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Vanity Project: A gritty Scottish murder mystery

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Can DI Brian Brandon stop a ruthless killer before they bury him next, or will his demons bury him first?

Cybersecurity consultant Ray Higgins is dead. Was it a love triangle turned deadly? Or is there something more at play?

As DI Brian Brandon digs deeper into the case, he uncovers a trail of blackmail and betrayal that leads straight to Strathburgh's elite.

But Brian is battling more than a killer hell-bent on silencing anyone who gets too close to the truth. A traumatic past and a drinking habit that's spiraling out of control threaten to derail the investigation and get him killed.

Perfect for fans of JD Kirk, Ian Rankin, Helen Fields, and Val McDermid, this gripping first instalment in a dark, gritty new Scottish crime series introduces DI Brian Brandon of the city of Strathburgh's Major Investigations Team.

450 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 27, 2024

320 people are currently reading
151 people want to read

About the author

André Spiteri

4 books5 followers
I'm the author of award-nominated organised crime thriller Back From The Dead and the DI Brian Brandon series of gritty Scottish murder mysteries.

I was born on the sunny island of Malta in 1982 and live in Edinburgh with my wife, our two daughters, and two cats.

Sign up to my mailing list and read the first chapter of Back From The Dead FREE 👉 linktr.ee/andrespiteriauthor

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Community Reviews

5 stars
83 (38%)
4 stars
78 (35%)
3 stars
42 (19%)
2 stars
12 (5%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
2 reviews
December 19, 2024
Gripping Read!

Very much enjoyed this one.

Characters had depth, story was not rushed and it kept me guessing.

Enjoyed André's first book too, but this felt richer, like he's found a flow. Not to detract from the first book at all, I personally enjoyed this one more. As he mentions, you don't need to have read the first one to follow this story.

Can't say too much without giving the plot away, but if you enjoy slightly gritty mysteries with surprising outcomes, this is for you. That doesn't really do it justice, so give it a read for yourself!

Looking forward to book two!
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689 reviews
May 19, 2025
Traumatized and slowly killing himself.

DI Brandon felt guilty for not protecting his partner. Liam was in a coma after being hit in the head with a hockey stick. Finally he was allowed to return to work, but he had begun to drink. A murder case comes in and he is assigned to solve it.
The story seems to go in circles, but it is tying things together.
483 reviews
April 19, 2025
Vanity

The use of f-bombs is extensive. I can not read such drivel and know that there are better offerings elsewhere.
5 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2025
interesting story but too long.

Many descrptions slowed down the action. This 400 page book could have been done under 300 pages. The ending was quite a surprise.
1,818 reviews
December 28, 2025
too much repetitive detail, but a real surprise ending! i will consider reading the next of the series.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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