Davie Hardie, a member of the Hardie crime family, offers information regarding an old missing persons case in exchange for better conditions during his prison sentence. He's also willing to supply evidence about the powerful person who ordered the murder. Hardie's one stipulation is that DS Max Craigie is not to be involved.

The Devil You Know by Neil Lancaster is book 5 in the Max Craigie series. Fans of the series know to expect a no-holds-barred, action-packed story and this is no different. The build-up to the involvement of Craigie and the rest of the Policing Standards Reassurance Team is a little slower than usual because of the way in which the storyline is introduced.

Davie Hardie hates Max Craigie, he holds him personally responsible for his family's downfall. As a result of this he doesn't want Craigie anywhere near the deal he's going to make for an easier life in prison. When Max hears about the deal he's immediately suspicious.

Fans of the series will have an inkling of the way in which the storyline will develop when Hardie is taken, under police guard, to an isolated Loch, the place where the missing body has been dumped. What they won't expect is what happens next!

I almost expected Craigie to say "I told you so" as the team are called in to help with the case. From this point on the pace and the action never lets up. Someone is feeding information to a hitman, making the protection of their witness extremely dangerous. No matter how small the group of people in the loop, the information keeps getting out. Once again corruption within the police force is front and centre.

There seemed to be less banter between the members of the team this time around, but the story was set over a very short time period so there was less opportunity for them to sit around the office and make fun of each other. In book 4 of the series, Blood Runs Cold, I enjoyed finding out more about Barney. After this book he's become my favourite member of the team, he shows absolutely no respect for authority.

The conclusion will have you filled with fear and on the edge of your seat as the team appears to be in an impossible situation.

Another great book from Neil Lancaster.
Thoroughly enjoyable. Dark and twisted with excellent characters.
A brilliant plot from one of my favourite authors.

And Max Craigie is back!!!!.....Neil Lancaster has done it again. The 5th book in the series and they just get better and better. As usual its action packed. Cracking storyline, corruption, grisly murders and Tunnocks Teacakes' all add up to a 5 star roller coaster read. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for gifting me an arc of 'The Devil You Know'.

That was a bit of a rollercoaster of a read! DS Max Craigie is a brilliant character and the book is filled with action and a touch of humour throughout. With some clever plotting, a fast pace and plenty interesting characters, this is an easy 5* read from me and I would highly recommend to lovers of crime thrillers. I hope there is not too long to wait for the next! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Another cracking read in a fantastic series!

Six years ago, a woman went missing and with no leads, it turned into a cold case. Now, one of the Hardie brothers wants out of Shotts prison into an open facility, and he reckons what he knows about the missing woman is his ticket to more freedom. When the mission to locate her body is hijacked, Max Craigie and his team are pulled in to take over; someone is selling secrets and it needs to stop.

This series is always excellent, and this one is no different. It is littered with humour in between what are some very serious scenes. I completely fell for the red herring, convinced I knew who the guilty party was and proved wrong (again), but it was a thrilling read from beginning to end. Cleverly crafted with an amazing storyline and terrific characters, this is a series I love so much that I bought one of the books for my husband at Christmas. Very highly recommended and so very easily meriting all five shiny stars. Can hardly wait for the next one!!

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Max Craigie is back in this next instalment of Neil Lancasters excellent police series. It’s another fast paced, almost breathtaking read, with scarily plausible plots, realistic to an almost worrying degree. Yet again I found myself reading late into the night as I really couldn’t put it down. Although a standalone read, it’s much better to have read at least some of the previous books to get an idea of the background to the relationships between the main characters, who definitely feel like real people. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a thrilling nail-biting addition to Neil Lancaster's popular Scottish DS Max Craigie series, fast paced, so utterly gripping that I was racing through the tense and suspenseful short chapters, right up to the explosive conclusion. It all begins with Davie, in HMP Shott, in prison with his brother Frankie, and he has information about where the body of Polish sex worker, Beata Dabrowski, can be found, which he is willing to divulge to the police in return for a shorter sentence and a move to a more comfortable open prison. With the Chief Constable on holiday, ambitious Deputy Chief Constable Louise Campbell is in charge, with Chief Superintendent Miles Wakefield overseeing the details. Upon discovering what is happening, Max and DI Ross Fraser make their opposition clear, knowing the notorious Hardie family never collaborate with the police.

Whilst the body is recovered from a loch, the operation is a disaster with a failed attempt to free Davie, ending with his brutal shooting, along with his slimy lawyer. Fraser, Max, DC Janie Calder, the whizz that is ex-spook Barney, and the wonderful data analyst Norma are now back in play on this multilayered and complex case, as the bodies begin to pile up, including a nasty killing in prison of a corrupt former police officer. It seems someone with power and money will do anything to not be exposed for being responsible for ordering Dabrowski's murder, those involved start to die whilst vital information is being leaked from the police team. Making an appearance is Bruce Ferguson, there is news on Max's personal life, and Frankie's fear for his life makes him break the habits of a lifetime.

Lancaster has a real talent for writing unputdownable thrillers, they are well plotted, dark but this is balanced with the infusion of humour and banter that makes reading this novel a delight. Additionally, he has created a cracking set of characters who form a well oiled, working all the hours, team that is dogged in its determination to uncover police corruption, and find ways round any obstacles in their path, willing to bypass the rules to get to the truth. A great addition to what is turning out to be a must read thriller series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed all the other books in the Max Craigie series, I was keen to get my hands on this new instalment, and it didn’t disappoint! As usual, the author gives us a brilliantly written novel with well-rounded characters. I really enjoy the fact that the relationships between the main characters are believable and that they are supportive of each other – there is no in team fighting, which seems to feature in a lot of books of this nature. Barney is a particular favourite of mine, and I am happy to report that Ross is, as always, on top form! Safe to say the tale grabbed my attention from the first page and had me second guessing what would happen next, but it was nigh on impossible to predict with the number of twists and turns! All in all, this is an adrenaline packed read, with an intricate plot and host of superb characters. Very highly recommended.

For those that have read the previous books in the series - those were just a warm up! This is everything you would want from Max and the team. This hits the ground running and never looks back, Full of twists and turns and keeps you guessing all the way through. I don't find many books that I want to read in one sitting but this was one. Well written and the character development from the previous books is interesting but you could still read as a stand alone, indeed as an introduction to the series it exhibits the best elements of the previous books.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for my copy of The Devil You Know by Neil Lancaster.
This is the 5th book in the Max Craigie series and just as exciting as the first.
6 years ago a young Polish girl disappeared but no one paid much attention but now imprisoned gang boss Davie Hardie wants a deal to get him out of prison He knows what happened to Beata Dabrowski and who ordered it.
Can he be trusted Max doesn’t think so.
A great exciting read, you’ve got to love the cast of characters especially Barney the old rogue.
Well recommended.

Davie Hardie wants a way out of prison and thinks that by helping the police solve a six year old murder will guarantee a way out. But he does not want Max Craigie to know, that was his big mistake. Max and his team will still need to get involved as things fall apart. The Hardies have put his life in danger before and may do so again.

Brilliantly written novel with well rounded characters. This team have great personalities and the skills to work together whilst finding out who is behind a string of murders and who is leaking information about the case. Things will become dangerous and intense as they investigate the Hardie family once again.

Fast paced and great read, enjoy.

I have read all the books in the Max Craigie series. I enjoyed the style of writing. A solid four star read. Great premise. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense to keep me guessing Would definitely read the next novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to

This is book 5 for DS Max Craigie and the team set in the magnificent Highlands. Neil is the master of plot twists, suspense and writes a cracking rollercoaster of a book! I feel as if I'm meeting up with old friends for a wee dram and a natter! As you get further into the story, it is fast paced with lots of momentum, which builds up to a tremendous conclusion! As for the villain, I had no clue of the identity. I loved the references in to how to make Yorkshire Tea as strong as builder's brew and the bribing with Tunnocks goodies!! I will be recommending this book to fellow readers. I look forward to a book 6 as this series is getting better and better!

