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Where She Lies
A celeb wedding venue. A life gone viral. A dead It Girl. The stunning new DCI Christine Caplan thriller from critically acclaimed author Caro Ramsay, who has "a place in the upper echelons of Scottish crime writing" (Financial Times).
Koi, ex-supermodel and face of lifestyle brand the Sunflower Company, is #livingmybestlife in a Scottish castle with her famous family of nepo babies and influencers. Everything they do is posed, filtered and spun for the perfect story. Even when Koi is found on the rocks at the foot of a cliff, the media juggernaut rolls on, with the image of her body, battered and bleeding, splashed across every social platform around the world.
DCI Christine Caplan’s job is simple – did Koi fall, jump or was she pushed? Only the family knows what really happened that night and, as with everything in their lives, they’re only willing to engage with reveals they can stage. With the world’s press breathing down her neck, Caplan must figure out what’s real, what it takes to survive in the public eye, and how the truth of a story lies in the telling. As Caplan begins to see through Koi’s glossy facade, she realizes just how close to the edge she was, and how easy it can be for one misstep to bring everything crashing down . . .
This gripping Scottish police procedural meets twisted psychological thriller, featuring a complex and fascinating female protagonist, is a perfect choice for fans of tartan noir and authors Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Elly Griffiths.
Koi, ex-supermodel and face of lifestyle brand the Sunflower Company, is #livingmybestlife in a Scottish castle with her famous family of nepo babies and influencers. Everything they do is posed, filtered and spun for the perfect story. Even when Koi is found on the rocks at the foot of a cliff, the media juggernaut rolls on, with the image of her body, battered and bleeding, splashed across every social platform around the world.
DCI Christine Caplan’s job is simple – did Koi fall, jump or was she pushed? Only the family knows what really happened that night and, as with everything in their lives, they’re only willing to engage with reveals they can stage. With the world’s press breathing down her neck, Caplan must figure out what’s real, what it takes to survive in the public eye, and how the truth of a story lies in the telling. As Caplan begins to see through Koi’s glossy facade, she realizes just how close to the edge she was, and how easy it can be for one misstep to bring everything crashing down . . .
This gripping Scottish police procedural meets twisted psychological thriller, featuring a complex and fascinating female protagonist, is a perfect choice for fans of tartan noir and authors Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and Elly Griffiths.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2025
13 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Caro Ramsay
34 books203 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 40 reviews
August 14, 2025
EXCERPT: The cottage, however, looked like the Mary Celeste - as if the family had got up from the table the previous night, or earlier that morning, and vanished from the face of the earth. Dirty cutlery had been gathered, but not taken upstairs. Half-empty glasses were being investigated by busy insects looking for a sugar rush. The chairs were pushed back, one had fallen over. Caplan righted it as she approached the house, her mind, just for a moment, playing with the idea that something awful had happened here and there would be a terrible scene inside, a bloodbath on her new oak flooring.
ABOUT 'WHERE SHE LIES': A celeb wedding venue. A life gone viral. A dead It Girl.
Koi, ex-supermodel and face of lifestyle brand the Sunflower Company, is #livingmybestlife in a Scottish castle with her famous family of nepo babies and influencers. Everything they do is posed, filtered and spun for the perfect story. Even when Koi is found on the rocks at the foot of a cliff, the media juggernaut rolls on, with the image of her body, battered and bleeding, splashed across every social platform around the world.
DCI Christine Caplan’s job is simple – did Koi fall, jump or was she pushed? Only the family knows what really happened that night and, as with everything in their lives, they’re only willing to engage with reveals they can stage. With the world’s press breathing down her neck, Caplan must figure out what’s real, what it takes to survive in the public eye, and how the truth of a story lies in the telling. As Caplan begins to see through Koi’s glossy facade, she realizes just how close to the edge she was, and how easy it can be for one misstep to bring everything crashing down . . .
MY THOUGHTS: When I read the promo - This gripping Scottish police procedural meets twisted psychological thriller, featuring a complex and fascinating female protagonist, is a perfect choice for fans of tartan noir, I didn't know whether to quite believe it. After all, I have read some quite brilliant promos for some quite mediocre books, but Where She Lies definitely lives up to the hype.
Where She Lies is #4 in the DCI Christine Caplan series, and I am an ardent fan. The 'complex and fascinating female protagonist' is exactly that.
The missing woman, Koi, is also fascinating, though we never actually get to meet her, only through other people's perceptions. Her life, along with that of the rest of her family, is perfectly orchestrated - and isolated. There is a mystery surrounding who Koi actually is - her past a carefully guarded secret. Theories abound.
The whole McQuarrie-Samphire family situation gives off plenty of 'there's something not quite right here' vibes. Indeed, there's much that's not right. The famous phrase from Act I, Scene 4 fits the situation rather beautifully (with apologies to the Bard for the bastardisation of his writing) - There's something rotten in the McQuarrie-Samphire camp. It's a very strange and unsettling set-up indeed.
The setting is also rather marvelous and Gothic. An ancient castle on the Scottish coast, complete with the requisite ghosts, towering cliffs and wild seas.
I love Caro Ramsay's writing. I know when I pick up one of her books, I am going to come away satisfied, and I was more than satisfied with Where She Lies.
Where She Lies, although #4 in the Christine Caplan Thriller series, may easily be read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#WhereSheLies #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR - CARO RAMSAY was born and brought up in Glasgow, and now lives in a village on the west coast of Scotland. She is an osteopath, acupuncturist and former marathon runner, who devotes much of her time to the complementary treatment of injured wildlife at a local rescue centre. (Amazon)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Severn House via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of In Her Blood by Caro Ramsay for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Where She Lies by Caro Ramsay was published August 05, 2025.
ABOUT 'WHERE SHE LIES': A celeb wedding venue. A life gone viral. A dead It Girl.
Koi, ex-supermodel and face of lifestyle brand the Sunflower Company, is #livingmybestlife in a Scottish castle with her famous family of nepo babies and influencers. Everything they do is posed, filtered and spun for the perfect story. Even when Koi is found on the rocks at the foot of a cliff, the media juggernaut rolls on, with the image of her body, battered and bleeding, splashed across every social platform around the world.
DCI Christine Caplan’s job is simple – did Koi fall, jump or was she pushed? Only the family knows what really happened that night and, as with everything in their lives, they’re only willing to engage with reveals they can stage. With the world’s press breathing down her neck, Caplan must figure out what’s real, what it takes to survive in the public eye, and how the truth of a story lies in the telling. As Caplan begins to see through Koi’s glossy facade, she realizes just how close to the edge she was, and how easy it can be for one misstep to bring everything crashing down . . .
MY THOUGHTS: When I read the promo - This gripping Scottish police procedural meets twisted psychological thriller, featuring a complex and fascinating female protagonist, is a perfect choice for fans of tartan noir, I didn't know whether to quite believe it. After all, I have read some quite brilliant promos for some quite mediocre books, but Where She Lies definitely lives up to the hype.
Where She Lies is #4 in the DCI Christine Caplan series, and I am an ardent fan. The 'complex and fascinating female protagonist' is exactly that.
The missing woman, Koi, is also fascinating, though we never actually get to meet her, only through other people's perceptions. Her life, along with that of the rest of her family, is perfectly orchestrated - and isolated. There is a mystery surrounding who Koi actually is - her past a carefully guarded secret. Theories abound.
The whole McQuarrie-Samphire family situation gives off plenty of 'there's something not quite right here' vibes. Indeed, there's much that's not right. The famous phrase from Act I, Scene 4 fits the situation rather beautifully (with apologies to the Bard for the bastardisation of his writing) - There's something rotten in the McQuarrie-Samphire camp. It's a very strange and unsettling set-up indeed.
The setting is also rather marvelous and Gothic. An ancient castle on the Scottish coast, complete with the requisite ghosts, towering cliffs and wild seas.
I love Caro Ramsay's writing. I know when I pick up one of her books, I am going to come away satisfied, and I was more than satisfied with Where She Lies.
Where She Lies, although #4 in the Christine Caplan Thriller series, may easily be read as a stand-alone.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.3
#WhereSheLies #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHOR - CARO RAMSAY was born and brought up in Glasgow, and now lives in a village on the west coast of Scotland. She is an osteopath, acupuncturist and former marathon runner, who devotes much of her time to the complementary treatment of injured wildlife at a local rescue centre. (Amazon)
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Severn House via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of In Her Blood by Caro Ramsay for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Where She Lies by Caro Ramsay was published August 05, 2025.
April 15, 2025
DCI Christine Caplan #4
Can be read as a stand-alone.
Perhaps DCI Christine Caplan is relieved to have her family day celebration interrupted following her son Kenny‘s girlfriend Jade’s provocative rudeness. She sent to Torsvaig Castle, formerly known as Limpetlaw, for a potential fatal incident with air and sea rescue alerted, as well as a drone searching the bay. Her boss, Detective Superintendent Adam Spencer informs her the victim is former supermodel Koi McQuarrie-Samphire, her husband a celebrity photographer and the family being well connected influencers. He urges caution as nothing will be as it seems and the media attention will be huge. No pressure then, Caplan. The case is seriously weird from the get go as is the family response, especially that of their manager Pip Pomeroy. What is the truth of the extended family of the McQuarrie-Samphires and who is the real Koi?
I really like this series and have enjoyed them all, chiefly because of the likeable character of Caplan, her interesting family and police team especially the sartorial (not) DS Finan Craigo. The dynamics of the team are always good and this is evident in this latest instalment with plenty of entertaining banter alongside the hard work.
The setting in the castle is fabulous. It creates a terrific ancient atmosphere and the site is used so effectively in the unfolding and deepening mystery. The surrounding sea with the treacherous rocks matching human treachery, the heat of an untypical Scottish summer matching the heat of the investigation with the ancient walls wrapping around the whole thing. Add in the cult of celebrity, the multitude of questions about the exploited household and their strange behaviour, the eerie, claustrophobic, controlling atmosphere builds and builds. The whole set up is odd and peculiar to say the least and at times there are more questions and answers and in addition, rather a lot of coincidences.
As more evidence about Koi and her fellow supermodels known as The Sunflower Girls is revealed it causes the complex case to become even more tricky to try to solve. This is an especially puzzling part of the investigation.
It’s very well written, there’s plenty to keep you immersed in the storytelling with the darkness of Torsvaig being relieved with some well placed humour often courtesy of local policeman Officer Wattie from Pitcottie Station. I really like the end and I can’t wait to see what happens to Christine et al next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Severn House for the early copy in return for an honest review.
Can be read as a stand-alone.
Perhaps DCI Christine Caplan is relieved to have her family day celebration interrupted following her son Kenny‘s girlfriend Jade’s provocative rudeness. She sent to Torsvaig Castle, formerly known as Limpetlaw, for a potential fatal incident with air and sea rescue alerted, as well as a drone searching the bay. Her boss, Detective Superintendent Adam Spencer informs her the victim is former supermodel Koi McQuarrie-Samphire, her husband a celebrity photographer and the family being well connected influencers. He urges caution as nothing will be as it seems and the media attention will be huge. No pressure then, Caplan. The case is seriously weird from the get go as is the family response, especially that of their manager Pip Pomeroy. What is the truth of the extended family of the McQuarrie-Samphires and who is the real Koi?
I really like this series and have enjoyed them all, chiefly because of the likeable character of Caplan, her interesting family and police team especially the sartorial (not) DS Finan Craigo. The dynamics of the team are always good and this is evident in this latest instalment with plenty of entertaining banter alongside the hard work.
The setting in the castle is fabulous. It creates a terrific ancient atmosphere and the site is used so effectively in the unfolding and deepening mystery. The surrounding sea with the treacherous rocks matching human treachery, the heat of an untypical Scottish summer matching the heat of the investigation with the ancient walls wrapping around the whole thing. Add in the cult of celebrity, the multitude of questions about the exploited household and their strange behaviour, the eerie, claustrophobic, controlling atmosphere builds and builds. The whole set up is odd and peculiar to say the least and at times there are more questions and answers and in addition, rather a lot of coincidences.
As more evidence about Koi and her fellow supermodels known as The Sunflower Girls is revealed it causes the complex case to become even more tricky to try to solve. This is an especially puzzling part of the investigation.
It’s very well written, there’s plenty to keep you immersed in the storytelling with the darkness of Torsvaig being relieved with some well placed humour often courtesy of local policeman Officer Wattie from Pitcottie Station. I really like the end and I can’t wait to see what happens to Christine et al next.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Severn House for the early copy in return for an honest review.
August 4, 2025
Where She Lies is the 4th in Caro Ramsey’s DCI Christine Caplan series. The story follows a twisted and turning path and features a family of celebrities, seemingly famous for being famous. I enjoyed following the path as Caplan and her team are called to a castle that has become a destination site for “intimate” weddings hosted by ex super model, Koi and her celebrity family. On this particular weekend, there was no wedding but rather a McQuarrie Samphire family gathering, a celebration. But someone has called in a report of a death. Koi has fallen off a cliff outside the castle.
Caplan is reached at home to lead what will likely be a high profile case. She was in the midst of her own family’s get together where her daughter announced her engagement. No time to linger with family, she organizes the team and heads to the castle. She finds a husband and various adult children in different states of intoxication and grief and an overpowering family fix-it managing everyone and everything. And no body!
I enjoyed reading this…it pulled me along and I wanted to know what had happened, would happen or might happen and how, and who these people really were within this odd family. The situations might have occasionally stretched credibility a bit but I didn’t mind. I like watching detectives working their brains to solve unusual problems. This can be read as a standalone though you would miss some understanding of family and police relationships. I do recommend this book and series.
Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
Caplan is reached at home to lead what will likely be a high profile case. She was in the midst of her own family’s get together where her daughter announced her engagement. No time to linger with family, she organizes the team and heads to the castle. She finds a husband and various adult children in different states of intoxication and grief and an overpowering family fix-it managing everyone and everything. And no body!
I enjoyed reading this…it pulled me along and I wanted to know what had happened, would happen or might happen and how, and who these people really were within this odd family. The situations might have occasionally stretched credibility a bit but I didn’t mind. I like watching detectives working their brains to solve unusual problems. This can be read as a standalone though you would miss some understanding of family and police relationships. I do recommend this book and series.
Thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.
June 14, 2025
While reading WHERE SHE LIES, I pondered if I should classify it as a 'Guilty Pleasures' experience—a book with no substance that still kept me turning pages. Sometimes I simply enjoy a good sleazy read. WHERE SHE LIES met some of my 'Guilty Pleasures' criteria:
(1) a story I wanted to continue as soon as I'd rested my weary eyes;
(2) slimy characters;
(3) mentally unstable characters;
(4) a ridiculous plot line that required suspending belief; and
(5) one that I'd forget within a few weeks.
Certainly the main mystery falls well into the 'Guilty Pleasures' criteria. A famous 'influencer' (and former supermodel) named Koi lies at the bottom of a jagged cliff near a Scottish castle owned by her family corporation. DCI Christine Caplan is called in to determine whether she accidentally fell, committed suicide, or was pushed. There are photos of her bloodied body lying in the rocks, but an exhaustive search does not recover this body, and soon another question arises—is she dead?
Koi's entire family lived with her in the castle—her famous photographer husband, her natural and adopted children, and a Svengali manager/promoter named Pomeroy. Most of them seem to have mental health issues, except for Pomeroy, who appears to be downright evil from the beginning of the narrative. The 'guilty pleasures' segment of this story arises mainly from Christine untangling the various issues that have caused the children's mental disorders.
I consider the police procedural section of Christine untangling all the sleazy connections, and consequently solving the mystery of Koi's fall to be worth 3.5 stars, which I would have rounded up to 4 stars. However, I did not like the segments of the novel that concentrated on Christine Caplan's family. They were an irritating 2-star read for me. Also, I did not like the conclusion. Some readers praised the conclusion, but they were actually praising an Epilogue that took place several months after the investigation was finished; I knew from about the 25% point onward that this was what had happened to Koi. But the concluding part of the investigation section was a downer overall, with only a couple of uplifting developments.
So, it was an average read for me—one I enjoyed but didn't find better than average. This was #4 in the DCI Christine Caplan series. I read #3 a year ago, and although I re-read my review, I couldn't recall anything about that plot or about Christine Caplan and her family. However, remember that average for me means that I found it interesting enough to read quickly to the end, and didn't stop and stutter trying to finish it. There are so many poor mysteries being published these days that a three-star from me means it has merit, just not noteworthy merit.
Thanks to Severn House for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
(1) a story I wanted to continue as soon as I'd rested my weary eyes;
(2) slimy characters;
(3) mentally unstable characters;
(4) a ridiculous plot line that required suspending belief; and
(5) one that I'd forget within a few weeks.
Certainly the main mystery falls well into the 'Guilty Pleasures' criteria. A famous 'influencer' (and former supermodel) named Koi lies at the bottom of a jagged cliff near a Scottish castle owned by her family corporation. DCI Christine Caplan is called in to determine whether she accidentally fell, committed suicide, or was pushed. There are photos of her bloodied body lying in the rocks, but an exhaustive search does not recover this body, and soon another question arises—is she dead?
Koi's entire family lived with her in the castle—her famous photographer husband, her natural and adopted children, and a Svengali manager/promoter named Pomeroy. Most of them seem to have mental health issues, except for Pomeroy, who appears to be downright evil from the beginning of the narrative. The 'guilty pleasures' segment of this story arises mainly from Christine untangling the various issues that have caused the children's mental disorders.
I consider the police procedural section of Christine untangling all the sleazy connections, and consequently solving the mystery of Koi's fall to be worth 3.5 stars, which I would have rounded up to 4 stars. However, I did not like the segments of the novel that concentrated on Christine Caplan's family. They were an irritating 2-star read for me. Also, I did not like the conclusion. Some readers praised the conclusion, but they were actually praising an Epilogue that took place several months after the investigation was finished; I knew from about the 25% point onward that this was what had happened to Koi. But the concluding part of the investigation section was a downer overall, with only a couple of uplifting developments.
So, it was an average read for me—one I enjoyed but didn't find better than average. This was #4 in the DCI Christine Caplan series. I read #3 a year ago, and although I re-read my review, I couldn't recall anything about that plot or about Christine Caplan and her family. However, remember that average for me means that I found it interesting enough to read quickly to the end, and didn't stop and stutter trying to finish it. There are so many poor mysteries being published these days that a three-star from me means it has merit, just not noteworthy merit.
Thanks to Severn House for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
August 4, 2025
Ooooh, this was addictive ! Somehow, I completely missed this author in the past and I dived right into the 4th instalment of this series but it wasn't an issue at all. If anything I was very pleasantly surprised as all the elements of a good procedural were present: a good old true villain, some villains who are essentially good people, some goody-two-shoes who are a bit villain - they are all here.
The background of influencers was something I was a bit weary of at the start, but it turned out that the author has the same ideas about the concept as I have. Fame comes at a cost and the whole TikTok industry is exactly that: a commerce that exploits often young and vulnerable people to present a fake product that will benefit the puppeteer behind the scenes only.
Detective Caplan is a woman that I would be friends with; she has her heart in the right place and has her wits about her. And her team certainly is funny (looking at you Wattie). I will certainly go back to the previous three books as I really want to know what happened to her before this dramatic case.
I can strongly recommend this book if you are into Scottish Noir or if you are looking for a good procedural. Thank you NetGalley, Severn House, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
The background of influencers was something I was a bit weary of at the start, but it turned out that the author has the same ideas about the concept as I have. Fame comes at a cost and the whole TikTok industry is exactly that: a commerce that exploits often young and vulnerable people to present a fake product that will benefit the puppeteer behind the scenes only.
Detective Caplan is a woman that I would be friends with; she has her heart in the right place and has her wits about her. And her team certainly is funny (looking at you Wattie). I will certainly go back to the previous three books as I really want to know what happened to her before this dramatic case.
I can strongly recommend this book if you are into Scottish Noir or if you are looking for a good procedural. Thank you NetGalley, Severn House, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.
August 4, 2025
4.25 stars
Where She Lies is the fourth DCI Christine Caplan procedural thriller book, and I've enjoyed all of them. The books include complex, sometimes dark, cases and detectives you care about. Christine has a complicated life, both personally and professionally. This book can stand on its own, although I've enjoyed seeing Christine's relationship with her team in a small Scottish village.
The case being investigated in this book is the disappearance/assumed death of a member of a high-profile family. Koi and her family share every detail of their lives, but behind the perfection they display to the public is a lot of dysfunction behind closed doors. They seem to be controlled by their ever-present manager and Christine finds it difficult to get a straight answer from the members of Koi's family. She also has to deal with unfavorable coverage in the press which could have links that are close to home. I love that in spite of the difficulties Christine is going through, she is still concerned about Koi's children who are still living in the castle that their mother disappeared from. The case comes to an unexpected and satisfying resolution, but the book ends in a way that sets up more drama for Christine in the future.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Severn House and NetGalley for review consideration. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
Where She Lies is the fourth DCI Christine Caplan procedural thriller book, and I've enjoyed all of them. The books include complex, sometimes dark, cases and detectives you care about. Christine has a complicated life, both personally and professionally. This book can stand on its own, although I've enjoyed seeing Christine's relationship with her team in a small Scottish village.
The case being investigated in this book is the disappearance/assumed death of a member of a high-profile family. Koi and her family share every detail of their lives, but behind the perfection they display to the public is a lot of dysfunction behind closed doors. They seem to be controlled by their ever-present manager and Christine finds it difficult to get a straight answer from the members of Koi's family. She also has to deal with unfavorable coverage in the press which could have links that are close to home. I love that in spite of the difficulties Christine is going through, she is still concerned about Koi's children who are still living in the castle that their mother disappeared from. The case comes to an unexpected and satisfying resolution, but the book ends in a way that sets up more drama for Christine in the future.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from Severn House and NetGalley for review consideration. My review is voluntary and unbiased.
July 22, 2025
This one was one of my favourites! This book really kept the suspense the whole thing! Another thing I loved was being able to see the character development through the characters. It was honestly lovely. I enjoyed everything about this book
April 1, 2025
This series - with DCI Christine Caplan - is one I am always keen to read. It's so interesting having a female lead who has lived a life with adult children, a partner and friends as well as her job as a detective. In this installment Christine's life is progressing. She's moved from her caravan into a semi-renovated cottage with her husband who is coming out of his depression. One adult child is engaged to a sensible and loving man, while another is dating a 'nepo-baby' journalist who mines her connections with the family to undermine Christine professionally. Indeed the 'nepo-baby' theme is the one on which this novel turns as Christine's case in this novel involves the investigation into the disappearance of a minor celebrity and Chris must deal with her brood of 'nepo-babies'. In the course of the investigation, links to historic crimes emerge. While the police procedural elements of the novel are very satisfying, I most enjoyed Christine's character: her good humour, resilience, courage and smarts. The ending - while avoiding spoilers - is a celebration of female agency.
Looking forward to the next one, Caro Ramsay!
Looking forward to the next one, Caro Ramsay!
August 2, 2025
DCI Christine Caplan is called to a murder scene at Torsvaig Castle. It is the home of Koi McQuarrie, former model and now an influencer, who lives here with her husband and five adult children. Her body is seen on the rocks below but then it vanishes. How did she end up on the rocks, did she jump, was pushed, an accident? Caplan has to deal with this dysfunctional group that is more concerned about public impression and not what really happened.
Caro Ramsay's Christine Caplan is a woman that must deal with the demands of a high pressure job and also with her own dysfunctional family. Her husband is beginning to come out of a time of deep depression and her children are not always making good choices, especially her son, Kenny's, new girlfriend, Jade. Jade is most definitely not a fan of the police and is quite vocal with Christine about her feelings. Also, she certainly seemed to be well informed, hmm. This is the fourth book in the series, and it can be read on it's own, but I highly recommend reading the previous books that will fill in the background of Christine's family dynamics.
I loved the author's descriptions of the castle, it's remote location and the grounds. It set the perfect atmosphere for the plot. This is a short book and the last third moves quickly to a satisfying conclusion with some twists and turns to keep engaged. I look forward to more of DCI Christine Caplan and her fellow officers, and her family.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Severn House, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
Caro Ramsay's Christine Caplan is a woman that must deal with the demands of a high pressure job and also with her own dysfunctional family. Her husband is beginning to come out of a time of deep depression and her children are not always making good choices, especially her son, Kenny's, new girlfriend, Jade. Jade is most definitely not a fan of the police and is quite vocal with Christine about her feelings. Also, she certainly seemed to be well informed, hmm. This is the fourth book in the series, and it can be read on it's own, but I highly recommend reading the previous books that will fill in the background of Christine's family dynamics.
I loved the author's descriptions of the castle, it's remote location and the grounds. It set the perfect atmosphere for the plot. This is a short book and the last third moves quickly to a satisfying conclusion with some twists and turns to keep engaged. I look forward to more of DCI Christine Caplan and her fellow officers, and her family.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Severn House, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
September 8, 2025
Where She Lies by Caro Ramsay is an electrifying descent into the dark heart of influencer culture.
From the moment DCI Christine Caplan stepped into a moody Scottish castle turned celebrity wedding venue, I felt the Gothic atmosphere surround me. The setting is beautifully atmospheric: windswept cliffs, ancient stone walls, and the intense glare of media attention. This is the home of the glamorous, made famous by an advertisement many years ago, and they have lived under the watchful eye of the press and social media ever since. They have cultivated this image, which helps them stay relevant and earn their livelihood.
This isn’t your typical police procedural — Ramsay drops you into a twisted, mirror-lit world of #livingmybestlife and filtered perfection. The victim, Koi, is a former supermodel and the face of the Sunflower Company. Her life was a perfectly curated social media story until she was photographed by her husband on the rocks below a cliff — battered, bleeding, and tragically iconic. But no body has been found. It is Caplan’s job to work out whether Koi is dead and, if so, what caused her death.
Koi’s family lives with her in the castle. Her family consists of her husband, Gabe, a well-known photographer, and her children, both natural and adopted. You wouldn’t naturally gravitate towards any of them. Living with them is Koi’s manager, Pip Pomeroy, a man who will try anything to keep this family in the public eye. Koi’s children, also living in a social media bubble, all seem to be rather fragile mentally, and Pomeroy just gave me the ick.
Caro Ramsay uses family dynamics like fine weapons. This family is a masterpiece of toxic, fame-obsessed dysfunction: nepo babies, influencers, and those who crave the limelight, all hiding something.
Ramsay orchestrates a dance of curated personas, brand deals, weaponised grief, and staged reveals — a hellish maze where the truth plays hard to get and the characters live their lives for the clicks.
Christine Caplan herself is sharp, focused, and down-to-earth. She’s the anchor in the midst of distasteful staged grief and perfumed lies.
She is emotionally insightful yet professionally demanding; she strips away the glamorous facades and doesn’t flinch when she encounters the truth beneath. Her team might feel overwhelmed, and the PR machine she’s facing is relentless, but she stands her ground.
This is Scottish Gothic infused with toxic glamour, layered character dynamics, and a detective who refuses to be part of the facade. This story is brooding, contemporary, and compelling. Caro Ramsay doesn’t just question what truth is: she shows how easily it can be lost in the clickbait glare of fame.
Christine Caplan isn’t without other problems, though. She’s worried about her son’s partner, Jade, who seems to have swallowed all the anti-police propaganda she can find, making her home life all the more anxious. Her team, with the likeable DS Craigo, who knows his terrain inside out, and the wonderfully funny Wattie, adds some balance to this dark and sometimes unpleasant story.
Verdict: Where She Lies is atmospheric, rooted in contemporary culture, and emotionally grounded. It’s a must for anyone who enjoys crime fiction packed with social commentary, psychological suspense, and a detective you want to read more of.
From the moment DCI Christine Caplan stepped into a moody Scottish castle turned celebrity wedding venue, I felt the Gothic atmosphere surround me. The setting is beautifully atmospheric: windswept cliffs, ancient stone walls, and the intense glare of media attention. This is the home of the glamorous, made famous by an advertisement many years ago, and they have lived under the watchful eye of the press and social media ever since. They have cultivated this image, which helps them stay relevant and earn their livelihood.
This isn’t your typical police procedural — Ramsay drops you into a twisted, mirror-lit world of #livingmybestlife and filtered perfection. The victim, Koi, is a former supermodel and the face of the Sunflower Company. Her life was a perfectly curated social media story until she was photographed by her husband on the rocks below a cliff — battered, bleeding, and tragically iconic. But no body has been found. It is Caplan’s job to work out whether Koi is dead and, if so, what caused her death.
Koi’s family lives with her in the castle. Her family consists of her husband, Gabe, a well-known photographer, and her children, both natural and adopted. You wouldn’t naturally gravitate towards any of them. Living with them is Koi’s manager, Pip Pomeroy, a man who will try anything to keep this family in the public eye. Koi’s children, also living in a social media bubble, all seem to be rather fragile mentally, and Pomeroy just gave me the ick.
Caro Ramsay uses family dynamics like fine weapons. This family is a masterpiece of toxic, fame-obsessed dysfunction: nepo babies, influencers, and those who crave the limelight, all hiding something.
Ramsay orchestrates a dance of curated personas, brand deals, weaponised grief, and staged reveals — a hellish maze where the truth plays hard to get and the characters live their lives for the clicks.
Christine Caplan herself is sharp, focused, and down-to-earth. She’s the anchor in the midst of distasteful staged grief and perfumed lies.
She is emotionally insightful yet professionally demanding; she strips away the glamorous facades and doesn’t flinch when she encounters the truth beneath. Her team might feel overwhelmed, and the PR machine she’s facing is relentless, but she stands her ground.
This is Scottish Gothic infused with toxic glamour, layered character dynamics, and a detective who refuses to be part of the facade. This story is brooding, contemporary, and compelling. Caro Ramsay doesn’t just question what truth is: she shows how easily it can be lost in the clickbait glare of fame.
Christine Caplan isn’t without other problems, though. She’s worried about her son’s partner, Jade, who seems to have swallowed all the anti-police propaganda she can find, making her home life all the more anxious. Her team, with the likeable DS Craigo, who knows his terrain inside out, and the wonderfully funny Wattie, adds some balance to this dark and sometimes unpleasant story.
Verdict: Where She Lies is atmospheric, rooted in contemporary culture, and emotionally grounded. It’s a must for anyone who enjoys crime fiction packed with social commentary, psychological suspense, and a detective you want to read more of.
October 13, 2025
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this eARC.
🏰 Caro Ramsay’s Where She Lies is a sharp, socially attuned mystery that blends the gothic chill of a Scottish castle with the digital heat of influencer culture. It’s the fourth installment in the DCI Christine Caplan series, and it delivers a murder investigation that’s as much about image control as it is about justice.
When Koi, a former supermodel and face of the Sunflower Company lifestyle brand, is found dead at the foot of a cliff near a celebrity wedding venue, the media circus ignites before the police even arrive. Her glamorous family—an ensemble of nepo babies, influencers, and curated personalities—respond not with grief, but with spin. DCI Christine Caplan is tasked with untangling the truth from the spectacle: did Koi fall, jump, or was she pushed?
Ramsay’s plotting is deft and layered. The mystery unfolds through interviews, digital footprints, and the emotional residue left behind by a family that lives for the camera but hides everything off-screen. Caplan’s investigation is complicated not just by the suspects, but by her own fractured family dynamics, which echo the dysfunction she’s probing.
Where She Lies is a meditation on how we curate our lives—and deaths—for public consumption. Ramsay interrogates the performative nature of modern identity, especially among the ultra-visible elite. The novel explores how grief is commodified, how truth is staged, and how justice must navigate the theater of social media.
Caplan herself is a compelling lens for these themes. She’s not just solving a crime; she’s reckoning with motherhood, aging, and the emotional toll of being the one who always holds the line. Her daughter’s engagement and her son’s financial desperation add texture to her character, making her more than just a procedural anchor.
Ramsay excels at crafting characters who are both emotionally raw and socially sharp. Koi’s family is a study in curated dysfunction—each member is more interested in optics than truth. Caplan, by contrast, is grounded, weary, and quietly brilliant. Her interactions with suspects and colleagues reveal a woman who sees through performance but struggles to escape her own.
The supporting cast—especially Kenny, Caplan’s son, and Jade, his outspoken girlfriend—add grit and humor, reminding readers that the personal and professional are never truly separate.
🌫 The setting—a coastal Scottish castle turned influencer playground—is both eerie and absurd. Ramsay uses it to great effect, contrasting the timeless weight of stone with the ephemeral glow of ring lights and curated feeds. The landscape becomes a metaphor for the novel’s central tension: what’s real versus what’s staged.
Where She Lies is a smart, emotionally resonant mystery that skewers influencer culture while honoring the complexity of grief and justice. Caro Ramsay delivers a story that’s as stylish as it is sobering, with DCI Christine Caplan anchoring the chaos with quiet strength.
For readers who crave thrillers that interrogate the spectacle of modern life, this one hits hard—and true.
🏰 Caro Ramsay’s Where She Lies is a sharp, socially attuned mystery that blends the gothic chill of a Scottish castle with the digital heat of influencer culture. It’s the fourth installment in the DCI Christine Caplan series, and it delivers a murder investigation that’s as much about image control as it is about justice.
When Koi, a former supermodel and face of the Sunflower Company lifestyle brand, is found dead at the foot of a cliff near a celebrity wedding venue, the media circus ignites before the police even arrive. Her glamorous family—an ensemble of nepo babies, influencers, and curated personalities—respond not with grief, but with spin. DCI Christine Caplan is tasked with untangling the truth from the spectacle: did Koi fall, jump, or was she pushed?
Ramsay’s plotting is deft and layered. The mystery unfolds through interviews, digital footprints, and the emotional residue left behind by a family that lives for the camera but hides everything off-screen. Caplan’s investigation is complicated not just by the suspects, but by her own fractured family dynamics, which echo the dysfunction she’s probing.
Where She Lies is a meditation on how we curate our lives—and deaths—for public consumption. Ramsay interrogates the performative nature of modern identity, especially among the ultra-visible elite. The novel explores how grief is commodified, how truth is staged, and how justice must navigate the theater of social media.
Caplan herself is a compelling lens for these themes. She’s not just solving a crime; she’s reckoning with motherhood, aging, and the emotional toll of being the one who always holds the line. Her daughter’s engagement and her son’s financial desperation add texture to her character, making her more than just a procedural anchor.
Ramsay excels at crafting characters who are both emotionally raw and socially sharp. Koi’s family is a study in curated dysfunction—each member is more interested in optics than truth. Caplan, by contrast, is grounded, weary, and quietly brilliant. Her interactions with suspects and colleagues reveal a woman who sees through performance but struggles to escape her own.
The supporting cast—especially Kenny, Caplan’s son, and Jade, his outspoken girlfriend—add grit and humor, reminding readers that the personal and professional are never truly separate.
🌫 The setting—a coastal Scottish castle turned influencer playground—is both eerie and absurd. Ramsay uses it to great effect, contrasting the timeless weight of stone with the ephemeral glow of ring lights and curated feeds. The landscape becomes a metaphor for the novel’s central tension: what’s real versus what’s staged.
Where She Lies is a smart, emotionally resonant mystery that skewers influencer culture while honoring the complexity of grief and justice. Caro Ramsay delivers a story that’s as stylish as it is sobering, with DCI Christine Caplan anchoring the chaos with quiet strength.
For readers who crave thrillers that interrogate the spectacle of modern life, this one hits hard—and true.
August 1, 2025
This is book four in the series featuring DCI Christine Caplan. She has one heck of a backstory, an "interesting" family, and is a rather complex character in herself, so it really would help your enjoyment if you got to know her properly, starting from book one and reading in order. Especially as the story contained herein is also rather complex...
So Christine is in the middle of what is turning out to be a very fractious family get together when she gets a rather strange call. It appears that a woman has fallen from a cliff onto a beach. Discovered by her husband, a photographer, who on instinct took a picture. Which, although rather strange, actually turned out to be a good thing as, by the time the cavalry arrived, the body had disappeared.
Which then turned the whole thing into a...
Did she fall?
Was she pushed?
Is she even dead?
... kinda thing.
And then you factor in a blended family, with the possibly-dead woman Koi McQuarrie-Samphire (great name) being the last surviving member of the Sunflower Girls and who, together with husband, have adopted the children of the other two women. And their whole lives are carefully curated both on and off-line by Pip Pomeroy.
And if all that wasn't enough to flummox Christine, her son's girlfriend, and her mother, really have it in for the Police in general and her in particular and make no bones about it in the press...
As I said, it's all rather complex and could have well gone into the realms of implausible incredibility which is something that did cross my mind, especially when certain things were hinted at and then revealed, but then I remembered we are mostly talking about celebrities who live their lives wholly on the internet and, as such, are never really real. And, with that in mind, it all made complete sense.
As well as Christine, we also catch up with the rest of her team. And we also get to meet the wonderful Officer Wattie who I really hope will pop up in future books. They ably injected a bit of normality, stability and humour to balance out the complete dysfunction of the rest of the cast.
And the story, deliciously over the top and confusing for the majority, did eventually come to a shocking but wholly satisfying end.
All in all, a cracking addition to a now well established series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
So Christine is in the middle of what is turning out to be a very fractious family get together when she gets a rather strange call. It appears that a woman has fallen from a cliff onto a beach. Discovered by her husband, a photographer, who on instinct took a picture. Which, although rather strange, actually turned out to be a good thing as, by the time the cavalry arrived, the body had disappeared.
Which then turned the whole thing into a...
Did she fall?
Was she pushed?
Is she even dead?
... kinda thing.
And then you factor in a blended family, with the possibly-dead woman Koi McQuarrie-Samphire (great name) being the last surviving member of the Sunflower Girls and who, together with husband, have adopted the children of the other two women. And their whole lives are carefully curated both on and off-line by Pip Pomeroy.
And if all that wasn't enough to flummox Christine, her son's girlfriend, and her mother, really have it in for the Police in general and her in particular and make no bones about it in the press...
As I said, it's all rather complex and could have well gone into the realms of implausible incredibility which is something that did cross my mind, especially when certain things were hinted at and then revealed, but then I remembered we are mostly talking about celebrities who live their lives wholly on the internet and, as such, are never really real. And, with that in mind, it all made complete sense.
As well as Christine, we also catch up with the rest of her team. And we also get to meet the wonderful Officer Wattie who I really hope will pop up in future books. They ably injected a bit of normality, stability and humour to balance out the complete dysfunction of the rest of the cast.
And the story, deliciously over the top and confusing for the majority, did eventually come to a shocking but wholly satisfying end.
All in all, a cracking addition to a now well established series. Roll on next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
April 11, 2025
DCI Caplan is called to a castle in Scotland, where a social-media-famous family lives. The family is headed by a former model, Koi, and her celebrity photographer husband. Koi's disappeared from the cliffs surrounding the castle under mysterious circumstances during a family party: has she died in a tragic accident? Has she been pushed? And where is her body?
DCI Caplan is a rich, complex character, with her own family troubles bookending the story. I found the story surrounding her family compelling, and it was interesting to watch it unfold.
I personally don't enjoy police procedurals, and this book was heavy on it. We don't spend a lot of time observing or talking to the family firsthand: we get most of the information about them through dialogue during meetings amongst the police. That made it difficult for me to follow the story, and by the time I got to the end, I was surprised, because it felt as if not much had really happened. I could recall a few actual scenes in the castle that stuck out, but so much of the exposition was just reported from the police that there just wasn't a lot to hold on to. I prefer being taken through the action as it unfolds with the detective rather than reading it being reported to her.
I didn't read the previous books in this series, but it works as a standalone fine.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
DCI Caplan is a rich, complex character, with her own family troubles bookending the story. I found the story surrounding her family compelling, and it was interesting to watch it unfold.
I personally don't enjoy police procedurals, and this book was heavy on it. We don't spend a lot of time observing or talking to the family firsthand: we get most of the information about them through dialogue during meetings amongst the police. That made it difficult for me to follow the story, and by the time I got to the end, I was surprised, because it felt as if not much had really happened. I could recall a few actual scenes in the castle that stuck out, but so much of the exposition was just reported from the police that there just wasn't a lot to hold on to. I prefer being taken through the action as it unfolds with the detective rather than reading it being reported to her.
I didn't read the previous books in this series, but it works as a standalone fine.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 14, 2025
When DCI Christine Caplan is called to the scene of a murder at a remote Scottish castle, there is no body. There is instead a photograph taken of Koi, world famous influencer, former supermodel and the last surviving member of the Sunshine Girls of advertising fame. Koi’s husband Gabe heard a scream and found her body lying broken on the rocks, thoughtfully pausing to take the picture before she was washed away by the tide. Or was she? Christine and her team are frustrated at every turn by the famous Samphire family. There are the nepo baby children, addicted, anorexic and otherwise disturbed. There is Gabe, famous photographer and father of most of the children. And there is Pip Pomeroy, the Samphire family manager, who misses no chance to exploit tragedy for publicity - or to invent tragedy for publicity. While Christine investigates Koi’s possible suicide, she is dealing with family problems, especially her son Kenny’s girlfriend Jade who tries to confront or embarrass Christine whenever possible.
Caro Ramsey has delivered a compelling Scottish police procedural with an atmospheric, haunting location and a multilayered plot. DCI Caplan is a both a strong woman and a sympathetic figure. Pomeroy is a victim and the all Samphire clan, except Tron, are unlikeable. This is this first mystery/thriller I’ve read in this excellent series and it won’t be the last . 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House and Caro Ramsey for this ARC.
Caro Ramsey has delivered a compelling Scottish police procedural with an atmospheric, haunting location and a multilayered plot. DCI Caplan is a both a strong woman and a sympathetic figure. Pomeroy is a victim and the all Samphire clan, except Tron, are unlikeable. This is this first mystery/thriller I’ve read in this excellent series and it won’t be the last . 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Severn House and Caro Ramsey for this ARC.
July 23, 2025
This is the 4th book in this series featuring DCI Caplan and Detective Superintendent Adam Spencer assigns her to the case at Tirsvaig Castle. This story features Koi an ex-supermodel who falls to her death off a cliff and the investigation is to focus on was this a terrible accident or was she murdered.
Koi was part of a group called the Sunflower girls who rose to fame and took the world by storm, one has also died in suspicious circumstances. Along with her husband, children and stepchildren their lives are managed and dominated by a manager who will do anything to keep them in the limelight and have them make money.
Everything is not what it seems, and all their lives are staged for the public who cannot get enough of them. But with celebrity comes a tragic tale of lives who are nowhere near as blessed as the world sems to think. The book is well written, and I was taken into this strange world wondering what really happened to Koi and DCI Caplan struggle to find answers. Evidence is thin and this family will do her no favors; this will be a case that will very much test her. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.
Koi was part of a group called the Sunflower girls who rose to fame and took the world by storm, one has also died in suspicious circumstances. Along with her husband, children and stepchildren their lives are managed and dominated by a manager who will do anything to keep them in the limelight and have them make money.
Everything is not what it seems, and all their lives are staged for the public who cannot get enough of them. But with celebrity comes a tragic tale of lives who are nowhere near as blessed as the world sems to think. The book is well written, and I was taken into this strange world wondering what really happened to Koi and DCI Caplan struggle to find answers. Evidence is thin and this family will do her no favors; this will be a case that will very much test her. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book, all opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2025
Caro Ramsay can do no wrong in my opinion, and while Christine Caplan isn’t my favourite protagonist of hers (possibly related to my lack of ability to see any part of myself reflected in an effortlessly put together ex-dancer), I still gallop through her books telling myself ‘just one more chapter’ until I reach the end. She has a great combination of engaging story, beautiful setting, and complicated relationships.
This book starts with Caplan being called to an imposing castle on a high cliff, the home of an ultra-famous family who have recently moved to Scotland from London. Koi, the mother of the family - ex supermodel, face of a generation - has fallen from the imposing cliff to the rocks below. The castle is practically a fortress, with no way in or not, and the large family of influencers seem more interested in their Instagram likes and spinning the PR narrative than helping the investigation. The victim herself is a mystery behind her public persona. Unraveling the truth puts Caplin herself into the glare of the public eye, and overall this is a solid read with a satisfying ending.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book starts with Caplan being called to an imposing castle on a high cliff, the home of an ultra-famous family who have recently moved to Scotland from London. Koi, the mother of the family - ex supermodel, face of a generation - has fallen from the imposing cliff to the rocks below. The castle is practically a fortress, with no way in or not, and the large family of influencers seem more interested in their Instagram likes and spinning the PR narrative than helping the investigation. The victim herself is a mystery behind her public persona. Unraveling the truth puts Caplin herself into the glare of the public eye, and overall this is a solid read with a satisfying ending.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2025
Koi, a high profile ex-supermodel is reported by her husband to have fallen off a Scottish cliff to her death on the rocks below. However, by the time DCI Christine Caplan arrives on the scene, her body is nowhere to be seen, presumed washed into the sea by the high tide. Now without a body or any forensics, Caplan has to investigate whether Koi’s fall was an accident, suicide or a crime.
Koi’s extended family of children and step children all live together in isolation, in the castle on top of the cliff where Koi fell, and what a strange and damaged bunch they are, with varying degrees of mental health issues. Their lives revolve around their carefully orchestrated images and that of the family corporation all tightly controlled and stage-managed by their manager Pip Pomeroy. Clearly there is a lot of media pressure on Caplan to resolve this case, however, Caplan is a thorough and thoughtful investigator, who is not influenced by what the media reports and is not swayed by public opinion.
I had a hunch quite early on of what had happened to Koi and so was not surprised by the epilogue, which may have been unexpected to others. The Scottish setting is evocative with the gothic castle on the high and rugged cliffs with a raging sea below and the family were a perfectly awful mix of an influencer, an anorexic, a wannabe TV star/actor and an ugly duckling who has been downtrodden by all. This is a good addition to the series and I look forward to catching up with Caplan and her interesting family again.
With thanks to Severn House via Netgalley for a copy to read
Koi’s extended family of children and step children all live together in isolation, in the castle on top of the cliff where Koi fell, and what a strange and damaged bunch they are, with varying degrees of mental health issues. Their lives revolve around their carefully orchestrated images and that of the family corporation all tightly controlled and stage-managed by their manager Pip Pomeroy. Clearly there is a lot of media pressure on Caplan to resolve this case, however, Caplan is a thorough and thoughtful investigator, who is not influenced by what the media reports and is not swayed by public opinion.
I had a hunch quite early on of what had happened to Koi and so was not surprised by the epilogue, which may have been unexpected to others. The Scottish setting is evocative with the gothic castle on the high and rugged cliffs with a raging sea below and the family were a perfectly awful mix of an influencer, an anorexic, a wannabe TV star/actor and an ugly duckling who has been downtrodden by all. This is a good addition to the series and I look forward to catching up with Caplan and her interesting family again.
With thanks to Severn House via Netgalley for a copy to read
April 12, 2025
Thanks to Caro and NetGalley for allowing me to read Where She Lies.
This is the third book in the series and the best to date and a page turner.
Caro has woven so many strands into this story : -
• The media are told that a celebrity family have moved from London to a Scottish Castle for their “privacy”. Their manager, who controls every aspect of their lives, feeds stories via a third party to tame journalists.
• A creepy setting which hints of “The Scottish Play”.
• A person missing in circumstances which could be likened to that of the author, Agatha Christie.
At home, Caplan’s dinner party is disrupted when her son Kenny’s new girlfriend, Jade, launches a vitriolic attack on police in general and Christine in particular.
It is clear that there is more to the mysterious Jade than meets the eye. Where did she get so much information?
Caplan’s team are by now well established.
DS Craigo continues to be a force to be reckoned with, his local knowledge being more than a match for the PNC.
There are many twists and turns, secrets and lies…….or perhaps the lies are just the person’s “truth”.
This is the third book in the series and the best to date and a page turner.
Caro has woven so many strands into this story : -
• The media are told that a celebrity family have moved from London to a Scottish Castle for their “privacy”. Their manager, who controls every aspect of their lives, feeds stories via a third party to tame journalists.
• A creepy setting which hints of “The Scottish Play”.
• A person missing in circumstances which could be likened to that of the author, Agatha Christie.
At home, Caplan’s dinner party is disrupted when her son Kenny’s new girlfriend, Jade, launches a vitriolic attack on police in general and Christine in particular.
It is clear that there is more to the mysterious Jade than meets the eye. Where did she get so much information?
Caplan’s team are by now well established.
DS Craigo continues to be a force to be reckoned with, his local knowledge being more than a match for the PNC.
There are many twists and turns, secrets and lies…….or perhaps the lies are just the person’s “truth”.
June 12, 2025
Where She Lies is a very good read full of intrigue and mystery. Caro Ramsay has excelled and come up with a story that has all I like - great writing which drew me in quickly and a good plot that kept me guessing. Caplan and her team investigate when a local celebrity falls to her death. I enjoyed following Caplan, Craigo, Mackie and the team who have to dig deep and work out what is truth and what isn't to determine what happened to Koi, all while under heavy media scrutiny. I love the humour the author brings to her writing and the banter between the characters. The descriptions of the castle, its remoteness added so much atmosphere to the story in my opinion and I could picture it in my mind when reading. I couldn't stand most of Koi's family although I did feel some empathy for her and resonated with her feelings more towards the end of the book. I correctly guessed the ending which gives the story good closure.
If you're a fan of police procedurals I'd recommend this although woukd say read the series in order to know the characters from the beginning.
4 stars
If you're a fan of police procedurals I'd recommend this although woukd say read the series in order to know the characters from the beginning.
4 stars
July 7, 2025
Caro Ramsay’s Where She Lies is the fourth book in the Christine Caplan Scottish police procedural series. A dead supermodel at the foot of a cliff, a camera-hungry family of “nepo babies,” and a detective who won’t be manipulated by anyone.
Koi, once a supermodel and now the flawless face of the wildly popular Sunflower Company, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff outside her luxurious Scottish castle. Was it a tragic accident? A cry for help? Or something far more sinister?
DCI Christine Caplan is assigned the case and it is her job to uncover what actually happened to Koi while dealing with all the influencers and media pressure. But when she starts delving into this PR-polished family she uncovers more than just secrets revealing a culture built on performance, illusion, and control.
I enjoy the character of Christine Caplan who is a no nonsense detective and was always going to clash with the surrounding media circus in this story. She is a woman not to be messed with and her tenacity is impressive.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Severn House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Koi, once a supermodel and now the flawless face of the wildly popular Sunflower Company, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff outside her luxurious Scottish castle. Was it a tragic accident? A cry for help? Or something far more sinister?
DCI Christine Caplan is assigned the case and it is her job to uncover what actually happened to Koi while dealing with all the influencers and media pressure. But when she starts delving into this PR-polished family she uncovers more than just secrets revealing a culture built on performance, illusion, and control.
I enjoy the character of Christine Caplan who is a no nonsense detective and was always going to clash with the surrounding media circus in this story. She is a woman not to be messed with and her tenacity is impressive.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Severn House for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2025
I have read other books by Caro Ramsay, so expected this to be good, and it did not disappoint. Christine Caplan is sitting with her family being surprised with her daughter’s engagement when she is called out to a case involving a missing celebrity. Koi Samphire is reported to have fallen over the cliffs at their castle into the sea, the coastguard and the air ambulance are tied up with other rescues, leaving the police. There is no sign of a body, just a scarf snagged on a rock half way down the cliff.
Koi Samphire was the last of the Sunflower girls, so the media attention is high, Caplan and her team are hampered by the family PR led by Pip Pomeroy. No body, but a picture of Koi at the foot of the cliffs taken by her husband lead to niggling doubts. A nosy journalist and Koi’ adopted daughter’s assertion that she is the daughter of a convicted killer lead Caplan to look at a couple of similar beach deaths in the area.
Altogether a really good book with several strands intertwined throughout and twists right to the end. Well written and gripping, my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.
Koi Samphire was the last of the Sunflower girls, so the media attention is high, Caplan and her team are hampered by the family PR led by Pip Pomeroy. No body, but a picture of Koi at the foot of the cliffs taken by her husband lead to niggling doubts. A nosy journalist and Koi’ adopted daughter’s assertion that she is the daughter of a convicted killer lead Caplan to look at a couple of similar beach deaths in the area.
Altogether a really good book with several strands intertwined throughout and twists right to the end. Well written and gripping, my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.
March 26, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Another great book from Caro Ramsay; tense, thrilling and chilling!
Hiding away in an ancient castle in Scotland is a family famous for Koi, the stunningly beautiful woman, famous the world over.
Detective Caplan is tasked with finding out what happened to Koi when her body is found on the rocks below the castle.
What she finds is a mystery: no body found, but a picture of Koi lying still on the rocks. Interrogating the family is almost impossible, they are almost like a cult, led by the father and his manager.They belong to a fashion company that's making millions selling the family and wares via the Internet.
Talk about a seriously mentally unstable family ... several are traumatized and psychologically abused, all to keep the fans obsessed and buying the products. Not that far away from today's reality! And what a satisfying ending, I loved it.
It's a fantastic, beautifully written mystery - can't wait for no. 5 in the series. Caro Ramsay is a genius!
Another great book from Caro Ramsay; tense, thrilling and chilling!
Hiding away in an ancient castle in Scotland is a family famous for Koi, the stunningly beautiful woman, famous the world over.
Detective Caplan is tasked with finding out what happened to Koi when her body is found on the rocks below the castle.
What she finds is a mystery: no body found, but a picture of Koi lying still on the rocks. Interrogating the family is almost impossible, they are almost like a cult, led by the father and his manager.They belong to a fashion company that's making millions selling the family and wares via the Internet.
Talk about a seriously mentally unstable family ... several are traumatized and psychologically abused, all to keep the fans obsessed and buying the products. Not that far away from today's reality! And what a satisfying ending, I loved it.
It's a fantastic, beautifully written mystery - can't wait for no. 5 in the series. Caro Ramsay is a genius!
May 16, 2025
‘Where She Lies’,by Caro Ramsay, is book four in the consistently very enjoyable DCI Christine Caplan thriller series.This latest case for Caplan and her team takes her into the unreal world of a sheltered castle dwelling celebrity family where nothing is released into the public domain without being first filtered to achieve maximum media exposure and impact.When the police are called into investigate the suspicious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the body of Koi,the supermodel mother of the extended troubled family,who may have fallen or been pushed from a cliff top,there are more questions than easy answers.Leaked photos of her bloodied body promote even more public scrutiny,and the need to complete their enquiries thoroughly.
The problems that Christine faces in her own family circle also bring into sharp focus those who cleverly manipulate situations to achieve their own ends and control the narrative, putting even more pressure on her already difficult professional responsibilities.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House,for an Advance Readers Copy.
The problems that Christine faces in her own family circle also bring into sharp focus those who cleverly manipulate situations to achieve their own ends and control the narrative, putting even more pressure on her already difficult professional responsibilities.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House,for an Advance Readers Copy.
April 13, 2025
This is a good series. I actually started the series with Book #3, Out of the Dark, not realizing it was a series. I then went back and read the first two. Now we have #4 and I think it's my favorite! I'm a sucker for any plot revolving around social media stars. It still just boggles my mind that this is an actual, and quite lucrative, occupation. But anywho.... we revisit DCI Christine Caplan and her team as they are called to a Scottish castle where a social-media-famous family lives. Seems family member Koi, an ex-model, has fallen off a cliff. Or did she? There is no actual body, but there is a really cool picture of her body lying below on the rocks. Uh, ok.....? I loved reading about this horrible family and the atmosphere is terrific. I also really like DCI Caplan. Here's to hoping there is a Book #5!
Thank you to #NetGalley, Caro Ramsay and Severn House for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Caro Ramsay and Severn House for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 4, 2025
DCI Christine Caplan is called to investigate the suspicious death of supermodel and influencer Koi, killed by a fall from cliffs near the castle she shares with her famous family of husband, kids and manager. It’s unclear whether she jumped, fell or was pushed and the family’s lack of openness about what happened doesn’t help solve a case which has caught the world’s imagination.
I’ve enjoyed this series of books and this, too, was a decent read but the pacing felt a little slow at times and the large cast of characters didn’t capture my imagination quite as much as the others have. It’s a good storyline though and Caplan is still an interesting character, so while not my favourite instalment, it’s still an entertaining read. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
I’ve enjoyed this series of books and this, too, was a decent read but the pacing felt a little slow at times and the large cast of characters didn’t capture my imagination quite as much as the others have. It’s a good storyline though and Caplan is still an interesting character, so while not my favourite instalment, it’s still an entertaining read. 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
August 6, 2025
Caro Ramsay delivers a compelling and intricately plotted thriller in Where She Lies, a novel that grips the reader from the first page and never lets go. With a richly developed narrative and characters that leap off the page, this story offers an immersive experience that’s both emotionally intense and deeply suspenseful.
Ramsay excels at layering tension and weaving together complex storylines that keep the reader fully engaged. The characters are multifaceted and raw, each adding depth and urgency to the unfolding mystery. As secrets are slowly exposed, the sense of unease builds, making it impossible to step away.
What sets this novel apart is its balance of strong character development with a fast-moving, twist-filled plot. Where She Lies is a masterclass in psychological suspense—unpredictable, emotionally charged, and impossible to forget.
Ramsay excels at layering tension and weaving together complex storylines that keep the reader fully engaged. The characters are multifaceted and raw, each adding depth and urgency to the unfolding mystery. As secrets are slowly exposed, the sense of unease builds, making it impossible to step away.
What sets this novel apart is its balance of strong character development with a fast-moving, twist-filled plot. Where She Lies is a masterclass in psychological suspense—unpredictable, emotionally charged, and impossible to forget.
April 6, 2025
The latest in the DCI Christine Caplan series sees the detective and her team called to a coastal castle after a fall from height onto the rocks. Finding out the victim is an ex super model draws them into an unfamiliar world. But when the body doesn't immediately turn up on the tide, suspicions are raised.
Caplan and the usual crew find themselves dealing with influencers and the uber rich, all led by their controlling manager. The characters are well described although the plot meanders between past and present, making progress slow.
Ultimately Caplan does find some lines to progress, but not at pace. This is an interesting novel, with some weird and wonderful characters, but ultimately not the best installment of what is a fine series.
Caplan and the usual crew find themselves dealing with influencers and the uber rich, all led by their controlling manager. The characters are well described although the plot meanders between past and present, making progress slow.
Ultimately Caplan does find some lines to progress, but not at pace. This is an interesting novel, with some weird and wonderful characters, but ultimately not the best installment of what is a fine series.
August 13, 2025
Koi is a celebrity and when she is pictured dead at the base of a cliff the internet goes wild. She lived her life in the spotlight, surrounded by her extended family in her Scottish castle. For DCI Christine Caplan, something doesn't seem right about this call, for a start there is no body. In investigating the 'disappearance' Caplan is fighting a PR machine which seems almost as interested in her as in her search for the truth.
I do like Ramsay's novels but found this one a little difficult to engage with. It's got a very topical theme, the idea of lives lived out on social media and how the truth can be manipulated for clicks. This is very clever but I found that actual procedural part rather slow, probably because there is a huge cast of deeply unloveable characters.
I do like Ramsay's novels but found this one a little difficult to engage with. It's got a very topical theme, the idea of lives lived out on social media and how the truth can be manipulated for clicks. This is very clever but I found that actual procedural part rather slow, probably because there is a huge cast of deeply unloveable characters.
July 16, 2025
Did the supermodel fall, jump, or was she pushed to the bottom of the cliff on the castle grounds? DCI Caplan is a very grounded professional but digging around in the shadow world of extreme publicity tests even her patience and that of her team. Good police work in a riveting story! Pub Date Aug 05, 2025
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from Severn House via NetGalley.
#WhereSheLies by #CaroRamsay #DCIChristineCaplanThrillersBk4 @severnhouseimprint #NetGalley
#suspense #murderinvestigations #DCIChristineCaplan #duediligence #crimefiction #secrets #unputdownable #crimefiction #mystery #procedural #PoliceScotland #lies #psychologicalthriller #scottishcrimefiction #scottishcrimewriters #crimefiction #thrillerbooks #britishcrimefiction #tartannoir
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected proof copy from Severn House via NetGalley.
#WhereSheLies by #CaroRamsay #DCIChristineCaplanThrillersBk4 @severnhouseimprint #NetGalley
#suspense #murderinvestigations #DCIChristineCaplan #duediligence #crimefiction #secrets #unputdownable #crimefiction #mystery #procedural #PoliceScotland #lies #psychologicalthriller #scottishcrimefiction #scottishcrimewriters #crimefiction #thrillerbooks #britishcrimefiction #tartannoir
July 24, 2025
This is developing into a great series. Strong female lead detective but with a softer side. This story has echoes of the Kardashians and other celebrity families. How much of what we read is true and how much is manipulated ‘fake news’? Puppet masters pulling the strings in the social media world but at what cost to the individuals whose lives are cosmetically manufactured for clicks and likes. Lots of characters with secrets, lots of scenes set up to support the social media needs. At the heart of the story is the loss of the mother. How the tragedy unfolds and how it affects the others in the family show how fragile their lives really are. Looking forward to the next episode! Can’t wait!
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