SCOTTISH BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Bloodtide by Neil Lancaster, HQ Publishing, £8.99

The latest release from crime writer and former detective Neil Lancaster grips the reader’s attention from the opening page as his compelling writing style instantly transports us into the world of Max Craigie.

The novel’s protagonist, Detective Sergeant Max Craigie, is part of the police standards reassurance – an undercover group working to weed out police corruption – with his co-workers DI Ross Fraser and DC Janie Calder. However, it soon becomes apparent that Lancaster’s plot is far from your average police procedural, but rather a thriller packed full of twists and turns, making it impossible to solve until the final pages.

The story begins with seemingly unrelated incidents: a fisherman vanishes in the cold murky waters off the west coast of Scotland; and an emotionally disturbed man jumps off the Erskine Bridge outside Glasgow.

DS Craigie soon comes across evidence that appears to link the two cases together, but quickly finds unexpected obstacles thrown in his way as he races against time to solve a case which he fears will result in further victims.

Max himself is struggling with his own past which starts to interfere with the case as the team discover apparent dark forces at play closer to home.

It becomes clear corruption is at play, which is enabling drug trafficking to operate within Scotland, without consequences.

The investigators find themselves embroiled in something much more widespread than they initially imagined, and Max is forced to make an impossible decision that could haunt him for the rest of his life.

The author’s ability to create a well-rounded, realistic narrative that neatly ties together each plot strand is a testament to the success of his previous novels.

Despite this being the second in a series, the cast of engaging characters is written to such a high standard I could easily read this as a stand-alone without feeling that there was some missing context.

The geographical location of Scotland added an extra dimension of mystery and intrigue, and I am delighted to have discovered a new fantastic crime writer in Neil Lancaster.

The Blood Tide publishes next month.