What do you think?
Rate this book
Rhona MacLeod #12
Follow the Dead
"Follow the Dead is the thrilling twelfth book in Lin Anderson's Rhona MacLeod series.
On holiday in the Scottish Highlands, forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod joins a mountain rescue team on Cairngorm summit, where a mysterious plane has crash-landed on the frozen Loch A’an. Added to that, a nearby climbing expedition has left three young people dead, with a fourth still missing.
Meanwhile in Glasgow, DS McNab’s raid on the Delta Club produces far more than just a massive haul of cocaine. Questioning one of the underage girls found partying with the city’s elite reveals she was smuggled into Scotland via Norway, and it seems the crashed plane in the Cairngorms may be linked to the club. But before McNab can discover more, the girl is abducted.
Joined by Norwegian detective Alvis Olsen, who harbours disturbing theories about how the two cases are connected with his homeland, Rhona searches for the missing link. What she uncovers is a dark underworld populated by ruthless people willing to do anything to ensure the investigation dies in the frozen wasteland of the Cairngorms . . ."
On holiday in the Scottish Highlands, forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod joins a mountain rescue team on Cairngorm summit, where a mysterious plane has crash-landed on the frozen Loch A’an. Added to that, a nearby climbing expedition has left three young people dead, with a fourth still missing.
Meanwhile in Glasgow, DS McNab’s raid on the Delta Club produces far more than just a massive haul of cocaine. Questioning one of the underage girls found partying with the city’s elite reveals she was smuggled into Scotland via Norway, and it seems the crashed plane in the Cairngorms may be linked to the club. But before McNab can discover more, the girl is abducted.
Joined by Norwegian detective Alvis Olsen, who harbours disturbing theories about how the two cases are connected with his homeland, Rhona searches for the missing link. What she uncovers is a dark underworld populated by ruthless people willing to do anything to ensure the investigation dies in the frozen wasteland of the Cairngorms . . ."
400 pages, ebook
First published August 1, 2017
58 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Lin Anderson
70 books374 followersLin Anderson was born in Greenock of Scottish and Irish parents. A graduate of both Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, she has lived in many different parts of Scotland and also spent five years working in the African bush. A teacher of Mathematics and Computing, she began her writing career four years ago. Her first film, Small Love, which was broadcast on STV, was nominated for TAPS writer of the year award 2001. Her African short stories have been published in the 10th Anniversary Macallan collection and broadcast on BBC Radio Four.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 23, 2017
Lin Anderson gives us a terrific twelfth addition to the forensic examiner Dr Rhona MacLeod series set in Glasgow. We have a joint investigation with the Norwegian police from Stavanger, primarily in the form of Detective Alvis Olsen travelling to Glasgow and the Cairngorms to work with DS Michael McNab and Rhona. Rhona is on a break in Aviemore with Sean when she finds herself professionally involved with the discovery of 3 dead bodies on a snowy and icy mountain that raise her suspicions. A fourth person, Isla, is found just in time, she talks about being attacked by the mythic ice man. McNab spearheads a raid on the Delta Club which turns out to have deadly repercussions. They find an orgy taking place, involving the sexual abuse and rape of children, trafficked women, and a large amount of cocaine on the premises. McNab ends up covered in cocaine and sustains a bullet injury whilst failing to apprehend Neil Brodie.
McNab is less than happy to find himself having to work with Olsen, who believes there are Norwegian Crime connections. Over time, the pair are to discover they are much more alike than at first appears, both independent, moral and courageous men that are not easily controlled. A helicopter crash with a dead pilot suggests that there might be a link with the 3 dead bodies and the attempted murder of Isla. McNab calls for help from a childhood friend, Davey, who married Mary, a woman McNab harboured feelings for. Davey is no longer the same man, and the help he provides leaves Davey and Mary in grave danger. They are not alone as once again McNab finds himself in deadly waters. He, along with Olsen and Rhona finds the Cairngorm murders, and the Glasgow raid are indelibly connected. This is a case where drug barons, traffickers and the establishment from both sides of the North Sea are willing to do anything to evade justice.
Anderson has written a cracking and thrilling story that is testament to what a wonderful series this is. The characters are complex, and the plotting is both intricate and ingenious. Rhona is a compelling character who refuses to be pigeonholed and as for McNab, he has found himself a new girlfriend in tattooist Ellie, who he meets when he goes to be inked on his back. McNab still has feelings for Rhona, but so far they remain unrequited. I very much enjoyed the introduction of a Norwegian co-investigation, it served to invigorate what is already an outstanding series. A hugely entertaining and brilliant read which I recommend highly.
McNab is less than happy to find himself having to work with Olsen, who believes there are Norwegian Crime connections. Over time, the pair are to discover they are much more alike than at first appears, both independent, moral and courageous men that are not easily controlled. A helicopter crash with a dead pilot suggests that there might be a link with the 3 dead bodies and the attempted murder of Isla. McNab calls for help from a childhood friend, Davey, who married Mary, a woman McNab harboured feelings for. Davey is no longer the same man, and the help he provides leaves Davey and Mary in grave danger. They are not alone as once again McNab finds himself in deadly waters. He, along with Olsen and Rhona finds the Cairngorm murders, and the Glasgow raid are indelibly connected. This is a case where drug barons, traffickers and the establishment from both sides of the North Sea are willing to do anything to evade justice.
Anderson has written a cracking and thrilling story that is testament to what a wonderful series this is. The characters are complex, and the plotting is both intricate and ingenious. Rhona is a compelling character who refuses to be pigeonholed and as for McNab, he has found himself a new girlfriend in tattooist Ellie, who he meets when he goes to be inked on his back. McNab still has feelings for Rhona, but so far they remain unrequited. I very much enjoyed the introduction of a Norwegian co-investigation, it served to invigorate what is already an outstanding series. A hugely entertaining and brilliant read which I recommend highly.
September 17, 2017
I have read, and reviewed all 12 of the Rhona Macleod books. I have to say that I really enjoy them. The development of the characters, the plots, the locations and of course the brilliant writing.
However I do feel that there is something missing or not quite there with Follow the Dead. Its a very good plot and of course the characters that we are all getting to know and also the addition of new people are all excellent.
We are swept along at a fast pace brilliantly threading together the two main threads of the story culminating in the stormy seas of the North Sea.....and then suddenly its over.. one or two elements are followed to a conclusion but there are many more left hanging. I never actually give away any elements of the plots in my reviews but I do feel that the end chapters of this book left more questions than answers.
I still very much look forward with great anticipation to book #13. Maybe of course some of those unanswered questions will be answered.
However I do feel that there is something missing or not quite there with Follow the Dead. Its a very good plot and of course the characters that we are all getting to know and also the addition of new people are all excellent.
We are swept along at a fast pace brilliantly threading together the two main threads of the story culminating in the stormy seas of the North Sea.....and then suddenly its over.. one or two elements are followed to a conclusion but there are many more left hanging. I never actually give away any elements of the plots in my reviews but I do feel that the end chapters of this book left more questions than answers.
I still very much look forward with great anticipation to book #13. Maybe of course some of those unanswered questions will be answered.
October 13, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this thrilling book
August 4, 2017
I've loved all the Rhona Macleod books, and this was no exception. Fantastic book - kept me hooked all the way through. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and @OrkneyLibrary for giving us the chance to read it for a special #hurricanebookclub!
December 6, 2020
I am a huge fan of Dr Rhona Macleod. The cases she investigates are intriguing, topical, well researched and developed. A highly recommended crime series.
February 17, 2022
Set in cairngorm mountains.
Read
April 17, 2018Did not finish.
Could not get into it at all.
Could not get into it at all.
March 20, 2018
Oh my goodness, I do like a meaty book, and Follow the Dead is not only that but it also has everything I look for in a good crime novel. This isn’t in the least bit surprising as Lin Anderson is crime writing royalty. Her Rhona MacLeod books have been widely praised and for good reason. In this book, the 12th in the Rhona MacLeod series, which can easily be read as a stand-alone, Anderson has broadened her canvas to include not only the Highlands of Scotland, but also to explore the links between Norway and Scotland.
Follow the Dead is a brilliant and breathtaking story, populated with characters you want to know more about and through the course of the book, that you come to care about. Anderson takes such care with her settings; you can tell that she does extensive and immaculate research, because her vivid descriptions of mountain rescue in the Cairngorms – just one example – hum with authenticity. I’d not realised, though of course it makes perfect sense, that first responders on mountain rescues treat every scene as if it were a crime scene, which makes her choice of locations perfect for Rhona, her forensic scientist and our protagonist.
We begin our journey on a snowy New Year’s Eve in the Cairngorms. Rhona and her boyfriend, Sean, are having an Aviemore break while musician Sean plays a gig in the local hostelry. But when three dead bodies are found in a shelter on the mountain, together with a fourth body found at the site of a light aircraft crash, suspicions are more than aroused.
Meanwhile demoted DS Michael McNab, a man who never knowingly gets on with authority, leads a raid on the Glaswegian Delta Club; a raid designed to apprehend drug dealer Neil Brodie. What McNab finds is more than simple drugs abuse. They have stumbled on an horrific scene which implicates Brodie in sex trafficking, child abuse and drugs. Shot at, covered in cocaine and trying to care for a 13-year-old girl he has found at the club, McNab fails to get his man.
Meanwhile, the plane that crashed on Loch A’an in the Cairngorms is Norwegian and the Norwegian police are already convinced that one of the girls rescued from the Delta Club has been trafficked through Norway, a prime destination for a number of young refugees.
Detective Alvis Olsen, from Stavanger travels to Glasgow to work with McNab on a joint investigation and it is not long before they can see connections between the cocaine and trafficking in the Delta club and what has happened in the Cairngorms.
McNab doesn’t work too well with partners, though there are some quite telling similarities between the two men, as Rhona soon finds out.
Soon all three are embroiled in a welter of illicit activity which stretches to some of the most respected men in Scotland and Norway and links to child abuse and trafficking, and an extensive and utterly ruthless criminal network which operates across the Atlantic.
I really got caught up in this story. Anderson has that rare ability to write with real warmth and feeling for her characters, making them three-dimensional at the same time as she is leading you into the depths of a rich and intricately plotted story that both tugs at the heart and leaves you gasping with horror at the brutality.
I adore Rhona who is always her own woman and it was good to see McNab branching out a bit in his personal life too. The Norwegian element lent an additional edge to this series and the character of Alvis Olsen was a great foil to McNab’s irascibility.
Overall, this is a cracking five star read that is both dark and complex. Heartily recommended and the ppaperback is out this week. Go on , treat yourself, you know you want to….
Follow the Dead is a brilliant and breathtaking story, populated with characters you want to know more about and through the course of the book, that you come to care about. Anderson takes such care with her settings; you can tell that she does extensive and immaculate research, because her vivid descriptions of mountain rescue in the Cairngorms – just one example – hum with authenticity. I’d not realised, though of course it makes perfect sense, that first responders on mountain rescues treat every scene as if it were a crime scene, which makes her choice of locations perfect for Rhona, her forensic scientist and our protagonist.
We begin our journey on a snowy New Year’s Eve in the Cairngorms. Rhona and her boyfriend, Sean, are having an Aviemore break while musician Sean plays a gig in the local hostelry. But when three dead bodies are found in a shelter on the mountain, together with a fourth body found at the site of a light aircraft crash, suspicions are more than aroused.
Meanwhile demoted DS Michael McNab, a man who never knowingly gets on with authority, leads a raid on the Glaswegian Delta Club; a raid designed to apprehend drug dealer Neil Brodie. What McNab finds is more than simple drugs abuse. They have stumbled on an horrific scene which implicates Brodie in sex trafficking, child abuse and drugs. Shot at, covered in cocaine and trying to care for a 13-year-old girl he has found at the club, McNab fails to get his man.
Meanwhile, the plane that crashed on Loch A’an in the Cairngorms is Norwegian and the Norwegian police are already convinced that one of the girls rescued from the Delta Club has been trafficked through Norway, a prime destination for a number of young refugees.
Detective Alvis Olsen, from Stavanger travels to Glasgow to work with McNab on a joint investigation and it is not long before they can see connections between the cocaine and trafficking in the Delta club and what has happened in the Cairngorms.
McNab doesn’t work too well with partners, though there are some quite telling similarities between the two men, as Rhona soon finds out.
Soon all three are embroiled in a welter of illicit activity which stretches to some of the most respected men in Scotland and Norway and links to child abuse and trafficking, and an extensive and utterly ruthless criminal network which operates across the Atlantic.
I really got caught up in this story. Anderson has that rare ability to write with real warmth and feeling for her characters, making them three-dimensional at the same time as she is leading you into the depths of a rich and intricately plotted story that both tugs at the heart and leaves you gasping with horror at the brutality.
I adore Rhona who is always her own woman and it was good to see McNab branching out a bit in his personal life too. The Norwegian element lent an additional edge to this series and the character of Alvis Olsen was a great foil to McNab’s irascibility.
Overall, this is a cracking five star read that is both dark and complex. Heartily recommended and the ppaperback is out this week. Go on , treat yourself, you know you want to….
November 25, 2022
This fabulous book is the 12th volume of the amazing and humanlike "Rhona MacLeod" thriller series.
Storytelling is excellent, all characters are very believable and lifelike, the interchanges between various figures during the investigations, Scots and Norwegians, are very professional and human, while the story is brought vividly to life with a superbly executed storyline while this is accompanied with a very exciting plot.
At the beginning of the book, you'll find well drawn maps of Cairngorm and the Spey Valley, Scotland, while at the back you'll notice some rewarding Acknowledgements and a wonderful piece about the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team.
This thriller represents an astounding professional working relationship between Scottish and Norwegian colleagues, whether its detective or forensic, and all this in a determined attempt to catch the culprit(s) of murders, and human and cocaine trafficking.
It all starts off with the death of three young mountaineers sheltered on the Cairngorm summit, and one lost and last survivor called, Isla Crawford, while Rhona and Sean are not far away from that dreadful spot, spending their Hogmanay activities together in a place close by.
In the meantime, in Glasgow, DS Michael McNab is very busy working on the Delta Club raid, and being shot at, and that raid not only produces cocaine but also the sexual abuse of very young children, monitored and facilitated by McNab's archenemy in Glasgow, Neil Brodie.
What will follow is that soon enough a sensitive but determined working Norwegian detective, Alvis Olsen, will into the picture and join their Scottish counterparts in tracking and hopefully apprehending the culprit(s), whether it is in Scotland or Norway, and during these investigations Rhona, McNab and Olsen in particular will meet some ruthless people who'll do anything to protect their cargoes and interests, but after some very hard struggles and dangerous adventures they will in the end succeed in apprehending some of the major players, before finally settling some old scores once and for all.
Highly recommended, for this is so far, in my view, the best addition in this marvellous series, and that's why I would like to say to everyone, just grab and follow: "Rhona MacLeod's Best Outing"!
Storytelling is excellent, all characters are very believable and lifelike, the interchanges between various figures during the investigations, Scots and Norwegians, are very professional and human, while the story is brought vividly to life with a superbly executed storyline while this is accompanied with a very exciting plot.
At the beginning of the book, you'll find well drawn maps of Cairngorm and the Spey Valley, Scotland, while at the back you'll notice some rewarding Acknowledgements and a wonderful piece about the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team.
This thriller represents an astounding professional working relationship between Scottish and Norwegian colleagues, whether its detective or forensic, and all this in a determined attempt to catch the culprit(s) of murders, and human and cocaine trafficking.
It all starts off with the death of three young mountaineers sheltered on the Cairngorm summit, and one lost and last survivor called, Isla Crawford, while Rhona and Sean are not far away from that dreadful spot, spending their Hogmanay activities together in a place close by.
In the meantime, in Glasgow, DS Michael McNab is very busy working on the Delta Club raid, and being shot at, and that raid not only produces cocaine but also the sexual abuse of very young children, monitored and facilitated by McNab's archenemy in Glasgow, Neil Brodie.
What will follow is that soon enough a sensitive but determined working Norwegian detective, Alvis Olsen, will into the picture and join their Scottish counterparts in tracking and hopefully apprehending the culprit(s), whether it is in Scotland or Norway, and during these investigations Rhona, McNab and Olsen in particular will meet some ruthless people who'll do anything to protect their cargoes and interests, but after some very hard struggles and dangerous adventures they will in the end succeed in apprehending some of the major players, before finally settling some old scores once and for all.
Highly recommended, for this is so far, in my view, the best addition in this marvellous series, and that's why I would like to say to everyone, just grab and follow: "Rhona MacLeod's Best Outing"!
August 31, 2017
I met Lin at a publishing event and had a wonderful conversation with her, after which I decided I would jump straight in at this book - she assured me it was okay to start with number 12 in a series. And, I would have to agree with her, I didn't feel overly lost or confused, and even lacking the prior character development Rhona, McNab and co. all felt like fully-realised characters to me. The time the book spent in Glasgow (where I live), and the Cairngorms (where I spent many a childhood weekend), felt very vivid and real, and I enjoyed exploring the locations I know with characters who I was getting-to-know. It is a very well written crime novel, and for that I can't fault it. My own opinion of it, however, is coloured by the fact I don't overly *enjoy* crime as a genre, and I struggled with many of the "this is only a thriller because the characters keep finding things out that the narrator isn't letting me as reader know" plot developments. Maybe one or two is forgivable, but almost every chapter ending with "the character was shocked to find out that... [end scene]" and then continual reminders throughout that the character knows something you don't got a little wearing. STILL! I fully accept that this is a trope of the genre and not a fair criticism of the book on my part. If you enjoy the genre of crime, I really can recommend this book - also, Lin was a fantastic person, so that always works in a books favour in my mind!
August 17, 2017
Opening in the Cairngorms on Hogmany, Follow the Dead by Lin Anderson is the 12th book in this fantastic crime author’s Rhona MacLeod series and this dark and brutal crime novel will take you on a journey into the very heart of the disturbing drugs and people smuggling underworld and frankly leave you reeling.
Set partly in our very own Aviemore and featuring familiar names and places, this book will take you even further afield while introducing some new and rather interesting characters who I do hope we meet in further installments as I would like to learn more about them. Of course returning characters McNab and Rhona are brought starkly to life with all their flaws and brilliance by Lin Anderson, but Lin also captures the spirit of the Cairngorms and the harsh conditions it’s varying weather and climate can bring perfectly and seems to turn them into characters in their own right. They very much affect the outcome of this story and the people in it in much the same way as they affect the real lives of people who find themselves on these beautiful, and sometimes dangerous, mountains.
This crime novel is going to delight fans of Lin Anderson and anyone who hasn’t discovered her books yet needs to get cracking! A wonderful Scottish crime author who I recommend to fans of the likes of Ian Rankin, Val McDermi, Stuart MacBride etc.
Set partly in our very own Aviemore and featuring familiar names and places, this book will take you even further afield while introducing some new and rather interesting characters who I do hope we meet in further installments as I would like to learn more about them. Of course returning characters McNab and Rhona are brought starkly to life with all their flaws and brilliance by Lin Anderson, but Lin also captures the spirit of the Cairngorms and the harsh conditions it’s varying weather and climate can bring perfectly and seems to turn them into characters in their own right. They very much affect the outcome of this story and the people in it in much the same way as they affect the real lives of people who find themselves on these beautiful, and sometimes dangerous, mountains.
This crime novel is going to delight fans of Lin Anderson and anyone who hasn’t discovered her books yet needs to get cracking! A wonderful Scottish crime author who I recommend to fans of the likes of Ian Rankin, Val McDermi, Stuart MacBride etc.
August 27, 2017
FOLLOW THE DEAD is the 12th book in Lin Anderson’s Rhona MacLeod series. I have read all 12 books in the series and have enjoyed each and every one. I hope to see Rhona (and Company) again soon.
Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod is in the Scottish Highlands with her on again/off again partner Sean and is asked to observe the local mountain rescue team in action as they look for a missing mountaineering group. They stumble upon a crashed plane with (of course) a dead body near by. The area has been blanketed with a ferocious blizzard and high winds which hamper rescue efforts and forensic details.
Tie this discovery in with DS McNab’s recent raid on a ‘gentleman’s club’ in Glasgow; evidence of drugs and human trafficking; a link to Norway; the Norwegian detective, Alvis Olsen sent to investigate the Scotland-Norway link and one has a suspenseful, thrilling investigation by DS McNab, Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod, Norwegian detective Alvis Olsen and the lovely Chrissy and tech specialist Ollie.
The writing is very descriptive and fast-paced, the sense of place is *****Star and the (now very familiar to me) characters are smart, industrious, loyal and fearless.
I quite liked reading about the local mountains and scenery - The Cairngorm Peaks (Macdui, Cairngorm, Braeriach, CairnToul). Also, a great map. A great, well-written, interesting series.
Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod is in the Scottish Highlands with her on again/off again partner Sean and is asked to observe the local mountain rescue team in action as they look for a missing mountaineering group. They stumble upon a crashed plane with (of course) a dead body near by. The area has been blanketed with a ferocious blizzard and high winds which hamper rescue efforts and forensic details.
Tie this discovery in with DS McNab’s recent raid on a ‘gentleman’s club’ in Glasgow; evidence of drugs and human trafficking; a link to Norway; the Norwegian detective, Alvis Olsen sent to investigate the Scotland-Norway link and one has a suspenseful, thrilling investigation by DS McNab, Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod, Norwegian detective Alvis Olsen and the lovely Chrissy and tech specialist Ollie.
The writing is very descriptive and fast-paced, the sense of place is *****Star and the (now very familiar to me) characters are smart, industrious, loyal and fearless.
I quite liked reading about the local mountains and scenery - The Cairngorm Peaks (Macdui, Cairngorm, Braeriach, CairnToul). Also, a great map. A great, well-written, interesting series.
December 28, 2022
3.5 stars
I took a wrong book on vacation and I had to pick up something in AirB&B (something the previous guests left). This was it... and well, I kind of liked it.
Reading about winter storms in Scotland and North Sea during the tropical vacation was very, hm, refreshing :-) I liked the main character and her casual approach to work, life, and sex - whatever happens, let it happen. The book #12 in the series, but I didn't feel lost, and I was able to connect to the story and the long history woven in the previous books. And the author managed to do it without simply repeating the "short summary", but leaving clues and hints throughout the story. Also, the author doesn't enjoy describing the atrocities and found a good way to deal with the "indescribable".
It didn't make 4 stars, because a) I hate when the mystery story uses the trick like "and she told him everything." She told him, but the reader is left in the dark. Although the author shows the most private thoughts of every character, this particular piece of information is forbidden. I think it's very lame. And in this book it was used multiple times for the same piece of information (I counted at least four). b) That forbidden piece of information wasn't that hard to guess.
Overall, I liked the characters and the scenery more than the story itself. I might try the first book in the series to see how it all startd.
I took a wrong book on vacation and I had to pick up something in AirB&B (something the previous guests left). This was it... and well, I kind of liked it.
Reading about winter storms in Scotland and North Sea during the tropical vacation was very, hm, refreshing :-) I liked the main character and her casual approach to work, life, and sex - whatever happens, let it happen. The book #12 in the series, but I didn't feel lost, and I was able to connect to the story and the long history woven in the previous books. And the author managed to do it without simply repeating the "short summary", but leaving clues and hints throughout the story. Also, the author doesn't enjoy describing the atrocities and found a good way to deal with the "indescribable".
It didn't make 4 stars, because a) I hate when the mystery story uses the trick like "and she told him everything." She told him, but the reader is left in the dark. Although the author shows the most private thoughts of every character, this particular piece of information is forbidden. I think it's very lame. And in this book it was used multiple times for the same piece of information (I counted at least four). b) That forbidden piece of information wasn't that hard to guess.
Overall, I liked the characters and the scenery more than the story itself. I might try the first book in the series to see how it all startd.
December 11, 2017
I have read all of Lin Anderson’s Rhona MacLeod crime novels and this is possibly my favourite one so far. What a superb setting, The mountains can be harsh and dangerous especially in winter. It’s New Year and three climbers have been found dead under the Shelter Stone on Cairngorm. Rhona has been asked to accompany the mountain rescue team to ascertain what happened. The mystery deepens as a plane has crashed into a nearby loch and there is no sign of the pilot.
Miles away in Glasgow D.S McNab is caught up in another serious incident involving both drug smuggling and human trafficking. In a complex and fast paced plot it appears that both cases are linked. I liked the new character of Alvis Olsen of the Norwegian police who works with them to bring the ruthless and dangerous people behind it.
Lin Anderson makes you realise that there are people in society who are happy to exploit others and will go to extreme lengths to protect their interests and accumulation of wealth. I found it disturbing and I read it over a short time as I found it quite compelling. Highly recommended.
Miles away in Glasgow D.S McNab is caught up in another serious incident involving both drug smuggling and human trafficking. In a complex and fast paced plot it appears that both cases are linked. I liked the new character of Alvis Olsen of the Norwegian police who works with them to bring the ruthless and dangerous people behind it.
Lin Anderson makes you realise that there are people in society who are happy to exploit others and will go to extreme lengths to protect their interests and accumulation of wealth. I found it disturbing and I read it over a short time as I found it quite compelling. Highly recommended.
December 22, 2019
How the reviewers could possibly conflate Ian Rankin's brilliant Rebus texts with Anderson's is beyond me. Her plots are ludricrous, her dialogue flimsy, and the use of italics. . .please don't do this.
McNab is just another in the long list of maverick detectives bucking the system, and as for Rhona, if we're going to do a female forensic specialist, try Kathy Reichs; she's infinitely better. As for Rhona's hopping into bed with Alvis, well, I suppose there's the obligatory scene, but why. . .Oh, I see, he has lost his wife who was conveniently Scottish. . .yawn.
I expect better of Scottish writers and as an avid reader of BritLit, I feel that Anderson is really not up to par as a mystery writer, a thriller writer, or a writer of fiction, generally.
But then, what are those positive reviews saying about the state of fiction as a whole? It seems to take little to entertain some readers who might be better off reading other writers from the U.K. such as Pat Barker or Hilary Mantel. The mystery is, why would anyone find real pleasure in the work of Anderson which reads more like a screenplay than good fiction.
McNab is just another in the long list of maverick detectives bucking the system, and as for Rhona, if we're going to do a female forensic specialist, try Kathy Reichs; she's infinitely better. As for Rhona's hopping into bed with Alvis, well, I suppose there's the obligatory scene, but why. . .Oh, I see, he has lost his wife who was conveniently Scottish. . .yawn.
I expect better of Scottish writers and as an avid reader of BritLit, I feel that Anderson is really not up to par as a mystery writer, a thriller writer, or a writer of fiction, generally.
But then, what are those positive reviews saying about the state of fiction as a whole? It seems to take little to entertain some readers who might be better off reading other writers from the U.K. such as Pat Barker or Hilary Mantel. The mystery is, why would anyone find real pleasure in the work of Anderson which reads more like a screenplay than good fiction.
March 26, 2023
From the Goodreads Blurb: On holiday in the Scottish Highlands, forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod joins a mountain rescue team on Cairngorm summit, where a mysterious plane has crash-landed on the frozen Loch A’an. Added to that, a nearby climbing expedition has left three young people dead, with a fourth still missing.
My first encounter with Lin Anderson's work. It looks like we may have a new series to add to our Read-aloud Collection...
This was book #12 in the series so there was a lot of history already behind the cast of characters. I got a bit muddled sometimes — at one point I didn't realize that there two boats out in that terrible North Sea storm, not one — but Anderson does a good job of keeping the reader oriented.
The mountain adventure / misadventure is just the start of a very complicated series of events, but again, Anderson handles all the bits and pieces skillfully.
I have already ordered the first and second book in the series.
My first encounter with Lin Anderson's work. It looks like we may have a new series to add to our Read-aloud Collection...
This was book #12 in the series so there was a lot of history already behind the cast of characters. I got a bit muddled sometimes — at one point I didn't realize that there two boats out in that terrible North Sea storm, not one — but Anderson does a good job of keeping the reader oriented.
The mountain adventure / misadventure is just the start of a very complicated series of events, but again, Anderson handles all the bits and pieces skillfully.
I have already ordered the first and second book in the series.
November 20, 2017
Tedious.
The first 30% of the book were interesting, but after that the narrative jumped all over the place leaving this reader dazed and confused. This was my first Lin Anderson book and it will be my last for the following reasons
1. Unlikable main characters, tortuous plot with too many illogical jumps.
2. Unexplained loose ends. What did the dead raptors have to do with the plot?
3. Over 90 short chapters, each one ending halfway down a page. This leaves half a page of white space. This is becoming a favourite way for some authors to increase page count without increasing word count. Do the maths, 90 x 0.5 = 45 pages devoted to white space!
Not impressed.
The first 30% of the book were interesting, but after that the narrative jumped all over the place leaving this reader dazed and confused. This was my first Lin Anderson book and it will be my last for the following reasons
1. Unlikable main characters, tortuous plot with too many illogical jumps.
2. Unexplained loose ends. What did the dead raptors have to do with the plot?
3. Over 90 short chapters, each one ending halfway down a page. This leaves half a page of white space. This is becoming a favourite way for some authors to increase page count without increasing word count. Do the maths, 90 x 0.5 = 45 pages devoted to white space!
Not impressed.
August 10, 2017
Just finished the uncorrected proof so no spoilers. Lin Anderson is going from strength to strength with this series. We have a complicated plot expertly narrated, contemporary subject manner, and a setting both beautiful and deadly. I really liked the way she used the natural elements to create atmosphere and express emotion in this book.
Good use of myth, longing and bereavement to make the reader question what is real.
All the old gang is here; Bill, Sean, Chrissie, McNab and some new, very interesting characters.
Highly recommended for a suspenseful read.
Good use of myth, longing and bereavement to make the reader question what is real.
All the old gang is here; Bill, Sean, Chrissie, McNab and some new, very interesting characters.
Highly recommended for a suspenseful read.
March 8, 2018
When you’re off centre for some things, you might the right in the middle of it, for something else. In this the 12th installment of the Rhona MacLeod crimes novels (but still going strong), the forensic scientist gets involved in a case that reminds us the water is also a connector (even if less than before) and as remote as Scotland can be, it is also a surprsibgly close neighbor to Norway. And this story involves all sorts of horrid international crimes.
If you haven’t read any of the series before, you can still start here!
If you haven’t read any of the series before, you can still start here!
January 31, 2019
I have read this series in order, when I started I thought they were good crime stories with decent characters. Each one was rewarded with 3 stars from me, light fiction rarely gets more than 3 from me.
However the last few have been predictable, too much repetition of past story lines and unexciting, therefore rewarded with 2 stars.
This last one has changed my view completely same characters and some new ones added to the mix. Set in the Cairngorms, Glasgow and Norway, believable up to date plots, drug and people
smuggling great read. Will look forward to the next one.
However the last few have been predictable, too much repetition of past story lines and unexciting, therefore rewarded with 2 stars.
This last one has changed my view completely same characters and some new ones added to the mix. Set in the Cairngorms, Glasgow and Norway, believable up to date plots, drug and people
smuggling great read. Will look forward to the next one.
December 31, 2024
Lin Anderson writes brilliant crime fiction. This book is another great example of her work and links together Glasgow, the Scottish highlands and Norway in a way that keeps you reading long after you should have gone to bed/work/caught a train/got off a bus etc etc. her cast of characters are likeable and interesting and make you want to invest in them and what happens to them. This book centres on human trafficking and drugs and the involvement of the criminal underworld in both. Another compulsive read from a brilliant writer.
October 29, 2020
Although this title precedes the two in the series that I read earlier, I felt that it operated better as a stand-alone, although perhaps that was because I was already familiar with Rhona MacLeod and DS Michael McNab.
The story emphasises the connections between Scotland and Norway, not just the geographic one of the North Sea, but also the tough conditions, and the shared crimes.
This is certainly a series that I will return to again.
The story emphasises the connections between Scotland and Norway, not just the geographic one of the North Sea, but also the tough conditions, and the shared crimes.
This is certainly a series that I will return to again.
March 14, 2023
Rhona is in Aviemore at Hogmanay with Sean [I wish she'd get rid of him] and gets invited out on a search and rescue shout.
She finds a survivor of an incident where a norwegian criminal has killed three friends.
Drugs and people smuggling are at the root of his activities. These tie in with McNab's drug haul in Glasgow at Hogmanay too.
This was another enjoyable read and the next in the series has been ordered from the library already.
She finds a survivor of an incident where a norwegian criminal has killed three friends.
Drugs and people smuggling are at the root of his activities. These tie in with McNab's drug haul in Glasgow at Hogmanay too.
This was another enjoyable read and the next in the series has been ordered from the library already.
October 4, 2023
This author was recommended by a friend. I have become addicted to this series and will stick with it to number 17. In my mind Lin Anderson is the English counterpart to Jo Nesbo. The cast of psychotic murders and the damaged relationships of those who are so capable at ferreting them out is mesmerizing. Also love the wonderful landscape descriptions which capture ones imagination. Peculiarly a friend is just now on her way to Skye.
August 21, 2018
This series was not up to much. The characters just dotted all the i's and crosssed the t's with out much ado. It may be do to an anticipation set too high by me. NO! Sizzle and no meat. The bad guy was found out and instead of some fireworks with the heros he just ended up dead. He had so many questions to answer but we never knew. Not my fav.
September 12, 2018
As always a great read. I love a main character who gets themselves into dangerous situations so you have to keep reading to find out what happens. In this you have two for the price of one, with Rhona and Michael both, as usual, taking a risk. I love the dynamics of the relationships, as well as the intensity of the stories in the Rhona Macleod series.
February 28, 2021
This is the third Lin Anderson Rhona Macleod novel I've read and this was the one I enjoyed the most. I like the way how in each book Anderson takes the reader to a different part of Scotland - from Glasgow to Orkney and now to Norway via Cairngorm.
Anderson plots well and has an interesting range of principal characters. The villains are pretty villainous too!
Anderson plots well and has an interesting range of principal characters. The villains are pretty villainous too!
August 21, 2017
Another cracking read from Lin Anderson
I especially enjoyed the Aviemore detailed descriptions. Felt right in amongst the climbing fraternity. Also a great buildup of excitement on the sea voyage . Plus a fabulous new love interest for McNab.
I especially enjoyed the Aviemore detailed descriptions. Felt right in amongst the climbing fraternity. Also a great buildup of excitement on the sea voyage . Plus a fabulous new love interest for McNab.
November 15, 2017
I enjoy the Rhona Mcleod series and this one's setting in Cairngorms ,Glasgow and Norway combines both Tartan and Scandi noir. Just up my street. Word as stand alone but you'll miss the richness and complexity of characters and their relationships.
November 29, 2017
Lots going on in this story and it's certainly a quick read. Perhaps not as enjoyable as the previous Lin Anderson story featuring Rhona and McNabb, but I will continue to read more by this author now I have discovered her.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews