Out of Darkness is number twenty-one in the long-running Scottish crime series featuring DSI Bill Lorimer. Usually, the action takes place in Glasgow or further afield in northern Scotland. This time the narrative is split between Glasgow and Zimbabwe as Lorimer and his wife Maggie take a well-earned holiday to celebrate his fiftieth birthday. Lorimer had become friendly with Daniel Kohi, a refugee and former police inspector from Zimbabwe, a few years before, and was pleased that he was now a probationer in Police Scotland and doing well. As Daniel’s mother had not written in a while, the Lorimers planned to check in or her to set Daniel’s mind at rest.
In the previous book, Questions for a Dead Man, Kohi came into contact with someone from his home country, later arrested and sent to prison, who recognised him and spread the word back home that Daniel was not dead (he was presumed to have died in the house fire that killed his wife and son). This puts him in grave danger. It also makes Bill and Maggie a target when they arrive in Zimbabwe, as the corrupt police officer Daniel was trying to expose still wields a lot of power.
The story is told from multiple viewpoints so we get a rounded picture and understand what is going on. As there is a lot of backstory involved, it would be better to go back to book eighteen, Before the Storm, in the series (where Daniel Kohi makes his first appearance) at the very least, or a lot of things will not make sense. This far into a well-established crime series, the characters are like old friends and it’s always a pleasure to catch up with them. I love this series for its strong sense of place, but here it was interesting to visit Zimbabwe and get an idea of the country Daniel had left behind. It’s not often that we see a relaxed Bill Lorimer enjoying the birds and wildlife, but even here he could not leave his detective’s instinct behind. I have been a big fan of this series from the beginning and have already pre-ordered the next one which I look forward to reading next year. Thanks to Sphere and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Up to the usual standard of the Lorimor series. I enjoyed the variation on the locations and the way the plot was so well orchestrated between the different countries, but as an expat Scot, did miss the usual Scottish input which Alex Gray brings to life with her writing. Definitely looking forward to the next one.

Book twenty one in the D.S.I William Lorimer series
And another brilliant read
Loved all this series
A great series if you want to start something new
Thanks NetGalley

The Lorimers go to Zimbabwe, the country where their friend Daniel Kohi was born. And had to make a quick exit from due to corruption within the Zimbabwe police force. What could possibly go wrong??

I have read quite a few of the books in this series and I really like it. The Lorimers are nice people and DSI Lorimer is a very good police officer.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book and the Lorimers find themselves caught up in events that are orchestrated by a very nasty piece of work. Someone who has influence in two different countries......

There are some lighter moments in this book as well and the descriptions of the wildlife in Zimbabwe are amazing. I wish I could see some of these animals for myself. I also enjoyed the relationship between the Lorimers, they are clearly a very good team.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Group UK.

The first I have read by this author. Starting a series so late (number 21) is probabily not to be recommended, but I did enjoy it and will try and catch up with the rest of the books at some time. DSI Lorimer is the main detective, but he was on holiday for much of this book. The main detective here is Daniel Kohi, who himself hails from Zimbabwe . The book is told from different viewpoints and takes place in Glasgow and Zimbabwe. I had to get used to the writing and the characters, all new for me. I enjoyed the linked plots and sub-plots , though solving the crimes was more about confessions and talking rather than piecing together different strands of evidence. I"m never very keen on writing in dialect but that is a small part of this book.
Glad to have discovered a new writer and I look forward to reading more. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

Thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley for ARC.

Alex Gray's series set in Glasgow, featuring detective William Lorimer, his wife Maggie and a varied cast of characters, has always had a strong sense of place and a warmth and heart that keep me (and many others) coming back to these police procedurals. This is number 21 in the series.
This time, the Lorimers head off on a much needed holiday to Zimbabwe, where friend and colleague PC Daniel Kohi's mother hasn't been heard of for a while.
Meantime, Kohi and his Glaswegian flatmate Netta are caught up in some troubling incidents centred on their new rental home.

I had mixed feelings about this particular outing - considering Gray knows Zimbabwe (although maybe hasn't been back for some time) I thought the sense of place was lacking. Sense of place for Southside of Glasgow was very sharp in contrast. I feel Netta's character is a little underwritten and some of her dialect and dialogue a wee bit jarring, even cliched. The jumps between character points of view and locations can also be a bit disjointed. However, it all comes right in the end, and I welcome number 22!

You would have thought that book 21 in a series would be feeling a little stale but this is absolutely not the case and whilst I have only read a few in this series (I know, I must have been living under a rock!), the ones I have, can be read as standalones quite successfully as this one can but, as with all series, you do lose a bit of the backstory and character development.

Full of excellent characters, an intriguing storyline set in Glasgow and Zimbabwe and with twists and turns throughout, this is an excellent addition to the series and the way the author describes the setting in Zimbabwe made me feel like I wanted to be there experiencing the noises, the scenery, the wildlife but not the dodgy Police!

I thoroughly enjoyed this and would very much recommend it to everyone and I must thank the author, Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this excellent addition to this fantastic series.

Not my favourite but a good mystery that kept me hooked and turning pages.
A mix of Zimbawe and Scotland parts, danger, holidays that could be deadly.
Well plotted, it kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

DS Lorimer and his wife Maggie take a holiday to Zimbabwe,the home of their friend and fellow police officer Daniel Kohi.
I think you would have to be familiar with other Lorimer books to understand some of this book.
Daniel’s mother is still in Zimbabwe and her life is in danger. The ever vigilant Lorimer gets involved in corrupt goings on to help her.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as other Alex Grey books set in Scotland.
I suppose it was a change, maybe Lorimer will retire soon!

With no big cases going on, DSI Lorimer and Maggie plan a trip to Zimbabwe to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Meanwhile in Scotland, Daniel is unaware that word has filtered back to ZImbabwe that he isn't dead and that his "grave" has been dug up.
His mother has fled and no one seems to know where she is, especially the bad guys.
Lorimer and Maggie try to visit Mrs Kohi, but discover she is not there, but appears to have left in a hurry. They also don't realise that they have been marked for an "accident" by the corrupt cop responsible for the deaths of Daniel's wife and child.
The book flits between Africa and Scotland telling the two different parts of the story.
A nice read with some nice descriptions to make the reader want to travel to Africa.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an advance copy of Out of Darkness, the twenty-first novel to feature Detective Superintendent William Lorimer, set in Glasgow and Zimbabwe.

Lorimer and his wife, Maggie, decide on a holiday in Zimbabwe to celebrate his fiftieth birthday, but it is all plain sailing as they get caught up in the trouble their friend PC Daniel Kohi fled. He has not lost his troubles when a man he doesn’t know visits his flat and is murdered a few hours later. DI Miller, investigating the murder finds links not only to Daniel’s past but to that of his lodger and friend, the elderly Netta Gordon.

I thoroughly enjoyed Out of Darkness which simultaneously brings a sense of familiarity with the Glasgow setting and a touch of the exotic in Zimbabwe. The author provides enough description of Glasgow in February to make anywhere sound exotic in comparison (and that’s the voice of experience) but the descriptions of Zimbabwe are excellent with the heat, noise, scenery and wildlife.

The novel is told from various points of view, which is a little confusing initially, but I soon settled in to the characters and who was who. I think that this approach gives the reader a wider perspective on events, but not all of them as the author has a few tricks up her sleeve for the latter stages. It is essentially a novel of revenge, carried out with great ineptitude by a host of dim bulbs, and interesting in how it plays out. I was glued to the pages. There is never a dull moment and plenty of relief as the intended victims escape another plot. There are twists and some neat ironies so it is an absorbing read.

It was nice to see Lorimer and Maggie having a real holiday and taking a slightly more relaxed attitude to life, ok, relaxed in between the various escapades and brushes with danger. My favourite character is the indomitable Netta, a wee Glasgow wummin who brings a real sense of the town and the people.

Out of Darkness is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

This is the latest in Alex Gray's gritty Glasgow series featuring DSI William Lorimer, this has him approaching his 50th birthday, and amidst the cold and freezing winter months, he and his writer/teacher wife, Maggie, make the decision to have a long earned extended holiday. They choose to spend it in Zimbabwe, a beautiful country with its stunning landscapes, teeming birdlife, breathtaking wildlife and insects. Additionally, it offers the opportunity to drop in on Janelle, the mother of PC Daniel Kohi, with his traumatic background, having lost his wife and son. He escaped Zimbabwe for Scotland, still in danger from corrupt police, who believe he died in the deadly fire too.

Kohi is in a relationship with soon to be DI Molly Newton, and shares a home with the wonderful, elderly Netta Gordon, whose past life we learn more of, her troubled marriage with a now deceased husband, often in prison. Netta has been writing to Janelle, but there is concern after a period of not hearing from her. There is a suspicious mugging and murder, does it point to Netta's past or to Daniel, have others become aware that he is still alive? DI Diana Miller investigates, helped by Molly. Lorimer finds himself on a busman's holiday, as Janelle appears to be missing and in danger. Meanwhile, the Lorimers encounter a wise shaman, murders that are covered up, which William is frustrated by, having no jurisdiction in Zimbabwe, and so much more.

