Fabulous! Page turning gripping and utterly absorbing.
Can see this flying off the shelves!
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of Dead Man's Grave by Neil Lancaster.

What a great introduction to DS Max Craigie. Max finds himself in Scotland on a case featuring the murder of a notorious man and a family feud spanning centuries.

This book has everything you could ask for in a crime thriller; a mysterious atmosphere, a great setting, believable characters who are flawed, and a gripping story line.

Neil Lancaster has a new fan.

A fantastic piece of Scottish fiction that shows why the Tartan Noir scene is one of the best! Fast paced with strong characters and an enjoyable story. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review

Very enjoyable read with well developed characters and a genre of book, when well written as this was, that I really enjoy.

Would like to read other books from this Author to see if the same standard and suspense can be maintained.

Dead Man's Grave has been sitting on my Kindle for a while and I'm really not sure why. I love a polite procedural novel and this one approaches the formula from a slightly different angle so it makes it stand out from the crowd in a genre that sometimes feels a little busy.

This novel is our introduction to Detective Sergeant Max Craigie and he is a protagonist I was really able to warm to. He's clever, determined and one of the good guys in a police force that seems increasingly corrupt. His back story is interesting and I hope we are able to learn more in the forthcoming parts of the series. I loved his relationship with Janie and the way they bounce off each other is brilliant. I hope this continues too.

Dead Man's Grave is very well plotted and it was impossible for me to work out who to trust or what would happen next. As it began to unravel, I was on the edge of my seat wondering where the author would take us.

The ending sets us up for a very exciting series and I cannot wait for it to continue!

This book certainly had me gripped from the start.

Max Craigie comes to work for Police Scotland after being in the Met. He ends up investigating an murder which is not as straight forward as it looks. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. It also leads to realising there is corruption in the Police in Scotland.

Would recommend this author and look forward to reading the next book.

Firstly, I would like to thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is a very exciting story. Set in Scotland, when the grave that was never meant to be opened is opened, it creates a whole host of problems. DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder from Serious Crime are tasked with investigating the aftermath involving gangland wars, family feuds and a serious amount of police corruption. It is fast paced and dramatic, and a great police procedural story.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series as I have been lucky enough to have received a copy from Net Galley.

I thought this book was excellent. I enjoyed everything about it. A great plot and interesting characters. A story of police corruption is not knew but this did not feel jaded, it felt fresh. I thought it was so well done and it held my interest at all times. I cannot wait for the next book.

Good characters, good story, but I've read better - sorry !
I liked it but it's not the best book I've read.

This was a great police procedural. I loved the story and the characters. It kept me engrossed and can't wait to read more

I liked this one, but as a lover of police procedurals set in Britain, I can't say this was the best thing I've ever read, but I did enjoy it. It's a great setting and DS Max Craigie is a good character, so I will wait to see what the next installment has to offer before deciding whether to continue with the series.

Am I a sucker for Scotland or is anything Scotland so atmospheric, even a bleak cemetery?

"This Grave Never to be Opened."

Anyone who puts that line on the headstone begs for the grave to be opened don't you think?

This is a brilliant crime fiction and police procedural thriller. DS Max Craigie and partner DC Janie Calder investigate a missing crime boss Tam Hardie. Although his son Tam Hardie Jr. seems to be ahead of the game or appears to have an inside contact with Police Scotland. Who can they trust? At the heart of it, it's a multi-generation feud of Scottish crime families, corrupted police, a gripping tale, and good action. Edge of your seat worthy. I enjoyed Max and Janie's character, the pace, and how well this is written.

Author, Neil Lancaster was with Metropolitan Police for over two decades. You just know that he has many good ideas for his upcoming books. Can't wait for the next! Oh, and don't miss the author's note!

Thank you HQ Digital, and Netgalley for a digital copy for review.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and Neil Lancaster for an ARC in return for an honest review.

If you’re missing Line to Duty then this will give you your fix. The plot of this book has you gripped and keep you hooked. The characters and likeable and believable. The police procedures are very accurate and realistic. Thoroughly enjoyed.

The grave was never meant to be opened but when it is it creates a whole host of issues for DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder from Serious Crimes - Scotland. Gangland bosses, grudges, family feuds and more than a whiff of police corruption are only the start.

This is a superb police procedural which had me completely hooked. The plot is engaging and the action is dramatic and fast paced. The characters are really believable which shouldn't be a surprise as the author is an ex-police officer.

In summary, a terrific read. I can't wait for the next in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ Stories for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fast-paced police procedural set in Scotland. Great for fans of Line of Duty.

Ex-army, DS Max Craigie has recently transferred under a cloud to the Scottish Police Force following a controversial incident he was involved in whilst serving in the Met in London.

When a centuries old feud resurfaces, leading to many deaths and suspicions of corruption within the police force, Max ignores official orders and decides to keep investigating, putting himself and his family in danger.

A great start to the series and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Dead Man's Grave was well written with an interesting plot and characters. It definitely gets your attention right from the start. It was a bit too intense for me; I prefer something lighter. Not the fault of the book at all!

'Some things should never be uncovered'

This was a @netgalley read. (I'm late reading this as it has now been published)

DS Max Craigie & Janie Calder arrive at the scene of a murder in a small town where it seems everyone has their secrets. The murder turns out to be part of a long running family feud dating back to the 1800's.

This gripped me from the start & had real Line of Duty vibes to it.

I loved this book, trying to work out who was corrupt, this was fast paced & I couldn't put it down.

First Neil Lancaster book I have read and I really enjoyed it . It was a really good fast paced police procedural set in Scotland with plenty of action keeping me engrossed all the way through . I will definitely be reading more from this author

This book I believe is the start of a Scottish police procedural series, which is ok but I found a little irritating in that the main characters were left at the end with decisions to make. The story of this book was not really about a hundreds of years old Scottish family feud but more about police corruption and a two person vigilant group who were intent on finding out the truth. The speed of the denouement was unbelievable which lost some points for me but overall if you like Line of Duty, then you’ll probably like this book too.

Scottish crime thriller with all the right twists to keep you tuned!

DS Max Craigie, of the Serious Crimes Squad, ex military and suffering from PTSD, finds himself in the middle of the bizarre death of a Scottish Crime Lord. The mode of the gangster’s death links back into the 1890’s. That beginning leads Max to uncovering corruption that spreads to the heights of the Scottish Police force. From here on in violence and death spreads out like a festering sore.
An exciting and very readable piece, complete with a couple of very interesting characters including his partner DC Janie Calder. I particularly liked his great aunt Elspeth, and his dog Nutmeg.

A HQ Harper Collins ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)