What do you think?
Rate this book
Detective Majory Fleming Mysteries #3
Truth to Tell: The enthralling Scottish crime thriller
It is a bitterly cold night, with rain falling and an edge of snow. Under the sickly yellow lighting in the lorry park, three men are looting precious cargo from the tarpaulined trailers - but the crack of a gunshot pierces the night, and everything changes.
Six months on and a key witness at the subsequent murder trial finds herself under police protection in the remote ancient highlands around Loch Torridon. She is determined to find out what happened to her beloved Callan, one of the three looters, but everything becomes more complicated by another local murder, and the arrival of DCI Kelso Strang.
The local dramatic peaks form the uncompromising backdrop of the police investigation, and Strang must contend with seismic events that will change many lives to get to the truth.
Six months on and a key witness at the subsequent murder trial finds herself under police protection in the remote ancient highlands around Loch Torridon. She is determined to find out what happened to her beloved Callan, one of the three looters, but everything becomes more complicated by another local murder, and the arrival of DCI Kelso Strang.
The local dramatic peaks form the uncompromising backdrop of the police investigation, and Strang must contend with seismic events that will change many lives to get to the truth.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2026
About the author
Aline Templeton
45 books140 followersAline Templeton grew up in the East Neuk of Fife and was educated at St Leonards School, St Andrews and Cambridge University. She has worked in education and broadcasting and has written numerous stories and articles for national newspapers and magazines. Templeton was a bench Justice of the Peace for ten years and is a former Chair of the Society of Authors in Scotland, now living in Edinburgh. She is married with a grown up family.
She has written nine crime novels, published by Hodder & Stoughton in Britain, and has also been published in the United States and several European countries. After writing seven stand-alone books, she started a series set in Galloway and featuring DI Marjory Fleming, the first of which – Cold In The Earth – was an Ottakar's Crime Novel of the Month and an Independent Best Summer Read. The second, The Darkness and the Deep, was published in July 2006, and there are now six books in the DI Fleming series.
She has written nine crime novels, published by Hodder & Stoughton in Britain, and has also been published in the United States and several European countries. After writing seven stand-alone books, she started a series set in Galloway and featuring DI Marjory Fleming, the first of which – Cold In The Earth – was an Ottakar's Crime Novel of the Month and an Independent Best Summer Read. The second, The Darkness and the Deep, was published in July 2006, and there are now six books in the DI Fleming series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 3, 2026
Excellent read
Book number 3 read and enjoyed immensely
You get the feeling that your part of DI Flemings family.
Its hard to imagine her living on a farm, but it all works!
She actually sounds like a real person such as the writer describes her.
I did find this book a bit tough, so many redherrings, but the culprit was mentioned at the beginning ......
The only thing I dont like about these books is the author, on a few occasions has used the word ' fretting' to describe worrying , that is a Yorkshire saying, not Scots .
Also, in this book, some was called 'pet' that's definitely down Newcastle way.
Can't wait to start on book now 4, which I bought and downloaded all at once.
Book number 3 read and enjoyed immensely
You get the feeling that your part of DI Flemings family.
Its hard to imagine her living on a farm, but it all works!
She actually sounds like a real person such as the writer describes her.
I did find this book a bit tough, so many redherrings, but the culprit was mentioned at the beginning ......
The only thing I dont like about these books is the author, on a few occasions has used the word ' fretting' to describe worrying , that is a Yorkshire saying, not Scots .
Also, in this book, some was called 'pet' that's definitely down Newcastle way.
Can't wait to start on book now 4, which I bought and downloaded all at once.
June 27, 2026
Cracking the Genre
Aline Templeton delivers. She weaves her plots with humanity and verve. Hooking the reader like a fish, and reeling them in with plenty of twists and turns so that no one can guess whether the fish will ever be landed. Of course, it is. Flopping on the deck of the fishing boat - like a ‘denouement’ as fresh and as unpredictable as all the great murder mystery writers. A skilled writer that serves up a quality murder mystery.
Aline Templeton delivers. She weaves her plots with humanity and verve. Hooking the reader like a fish, and reeling them in with plenty of twists and turns so that no one can guess whether the fish will ever be landed. Of course, it is. Flopping on the deck of the fishing boat - like a ‘denouement’ as fresh and as unpredictable as all the great murder mystery writers. A skilled writer that serves up a quality murder mystery.
September 16, 2026
Another gripping read
‘Big Marge’ has another murder to investigate, that of a young woman with history. Then there’s the local marina made to sound like a poor man’s Martha’s Vineyard. More murders, mis-direction, teenagers, unfaithful couples, history, tragedy and a bent policeman. Lovely descriptions of place, my place, even if the characters don’t really match it. Well written and well worth reading the series.
‘Big Marge’ has another murder to investigate, that of a young woman with history. Then there’s the local marina made to sound like a poor man’s Martha’s Vineyard. More murders, mis-direction, teenagers, unfaithful couples, history, tragedy and a bent policeman. Lovely descriptions of place, my place, even if the characters don’t really match it. Well written and well worth reading the series.
October 18, 2026
This is the seventh book featuring Detective Chief Inspector Strang of the Serious Rural Crime Squad and his assistant Detective Sergeant Murray. Most of the story is set in a village in the north west of Scotland which appears to have some involvement in lorry hi-jackings and drug distribution. One of the lorry drivers is left to die in a ditch and then there is a murder. A decent read but the author has written much better books.
June 7, 2026
Enjoyed this but she didn’t really explain how the criminal was involved at the end. It just laid out a story but there was nothing leading to it.
June 27, 2026
great read
Easy enjoyable read lots going on and raced through it Thank you already downloaded the next book 4 start that after dinner
Easy enjoyable read lots going on and raced through it Thank you already downloaded the next book 4 start that after dinner
October 1, 2026
Well, I've reached that point where I'm all caught up with the series. Yes, I "binged" it, and it was worth the time spent. It once again began with a small incident and from that grew into a well-written police procedural. I do enjoy this author's writing style, and now, with fingers crossed, I hope to find another book with these characters, as I do enjoy Livvy.
October 18, 2026
Good story
I enjoyed the story and how it continued to develop the characters. Glad that Marjory and Bill are reconciled. Onto the next book as I’m keen to read what happens next.
I enjoyed the story and how it continued to develop the characters. Glad that Marjory and Bill are reconciled. Onto the next book as I’m keen to read what happens next.
October 2, 2026
A good read as the other novels are .
Quite complicated plot line .
Less of Strangs personal life which was a nice change .
Quite complicated plot line .
Less of Strangs personal life which was a nice change .
June 14, 2026
Wedding bells will be chiming in the near future for DCI Kelso Strang, head of Scotland's Rural Crime Squad, and his lawyer fiancée Catriona Fleming. Cat is a familiar figure from Aline Templeton's earlier series, as is her mother Marjory, a retired DI, and they're busy arranging flowers, seating plans and meetings with the vicar. Kelso is keen to be married but less enthused by all the wedding-related fuss, so when a body turns up in a remote Highland village, he's guiltily relieved.
The body belongs to Brodie Campbell, the local gamekeeper, who was useful to the local police. But Brodie was so unpopular with most of the village that everyone's a potential suspect, and Kelso finds just about everyone reluctant to talk in case they incriminate someone else.
DS Livvy Murray has been detailed to help Kelso with the investigation. The shortcomings of the Airbnb they're staying in make her keen to shift the blame for the murder on to outsiders from Glasgow's gang culture so that she and Kelso can go home, especially after the arrival of a capable graduate entry DC whom Kelso has worked with before. In the past Livvy wasn't above going rogue in pursuit of her own theories, but she has calmed down a lot. All the same, her tendency to use her initiative pays off, with a discovery that comes close to cracking the case.
Aline Templeton certainly knows how to put together a storyline that's almost as twisty as the mountain passes. As well as the murder, there's a drug problem, common in small communities where both work and leisure activities are thin on the ground for young people; and a parallel investigation is looking at hijackings of deliveries from local fish processors. But as always in Templeton's books, the characters and the locations are at least as important as the plot. The story unfolds against a spectacular Highlands backdrop of mountains, lochs and precipitous roads; the weather is as dramatic as the landscape and causes more than one problem for the SRCS team.
Kelso, Livvy and Cat are familiar figures, and following their development is one of the great pleasures of the series. Kelso's boss DCS Jane Borthwick, the redoubtable JB, makes an occasional appearance and has work problems of her own; and workshy DI Mackenzie from the local force is no help at all.
In the village, the women are nursing secrets. Mairead runs the local café despite fragile health, and has plenty to hide, especially from her feckless artist husband. Zoe Cooper, waitress at the café, girlfriend of local bad boy Jago Innes and woman of mystery, comes and goes as she pleases. And then there's Anna Bruce, who recently moved to the village and has created a thriving catering business; no one seems to know anything about her.
Eventually secrets are revealed, Brodie Campbell's killer is unmasked, and Kelso and Livvy can go home – he to prepare for his wedding, she to await their next case. As, no doubt, will Aline Templeton's many readers with eager anticipation, me among them; Kelso Strang is rapidly becoming one of Scotland's most engaging detectives.
-----
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
The body belongs to Brodie Campbell, the local gamekeeper, who was useful to the local police. But Brodie was so unpopular with most of the village that everyone's a potential suspect, and Kelso finds just about everyone reluctant to talk in case they incriminate someone else.
DS Livvy Murray has been detailed to help Kelso with the investigation. The shortcomings of the Airbnb they're staying in make her keen to shift the blame for the murder on to outsiders from Glasgow's gang culture so that she and Kelso can go home, especially after the arrival of a capable graduate entry DC whom Kelso has worked with before. In the past Livvy wasn't above going rogue in pursuit of her own theories, but she has calmed down a lot. All the same, her tendency to use her initiative pays off, with a discovery that comes close to cracking the case.
Aline Templeton certainly knows how to put together a storyline that's almost as twisty as the mountain passes. As well as the murder, there's a drug problem, common in small communities where both work and leisure activities are thin on the ground for young people; and a parallel investigation is looking at hijackings of deliveries from local fish processors. But as always in Templeton's books, the characters and the locations are at least as important as the plot. The story unfolds against a spectacular Highlands backdrop of mountains, lochs and precipitous roads; the weather is as dramatic as the landscape and causes more than one problem for the SRCS team.
Kelso, Livvy and Cat are familiar figures, and following their development is one of the great pleasures of the series. Kelso's boss DCS Jane Borthwick, the redoubtable JB, makes an occasional appearance and has work problems of her own; and workshy DI Mackenzie from the local force is no help at all.
In the village, the women are nursing secrets. Mairead runs the local café despite fragile health, and has plenty to hide, especially from her feckless artist husband. Zoe Cooper, waitress at the café, girlfriend of local bad boy Jago Innes and woman of mystery, comes and goes as she pleases. And then there's Anna Bruce, who recently moved to the village and has created a thriving catering business; no one seems to know anything about her.
Eventually secrets are revealed, Brodie Campbell's killer is unmasked, and Kelso and Livvy can go home – he to prepare for his wedding, she to await their next case. As, no doubt, will Aline Templeton's many readers with eager anticipation, me among them; Kelso Strang is rapidly becoming one of Scotland's most engaging detectives.
-----
Reviewer: Lynne Patrick
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)
August 18, 2026
Really enjoyed it great story and very interesting
June 7, 2026
I have enjoyed all the Fleming/Strang series, and this was another solid installment.
My only slight quibble would be that the ending felt a little bit rushed. I would have liked a few more of the loose ends to have been more thoroughly tied up, hence 4 stars not 5.
My only slight quibble would be that the ending felt a little bit rushed. I would have liked a few more of the loose ends to have been more thoroughly tied up, hence 4 stars not 5.
June 17, 2026
Truth To Tell
Very good book with lots of twists and turns. I would like to have more involvement with Kelso Strang and Livvy, and less with the domestic side of his life.
Very good book with lots of twists and turns. I would like to have more involvement with Kelso Strang and Livvy, and less with the domestic side of his life.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews