Another brilliant read in the DS Max Craigie series. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, it is filled with suspense, witty dialogue and interesting unique characters. I love the humour from Norma and Ross, unexpected and laugh out loud at times. Everything you could want in a crime thriller from the author and another 5* read which I highly recommend to lovers of crime thrillers. I can't wait to see what happens next for Craigie and his team. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

What a wonderful book this is! Full of interesting characters and a plot that is all too believable in this our perverse and perverted world. Just the sort of book that Neil Lancaster writes and "I love 'em". My usual complaint about expletives applies.

I loved this book. I don't know how I haven't discovered Neil Lancaster and.Max Craigie before but I'm now officially a fan.

This is a tight police procedural that kept me guessing from start to finish. I found myself unable to put the book down. I now need to go back and read the rest of the series! A great example of the crime fiction genre.

With thanks to Netgalley for an ARC for an honest review.

When Shadows Fall is another absolute triumph from Neil Lancaster. This latest instalment in the DS Max Craigie series is everything I want from a crime thriller – fast-paced, clever, and utterly gripping from start to finish. It’s a tense, expertly woven police procedural that combines the chilling presence of an incel serial killer with the far-reaching consequences of corruption in the justice system. The result? A thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go.

What begins as a tragic accident – the death of Leanne Wilson on a remote Scottish mountain – quickly turns into something much darker. DS Max Craigie starts to spot disturbing patterns, uncovering a series of similar deaths involving experienced female climbers, all found at the bottom of cliffs. As Max digs deeper, it becomes clear that they’re not just chasing a lone killer – they’re up against something far more insidious and powerful.

Lancaster’s writing is razor-sharp. He builds suspense masterfully, ratcheting up the tension with every chapter. The plot twists are genuinely surprising, keeping you second-guessing all the way through, and the final reveal is both shocking and incredibly satisfying – a real page-turner in every sense.

As always, the characters are a highlight. I’ve grown to love these characters more with each book, and When Shadows Fall only cements that further.

Dark, thrilling, and full of heart, this is Neil Lancaster at the top of his game. If you love smart, gritty crime fiction with complex characters and jaw-dropping twists, this one’s for you – keep them coming, Neil!

I absolutely love this series and this book did not disappoint. Loved the characters and the fact they are based in Scotland. I’ve recommended this series to so many people.

5 Stars from Me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

I'm such a fan of this series by Neil Lancaster, following DS Max Craigie and his colleagues.

When Shadows Fall is a great example of a tight storyline executed beautifully. Hot on the tail of a killer thought to be pushing women off mountains, even though it is impossible to know who to trust, the team have to work together and creatively to get into the mind of a murderer.

They are an eclectic yet brilliant group of individuals, all utterly determined to stop the killer - no matter the cost to them personally.

This all too real, chilling insight into the modern world was absolutely gripping and perfectly paced. This series just gets better and better with every book, and I look forward to more.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and HQ Digital for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Great characters from this author and a really novel plot.
Relied on a few too many 'face turned pale' moments, especially considering the backgrounds and experience of the team.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC of this book.
This was a new author to me but someone I would probably return to. My only problem was with some of the Scottish terminology and the fact that is another platform referring to the growing "incel" obsession. I loved the characters which have obviously been growing over the previous books written. Ross is a particularly interesting boss to have.
Will definitely be looking out for the next book to see further growth.

This grabbed mr from the start. It is well written and keeps you turning the pages. Great characters, good storyline and suspense.

Absolutely loved this book!! Possibly the best yet in the Max Craigie series. Totally gripped from start to finish.

Highly recommend.

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

I haven’t read all the previous books in this series but that didn’t seem to make a difference as it’s a good stand alone story. The obvious links to the previous stories are there but not distracting a good thriller with some tension and some well researched procedural sections.

This book is in the Max Craigie series. If you've not read the others then you should.
The book does well as a standalone though. It's a great mystery and a proper page turner. Highly recommended.

I love this series, this book is no exception. The team are involved this time with a series of possible accidents in the "Monroes" in Scotland, where women fell to their deaths. There are suspicions that there is more to it than meets the eye. Meanwhile, there are transcripts of online discussions which do suggest that these deaths are deliberate, but who are these forum members?
The book grabbed me from the outset, because of the crimes, the interesting investigation and Max's personal life. I very much like the team members and the working relationships between them . A couple of twists in the story and a build up of suspense, thanks to Net Galley for a great read .

I have read, and enjoyed, every book in this series and was excited to read this, the newest offering.

The personal stories within this book, focus largely on Max, starting with a visit to his feisty elderly aunt and the imminent arrival of his baby.

The ‘team’ are a great bunch of quirky characters, who have strong relationships, reflected by their teasing and the nature of their easy banter. This is turn is also clear in their honed investigative skills, knowing each others strengths and caring about them personally. In this book the tension is palpable as Janie goes undercover, I felt very uneasy.

The pace of the book is unrelentingly fast, action-packed, uncovering a dark side of modern society. The settings add another formidable layer of tension, with mountain walking and rock climbing providing a dangerous back drop.

I love this series, devouring the latest book way into the early hours of the morning. Long may they continue (please).

Another brilliant Max Craigie police procedural tackling murder and corruption in the Scottish Highlands. I have read all the series so far and can't wait for the next one! I love the characters and the working relationships between them and there is plenty of suspense and action. Highly recommended!

Max Craigie and his colleagues are back. He is looking forward to imminently becoming a father and having paternity leave from the job he loves but of course there is a last job to do before that can happen, child arrival permitting naturally.

A friend of Max who works in mountain rescue notices an anomaly in the number of solo female climbers falling to their deaths in recent times and asks Max to look into it. This of course involves his boss, my favourite character, Ross who is a blustering sweary but compassionate family man. Janie who is much tougher than she looks and is not to be underestimated, though many make that particular error at their peril. Norma the computer expert Barney an ex MI5 agent with many tablets.

They soon find that there is indeed an anomaly and the more they look into it the more sinister it becomes. Someone is making this happen for their enjoyment but who and why is someone so sick.

Time is precious for Max, his wife Katie is nearing her due date. Will he solve the crime before the baby arrives?

Another very enjoyable installment in this series and I look forward to the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Unfortunately this book didn’t grab me. I’ve not read the other books in the series so I didn’t have the background to the characters lives but I just found the story slow going. However I did like the plot and enjoyed the twists along the way.

When Shadows Fall is another 10 out of 10 banger from Neil Lancaster. This series keeps getting better and better. Please never stop writing these books. 5 stars

I eagerly anticipated the next DS Max Craigie series book, which was as original, suspenseful and vivid as the earlier books. It begins with a violent death in a wild and beautiful place, but the undercurrents of menace are present from the beginning. One death reveals something more, and soon, Craigie and the team are in a dark game as they try to discover the truth and prevent further needless loss of life. I enjoyed the twisty plot, the vibrant characters that resonated and the clever and resourceful police team. It's an action-packed story with suspense and twists that keep you invested. I listened to an audiobook version of the story and enjoyed the narration that made every character distinguishable and immersed me in the action.
I received an arc from the publisher and purchased it as an audiobook.

Long time Neil Lancaster fan, and eagerly awaited this one which released on my birthday :)

Really enjoyed this one. It's a perfect blend of police procedural and suspense. The second book in recent weeks that I've read having climbing as a plot point. Very tense, very pacey. Waiting on the next in the series as all the others have been superb. Congratulations to Neil Lancaster for another smasher in his series.