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Anderson & Costello #4
The Blood of Crows
For one Scottish cop the beat is about to get dark and very bloody . . .
DI Colin Anderson is having a bad week. His conviction of paedophile Skelpie Fairbairn is declared unsafe - putting Fairbairn back on Glasgow's streets and leaving Anderson under investigation.
Add to this a gangster torched alive, a teenage boy tortured then dropped off a bridge and the suicide of a cop who worked an unsolved child kidnapping way back in 1996 and Anderson's got his hands full. Then one night, a young girl is tied to the river bank and left for the tide. Anderson gets there, but she dies in his arms.
Working round the clock his team discover these strange crimes are linked to an elusive criminal mastermind known as The Puppeteer. But unable to find him, unable to stop the murders, Anderson is forced to follow the only lead he has - Skelpie Fairbairn . . .
But which is worse - The devil you don't know, or the one you do . . .?
DI Colin Anderson is having a bad week. His conviction of paedophile Skelpie Fairbairn is declared unsafe - putting Fairbairn back on Glasgow's streets and leaving Anderson under investigation.
Add to this a gangster torched alive, a teenage boy tortured then dropped off a bridge and the suicide of a cop who worked an unsolved child kidnapping way back in 1996 and Anderson's got his hands full. Then one night, a young girl is tied to the river bank and left for the tide. Anderson gets there, but she dies in his arms.
Working round the clock his team discover these strange crimes are linked to an elusive criminal mastermind known as The Puppeteer. But unable to find him, unable to stop the murders, Anderson is forced to follow the only lead he has - Skelpie Fairbairn . . .
But which is worse - The devil you don't know, or the one you do . . .?
496 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2012
536 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Caro Ramsay
34 books204 followersCaro Ramsay was born and educated in Glasgow. She has been writing stories since she was five years old, developing a keen interest in crime fiction and a passion for the genre that lead her to write Absolution, her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
November 19, 2017
2 Out of 5 Stars
Well let's start this rant.
I disliked this book so much! It could have literally been written in 300 pages instead of 500.
This book took me forever since it was so slow, and there was so much useluss information, it was just very frustrating and I couldn't read more than 40 pages in a row.
It might also be a result from the fact that I started this 'series' with the fourth book, but I read some reviews and I read that this was one of the best books in the series....
Allright let's start from the beginning.
This book was quite entertaining in the first 30 to 5o pages, but then it got boring real fast. It's a mystery/thriller so it's supposed to be read very quickly. Sadly the first real action happend at around page 250, WHICH IS VERY LATE!! We could've had that part of the story covered in around 50 to a 100 pages max.
After that the pace was quite okay, but then it got in a slump again around page 320 to page 400. After that it went insanely quick, but since that was the good part it gained a star for me.
Becides the pacing there were some other frustrations. The book is divided into days, so one chapter is one day. In that day you switch to like 7 point of view, maybe more, which is so chaotic. Most of the time I didn't really know what I was reading, which was quite annoying.
I did like Costello and Anderson but not all that much, it was just a very boring thriller. The ending was quite good, but still so boring.
No more Caro Ramsay for me...
Well let's start this rant.
I disliked this book so much! It could have literally been written in 300 pages instead of 500.
This book took me forever since it was so slow, and there was so much useluss information, it was just very frustrating and I couldn't read more than 40 pages in a row.
It might also be a result from the fact that I started this 'series' with the fourth book, but I read some reviews and I read that this was one of the best books in the series....
Allright let's start from the beginning.
This book was quite entertaining in the first 30 to 5o pages, but then it got boring real fast. It's a mystery/thriller so it's supposed to be read very quickly. Sadly the first real action happend at around page 250, WHICH IS VERY LATE!! We could've had that part of the story covered in around 50 to a 100 pages max.
After that the pace was quite okay, but then it got in a slump again around page 320 to page 400. After that it went insanely quick, but since that was the good part it gained a star for me.
Becides the pacing there were some other frustrations. The book is divided into days, so one chapter is one day. In that day you switch to like 7 point of view, maybe more, which is so chaotic. Most of the time I didn't really know what I was reading, which was quite annoying.
I did like Costello and Anderson but not all that much, it was just a very boring thriller. The ending was quite good, but still so boring.
No more Caro Ramsay for me...
August 7, 2013
I usually love Caro Ramsey but this book was a mess.There are just too many different plot lines going on at the same time,involving several seemingly disparate and gruesome murders, including one in which a victim has her ribs broken open and pried back one by one. Talk about being gutted!!!
But the worst flaw here is that the story just becomes so over the top we cease to care and just want it all to end. And in the conclusion we are led to believe that an 18 year will become the new uncrowned monarch of an old infamous Glasgow crime family, with the tacit blessing of the police who are happy to see the Russian Mafia go and native criminals remain!!!! Talk about zenophobia!!!
Ramsay sacrifices one or two really good staple characters and strains our credulity to get her desired denouement and it's all down hill from there. I used to love the atmosphere and the compelling characters in this series but here it is all a waste--Ramsay makes the mistake of many a good series writer--she reaches a point where enough is enough and the whole thing becomes a blood-ridden soap opera.
But the worst flaw here is that the story just becomes so over the top we cease to care and just want it all to end. And in the conclusion we are led to believe that an 18 year will become the new uncrowned monarch of an old infamous Glasgow crime family, with the tacit blessing of the police who are happy to see the Russian Mafia go and native criminals remain!!!! Talk about zenophobia!!!
Ramsay sacrifices one or two really good staple characters and strains our credulity to get her desired denouement and it's all down hill from there. I used to love the atmosphere and the compelling characters in this series but here it is all a waste--Ramsay makes the mistake of many a good series writer--she reaches a point where enough is enough and the whole thing becomes a blood-ridden soap opera.
July 31, 2020
Once again it's been two years since I last read one in this series so at times it took me a minute or two to recall "recent" event in the lives of some of the characters. There isn't (though I may be wrong!) any explanation of how Costello came by her injuries & for someone coming into this series for the first time a little background might have helped. That said it can get monotonous to followers of a series when old events are consistently revisited book after book for those newbies! Anyway onto the plot...
Once again I found the characters likeable with the dynamics between them being convincing. However, I did find the plotline itself a little muddling. There's a lot of people to keep track of most of whom are involved in one or more of the various subplots & sadly I was left unconvinced by the rather contrived ending.
Like it's predecessor it's a tad overlong & in my opinion not as good. Good, yes but for me not the best in the series.
Once again I found the characters likeable with the dynamics between them being convincing. However, I did find the plotline itself a little muddling. There's a lot of people to keep track of most of whom are involved in one or more of the various subplots & sadly I was left unconvinced by the rather contrived ending.
Like it's predecessor it's a tad overlong & in my opinion not as good. Good, yes but for me not the best in the series.
March 25, 2013
Based on a glowing recommendation from a fellow reader i decided to order all four of the books in this series so i could read them in order .... & this one is definitely the best of the bunch. I really had to persevere through each one as the first two are wishy-washy at best and quite frustrating to read with obvious plots and limp characters, DCI McAlpine or rather McWhine was a real damp squid & i was glad of his final demise. Costello & Anderson are ok but they are not developed enough for me to care about them, which results in Costello coming across as a bitter spinster who hates anyone who's prettier or has more money or who's more happier than her ... which seem's to be most people. The suggestion in the first book that she's in love with her boss goes absolutely no-where & is then completely dropped !! Anderson's sub-plot relationship problems suffer the same fate .. will they, won't they .. do i even care ?? When that story line finally comes to fruition in this book it's a huge anti-climax especially since the previous three books have been building up to it with such vim and then the obvious happens ... and that's it!! There are quite a few thread's like these throughout all four book's that are so flat & colourless you wonder what on earth their relevance is. This book has by far the best story but even then most of chapters are quite obvious ... the build up to some of the big scenes are laid out too much in pages before, so telling me how much a character loves his wife/children/dog etc is bound to end in tears & it does. Also, the author can't quite commit to the story line she's written .. if you are going to include graphic violence and scenes of rape and child abuse then you need to commit to it and not lose your nerve half way through. I don't need everything spelling out for me but certain aspects need to be put down in black and white to make the point and underline the sickness of the baddie's in the storyline. The only other niggle was that these books are supposed to be set in Scotland ... not that you would know as there are hardly any dialect inflection's and as if aware of this Caro Ramsey throw's in a 'wee' every now and again .. because that's not stereotypical Scottish at all !! There's obviously more to come in this series and i've no doubt that once Caro Ramsey hit's her stride that the best is yet to come.
