4 stars. This one sees some emotionally difficult crimes when there’s a girl who’s killed herself after a sex video was uploaded without her knowledge or consent, and then an elderly man is possibly being exploited but we find all is not as it seems there either… Chris and Sara finally tie the knot, and we have the world’s worst FLO in the form of Paul Henry… and Clare and Al seem to be settling into sharing a house together. All in all a good addition to a well thought out series, and Todd ties everything together as usual at the end (minor quibble - I’d have preferred it without the little cocktail trick at the wedding, but that’s just me).

Looking forward to book 8, which I have ready to read! Perhaps Max and Zoe’s relationship might now feature a little more? ☺️

I received a free ARC of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review.

Book eight in the Detective Clare Mackay series
And another good one at that
Plenty of twists and turns
Which will have you turning the pages
Thanks NetGalley

DI Clare Mackay faces a challenging task as she investigates the deaths of Sophie Bakewell and the elderly man. With both cases presenting unexpected twists and mysteries, Clare must rely on her keen investigative skills to uncover the truth. Clare ensures that every detail of the crime scenes is meticulously examined. She knows that even the smallest clue could provide a vital piece of information.Clare and her team conduct extensive interviews with friends, family, classmates, and anyone who had contact with the victims. They delve deep into their backgrounds and relationships, searching for any potential motives or connections. Clare works closely with forensic experts to analyze evidence gathered from the crime scenes. This includes DNA analysis, toxicology reports, and any other relevant forensic evidence that could shed light on what really happened. Despite the challenges and setbacks, Clare remains persistent and resilient. She knows that solving these cases requires unwavering determination and dedication.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Bridges to Burn" is a gripping addition to the Detective Clare Mackay series, penned by the talented author Marion Todd. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Scotland, this unputdownable crime thriller weaves a web of suspense, intrigue, and unexpected twists.

DI Clare Mackay is called to Albany High, where the body of a seemingly cheerful and talented student, Sophie Bakewell, has been found. Initially dismissed as a suicide, the case takes a darker turn as Clare and her team delve deeper. As they investigate, they encounter an elderly man in danger, and suddenly, everything changes. Two suspicious deaths present a puzzle that challenges their assumptions and forces them to question the truth.

Todd's writing is engrossing and immersive, capturing the essence of Tartan Noir. The character arcs are compelling, and the plot keeps readers guessing until the breathless finale. Clare Mackay's team feels like old friends, and their interactions add depth to the story. The pacing is spot-on, with each chapter revealing new layers of mystery.

The author skillfully balances the personal lives of the characters with the demands of the investigation. The twists and red herrings keep readers on their toes, and the resolution is both satisfying and unexpected. Todd's prose sparkles, making this a must-read for fans of Ann Cleeves, Lin Anderson, and JD Kirk.

"Bridges to Burn" is a treat for anyone who loves well-plotted police procedurals with a Scottish flair. Marion Todd's storytelling prowess shines through, making this installment a standout in the series. Prepare to be hooked from the first page—once you start, you won't want to put it down! 🔥📚

Bridges to Burn is the eighth in the DI Clare Mackay series of detective novels set in St Andrews. A promising young student takes her own life after a compromising video appears online that her boyfriend swears he did not send. In another seemingly unrelated case, a man comes in to the station to claim that someone is stealing from his terminally ill father, who is then found dead the next day in suspicious circumstances. At first glance, there is nothing to connect these investigations, but as Clare and her team dig deeper, it starts to look as if there might be.
After eight books these characters are well established and familiar. Marion Todd achieves the right balance between the police investigation and the private lives of the main characters, using humour to offset the often harrowing nature of the crimes they encounter on a daily basis. In Bridges to Burn, the writer addresses topical issues such as cyberbullying, teenage suicide, fraud and corruption with a light touch.
We follow the investigation as it is happening, over a short period of time, and learn that there is no short cut to finding the culprits, just painstaking attention to detail and examining every angle. There are several twists that I did not see coming and plenty of red herrings to put the reader off the scent, and as always a satisfying conclusion. You could read this as a standalone, but I thoroughly recommend that you start at the beginning of this excellent series, you won’t regret it. As you might have guessed, I am a big fan of these books and look forward to reading the next one. Thanks to Canelo Crime and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

When the body of a young girl Sophie Bakewell is found in the grounds of her school and her death is deemed as a suicide, everyone is baffled as to what would push this bright and bubbly young girl to do this.
It’s up to DI Clare Mackay and her team to investigate. This isn’t the only mystery for them to solve. When another case is thrown into the mix via a complaint about an elderly man allegedly being taken advantage of and later found deceased, what is the mystery here? While Clare is trying to untangle the threads of both cases, things quickly escalate and get more strange.

Aww I don’t know what to say! I absolutely love Marion’s writing so much! She’s such a great storyteller, and Clare and her team feel like old friends at this stage in the series. There’s so much going on, with a wedding in the mix too! And I’m so glad my absolute fave ‘The DCI’ is back!! It’s lovely to see their relationship developing through the books, and how supportive he is of Clare, he’s constantly got her back! This particular instalment was great, and it was interesting to see the developments of the plot running through the pages so smoothly! Absolutely fantastic!

