I was attracted to this but by it’s being set in the Scottish Mountains, Torridon a place I know well. It had me hooked from the start and I read it in a weekend. This was my first encounter with DS Max Craigie and my first book written by Neil Lancaster. I will certainly be going back to the first book in the DS Max Craigie series.

A police procedural with mountain rescue in the mix. This book totally hooked me,I devoured it, not stopping til the end. An excellent read Wow

When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose. The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer.
The sixth outing for Max & another well written, fast paced edge of the seat book. There are twists & turns & events on the mountain had me holding my breath. I love Max & love how the banter always lightens the books. A book that could easily be read on its own but with all series I love to start at the beginning & with series you won’t be disappointed
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

DS Max Craigie returns in this electrifying instalment, packed with twists and turns that will leave you breathless.

As the stakes are higher than ever before, as Max and the intrepid team once again dive headfirst into the murky waters of police corruption.

And It all begins with a distressing call from his friend Shay at Coastguard Search and Rescue, who reports a troubling spike in the number of women found dead under suspicious circumstances linked to climbing and walking accidents.

So, DI Ross Fraser, Max's superior, gets permission to re-examine these disconcerting cases. Almost immediately, their astute colleague Norma uncovers a chilling pattern: every victim shares a striking resemblance, all being blonde, and the eerie similarities go far deeper.

But just as they begin to piece together the puzzle, another call from Shay shatters the calm—the discovery of yet another body—this time, the killer has slipped up, leaving behind potential evidence that could turn the tide.

So, the team decide, with the help of wily ex-mi5 agent Barney, to set a trap. But it appears their target is two steps ahead of them and is able to strike again. This time leaving evidence that strongly implicates a policeman, igniting a flurry of questions: could he be the only one involved in this web of deception?

And as the investigation unfolds, Max and Janie find themselves ensnared in a gripping game of cat and mouse. With every revelation, they unearth the shocking motives behind these heinous crimes and the tangled connections of those wrapped up in them.

And with a perfect blend of suspense, humour, memorable characters, not to mention a baby! This story is nothing short of a page-turner. That I found myself engrossed in until 2 in the morning; it’s that captivating!

Excellent read and just when you think plots involving police corruption have been done to death, a Max Craigie novel proves that wrong. Proper on the edge of your seat read, especially the action taking place in the mountains.
Hopefully not the end of the series but if it is, Neil Lancaster has ensured it goes out on a high.

Book Blurb - Book 6

A TRAGIC DEATH When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident.
There is no evidence to suggest otherwise. A RISING BODY COUNT Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose. A KILLER IN THE SHADOWS The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

6 books in, and still Neil Lancaster keeps his readers gripped and wondering if there will be another book in this series?!
Max’s homelife is more settled now and he always has the backup from his work colleagues. Oh my days, these colleagues do make me lol with their banter. Your emotions flip from one to the other … that’s the sign of a good read!! Thanks netgalley & HQ Publishing and of course Neil Lancaster!

Ps Neil… will there be another Max Book? I won’t tell 🤫🤐🤫 🤣🤣

#bookstagramshaz #neillancaster #maxcraigie #netgalley #HQpublishing

Thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for ARC.

Police Scotland DI Max Craigie is called away for work - again - just as his beloved is due to give birth to their first child. A woman has been found dead near the base of a Scottish mountain, and an old Forces pal of Craigie's is sure it's part of a bigger, sinister pattern. Will the team be able to find proof of that link in time to get the budget to try and stop more women dying? Will Max miss the birth of his much-longed for baby?
Will Lancaster ever run out of Scottish police corruption plots? Let's hope not. Book six in the series, still careening along at a breathless pace and leaving readers wanting more.

At first I thought this was a same old, same old story but I couldn’t have been more wrong. What a stunning book. And so much corruption still. I fo get the impression this is the last one in the series which is both good and bad news. It’s come to a good conclusion.

The sixth book in the Max Cragie series and it did not disappoint.
It all starts with Max getting a call from Shay, an old friend who works in mountain rescue, about a woman who has fallen to her death while climbing munroes. Then another similar death occurs. Max and his team start to look into these deaths and it's not long before they realise these deaths were no accident but cold blooded murder but why were the police not investigating further??
Again, Neil Lancaster has written another superb book that had me gripped as well as giving us the usual characters that we love.
Hopefully we see more of the team and new dad Max Cragie soon. Thanks to HQ Digital and Netgalley for advanced copy.

Excellent, as always. I enjoyed the latest Max Craigie novel from Neil Lancaster, it was slightly different to to the others I have read but very good. The investigation and relationship between the main characters is as strong as ever and I look forward to many more.

I admit to being a fan of Neil Lancaster and of his Max Craigie series so could not miss the opportunity of reading book 6 in the series and I definitely wasn't disappointed; I was hooked and loved it from start to finish. You can read it as a standalone but I would definitely suggest you read the others in the series as you miss a lot of the character and relationship development and you won't be disappointed.

This addition is another cracker; with fantastic recurring characters (Ross being one of my favourites with Barney in hot pursuit!) and a few new ones that have only added to the excellent ensemble. The story is disturbing but absolutely riveting and, sadly, not beyond the realms of reality. The pace is fast and totally engrossing and the language used by Mr Lancaster paints vivid pictures of the landscape and perilous situations clearly.

What can I say? This instalment is a triumph; a brilliant book and one I would highly recommend as I would the rest of the series and many thanks to the author, HQ and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this, an excellent addition to a brilliant series.

"'Munros are dangerous places.'
'that they are, but women hardly ever die on the hills, it's almost always men...'
'What if someone is targeting lone women climbers, and shoving them off cliffs?'"

The sixth book in this Scottish policies procedural series sees DS Max Craigie and colleagues investigating a grim, misogynist incel group arranging to meet with and push women off Munros.

Always fast-paced with an involving combination of great recurring characters, corrupt coppers, technology and drama. Another great addition to this series!

Another brilliant book in this great crime series.
I love the dynamic between Max, Janie, Ross and Norma, oh and Barney of course!
Max is contacted by an old friend who is linked to mountain rescue. He’s concerned about the number of deaths of women on the mountains. When Max initially looks at the reports, they seem above board, however on closer inspection it’s clear the deaths weren’t fully investigated.
Ross gets a ‘Thematic review’ authorised and it soon becomes clear that someone is pushing women to their deaths on the mountains.
This is a gripping crime thriller that gets better and better, the more the story progresses.
There’s a few surprises in store and a new arrival for Max.
I’d highly recommend this series if you’ve not yet read any of these books before.
Thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this book

Book 6 in the DS Max Craigie series and possibly the best yet, which is no mean feat! If you haven't read the previous books you will still enjoy this one as a standalone but you will feel compelled to go back and read the rest in the series. The word "thriller" epitomises this quite excellent book. If you like a book with plenty of thrills and spills (quite literally) then this is definitely for you.
During an unusual quiet spell for the police anti corruption team headed up by DI Ross Fraser, Max Craigie visits an old friend who is a helicopter pilot with search and rescue in the Highlands of Scotland who alerts him to a number of suspicious deaths on the Scottish mountains that have never been properly investigated. Craigie heads home to his heavily pregnant wife with his interest suitably piqued and its only a matter of time before his team are involved in investigating the deaths. The team head north as Katie Craigie nears her delivery date leaving Max Craigie in a quandary about leaving her but feels that he needs to be involved in this investigation.
The characters are all very likeable and the storyline is very well written intertwining the thrills and suspense of the case along with the personal life of Craigie. The story is very fast paced as the death count increases. Can the team solve the intriguing case before Craigie junior makes an appearance...

This is my favourite police procedural series. It's like Line of Duty but so much better. The Characters all bring something different to the book and the dark humour is very appreciated. The plot of this one is, in my opinion, quite dark and I'm not sure I'll be going hiking any time soon but Neil tackles it with his usual brilliance bringing the best out of all his characters and moving the plot along at a great tempo. I'm very much looking forward to book 7 now!!

When a body is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain it is classed as a tragic accident.
DS Max Craigie is then alerted that this is not the first so called accident - in fact there have been five others this year and each have been accomplished climbers. They have also all been blond females.
Is it the work of a serial killer or is it more than that?

DS Max Craigie and his rag tag band of colleagues are back, and this time we are plunged straight into the action. Max is contacted by an old friend who has suspicions about a series of 'accidents' on the mountains - could there be more to it? As the team open an investigation, it very quickly becomes clear that something more sinister is at play.

There's a fresh tone to this installment in the series, with some straight up 'old fashioned' police work in progress alongside the team's usual corruption focus. That, along with Max's imminent new family arrival and the creepy bad guy POV, made this a real stand out for me. It's like reading a new series but with the comfort of the characters you're already familiar with.

A welcome return for DS Max Craigie, DC Janie Calder, DI Ross Fraser and Barney Illingworth, tech wizard! This time, we see Max and the team investigate a mysterious death of a woman doing a Munro Bagging Holiday and this leads the team to uncovering more than they expected! They suspect why and how but still need to uncover the who. The characters are brilliant and work so well together and there are a few laugh out loud moments! Strap yourself in and settle down with a cuppa - Yorkshire Tea or decent coffee and snack on Tunnocks as the story is fast paced, well written, rollercoaster of a book and the ending came as a total surprise to me!!! More please, Neil!

Brilliant! I love this series which could easily be read as stand alones.

This book covers a difficult subject of violence against women. It is dealt with brilliantly and helped by the ever present humour of the characters. I love the team dynamics and Ross always has you groaning and rolling your eyes!

Max is about to become a father and so the story is also about whether he can balance his job and his new role.

A brilliant story all round. Well rounded, great plot, brilliant character, what more could you want?

DS Max Craigie, #6 When Shadows Fall....what can I say? Yet again Neil Lancaster has written an absolutely cracking murder mystery set in the Highlands of Scotland. This book has everything, a great plot, twists, turns, scenery, banter and humour. I could go on at length but suffice to say I loved it and highly recommend it (and the complete series) to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with a great cast of characters. Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher for an early read. Roll on DS Craigie #7.