Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for the advance copy of The Blood Tide by Neil Lancaster.

I was introduced to Max Craigie in the first book of the series, and couldn't wait to read this one. As with the first book, Neil Lancaster brings the grittiness of Max's personality to life although we see his vulnerability show when his loved ones are placed in danger.

Max ties two crimes together and we meet very unsavoury characters and one particular foe from his past.
You want to keep reading this book, and it did not disappoint. Each chapter provided the right amount of suspense and excitement.

I'm looking forward to reading the next instalment in this series.

Book 2 in the DS Max Craigie series. A bit of a slow start but then gripping from one page to the next ! Looking forward to the next one in the series!

Cannot believe I've had this book on my kindle for so long.Just finished reading it and I really enjoyed the story

Loved this book, Max Cragie is back and he is looking for more corruption within the police but who will it be this time? And what surprises are in stall for the DS?

Neil Lancaster takes you on a joyous ride with these books and even if you try to figure something out it will be something completely different

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

DS Max Craigie and his team work in Scotland to investigate corrupt police officers. When he receives a call from an old friend about a man who jumped off a bridge, he struggles to understand how that links with a fisherman going missing. As his team start to investigate, they realise that the the perpetrators always seem to be one step ahead - so who in the Police Scotland is leaking sensitive information.

This is the second book in the Craigie series and although it can be read without the other, it does reference the relationship he has with his team and the rest of the police force. On this basis, its probably better to read the first book so you can follow the tensions between the team.

A great story that keeps you turning the pages

One of my favourite reads from Netgalley!
A brilliant story, great characters, grabs you from the first page and doesn’t disappoint.
Excellent read! Thank you

The second gripping installment in this fast-paced police procedural series set in Scotland. Great for fans of Line of Duty, featuring ex-army police officer DS Max Craigie and his colleagues fighting deep-rooted corruption in the police force.

Craigie is contacted by an old friend with a heads up that the suicide of an officer from the NCA may be linked to a recently reported missing persons case. When his friend is later found dead, the investigation finds no evidence of foul play, but Craigie is certain that there is more going on beneath the surface.

Once again, he finds himself swimming against the tide investigating police corruption, at the same time on guard against those who are holding deep grudges towards him and his interference.

Great read. Didn't want to put this down. Brilliantly written from beginning to end. I really enjoyed this and found myself absorbed in reading.

Neil Lancaster - brilliant writer and I can´t get enough of his books, completely hooked!

Fast paced, outstanding storyline. No spoilers with this one, but I do suggest you read the 1st book in the Max Craigie series in order to give you a better understanding of the characters.

Read it!

Re-submitting a review as my original one appears to have disappeared from the system!?

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Wow, wow, wow that was great,. Great storyline. Well written. Atmospheric. Great characters. More books required please.

A fisherman disappears without a trace. a Guy jumps off a bridge. How are these two random events linked? Something does not feel right for Hamish who tried to talk the guy down without success and he is confused with what Murdock Smith told him before he jumped. He contacts his old friend Max to look into it. When Max Craigie is on the case you better start running!

I am a huge fan of Neil Lancaster. I loved his Tom Novak novel and the Max Craigie series is as brilliant! This one did not disappoint at all. It is fast-paced and it keeps you entertained from the beginning to the end. I think it is important that you read Dead Man's Grave 1st because of the references that you might not understand if you haven't read it.

An easy 5 stars!

The writing was very atmospheric with excellent characterization.
Many thanks to HQ Digital and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Gritty, well written story with a fantastic ending. I really enjoyed this book and Will definitely read more books from this author

In Neil Lancaster’s Blood Tide, the 2nd installment in the DS Max Craigie crime thriller series, this gripping police procedural novel will leave you at the edge of your seat. For DS Max Craigie from Police Scotland, he received a call about a suicide jumper who mentioned his life would be ruined and hints of an ongoing police case. For Max, it started the thread with an officer who was in charge of the investigation. Before he had gotten the chance, someone arranged for his death. One by one, he talked to his probe and followed the evidence of drug smuggling and a line of police corruption. When someone decided to wipe the slate clean by killing some drug runners, it made them turn their heads with suspicion. They teamed up with the PIRC to look into a crooked cop and the other unraveling threads from their nefarious crimes. Someone had tipped off Tam Hardie, an escaped madman who escaped prison and wanted revenge against Max Craigie for ruining his life. Max feared for his life and for his wife’s too. But due to his escape, he went after one of Max’s colleagues, Janie, who almost died. Hardie escaped to live another day while Max tended to Janie’s medical needs. The plot thickened on who was Hardie’s contact, and how they planned to expose this line of corruption to the ultimate showdown in the end.

This gripping police thriller is nitty-gritty and gets your heart pounding at every page. I cared for Max, who wanted to do his job right and protect his wife while he’s a man on a mission. He’s a caring police officer who wants to see justice prevail to keep everyone safe. The dual locations in Scotland and Wales were intriguing and profound. The theme of the story is corruption may run rivers deep, but good deeds make you a better person.

This police thriller will give you chills and thrills. I rated this book, four out of five stars, for no reason. If you nail-biting police thrillers with non-stop action, heart-stopping drama, and plenty of suspense, you'll love Blood Tide. It's recommended for fans who love police procedurals like PD James and Faye Kellerman.

Another terrific installment in the Max Craigie series.
Beautifully flowing with excellent characters and a really satisfying ending that made me smile.
Looking forward to the next one already.

A gritty and gripping police procedural set in Scotland, where gangland drug dealing and corrupt law enforcement make a combustible mix.

Recommended.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A riveting read from this author once again. A fisherman disappears without trace after a row with his wife and shortly afterwards a young man jumps to his death from a bridge, witnessed by a policeman. who hears his last words saying it is the only way to keep his family safe because whoever had threatened him had the police in his pay and is later found hanging, having apparently committed suicide. D.I Max Craigie, who happened to be a friend of this policeman does not believe it to be suicide and starts to look into this and cannot find a full record of his friend's statement. Is somebody trying to throw the investigation off, and who? Max and his sidekicks Janie and Ross start following things up and get phone calls intercepted.
Meanwhile Max's nemesis Tam Hardie makes a daring escape from prison where Max had got him sent to and begins threatening Max.
It all comes down to a drug cartel trying to takeover Max's network of dealers and corrupt police officers on the take and even stealing some of the cartel's drugs to sell on for themselves. Loads of twists along the way though.

The book was very well written and flowed well. The plot was great. Everything I thought it would be from the description

I read the first book in the Max Craigie series and didn’t enjoy it all that much. However, I thought I would give the series another chance and decided to read the second book. Admittedly, the lovely cover drew me to the book.

Max Craigie is living in a village with his wife and dog and everything seems to be going well for him. A report comes in about an NCA officer who jumped off a bridge because he was scared of someone. Bodies are found on a remote Loch, believed to be involved with drug smuggling. The two incidents are connected, and Max and his team have to find out how. Someone on the force is corrupt.

At times, I thought the story dragged on a little, but overall it’s reasonably paced with some tense moments.

I’m still not a fan of Max yet, and my favourite character is definitely his dog 😂 As the series continues, the characters may develop a bit more and come into their own.

There’s quite a lot going on in the book and a lot of characters and names to remember. I found I had to keep notes of who was connected to who as I got a bit muddled.

Various places are mentioned in the book and I liked the fact that locations such as Black Isle, Wick and Fraserburgh were mentioned. Often, books are set around the central belt and there’s a lot more to Scotland.

The scenery and weather was well described.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first one. I would keep reading the series and it’s worth a read if you like Scottish crime fiction.

Thanks to HQ Harper Collins and NetGalley for a copy to review.