The Dead and the Dying
by Lin Anderson
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Pub Date Aug 14 2025 | Archive Date Oct 30 2025
Pan Macmillan | Macmillan
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Description
'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail
An ancient grave. A modern evil. The Dead and the Dying is a pulse-pounding instalment in the Rhona MacLeod series, perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Martina Cole and Silent Witness.
In the dim morning light, Orkney’s Skaill Bay is the backdrop for a calamity of nature’s making. When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod joins the rescue efforts as a volunteer, she uncovers more than she bargained for: a human skeleton entombed in a stone crypt.
The grave is believed to hail from the Viking Age, but Rhona's analysis of the content points to more recent and sinister evil. And a shadow is thrown over the investigation when the skeleton is finally identified – and unsettling connections emerge between the victim and the very people trying to solve the case.
As forensic clues lead Rhona to a second, horrifying discovery, the question looms: how many more secrets are concealed in the sand?
'Lin Anderson is one of Scotland’s national treasures' – Stuart MacBride, author of the Logan McRae series
'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record
Readers love Lin Anderson:
'This series just keeps getting better'
'I was totally glued the whole way through'
'Atmospheric, descriptive, engrossing'
Advance Praise
Praise for Lin Anderson and the Rhona MacLeod Series:
"Forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod has become one of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction. Honourable, inquisitive and yet plagued by doubts and, sometimes, fears." —Daily Mail
"Lin Anderson is one of Scotland’s national treasures – don’t be fooled by comparisons, her writing is unique, bringing warmth and depth to even the seediest parts of Glasgow." —Stuart MacBride, author of the Logan McRae series
"One of the best Scottish crime series since Rebus." —Daily Record
"A real page-turner." —Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus series, on The Party House
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781035029259 |
| PRICE | £20.00 (GBP) |
| PAGES | 416 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 2 members
Featured Reviews
Shannon M, Reviewer
THE DEAD AND THE DYING is #19 in the series featuring Dr. Rhona MacLeod, a forensic scientist with the Scottish police. I have read only one earlier book in the group but I had no problem following the story or the relationships among the main characters. It was a quick, easy read and, as well, informative. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My only caveat, and the reason I gave it four stars rather than five, is that I found some segments to be too repetitive. Things that needed to be said only once were repeated two or even three times. I don't know whether this was an attempt to increase the page length or because of poor editing. For example, twice in rapid succession, in the middle of the book, a comment is made to the effect that <i>"Had a pod of whales not beached at Scaill Bay, the crime would have gone undetected."</i> Not only is the reader aware of this fact from the sequence at the beginning of the story, but to have it repeated twice more in the middle of the book is overkill. Several other facts were repeated more than once for no reason. Extremely irritating to an attentive reader.
And the novel is slanted towards a thoughtful, detailed-oriented reader. I loved discovering:
1) why a pod of whales will beach on a sandy shore;
2) the ambience of Orkney in Northern Scotland;
3) the forensic details involved in identifying a 20-year-old skeleton;
4) the steps involved in following minuscule clues such as differences in the sand grains found at different beaches; and
5) Viking burial practices of a thousand years ago.
I also liked the fact that although the story features a serial killer, the killer barely appears in the book. Instead of focusing on him, the narrative concentrates on his victims and on the forensic processes used to identify them..
So highly recommended. I obtained the first Rhona MacLeod book that I read from our local Canadian library. I hope that the library will acquire more of this series of novels.
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My review for an earlier Rhona MacLeod novel:
<a href = https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6829143097 > Whispers of the Dead (Rhona MacLeod #18) </a>
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Thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
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