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Detective Shona Oliver #6
The Winter Dead: An atmospheric Scottish detective crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat
How do you solve a murder when you don't have the body?
A blood-soaked hammer is discovered in a lorryload of wood delivered to a local pub. DI Shona Oliver appears to have a murder weapon, but where is the victim?
Then a call comes in that local forest ranger and ex-soldier John MacFarlane isn't answering his phone. There's no sign of MacFarlane at his cottage, and the only clue the team have to go on is a bloody trail in the snow which ends abruptly and leads to nowhere. A manhunt begins.
It seems something from MacFarlance's past may have caught up with him. But what exactly is unclear. And Shona has her own past to contend with when someone from long ago makes an unexpected reappearance. Can she keep her head in the game?
A fast-paced, twisty Scottish crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Lin Anderson, Val McDermid and Neil Lancaster.
Praise for The Winter Dead
'McEwan crafts yet another atmospheric thriller, blending police procedural detail, human drama and the perils of rural crime detection. In The Winter Dead, nothing is as dangerous as the weather. Except a cold hearted killer.' Caro Ramsey
A blood-soaked hammer is discovered in a lorryload of wood delivered to a local pub. DI Shona Oliver appears to have a murder weapon, but where is the victim?
Then a call comes in that local forest ranger and ex-soldier John MacFarlane isn't answering his phone. There's no sign of MacFarlane at his cottage, and the only clue the team have to go on is a bloody trail in the snow which ends abruptly and leads to nowhere. A manhunt begins.
It seems something from MacFarlance's past may have caught up with him. But what exactly is unclear. And Shona has her own past to contend with when someone from long ago makes an unexpected reappearance. Can she keep her head in the game?
A fast-paced, twisty Scottish crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Lin Anderson, Val McDermid and Neil Lancaster.
Praise for The Winter Dead
'McEwan crafts yet another atmospheric thriller, blending police procedural detail, human drama and the perils of rural crime detection. In The Winter Dead, nothing is as dangerous as the weather. Except a cold hearted killer.' Caro Ramsey
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2025
6 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Lynne McEwan
8 books84 followersGlasgow-born Lynne McEwan is a former national newspaper photographer turned crime author. She's covered stories including the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War in addition to many high profile murder cases.
She currently lives in Lincoln and is in the final year of an MA in Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia.
She currently lives in Lincoln and is in the final year of an MA in Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 4, 2026
This superb Scottish crime novel is the 6th volume of the excellent and human "DI Shona Oliver" series.
Storytelling is wonderful, all characters come vividly to life in this story about murder, revenge, are fraud and deception, while also police and RNLI procedures are expertly executed by the author.
In this outing there's no more DC Kate Irving in their midst, killed in action last time out, and now replaced by DC Jess Jamieson, while her friend DS Dan Ridley from Cumbria CID has moved on to the MET in London, but there's still DS Murdo O'Halloran, DC Ravi Sarwar and others to help DI Shona Oliver to get to the bottom of cases to come in this book.
In this story DI Shona Oliver and her team will be seriously tested in finding the killer of John MacFarlane, finding the missing poet, Max Blake, and deal with art fraud, while there are also domestic and professional problems that are heading Shona's way.
During the investigation DI Shona Oliver and her team will be getting closer to their quarry, until a final confrontation will result in apprehending the killer of this murder and the reason why of this murder, while the forger of the Madonna with Child will help Shona in identifying the big culprit behind the forgery, while Shona will also have to deal with domestic problems of her own.
What is to follow is an enthralling and realistic police procedure, with a great storyline and ending with superbly executed plots in several cases to make this book as a whole a brilliant read.
Very much recommended, for this is a tremendous addition to this excellent series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Thoroughly Captivating Winter Dead"!
Storytelling is wonderful, all characters come vividly to life in this story about murder, revenge, are fraud and deception, while also police and RNLI procedures are expertly executed by the author.
In this outing there's no more DC Kate Irving in their midst, killed in action last time out, and now replaced by DC Jess Jamieson, while her friend DS Dan Ridley from Cumbria CID has moved on to the MET in London, but there's still DS Murdo O'Halloran, DC Ravi Sarwar and others to help DI Shona Oliver to get to the bottom of cases to come in this book.
