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Rhona MacLeod #15
The Innocent Dead
Forty-five years ago, a young girl went missing. Now, a body is found.
The Innocent Dead
is the fifteenth book in Lin Anderson's Glasgow-set forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.
'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail
Mary McIntyre's disappearance tore the local community apart, inflicting wounds that still prove raw for those who knew her. So when the present-day discovery of a child’s remains are found in a peat bog south of Glasgow, it seems the decades-old mystery may finally be solved.
Called in to excavate the body, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod uses the advances made in forensic science since Mary’s vanishing to determine what really happened all those years ago – and who was responsible.
Karen Marshall had been devastated by her best friend’s abduction. The police questioned her at the time, but it was a dead end – and the case soon went cold.
Now, news of the discovered body brings the nightmares back. Memories long-buried by Karen are returning – memories that begin to uncover her role in her friend’s disappearance, and may even reveal the identity of the killer . . .
'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record
The Innocent Dead is the fifteenth book in the Rhona MacLeod series by Lin Anderson. It is followed by The Killing Tide.
Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Martina Cole and Silent Witness.
'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail
Mary McIntyre's disappearance tore the local community apart, inflicting wounds that still prove raw for those who knew her. So when the present-day discovery of a child’s remains are found in a peat bog south of Glasgow, it seems the decades-old mystery may finally be solved.
Called in to excavate the body, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod uses the advances made in forensic science since Mary’s vanishing to determine what really happened all those years ago – and who was responsible.
Karen Marshall had been devastated by her best friend’s abduction. The police questioned her at the time, but it was a dead end – and the case soon went cold.
Now, news of the discovered body brings the nightmares back. Memories long-buried by Karen are returning – memories that begin to uncover her role in her friend’s disappearance, and may even reveal the identity of the killer . . .
'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record
The Innocent Dead is the fifteenth book in the Rhona MacLeod series by Lin Anderson. It is followed by The Killing Tide.
Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Martina Cole and Silent Witness.
400 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2021
57 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Lin Anderson
73 books383 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
July 19, 2020
Lin Anderson continues her wonderful Scottish crime series set in Glasgow, featuring forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod and DS Michael McNab. This is one of my favourite series, and having read so much crime fiction, it is not easy to sustain a riveting long running series without great skill, talent and expertise, qualities that Anderson has in abundance. Rhona is slowly now emerging out of the PTSD she had suffered from since the sin eater case, and thanks to therapy and her last case in Skye, she is at long last back at work, something that she wasn't sure was going to be possible. Her first test of how she is going to cope with and manage her condition comes when wild swimmers come across a buried body in a raised peat bank by a loch.
It turns out to be a child's body, a girl, thought to possibly be 11 year old Mary McIntyre, who disappeared 45 years ago. Karen Marshall used to be Mary's best friend, the two of them joined at the hip, and was left traumatised through all those years, including her marriage to Jack and taking care of him as he suffered from dementia, right up to his death. Grieving and missing Jack terribly, she continues to talk to him, left in a fragile state of mind as she sees dead cats and crows, signs that she feels point to a need to confront and come to terms with what happened in the past and make her peace with it. However, her memories are poor and even her journal has blank pages that has her fearful, wondering what really happened, and what her part in Mary's disappearance might have been. Rhona, McNab and his police partner, DS Janice Clark, with the help of Professor Malcolm Pirie and former DI Jimmy McCreadie, now a crime thriller writer, who led the original police hunt for Mary all those years ago, find themselves investigating a complex case where the nightmares of the past return and the truth is buried deep.
Anderson's greatest skill, and the highlight for me, has been the characters she has created all those years ago and which she has developed so well that I look forward with joy to reacquainting myself with Rhona, her sharp and supportive colleague and friend, Chrissy, a single mother with a wee toddler named Michael after McNab, he saved her during her pregnancy, and, of course, there is McNab himself. There are all their past and present relationships and dates, the long and strong connections between them, and the fabulous supporting cast, such as Sean, the saxaphone player, and a Malcolm Pirie who is always delighted to be included in their cases. For both Rhona and McNab, their dedication and commitment to their jobs makes sustaining long term relationships a difficulty as we see in this latest offering. This is a fantastic addition to what is a stellar Glasgow series. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
It turns out to be a child's body, a girl, thought to possibly be 11 year old Mary McIntyre, who disappeared 45 years ago. Karen Marshall used to be Mary's best friend, the two of them joined at the hip, and was left traumatised through all those years, including her marriage to Jack and taking care of him as he suffered from dementia, right up to his death. Grieving and missing Jack terribly, she continues to talk to him, left in a fragile state of mind as she sees dead cats and crows, signs that she feels point to a need to confront and come to terms with what happened in the past and make her peace with it. However, her memories are poor and even her journal has blank pages that has her fearful, wondering what really happened, and what her part in Mary's disappearance might have been. Rhona, McNab and his police partner, DS Janice Clark, with the help of Professor Malcolm Pirie and former DI Jimmy McCreadie, now a crime thriller writer, who led the original police hunt for Mary all those years ago, find themselves investigating a complex case where the nightmares of the past return and the truth is buried deep.
Anderson's greatest skill, and the highlight for me, has been the characters she has created all those years ago and which she has developed so well that I look forward with joy to reacquainting myself with Rhona, her sharp and supportive colleague and friend, Chrissy, a single mother with a wee toddler named Michael after McNab, he saved her during her pregnancy, and, of course, there is McNab himself. There are all their past and present relationships and dates, the long and strong connections between them, and the fabulous supporting cast, such as Sean, the saxaphone player, and a Malcolm Pirie who is always delighted to be included in their cases. For both Rhona and McNab, their dedication and commitment to their jobs makes sustaining long term relationships a difficulty as we see in this latest offering. This is a fantastic addition to what is a stellar Glasgow series. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
July 22, 2020
Wild swimmers discover a child’s body buried in a peat bog by a Scottish lochan. Is this the body of eleven year old Mary McIntyre missing since 1975? Rhona MacLeod along with assistant Chrissy, carefully uncovers the preserved body and interprets the forensic evidence. DS Michael MacNab leads the police investigation.
There is much to enjoy in the latest of the Rhona MacLeod series especially the forensic aspects which are very interesting. The 1970’s attitudes are depicted well especially through the eyes of Mary’s friend Karen Marshall. The case has plenty of twists, turns and revelations and the truth unfolds well. I like the characters and the banter between them is realistic, their lives are portrayed well and there are some good touches of humour.
Although the storyline is good and my interest in finding out the truth does not waver I think that the frequent references to past cases is unnecessary and detracts from the events under investigation. There is some repetition which halts the flow and it becomes a bit ploddy in places. So many sentences start with ‘Plus’ which is so irritating after a while. However, that being said the plot is good, the characters interesting and the good outweighs any negatives I have making in a mostly enjoyable read.
3.5 rounded up.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.
There is much to enjoy in the latest of the Rhona MacLeod series especially the forensic aspects which are very interesting. The 1970’s attitudes are depicted well especially through the eyes of Mary’s friend Karen Marshall. The case has plenty of twists, turns and revelations and the truth unfolds well. I like the characters and the banter between them is realistic, their lives are portrayed well and there are some good touches of humour.
Although the storyline is good and my interest in finding out the truth does not waver I think that the frequent references to past cases is unnecessary and detracts from the events under investigation. There is some repetition which halts the flow and it becomes a bit ploddy in places. So many sentences start with ‘Plus’ which is so irritating after a while. However, that being said the plot is good, the characters interesting and the good outweighs any negatives I have making in a mostly enjoyable read.
3.5 rounded up.
With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan for the ARC.
January 11, 2022
OMG! How have I not heard of Lin Anderson or this series before? Having just finished this book I know now that I just need this series in my life...I loved it! It's just what I love in a crime thriller. A little bit of crime, a little bit of procedural, a little bit of thriller...and best of all, the various perspectives of the main players of the story...without it being all about Rhona and "the investigation". This way readers get a bit of everything as we puzzle it out for ourselves whilst being lead on the thrill-ride of our lives. I have read many crime thriller series but this one ticks most of the boxes and kept my engaged right the way through. Now I just have to find time to go back to the beginning sometime and see where it all began...
The opening chapter drew me in right away. Karen wakes from a fitful sleep and disturbing nightmares that have haunted her since childhood. And now even in her waking hours as black crows on the hearth seemingly sending messages from the dead as well as visions of her dead cat outside her window. This can't be happening. She seeks her husband Jack for answers...but he isn't there. For he, too, is dead...from dementia some time ago. It appears caring for him has taken it's toll on her and she can no longer distinguish fact from fiction; fantasy from reality. So what is haunting her dreams and turning them into nightmares...did it really happen? The diary, she suddenly remembers. The diary will tell her if what she imagines is true...because she wrote about it at the time. The diary will hold the truth...
Mary McIntyre was 11 years old when she disappeared from East Kilbride on 1st May 1975, just two days before her twelfth birthday. And despite investigations at the time, she was never found and no one was ever brought to justice. It was the case that haunted former DI Jimmy McCreadie since he was unwillingly shunted off the case and from the police. Now forty five years later, swimmers have made a gruesome discovery in a peat bog in a lochan south of Glasgow. Dr Rhona MacLeod and her assistant Chrissy are called to the scene where they carefully unearth and carefully extract the complete and mummified remains of what appears to be a child. Could this be Mary McIntyre?
Now with the advancement on forensic science, any trace evidence found with the remains can be tested for DNA and hopefully matched with someone in the system. But DNA extraction from the mummified remains could be tricky and take time but Rhona will not give up until she has the answers to lay this innocent child to rest. As news circulates about the gruesome find, many ruminate on the possibility of it being Mary McIntyre as the most likely. This in turn creates another avalanche of events an hour away in Stirling as Karen tunes in to the new of the discovery and her fears, it seem, become reality. The crow was right. It's Mary. She knows it is.
Whilst Rhona and Chrissy test the samples taken from the scene, DS Michael McNab and his partner DS Janice Clark begin the investigations into the discovery and on the notion that it is Mary McIntyre. Their DI, Bill Wilson, leads them to the original lead investigator on the case and youngest DI of his time, Jimmy McCreadie, who now lives in Stirling. McNab and Janice make the journey to see McCreadie, who it appears is now a best-selling crime fiction author writing under the name J.D. Smart, to pick his brains about the investigation into Mary's disappearance forty five years ago. And while much of the evidence and notes from the case has mysteriously disappeared, McCreadie/Smart kept his own notes on the case which he glady handed over to McNab in the hope it would help them solve the case which has haunted him for nearly five decades.
But the investigation is not without its dramas...and with the help of >b>Professor Magnus Pirie along the way, McNab and Rhona sift through the evidence they have in the hope of uncovering the truth.
The story is told from the various narratives of mainly Rhona, McNab and Karen Marshall, Mary's childhood best friend, with the odd viewpoint of Professor Pirie from time to time. These perspectives combined together make for compelling reading as they each provide crucial pieces of the puzzle that becomes clearer as events unfold. Rhona brings the science and logic, McNab the investigative side, the Professor the psychology behind the crime as Karen provides an unreliability of lucidity between what's imagination and what's reality.
As the story unfolds, many possibilities for the killer are suggested but are dismissed as more suspects come to light. Who could have killed an 11 year old girl? And why? And what is the significance of the burial site and the confirmation dress buried with her which remained in tact due to the protection of the plastic bag it was found in? But as Rhona knows, every contact leaves a trace...and she is determined to uncover the truth through forensic science and to give this child the dignity in her true place of rest.
Gripping from the very first page, THE INNOCENT DEAD is the fifteenth book in the Dr Rhona MacLeod series and, while I normally don't like joining a series so far in, I can safely say it worked well enough as a standalone with enough background given to keep any new readers coming late to the party...like me. But as with all series such as this, to get the complete benefit and understanding of the series it is always best to start from the beginning.
This is not my first Scottish crime thriller series but I have to say it is one of the best I have come across and I am eager to read more by Lin Anderson. How have I not heard of her before?
One of these days I will venture back to the beginning...but until then I have no hesitation in recommending THE INNOCENT DEAD to fans of gritty crime thrillers with a compelling plot that is fast paced thanks to the short snappy chapters. Atmospheric and entertaining, THE INNOCENT DEAD is nothing short of brilliant...even if I did figure out the villain...but the ride was worth it!
I would like to thank #LinAnderson, #Netgalley and #PanMacmillan for an ARC of #TheInnocentDead in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The opening chapter drew me in right away. Karen wakes from a fitful sleep and disturbing nightmares that have haunted her since childhood. And now even in her waking hours as black crows on the hearth seemingly sending messages from the dead as well as visions of her dead cat outside her window. This can't be happening. She seeks her husband Jack for answers...but he isn't there. For he, too, is dead...from dementia some time ago. It appears caring for him has taken it's toll on her and she can no longer distinguish fact from fiction; fantasy from reality. So what is haunting her dreams and turning them into nightmares...did it really happen? The diary, she suddenly remembers. The diary will tell her if what she imagines is true...because she wrote about it at the time. The diary will hold the truth...
Mary McIntyre was 11 years old when she disappeared from East Kilbride on 1st May 1975, just two days before her twelfth birthday. And despite investigations at the time, she was never found and no one was ever brought to justice. It was the case that haunted former DI Jimmy McCreadie since he was unwillingly shunted off the case and from the police. Now forty five years later, swimmers have made a gruesome discovery in a peat bog in a lochan south of Glasgow. Dr Rhona MacLeod and her assistant Chrissy are called to the scene where they carefully unearth and carefully extract the complete and mummified remains of what appears to be a child. Could this be Mary McIntyre?
Now with the advancement on forensic science, any trace evidence found with the remains can be tested for DNA and hopefully matched with someone in the system. But DNA extraction from the mummified remains could be tricky and take time but Rhona will not give up until she has the answers to lay this innocent child to rest. As news circulates about the gruesome find, many ruminate on the possibility of it being Mary McIntyre as the most likely. This in turn creates another avalanche of events an hour away in Stirling as Karen tunes in to the new of the discovery and her fears, it seem, become reality. The crow was right. It's Mary. She knows it is.
Whilst Rhona and Chrissy test the samples taken from the scene, DS Michael McNab and his partner DS Janice Clark begin the investigations into the discovery and on the notion that it is Mary McIntyre. Their DI, Bill Wilson, leads them to the original lead investigator on the case and youngest DI of his time, Jimmy McCreadie, who now lives in Stirling. McNab and Janice make the journey to see McCreadie, who it appears is now a best-selling crime fiction author writing under the name J.D. Smart, to pick his brains about the investigation into Mary's disappearance forty five years ago. And while much of the evidence and notes from the case has mysteriously disappeared, McCreadie/Smart kept his own notes on the case which he glady handed over to McNab in the hope it would help them solve the case which has haunted him for nearly five decades.
But the investigation is not without its dramas...and with the help of >b>Professor Magnus Pirie along the way, McNab and Rhona sift through the evidence they have in the hope of uncovering the truth.
The story is told from the various narratives of mainly Rhona, McNab and Karen Marshall, Mary's childhood best friend, with the odd viewpoint of Professor Pirie from time to time. These perspectives combined together make for compelling reading as they each provide crucial pieces of the puzzle that becomes clearer as events unfold. Rhona brings the science and logic, McNab the investigative side, the Professor the psychology behind the crime as Karen provides an unreliability of lucidity between what's imagination and what's reality.
As the story unfolds, many possibilities for the killer are suggested but are dismissed as more suspects come to light. Who could have killed an 11 year old girl? And why? And what is the significance of the burial site and the confirmation dress buried with her which remained in tact due to the protection of the plastic bag it was found in? But as Rhona knows, every contact leaves a trace...and she is determined to uncover the truth through forensic science and to give this child the dignity in her true place of rest.
Gripping from the very first page, THE INNOCENT DEAD is the fifteenth book in the Dr Rhona MacLeod series and, while I normally don't like joining a series so far in, I can safely say it worked well enough as a standalone with enough background given to keep any new readers coming late to the party...like me. But as with all series such as this, to get the complete benefit and understanding of the series it is always best to start from the beginning.
This is not my first Scottish crime thriller series but I have to say it is one of the best I have come across and I am eager to read more by Lin Anderson. How have I not heard of her before?
One of these days I will venture back to the beginning...but until then I have no hesitation in recommending THE INNOCENT DEAD to fans of gritty crime thrillers with a compelling plot that is fast paced thanks to the short snappy chapters. Atmospheric and entertaining, THE INNOCENT DEAD is nothing short of brilliant...even if I did figure out the villain...but the ride was worth it!
I would like to thank #LinAnderson, #Netgalley and #PanMacmillan for an ARC of #TheInnocentDead in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 9, 2020
Visit the locations in the novel
MEET THE AUTHOR HERE
Gritty Glasgow comes alive here!
IF it’s a gripping crime novel/police procedural you’re after then you really should be reading the Lin Anderson series of novels. She puts Glasgow well and truly on the literary map. Never mind that this isn’t exactly the kind of Glasgow you’d like to visit tin the novel.
In a book however, it’s a great visit to the dark side.
There’s quite a sad tone to this novel as the remains of a child are found in a peat bog. The police realise that this could a missing eleven year old and so they are excited to test the DNA, speak to witnesses and really get this case sorted. The high level of emotion is evident. Anything regarding children is hard to read about but the author treats everything with care and attention.
The characters are as strong as the plot so I really think readers should read some of the earlier books to get a real sense of Rhona especially. This is a great standalone though and the level of intrigue, detail in the case and twisty plot are more than enough to grab you.
August 7, 2020
Innocent Dead – Another Winning Procedural Thriller
Lin Anderson’s creation Dr Rhona MacLeod, forensic scientist is back in action, in an engrossing thriller that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Touching on subjects, some in polite society may not want to acknowledge the sectarian divide in 70s Glasgow, the disappearance and probable murder of a young child.
When a body is found in a peat bog by a cold-water swimmer, and so begins the search for the identity of the child that has been found. The peat has preserved her body and what looks like a confirmation dress. This will call for all the talents of Dr Rhona MacLeod and the team to rediscover the person who lay there and more importantly the person who put her there.
With DS McNeil taking the lead on the police side, he is having to recover an era when things went unspoken and find the truth. Fortunately, the original lead detective is still alive, and has some private diaries to help the investigation, as the original evidence boxes have gone missing.
When they rediscover who the victim was, they discover a whole host of probable suspects, in a part of Glasgow, where very little has changed. They have to find the victims best friend Karen, who nobody has heard of, and they need to talk to her. When they hear she lives up in Stirling and is vulnerable, due to the death of her husband, and being a recovering alcoholic.
As the evidence slowly reveals itself, and sometimes brings up a red herring, a picture of what happened to the victim, Mary, and what Karen may know. Drives them to find Karen, especially when they realise the possible murderer is still alive. They are in a race against time, to save Karen and solve the murder of Mary.
Lin Anderson has once again written a gripping thriller seen through the various characters eye’s. As always it is a gripping read, in which you can lose yourself as the story progresses. A winner!
Lin Anderson’s creation Dr Rhona MacLeod, forensic scientist is back in action, in an engrossing thriller that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Touching on subjects, some in polite society may not want to acknowledge the sectarian divide in 70s Glasgow, the disappearance and probable murder of a young child.
When a body is found in a peat bog by a cold-water swimmer, and so begins the search for the identity of the child that has been found. The peat has preserved her body and what looks like a confirmation dress. This will call for all the talents of Dr Rhona MacLeod and the team to rediscover the person who lay there and more importantly the person who put her there.
With DS McNeil taking the lead on the police side, he is having to recover an era when things went unspoken and find the truth. Fortunately, the original lead detective is still alive, and has some private diaries to help the investigation, as the original evidence boxes have gone missing.
When they rediscover who the victim was, they discover a whole host of probable suspects, in a part of Glasgow, where very little has changed. They have to find the victims best friend Karen, who nobody has heard of, and they need to talk to her. When they hear she lives up in Stirling and is vulnerable, due to the death of her husband, and being a recovering alcoholic.
As the evidence slowly reveals itself, and sometimes brings up a red herring, a picture of what happened to the victim, Mary, and what Karen may know. Drives them to find Karen, especially when they realise the possible murderer is still alive. They are in a race against time, to save Karen and solve the murder of Mary.
Lin Anderson has once again written a gripping thriller seen through the various characters eye’s. As always it is a gripping read, in which you can lose yourself as the story progresses. A winner!
July 31, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of The Innocent Dead, the fifteenth novel to feature Glasgow based forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod.
When the remains of a child are found buried in a peat bog Rhona is called in to excavate. A polythene bag buried with the body indicates that the remains are relatively recent so the hunt is on to identify the victim. Eleven year old Mary McIntyre who disappeared in 1975 is the most likely but with DNA extraction difficulties it could take time. The team are keen to speak to Karen Marshall, Mary’s best friend, but she has problems of her own.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Innocent Dead which has an interesting plot and a great cast of characters. I must admit that I haven’t got round to reading the past few books in the series so it feels like catching up with old friends, with the downside being that I missed the references to previous cases and the trauma that Rhona obviously suffered. It’s a minor problem of my own making and it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the read.
The novel is split between three main narrators, Rhona McLeod, DS Michael McNab and Karen Marshall. Rhona supplies the science and logic, McNab the investigative muscle and flashes of inspiration and Karen Marshall the unreliability of, well, I’m not really sure as I hesitate to say mental illness, so probably lack of mental clarity. It’s an interesting mix as all three try to work out what happened to Mary in their own ways. I found the plot compelling as cold cases often are with their lack of evidence and reliance on fading memories. I was glued to the pages as the story gradually builds to a credible conclusion.
This series, however, is as much about the characters as it is about the plot. After so many novels the team are tight knit and friends as well as colleagues. There is a warmth and understanding as well as humour between them that invites the reader to join them. As ever, Rhona and McNab are having problems in their love lives with partners who don’t like abandoned plans and being replaced by police work. My enjoyment of the novel is further enhanced by its Glaswegian setting. It’s always good to know the setting and identity of the locations.
The Innocent Dead is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
When the remains of a child are found buried in a peat bog Rhona is called in to excavate. A polythene bag buried with the body indicates that the remains are relatively recent so the hunt is on to identify the victim. Eleven year old Mary McIntyre who disappeared in 1975 is the most likely but with DNA extraction difficulties it could take time. The team are keen to speak to Karen Marshall, Mary’s best friend, but she has problems of her own.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Innocent Dead which has an interesting plot and a great cast of characters. I must admit that I haven’t got round to reading the past few books in the series so it feels like catching up with old friends, with the downside being that I missed the references to previous cases and the trauma that Rhona obviously suffered. It’s a minor problem of my own making and it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the read.
The novel is split between three main narrators, Rhona McLeod, DS Michael McNab and Karen Marshall. Rhona supplies the science and logic, McNab the investigative muscle and flashes of inspiration and Karen Marshall the unreliability of, well, I’m not really sure as I hesitate to say mental illness, so probably lack of mental clarity. It’s an interesting mix as all three try to work out what happened to Mary in their own ways. I found the plot compelling as cold cases often are with their lack of evidence and reliance on fading memories. I was glued to the pages as the story gradually builds to a credible conclusion.
This series, however, is as much about the characters as it is about the plot. After so many novels the team are tight knit and friends as well as colleagues. There is a warmth and understanding as well as humour between them that invites the reader to join them. As ever, Rhona and McNab are having problems in their love lives with partners who don’t like abandoned plans and being replaced by police work. My enjoyment of the novel is further enhanced by its Glaswegian setting. It’s always good to know the setting and identity of the locations.
The Innocent Dead is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
January 1, 2026
Fantastic start to the Year !!
I usually listen to this Series on Audiobook so this was my first tree read
Sped through it - a really brilliant case & investigation
The whole cast in this Series are well crafted & their continuing relationships keep me hooked ..
Probably back to Audio for the next read
I usually listen to this Series on Audiobook so this was my first tree read
Sped through it - a really brilliant case & investigation
The whole cast in this Series are well crafted & their continuing relationships keep me hooked ..
Probably back to Audio for the next read
December 5, 2020
The Innocent Dead is number 15 in the Rhona Mcleod books by Lin Anderson. This is one of my favourite crime series as I can just jump right into the story without any scene setting. I know exactly who all these characters are, even if there have been some changes in their lives, and the setting in and around Glasgow is very familiar to me.
When wild swimmers discover a body buried in peat on the edge of a lochan to the south of Glasgow, a forty-five-year-old cold case is re-opened. Eleven-year-old Mary McIntyre disappeared from East Kilbride in 1975, but her body was never found. Fortunately, advances in forensics will give the team more to work with this time.
Told from the points of view of Rhona, DS McNab and Mary’s best friend, Karen, we get a rounded picture of events, but no insight into the mind of the killer. Karen has buried the events surrounding Mary’s disappearance deep in her subconscious, and the facts gradually come to the surface with devastating results.
Stories about the murder of children can be hard to read, but Lin Anderson has written with great care and sensitivity in this case. The flashbacks to the time of Mary’s disappearance evoke Glasgow and the surrounding area in the 1970s really well, especially the housing schemes, and the segregated schools.
Many possibilities are suggested for the identity of the killer, only to be dismissed as a new suspect comes to light. The advances in forensic science make the investigation easier in some ways, but the passing of so many years mean it is more difficult in others.
This series is as much about the characters as it is about the plot. While I’m sure it would be fine as a standalone, it would be a much richer experience to start at the beginning (Driftnet) and understand the backstory of such well-written and believable characters.
Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
When wild swimmers discover a body buried in peat on the edge of a lochan to the south of Glasgow, a forty-five-year-old cold case is re-opened. Eleven-year-old Mary McIntyre disappeared from East Kilbride in 1975, but her body was never found. Fortunately, advances in forensics will give the team more to work with this time.
Told from the points of view of Rhona, DS McNab and Mary’s best friend, Karen, we get a rounded picture of events, but no insight into the mind of the killer. Karen has buried the events surrounding Mary’s disappearance deep in her subconscious, and the facts gradually come to the surface with devastating results.
Stories about the murder of children can be hard to read, but Lin Anderson has written with great care and sensitivity in this case. The flashbacks to the time of Mary’s disappearance evoke Glasgow and the surrounding area in the 1970s really well, especially the housing schemes, and the segregated schools.
Many possibilities are suggested for the identity of the killer, only to be dismissed as a new suspect comes to light. The advances in forensic science make the investigation easier in some ways, but the passing of so many years mean it is more difficult in others.
This series is as much about the characters as it is about the plot. While I’m sure it would be fine as a standalone, it would be a much richer experience to start at the beginning (Driftnet) and understand the backstory of such well-written and believable characters.
Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
September 22, 2020
Shrewd, gripping, and meticulous!
In this latest novel by Anderson, The Innocent Dead, we head back to Glasgow where forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod and her team at Police Scotland find themselves investigating and unravelling the 1975 cold case of a missing eleven-year-old girl after a child’s body is accidentally discovered in a nearby peat bog.
The prose is seamless and crisp. The characterization is stellar with all the usual gang back including the meticulous, intuitive Dr Rhona MacLeod who’s still grappling with the psychological and emotional toll left by the sin-eater case. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unwind seamlessly into an engrossing tale full of abuse, deception, secrets, familial drama, red herrings, manipulation, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Innocent Dead is a gripping, atmospheric, highly entertaining tale by Anderson that is another fine example of her exceptional ability to write police procedurals that have catchy storylines and fully-developed characters.
Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this latest novel by Anderson, The Innocent Dead, we head back to Glasgow where forensic scientist Dr Rhona MacLeod and her team at Police Scotland find themselves investigating and unravelling the 1975 cold case of a missing eleven-year-old girl after a child’s body is accidentally discovered in a nearby peat bog.
The prose is seamless and crisp. The characterization is stellar with all the usual gang back including the meticulous, intuitive Dr Rhona MacLeod who’s still grappling with the psychological and emotional toll left by the sin-eater case. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unwind seamlessly into an engrossing tale full of abuse, deception, secrets, familial drama, red herrings, manipulation, violence, and murder.
Overall, The Innocent Dead is a gripping, atmospheric, highly entertaining tale by Anderson that is another fine example of her exceptional ability to write police procedurals that have catchy storylines and fully-developed characters.
Thank you to PGC Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 27, 2020
What a brilliant addition to the Rhona MacLeod series from Lin Anderson. It's one of my favourite Scottish crime series and has been consistently excellent. When the body of a young girl is discovered preserved in the peat bank of a loch it resurrects an old case from 45 years earlier. The body turns out to be that of 11 year old Mary McIntyre who had gone missing all that time ago.
Once again forensic scientist Rhona is called upon to investigate with the help of her lively assistant Chrissy and of course D.S Michael McNab. It tackles a very emotive subject and the plot is very cleverly constructed with several twists and turns which kept me gripped to the end. It's a difficult case and for the ex best friend of the dead girl a living nightmare which she has buried deep. As events unfold she is forced to confront the past. Tense and atmospheric with a dramatic climax it's another winner from Lin Anderson
Once again forensic scientist Rhona is called upon to investigate with the help of her lively assistant Chrissy and of course D.S Michael McNab. It tackles a very emotive subject and the plot is very cleverly constructed with several twists and turns which kept me gripped to the end. It's a difficult case and for the ex best friend of the dead girl a living nightmare which she has buried deep. As events unfold she is forced to confront the past. Tense and atmospheric with a dramatic climax it's another winner from Lin Anderson
August 6, 2021
I liked this one as it was well written and quite twisty. I didn't guess the culprit til the end!
August 5, 2021
Three stars for this book seems quite harsh, but I'm standing by that decision. The plot was good and I enjoyed the main investigation. I'm not really a fan of flashbacks but didn't find that problematic on this occasion., perhaps because the "historical' viewpoint reminded me of my own childhood. Mary and Karen reminded me of girls I knew at school. What annoyed me was the personal relationships, particularly the dynamic between Rhona and Sean. I am so over that relationship. TBH, I found myself wishing all the main characters would grow up and move on with their lives. That said, I have high hopes for the next in the series.
July 25, 2022
11 years old Mary McIntyre disappeared 45 years ago. A body is found in a local bog. This is an exciting reinvestigation with forensics in the forefront. Modern DNA techniques will give Dr Rhona MacLeod and DI Michael McNab the edge this time. You follow the diary of Karen, Mary’s best friend. What was hidden in her mind from that day. I found this an enjoyable page turner following the police procedures and forensics but wait for the twist at the end.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2020
The absolute lynchpin of this series to date is the character of the forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod herself, who has carved an extremely successful and varied career in her chosen field. With the continuing reverberations of her last case, neatly detailed within this book by Anderson, she seems to be back on track and back in control, when this testing case of a crime committed forth five years previously, lands at her door. MacLeod sets about it with her usual professionalism and flair for weeding out those tricky inconsistencies in the evidence, working closely with her police colleagues to reveal the intricacies of these nefarious crime and to zone in on the perpetrator. What I like most about MacLeod is that, her professional career aside, is her refusal to conform to the norm. She has a sense of fun, that had been eroded somewhat by her previous case, but now seems to be back with style, and her personal life is conducted very much on her terms, with no fixed relationships. With her estranged son firmly back in life, and his arse of a father still treated by her with the strongest contempt, this provides an interesting view into what makes her tick, and how she has overcome personal adversity in her life.
DS Michael McNab provides a good counterbalance to MacLeod, their previous personal entanglement aside, being on the surface a bit of an un-reconstructed man, with his love of bikes and a roving eye. However, Anderson really scratches beneath the surface, and we begin to see a more insecure and sensitive side to his character, that you would be forgiven for thinking didn’t exist at all. Still reeling and resentful from his demotion due to the last case that he and MacLeod worked on, he has a lot to prove if he can get past this resentment and apply himself. His character heralds some nice touches of humour within the book, and with MacLeod’s lab assistant Chrissy McInsh being an absolute hoot, this further lightens the dark investigation they are all involved with.
Although the book could be tagged as a linear police procedural, Anderson’s attention to, and research of, the forensic detail really adds some meat to the bones of the plot. Dealing with an historic murder and a difficult kill site, it is fascinating how modern methods of forensic science so effectively uncover details and evidence from the past. I loved the passages detailing the forensic procedures, the drawing on the work of other branches of forensic and psychological detection, and how with good solid police investigation a community begins to unlock its secrets, and confronts the sins of the past, where previously silence and denial were the rule of thumb.
As I said previously, it’s been a while since I read this series, but The Innocent Dead has certainly ignited my interest to backtrack to the previous few books. There were a few developments that have happened, that I had missed along the way, and I’m now curious about. The strong characterisation and Anderson’s skill in bringing the forensic science to the fore of the book, whilst never losing site of the need for a well-structured and engaging procedural is very effective indeed. Recommended.
DS Michael McNab provides a good counterbalance to MacLeod, their previous personal entanglement aside, being on the surface a bit of an un-reconstructed man, with his love of bikes and a roving eye. However, Anderson really scratches beneath the surface, and we begin to see a more insecure and sensitive side to his character, that you would be forgiven for thinking didn’t exist at all. Still reeling and resentful from his demotion due to the last case that he and MacLeod worked on, he has a lot to prove if he can get past this resentment and apply himself. His character heralds some nice touches of humour within the book, and with MacLeod’s lab assistant Chrissy McInsh being an absolute hoot, this further lightens the dark investigation they are all involved with.
Although the book could be tagged as a linear police procedural, Anderson’s attention to, and research of, the forensic detail really adds some meat to the bones of the plot. Dealing with an historic murder and a difficult kill site, it is fascinating how modern methods of forensic science so effectively uncover details and evidence from the past. I loved the passages detailing the forensic procedures, the drawing on the work of other branches of forensic and psychological detection, and how with good solid police investigation a community begins to unlock its secrets, and confronts the sins of the past, where previously silence and denial were the rule of thumb.
As I said previously, it’s been a while since I read this series, but The Innocent Dead has certainly ignited my interest to backtrack to the previous few books. There were a few developments that have happened, that I had missed along the way, and I’m now curious about. The strong characterisation and Anderson’s skill in bringing the forensic science to the fore of the book, whilst never losing site of the need for a well-structured and engaging procedural is very effective indeed. Recommended.
March 24, 2023
This fantastic novel is the 15th volume of the wonderful "Rhona MacLeod" thriller series.
Storytelling is absolutely amazing, this thriller is superbly structured and executed by the author, while all figures, even DS Michael McNab for the last several outings at least, are very lifelike and believable in all their dealings, whether it is policing, forensics or just customary life.
This story is mainly situated in Glasgow, Advie Lochan, East Kilbride and Stirling, and its there where most of the action will take place.
The thriller is fast-paced, action-packed and filled with real heartfelt human emotions, like guilt, shame, fear, hurt, and last but not least a desperate determination by a certain person, to redeem oneself and do the right thing at the end, in an effort to free oneself and avenge her late childhood-friend, Mary McIntyre.
It starts off with the discovery of a young girl's body in a peat bog at Advie Lochan by two swimmers, and that body turns out to be eleven-years-old Mary McIntyre, who vanished from the face of the earth forty-five years ago.
At first forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod, and her assistant, Chrissy McInsh, are called in to excavate the body and from that point on the ball starts rolling with DS Michael McNab and DS Janice Clark doing the main policework, but the main subject of this story is reserved for a person called, Karen Johnston, formerly known as Karen Marshall, who was Mary's best friend in East Kilbride, and who suffers much pain and guilt after forty-five years.
What is to follow is a gripping and heartfelt thriller, where long buried memories will come to the surface to make right that went wrong forty-five years ago, and that is brought to us by the author in a most accomplished manner, resulting with a very well deserved ending for all parties concerned, especially for the long-time traumatized Karen Marshall.
Highly recommended, for this is another terrific addition to this ever consistent quality series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Tremendous Innocent Thriller"!
Storytelling is absolutely amazing, this thriller is superbly structured and executed by the author, while all figures, even DS Michael McNab for the last several outings at least, are very lifelike and believable in all their dealings, whether it is policing, forensics or just customary life.
This story is mainly situated in Glasgow, Advie Lochan, East Kilbride and Stirling, and its there where most of the action will take place.
The thriller is fast-paced, action-packed and filled with real heartfelt human emotions, like guilt, shame, fear, hurt, and last but not least a desperate determination by a certain person, to redeem oneself and do the right thing at the end, in an effort to free oneself and avenge her late childhood-friend, Mary McIntyre.
It starts off with the discovery of a young girl's body in a peat bog at Advie Lochan by two swimmers, and that body turns out to be eleven-years-old Mary McIntyre, who vanished from the face of the earth forty-five years ago.
At first forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod, and her assistant, Chrissy McInsh, are called in to excavate the body and from that point on the ball starts rolling with DS Michael McNab and DS Janice Clark doing the main policework, but the main subject of this story is reserved for a person called, Karen Johnston, formerly known as Karen Marshall, who was Mary's best friend in East Kilbride, and who suffers much pain and guilt after forty-five years.
What is to follow is a gripping and heartfelt thriller, where long buried memories will come to the surface to make right that went wrong forty-five years ago, and that is brought to us by the author in a most accomplished manner, resulting with a very well deserved ending for all parties concerned, especially for the long-time traumatized Karen Marshall.
Highly recommended, for this is another terrific addition to this ever consistent quality series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Tremendous Innocent Thriller"!
September 1, 2020
Even though The Innocent Dead is the fifteenth book in this forensic crime series I didn't feel disadvantaged by coming as a newbie to Rhona MacLeod's style of investigating, in fact, I found the story really easy to pick up and enjoyed the way everything evolved really quickly. The rather spooky nature of the opening chapter certainly set the scene for a story which grips from the beginning.
Picking up a murder mystery which happened some forty-five years ago means that the advance in forensic science and DNA profiling reveals clues which were never visible in 1975 and that's what makes this investigation such a complex one. Forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod and her intrepid assistant, Chrissy McInsh, are determined to, literally, leave no stone unturned in the quest to find the killer of eleven year-old, Mary MacIntyre, even if it means upsetting the community where she lived all those years ago with her family, and where she once played in the woods with her best friend, Karen .
I've really enjoyed meeting with the investigators who make this story such a treat to read, from Rhona and Chrissie, through to the detective duo, DS Michael McNab and DS Janice Clark, there is never a moment when the story doesn't pull you in, or fire your imagination so that you are tempted to read just a little bit more even though you know you should be doing something else.
Complex, beautifully written and with just enough creepiness to make you jump at shadows, I raced through The Innocent Dead in a couple of sittings It's perfect escapism, wonderfully crafted and so addictive I think I will just have to start at the beginning and read the series in order.
Picking up a murder mystery which happened some forty-five years ago means that the advance in forensic science and DNA profiling reveals clues which were never visible in 1975 and that's what makes this investigation such a complex one. Forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod and her intrepid assistant, Chrissy McInsh, are determined to, literally, leave no stone unturned in the quest to find the killer of eleven year-old, Mary MacIntyre, even if it means upsetting the community where she lived all those years ago with her family, and where she once played in the woods with her best friend, Karen .
I've really enjoyed meeting with the investigators who make this story such a treat to read, from Rhona and Chrissie, through to the detective duo, DS Michael McNab and DS Janice Clark, there is never a moment when the story doesn't pull you in, or fire your imagination so that you are tempted to read just a little bit more even though you know you should be doing something else.
Complex, beautifully written and with just enough creepiness to make you jump at shadows, I raced through The Innocent Dead in a couple of sittings It's perfect escapism, wonderfully crafted and so addictive I think I will just have to start at the beginning and read the series in order.
November 4, 2020
I enjoyed this. I really liked the Scottish setting, and the way the body was found in a bog. That was different and created a lot of interest for me around what that meant forensically. I was also really intrigued by the premise. It opens with Karen, and drops little hints that she knows something about a murder but she also might have an unreliable memory. I also liked the dynamics, relationships and friendships between all the characters. It added interest to the book, more than just the whodunnit thread of narrative. This is part of a series and events of other books are talked about, but I don't think you have to have read other books in the series and it doesn't spoil the other books either. I think I may have read an earlier book in this series a few years ago, but over all I haven't read this series before and I liked it a lot. It's a little slow in moments, and there are a few characters, I did forget who someone was at one point. And perhaps you could argue that it reads a bit like a tv show, with some personal drama getting as much time as the crime plot. But on the whole, I really liked this, I didn't guess the killer and enjoyed the ride. So if you like mysteries and UK police procedurals, check out this series, or read this book.
September 12, 2021
I’m not sure really about this Rhonda Macleod/DS Macnab book. I’m glad I’ve read “the sin-eater” book as it’s continually referenced in this book.
I think the story appears to have less depth than others or maybe it’s because we’ve read quite a few now??? This one appears to focus more on the main characters lives eg MacNab & Ellie’s relationship/. Janice - his police partner / Chrissy and Rhonda / Rhona and Sean’s relationship/ rhona and her son liam etc etc which, in my mind, lessens the impact of the crime, the forensic evidence and how it gets solved!!!!
I enjoyed the locations - Glasgow Kelvingrove and the castle and kings park in Stirling which I know well.
I still enjoyed it but it wasn’t as much of a page Turner as it appeared to me that the murderer had to be sometime from “the street” of Mary and Karen and in fact that was correct. It was Karen’s sister - Eleanor - boyfriend and sister sequent husband. I wasn’t surprised that he was into child porn or that there was a child abuse aspect although it turned out that it was Karen he was abusing snd not Mary. Mary being the feisty one was going to sort him out and hence he killed her. He felt he could control Karen as he said he would kill her sister if she told and Karen believed that threat.
I think the story appears to have less depth than others or maybe it’s because we’ve read quite a few now??? This one appears to focus more on the main characters lives eg MacNab & Ellie’s relationship/. Janice - his police partner / Chrissy and Rhonda / Rhona and Sean’s relationship/ rhona and her son liam etc etc which, in my mind, lessens the impact of the crime, the forensic evidence and how it gets solved!!!!
I enjoyed the locations - Glasgow Kelvingrove and the castle and kings park in Stirling which I know well.
I still enjoyed it but it wasn’t as much of a page Turner as it appeared to me that the murderer had to be sometime from “the street” of Mary and Karen and in fact that was correct. It was Karen’s sister - Eleanor - boyfriend and sister sequent husband. I wasn’t surprised that he was into child porn or that there was a child abuse aspect although it turned out that it was Karen he was abusing snd not Mary. Mary being the feisty one was going to sort him out and hence he killed her. He felt he could control Karen as he said he would kill her sister if she told and Karen believed that threat.
September 3, 2020
Having never read an Anderson novel before the title and blurb forced this one into my Amazon basket and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. From the odd start where I thought the book was going to meander into psychic investigator territory I was blown away by it's full, descriptive prose. There's lots going on and though it could be complicated Lin writes in a way that keeps you intrigued while subtly weaving each individual sub-plot into the narrative. It's clear that Anderson isn't afraid to delve into dark territories but she does so expertly so that nothing is sensationalised. It's a hard feat, one that takes an author years of practise to be able to explore child abuse or sexual exploitation without being graphic, planting the pictures firmly in the readers mind by what you don;t write, leaving their imagination to fill in the gaps. And she does so with a knowledge of human psychology and an empathy toward the human condition that is rare.
May 26, 2021
Sadly this excellent story was spoilt for me by a number of things:
First a constant irritation these days authors referring back to past books and story lines. If its important enough and affects the characters please give a preface and explain past event.
We don't all have the luxury of starting a book series with book one.
The second was the writing style jumping from character to character and telling the story in the first person. I found this distracting and it failed to help me get into the characters mind.
Potentially this is a good crime story with some elements of forensic science thrown in. I have to say that we have little evidence to support the effects of peat on bodies over a relative short time 40 year. The key effects described are taken from evidence of bodies found from very longer periods of emersion (second world war soviet and German Solders).
However, I will look out for other books in the series and be happy to read them as a light read.
First a constant irritation these days authors referring back to past books and story lines. If its important enough and affects the characters please give a preface and explain past event.
We don't all have the luxury of starting a book series with book one.
The second was the writing style jumping from character to character and telling the story in the first person. I found this distracting and it failed to help me get into the characters mind.
Potentially this is a good crime story with some elements of forensic science thrown in. I have to say that we have little evidence to support the effects of peat on bodies over a relative short time 40 year. The key effects described are taken from evidence of bodies found from very longer periods of emersion (second world war soviet and German Solders).
However, I will look out for other books in the series and be happy to read them as a light read.
February 10, 2023
This book comes with a prominent sticker proclaiming 'The Best Scottish Crime Series since REBUS' ! Sadly this seems to suggest that the Golden age of Tartan Noir has passed. Think Rankin, McDermid, McBride and this series comes a fair way off the high standard set by the aforementioned.
I have read many of the Rhona Macleod series and this is not her strongest. From a promising start it never really develops a momentum which propels the case forward. I would suggest that this series works best with the two characters of Rhona MacLeod and Michael McNab are placed more centrally to the action. In this book we seem to spend too long 'dancing round the periphery' with minor characters when the strength of the series lies elsewhere. Probably only 2.5 stars, let's hope for better next time out......
I have read many of the Rhona Macleod series and this is not her strongest. From a promising start it never really develops a momentum which propels the case forward. I would suggest that this series works best with the two characters of Rhona MacLeod and Michael McNab are placed more centrally to the action. In this book we seem to spend too long 'dancing round the periphery' with minor characters when the strength of the series lies elsewhere. Probably only 2.5 stars, let's hope for better next time out......
December 4, 2021
When Karen Marshall was 11 years old her best friend Mary McIntyre vanished without trace. Karen, traumatised by the event, was unable to help the police at the time, but when a body, believed to be Mary's, is discovered in a peat bog more than 40 years later, Karen knows that she has buried memories of what happened.
As the forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod begins to unravel the mystery of what happened to Mary, Karen struggles to cope with the slow realisation that she knows what really took place on that tragic day.
As various suspects are identified , Karen's returning memories lead her into danger.
The Rhona MacLeod series is so well written, with intriguing original plots - a very good read.
As the forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod begins to unravel the mystery of what happened to Mary, Karen struggles to cope with the slow realisation that she knows what really took place on that tragic day.
As various suspects are identified , Karen's returning memories lead her into danger.
The Rhona MacLeod series is so well written, with intriguing original plots - a very good read.
August 7, 2020
I read a few of the earlier Rhona MacLeod books and found them to be decent - albeit generic - crime thrillers, but The Innocent Dead confirms that my decision to drop the series was the right one.
Lazy, formulaic writing coupled with a plot that is painfully slow, underdeveloped and repetitive with far too much irrelevant detail (porridge pots, filled rolls and fridge contents aren't interesting).
I did however enjoy the Glaswegian setting, as I found knowing the locations mentioned helped to enhance the story somewhat. Overall, I wouldn't recommend.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.
Lazy, formulaic writing coupled with a plot that is painfully slow, underdeveloped and repetitive with far too much irrelevant detail (porridge pots, filled rolls and fridge contents aren't interesting).
I did however enjoy the Glaswegian setting, as I found knowing the locations mentioned helped to enhance the story somewhat. Overall, I wouldn't recommend.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.
August 20, 2020
#TheInnocentDead #NetGalley This is the first book I have read in this series but it was perfectly capable of being read as a stand alone book. Billed as the Rhona McLeod series, Rhona was just one of four main characters who all seemed to take centre stage at one point. although occasionally a little repetitive, this book was easy to read with plenty of action - just how I like my crime thrillers!, it was good that there was momentum in the book as the team raced to solve a 45 year old cold case. The team appeared close knit and worked well together - reading previous books would no doubt enhance their background stories. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
January 13, 2021
This is an excellent episode in the saga of Rhona MacLeod. So much better than Time for the Dead (#14)
The forensic detail is 1st class, Rhona is an interesting character as are the other main players - DS Micheal McNab, Chrissy, Janice and Sean.
You can read other reviews if you want to know the plot, all I have to say is that this is a very good crime series set in Scotland with most of the story surrounding the detailed forensic investigation.
However if I could just think back over the complete book there is one word that comes immediately to mind. That word is Coffee! I have never read a crime novel where the main characters consume so much coffee.
The forensic detail is 1st class, Rhona is an interesting character as are the other main players - DS Micheal McNab, Chrissy, Janice and Sean.
You can read other reviews if you want to know the plot, all I have to say is that this is a very good crime series set in Scotland with most of the story surrounding the detailed forensic investigation.
However if I could just think back over the complete book there is one word that comes immediately to mind. That word is Coffee! I have never read a crime novel where the main characters consume so much coffee.
September 7, 2020
Dr. Rhona MacLeod is back in the field and together with the usual gang trying to find out who murdered Mary on her confirmation day in 1975, what her best friend Karen knows about it - even if she has repressed most of it for decades. Add to that the science of peat bodies, even when they're not quite as old as Grauballemanden... It's another good one from Lin A - and for us regulars at Bloody Scotland, there's a fun cameo for the festival at the end - as well as the familiar landscape around Stirling.
June 6, 2021
Lin Anderson has become one of my favourite authors. The Innocent Dead is set in and around Glasgow and features forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod who has a mystery to solve when the body of a child is found in a peat bog. The death appears to have happened decades ago, the body having been preserved by the peat. Due to advances in technology, Rhona has the help of finger printing, DNA sampling and soil and plant analysis to assist the police in solving this murder.
A great read which I recommend.
A great read which I recommend.
July 12, 2021
It's one of a series of course, and what does one want from a series? I suppose consistency of characterization and the kinds of plots; it has these and like its predecessors it is rooted in the strong sense of Scottish place. Here Stirling and the tangled paths around the Castle rock are well represented. There are a number of red herrings; the pregnancy one certainly seems to be a dead end. The novel passes the time pleasantly and deals with the darkness of the past without undue gloom or violence.
December 28, 2021
A brilliantly constructed setting and characters bring this detective story to life. There are flashbacks to earlier - but not innocent- times and the plot unravels through the mind of the woman who was a child when her life was spoiled forever.
Rhona MacLeod is an interesting character and I want to read more about her. Her modern day forensic abilities are crucial in the case but there is more to the narrative than this and the seventies are brought to life in all their male gaze dominated horror.
Rhona MacLeod is an interesting character and I want to read more about her. Her modern day forensic abilities are crucial in the case but there is more to the narrative than this and the seventies are brought to life in all their male gaze dominated horror.
February 10, 2022
Interesting story but I was a bit put off by some of the repetition. The dialogue used some of the same phrases throughout and there was repeating of the differences in forensics between the time of crime and current investigation that I didn’t think was necessary. I didn’t think the main character stood out and, as this was my first book of Anderson’s, I thought the detective was more interesting than Rhona, who the series is built around. Yet I still was captured by the story and read it almost in one sitting.
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