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Detective Shona Oliver #7
A Cold Harbour: A fast-paced Scottish crime thriller full of mystery and suspense
Rocky seas lie ahead…
DI Shona Oliver is caught in the crosshairs of the National Crime Agency. They know she has information about the murder of her former boss and are determined to charge someone.
Shona is relocated to Galloway, where her higher ups think she’ll draw less attention. She meets DI Kenneth Dalrymple, currently on compassionate leave to care for his terminally ill wife. He confides in Shona that his wife’s dying wish is to learn who killed her sister. It’s a case about as cold as it gets, but Shona agrees to help.
Only she hadn’t banked on a fresh murder to investigate, or the chances of her being in the dock herself looking stronger by the day. Can she find answers and weather the storm?
Praise for A Cold Harbour
‘A Cold Harbour adds to this excellent series by Lynne McEwan. 5 stars’ Reader review
‘Left me exhausted just reading about the load that DI Shona Oliver was carrying. There are plenty of surprises and twists along the way and first impressions are not always right’ Reader review.
‘An excellent, fast paced thriller in the DI Shona Oliver series set in southwest Scotland’ Reader review
‘An excellent read. Gripping and emotive’ Reader review
‘Enjoyed it from the first until the last page. Plenty of twists along the way’ Reader review
DI Shona Oliver is caught in the crosshairs of the National Crime Agency. They know she has information about the murder of her former boss and are determined to charge someone.
Shona is relocated to Galloway, where her higher ups think she’ll draw less attention. She meets DI Kenneth Dalrymple, currently on compassionate leave to care for his terminally ill wife. He confides in Shona that his wife’s dying wish is to learn who killed her sister. It’s a case about as cold as it gets, but Shona agrees to help.
Only she hadn’t banked on a fresh murder to investigate, or the chances of her being in the dock herself looking stronger by the day. Can she find answers and weather the storm?
Praise for A Cold Harbour
‘A Cold Harbour adds to this excellent series by Lynne McEwan. 5 stars’ Reader review
‘Left me exhausted just reading about the load that DI Shona Oliver was carrying. There are plenty of surprises and twists along the way and first impressions are not always right’ Reader review.
‘An excellent, fast paced thriller in the DI Shona Oliver series set in southwest Scotland’ Reader review
‘An excellent read. Gripping and emotive’ Reader review
‘Enjoyed it from the first until the last page. Plenty of twists along the way’ Reader review
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2026
About the author
Lynne McEwan
9 books91 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 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 25, 2026
**Read 4.75 BIG STARS!**
This thrilling Scottish crime novel is the 7th volume of the wonderful and realistic "DI Shona Oliver" series.
Storytelling is excellent, all characters come splendidly to life in this crime story about family secrets, siblings rivalry and murder, while also police and RNLI procedures are superbly executed.
Personal and professional problems, being hunted down by the NCA and divorcing her husband Rob, has caused her direct boss to relocate DI Shona Oliver for her own safety from Dumfries to Galloway CID for the time being.
There in Galloway DI Shona Oliver will meet DI Kenny Dalrymple, who's on compassionate leave to care for his terminally ill wife Isobel, and being asked by him to look unofficially into a forty-year old cold case concerning the murder of Isobel's sister Ailsa.
Newly arrived DI Shona Oliver at Galloway CID, she will meet some resistance and apprehension from some of the police officers working there, but when they are investigating the murder of Muir Maxwell, gradually she will gain their respect and full commitment to get the result they are working so hard for, even more so when they can finally unravel the perpetrator(s) of that killing mystery, while Shona is also able to recognise the culprit of the murder of forty years ago, but with another outcome for those people concerned.
What is to follow is an engrossing and realistic police procedure, although for me a little bit predictable what the culprits and are concerned, old and new, but otherwise this is a formidable crime story that is brought to us with a great storyline and finishing with a sublime plot and outcome.
Highly recommended, for this is another terrific addition to this fabulous series, and that's why I like to call this latest episode: "An Enthralling Cold Harbour"!
This thrilling Scottish crime novel is the 7th volume of the wonderful and realistic "DI Shona Oliver" series.
Storytelling is excellent, all characters come splendidly to life in this crime story about family secrets, siblings rivalry and murder, while also police and RNLI procedures are superbly executed.
