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Cold Bore: Operation Leith
When a retired intelligence handler asks Agnes MacRae to take one final assignment, the sixty-eight-year-old former operative agrees for one official channels are too slow, and the threat is already moving.
Edinburgh is being used as a transit point for a dangerous operation. A ship is approaching Leith, a sealed crate is waiting to change hands, and a passenger must remain hidden until the cargo reaches its next destination. With political pressure mounting and authorities unable to act on incomplete intelligence, Agnes must identify the men behind the route before the hand-off is complete.
Her only ally is Wattie Nairn, a captured signals warrant officer whose knowledge may be the key to finding the operation, and whose survival leaves him permanently indebted to her. As military police investigate from the wrong direction, Agnes works alone through Edinburgh’s streets, port roads and night ground, relying on experience, patience and a rifle she knows she may not bring home.
But the closer she gets to the truth, the more visible she becomes.
Cold Bore, Operation Leith is a tense espionage thriller about duty, age, friendship and the cost of acting when authority arrives too late. Set in Edinburgh in 2014, it is a story of quiet observation, precise violence and one woman’s refusal to let the ordinary world become collateral.
Edinburgh is being used as a transit point for a dangerous operation. A ship is approaching Leith, a sealed crate is waiting to change hands, and a passenger must remain hidden until the cargo reaches its next destination. With political pressure mounting and authorities unable to act on incomplete intelligence, Agnes must identify the men behind the route before the hand-off is complete.
Her only ally is Wattie Nairn, a captured signals warrant officer whose knowledge may be the key to finding the operation, and whose survival leaves him permanently indebted to her. As military police investigate from the wrong direction, Agnes works alone through Edinburgh’s streets, port roads and night ground, relying on experience, patience and a rifle she knows she may not bring home.
But the closer she gets to the truth, the more visible she becomes.
Cold Bore, Operation Leith is a tense espionage thriller about duty, age, friendship and the cost of acting when authority arrives too late. Set in Edinburgh in 2014, it is a story of quiet observation, precise violence and one woman’s refusal to let the ordinary world become collateral.
734 pages, Paperback
Published October 5, 2026
About the author
Rafal Burchard
47 booksRafal Burchard is a multidisciplinary professional with a career spanning martial arts, fire investigation, counselling, and leadership. His diverse interests have led him on a lifelong journey to explore the complexities of the mind and the factors that drive human behaviour.
Rafal holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology of Culture from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. He has further enhanced his academic and professional credentials with a Level 5 Service for Justice qualification, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a Diploma in Hypnotherapy, and an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. His commitment to professional development includes specialised training in fire investigation and various instructor qualifications from the fire service.
Rafal began his martial arts journey in 1990, studying Karate Kyokushin, where he achieved a 3rd Dan ranking. He has led numerous Karate and self-defence classes and has been giving private lessons since 2006. Throughout his martial arts career, he has participated in multiple tournaments in both Kata and Kumite, notably securing 2nd place in the Kyokushin-Kan Karate-Do "Baltic Cup" in 2005. In 2003, he established the Bushido School in Lublin, becoming the first in the region to teach Ken-Do and Free Running. Over the years, Rafal has also explored other martial arts systems, including Judo, Aikido, Shoulin Chi-Na, and Jeet Kune Do. He helped organise Violence De-escalation and Self-Defence training seminars with Rory Miller in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 2008 to 2014. Since 2008, Rafal has been developing The Elements System, with a focus on self-defence in contemporary contexts.
Throughout his career, Rafal has held various responsibilities, including emergency response, training and employee development, and conducting fire investigations. He is recognised for his ability to integrate an understanding of human behaviour into fire scene analysis, enhancing both the technical and psychological aspects of investigations.
In addition to his work in fire service, Rafal operates a private counselling and hypnotherapy practice, Free Your Mind Therapy, serving clients in Edinburgh and Galashiels since 2015. He specialises in trauma recovery, supporting survivors of abuse and domestic violence, and helping clients build their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Analytical thinking, a fact-based approach, and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth mark Rafal’s work. He is known for his ability to connect psychological insights with practical problem-solving, whether in fire investigation or therapeutic settings. Client testimonials highlight his empathy, effectiveness, and skill in fostering positive, lasting change.
Rafal holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology of Culture from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. He has further enhanced his academic and professional credentials with a Level 5 Service for Justice qualification, a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), a Diploma in Hypnotherapy, and an Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling. His commitment to professional development includes specialised training in fire investigation and various instructor qualifications from the fire service.
Rafal began his martial arts journey in 1990, studying Karate Kyokushin, where he achieved a 3rd Dan ranking. He has led numerous Karate and self-defence classes and has been giving private lessons since 2006. Throughout his martial arts career, he has participated in multiple tournaments in both Kata and Kumite, notably securing 2nd place in the Kyokushin-Kan Karate-Do "Baltic Cup" in 2005. In 2003, he established the Bushido School in Lublin, becoming the first in the region to teach Ken-Do and Free Running. Over the years, Rafal has also explored other martial arts systems, including Judo, Aikido, Shoulin Chi-Na, and Jeet Kune Do. He helped organise Violence De-escalation and Self-Defence training seminars with Rory Miller in Edinburgh, Scotland, from 2008 to 2014. Since 2008, Rafal has been developing The Elements System, with a focus on self-defence in contemporary contexts.
Throughout his career, Rafal has held various responsibilities, including emergency response, training and employee development, and conducting fire investigations. He is recognised for his ability to integrate an understanding of human behaviour into fire scene analysis, enhancing both the technical and psychological aspects of investigations.
In addition to his work in fire service, Rafal operates a private counselling and hypnotherapy practice, Free Your Mind Therapy, serving clients in Edinburgh and Galashiels since 2015. He specialises in trauma recovery, supporting survivors of abuse and domestic violence, and helping clients build their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Analytical thinking, a fact-based approach, and a deep commitment to personal and professional growth mark Rafal’s work. He is known for his ability to connect psychological insights with practical problem-solving, whether in fire investigation or therapeutic settings. Client testimonials highlight his empathy, effectiveness, and skill in fostering positive, lasting change.
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