Paths of the Dead

Rhona MacLeod #9

by Lin Anderson

A brutal slaying is the first move in a ritualistic killer's twisted game. Paths of the Dead is the ninth novel in Lin Anderson's Glasgow-set forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.

'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daliy Mail

When Amy MacKenzie agrees to attend a meeting at a local spiritualist church, the last person she expects to hear calling to her from beyond the grave is her son. The son whom she'd only spoken to an hour before.

Then the body of a young man is found inside a Neolithic stone circle high above the city of Glasgow – and forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is soon on the case. The hands have been severed and there is a stone in the victim's mouth with the number five scratched on it. DI Michael McNab is certain it's a gangland murder, but Rhona isn't convinced.

When a second body is found in similar circumstances, a pattern begins to emerge – that of a killer intent on enacting a gruesome Druidic game. One that everyone will be forced to play . . .

'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record

Paths of the Dead is the ninth book in the Rhona MacLeod series by Lin Anderson. It is followed by The Special Dead.

Readers love Paths of the Dead:

'It is gruesome, gritty reading at times, full of twists and turns'
'I had to ration myself or I would have finished it in one sitting'
'I have read all the Rhona MacLeod books and each one is better than the last!'

Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Martina Cole and Silent Witness.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Scotland, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Thriller

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Lin Anderson was born in Greenock of Scottish and Irish parents. A graduate of both Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, she has lived in many different parts of Scotland and also spent five years working in the African bush. A teacher of Mathematics and Computing, she began her writing career four years ago. Her first film, Small Love, which was broadcast on STV, was nominated for TAPS writer of the year award 2001. Her African short stories have been published in the 10th Anniversary Macallan collection and broadcast on BBC Radio Four.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This exciting thriller is the 9th volume of the very likeable "Rhona MacLeod" series.

Storytelling is excellent, most characters are believable and lifelike, and the atmosphere of Glasgow and several other places within this thriller are all wonderfully pictured by the author.

The main part of this tale is featuring in and around Glasgow, with a few outings towards the Orkneys and surrounding areas.

Forensic scientist, Dr Rhona MacLeod, will excel again in this fascinating thriller, along with her assistant, Chrissy McInsh, not to forget the return of DI Bill Wilson, who will make a sudden appearance after having been on leave, while the psychological part of this murderous thriller is a welcoming task for Dr Magnus Pirie, but the only minus, for me personally at least, is the from DS to DI promoted, Michael Joseph McNab, who's acting as an indestructible and always surviving kind of Clint Eastwood, and that is somewhat of a let-down for me.

It's a thriller where motivated Druidic murders are taking place, and combined with the find of criminal drugs, these crimes are superbly interwoven into one another, to make this a welcome complex thriller.

At first a dead body will be found at a Neolithic stone circle above the city of Glasgow, with the hands being severed and a number five in the mouth as a kind of ritual, and this will be followed to several other murdered young people in various other places, while in the neighbourhood of this first dead body a buried holdall of cocaine is located and that will also play an important part in this thriller.

What will follow is a fast-paced thriller with plenty of action, whether they are murder or drug related, and one that is gloriously structured right from the beginning, and that will end with a very appropriate and fitting conclusion, to make this book an entertaining read.

Highly recommended, for this is another great addition to this excellent series, and that's why I like to call this lethal episode: "Thrilling Deadly Paths"!

[audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an early section of the book where it looks like everything's going to descend into romantic farce ("McNab!" "Rhona!" "Magnus?" "Rhona!") which is unfortunate because ew, and also because both McNab and Magnus are total dickwaffles. They're entirely different kinds of dickwaffles, it's true: McNab is a selfish, self-destructive man-boy and Magnus is so inoffensive that he is, in the words of the great Bonnie Morse, simply proof that Rhona's senses still function.

But it's almost like the author recognizes both these things and, once the triangle's been established as still firmly in place, reminds everyone that there's a creepy-ass serial killer out serial-killing and maybe that should take some precedence.

The thing I found most interesting about this book is that McNab, as a character, has been completely destroyed. Not in his own estimation, clearly, but in the reader's, and let's fucking hope Rhona's as well. He's shown as a wreck of a person and a police officer with so little chance of redemption that actually I was amazed he got to keep his job. COME THE FUCK.

Anyway. It's a bold move for a series author, to have taken one of the main characters and built him up as an anti-hero, and then just absolutely destroyed him for any further use. I found that fascinating.

Because hopefully now Rhona doesn't have to deal with either of them. Come on, make it interesting. If we have to spend time on Rhona's love life give her someone she doesn't work with, finds irresistible and who can't stand her. Because the actual criminal cases and forensics were so much more interesting when they took center stage in the novels.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy MacKenzie begrudgingly agrees to go to a spiritualist church with her friends, where she hears a disturbing message from the other side- from her son Alan, who was definitely alive and kicking an hour before. Alan has been murdered. DI McNab is convinced that it is a gangland hit but Rhona MacLeod thinks otherwise. Further murders occur and Rhona & McNab face a race against time to discover the killer before he or she kills again and to prevent the death toll from rising any higher.

I reviewed “The Special Dead” by Lin Anderson last year and I loved it. I recently heard Lin read from “Paths Of The Dead” at an event at my local library, which made me want to read it even more and as soon as possible. I was not disappointed as I loved “Paths Of The Dead” just as much as “The Special Dead”. This book illustrates the dangers of meeting people from the internet, who you don’t really know.

Lin is a fantastic storyteller and writer. She manages to make you feel as though you are right there in the thick of the action. Lin uses powerful descriptive words and it is quite easy to imagine all the action going on in your head.

I really took to the character of Rhona MacLeod. She is dedicated to her work and she has suffered adversity in her life, but she has got back up, dusted herself down and carried on. Rhona seems popular with most of her colleagues. I couldn’t help but like the character of DI McNab as he is a loveable rogue. (An accurate comparison would be DS Robbie Ross from the television series “Taggart”). McNab drinks, he used to smoke and take drugs, he is a womaniser who can’t be in a monogamous relationship. McNab believes that he is good at his job despite the fact that to get a result he often has to go outside the law. There is definitely unresolved sexual tension between DI McNab and Rhona.

I found that reading this book was like being on a roller coaster ride, in that there were lots of twists, turns and stomach churning moments. Lin certainly knows how to ramp up the sense of drama and increase the pressure of a situation. At times I was almost reading on through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this series to anybody. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

[Adelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

This is a solid 4 star series for me, a reliable running/commuting companion on audiobook, I'm always really excited to go back to Glasgow and join in another investigation with Rhona MacLeod. The storyline involving the central characters that thread through the series, as opposed to the individual investigation that tends to be concluded within the book itself, is taking more and more prominence as we go through the series and I'm really enjoying that. Although I don't know how many more near-deaths of McNab I can take!

Have to admit I wasn't a huge fan of the case in this one, there was getting to be too much symbolism for my liking.

[Val Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Lin Anderson. I say that to lay my cards on the table because I have no doubt that personal feelings colour our view of someone's work. In this I always think about Jeanne Louise Calment, who died in 1996 aged 122. She was interviewed about a year prior to her death. She had met Vincent van Gogh and commented that she did not like him, he was a very rude man. I could not help but pity van Gogh. He probably was brusque or rude to her when she was a little girl. It was just his luck Jeanne Louise Calment lived to be 122!

Paths of the Dead is Lin's 9th novel featuring her character Rhona MacLeod. Several other books by Lin Anderson are reviewed on this site. They include https://bookreviewstoday.info/2015/10..., https://bookreviewstoday.info/2013/06... and, https://bookreviewstoday.info/2013/03.... There is no doubt to me that this author's work just gets better and better.

I happened to be at the front desk of my local library on the day Paths of the Dead arrived so I was first in the queue to read it. Lucky Me. I love the characters, and it was great to pick up where I had left them last time. Lin is the queen of crime: a fantastic storyteller and writer. She manages to make you feel as though you are right there in the thick of the action. Lin uses powerful descriptive words and it is quite easy to imagine all the action going on in your head.

In Paths of the Dead, bodies were being found on some of the Druid stone sites in Scotland. The story begins when a lady, Amy MacKenzie agrees to attend a spiritualist church with her friends. There she gets a disturbing message from the other side: from her son Alan, who was definitely alive when she saw him just an hour before. Amy is not a believer so when she discovers that her son is, indeed, dead, his body having been displayed amongst standing stones near a stash of drugs outside Glasgow, she is not only sorrowful but curious. Why was her son murdered? How was the spiritualist the first to know?

DI McNab is convinced that it is a gangland hit but Rhona MacLeod thinks otherwise and turns to Magnus for help when another corpse is found dispalyed amongst standing stones.. Further murders occur and Rhona and McNab face a race against time to discover the killer before he or she kills again and to prevent the death toll from rising any higher.

This is a very clever book which travels the length and breadth of Scotland to bring the reader to the conclusion: beware of the dangers of meeting people from the internet, who you do not really know. I thoroughly recommend Paths of the Dead.
Valerie Penny

[Liz Titley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unfortunate thing about finding a new author in a charity bookshop is in discovering that you need to find the first 8 in the series. Good, gripping narrative, and wonderful scenery.
When Amy McKenzie visits a spiritualist church and receives a message from her son, who she saw only an hour ago, telling her that he's been murdered and she must contact the police, she doesn't want to believe it, but this is just the first in a series of murders linked to an online game. But it's not a game for the participants.

[Jill Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first book in this series. The lead character didn't seem to get much of a look in!

[Donald Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book of this author I have read, and I enjoyed it was a good read

[Margaret Bryant · Rating 2 out of 5]

good mystery premise, interesting crime and suspects. But the main, presumably recurring, characters were wooden. Their backstory was so negative that I have no desire to read more about them.

[Rich B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was OK, but not up to the level of some of the previous books. Though, it’s called a Rhona Macleod book, it does feel like she’s not the “lead” in this story, with McNab and Professor Magnus getting a lot of pages.

And to be honest, neither of these characters are as strong as Rhona’s.

In previous books in the series, McNab had done some things that may have made you think more positively about him, but here he goes off the rails big style. He just seems to go from one ridiculous decision to another, treats everybody terribly and puts himself in a stupid amount of danger. When his life’s put at risk, he’s become so unlikeable, you don’t care too much how it’s going to turn out.

Then, we’ve got smug, smart, smarmy Magnus who seems to not have a single flaw, other than well, the smugness and the smarminess. Characters who are too perfect, are kinda boring and unrealistic, to be honest.

It feels like the author threw all the flaws at McNab and none at Magnus, so you end up with two unbalanced characters, neither of whom come across well in this book.

The actual background plot to this isn’t actually too bad, quite enjoyed that, and it keeps moving along at a decent pace.

However, there are several plot points thrown in which don’t really end up resolved or end up going nowhere e.g. the spiritualist character at the start, the trip to Orkney. This makes it feel a bit padded out in places. Didn’t hate it, but it felt rougher round the edges than other books in the series.

[Eadie Burke · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was never just a game . . .
When Amy MacKenzie agrees to attend a meeting at a local spiritualist church, the last person she expects to hear calling to her from beyond the grave is her son. The son whom she'd only spoken to an hour before.
Then the body of a young man is found inside a neolithic stone circle high above the city of Glasgow and forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is soon on the case. The hands have been severed and there is a stone in the victim's mouth with the number five scratched on it. DI Michael McNab is certain it's a gangland murder, but Rhona isn't convinced. When a second body is found in similar circumstances, a pattern begins to emerge, of a killer intent on masterminding a gruesome Druidic game that everyone will be forced to play.
This book is completely different than the other books in the series. It feels like I'm reading a different series. McNab seems to be the interest in this book. I'm not sure where this series is going but I'm not sure that I like it. It was a bit boring at times and a bit too long. Hopefully, the next book will be better.

[Jan Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

A body is found as a stone circle in ritualistic pose. Then a second body in similar circumstances and the game as afoot. DI Macnab first suspects a gangland killer with a warped sense of humour but it soom becomes clear they are dealing with some macabre Druidic gamer out for ultimate kicks ad intent on dragging everyone into playing.

A Rhona MacLeod novel - and the first I have read of this series which made it a little hard going in places. So much back story that is hinted it and relevant to character dynamics that I could not share. DI MacNab is a good old fashioned man's man (he thinks about sex and/or what he thinks of women who pass before him on average 40 times and day :-) ) I was a tad surprised at how seldom Rhona features through the first half of the book given that is is her book.

All that said, though it took me a while to get into it this it is a good procedural and worth a read

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook read by Sally Armstrong. It was great to hear a lovely Scots accent reading this thriller aloud professionally.

The book is set all over Scotland and Lin Anderson gets her settings so beautifully outlined I felt like I was there. She even gets the Har in Orkney right, it does indeed start at Waukmill and extend into Kirkwall many days when W Mainland is sunny and bright.

I enjoy her Rhonda MacLeod character. She is smart, practical, resourceful and has an interesting love life.

I recommend the series.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be a Rhona MacLeod book but I have to say she was rather conspicuous by her absence for a good 50%+ of the book, maybe she will get more time in her next book!! Rather disappointed in this book it was rather slow and the McNab character began to grate as the book went on and how he got away with what he did was rather bewildering, hope he disappears from the series. If not then I suspect I will stop reading them.

[Sally Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable thriller featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod and Detective Inspector Michael McNab. Bodies have been found laid out in Neolithic stone circles in two separate locations, and whilst McNab feels they are victims of gangland murders, Dr MacLeod feels they are more likely to be the work of a ritualistic killer. As the enquiry progresses, the investigators find themselves drawn into the killer's deadly game.

[Caspar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost took a break from this one, the start is quite a slog. It was a surprise after a brilliant run across the last four or five books, but in the end I enjoyed it. Not a clue what the ‘game’ was people were playing, or how images get released onto the internet without a thought of tracing who’s initially uploading them. And surely you’d check the computer and phone records of a Medium who’s got messages from the dead, not just quiz them about what they might know.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book nine in the Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod series. A murder in Glasgow and another in Orkney are connected, but why and how ?
Again wonderful descriptions of scenes and landscapes, especially in Orkney. Lin Anderson has become one of my favourite authors and I would highly recommend this novel.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I really start reading it that long ago,, seems I did. The story line was good, was quite gripping, but also found I wasn’t sure who was who in places. Hence the reason I put the book down. Picked it up wanting to get on with reading a book for Lent.

So once again it got me hooked and so I finished it. Still found I got mixed up with the characters.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a believer in the afterlife and the ability of some people to give messages from the deceased, I was pleased that Magnus was shown the error of his thinking.
Karma can indeed be a bitch and when McNab's first case as DI is brought back to the fore in a spate of druid influenced murders, history bites his and Rhona's asses.
It does more to the murder victims though.

[Andy Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another holiday read. Another slice of top-notch crime fiction from Lin Anderson. Her Rhona MacLeod novels just get better and better and this one has it all. Murder, subterfuge, drugs, kidnap, off-beat coppering and slick interplay between the key protagonists. Plenty of twists too. Another great read.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gripping thriller in this series which really needs to be read in order despite the author updating information for new readers. Not sure how McNab manages to survive, like a cat with nine lives and an obvious resistance to whiskey damage! Getting slightly fed up if Rhona’s dithering with the men in her life !

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

More into this than the previous instalment as I was up to speed. Enjoyable but slightly more gruesome details than I’d like. Seems to also embrace the crime trope that people can be bonked on the head almost endlessly and basically be fine physically and mentally afterwards. Although maybe there is more engagement in the stress of it all than in Ruth Galloway

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Lin Anderson books set in Glasgow, but the subject content can be a bit brutal at times. The scenery is similar in atmosphere to Ian Rankin's books set in Edinburgh. I found the story of the killer a bit too ugly. If you are sensitive, this Lin Anderson might be a bit too much.

[Connor+Lindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and a good mystery.

I picked this up on a whim and really enjoyed it. The characters were good, the crime was unusual and there were no loose ends. Quite a gritty feel to it, but then Glasgow does that to stories.

[M Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. It is similar to the excellent Stephen Booth police proceedural series but unfortunately with more unnecessary sex and violence. I'd rate it a 4.5 with 0.5 off for the graphic violent sex and abuse scenes.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The previous book that I read in the series the characters kept referring to the ‘Stonewarrior’ case and in this book that’s the case they are working on. The book was fast paced and had me enthralled from chapter 1. An excellent read!

[Lora King · Rating 5 out of 5]

A killer is using neolithic standing stone sites placing victims the same way around Scotland... McNab is in charge (never a good idea and just how much can his body take!) and mad at Rhona most of the time...and lets bring in Mangus (yay!!) to make it even more tense. I adore this series.

[Vasilis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the other books in the series, this is well-written and fun to read! I do find one of the main characters (McNab), rather cringe, but that's just a minor issue! Very recommended – both the book and the whole series!

[Sonia Critchlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic, I enjoyed it so much. Everything about it was brilliant. The story plot, characters.
I cant wait to read another.
Totally recommend this book

[Vaishali Muzumdar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book it takes away our breath when that woman's son declared dead suddenly it seem like those young kids life are nothing for that cruel mind