Personal and professional problems, being hunted down by the NCA and divorcing her husband Rob, has caused her direct boss to relocate DI Shona Oliver for her own safety from Dumfries to Galloway CID for the time being.
There in Galloway DI Shona Oliver will meet DI Kenny Dalrymple, who's on compassionate leave to care for his terminally ill wife Isobel, and being asked by him to look unofficially into a forty-year old cold case concerning the murder of Isobel's sister Ailsa.
Newly arrived DI Shona Oliver at Galloway CID, she will meet some resistance and apprehension from some of the police officers working there, but when they are investigating the murder of Muir Maxwell, gradually she will gain their respect and full commitment to get the result they are working so hard for, even more so when they can finally unravel the perpetrator(s) of that killing mystery, while Shona is also able to recognise the culprit of the murder of forty years ago, but with another outcome for those people concerned.
What is to follow is an engrossing and realistic police procedure, although for me a little bit predictable what the culprits and are concerned, old and new, but otherwise this is a formidable crime story that is brought to us with a great storyline and finishing with a sublime plot and outcome.
Highly recommended, for this is another terrific addition to this fabulous series, and that's why I like to call this latest episode: "An Enthralling Cold Harbour"!
October 5, 2026
A good read
September 10, 2026
While awaiting an NCA review, DI Shona Oliver is sent to Galloway on a temporary assignment. DI Galloway is caring for his terminally ill wife, and he asks Shona to look into a decades old cold case - the death of his wife’s sister. But before she can begin, a local farmer is murdered by thieves, forcing Shona and her uncooperative sergeant to concentrate on the new case. Their investigation leads to other criminal cases and many long buried secrets.
A Cold Harbor adds to this excellent series by Lynne McEwan. Familiar characters return, changed by events. You feel like you know the characters, especially Shona, her daughter Becca and Murdo. The Scottish location is atmospheric and I especially like the sibling theme. After that shocking conclusion, I cannot wait for the next in this series! 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Lynne McEwan for this ARC.
A Cold Harbor adds to this excellent series by Lynne McEwan. Familiar characters return, changed by events. You feel like you know the characters, especially Shona, her daughter Becca and Murdo. The Scottish location is atmospheric and I especially like the sibling theme. After that shocking conclusion, I cannot wait for the next in this series! 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo and Lynne McEwan for this ARC.
September 24, 2026
5 Stars 🌟for “A Cold Harbour” by Lynne McEwan who has done it again with “A Cold Harbour”, the 7th book in the Detective Shona Oliver series.
This installment finds DI Shona Oliver at crossroads — the NCA is breathing down her neck, and she's been sent to the beautiful, windswept coast of Galloway to keep a low profile. Of course, for Shona, low profile never lasts long.
I absolutely loved the dual-mystery at the heart of this book. First, there's the incredibly moving 40-year-old cold case: the murder of a talented young artist, Ailsa, killed while painting at the Portpatrick lighthouse. It's brought to Shona by DI Kenneth Dalrymple, whose terminally ill wife Isobel just wants answers about her sister before her time runs out. It's poignant, atmospheric, and utterly human. Then, McEwan throws in a brutal, very active present-day murder on a local farm — and Shona has to juggle both while her own future hangs in the balance. That's what makes McEwan's writing so brilliant. The police procedural is smart, fast-paced, and full of twists.
But it's Shona herself that makes the series addictive. She is a fantastic, resilient heroine. Lifeboat volunteer, dedicated detective, mum to Becca who is now off at university, ex-wife to Rob — she carries so much so bravely and you can't help but root for her with all your heart. Her temporary team in Galloway, the rugged Solway Firth setting, the stormy seas - make it feel so vivid.
McEwan brings such authenticity and heart to every page. The emotional depth — especially Shona's own family story and the stunning ending — is beautifully handled. It wraps up satisfyingly while also leaving me counting down the days for book 8.
If you love Scottish crime with a big heart, a clever plot, and a heroine whose unflinching courage and generosity make her outstanding, A Cold Harbour is an absolute must-read. Gripping, emotive, and uplifting — an excellent, fast-paced thriller from the first page to the last.
#bookstagram #bookish #books
This installment finds DI Shona Oliver at crossroads — the NCA is breathing down her neck, and she's been sent to the beautiful, windswept coast of Galloway to keep a low profile. Of course, for Shona, low profile never lasts long.
I absolutely loved the dual-mystery at the heart of this book. First, there's the incredibly moving 40-year-old cold case: the murder of a talented young artist, Ailsa, killed while painting at the Portpatrick lighthouse. It's brought to Shona by DI Kenneth Dalrymple, whose terminally ill wife Isobel just wants answers about her sister before her time runs out. It's poignant, atmospheric, and utterly human. Then, McEwan throws in a brutal, very active present-day murder on a local farm — and Shona has to juggle both while her own future hangs in the balance. That's what makes McEwan's writing so brilliant. The police procedural is smart, fast-paced, and full of twists.
But it's Shona herself that makes the series addictive. She is a fantastic, resilient heroine. Lifeboat volunteer, dedicated detective, mum to Becca who is now off at university, ex-wife to Rob — she carries so much so bravely and you can't help but root for her with all your heart. Her temporary team in Galloway, the rugged Solway Firth setting, the stormy seas - make it feel so vivid.
McEwan brings such authenticity and heart to every page. The emotional depth — especially Shona's own family story and the stunning ending — is beautifully handled. It wraps up satisfyingly while also leaving me counting down the days for book 8.
If you love Scottish crime with a big heart, a clever plot, and a heroine whose unflinching courage and generosity make her outstanding, A Cold Harbour is an absolute must-read. Gripping, emotive, and uplifting — an excellent, fast-paced thriller from the first page to the last.
#bookstagram #bookish #books
September 10, 2026
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from the Publisher. 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 set to a different area to run a team while the DI there is tending to his dying wife. He asks her to look at a cold case, never solved, where Isobel's sister Ailsa was murdered 40 years ago. Shona is still worried about the fallout after Delfont's death. Shona has difficulty at first with her temporary team.
Becca is focused on her boyfriend Jack after his injury, and her discovery of her grandmother. Angie the grandmother has become a therapist. She wants to reconnect with Shona. Shona was starved and neglected until at 3 she went to live with her grandmother. Shona does agree to a short meeting and is only more angry and shocked by new revelations.
Meanwhile a farmer has been murdered as someone steals his ATV and other farm equipment. It's a brutal murder. Shona and her team work hard to pursue leads with some success but it's tough going. Everything shows what a great officer Shona is.
The police work was strong. The personal background was emotional. A Cold Harbour was an especially engaging installment. Things are concluded well and then there are bombshells at the end which no doubt sets up a future book.
Review copy was received from the Publisher. 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 set to a different area to run a team while the DI there is tending to his dying wife. He asks her to look at a cold case, never solved, where Isobel's sister Ailsa was murdered 40 years ago. Shona is still worried about the fallout after Delfont's death. Shona has difficulty at first with her temporary team.
Becca is focused on her boyfriend Jack after his injury, and her discovery of her grandmother. Angie the grandmother has become a therapist. She wants to reconnect with Shona. Shona was starved and neglected until at 3 she went to live with her grandmother. Shona does agree to a short meeting and is only more angry and shocked by new revelations.
Meanwhile a farmer has been murdered as someone steals his ATV and other farm equipment. It's a brutal murder. Shona and her team work hard to pursue leads with some success but it's tough going. Everything shows what a great officer Shona is.
The police work was strong. The personal background was emotional. A Cold Harbour was an especially engaging installment. Things are concluded well and then there are bombshells at the end which no doubt sets up a future book.
September 8, 2026
This D.I. Shona Oliver series just keeps getting better. I read the first two books in the series set in South and South West of Scotland and enjoyed the setting in one of the lesser known but beautiful coastal areas of Scotland. Her part time position in the RNLI rescue service was a good backdrop to developing her character also.
So although I have skipped four books I did not feel that I had missed too much and her personal life had progressed roughly as I had imagined it would. I felt like I was catching up with an old friend reading about the solid dependable Murdo although he did not feature as much as Shona had been seconded along the coast to a different police station.
This time there are two main foci of her police investigation in a current murder and also a decades old murder and having occurred in such a small community there is plenty of overlap. The new station are suspicious of Shona being parachuted into their patch and the author expertly makes us fully aware of all the types of pressure these investigation put upon Shona. And adding to the pressure she remains under investigation by the NCA for something that could end her career , her love life is at a very delicate stage in its development and she is debating whether to meet her mother who put Shona up for adoption. So it is no surprise that the pages fly past and the whole book explores personal family relationships in various situations.
Both investigations are satisfyingly solved and the cold case is left nicely fudged at the finish.
At the end of the book there are shock revelations that are well designed to ensure that I will be keen to read the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC.
So although I have skipped four books I did not feel that I had missed too much and her personal life had progressed roughly as I had imagined it would. I felt like I was catching up with an old friend reading about the solid dependable Murdo although he did not feature as much as Shona had been seconded along the coast to a different police station.
This time there are two main foci of her police investigation in a current murder and also a decades old murder and having occurred in such a small community there is plenty of overlap. The new station are suspicious of Shona being parachuted into their patch and the author expertly makes us fully aware of all the types of pressure these investigation put upon Shona. And adding to the pressure she remains under investigation by the NCA for something that could end her career , her love life is at a very delicate stage in its development and she is debating whether to meet her mother who put Shona up for adoption. So it is no surprise that the pages fly past and the whole book explores personal family relationships in various situations.
Both investigations are satisfyingly solved and the cold case is left nicely fudged at the finish.
At the end of the book there are shock revelations that are well designed to ensure that I will be keen to read the next in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC.
September 21, 2026
One of the things I really like about Lynne McEwan’s Shona Oliver series is how the overarching story remains intriguing and never really falls flat. In this, the seventh book in the series, events from earlier books return to haunt Shona, and she finds herself being investigated by the NCA. Her boss sends her on secondment to Galloway, where she can be tucked safely out of the way.
While she’s there she unexpectedly finds herself with a murder to investigate, despite it normally being a very sleepy, low-crime area. As a bit of a side quest, her new boss also asks her to look into the cold-case murder of his wife’s sister. Siblings and the complicated relationships between them become an interesting thread running through the novel.
This also connects with Shona’s own story. She’s wrestling with whether to reconnect with her birth mother, who abandoned her when she was young after a childhood marked by abuse. Her daughter wants her to forgive and move on, but for Shona it’s more complicated than that. And then there’s the possibility that reconnecting with her mother might mean discovering that she has siblings of her own.
I really love Shona as a character. It's great to have a protagonist who is established in her life but still has complexity.. She’s moved on from her moany husband, and life has more possibilities — but plenty of challenges too. Should she move to Edinburgh and commit to a new love or is the guesthouse and her lifeboat friends where she's meant to be? Or will the NCA investigation take all choice away from her?
That massive ending leaves everything open...
While she’s there she unexpectedly finds herself with a murder to investigate, despite it normally being a very sleepy, low-crime area. As a bit of a side quest, her new boss also asks her to look into the cold-case murder of his wife’s sister. Siblings and the complicated relationships between them become an interesting thread running through the novel.
This also connects with Shona’s own story. She’s wrestling with whether to reconnect with her birth mother, who abandoned her when she was young after a childhood marked by abuse. Her daughter wants her to forgive and move on, but for Shona it’s more complicated than that. And then there’s the possibility that reconnecting with her mother might mean discovering that she has siblings of her own.
I really love Shona as a character. It's great to have a protagonist who is established in her life but still has complexity.. She’s moved on from her moany husband, and life has more possibilities — but plenty of challenges too. Should she move to Edinburgh and commit to a new love or is the guesthouse and her lifeboat friends where she's meant to be? Or will the NCA investigation take all choice away from her?
That massive ending leaves everything open...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Lynne and NetGalley for allowing me to read A Cold Harbour before the publication date.
WOW….a paqe turner from start to finish.
I won’t elaborate on the description in order to avoid spoilers.
In many ways, this is quite a poignant tale and the cynicism shown by Shona’s character is superb.
By now, most of the regular characters in the series are well developed but there is always room for a few more insights into their personalities.
Weaving a mix of professional and personal storylines, the book left me exhausted just reading about the load that D.I. Shona Oliver was carrying.
There are plenty of surprises (shocks?) and twists along the way and first impressions are not always right.
Looking forward to the next book.
WOW….a paqe turner from start to finish.
I won’t elaborate on the description in order to avoid spoilers.
In many ways, this is quite a poignant tale and the cynicism shown by Shona’s character is superb.
By now, most of the regular characters in the series are well developed but there is always room for a few more insights into their personalities.
Weaving a mix of professional and personal storylines, the book left me exhausted just reading about the load that D.I. Shona Oliver was carrying.
There are plenty of surprises (shocks?) and twists along the way and first impressions are not always right.
Looking forward to the next book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the seventh book in Lynne McEwan’s DI Shona Oliver series. She is sent on a secondment to Galloway as her boss wants her to keep a low profile while she’s still being investigated by the NCA.
However as to be expected this won’t be a quiet posting as she has to investigate a brutal murder of a local farmer. She’s also been asked by the local DI who’s on compassionate leave to have another look at a cold case from many years ago when his wife’s sister had been murdered.
As usual it’s a great read with lots of twists and turns and some interesting developments in Shona’s personal life which will possibly be a theme in the next book.
I highly recommend this series and look forward to book eight.
However as to be expected this won’t be a quiet posting as she has to investigate a brutal murder of a local farmer. She’s also been asked by the local DI who’s on compassionate leave to have another look at a cold case from many years ago when his wife’s sister had been murdered.
As usual it’s a great read with lots of twists and turns and some interesting developments in Shona’s personal life which will possibly be a theme in the next book.
I highly recommend this series and look forward to book eight.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An excellent, fast paced thriller in the DI Shona Oliver series set in south west Scotland. I really enjoyed the plotline which had me hooked from the start and kept me engrossed throughout. There is so much going on in Shona's life, between family and work, as she investigates a recent murder and a cold case. The book flowed really well right up to the surprise ending, leaving me wanting just a little bit more! I am sure fans will enjoy the read as much as I did. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is #7 in the Detective Shona Oliver series but can be read as a standalone.
DI Shona is sent on secondment to a different station as their DI is caring for his terminally ill wife. Before he goes off on leave, he asks Shona to investigate a cold case where a young woman was murdered, the young woman being his wife’s sister.
A gripping plot that I really enjoyed. The only downside for me is that I find it difficult reading a book where there is a lot of local dialect, some of which needs an internet search to translate it.
DI Shona is sent on secondment to a different station as their DI is caring for his terminally ill wife. Before he goes off on leave, he asks Shona to investigate a cold case where a young woman was murdered, the young woman being his wife’s sister.
A gripping plot that I really enjoyed. The only downside for me is that I find it difficult reading a book where there is a lot of local dialect, some of which needs an internet search to translate it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An excellent read. Gripping and emotive. So much is going on in Shona's life. The NCA are investigating her, she's just met up with her birth mother and discovered an unexpected secret. She's also working with a hostile team to investigate crimes away from her usual patch and looking into a 40 year old cold case.
Wild and engaging.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free, advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own work.
Wild and engaging.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I read a free, advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own work.
September 26, 2026
Shona continues to delight with dogged following through of investigations. This one was in a new setting and with a new team. As usual more than one plot. The interjection of her mother and potential siblings didn’t add much to the story. In fact it just created an overly complex twist at the end. Which was absolutely out of sync with the rest of the book and style of the story. So shame to have such a dramatic ending which doesnt match the overall tone of this Scottish detective
August 30, 2026
A story with so much going on in both Shona's personal and professional life. An engaging read and will keep you hooked until the end. A great series and lots more to come based on this one. Highly recommended
September 10, 2026
The seventh book in the D.I Shona Oliver series was every bit a page turner and un put down able as the other six!
I love continuing her story with her family life, trials and tribulations as well as the cases she is solving along the way
I cannot wait for the next instalment
I love continuing her story with her family life, trials and tribulations as well as the cases she is solving along the way
I cannot wait for the next instalment
September 18, 2026
Absolutely loved the latest instalment of DI Shona Oliver's story. The insight into the relationship between siblings was refreshing. Final chapter was quite a surprise. Great cliff hanger for the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2026
Families
This fabulous story is about families. There's good and there's bad in every family and that's the situation in this story. I worked out things and I think the reader was meant to but the ending comes totally from left field. Excellent. Bring it on...
This fabulous story is about families. There's good and there's bad in every family and that's the situation in this story. I worked out things and I think the reader was meant to but the ending comes totally from left field. Excellent. Bring it on...
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews