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Simon McLean

Goodreads Author

Born

in Glasgow, The United Kingdom

Website

https://tartantalesmedia.com/

Genre

Crime, Fiction, Thriller

Member Since

May 2026

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/httpswwwtartantalesmediacom

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I spent much of my working life as a Scottish police officer, dealing with organised crime, drug enforcement, and the kind of cases that stay with you long after the paperwork is filed. Policing gave me a frontrow seat to human frailty, institutional pressure, and the uncomfortable truth that justice is rarely simple.

Now I write.

My first book, The Ten Percent: The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Something Like The Truth, reflects on policing, power, and the stories we tell ourselves about crime and punishment.

My novel Kintyre is crime fiction rooted in that same world. Set in western Scotland, it weaves together past and present, corruption and memory, and the long reach of unresolved truth. The landscapes are real. The emotional weight is real ...more

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Combine Editions
Simon McLean’s books

Average rating: 4.17 · 137 ratings · 15 reviews · 3 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Ten Percent: A Scottish Undercover Police Officer’s Story 4.01 avg rating — 104 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ten Percent 4.68 avg rating — 25 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Kintyre: The Past Doesn't Forget 4.63 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

1 post
Simon McLean's Blog

The Lovely Linda

Something a little different coming soon...

In 1981, as a 23-year-old detective in Campbeltown, I decided I had a perfectly legitimate policing reason to visit Paul and Linda McCartney at their Kintyre farmhouse.

At least, that's what I told myself.

A cup of tea, a tour with Paul, a mysterious packet of cigarettes, and a small mystery I solved but never told him about.

The full story originally appear Read more of this blog post »

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Published on August 29, 2026 01:51 • Tags: www-crimetimeinc-com

Simon is Currently Reading

Simon McLean is currently reading

Dark Sacred Night (Renée Ballard, #2; Harry Bosch, #21; Harry Bosch Universe, #32)

by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

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Aug 07, 2026 04:18PM

Simon McLean is currently reading

Ironwood (Catalina, #2)

by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 30, 2026 04:08PM

Simon McLean is currently reading

The Widow

by John Grisham (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 27, 2026 04:13PM

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Simon McLean wants to read Don't Know Jack (Hunt for Reacher, #1) by Diane Capri (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 29, 2026 02:11AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Don't Know Jack by Diane Capri. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Don't Know Jack by Diane Capri <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Simon McLean is accepting questions on their profile page.
Aug 29, 2026 01:52AM · Be the first to ask Simon McLean a question
Simon McLean joined the group Goodreads Librarians Group
Aug 17, 2026 07:36PM · like
Simon McLean is currently reading Dark Sacred Night (Renée Ballard, #2; Harry Bosch, #21; Harry Bosch Universe, #32) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 07, 2026 04:18PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Simon McLean liked Joy Wilson's review of Kintyre: The Past Doesn't Forget: "Simon has crafted an absolute tour de force with Kintyre: The Past Doesn't Forget. From the very first page, this isn’t just a standard cold-case procedural; it is a breathless, high-stakes dive into the dark intersection of institutional corruption," Read more of this review »
Aug 07, 2026 12:35PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kintyre by Simon McLean. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kintyre by Simon McLean <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Simon McLean liked Lisa's review of Kintyre: The Past Doesn't Forget: "I picked this up, expecting a solid crime read, and got something with far more weight behind it. Kintyre runs two timelines: retired detective Eddie Weir, pulled back to Campbeltown for a case he can't leave alone, and a 1981 strand that opens in Lo" Read more of this review »
Aug 07, 2026 12:35PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kintyre by Simon McLean. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kintyre by Simon McLean <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Simon McLean is now following John Oneil and Joy Wilson
Aug 07, 2026 12:35PM
Simon McLean liked John Oneil's review of Kintyre: The Past Doesn't Forget: "One book that you can't put down once you start to read, every chapter takes you on a journey,"
Aug 07, 2026 12:35PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Kintyre by Simon McLean. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Kintyre by Simon McLean <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Simon McLean is currently reading Ironwood (Catalina, #2) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 30, 2026 04:08PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Ironwood by Michael Connelly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Ironwood by Michael Connelly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">