Lauren Martin returns home to the most horrific scene imaginable - her husband Keith lies dead from multiple stab wounds, and her 18 year old son Logan stands with a bloodied knife in his hand. His sister Jade was in her bedroom during the attack so claims she didn’t see anything, and as she was wearing headphones she didn’t hear anything either.

Logan confesses to the murder and is now serving a prison sentence. However, Logan’s aunt Nicole doesn’t believe that Logan was responsible, she maintains that he’s just the most gentle person ever, so she hires Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson to find out the truth.

Teàrlach has no idea how he’s going to do that, after what (to all intents and purposes) appears to be a closed case - after all, Logan was discovered with the bloodied knife, and also admitted his guilt, but Nicole begs him to take the case, so he agrees to work for her.

A visit to the Martin’s home reveals a pentagram under the carpet in Jade’s bedroom, the same pentagram that was discovered in the house next door, where a year previously, the elderly owners were found dead in bizarre circumstances. Looks like Teàrlach has found a link, and there’s more to follow!

Meanwhile there’s a ritualistic killer stalking the streets of Glasgow, bodies placed precisely on an occult pentagram, bound in intricate knots, and though he has no proof that it’s got anything to do with the Martin case, Teàrlach has this niggling feeling that they’re connected.

Ably assisted by Dee and Chloe, Teàrlach ventures into the dark side, (quite literally), as the occult is heavily involved, both in the Martin case and the ritualistic killer.

With much use of smoke and mirrors, many twists and turns, and an intriguing storyline, Silent Ritual is a great addition to the Tartan Noir genre.

Excellent murder mystery. I like Tearlach and his team: they work really well together. A  good storyline with a fast-paced race to the finish line. Highly recommended. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It started off slowly for me and I almost didn't finish. But glad i didn't give up as it got much more interesting and was nice to be able to visualise some of the area since I'm from Glasgow. A slightly different plot but I did enjoy the story line once it picked up pace.

A very well crafted murder mystery. Teàrlach Paterson is a private detective. In the opening, a lady called Nicole Martin demands he find out who killed her brother Keith and why he was killed. The problem is that Logan, Keith's son, has already confessed to the crime, been tried, found guilty and imprisoned. Teàrlach decides to have a look at the case anyway. He soon discovers something odd about the Martins' neighbours. Then a serial killer starts leaving bodies all over Glasgow. Teárlach is convinced these things are all connected but how they're connected is the question. Teàrlach and his assisstants Chloe and Dee are great characters. They all have past issues but it's handled well in the story and it's not discussed on every other page, nor does it affect how they do their jobs. I really enjoyed the story. Easy to read with some interesting twists. I was unaware that this was the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I'm going to go find book 1!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Andrew James Greig for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I took a risk reading the second book in a detective series but I was rewarded with a gripping tale complete with twists and turns and a pinch of relationship drama. Having not read the first book, I was still able to follow the ongoing story as well as piece together what had happened in the lead up regarding the group of detectives and their backgrounds. I particularly liked the author's use of descriptions which were not too wordy yet showed accurate observations of people's mannerisms and behaviours. The suspense ramped up towards the end, with the action becoming more edge of your seat. I will be seeking out book 1 as I enjoyed the style of writing and am eager to read more about the characters.

I received this arc from netgalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

After reading this book, I learned it’s the second book in a series but can also be read as a stand alone. I do think if I read the first one it would have explained a little more. I did find at times certain things were confusing to follow. But overall the story and plot was interesting and very twisty! Enjoyed this read! I def recommend if you’re into suspense and thrillers!

Edge of my seat the entire time! Page turning thriller! Loved this book! Thanks to netgalley!!!! ARC read! I enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing the entire time!

Silent Ritual is book 2 in the Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson series by Andrew James Greig, out in the UK on 28 June 24.

In keeping with the pentagram theme that recurs throughout this compelling Scottish crime novel, here are 5 things I enjoyed:

1. Twisted and original murders
2. A strong plot-line that ties in the occult, freemasonry, & Glasgow’s landmarks
3. Characters you can buy into, especially with the expansion of characters from book 1, The Girl in the Loch
4. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems
5. An unrivalled dedication in naming chapters.
It kept me up beyond my bedtime - always a sign of a good book!

This is the second novel to feature PI Tearlach Paterson and is set in Glasgow. It is shaping up to be a very good series with it's interesting and relatable characterisation. The plotting is centred around witchcraft, kidnapping and drugs and it packs a powerful punch. The pace is fast and the book is well well written, It can be read on it's own but I would recommend reading the first in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

Silent Ritual is the second installment in the Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson series, however it can be read as a standalone. It is a very intense murder mystery, dealing heavily with ritualistic murders.

After being found guilty of the murder of his father, Logan Martin is sentenced to 12 years in jail. His aunt is convinced her nephew did not kill his father and hires PI Teàrlach to find out what really happened to Keith Martin. PI Teàrlach starts investigating with the help of his mates Dee and Chloe and starts making some very shocking discoveries, the first being a pentagram found carved into Jade Martin's floor. Right around the same time, people are being murdered around Glasgow. Clues lead PI Teàrlach to believe they have been ritualistically sacrificed and, more importantly, that they are all possibly connected. What exactly is going on in Glasgow, and who is behind it all?

This book sucked me in immediately. I was so intrigued by the unique murders and occult practices- I haven't really come across them in detective mysteries. There are quite a bit of characters, however the book is paced fast and evenly enough that there is no confusion. This book is also very well written and I look forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Andrew James Greig for this captivating ARC!

This was the second book in the Tearlach Paterson series, and I liked it, though not as much as the first.

The book opens up with a wife returning home and stumbling upon the gruesome discovery of her husband's mutilated body, her son holding the murder weapon and covered in his father's blood.
Logan confessed to the murder of his father and has been serving his sentence in prison. His mother and younger sister Jade have left their home and moved on. Case closed right? Not if Logan's aunt and sister to the deceased has anything to say about it.

Enter our favorite private detective and his team. Logan's aunt does not believe he's guilty and enlists the help of the detective to prove her beloved nephew's innocence. As Tearlach begrudgingly begins his investigation, he stumbles upon a pentagram and isn't quite sure what to make of it.
Upon further investigation, he discovers that there was a double homicide of an elderly couple just a few doors down from the original gruesome murder. Are these three deaths connected somehow?
Meanwhile, there's ritualistic serial killer prowling the streets of Glasgow and though Tearlach struggles to see the connection, he knows it's connected to his own case somehow.

This story had many different angles that all tie together but until the very last 80% of the book, remains unclear to readers. I found the book easy to follow and well written, just like the first. They were several twists and turns along the way which kept me on my toes and completely engrossed in this story.

At times, I felt the frustration of Tearlach as more questions were being raised than answers. They were so many different layers to this story and things just kept coming full force adding to the suspense and tension of the book. Every single person in this story is keeping a secret and being evasive despite needing the help of Tearlach and his team.

I liked the buildup to the ending but, this is where the book disappointed me a bit. I felt the ending to be a little disjointed, unrealistic and far-fetched. The serial killer and rituals were a huge part of the book, so I felt a little let down by the lackluster ending in that regard. I also don't care for the budding relationship of Tearlach and Dee, but I did enjoy getting to see a more vulnerable side to him and getting to know more about Chloe and her family.

Overall, a good read and I am still looking forward to the third book in the series.
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Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: June 28th, 2024

This can be read as a stand-alone but if you get curious about the backstory of the characters ( and you will get curious!) I'd recommend to get your hands also on the first book.

I had a hard time at the beginning with this book - somehow I couldn't connect with the characters and the Glasgow setting. I really considered to not finish it. But I read some reviews and everyone loved the story so I gave it another try.

So glad I did! After the bumpy start the story started making sense and I also started to care about the Tearlach, Dee and Chloe. It was great with lot's of mysteries.

Only downside.. the murderer was underwhelming - I would have hoped a little bit more background.

Wow, this book was thrilling and kept me hooked throughout! This was my first book that I have read by Andrew James Greig. I would say this was a great introduction to his writing and am curious to check out his other books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Andrew James for the ARC.

This was my first book by this author and at first I was hesitant to read it due to the ‘witchcraft, pagan’ theme but was actually quite impressed.

Given that I know nothing of the pagan culture and honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it, the vast majority of the book centered around the characters and only touched on the rituals without going into too much detail.

It was very well written. The author made it easy to understand the rituals for someone with no experience in this. The character development was very well done.

The book was a fast paced page turner. Just when you think you have it figured out another twist is thrown in leaving you dumbfounded and eager to keep reading.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thankfully Teàrlach Paterson returns in another page turner from Andrew James Greig. Paterson has quickly become a favorite genre PI because of the engaging plots and strong supporting cast. Silent Ritual taps into the pagan past of Glasgow as Paterson must overcome a ritualistic killer, uncooperative witnesses, drug dealers, an evil lodge, and corrupt police officials. The book races to a satisfying conclusion which highlights the value of a good investigative team. Silent Ritual is a stellar follow-up to the series debut. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Kept me gripped from the beginning to the end.

I will recommend it to others. Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to review

2nd in the series but despite not giving read the 1st I didn't feel I'd missed much. Tearlach, Private Investigater, is appointed by the aunt of a convicted killer as she is convinced by his innocence. But as he was found covered in blood still holding the murder weapon, the police have it as an open and shut case. But then links are found with deceased neighbours and missing youngsters and these point to paganism.
I enjoyed the premise of this novel, I found it a fairly quick read. The characters work well together, each of them have their own strengths.

OMG that was an intense, keep you on the edge, read! Thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics between Tearlach, Chloe and Dee as they search for answers to the latest string of murders. Loved the esoteric touch.

Huge thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for the advanced copy in return for an honest review! Can't wait for the next!

Private investigator Teàrlach Paterson is asked to investigate a murder. The accused was found beside his father's body with a knife in his hand, covered in blood - but was he set up? Some in his family think so.

Meanwhile a serial killer dubbed The Pagan by the press is operating in Glasgow. A series of bodies are left at various points in the city, with some very strange similarities. But are there links to the original murder that Paterson is working on?

Silent Ritual doesn't really live up to its potential. The pace is slow and several key moments in the plot seem to rely on coincidence rather than good investigation. And the descriptions of Glasgow seem vague and just a little off, leaving a confusing sense of place.

I am not a true crime reader generally, and SILENT RITUAL proved too much for me. I'm certain fans of the genre will find it incredibly gripping, and fly right through it.