December 4, 2012
What an absolute mess of a book. I really like Caro Ramsey but this was just too much. It reminded me of when my mother would clean out the refrigerator for dinner. Most of the stuff was fine on it's own but all together it was weird. Ten murders with very little real emotion, including a recurring character from the series. A not very plausible solution that left the reader thinking "Really?" (As in the sarcastic Really, not the surprised really). The threads weaving the story together were just too thin to be believable. Most of the "evidence" was just wasn't real. If the author had pared the story-line down, concentrating on one or two murders, it would have a been a far better read. Really disappointing.
September 4, 2013
Seemed promising but there are too many plots and subplots to keep track of in here and the writer is always jumping between them.
July 2, 2018
The Russian mob has moved in on Glasgow, and are hitting very very close to home for Anderson - but at least Costello is getting back on her feet
October 27, 2022
This review cannot help but be brief. I gave this book, The Blood of Crows, 2 stars. The book made a mistake by hyping up the plot's later revelations. When the moment came to deliver, this reader was let down big time. The book was slightly boring, and slightly exciting. That is what allowed me to continue reading to the end.
Another mistake that Caro Ramsay made was to have a total lack of red herrings. Everything that had a role had something hidden about it. So though you never know what is happening, you know something illegal is afoot. Take any example in the book, whether it is Anderson's case, or Costello's assignment, everything clicked, though they made little sense in the big picture.
This book dulled my senses. I felt frustration while reading it. I don't recommend it. The 2nd book in the series is the best so far. And I can say that with experience, Singing to the Dead, is probably better than all other books in the series.
This book's lack of suspense doesn't mean it cannot be enjoyed. Simply put though, it is a book that can find fans only among those young and those gullible. The latter being people who have not read groundbreaking thrillers in their lives. The book lured me with the promise of thrills. At first I was rewarded by the dramatic close shave with the dead regarding Anderson. It was skillfully written. The lack of consistent quality was a mystery. Or rather I could discern that the author had run out of ideas. The good stock of printable and solid ideas had to be rationed.
This also meant that the author's sense of humour too had to be rationed. In fact most of the jokes were barely chuckle worthy. If this author can make a bibliography out of half baked ideas, then there is hope yet for people like me, who want to be an author, even if in name only. The author's downfall is that she does not have a supply of plots. She cannot generate good ideas for 10 or 15 books. Unlike Agatha Christie, Caro Ramsay does not have that longevity.
My big finding from this book is that all of the authors who are churning books to the rate of 1 per year are running the same level of storytelling as Ramsay. That is why I no longer consider myself a fan of thrillers. The bestselling thrillers are on par with The Blood of Crows. Dugoni, Leigh, Swanson, Ware, you name it, they are all on par with Ramsay's most lackadaisical form. By the way, the Viking way of killing in the book is not grounded in reality. There have been rumours of such means of torture, but it has not been confirmed by scholars or archeologists.
Another mistake that Caro Ramsay made was to have a total lack of red herrings. Everything that had a role had something hidden about it. So though you never know what is happening, you know something illegal is afoot. Take any example in the book, whether it is Anderson's case, or Costello's assignment, everything clicked, though they made little sense in the big picture.
This book dulled my senses. I felt frustration while reading it. I don't recommend it. The 2nd book in the series is the best so far. And I can say that with experience, Singing to the Dead, is probably better than all other books in the series.
This book's lack of suspense doesn't mean it cannot be enjoyed. Simply put though, it is a book that can find fans only among those young and those gullible. The latter being people who have not read groundbreaking thrillers in their lives. The book lured me with the promise of thrills. At first I was rewarded by the dramatic close shave with the dead regarding Anderson. It was skillfully written. The lack of consistent quality was a mystery. Or rather I could discern that the author had run out of ideas. The good stock of printable and solid ideas had to be rationed.
This also meant that the author's sense of humour too had to be rationed. In fact most of the jokes were barely chuckle worthy. If this author can make a bibliography out of half baked ideas, then there is hope yet for people like me, who want to be an author, even if in name only. The author's downfall is that she does not have a supply of plots. She cannot generate good ideas for 10 or 15 books. Unlike Agatha Christie, Caro Ramsay does not have that longevity.
My big finding from this book is that all of the authors who are churning books to the rate of 1 per year are running the same level of storytelling as Ramsay. That is why I no longer consider myself a fan of thrillers. The bestselling thrillers are on par with The Blood of Crows. Dugoni, Leigh, Swanson, Ware, you name it, they are all on par with Ramsay's most lackadaisical form. By the way, the Viking way of killing in the book is not grounded in reality. There have been rumours of such means of torture, but it has not been confirmed by scholars or archeologists.
Read
October 30, 2021The Blood of Crows is the fourth instalment in Caro Ramsay's epic Anderson and Costello series.
For one Scottish cop the beat is about to get dark and very bloody . . .
DI Colin Anderson is having a bad week. His conviction of paedophile Skelpie Fairbairn is declared unsafe - putting Fairbairn back on Glasgow's streets and leaving Anderson under investigation.
Add to this a gangster torched alive, a teenage boy tortured then dropped off a bridge and the suicide of a cop who worked an unsolved child kidnapping way back in 1996 and Anderson's got his hands full. Then one night, a young girl is tied to the river bank and left for the tide. Anderson gets there, but she dies in his arms.
Working round the clock his team discover these strange crimes are linked to an elusive criminal mastermind known as The Puppeteer. But unable to find him, unable to stop the murders, Anderson is forced to follow the only lead he has - Skelpie Fairbairn . . .
But which is worse - The devil you don't know, or the one you do . . .?
Caro Ramsay's Anderson & Costello thrillers have been widely recognised as one of the most significant new series in the genre in recent years and Ramsay's utterly unique investigators are ready to become the nation's favourite Scottish cop duo. Absolution is the amazing opening to this stunning series. Subsequent titles include Dark Water and Singing to the Dead. Fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid will love this series.
Good.
For one Scottish cop the beat is about to get dark and very bloody . . .
DI Colin Anderson is having a bad week. His conviction of paedophile Skelpie Fairbairn is declared unsafe - putting Fairbairn back on Glasgow's streets and leaving Anderson under investigation.
Add to this a gangster torched alive, a teenage boy tortured then dropped off a bridge and the suicide of a cop who worked an unsolved child kidnapping way back in 1996 and Anderson's got his hands full. Then one night, a young girl is tied to the river bank and left for the tide. Anderson gets there, but she dies in his arms.
Working round the clock his team discover these strange crimes are linked to an elusive criminal mastermind known as The Puppeteer. But unable to find him, unable to stop the murders, Anderson is forced to follow the only lead he has - Skelpie Fairbairn . . .
But which is worse - The devil you don't know, or the one you do . . .?
Caro Ramsay's Anderson & Costello thrillers have been widely recognised as one of the most significant new series in the genre in recent years and Ramsay's utterly unique investigators are ready to become the nation's favourite Scottish cop duo. Absolution is the amazing opening to this stunning series. Subsequent titles include Dark Water and Singing to the Dead. Fans of Ian Rankin and Val McDermid will love this series.
Good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2024
I think this book was easy to follow. Straight forward descriptions and imagery helped the multi-layered plot line. I personally love a complicated plot because the world building feels realistic (to an extent) and the creative liberties that are unique to the author become noticeable. The mystery in the beginning was alluring. The mafia aspect of the book was the main plot but, like with all mafia fiction, it gets complicated. Again, this is something I appreciate. While it was the main story, I liked how discreet it was throughout the novel - it didn't feel obnoxiously obvious there was a fictional mafia in Scotland.
The characters felt a little generic but this is just one book in a series so perhaps they develop in future books. Thats not to say they didn't have depth, the main character was especially multi-dimensional and I liked seeing them all make understandable and sometimes irredeemable mistakes. I think as the book is set in Scotland but has elements of foreign mafias, having characters a little more unique would have been interesting.
I don't strongly feel the need to read the rest of the series but I know I probably would enjoy the other novels. If I find them I will give them a go and see how I feel. So many character felt unfinished and would love to see what happens to them. I enjoyed it overall and could see myself reading it again as a standalone.
The characters felt a little generic but this is just one book in a series so perhaps they develop in future books. Thats not to say they didn't have depth, the main character was especially multi-dimensional and I liked seeing them all make understandable and sometimes irredeemable mistakes. I think as the book is set in Scotland but has elements of foreign mafias, having characters a little more unique would have been interesting.
I don't strongly feel the need to read the rest of the series but I know I probably would enjoy the other novels. If I find them I will give them a go and see how I feel. So many character felt unfinished and would love to see what happens to them. I enjoyed it overall and could see myself reading it again as a standalone.
May 20, 2024
70% DNF
I have generally enjoyed Caro Ramsay's writing.
And at the start of this book, it was the same, generally enjoyable. I like the variety of plots/subplots and was looking forward to how they would all connect. Though it can be a bit difficult to keep track of who's who, and to what subplot they belong. My major gripe with this book would be the characterisation of Costello, whom I had really grown attached to in the previous books. I understood what Ramsay was trying to convey with Costello's actions and thoughts, but felt as though it was still ineffective. Though Costello is clearly healing from the events of the previous book, how she was portrayed in this one merely managed to make me annoyed with her, rather than pity her or feel her struggle. She frequently referred to the other women in the book in unreasonably catty, juvenile ways, as if she were a 16-year-old girl, rather than a grown woman.
I may give Ramsay's works a revisit in the future, but for now, I will soft DNF her series'.
I have generally enjoyed Caro Ramsay's writing.
And at the start of this book, it was the same, generally enjoyable. I like the variety of plots/subplots and was looking forward to how they would all connect. Though it can be a bit difficult to keep track of who's who, and to what subplot they belong. My major gripe with this book would be the characterisation of Costello, whom I had really grown attached to in the previous books. I understood what Ramsay was trying to convey with Costello's actions and thoughts, but felt as though it was still ineffective. Though Costello is clearly healing from the events of the previous book, how she was portrayed in this one merely managed to make me annoyed with her, rather than pity her or feel her struggle. She frequently referred to the other women in the book in unreasonably catty, juvenile ways, as if she were a 16-year-old girl, rather than a grown woman.
I may give Ramsay's works a revisit in the future, but for now, I will soft DNF her series'.
August 17, 2021
She was only a wee girl....
The Russian mafia are getting a strong foothold in the city, the old rules do not apply... Three murders = three black crow tattoos, and you get to perform a 'Blood Eagle' on your fourth victim = a red Eagle tattoo under the black crows.
Too many people were aiming for their special fourth tattoo. Slice their victim up the centre of the ribcage, whilst alive and bend both sections to the respective side, hence the Eagle shape. Removing the heart was an optional extra.
Anderson is only fed titbit of information by his bosses, despite his new rank of DCI, he is working the shadows to find the Puppeteer controlling the Russians. Whilst he is having his strings pulled by corrupt senior officers, some of whom have tattooed birds of their own.
Excellent story.
The Russian mafia are getting a strong foothold in the city, the old rules do not apply... Three murders = three black crow tattoos, and you get to perform a 'Blood Eagle' on your fourth victim = a red Eagle tattoo under the black crows.
Too many people were aiming for their special fourth tattoo. Slice their victim up the centre of the ribcage, whilst alive and bend both sections to the respective side, hence the Eagle shape. Removing the heart was an optional extra.
Anderson is only fed titbit of information by his bosses, despite his new rank of DCI, he is working the shadows to find the Puppeteer controlling the Russians. Whilst he is having his strings pulled by corrupt senior officers, some of whom have tattooed birds of their own.
Excellent story.
November 8, 2021
The cover suggests that the book is an “Absolutely gripping Scottish crime thriller”. A more false praise or review I have not seen. The book is boring and failed to grip. I had to force myself to complete it only because I don’t abandon books mid-way. But the more I read the more I thought what an absolute waste of time it was.
There is nothing thrilling about a thriller where the story doesn’t move. There are plots sub-plots twisted connections and since it is part of series characters came with a baggage but nothing intrigued me. The plot meandered and dawdled only to end in a very unconvincing climax. The first 50 odd pages were good and then it all goes downhill. The story never picked up pace and ended flat.
My first and last Caro Ramsay
There is nothing thrilling about a thriller where the story doesn’t move. There are plots sub-plots twisted connections and since it is part of series characters came with a baggage but nothing intrigued me. The plot meandered and dawdled only to end in a very unconvincing climax. The first 50 odd pages were good and then it all goes downhill. The story never picked up pace and ended flat.
My first and last Caro Ramsay
February 7, 2022
I have only recently become aware of this author. I have found her books to be brilliant. I read a lot of police procedural crime books and I mean a lot. I particularly enjoy Scottish Crime Authors.
Caro Ramsay has been an education. I have now read her first 4 books and intend to continue with her whole back catalogue. That is how impressed I am with her writing.
The plots are full of twists and turns, with well defined characters. The writing is intelligent, well researched, intriguing, with a number of subplots, that all add to the story. I find plenty excitement in the well developed action as the stories progress. All of the four books read, keep up the high standards of the author. Highly recommended.
Caro Ramsay has been an education. I have now read her first 4 books and intend to continue with her whole back catalogue. That is how impressed I am with her writing.
The plots are full of twists and turns, with well defined characters. The writing is intelligent, well researched, intriguing, with a number of subplots, that all add to the story. I find plenty excitement in the well developed action as the stories progress. All of the four books read, keep up the high standards of the author. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2022
4th in the series and it was fabulous. Read some other reviews and they were wrong. This was a fascinating story, rooted in a mystery from the 70's with a connection with current day Russians moving drugs, child pornography and murder. Who's to blame, the two Glasgow Scottish gangs who have run the city for years, Russians with new drugs never before seen or dirty cops through the years. Who is the Puppeteer who is in charge? Costello is coming back after her injuries, Anderson is being pressured to move to Australia and damn Mulholland need to stay a DS he's just as bad as ever in his pompous ways. There are some really sad times in the book but also things moving ahead! Loved it.
December 15, 2021
Like many others here, I like this series generally, but this one, folks are saying, has too many plots or is too complex. Another way to put this is "too many characters"—especially characters that are not much more than names for much of the book. Certainly, many of them have histories in the early books of the series, and readers should be familiar with them. But they are also many new ones. So, don't start in the middle of this series, and don't try to read this one in short spurts as you go to sleep; you won't remember who's who. Or maybe Prevagen will help?
September 14, 2024
A touch of international intrigue with this one. I
I do like how Ramsay delves into how the past (1970-1980) continues to influence and drive modern day drama. That’s an important reminder that not knowing history allows recreation of the problem. —. Just like previous books by Ramsay, I catch the inkling that certain characters are not what they present themselves to be, but just like the others, the answers are so convoluted that I don’t figure it out before the denouement. Looking forward to the challenge of #5. I’m
Not tired of these yet!
I do like how Ramsay delves into how the past (1970-1980) continues to influence and drive modern day drama. That’s an important reminder that not knowing history allows recreation of the problem. —. Just like previous books by Ramsay, I catch the inkling that certain characters are not what they present themselves to be, but just like the others, the answers are so convoluted that I don’t figure it out before the denouement. Looking forward to the challenge of #5. I’m
Not tired of these yet!
September 5, 2020
3.5 stars for being a bit slow and dense to read.Really dark and intriguing but maybe overly complex. This story includes Russian and Glasgow gangs and bent cops and relations among them going back 20 years. The crimes entail many many murders, some gory and grotesque, and truly horrific crimes like snuff films and child sex trafficking. Not for the squeamish. As usual Anderson and Costello are there, and this time they get in some hair raising trouble.
October 12, 2021
The bodies pile up, there is a mystery to the boy thrown off the bridge. There are so many moving parts to this story, but the author does a great job keeping them on the correct path until all the parts are fit together well. Colin Anderson gets more development here, Costello comes back to the force, a character from a past book makes an appearance. The school in the forest is another character. I like how the author ties the area into the story.
July 28, 2022
Best in the series so far! A cracking tale of Glasgow gangster families, feuds and suspect policing that all comes to a head in modern day Glasgow. Russians are involved and it’s nasty.
Costello is feeling her way back in, Mulholland is as stupidly ambitious as ever and Anderson is doggedly getting himself into deeper personal waters.
Everyone seems to know more than they’re saying and a fair few bodies fall along the way.
A series that is getting better each outing
Costello is feeling her way back in, Mulholland is as stupidly ambitious as ever and Anderson is doggedly getting himself into deeper personal waters.
Everyone seems to know more than they’re saying and a fair few bodies fall along the way.
A series that is getting better each outing
March 5, 2023
I like this series set around Glasgow featuring Anderson and Costello even though the plots are really far-fetched. This is the fourth book and in it Anderson gets promoted to Detective Chief Inspector. This story features corrupt police officers, organised crime and even Russian gangsters. Just go with the flow and this is an exciting read. It's probably a good idea to read these books in order.
December 27, 2023
This disturbing thriller finds Anderson and Costello caught up in a sinister series of murders orchestrated by a criminal mastermind known as The Puppeteer. With the possible involvement of two of Glasgow's most notorious gangs, to say nothing of the Russian mafia, the police find themselves increasingly threatened. As it becomes apparent that former police officers are linked to the murders, Anderson and Costello have no idea who they can trust.
August 12, 2024
This one is one of the more interesting plotlines, but also one of the more far-fetched. Again, as happens with Ramsay's books, the ending was piled on too fast and events, characters, and motivation all stretched credulity. A good character was killed off for no particular reason -- how lazy was that? The "resolution" makes no sense -- it's just recreating the same status quo as it was in the mid-1990s, not exactly progress. How many layers of bureaucracy are there is the Scottish Police Department? Reads like a cast of thousands.
May 19, 2023
This was a really fast-paced story, loads of characters, good, bad, and downright suspicious that led a merry dance of murder and who dunnit intrigue. Once again, the Costello and Anderson duo had a great case, drug wars between Glaswegens and the Russian Mafia, to get their teeth into. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Read
September 21, 2024Another superb story from Caro Ramsay. This has really put Anderson and the returned Costello under a great deal of pressure. From the outset you know this is not going to be a straightforward case. With bent cops from years back and a Russian influence, nothing is what it seems to be.
Cleverly thought out plots that all come together in the end, but not the way you might think. Superb!!
Cleverly thought out plots that all come together in the end, but not the way you might think. Superb!!
September 23, 2025
In Caro Ramsey I've found a new favorite police mystery author among Donna Leon, Colin Dexter and Peter Grainger. The Anderson and Costello team offer insights into a police dynamic I've not found in any other series. This particular book is dark with especially sombre adversaries. Child victims make for difficult reading. Be warned but don't avoid this gripping adventure.
October 19, 2018
A terrible follow up to dark water which read like a hashup of chapters thrown together for gruesome value.Yuck. Had to stop about 1/4 thru. there is a misogyny present in Ramsay's writing that is very creepy.all the female characters are disturbed and /or pathetic or repulsive.
July 13, 2021
Excellent
You really need to read the book before this one to have a good grip on things.
This is a great procedural police book, but not for light weights. It will tear you up! It's got graphic human trafficking details of young girls, which needs to be talked about more!
You really need to read the book before this one to have a good grip on things.
This is a great procedural police book, but not for light weights. It will tear you up! It's got graphic human trafficking details of young girls, which needs to be talked about more!
August 30, 2021
Excellent read, gripping from beginning to end
So much crime, a young girl drowns, chained in the water. A historical kidnapping, how are they linked? Believe me..it's complex, lots of fingers in lots of pies, all with a bitter taste
So much crime, a young girl drowns, chained in the water. A historical kidnapping, how are they linked? Believe me..it's complex, lots of fingers in lots of pies, all with a bitter taste
September 4, 2021
Can't wait for the next one.
Chose 5 stars as it was worth each one. The way the author writes what the police are saying, thinking and muttering, the sarcasm. Totally brilliant. I have now purchased all the Costello & Anderson books.
Chose 5 stars as it was worth each one. The way the author writes what the police are saying, thinking and muttering, the sarcasm. Totally brilliant. I have now purchased all the Costello & Anderson books.
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