team, just a couple of chapters in and once again I was hooked.

Organised crime boss Tam Hardie is dead, Tam Jnr has vanished without trace and younger son Davie's finding things tough. He no longer has the clout he once had and two years into a 12 year sentence he's spending 23 hours a day in his cell, he gets one shower a week, no gym and the foods crap. He's ready to talk.

For any early parole date and a transfer to a less restrictive prison he's willing to turn snitch but he has one further demand, he doesn't want DS Max Craigie of Scotlands Policing Standards Reassurance Team anywhere near it. A new Deputy Chief Constable keen to make her mark and aware that the history between DS Craigie and the Hardies could lead to allegations of prejudice doesn't take much convincing.

I read this in one go, it was perfectly paced with great characters and a good mix of police procedural, drama, action and intrigue.

Book five in the DS Max Craigie series enough background is given that this could certainly be read as a standalone novel but in a series that goes from strength to strength I'd definitely recommend reading them all.

My Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the advance review copy, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

Another fantastic book by Neil Lancaster, continuing the series of DS Max Craigie and the rest of the team.

Brilliant storyline, involving the Hardie brothers, the last remaining members of the notorious criminal family.

Corruption, murder, lies, coverups, it has it all. So easy to read but at the same time, compelling and quite simply, unputdownable.

Highly recommend and cannot wait for the next installment, assuming there is one!

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy in return for an honest review.

Wow, Neil Lancaster has wrote a cracker of a read here that included the return of previous characters. I devoured this book in one day, and kept returning to continue reading it whenever I could. I really like Craigie and his team, and it was great to be back with them as they chase all leads on a corruption investigation. I love the banter between the characters and the humour the author brings into his writing that makes this such a great read. The authors writing style is engaging and very entertaining and hit the ground running at the start. It definitely grabbed my attention, drew me straight in and I was hanging on every word. I loved all the separate threads that had me second guessing what would happen next. And the glimpses into the characters home and personal lives rounds them out nicely. All begins to come together and tie up beautifully towards the end and I was right in guessing the corrupt character. Overall, a very VERY good read that I'd recommend. It's the fifth in the series so if you've not read any of the previous books I'd suggest you do so you're familiar with the characters and their histories. Neil Lancaster is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and I've loved every one of his books.

4 stars

A reliably good read. Always an intriguing plot that moves at a good pace but still just this side of believable. I think this works as a stand alone novel too.

Fab, fab, fab! I’ve read all the DS Max Craigie books and have loved every one. Max and all his team are great but this series would not be the same without Ross or Barney. Every time I turn a page and see either of their names I know there’s a chuckle on the way. As usual, this book had me gripped from the beginning and, as usual, I thought I knew who The Ace was going to be. I’m always wrong, and it’s always such a shock to find out who the Mr Big is at the end. I can’t wait for the next in the series so come on Mr Lancaster get writing! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a thrilling read.