This is another in the Max Craigie series that keeps your attention and keeps you guessing. It's police procedure and police corruption with twists and turns you don't see coming. It's nice to see the cast of characters evolving but I'm now wondering if it's safe to holiday in Scotland.

As I said about the last book, Neil Lancaster tells a good story well.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy. Another fantastic book in the Max Craigie series. I couldn’t put it down , twisty and complex I couldn’t work it out and suspected everyone. Can read as a standalone but the reader won’t be disappointed by reading the series from the beginning. Best book I have read in ages.

Just absolutely bloody brilliant as usual. I was hooked from start to finish. And as usual I did not guess who it was. I love this series and the character's are fantastic. Once again I was laughing at the ribbing between them. I recommend this series to everyone. Cannot wait to read the next book.

This is another outing in the highly enjoyable, slightly improbable series following DI Max Craigie and colleagues as they investigate and expose serious criminality and high level corruption all across Scotland.
A member of a notorious crime family wants to do a deal, offering information about an unsolved disappearance in return for a quick and easy route to parole. Craigie smells a different sort of rat, and when things go badly wrong the hunt is on to uncover who wanted to keep the bodies buried.
Fans will get what they want, new readers will quickly be looking to catch up on the previous four books. There is enough character development to make readers care, not so much it gets in the way of the plot and the set pieces. Very excited for the next in this series.

I was certainly pleased to see the latest Max Craigie thriller, the 5th in the series by Neil Lancaster. While it's good to revisit the characters that have been so well developed in the previous four books, this , like the others, can be read as a stand alone story. I am sure if anyone comes to this having not read the previous books in the series they will very quickly wish to rectify that situation.
In The Devil You Know the reader encounters again the gangster Hardie family, somewhat depleted by the death of the head of the family and the presumed death of Tam. Only Davie and Frankie remain and they are both in prison for a long stretch. Davie is desperate to get out however and wants to do a deal with the police, much to the concern of big brother Frankie who tries to remind him that Hardies never collaborate with the police. Davie is also determined that Max Craigie should know nothing about the proposed deal and newly appointed Deputy Chief Constable Louise Campbell is happy to confirm this request. Of course Max does find out and along with the rest of the established team of Ross, Janie, Barney and Norma, sets out to see that justice is done, each utilising their unique skill sets and combined team loyalty.
As in the previous books in the series one of the really strong points is the strong and realistic relationships between the characters, not only the tight knit group of 5 but also relationships between Max and his wife Katie, and the team with their boss Chief Constable Chris Macdonald. In this new novel in the series there is also a lovely relationship briefly drawn between a police dog, Wendy, and its handler which I really enjoyed reading.
Another of Neil Lancster's strong points is his depiction of locations in Scotland, particularly this time a remote area just outside Glasgow and a small Highland village.
The reader looking for thrills gets lots of murders, tension and car chases as well as drones and technological wizardry.
This is a book that keeps you guessing. It's a quick read but also one I was sorry to finish. Highly recommended to readers of good crime fiction.

Having read all of the author’s previous Max Craigie novels, I was very pleased to be approved to be given an advance copy of this one. I was not disappointed, as it returns to Max Craigie and his team as they tackle corruption in high places in the Scottish justice system.
The plot is devilishly convoluted, and the process of the team unmasking the perpetrators is very clever. The dialogue is often amusing, if fruity, the dynamic within the team is entertaining. The characterisation is excellent, as always. This book could easily be read as a standalone novel, but I would recommend reading the books in sequence, for maximum reading enjoyment. It was fun to rejoin Max and his team in their latest exploits. I look forward to the next in the series with anticipation.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Another gripping page-turner from Neil Lancaster. I love the characters, the story is compelling, and the book is well-written. Even the technical detail is appropriate and not too nerdy. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.