This is book eight in the Clare Mackay series and a first dip into the series for me.

The book opens right in the thick of it when a seemingly popular teenage girl is found hanged in the grounds of her school the investigation unravels a web of bribery, bullying and cohesion as well as investigating the exploration of an elderly gentleman followed closely by his death.

I also think that there is a serious edge to the story in terms of the toxic culture of the toxic media influence that plaques the young people of today.

A current intense read written with consideration and flare.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The DI Clare Mackay series is one I've really enjoyed. I've listened to a few of the earlier books on audio, which are narrated by the author. They are available on Hoopla. Everything is from Clare's point of view and she leads her team. I would read these in order due to the personal and career developments of Clare and her team members.

Here we have what looks like the suicide of a young girl, the death of an elderly man who had a terminal disease, some decades old unreported rape cases, and some other strange happenings. As the team investigates, there seem to be connections but not a lot of evidence. But they keep digging, looking at motives.

Around the cases, Clare has settled comfortably with Al and is surprised how well they fit. He is really wonderful to her and does a lot of the cooking and other chores. Clare is not appreciating her new DCI or his protégée in the slightest. Chris and Sara are busy preparing for their wedding and a bit distracted.

It's a slow burn of getting a bunch of details until finally motives and people who committed crimes are clear. Even then they need to gather enough evidence. For a long time, it doesn't feel like anything will be resolved. But Clare and her team do find the answers in these crimes.

I really enjoy these characters, their hard work, their personality and styles, and their skill at finding the truth. There's also the depth of their personal lives and friendships supporting the mysteries. I recommend this series.

I requested this book on NetGalley because I had heard good things about the author. Conveniently, it ties in with my book club's theme of crime novels set in Scotland.

This was my first time reading a DI Mackay novel, and I don't think it will be my last. I liked Clare a lot, as she seemed to remain detached, while at the same time being very compassionate. I felt the author told the reader what they wanted to know, but not more than that, so it still had me turning the pages and guessing. I felt there were some moments of lighthearted banter between the police officers, which took the edge off the seriousness. I would read another one of these.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Another one of the police procedural series i enjoy. This is the DI Clare Mackay, series book 8. When DI Mackay is called to investigate a school girl who has committed suicide, she needs to find out why. She unravels clues regarding a video that has gone viral on the net. What is it that could cause a young girl to do this???? All is not as it seems !!
When a man dies who used to be a Councillor, the team unravels a shady past, but has he been found out?? And if so, by whom? A family with secrets, can DI Mackay and the team get to the bottom of it? Sensitive topics. Great series, i highly recommend

DI Clare Mackay is called to Albany High, where the body of a girl has been found. A suspected suicide – yet Sophie Bakewell was by all accounts a cheerful, talented student. Could she really have been hiding a darker side?

It’s not the only disturbing case to land on Clare’s desk. Across town, an elderly man is in danger. Yet before the police can determine the facts, everything changes and they are presented with two suspicious deaths to investigate.

As Clare and her team face the possibility that anything they believe to be true about the deaths is wrong, they might find that a killer can lurk behind the most innocent of faces.

This book is so good! I flew through it in one sitting as it was just too good to put down. The plot had plenty of twists to keep you guessing right to the end. And as usual the relationship between Clare and her team is brilliant. Loved it.

Last updated on 06 Mar 2024
I've enjoyed the books I have read in this series so far and this one has been no exception. This one is number 7, though it reads fine as a standalone . Clare is an interesting detective and has good relationships with her team and with her live in partner. There is a shared history in previous books which adds more depth, but you don't miss too much if you haven't read them.
A great pace here, short chapters and intricate cases which are gradually unravelled in a realistic way. Quite sensitive subjects are dealt with, teenage sucicide, blackmail and sex on the web as well as bribery, corruption and rape. Well described and police procedure is spot on.
Thanks to Net Galley for a great read in exchange for an honest review. Nothing to fault here

I always love returning to Scotland’s East Coast and in particular to St Andrews and the surrounding area. With many references to the local towns and villages, I’m always reminded of visiting family in Dundee.
As the story opens, we are faced with an unexplained death of a bright and seemingly popular student. We are thrown straight into the compelling process of seeing how police procedure uncovers the tiny details surrounding the vague evidence. Details that as a layperson, I would never consider to be important such as the clues that would help identify the time of death.
As I would expect, there are familiar characters at the station, and we learn that there is a wedding in the near future. Having followed the courting couple, it was only natural that the wedding plans would play a part in this book. We also meet a new character who takes on the role of FLO – Family Liaison Officer – a job that requires a very specific set of abilities coupled with a strong sense of empathy. Let’s just say that his skillset wasn’t immediately obvious.
Rather than dipping into a world darkened by gangland crime, this time we discover more about cyber crime and the vulnerabilities that are hidden in our everyday tech. As usual, there are other enquiries continuing alongside the unexplained death as we learn of a vulnerable senior whose belongings have been disappearing.
Being presented with a front row seat into the processes required in the analysis of each case is addictive. I seriously couldn’t put this book down and read right into the wee small hours. The writing is sharp and totally immersive. As I learned more about each case, my mind started whirring with possible solutions, but whether I was on the right track is academic as the story had me hooked as it sped toward the final reveal.
Marion Todd is easily one of my favourite crime authors. Her research is clear and thorough, enabling her to present sophisticated storylines in a manner that steal the readers imagination. I continue to love this series and hope it continues for many years to come.

I’d like to thank Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Bridges To Burn’, book eight in the Detective Clare Mackay series written by Marion Todd, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Clare Mackay and DS Chris West are called out to Albany High School when the body of a female pupil is found in a wooded area adjoining the school grounds and due to the circumstances surrounding the body it’s presumed that the girl, Sophie Bakewell, has taken her own life. As Clare is trying to make sense of this unexplained death she has a visit from Rory Craven, the son of elderly Cliff Craven, who thinks a woman is stealing items of value from his father. Clare and her team soon become aware that there’s more to these crimes than is immediately apparent.

‘Bridges To Burn’ is another gripping police thriller based in Scotland where we once again meet DI Clare Mackay and her hardworking team as Chris and Sara are preparing for their wedding. DCI Tony McAvettie makes an unwelcome appearance as does the new FLO, Paul Henry, who the team are less than enamoured with. The characters are down-to-earth and likeable and the well-written plot includes plenty of suspense, intrigue and twists and turns as they try to understand the reasoning behind the crimes. There’s just one thing that grates on me and that’s how Clare constantly calls her boyfriend/partner by the term DCI and only occasionally by his Christian name of Al which to me feels impersonal, but apart from this one niggle I’ve enjoyed reading this thriller and hope there’ll be another one soon.

what a great book, couldn't put it down, sadness, bullies, death and laughs too, it had everything and of course a definite 'i would have never have guessed them'

When detective Clare Mackay is called out to a quite exclusive local school it is to investigate the death of one of the pupils. Sophie, from all accounts was a lovely popular girl. So how come she was found in an isolated part of the school hanging from a tree. She seemed to have everything to live for- why did she take her own life? A man comes into the station saying that his elderly father is being exploited & items are missing from his house. A couple of days later the father is dead. Tis provides plenty for Claire & her team to look into.

I have been a fan of this series from the start & have loved seeing the characters develop & it is like meeting up with old friends as each book comes out. Along with this I like the setting, being a bit familiar with that neck of the woods. This was a great addition to the series. It could be read as a stand alone, but I'm sure it would be more satisfying as part of the series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Todd has crafted a thrilling series of novels based around her hometown residency of St. Andrews, based around the central character of DI Clare Mackay who with her trusted team of police officers they solve the crimes that fall on their tranquil doorsteps month-to-month.

Embracing the ethos of write what you know by placing the action in her hometown, Todd mixes a wealth of local knowledge with police research and an admiration for Midsommer Murders, after nine books surely people should stay away from this town yet we as a reader keep returning for more and more of the same.

This book revolves around a quite sensitive content as it starts with the suicide of a young teenager and then the murder of a former local councilman who may or may not have taken bribes when in the position of local authority to get planning permission approved. As always two inextricably linked cases are someone entwinned and Mackay must navigate the two cases along with a DCI who she does not get along with and a newly minted Family Liaison Officer who she rubs up the wrong way.

This reader has been with Todd every step of the way and has thoroughly enjoyed the growth of not only Mackay as a character but Todd as an assured plotter of narrative. Her strength is remaining in control of the multiple plates she has spinning, at the start of the book the sensitive nature of the teenage suicide and porn websites was a bit unsettling but then the councilman's murder helps crank up the tension and narrative thrust, any worries that was being endured where thrust asunder with the breakneck pace of the final quarter of the book being both rip-roaring and thoroughly enjoyable.

The DI Clare Mackay series is a great series, I have read and enjoyed them all. A great police procedural that kept me gripped from the first page with some twists and turns to throw me off. If you enjoy police procedurals then I recommend you try this series, you won’t be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest unbiased review.
I've been on the Clare McKay from book one and it has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
All the usual characters are back and investigating what appears to be two separate events, firstly the suicide of a schoolgirl and secondly the death of an elderly retired ex councillor in his own home.
As events unfold is there a common denominator between the two or merely coincidence,
Obviously don't want to give away any more of the story, but Ms Todd has written another highly enjoyable book that I read in two sittings, one of which was late into the night, such was my desire to find out what had happened.
Recommended without hesitation if you're a fan of this genre, either as part of the series or as a standalone.

#bridgestoburn by @mariontoddwriter is an excellent police procedural. although 8th in this series, ms. todd does a very good job with giving just enough background info so that we're not entirely out of the loop, but not so much as to be repetitive. i liked the characters and found it hard to put down. look forward to the backlog!

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC