Watch Him Die

Narey & Winter #8

by Craig Robertson

The gripping new novel from the acclaimed author of Murderabilia and The Photographer, both longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize

Evil found its twin despite there being an ocean between Matthew Clelland and Ethan Garland.
One is dead but the dying has only just begun.
The search is on for dead bodies in Los Angeles. The hunt is on for live victims in Glasgow.
Meanwhile, the world is watching as a young man slowly dies in front of their eyes.

Praise for Craig
'Brilliantly and sensitively written' Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Thirteen
'Craig Robertson’s Narey and Winter series goes from strength to strength, and this latest instalment is the most compelling. Brace yourself to be horrified and hooked' Eva Dolan
'I can't recommend this book highly enough' Martina Cole
'Fantastic characterisation, great plotting, page-turning and gripping. The best kind of intelligent and moving crime fiction writing' Luca Veste
'Powerfully and stylishly written. Recommended' Steve Mosby
'Takes the reader on a wickedly entertaining ride through a fascinatingly sinister world' Sunday Mirror
 

Genres: Thriller, Crime, Mystery

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2020

About the author

During his 20-year career with a Scottish Sunday newspaper, Craig Robertson has interviewed three recent Prime Ministers; attended major stories including 9/11, Dunblane, the Omagh bombing and the disappearance of Madeleine McCann; been pilloried on breakfast television, beaten Oprah Winfrey to a major scoop, been among the first to interview Susan Boyle, spent time on Death Row in the USA and dispensed polio drops in the backstreets of India.

Reviews

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this one hooked me in right from the start and gripped me to the very end. How does a dead body in a district of Los Angeles link to a missing girl that DI Rachel Narey is investigating in Glasgow.? Unexpectedly, link they do in this well written and fascinating novel and is told in alternating storylines from the investigation in LA by Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O’Neill and in Glasgow by Rachel Narey.

This is a really clever multiple murder mystery which unfolds extremely well. The pace is excellent and there are no occasions where it slackens off, it’s high octane all the way. The dialogue is great, realistic and peppered with some black humour. The characters are well portrayed on whichever side of the law they lie. The plot is gritty and well thought out. I especially like how it links to famous past cases in LA, makes references to infamous serial killer cases and to crimes thought to be solved in Scotland. Its extremely twisty and gets twistier as it goes along. There’s a psychological element to the investigation in Scotland where the police talk online to a suspect and this is excellent as he tantalises them with evidence but is it truth or deception? They have to pick it apart to try to work that out. This adds to the tension which ramps up as we reach the conclusion which is particularly tense, chilling and surprising.

Overall, I’ve read a few of the Narey series before and really liked them but in my opinion this is the best. Highly recommended to fans of this genre.

Many thanks to NetGalley and especially to Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

DI Rachel Neary #8

Set in LA and Glasgow. Evil found it's twin despite there being an ocean between them. The search is on for dead bodies in Los Angeles. The hunt is on for live victims in Glasgow.

Detectives are working on cases that are interlinked somehow. The book has been cleverly crafted. Its fast paced from the beginning and I was drawn into the story straight away. There's multiple murders and twists. There's also some dark humour. There's some references to infamous cases in LA and Scotland. Although this is the eighth book in the series, it did read well as a standalone.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author Craig Robertson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary Picken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! This one is a doozie. I mean that in a good way. Watch Him Die puts a capital N into Noir. A high concept thriller that really ticks all of my many boxes when it comes to enjoyment of a crime thriller.

Set in both Glasgow and Los Angeles, Robertson has come up with a concept that makes this really work in a way I hadn’t thought possible. D.I. Rachel Narey is looking for Eloise Grey, though she worries it’s a body she’s looking for, so she’s also looking for Grey’s former boyfriend, a man well acquainted with violent confrontations, Tam Harkness.

Los Feliz cops Mario Kovacic and Carlos Rojo make a routine visit to a house where Ethan Garland has died, believed to be from natural causes. What they find when inspecting the house chills them to the bone and they bring in Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O’Neill. It soon becomes clear that they have chanced upon a deadly game…one that will end with someone else dying in front of their eyes if they can’t stop the killer and find the victim in time.

Robertson has come up with a serial killer thriller that is captivating and spine-chilling. Neatly tying in with the theme of one of his earlier books, Murderabilia, Robertson increases the depth of his Noir writing by bringing in to the investigation one of the most notorious L.A. murders of all time.

Though set on both sides of the Atlantic, the dominant story is Rachel Narey’s. When the L.A. cops discover that their dead man has been up to seriously nefarious wrongdoing and they find the murderabilia items, they also discover that the dead man has been researching individuals in Scotland; and that’s when Rachel Narey is read into their investigation.

The L.A. Detectives make for a good contrast with the dogged and intrepid Narey and their personalities are likeable, making the reader feel comfortable with them even as they are uncovering a lot of gruesome information.

Robertson gives the reader a countdown to death and ratchets up the tension as Rachel Narey interrogates the clues for anything that can bring her closer to finding a warped serial killer whose pleasure comes from watching his victims die. Her interactions with an unnamed, faceless killer are riveting and the insight that Robertson offers into the mind of a psychopathic killer is a little worrying, but I’m just going to put that down to good research and striving for and succeeding in getting, authenticity.

Cleverly combining serial murders with a twisty plot and dark and somewhat macabre humour, Robertson pulls the whole book together with flair and panache to make a seriously good multiple murder mystery playing out against a timer where the sand is rapidly running out.

Verdict: With pace and style, Robertson provides an intelligent and nail biting chase full of excellent, snappy dialogue, great characters and above all, a brilliant and original premise. A must read from me.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much better then I thought it would be. Just picked it up on a whim, not having huge hopes for it. This was such an intense and thrilling book that left be questioning to the end and it was so fun figuring out the story. Would definitely read more by Craid Robertson in the future. I'll copy what it was saying in the book store page because I think it sells it very well: "Only one person can save you. And he wants you dead." if that dosent sound intruging, I don't know what will! I don't like the cover and this is definitely a "don't judge a book by its cover" type of book!

[Nick Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. With the ambitious plot linking murders in LA and in Glasgow, there seemed to be a little 'extra' with this that raised it above the run-of-the-mill police procedural. This maybe felt necessary because unlike some of the preceding novels in the series, and maybe some of my other favourite Scottish authors, I didn't find the writing particularly noteworthy - just very confident and competent in telling a good story. At times the pace was slightly odd, but the characters - the main few in particular - were interesting and pulled this story along at a good pace.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a confirmed fan of Craig Robertson’s Glasgow based crime series featuring DI Rachel Narey, which unfailingly combine all the elements of a solid police procedural and some truly unsettling investigations. With Watch Him Die, Robertson has totally smashed it out of the park, by introducing a new element into what was an already pretty fine series. The book cleverly combines a joint investigation between Narey’s own team, and that of two detectives from the LAPD. Opening with the discovery of a body in a Los Angeles neighbourhood, which then leads to the pursuit of a killer thousands of miles away, there are so many elements to this book which grabbed my attention.

Starting with the American core of the story, Robertson stealthily immerses us in a world of serial killer obsession, referencing historic cases and how a deep fascination with crimes of others can heighten someone’s natural propensity to kill. Then the LA investigation itself which introduces us to a cop partnership that feels completely authentic, mirrored by the language they use, and how they conduct their investigation. I was strongly reminded of the style of Chris Carter whose Hunter/ Garcia series treads similar ground, and loved the way that Robertson puts his own stamp on this genre of crime writing, with heinous and inventive murders. This is all underscored by a real attention to detail in terms of his depiction of Los Angeles itself, which becomes of itself a third cog in the story. As the investigations diverge and Narey and her Glasgow colleagues become involved, the author flips back to the familiarity of his series, but imbued with some lovely compare and contrasts, as investigative minds become united across the ocean. I thought Watch Him Die was brilliantly plotted, increasing and decreasing the tension superbly as the investigation flips and develops from one location to the other. I liked the relatively cliché free depiction of a serial killer investigation, but also the sly moments of humour in the face of incomparable stress for our intrepid detectives. Another runner in the Top Ten reads sweepstake, and a thoroughly enjoyable change of direction in an already excellent series. Highly recommended.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admission of guilt time ..... this is the first book by Craig Robertson that I've read. I have no idea why, I've known of the author for years, in fact I've sat in his company many times, glass of gin in hand, listening to his stories. I do have more of his books on my shelf, I will most certainly be reading those as soon as possible.

Watch Him Die is part of the Narey and Winter series, however it really can be read as a stand alone story. I had absolutely no problem in following the plot and in getting to know the characters, it's incredibly well done.

There used to be a rollercoaster at Alton Towers called the Black Hole (it may still be there, I'm not sure). That rollercoaster was undercover and you rode it in darkness. The rider had absolutely no idea where they were going, it twisted and turned and went upside down, leaving the rider feeling totally out of control. That's how I felt when I was reading Watch Him Die. At no time at all did I have an inkling of where this story was going, I was constantly mislead, constantly turned upside down and it was an absolutely thrilling ride to take.

The reader is put firmly in the middle of two separate investigations; one in Los Angeles, led by LAPD Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O'Neill, and the other case is being played out in Glasgow, with DI Rachel Narey heading it up.

These cases are particularly complex and incredibly violent, be prepared for body parts and torture, and also brace yourself for some desperately evil and warped characters; so cruel, so totally self absorbed but so perfectly created.

As the Scottish team begin to work more closely with the detectives in America, their separate cases begin to weave themselves into each other. Why did that dead man in LA own so many gruesome artefacts that are related to serial killers, and why was he searching for names in Scotland?

Theres' an incredible tension that gets stronger and stronger as the clock literally ticks toward something that is being played out in front of the police officers. There cannot be a truer meaning to the phrase 'hidden in plain sight' than what is happening to one man, in an unknown location who desperately needs help. As the police slowly link together the pieces of this macabre jigsaw, the reader is urging them on.

This author seems to have got into the mind of a serial murderer so well. There's dialogue between the police and a guy hidden behind an on-screen name that is so chilling, it gave me goose bumps. It's clear that there's been an incredible amount of research done into the dissection of narrative and the meaning behind phrases; incredibly clever and adds so depth to the story.

Watch Him Die is absolutely absorbing. The sense of place, of LA and of Glasgow is perfect. It's unsettling yet compelling. Totally unputdownable. Highly recommended by me

[Elaine Tomasso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy of Watch Him Die, the eighth novel to feature DI Rachel Narey of Police Scotland.

In LA Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O’Neill are called out to a death which seems natural but leaves them deeply uneasy when they examine the house. In Glasgow Rachel Narey is looking hard for Eloise Grey and even harder at her suspected killer. In LA the dead man’s computer leads to a hunt for a kidnap victim and provides a link to Glasgow.

I thoroughly enjoyed Watch Him Die which is an absorbing police procedural with several good twists and amusing dialogue. The narrative switches between LA and Glasgow but with two albeit linked, plot lines it is not in the least distracting but compelling as they feed each other and whet the appetite for more. The plot is quite unusual although not totally original and the author does a great job with it. I never knew what was coming next and felt surprised at every turn. And, no, I’m not going to elaborate on this as it could offer spoilers. I also liked the way the most famous unsolved murder in LA history was woven into the plot - it makes for great reading and had me going unto it didn’t.

This is a great read with an easy to read style and, despite the subject matter, a certain warmth due to the camaraderie between the detectives and their amusing exchanges. I am a Glaswegian so there is the added joy of familiar locations, mindset and dialogue but the LA side is also addictive.

This series started out with Rachel’s husband, journalist Tony Winter, taking centre stage but in this one he has little contribution to make. To be honest I prefer a straightforward police procedural and Rachel is my kind of detective, dedicated, tough and takes no prisoners.

Watch Him Die is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay - so while this is part of the Narey and Winter series, it's safe to say that this story really belongs to Rachel Narey. The focus is largely on her and an investigation that she finds herself caught up in. That;s not so to say that Winter does not play an important part in the story, and some would argue the most important part given that he is predominantly at home looking after their child, but it is a seemingly minor narrative point, rather than a full on involvement in the investigation. Of course this only applies to the part of the story set in Glasgow as there is a concurrent storyline, one which feeds into Rachel's case in a rather disturbing way, and in which we meet LAPD Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O'Neill.

I love how these two stories intersect. In one we are faced with a search for a missing woman, in the other it is a search of another kind. The search for a young man who is both missing and yet 'in plain sight ...' It is the series of little discoveries that occur after the Detectives are called of an apparent scene of death by natural causes, some morbidly fascinating, others that can only be described as grotesque, that really drew me into the story. With a nod to some of the most notorious real-life crimes that have occured in the US, this. was a book that absolutely had me hooked from the very beginning and kept me glued to the pages right to the very end.

This is kind of a ticking-clock mystery that really keeps you on edge. There is an overwhelming sense of edginess from the start, that absolute creep factor that comes from the moment the first body (natural death guy) is discovered. It is so hard to talk about why without giving too much away but it is safe to say that this guy is a collector with an unnatural obsession for serial killers and cult true-crime figures, with a hobby which may or may not have appeared in one of Craig Robertson's earlier titles ... His obsession leads him to making a kind of pact, one with very dark and murderous consequences. From the initial discovery, and the subsequent search of the dead man's home, comes a sense of urgency one that is exacerbated as the full extent of the case becomes clear. From here there is a real race against time in an investigation which brings our two LA heroes right to the door of DI Rachel Narey. It becomes less locked room mystery (the manner of impending death is all too clear and available to the Detectives in glorious technicolor) but definitely a hidden room mystery as they strive to find not only the who but the where.

This is not a warm and cosy read, some of what happens certainly makes for the odd grimace, with a more than generous ewww factor. But i loved the way in which the author blends crime fact with crime fiction, using one of the the most infamous unsolved cases of the past hundred years as a backdrop for this investigation. Keen fans of true crime will spot the links pretty quickly, those of a curious but less well read nature, will be able to look the relevant cases up on line. It makes for sombre reading. None of the cases are glamourized here, it's not that kind of book, but it does bring into question the psychology of a serial killer, a subject which clearly fascinates the author and is used to thrilling effect here.

It is so hard to convey all the things I absolutely loved about this book without giving too much of the plot away so I will say this. Considering that over half of the book features new characters, taking the focus away from our favourite Narey/Winter combo, I was drawn in in immediately. I liked Salgado and O'Neill, liked their contrasting but complimentary characteristics. They felt real to me very quickly and I was more than content in their company. The story set me in mind of the movie Untraceable a little, only instead of appealing to the macabre tendencies of the world wide web, these murders had a very select audience. The nod to real life crimes, using both setting and circumstance to inform the. story made me both horrified and satisfied in equal measure and added a layer of authenticity to the story. Basically it really just worked perfectly for me on every single level.

Which is why I have to give it one of these.

My red hot reads badge. I read this book in one afternoon, finding myself absolutely glued to the story until I turned the very last page (or clicked - it was on an e-reader don't you know). As I felt the tension rising, the final moments until the story reached its oh so dramatic conclusion making me sit up straight, and even start leaning forward, in my chair, I could feel the smile on my face growing wider. There are so many little touches - the snappy chapters, the spot on dialogue, the use of little cutaway scenes in which it is clear that the killer is lining up their next victim - that keep you right on the edge of that last nerve that you won't want to walk away. It is almost a relief to have the one final moment of calm, a breather to let you come down after an increasingly nerve-wracking story. A very satisfying conclusion.

Now this may have been a while in the making, but no need to apologise Mr Robertson. It was absolutely worth the wait.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted and dark

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure whether it was the UK/US split between stories or that it's been a while but this felt a long way from the early Rachael Nary/Tony Winter books I much enjoyed. And is a distance from the sort of crime I nowadays enjoy.

Neither of which is to take away from the impressive intricacy of the plotting and the skill of the telling of the tale. Just didn't work for me.

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but I was quite bothered by the narrator. I think I would have enjoyed it much more had I read it instead of listened to the audiobook.

[Miss R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Craig Robertson really has talent to burn. 'Watch Him Die' is one of the most pulsating thrillers you will read this year. Moreover, for those who expect instant gratification from their nightly read, fear not, because this latest Robertson masterpiece will have you hooked from the get-go. It doesn't let up neither. Every page is revelatory with nothing included that is superfluous to the plot. It is not often you read a book without some sort of 'padding', but Robertson eschews such banalities in his meticulously structured narratives. The prose flows, the plotting is flawless, devilishly clever and utterly addictive. 'Watch Him Die' has all the classic Robertson trademarks. Indeed, this is a stylish, high-concept thriller that involves a string of gruesome murders on both sides of the Atlantic. Joining DI Rachel Narey in the hunt for the killer[s] are Detectives Bryan Salgado and Cally O’Neill of the LAPD. By pure happenstance one of the killers have been identified, but another stalks the internet for more victims... Who is he? More importantly: how will Narey et al. catch him? Prepare yourself for a dark and twisty - if not twisted - journey to the truth. Intelligent, thrilling, compelling and oozing with menace. One of the top thrillers of 2020 so far.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic novel from Craig Robertson, possibly the best in the series, an absolute slam dunk. This can be read as a stand alone - often that’s said and isn’t really true as the back story features, but in this one the back story isn’t a feature and doesn’t matter, so it’s truly a stand alone - and if you’ve never read this author before, hopefully you’ll go back and read them from the beginning.
My reviews never cover the plot, but this skilfully deals with events in LA and Glasgow and never misses a beat. I absolutely loved it and both wanted to know what happened and feared the end as I wanted to keep reading it and keep reading it....but I wasn't disappointed in the ending and just wish now I hadn’t read it, so that I still had it to look forward to....
Thoroughly recommended!

[Mona Chergui · Rating 5 out of 5]

A dead body is found in LA, and a woman is missing in Glasgow. Two unrelated crimes, until a link is established.

I really enjoyed the dual narrative, and found the pace really picked up after the link was made between the 2 bodies. The grittiness of Glasgow was excepted, but the LA presented was definitely not the shiny Hollywood type of LA I was expecting.

There were some great twists I didn't see coming in the last few chapters. So definitely great for anyone who likes a crime thriller. If I had any critique it's the fact it took nearly 200 pages for a clear link to be established between the 2 crimes. Before this happened the pace was a bit of a plod for my liking. However overall a good read.

NB this seems to be a series of books with the same detectives. I haven't read any of the others, and it felt like a stand alone book. If there was any backstory to the 2 lead detectives, I didn't feel I missed it to enjoy the read.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably at 4.5 as straight away I was hooked. Despite the two different locations with some twists and turns, it is easy to follow. There are a lot of details to keep in mind and they are drip fed to you with enough reminders to keep you up to speed. This is an excellent serial killer thriller portraying the like minds of evil predators on either side of the pond. At times I thought the detectives were acting a little slowly considering the urgency of the case but the closing chapters formed one of the most satisfying moments in a long time.

[Emma Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a fan of Craig Robertson and have read the rest of this series but this one still managed to be fresh. This one is very Narey led with Winter taking very much a back seat.
I really enjoyed the darkness of this one, the introduction of new characters and the communication of different forces over video call feels very of the moment.
Good solid police procedural with twists, turns, allusions to unsolved cases you have an awareness of and plenty surprises.

[Stephen Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and worrying, Robertson’s uniting of two police forces in U.S and Scotland demonstrates the best aspects of modern policing in terms of criminology and technology. It became increasingly difficult to put this book down as the clock counts down on identifying those responsible - and those whose lives depends on two strong female protagonists solving the case. Well deserving of his nomination for McIlvanney Crime Book of the Year.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

[Martha Brindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Set between LA and Glasgow this is a very well crafted book by Craig Robertson. It kept me engrossed to the last page with the clever plot and high octane pace. There is plenty tension, a serial murderer, complex characters and a bit of authenticity to add to the mix. I loved it and would highly recommend the read. An excellent thriller. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love Craig Robertson (Narey & Winter) books but I really struggled to get into this one.
The majority of the book is based in Los Angeles whilst the parts based in Glasgow are primarily elongated conversations between Narey & the killer over the internet. Its for this reason I only gave it two stars as I found it hard going

[Simon Fenwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent double pronged story with investigations in Glasgow and California which come together about two thirds of the way through.

Unfortunately the book is let down by, in places, appalling proof reading with parts of words missing and in places words in the wrong places in a paragraph. However, this may be down to the transfer to Kindle rather than the book itself.

[Paul Gormley · Rating 3 out of 5]

It kept me reading but it stretches credibility to its limits at certain points. The trapping of the murderer and the rescue of the victim (after about 5 days without water?) were just so unlikely in a story which seems to pride itself on its attention to detail.

And the coda where the two detectives pat themselves on the back for being out of the ordinary was just silly and unnecessary.

[Gill Chivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. My favourite book so far in this series. I really enjoyed the way the story shifted from Glasgow to LA and linked the current case with a classic murder case. Really can't wait for the next book

[James Hayward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been a long time waiting for this book to come out and I am not disappointed in any way. Craig Robertson has written another amazing instalment to this series hopefully the next book comes out sooner rather than later

[Michelle (Clover Hill Book Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally enjoy Craig Robertson books, it may be brain fog, but I found this difficult to marry up the split investigation in the book and felt overall the book could have been shorter as it's just shy of 400 pages.

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow - this is a cracking good tale. If you like thrillers you absolutely must read Watch Him Die.

[Neil Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!
Well I've read a couple of reviews and a very strong recommendation and I wasn't disappointed at all; an excellent read and although a much overused phrase, I couldn't put it down!

[Claire Scottish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping - read it in a couple of days!

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and held my interest throughout. Will read more by this author.