Fear of Any Kind

DI Rob Marshall #7

by Ed James

Fear stalks familiar ground...
Acting DCI Rob Marshall is back in the Borders with a permanent promotion dangled in front of him – but storm clouds are gathering, with his new boss eyeing cutting Marshall’s Major Investigation Team.

When a seventeen-year-old boy is found murdered in Hawick, Marshall finds a community on the edge. As his team struggles to connect the dots, what seems like a straightforward case unravels into something far more sinister – the details echo another investigation and Marshall finds himself following a trail of secrets hidden in plain sight.

With his team's future hanging by a thread, Marshall must determine if he's hunting a copycat or just chasing shadows. But the deeper he digs, the more he realises some fears are founded in truth. With his team under threat and pressure mounting, can Marshall separate truth from deadly misdirection?

Fear of Any Kind is the seventh book in the DI Rob Marshall series, following a sharp-witted detective haunted by his past. Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart MacBride, JD Kirk and LJ Ross.If you love darkly funny crime fiction, binge the DI Rob Marshall series

The Turning of our BonesWhere the Bodies LieA Lonely Place of DyingA Shadow on the DoorWith Soul So DeadHis Path of DarknessFalse Dawn (Sgt Rakesh Siyal)Fear of Any Kind (31st March 2025)Our Debts to the Past (30th September 2025)

Genres: Crime, Detective, Audiobook, Scotland

476 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2025

Reviews

[Tracy Wood]

Rob Marshall is eager to get the 'acting' removed from his new rank of Detective Chief Inspector, but having been told that his MIT department is likely to be disbanded doesn't leave him with much chance of that happening! Heading out in torrential rain to the town of Hawick where a body has been discovered, he hopes he'll get a simple case, which will mean he can show just how necessary his team is. He should know by now to be careful what he wishes for!

When chilling similarities between the new case and one solved almost a decade earlier in the north of the country are discovered all hopes are dashed. There are very few clues as to what actually happened, but as they dig deeper, cases become linked, lines blur, and nothing seems to be moving forward except Marshall’s feelings of desperation and futility. Will he be able to determine what happened or will what could possibly be his final case in the Borders end in failure?

Rob Marshall is back for his seventh outing, and, as with Ed James's other main protagonists, it's great to welcome him back. He's still up against pen pushers and cost cutters, but he is slightly more politically aware these days and able to fight his own corner when necessary. This added a great deal to the Police Scotland side of the story, which is saying something as the author is one of the best current writers of both Scottish noir and police procedural fiction. The case was never simple in its execution and got more complex by the chapter!  Those responsible absolutely shocked me. They'd never even been on my radar!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to the author and publishers, Grey Dog Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. Ed James is one of my favourite authors and has, once again, written up a storm.

[Carolien]

Rob Marshall finds himself in the role of Acting DCI which doesn't only require his detecting skills, but also playing office politics with newly arrived Detective Superintendent Ravenscroft whose main focus is cost-cutting rather than solving crimes. A teenager is found brutally murdered near the museum at Hawick and it soon turns out there are a number of inhabitants who bore each other grudges related to actions of the victim and thus no shortage of potential suspects. The story shines a light on the work of a much lesser known area of the justice system namely the re-integration of high-risk offenders back into communities. Marshall's personal life also has its challenges this time around. Another great instalment in one of my favourite series, highly recommend!

[Mrs Maureen]

Acting DCI Rob Marshall gets stuck into hus next case, along with acting DI joliene, recovering DI Callum Taylor, and a new DS Douglas Crawford who has been sent from elsewhere, Rob and team are sent across and up country following leads that seem to link with another series of murders from years before... and despite getting pushbacks from Detective Superintendent Ravenscroft who wants the case solved 'now' because of the costs it may incur. As well as trying to work the profile on the case, Rob has his own problems with Kirsten, and Jennifer and half sister Cath to deal with.
This is another 5⭐️ book as we have come to expect from Ed James

[Shirley]

Asks some interesting questions about serial killers. Can they ever be rehabilitated? And what are the dynamics when couples kill together. In this cold case Dominic killed while Nicola watched and filmed. Was she just under his power or was sore manipulating him so that he took all the risks.
Marshall had a new killing of a 17 year old boy which has all the hallmarks of the couple killing. He's still inside but Nicola, now Isabelle, has been released and is living locally.
Meanwhile Rob and Kirsten's relationship is worrying him. They've gone from moving in together and trying for a baby to her being very distant and avoiding him.

[Christine Ballantyne]

Cracking tale.

Only thing I didn't like about Fear of Any Kind was the "downing" of the town I live in! Otherwise an excellent story with twists the reader couldn't see coming. The final chapter completely threw me. Ed James has an amazing knowledge of the Scottish Borders in general, mentioning places I've never been to and I've lived here most of my life. Looking forward to the next Rob Marshall book later in 2025.

[Julius]

I did not particularly enjoy the 6th book and thought I'd drop the series, but... this came out less than a month ago and I didn't have anything else available at hand. And I have to say it's back to 5 stars to me again - some brilliant plot twists towards the end.

[K Hall]

Another excellent read

I just love this series and found it hard to put down as usual. Great twist at the end, and Rob you really can do better. Those that have read it will know what I mean. Looking forward to the next one, out September 😁

[Sandy McCulloch]

Fear of any Kind. DI Rob Marshall. Scottish Borders Police. Ed James.

Murder of a young boy, laid out,. Twists and turns, about how and why. Was it a serial crime, similarities to a case solved in the highlands. You’ll have to read it to find out. Brilliant from start to finish.

[Liz Mistry]

Great read, twisty storyline, interesting characters and the bonus is it's set in Scotland.
Loved the balance between Rob Marshall's investigation obligations and his personal life, which keeps intruding.
Loved the way the lot developed and the red herrings along the way.

[sandra legate]

Excellent

This is the first writer in a very long time where I don't get the killer. I'm just finished book 7 and get again I did nutcase the end coming. So much fun to read. Great stories and rounded characters. Highly recommend.

[David Nicoll]

An excellent twisty turny whodunnit

I loved reading this book. There were so many twists and turns that kept you guessing who the murderer was. It managed to string it out without making it seem laboured. Definitely worth a read.

[Liz Krummell]

I feel like the Rob Marshall books were better in the beginning Everything seemed disconnected in book.

[J A Lee]

Another great story from.Ed James in the Rob Marshall series, this time set in Hawick. Great characters, some old and some new - a great twist in the end. Looking forward to No 8. Well done Ed

[S M]

Brilliant!

Another fantastic SO Rob Marshall book. Once again I failed to spot who the killer was! Loved the setting again and Ed captured Hawick well.

[Jim McHatton]

Very good read but maybe a little too long.

[Holly]

4.25/5 🌟

[Douglas Law]

Episode 7 keeps up the high standard of this crime series.

[Nic Cooper]

More twists and turns from the Rob Marshall series. Looking forward to reading the next one which is due to be published at the end of next month.

[Brian]

Brilliant

Brilliant book as all the DI Rob Marshall series I've read so far have been. Can't wait to start my next one.

[Christina Farrell]

The best 1 so far. Love the Characters and the storylines

[Gill Stollery]

Another good book in this series.

[Johan Larsen]

confusing story

[Chris]

Another great tale in the series with lots of twists and turns, guessing who did it. Rob always has something going on in his personal life now on to the next book.

[Tim Wickens]

Poor knowledge of Hawick spoiled an OK story

[Jack]

There is another 2 released DI Rob Marshall books not listed here.

Our Debts to the Past (2025)
Cuts Both Ways (2025)

[Lori Lovato]

Disappointing

I'd quit reading this series. Now I remember why. It's filled with inconsistenies, characters mentioned only a couple of times, and typos.

[christine mc girr]

Unsure

I enjoyed the plot but felt the story line was a bit erratic... Some characters were at the front of the storyline .. Where as others were obscure Pam for example who turned out to be the real killer was hardly mentioned in 1st half of storyline left me a bit confused ..and it was near the end we discovered Christopher wasn't the hoodie we thought he was ....