In this story DI Shona Oliver and her team will be seriously tested in finding the killer of John MacFarlane, finding the missing poet, Max Blake, and deal with art fraud, while there are also domestic and professional problems that are heading Shona's way.
During the investigation DI Shona Oliver and her team will be getting closer to their quarry, until a final confrontation will result in apprehending the killer of this murder and the reason why of this murder, while the forger of the Madonna with Child will help Shona in identifying the big culprit behind the forgery, while Shona will also have to deal with domestic problems of her own.
What is to follow is an enthralling and realistic police procedure, with a great storyline and ending with superbly executed plots in several cases to make this book as a whole a brilliant read.
Very much recommended, for this is a tremendous addition to this excellent series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Thoroughly Captivating Winter Dead"!
December 7, 2025
3.75 / 5.0
Classic police procedural from start to finish, we see a bombshell dropped at the end making us wonder what will happen in the next instalment. We also gain more insight on DI Shona Oliver has she navigates through her professional and personal life after the events of last book. This one is an interesting one, which you have to be patient and invest time in. It did take a bit for the plot to kick in, but once the ball started rolling there was no stopping. I like how consistent the dynamic is, we also see how the team is evolving after the previous book. It’s a great series, this book can almost be read as a standalone but there are some parts that does not make sense if you didn’t read the last book. At point I did find that the amount of sub plots felt too big and the boundaries for how far the book stretches was at it’s max. This was all neatly tied up, but there are a few unanswered questions going into the next book! Will definitely keep my eyes peeled for it!
The book centres around Shona Oliver who discovers a blood soaked hammer in a lorry load of wood delivered to a local pub, the only issue is that they have the weapon but no victim recorded or reported. Then a call comes in from the local forest ranger and an ex- soldier John McFarlane isn’t answering his phone and hasn’t been seen at his home. The only clue being a bloody trail in the snow which leads to nowhere. But as they start to uncover the history behind johns past, it seems to suggest that his past is catching up to him. And just when her plate is full, an unexpected character makes a return throwing a spanner in the works!
Great book from start to finish! Worth the time investment!
Classic police procedural from start to finish, we see a bombshell dropped at the end making us wonder what will happen in the next instalment. We also gain more insight on DI Shona Oliver has she navigates through her professional and personal life after the events of last book. This one is an interesting one, which you have to be patient and invest time in. It did take a bit for the plot to kick in, but once the ball started rolling there was no stopping. I like how consistent the dynamic is, we also see how the team is evolving after the previous book. It’s a great series, this book can almost be read as a standalone but there are some parts that does not make sense if you didn’t read the last book. At point I did find that the amount of sub plots felt too big and the boundaries for how far the book stretches was at it’s max. This was all neatly tied up, but there are a few unanswered questions going into the next book! Will definitely keep my eyes peeled for it!
The book centres around Shona Oliver who discovers a blood soaked hammer in a lorry load of wood delivered to a local pub, the only issue is that they have the weapon but no victim recorded or reported. Then a call comes in from the local forest ranger and an ex- soldier John McFarlane isn’t answering his phone and hasn’t been seen at his home. The only clue being a bloody trail in the snow which leads to nowhere. But as they start to uncover the history behind johns past, it seems to suggest that his past is catching up to him. And just when her plate is full, an unexpected character makes a return throwing a spanner in the works!
Great book from start to finish! Worth the time investment!
November 7, 2025
2.5 stars
I read this book first even though it’s the 6th book of this series since it’s seemed so interesting. I enjoyed the story and its main character detective inspector Shona along with getting to read about the crime solving that Shona and her team worked on in this book. I loved getting to read about the setting that was in Scotland during winter. Great twist and turns.
The story was more tell than show with the story being told mostly through dialogue. I didn’t like how dialogue heavy the writing was.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read this book first even though it’s the 6th book of this series since it’s seemed so interesting. I enjoyed the story and its main character detective inspector Shona along with getting to read about the crime solving that Shona and her team worked on in this book. I loved getting to read about the setting that was in Scotland during winter. Great twist and turns.
The story was more tell than show with the story being told mostly through dialogue. I didn’t like how dialogue heavy the writing was.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Detective Shona Oliver series is a police procedural set in Scotland. Shona Oliver is a Detective Inspector. I would read these books in order for the personal growth and relationships. Her husband, Rob is still in jail. Her daughter, Becca has now gone to University.
Shona is helping unload wood and finds a bloody hammer. This has her and er team seeking out injured or dead people. Unfortunately, a huge storm is hitting. They find a big puddle of blood in front a park ranger's home, and start to search for him They have a few avenues as he was mad at a poacher for hurting a golden eagle, he might be concerned about someone stealing the wood from the forest and the ranger was also having an affair.
Shona's team is very competent and they follow the leads and gather information. They are barely started and another man, a well known poet is missing. He was out on a walkabout but with the storm his wife is worried. So they have two searches going but the areas are close and overlapping.
Personally, Shona has the cases. She is worried about the NCA still looking into her ex-boss' death. She misses Dan Ridley, a work colleague as he transferred. She misses Becca away at university. They talk often and then Becca's flat mate is stabbed and nearly dies. She remembers a colleague at the MOD and asks him to look into things and Becca. He is more than helpful and is clearly a solid new friend.
The cases are complex and well-written. Shona's personal life seems to improve throughout with a great team at work and some new friends personally. I like Shona and would like to see her a little more comfortable and happy. She's so competent. A new wrench in her personal life comes up at the end, which leaves me hoping for the next book, sooner than later.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Detective Shona Oliver series is a police procedural set in Scotland. Shona Oliver is a Detective Inspector. I would read these books in order for the personal growth and relationships. Her husband, Rob is still in jail. Her daughter, Becca has now gone to University.
Shona is helping unload wood and finds a bloody hammer. This has her and er team seeking out injured or dead people. Unfortunately, a huge storm is hitting. They find a big puddle of blood in front a park ranger's home, and start to search for him They have a few avenues as he was mad at a poacher for hurting a golden eagle, he might be concerned about someone stealing the wood from the forest and the ranger was also having an affair.
Shona's team is very competent and they follow the leads and gather information. They are barely started and another man, a well known poet is missing. He was out on a walkabout but with the storm his wife is worried. So they have two searches going but the areas are close and overlapping.
Personally, Shona has the cases. She is worried about the NCA still looking into her ex-boss' death. She misses Dan Ridley, a work colleague as he transferred. She misses Becca away at university. They talk often and then Becca's flat mate is stabbed and nearly dies. She remembers a colleague at the MOD and asks him to look into things and Becca. He is more than helpful and is clearly a solid new friend.
The cases are complex and well-written. Shona's personal life seems to improve throughout with a great team at work and some new friends personally. I like Shona and would like to see her a little more comfortable and happy. She's so competent. A new wrench in her personal life comes up at the end, which leaves me hoping for the next book, sooner than later.
November 6, 2025
It starts with a hammer. DI Shona Oliver is helping fellow lifeboat volunteer Graham Finlayson stack wood in preparation for a winter storm when she finds a blood spattered hammer at the bottom of the pile.What was it used for and why? Is it related to the case of a missing forest ranger? The hammer and ranger are only part of the mystery in this complicated thriller by the talented Lynne McEwan. A haunting painting of the madonna and child is discovered in a case carried by a known thief, who declares he found it in the street. How valuable can it be? Shona’s team is stretched thin investigating the ranger’s disappearance, the mysterious madonna and the damage caused by winter storm Francis. Shona’s personal life is distracting. She has mixed feelings for her imprisoned husband and is too busy to help her daughter Becca with a new, devastating problem.
The Winter Dead, sixth in the excellent DI Shona Oliver series, is compulsively readable. The characters, both familiar and new, are well described. DC Jess Jamieson is a new addition to the team and I’m looking forward to learning more about her. As usual, the atmospheric location on the wild Scottish coast is a character in itself. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Lynn McEwan for this ARC.
The Winter Dead, sixth in the excellent DI Shona Oliver series, is compulsively readable. The characters, both familiar and new, are well described. DC Jess Jamieson is a new addition to the team and I’m looking forward to learning more about her. As usual, the atmospheric location on the wild Scottish coast is a character in itself. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Lynn McEwan for this ARC.
January 5, 2026
Another book in the series with Shona Oliver, a DI in the south of Scotland. Shona finds what may be a murder weapon in a woodpile, but who was attacked needs to be discovered. It seems that a forest ranger is missing, but who wanted him to come to harm is not obvious, there are more leads to follow. Subplots include Shona's husband in jail, possible art theft and the disappeafrance of a Cumbrian poet. The winter snowstorm adds to the difficulties in following clues. The team, still coming to terms with the death of a detective, Kate which is mentioned a few times. Shona also has worries and problems within her own family . Her daughter, Becca is involved in an incident in Glasgow.
On the whole, I enjoy this series, it can be read as a standalone, but is probabily better to read the series as previous cases and events are referred to regularly. Descriptions of places and people give a good picture and sense of place. The plot got better as the book progressed, it was a little confusing at first and coincidences were a little unbelievable. I also thought that time was wasted at the start of the investigation. I am keen to read more by this author though, the positives far outweigh the slight negatives in the book for me.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
On the whole, I enjoy this series, it can be read as a standalone, but is probabily better to read the series as previous cases and events are referred to regularly. Descriptions of places and people give a good picture and sense of place. The plot got better as the book progressed, it was a little confusing at first and coincidences were a little unbelievable. I also thought that time was wasted at the start of the investigation. I am keen to read more by this author though, the positives far outweigh the slight negatives in the book for me.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC
November 3, 2025
‘The Winter Dead’,by Lynne McEwan,is Book six in the Detective Shona Oliver series.The latest investigation that Shona and her team take on is sparked by her finding a piece of evidence that merely suggests that a crime has been carried out,though there is no visible sign of a victim.Instinctively she senses that something is amiss and starts to seek answers.
Once again the reader is quickly immersed in the complicated details of Shona's life as well as following the threads of her latest cases.Her team of colleagues are effectively as close to her as family due to the complex relationships in her immediate circle.The characters familiarity to the reader from previous books means that the narrative seamlessly follows on from preceding stories,adding a compelling feeling of empathy for their efforts as the tale unfolds.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo ,for an Advance Readers Copy.
Once again the reader is quickly immersed in the complicated details of Shona's life as well as following the threads of her latest cases.Her team of colleagues are effectively as close to her as family due to the complex relationships in her immediate circle.The characters familiarity to the reader from previous books means that the narrative seamlessly follows on from preceding stories,adding a compelling feeling of empathy for their efforts as the tale unfolds.
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo ,for an Advance Readers Copy.
October 21, 2025
This is a great series set in a neglected area of Southern Scotland. Shona is juggling lots of plates - police work, her daughter, her imprisoned husband, her B&B business and the lifeboat. Somehow it all works. This story centres around Shona finding a bloodied hammer and ends up with art fraud. Cracking story and a great cliffhanger- can’t wait for the next book!
December 31, 2025
Another enjoyable Shona Oliver crime story, with three intersecting scenarios on the work front, and several more in Shona's personal life. The snowy landscape is a major feature which is used to great effect. By the end, there are some tantalising details about what might be on the horizon for Shona to keep me waiting impatiently for the next book in the series.
December 7, 2025
Kobo read.
Another excellent story in the series. Ending looks like there might be another even tho the author is now publishing a book under a different name with another publisher. Enjoyed this serious and would be pity if this is the end.
Another excellent story in the series. Ending looks like there might be another even tho the author is now publishing a book under a different name with another publisher. Enjoyed this serious and would be pity if this is the end.
October 26, 2025
interesting and unique murder mystery with a great sense of plotting and some fantastic vibes. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.
December 15, 2025
A new Shona Oliver book is always a must read for me. The Winter Dead continues the longer story of the series as well as introducing a new crime to solve. As well as her leadership role in the police, Shona continues to keep a struggling guesthouse afloat, volunteer on the lifeboat and lives with the consequences of her moany and self-indulgent husband’s imprisonment. Her daughter is away at university, a new love that seemed promising has not worked out for her.
Shona's new case begins with a bloodstained hammer found in a load of firewood at a lifeboat colleague's house and grows steadily more complex. A missing forest ranger, snowbound searches, and old events that refuse to stay in the past pull the investigation in several directions at once. The difficulties of policing the community in which you live are really highlighted in this installment. A subplot with a stolen - possibly forged painting - is intriguing and leads to a most satisfying ending.
Shona's new case begins with a bloodstained hammer found in a load of firewood at a lifeboat colleague's house and grows steadily more complex. A missing forest ranger, snowbound searches, and old events that refuse to stay in the past pull the investigation in several directions at once. The difficulties of policing the community in which you live are really highlighted in this installment. A subplot with a stolen - possibly forged painting - is intriguing and leads to a most satisfying ending.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews