Private Investigator, Teàlach Paterson, and team, Chloe and Dee, are asked to investigate the case of a young man found with his dead father and bloodied knife in hand. Mother and sister hiding in the house. The police are assuming that the son is the murderer. The more the team investigate, the more complex it becomes especially when further deaths follow. Freemasons, drugs and a lot of the occult; all set in a gloomy Glasgow. I don't know how the team came together as I haven't read the first book in the series but they work well, each has their own demons and each has their own, not always legal, skills. Context and place descriptions are good, people descriptions less so. A twisty, well-written story which kept up the pace until the end. 3.5* but classed as a 3* simply because it's a while since I read it and the details have already left home - a good read but done and dusted with no lasting memory. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy

Investigation great, murder motive really a dilly🙄

I think the author has created a great investigative team in Tearlach, Dee and Chloe. Here they make the most of their individual talents in a very eerie Glasgow-set murder case involving human sacrifice, pentagrams and odd knots with pagan significance. It's full of suspense, the climax is action-packed, and I liked that the focus stays on finding the murderer and possibly exonerating a young man in prison for brutally stabbing his own father, with just minor forays into the personal life of the detectives.

The case is plenty complex and unpredictable, but I found the finally-revealed motive for the bulk of the murders was just too out there and unrealistic. I also like to know a bit more about the victims; some of them barely rate a brief appearance.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Silent Ritual
By: Andrew James Greig

3 Stars

When bodies begin popping up around Glasgow, Detective Paterson and his team are on the case. Rituals, bodies, missing people. They come face to face with horrors that all begin to link together as a mass of ritualistic kills. These kills are not lone kills. Together, they have to find a serial killer.

This was the second in the series. I did not have the chance to read the first one, but I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I never felt like I missed anything major, so I read this as a stand-alone.
This story was well written. Tearlach, Dee, and Chloe make an awesome crime fighting team. The storyline was one that I really enjoyed as I, myself, identify as pagan. It was well done and action packed. Around every corner was another clue, or body. It was thrilling right to the end. Usually, I can figure it out. The "who" of who done it, but not this time. I was kept guessing and wanting more till the last page.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

Lauren Martin returns home to the most horrific scene imaginable - her husband Keith lies dead from multiple stab wounds, and her 18 year old son Logan stands with a bloodied knife in his hand. His sister Jade was in her bedroom during the attack so claims she didn’t see anything, and as she was wearing headphones she didn’t hear anything either.

Logan confesses to the murder and is now serving a prison sentence. However, Logan’s aunt Nicole doesn’t believe that Logan was responsible, she maintains that he’s just the most gentle person ever, so she hires Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson to find out the truth.

Teàrlach has no idea how he’s going to do that, after what (to all intents and purposes) appears to be a closed case - after all, Logan was discovered with the bloodied knife, and also admitted his guilt, but Nicole begs him to take the case, so he agrees to work for her.

A visit to the Martin’s home reveals a pentagram under the carpet in Jade’s bedroom, the same pentagram that was discovered in the house next door, where a year previously, the elderly owners were found dead in bizarre circumstances. Looks like Teàrlach has found a link, and there’s more to follow!

Meanwhile there’s a ritualistic killer stalking the streets of Glasgow, bodies placed precisely on an occult pentagram, bound in intricate knots, and though he has no proof that it’s got anything to do with the Martin case, Teàrlach has this niggling feeling that they’re connected.

Ably assisted by Dee and Chloe, Teàrlach ventures into the dark side, (quite literally), as the occult is heavily involved, both in the Martin case and the ritualistic killer.

With much use of smoke and mirrors, many twists and turns, and an intriguing storyline, Silent Ritual is a great addition to the Tartan Noir genre.

Excellent murder mystery. I like Tearlach and his team: they work really well together. A  good storyline with a fast-paced race to the finish line. Highly recommended. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It started off slowly for me and I almost didn't finish. But glad i didn't give up as it got much more interesting and was nice to be able to visualise some of the area since I'm from Glasgow. A slightly different plot but I did enjoy the story line once it picked up pace.

A very well crafted murder mystery. Teàrlach Paterson is a private detective. In the opening, a lady called Nicole Martin demands he find out who killed her brother Keith and why he was killed. The problem is that Logan, Keith's son, has already confessed to the crime, been tried, found guilty and imprisoned. Teàrlach decides to have a look at the case anyway. He soon discovers something odd about the Martins' neighbours. Then a serial killer starts leaving bodies all over Glasgow. Teárlach is convinced these things are all connected but how they're connected is the question. Teàrlach and his assisstants Chloe and Dee are great characters. They all have past issues but it's handled well in the story and it's not discussed on every other page, nor does it affect how they do their jobs. I really enjoyed the story. Easy to read with some interesting twists. I was unaware that this was the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. However, I'm going to go find book 1!
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Andrew James Greig for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I took a risk reading the second book in a detective series but I was rewarded with a gripping tale complete with twists and turns and a pinch of relationship drama. Having not read the first book, I was still able to follow the ongoing story as well as piece together what had happened in the lead up regarding the group of detectives and their backgrounds. I particularly liked the author's use of descriptions which were not too wordy yet showed accurate observations of people's mannerisms and behaviours. The suspense ramped up towards the end, with the action becoming more edge of your seat. I will be seeking out book 1 as I enjoyed the style of writing and am eager to read more about the characters.

I received this arc from netgalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

After reading this book, I learned it’s the second book in a series but can also be read as a stand alone. I do think if I read the first one it would have explained a little more. I did find at times certain things were confusing to follow. But overall the story and plot was interesting and very twisty! Enjoyed this read! I def recommend if you’re into suspense and thrillers!

Edge of my seat the entire time! Page turning thriller! Loved this book! Thanks to netgalley!!!! ARC read! I enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing the entire time!

Silent Ritual is book 2 in the Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson series by Andrew James Greig, out in the UK on 28 June 24.

In keeping with the pentagram theme that recurs throughout this compelling Scottish crime novel, here are 5 things I enjoyed:

1. Twisted and original murders
2. A strong plot-line that ties in the occult, freemasonry, & Glasgow’s landmarks
3. Characters you can buy into, especially with the expansion of characters from book 1, The Girl in the Loch
4. Nothing is as straightforward as it seems
5. An unrivalled dedication in naming chapters.
It kept me up beyond my bedtime - always a sign of a good book!

This is the second novel to feature PI Tearlach Paterson and is set in Glasgow. It is shaping up to be a very good series with it's interesting and relatable characterisation. The plotting is centred around witchcraft, kidnapping and drugs and it packs a powerful punch. The pace is fast and the book is well well written, It can be read on it's own but I would recommend reading the first in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC.

Silent Ritual is the second installment in the Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson series, however it can be read as a standalone. It is a very intense murder mystery, dealing heavily with ritualistic murders.

After being found guilty of the murder of his father, Logan Martin is sentenced to 12 years in jail. His aunt is convinced her nephew did not kill his father and hires PI Teàrlach to find out what really happened to Keith Martin. PI Teàrlach starts investigating with the help of his mates Dee and Chloe and starts making some very shocking discoveries, the first being a pentagram found carved into Jade Martin's floor. Right around the same time, people are being murdered around Glasgow. Clues lead PI Teàrlach to believe they have been ritualistically sacrificed and, more importantly, that they are all possibly connected. What exactly is going on in Glasgow, and who is behind it all?

This book sucked me in immediately. I was so intrigued by the unique murders and occult practices- I haven't really come across them in detective mysteries. There are quite a bit of characters, however the book is paced fast and evenly enough that there is no confusion. This book is also very well written and I look forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Andrew James Greig for this captivating ARC!

This was the second book in the Tearlach Paterson series, and I liked it, though not as much as the first.

The book opens up with a wife returning home and stumbling upon the gruesome discovery of her husband's mutilated body, her son holding the murder weapon and covered in his father's blood.
Logan confessed to the murder of his father and has been serving his sentence in prison. His mother and younger sister Jade have left their home and moved on. Case closed right? Not if Logan's aunt and sister to the deceased has anything to say about it.

Enter our favorite private detective and his team. Logan's aunt does not believe he's guilty and enlists the help of the detective to prove her beloved nephew's innocence. As Tearlach begrudgingly begins his investigation, he stumbles upon a pentagram and isn't quite sure what to make of it.
Upon further investigation, he discovers that there was a double homicide of an elderly couple just a few doors down from the original gruesome murder. Are these three deaths connected somehow?
Meanwhile, there's ritualistic serial killer prowling the streets of Glasgow and though Tearlach struggles to see the connection, he knows it's connected to his own case somehow.

This story had many different angles that all tie together but until the very last 80% of the book, remains unclear to readers. I found the book easy to follow and well written, just like the first. They were several twists and turns along the way which kept me on my toes and completely engrossed in this story.

At times, I felt the frustration of Tearlach as more questions were being raised than answers. They were so many different layers to this story and things just kept coming full force adding to the suspense and tension of the book. Every single person in this story is keeping a secret and being evasive despite needing the help of Tearlach and his team.

I liked the buildup to the ending but, this is where the book disappointed me a bit. I felt the ending to be a little disjointed, unrealistic and far-fetched. The serial killer and rituals were a huge part of the book, so I felt a little let down by the lackluster ending in that regard. I also don't care for the budding relationship of Tearlach and Dee, but I did enjoy getting to see a more vulnerable side to him and getting to know more about Chloe and her family.

Overall, a good read and I am still looking forward to the third book in the series.
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Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and the author for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: June 28th, 2024

This can be read as a stand-alone but if you get curious about the backstory of the characters ( and you will get curious!) I'd recommend to get your hands also on the first book.

I had a hard time at the beginning with this book - somehow I couldn't connect with the characters and the Glasgow setting. I really considered to not finish it. But I read some reviews and everyone loved the story so I gave it another try.

So glad I did! After the bumpy start the story started making sense and I also started to care about the Tearlach, Dee and Chloe. It was great with lot's of mysteries.

Only downside.. the murderer was underwhelming - I would have hoped a little bit more background.

Wow, this book was thrilling and kept me hooked throughout! This was my first book that I have read by Andrew James Greig. I would say this was a great introduction to his writing and am curious to check out his other books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and author Andrew James for the ARC.

This was my first book by this author and at first I was hesitant to read it due to the ‘witchcraft, pagan’ theme but was actually quite impressed.

Given that I know nothing of the pagan culture and honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it, the vast majority of the book centered around the characters and only touched on the rituals without going into too much detail.

It was very well written. The author made it easy to understand the rituals for someone with no experience in this. The character development was very well done.

The book was a fast paced page turner. Just when you think you have it figured out another twist is thrown in leaving you dumbfounded and eager to keep reading.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thankfully Teàrlach Paterson returns in another page turner from Andrew James Greig. Paterson has quickly become a favorite genre PI because of the engaging plots and strong supporting cast. Silent Ritual taps into the pagan past of Glasgow as Paterson must overcome a ritualistic killer, uncooperative witnesses, drug dealers, an evil lodge, and corrupt police officials. The book races to a satisfying conclusion which highlights the value of a good investigative team. Silent Ritual is a stellar follow-up to the series debut. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advance reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book. Kept me gripped from the beginning to the end.

I will recommend it to others. Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to review

2nd in the series but despite not giving read the 1st I didn't feel I'd missed much. Tearlach, Private Investigater, is appointed by the aunt of a convicted killer as she is convinced by his innocence. But as he was found covered in blood still holding the murder weapon, the police have it as an open and shut case. But then links are found with deceased neighbours and missing youngsters and these point to paganism.
I enjoyed the premise of this novel, I found it a fairly quick read. The characters work well together, each of them have their own strengths.