The Bone Clock by Andrew James Greig
Detective Corstorphine #1

Riveting read ~ Kept my interest from beginning to end ~ Can’t wait to read more.

What I liked:
* DI James Corstorphine: widowed five years, still has imaginary conversations with his wife, strong leadership qualities, morally sound compass, promised to live for both he and his wife, intriguing
* Corstorphine’s team that work together to put the puzzle pieces together while supporting one another
* That I was quickly immersed in the store from page one
* The way the clues gradually came to light and the connections made
* That I have been to Scotland so could visualize the setting
* That I could understand WHY the murderer was killing the people that were dying and not really wanting that person to be brought to trial
* The intelligence and skills of the killer, the tie-in of the bones used in the bone clocks, and the way each murder was appropriate for the victim
* The message left at Corstorphine’s home on the last page
* That the victims of the orphanage were finally able to tell their stories and perhaps get closure of some sort
* Finding out who the murderer was and being left with questions that are not cliffhangers but have me wanting to read the next book in the series
* Reading a new-to-me author that I would gladly read again
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how evil rather than saintly the nuns at the orphanage were
* Thinking about what happened to the children in the orphanage and wondering how many children suffer similar experiences

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

This is a very well written Scottish noir! We are invited to look over the shoulder of Detective Corstophine while he is investigating some troublesome murders, linked by the fact that the victims were all trapped by an intricate bone clock mechanism. The second link is that the victims of this serial killer are no innocent people; they all share a dark secret about something that happened twenty years ago.

While Corstophine tries to unravel the mystery (which I didn't solve, so kudos to the author for that!), he is also troubled by his personal past clouded by the fatal illness of his wife. In a way, it reminded me of the Tony Hill series of Val McDermid, which may be considered as high praise!

The writing is crisp, the story engaging, and I am happy that this is the start of a series and I will be on the lookout for further installments. I cannot wait to read what will happen with the DI and his sidekick Frankie and newbie Lamb.

Excellent !

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.

A new series and a unique modus operandi by the killer make this a fascinating read.
With past events colliding with current this is a topical read and thoroughly enjoyable. Can't wait for book 2

The Bone Clock is a chilling and atmospheric crime thriller set in Scotland. It is the first book in the Detective Inspector James Corstophine series by Andrew James Greig. I was looking forward to starting this series as I hadn't read anything by this author and enjoy Scottish crime fiction. It was a brilliant book and kept me engaged throughout.Great characters, storyline and a really atmospheric setting. I look forward to reading the next book with his team and new cases. A fantastic read from start to finish.

Intense and thrilling book, with explosive start. Trigger warning for some subjects ie child abuse
Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

I’m DNFing this book at 62%. It started off promising but slowly I’ve lost interest in the plot. The characters feel really flat and the scenes involving animals are very upsetting.

Number one in the series, this is a great read. I have read other books by this author and they never disappoint. There are triggers for institutional child abuse and corruption here . The plot is intricate but well thought out . The investigating team don't have it easy as they try to solve the historal and present day crimes in the small Scottish highland town led by DI Corstophine. Plenty of suspense as the book comes to a close and a twist I did not see coming . This book grabbed my attention from the start and I remained interested until the last words.
Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this fantastic book

An intense and atmospheric crime mystery set in the Scottish Highlands. Intricately.plotted, clever placing and well written characters made this an enjoyable read and the author an excellent advocate of Scottish noir.

An unsettling mystery, with a dark atmosphere that matches the brooding location. A pervading sense of dread and doom from the start of this story. A claustrophobic town and setting in the Highlands that amps up the adrenaline. Ummm......YES please!!

DI Corstorphine and DC Frankie McKenzie are called to the scene where a man has hanged himself on the old hanging tree. However, they find a strange gear, and soon come to believe that this was a murder. While investigating, another strange murder occurs involving the local priest. They find strange elements at this scene- but cannot find a connection between the two. More murders follow- each with a strange mechanism left that seems to be sending a message to the small community.

I really liked most of the characters, and felt that Greig's writing captured a realistic picture of how this investigation would go in real life. Corstorphine is dealing with being a widow, McKenzie has her own loneliness to deal with. The team works together, but many have flaws that come to bring a bit of havoc to the case. The building of the characters was evident in all the main players- suspects, police and even the murderer. While I usually root for the police in these stories, I found that I had sympathy for the antagonist (once info is revealed)- and this was due to the incredible development of the character.

The plot and pacing are perfection! Although it is a bit twisted with more and more questions than answers, the plot is intricately laced with the revelation of secrets, and threaded together so as the story unfolds, it makes sense.

This is a phenomenal Scottish Noir thriller, and the first in the series. I am finding that every time I am offered to read an ARC of Greig's- I jump on it! He is becoming one of my favorite go-to authors! If you like a good, dark crime novel with a fascinating investigation and creative scenes- this is definitely the book for you! I cannot wait to read the second in this series (starting it this weekend!!).

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for this ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review!

This book started with a bang and continued it's rollercoaster ride in every page. Very well written, a little gritty, a very nice detective whose smart and vulnerable and a fab team to support him. This was fast-paced, the narrator was engaging too.

A great read.

#netgalley #TheBoneClock

Such a brilliant book. The storyline had me gripped throughout. Great characters that I'm look to read more about. I look forward to reading the next book.

The first chapter of this book had me really intrigued by what was going to happen next! However, after that, I found myself bored.. At least through the first half. I didn't really feel a good connection with our MC, and the other characters, I didn't care about at all.
There is a certain point, once we start to uncover the why of the murders, is when I started to get invested again. I still didn't connect with the characters that much, but the plot started to move forward at a good pace, and we kept getting these clues and reveals that had me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I thought the mystery was good, I didn't figure out who the killer was until it was revealed, and while the ending was left a bit open, I did enjoy it.

The Bone Clock is a chilling and atmospheric crime thriller that will captivate fans of Scottish crime fiction. Detective Inspector James Corstorphine is thrust into a disturbing investigation when a gamekeeper is found hanging from an ancient oak tree, bound by a macabre trap made of wire and human bones. As Corstorphine digs deeper, he uncovers a twisted killer with a penchant for creating elaborate, death-dealing mechanisms—a haunting metaphor for the retribution that has been building for decades.

The Highland setting is wonderfully atmospheric, with mist-covered glens adding an eerie backdrop to the story. Corstorphine, a grieving widower, is a deeply compelling character whose emotional journey adds complexity to the investigation. The novel expertly blends the psychological depth of its protagonist with a chilling murder mystery, keeping readers on edge throughout.

The connection to a reporter’s death from twenty years ago adds layers to the plot, and as secrets unravel, the suspense builds to a satisfying, yet devastating, conclusion. With intricate characters, a darkly atmospheric setting, and a plot full of twists, The Bone Clock is a gripping read. It’s a strong start to the Detective Corstorphine series, and I look forward to the next installment. Highly recommended for fans of tense, atmospheric thrillers.

Engaging from start to finish. This intricate web of murder and revenge is a compelling read, well written and with good characters. I loved the way the bones were spun into the story as each death fit the crime. Highly recommended.

The Bone Clock by Andrew James Greig is the first book in the new Detective Corstorphine series and what a great and gripping start it was. It was a 5 star read and I love the new character. Detective Corstorphine. Looking forward reading more about him and his cases. This book was a superb read from start to finish.

"The Bone Clock" by Andrew James Greig is a disturbing, 5-star read! This is the first book in a Scottish crime series featuring Detective Inspector James Corstorphine. DI Corstorphine is called to a grim crime scene where a gamekeeper is found hanging from a tree—a location already known to the police from a previous crime. The killer has used a bone-crafted clockwork mechanism, and DI Corstorphine, along with his small team, must race against time to stop the murderer before more victims fall prey to these eerie devices.

The writing is solid and the pacing kept me engaged throughout. The motive behind the killings is rooted in deeply disturbing crimes from the past. I recommend checking for trigger warnings, as some content could be upsetting for some readers.

While I had a strong hunch about the killer and their connection to the story, the final twist still delivered a satisfying payoff. This was my first read by Andrew James Greig, and I’m definitely looking forward to book two in the series—as well as exploring more of his work.

Thanks to Storm Publishing, Andrew James Greig, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

I loved this book it was suspense and drama who was doing the murders it was good loved the ending I all so like the characters
Frankie and D corstorphine
I would like more information on the characters and there backgrounds
but I really enjoyed the setting and ending

I'm really happy to have downloaded this book, Andrew J. Greig is a new author for me and I loved the story! Detective Corstorphine is unsure of himself but he always hides it to save face. He's been a widower for five years and still yearns for his dead wife and has conversations with her in his mind. Their small town is being wracked by the most unsettling murder cases all with strange pieces holding them together and the small police force is doing their best to stay on top of the investigation even when it may hurt them. The Bone Clock is a chilling and gripping story of revenge against people who have abused children and are now getting to be killed even though those in power are trying to keep the story and the cases under wraps. Highly recommended!
I thank Mr. Greig, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

So exciting and quite nerve wracking due to the level of intensity and suspense!
This is a dark novel , realistic and at times disturbing but absolutely unputdownable

This was a very entertaining read, featuring some remarkably ingenious methods of murder!

A gamekeeper perishes in the same manner and location as a young reporter did years prior. Is this a coincidence, or is there something more sinister at play?
Shortly thereafter, another death occurs, this time involving a respected member of the small town's community. Could these deaths be connected, and what is the significance of the bone mechanisms and coins discovered at the crime scene?
The narrative takes a darker turn with the emergence of allegations concerning the mistreatment of children years ago.
Will Detective Inspector James Corstorphine and his small police team be able to solve this mystery and apprehend the perpetrator?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book set in the Scottish Highlands, although I did predict the murderer early on, and the clues were easy to find.