Gray manages to renew and revitalise this series with skill, the creation and development of her wonderful characters, along with her intricate plotted storylines, and here we are in Zimbabwe in all its vibrant glory, with its murder, mayhem, abuse of power. We gain greater depth in our understanding of Daniel, what he went through and we get to know his mother, along with the community and environment she lived in. A brilliant addition to a terrific series, a tense and suspenseful crime read, so gripping and captivating! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book set in Glasgow and Zimbabwe. It is a fast paced tale and I couldn’t work out the plot . The Lorimer series is ever changing and very readable.

I have read all the books in the Lorimer 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 really is an excellent series by Alex Gray, featuring Detective Lorimer and his wife, Maggie. I highly recommend starting with book 1 and reading the whole series as it is one of the best in the genre. The latest episode is set between Glasgow and Zimbabwe and is an easy 5* from me! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Book 21 in the DSI Lorimer series. What a rollercoaster of a book it does not disappoint. DSI William Lorimer and Maggie head to Zimbabwe for a holiday, but are soon caught up in the corrupt police service, and it becomes apparent that their lives are in danger. The descriptions of Zimbabwe are very atmospheric. Back home in Glasgow Daniel Kohi is also facing a difficult time. These characters are so well observed. Such great storytelling with a twist!!!!

⭐️ 5 ⭐️

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Out of Darkness is the 21st book in the DSI William Lorimer series. It can be read as a standalone, but I’d highly recommend reading a few of the others first. 21 books is a lot, so if you don’t really want to start at the beginning, then I’d start with Before the Storm (number 18), as this is when Daniel and Netty, two key characters are introduced.
 
This is the fifth book I’ve read in this Scottish detective series, but I’ve loved them all, and I’d say this was one of my favourites so far.
 
I love the characters and always feel at home in their company. I really enjoyed the interesting storyline in this multi-layered, well-plotted book and particularly liked how the two main threads were woven together and tied off at the end.
 
In my opinion, Alex Gray doesn’t get the publicity or credit she deserves for this fabulous, long-running, gritty crime series; it’s certainly one I always highly recommend.

Looking forward to book 22 already.

Book 21 in the fantastic Detective Lorimer series sees Lorimer and his wife Maggie off to Zimbabwe on holiday to celebrate Lorimer's 50th birthday. While there they get tangled up in the ongoing search for the previously presumed dead Daniel Kohi. His enemies in Zimbabwe have discovered he escaped from there to Glasgow when his family were murdered and the hunt for Daniel is on again! This is a fast paced read bringing together strands of Daniel's life in Zimbabwe and Glasgow. It also has beautiful descriptions of the wildlife of Africa that could only come from someone familiar with life there. A thrilling, thoroughly enjoyable read as always. I only hope Lorimer, Maggie, Daniel and the team are around for many more books yet.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Out of Darkness is the 21st book in the William Lorimer series but this one has an international flavour as the Detective and his wife take a holiday in Zimbabwe.

Back in Glasgow things are not quiet as the Lorimers’ friend Daniel Kohi is involved in another personal investigation.

The book moves along at a good pace and despite it being long running still remains fresh and a series I look forward to reading each year with this latest book a worthy addition.

Recommended.

Thanks to Alex and NetGalley for allowing me to read Out of Darkness before the publication date.
The storylines take place in Glasgow and Zimbabwe.

The people who helped Daniel Kohi to escape from Zimbabwe also set a false narrative in which all but a few people believed that Daniel had died in the fire which had killed his wife and child.

Now word has reached Augustus Ncube, a prisoner in HMP Barlinnie, that Daniel is alive and living in Glasgow. Ncube seeks to have him killed by local thugs. As Daniel shares a flat with Netta Gordon, this draws the elderly lady into their sights.

William’s 50th birthday takes place during their trip to Zimbabwe. He will soon be eligible to retire.
Maggie’s second career as an author is taking off.
The trip soon becomes a busman’s holiday for William, who finds himself facing the corruption which is rife in the country.

There will be plenty of secrets revealed in the course of the book and just a smidgen of humour.
Or perhaps in this case, karma is a better word.

The well-established younger characters have been given the scope to grow into more senior positions in this book, without Lorimer looking over their shoulder.

Alex has created a superb character in Netta Gordon, as we gradually learn more about the difficulties
which she has encountered and overcome.
The pride which Netta shows in even the simplest of things in the flat which she shares with Daniel is positively endearing.
The description of the beautiful safari lodge and the infinity pool transport the reader to hotter climes.