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The Mourning Ring
Not yet published
Expected 28 Jul 26Some secrets are buried. Some are sealed in gold. Some have been waiting eighty years to be found.
When author Coby McTavish brings his family to the brooding clifftop halls of Serpent's Manor for the birth of his child, he expects chaos. He gets considerably more.
A midwife who is not what she seems. A black cat that appears from nowhere and answers to no one. A booming voice inside his head that knows things it has no right to know. And on the rocks far below the cliff's edge, discovered by accident and unearthed by a drone in the hands of a teenage boy, the skeletal remains of a young woman — along with a small, ornate, gilded ring that has been waiting in the darkness since the last year of the Second World War.
The ring carries an inscription. A date. A hidden compartment. And a message so dangerous that its owner died before she could deliver it.
As a killer stalks the manor's corridors, a detective with blue eyes and impeccable timing arrives to complicate everything, and the ghosts of Grimloch grow restless in ways that cannot be explained and cannot be ignored, Coby finds himself drawn into a mystery that reaches from the present all the way back to the blackouts and betrayals of 1945 — and to a woman named Daisy, who has been trying to tell him something for a very long time.
The Mourning Ring is the fifth instalment in The McTavish Chronicles — a gothic mystery series soaked in Scottish atmosphere, dark humour, family chaos, and the persistent, unsettling sense that the dead are never quite as gone as we would like them to be.
Some rings are given in love. Some are given in warning. This one was given by a ghost.
When author Coby McTavish brings his family to the brooding clifftop halls of Serpent's Manor for the birth of his child, he expects chaos. He gets considerably more.
A midwife who is not what she seems. A black cat that appears from nowhere and answers to no one. A booming voice inside his head that knows things it has no right to know. And on the rocks far below the cliff's edge, discovered by accident and unearthed by a drone in the hands of a teenage boy, the skeletal remains of a young woman — along with a small, ornate, gilded ring that has been waiting in the darkness since the last year of the Second World War.
The ring carries an inscription. A date. A hidden compartment. And a message so dangerous that its owner died before she could deliver it.
As a killer stalks the manor's corridors, a detective with blue eyes and impeccable timing arrives to complicate everything, and the ghosts of Grimloch grow restless in ways that cannot be explained and cannot be ignored, Coby finds himself drawn into a mystery that reaches from the present all the way back to the blackouts and betrayals of 1945 — and to a woman named Daisy, who has been trying to tell him something for a very long time.
The Mourning Ring is the fifth instalment in The McTavish Chronicles — a gothic mystery series soaked in Scottish atmosphere, dark humour, family chaos, and the persistent, unsettling sense that the dead are never quite as gone as we would like them to be.
Some rings are given in love. Some are given in warning. This one was given by a ghost.
252 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 28, 2026
About the author
Iwan Ross
22 books24 followers
WHERE THE DEAD ARE NEVER TRULY GONE.
Iwan Ross writes atmospheric supernatural suspense infused with mystery, emotion, and dark intrigue.
His stories blend gothic settings, unsettling secrets, and deeply human characters—where the past refuses to stay buried and every truth comes at a cost.
Growing up, books became both refuge and compass, shaping the haunting, character-driven worlds he writes today. His work often explores themes of survival, belonging, and the unseen forces that linger just beneath the surface of everyday life.
He is the author of The McTavish Chronicles, including Serenity Falls, a darkly humorous gothic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands.
When not writing, Iwan works as a technical writer and lives with his wife, Marna, and their spirited Jack Russell, Benji.
Iwan Ross writes atmospheric supernatural suspense infused with mystery, emotion, and dark intrigue.
His stories blend gothic settings, unsettling secrets, and deeply human characters—where the past refuses to stay buried and every truth comes at a cost.
Growing up, books became both refuge and compass, shaping the haunting, character-driven worlds he writes today. His work often explores themes of survival, belonging, and the unseen forces that linger just beneath the surface of everyday life.
He is the author of The McTavish Chronicles, including Serenity Falls, a darkly humorous gothic thriller set in the Scottish Highlands.
When not writing, Iwan works as a technical writer and lives with his wife, Marna, and their spirited Jack Russell, Benji.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy
The Mourning Ring
is an absolute triumph — atmospheric, clever, unsettling, and utterly impossible to put down. As the fifth instalment in The McTavish Chronicles, this book proves the series is not only maintaining its magic but deepening it with every entry.
From the moment the story opens, the sense of gothic dread is irresistible. Serpent’s Manor is the perfect setting for a mystery steeped in secrets, ghosts, wartime echoes, and family chaos, and the balance between suspense, dark humour, and emotional depth is masterfully handled. The discovery of the ring and the skeletal remains below the cliffs launches a plot that is richly layered and deeply satisfying, weaving together past and present with real skill.
What makes this series so special is the way it combines chilling mystery with warmth, wit, and wonderfully human characters. Coby McTavish remains a compelling lead, and the strange, supernatural elements are woven in so naturally that they feel both eerie and believable. The wartime thread adds real poignancy, and the sense of long-buried truths rising to the surface gives the whole novel tremendous momentum.
Beautifully written, grippingly plotted, and drenched in Scottish gothic atmosphere, The Mourning Ring is one of the strongest books in the series yet. A must-read for fans of intelligent mystery, memorable characters, and ghostly intrigue.
From the moment the story opens, the sense of gothic dread is irresistible. Serpent’s Manor is the perfect setting for a mystery steeped in secrets, ghosts, wartime echoes, and family chaos, and the balance between suspense, dark humour, and emotional depth is masterfully handled. The discovery of the ring and the skeletal remains below the cliffs launches a plot that is richly layered and deeply satisfying, weaving together past and present with real skill.
What makes this series so special is the way it combines chilling mystery with warmth, wit, and wonderfully human characters. Coby McTavish remains a compelling lead, and the strange, supernatural elements are woven in so naturally that they feel both eerie and believable. The wartime thread adds real poignancy, and the sense of long-buried truths rising to the surface gives the whole novel tremendous momentum.
Beautifully written, grippingly plotted, and drenched in Scottish gothic atmosphere, The Mourning Ring is one of the strongest books in the series yet. A must-read for fans of intelligent mystery, memorable characters, and ghostly intrigue.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Scottish Gothic Mystery with Grit.
The Mourning Ring was a complete surprise. I've read every book in The McTavish Chronicles, and they all share common threads: characters, pets, and even recurring ghosts. By now, anyone familiar with the series knows Josephine. Then, the ARC email arrived. I clicked the link, and seeing the cover for the first time, my breath caught. I knew things were going to be different. And "different" is an understatement. The blurb hooked me. I put it aside, but my mind kept returning to the story, the ring, a cat, and the setting. Unable to resist, I opened the file and started reading. I'd never encountered this before: an author seamlessly blending spectral spirits of the past with modern elements. It captivated me from start to finish, keeping me guessing "whodunit" from the first page to the last. As an early reader, I won't spoil the details. This is a must-read for anyone who loves haunted manors, gothic fiction, and Scottish settings. Thanks for making me feel like part of the McTavish family. Well done, Iwan.
The Mourning Ring was a complete surprise. I've read every book in The McTavish Chronicles, and they all share common threads: characters, pets, and even recurring ghosts. By now, anyone familiar with the series knows Josephine. Then, the ARC email arrived. I clicked the link, and seeing the cover for the first time, my breath caught. I knew things were going to be different. And "different" is an understatement. The blurb hooked me. I put it aside, but my mind kept returning to the story, the ring, a cat, and the setting. Unable to resist, I opened the file and started reading. I'd never encountered this before: an author seamlessly blending spectral spirits of the past with modern elements. It captivated me from start to finish, keeping me guessing "whodunit" from the first page to the last. As an early reader, I won't spoil the details. This is a must-read for anyone who loves haunted manors, gothic fiction, and Scottish settings. Thanks for making me feel like part of the McTavish family. Well done, Iwan.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews