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Sergeant Don Colyear #2
Into the Dark: Your next must-read Scottish crime novel
‘Cut his eyes out, so he has. What kind of a monster could . . . Cut his eyes out?’
The brutal murder of ten-year-old Callum Bradley sent shockwaves across Scotland. But weeks have stretched on with no solid leads except for a 999 call which may have hinted at the boy’s mutilation and murder.
However, the call was made three weeks before the crime took place. The caller, a resident at an Edinburgh care home, is drifting in and out of lucidity due to dementia. It is a dead end to his colleagues, though Sergeant Don Colyear cannot let it drop. When another murder horrifies the city, the clock is suddenly ticking for Colyear and he is drawn far away from his usual beat, to hunt down a violent killer before it is too late.
The brutal murder of ten-year-old Callum Bradley sent shockwaves across Scotland. But weeks have stretched on with no solid leads except for a 999 call which may have hinted at the boy’s mutilation and murder.
However, the call was made three weeks before the crime took place. The caller, a resident at an Edinburgh care home, is drifting in and out of lucidity due to dementia. It is a dead end to his colleagues, though Sergeant Don Colyear cannot let it drop. When another murder horrifies the city, the clock is suddenly ticking for Colyear and he is drawn far away from his usual beat, to hunt down a violent killer before it is too late.
378 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 2021
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64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 23, 2021
Into the Dark by Stuart Johnstone is a Scottish police procedural set in Edinburgh and is the second in the Don Colyear series. As the first book was only published last year and unfortunately not read, this is essentially a standalone review. An old man in a nursing home makes a desperate call to emergency services, triggering the interest of the Glasgow detectives. An old friend of Sergeant Colyear involves him in a local interview and then a second murder in Edinburgh is linked. A Dublin murder team moves down, whilst Colyear continues his Community Policing role and the parallel stories unfold. The murder investigation slows until Colyear begins to see a possible connection that causes increasing danger and escalation into a climatic unexpected conclusion. A first-rate police procedural with wonderful characters and a gripping plot that is a pleasure to read. Not surprisingly, Stuart Johnstone is a former policeman and this is a most believable, five-star not to be missed rating. With much thanks to Quercus Books and the author for an uncorrected proof copy for review purposes.
July 30, 2021
Into The Dark is a stark warning that we can all become products of our past if we allow it to consume us. The past can haunt us, and it can keep tiptoeing back into our lives. Is it ever possible to bury the past? This premise is one that sends chills down my spine. Edinburgh is known for its culture, its connections with Europe but it also has got a dark side. Murder and deceit can be found in dark corners just like any other city. Sergeant Donald Colyear is back in Edinburgh and is about to be found embroiled in a case that is as dark as it is brutal.
See no evil
Hear no evil
Speak no evil
Don is now settled in his new role of community sergeant on the outskirts of Edinburgh. He manages a small team and is the happiest he’s been for a long time. Not much happens, he just needs to keep on top of paperwork, local robberies, vandalism, and anti-social behaviour. Yes, life is good. That is until Alyson (DC in CID) calls upon him for a favour. An elderly gentleman in a care home within Don’s beat has made a call about a victim missing eyes, well, it just happens to match a case of a murdered boy that they are desperate to crack. They both go along to interview Mr. Beeswax. Unfortunately, it isn’t all plain sailing – he has advanced Dementia.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship dynamic between Don and Martin. So often that period in life is seen as a nuisance and once our parents are being taken care of by someone else that it is out of sight, out of mind. It was a beautiful depiction of having genuine respect for another human being. Stuart Johnstone’s examination of the human condition was succinct and touching.
The murder of a young boy and the subsequent events leave Police Scotland reeling. Long hours, snappy conversations and the divisional bureaucracy is splitting hairs. Events lead to a crescendo of shocks and emotion. There is a romantic interest for Don and it’s great seeing him moving on, with some hilarious moments from his colleagues in the community policing department. The author hasn’t only created a bubble of death and mystery but real deep-thinking points also.
Into The Dark was like quicksand. When you opened the pages of the book it sucked you in, further and further, until you were all in…nothing was going to pull you out. Doug steers you in each direction, a myriad of compulsive, addictive stories. He’s the crazy driver but you got in his car willingly. You’re in for the long haul, there is no getting out. The backdrop was spot on, a true portrayal of Edinburgh. From the weather to the culture, each character sees their city differently. Their experiences aren’t the same. It really breathes a dark and foreboding element into its pages…fear lurking within.
Into The Dark is hypnotically readable. It was intense and surreal with a sense of creeping dread pouring from its spines.
See no evil
Hear no evil
Speak no evil
Don is now settled in his new role of community sergeant on the outskirts of Edinburgh. He manages a small team and is the happiest he’s been for a long time. Not much happens, he just needs to keep on top of paperwork, local robberies, vandalism, and anti-social behaviour. Yes, life is good. That is until Alyson (DC in CID) calls upon him for a favour. An elderly gentleman in a care home within Don’s beat has made a call about a victim missing eyes, well, it just happens to match a case of a murdered boy that they are desperate to crack. They both go along to interview Mr. Beeswax. Unfortunately, it isn’t all plain sailing – he has advanced Dementia.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship dynamic between Don and Martin. So often that period in life is seen as a nuisance and once our parents are being taken care of by someone else that it is out of sight, out of mind. It was a beautiful depiction of having genuine respect for another human being. Stuart Johnstone’s examination of the human condition was succinct and touching.
The murder of a young boy and the subsequent events leave Police Scotland reeling. Long hours, snappy conversations and the divisional bureaucracy is splitting hairs. Events lead to a crescendo of shocks and emotion. There is a romantic interest for Don and it’s great seeing him moving on, with some hilarious moments from his colleagues in the community policing department. The author hasn’t only created a bubble of death and mystery but real deep-thinking points also.
Into The Dark was like quicksand. When you opened the pages of the book it sucked you in, further and further, until you were all in…nothing was going to pull you out. Doug steers you in each direction, a myriad of compulsive, addictive stories. He’s the crazy driver but you got in his car willingly. You’re in for the long haul, there is no getting out. The backdrop was spot on, a true portrayal of Edinburgh. From the weather to the culture, each character sees their city differently. Their experiences aren’t the same. It really breathes a dark and foreboding element into its pages…fear lurking within.
Into The Dark is hypnotically readable. It was intense and surreal with a sense of creeping dread pouring from its spines.
July 22, 2021
Several weeks ago a young boy was found murdered. No one has been charged and the case is turning cold.
Sergeant Don Colyear has just been notified that a phone call was taken hinting at the boy's murder and mutilation. But the call was made 3 weeks before the crime occurred.
Upon investigation, they find the caller .. he's a resident of a care home, suffering from dementia. When questioned the man cannot remember making the call or seeing any body.
A new murder rocks the city and Colyear is lured onto a dark path to catch a savage killer.
Second in this series, it is easily read as a stand alone. There's action, suspense, and a few twists and turns to make this an engaging read. The characters are credible, as one would expect from an author who spent 10 years as a police officer.
Many thanks to the author / Alison & Busby / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Scottish crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Sergeant Don Colyear has just been notified that a phone call was taken hinting at the boy's murder and mutilation. But the call was made 3 weeks before the crime occurred.
Upon investigation, they find the caller .. he's a resident of a care home, suffering from dementia. When questioned the man cannot remember making the call or seeing any body.
A new murder rocks the city and Colyear is lured onto a dark path to catch a savage killer.
Second in this series, it is easily read as a stand alone. There's action, suspense, and a few twists and turns to make this an engaging read. The characters are credible, as one would expect from an author who spent 10 years as a police officer.
Many thanks to the author / Alison & Busby / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Scottish crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
July 16, 2021
I would like to thank Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy of Into the Dark, the second novel to feature DS Don Colyear of Police Scotland.
Don is now settled into his new position in Edinburgh when DC Allyson Kane asks for his help in tying up a vague lead in a murder enquiry. An old man with Alzheimer’s has called the police about the mutilation and murder of a young boy. The problem, apart from the caller’s lucidity, is that the call came three weeks before the murder. Then there is another premonition and another murder. Don gets sucked in to investigating on his own.
I thoroughly enjoyed Into the Dark, which is an absorbing read that held my attention from start to finish, so much so that I read it in one sitting. I like that the novel is told entirely from Don Colyear’s point of view in the first person as he is a well drawn character who is easy to identify with. His take on life and his activities draw the reader in. At the same time the plot has a lot of forward momentum with developments in every chapter. I wouldn’t call it fast moving but there is enough there often enough to arouse the reader’s curiosity and make them want more.
At first I wasn’t sure where the plot was going, but I was sure I wanted to find out, not just in the murder enquiry but in Don’s Community Policing work as well, because that provides the laughs. This is a well constructed novel with the author’s experience as a police officer being used to good effect. There is the frustration of the early investigation where leads don’t pan out and the team doesn’t get far, the mundanity of community policing where probationary PC Morgan Finney pulls a surprise rabbit out of the hat, the inter divisional strife and later in the novel Colyear’s lone wolf antics, all wrapped in a feeling of knowledge.
Don Colyear is a likeable protagonist. He’s smart and empathetic, but mostly he can’t get out of his own way. It makes him human and occasionally funny.
I like the Edinburgh setting as there is comfort in the familiar. I’m not sure, however, if the author really evokes the city for those unfamiliar with it. Yes, the festival crowds get a mention, as an inconvenience, and various areas are described but I don’t feel the essence is there.
Into the Dark is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Don is now settled into his new position in Edinburgh when DC Allyson Kane asks for his help in tying up a vague lead in a murder enquiry. An old man with Alzheimer’s has called the police about the mutilation and murder of a young boy. The problem, apart from the caller’s lucidity, is that the call came three weeks before the murder. Then there is another premonition and another murder. Don gets sucked in to investigating on his own.
I thoroughly enjoyed Into the Dark, which is an absorbing read that held my attention from start to finish, so much so that I read it in one sitting. I like that the novel is told entirely from Don Colyear’s point of view in the first person as he is a well drawn character who is easy to identify with. His take on life and his activities draw the reader in. At the same time the plot has a lot of forward momentum with developments in every chapter. I wouldn’t call it fast moving but there is enough there often enough to arouse the reader’s curiosity and make them want more.
At first I wasn’t sure where the plot was going, but I was sure I wanted to find out, not just in the murder enquiry but in Don’s Community Policing work as well, because that provides the laughs. This is a well constructed novel with the author’s experience as a police officer being used to good effect. There is the frustration of the early investigation where leads don’t pan out and the team doesn’t get far, the mundanity of community policing where probationary PC Morgan Finney pulls a surprise rabbit out of the hat, the inter divisional strife and later in the novel Colyear’s lone wolf antics, all wrapped in a feeling of knowledge.
Don Colyear is a likeable protagonist. He’s smart and empathetic, but mostly he can’t get out of his own way. It makes him human and occasionally funny.
I like the Edinburgh setting as there is comfort in the familiar. I’m not sure, however, if the author really evokes the city for those unfamiliar with it. Yes, the festival crowds get a mention, as an inconvenience, and various areas are described but I don’t feel the essence is there.
Into the Dark is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
November 15, 2021
An engaging read! It has enough twists and turns to keep the reader hooked. But the writing, the plot, and the characters truly take the reader along for a absolutely gripping ride.
A wonderfully thrilling read.
A wonderfully thrilling read.
March 18, 2022
If you like misterius and crime investigation stories, you picked the right book to read. The descriptions, characters, the storie itself, are all so interesting that you can't keep your eyes out of the pages. But i want to be back again in the desciptions, that are so specific and detailed that you'll feel that you actually are into the storie living every moment with the characters. If i werw you, i'll be reading it right now.
December 10, 2021
It was a compelling and highly entertaining read that kept me turning pages.
The plot is fast paced and twisty, the characters are fleshed out and like the light touches.
It's the first I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
The plot is fast paced and twisty, the characters are fleshed out and like the light touches.
It's the first I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 3, 2021
This is a procedural with supernatural elements. When a man with dementia seems to provide clues to a child’s murder, a Community Officer gets involved trying to solve it to prevent more bloodshed. Don is a local cop working on a string of vandalism cases. His friend Alyson asks him to look into the resident of a retirement facility who called 999 to rant about a monster, revealing details that are not public knowledge. He’s obviously not a suspect so how does he know? He also called weeks in advance, so it must be a coincidence. Don starts developing a relationship with the staff and residents of the facility and realizes that there’s something to it, even if he doesn’t know what. The novel worked well for me and I enjoyed following Alyson and the official team, as well as Don with his own investigation. The author used to be a Police Officer and it shows, which was my problem with this book. He knows too much and adds too many procedural details that are interesting, but slow down the rhythm in general. I don’t want to hear the whole caution to a suspect, just what they have to say. Other than this, I enjoyed this novel.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Allison & Busby!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Allison & Busby!
January 22, 2022
I picked this book up one evening I had just finished a good book and wasn’t sure what I wanted to read next this was the first thing I reached, then, I couldn’t put it down I found myself reading until the early hours of the morning, finishing the following day. This is book 2 in this series I haven’t read book one but this is a book that you can read on it’s own. Although personally I do like to read books in order. I may now have to get book one to see what happened.
Sergeant Don Colyear is a Community Police Officer on the outskirts of Edinburgh, he manages a small team of officers and seems quite content with his job. Not a great deal happens, as long as he keeps his paperwork up to date, most of the work is dealing with local robberies, vandalism as well as anti social behaviour so nothing too dramatic. Until a colleague he trained with Alyson who is a DC with CID asks him if he could do her a favour. A phone call had gone through to triple nine from someone who has been given the nickname Mr Beeswax, mainly because when he is asked questions when calling he tells them to mind there Beeswax. When he calls he says about a victim losing his eyes, there are just two problems with the call, the gentleman calling is in a care home with Dementia, the crime he mentions matches one that has happened to a boy who has been murdered three weeks after the call, his eyes removed, it’s a case that CID are desperate to solve.
When Don and Alyson go to interview Mr Beeswax whose real name is Martin he is not lucid and no way can they ask him anything. But Don asks the care home if they can call him if he has a lucid moment. Which they do, Don is so good with Martin when he is with him, the relationship they have when he is lucid is a bit like a surrogate son as Martins only son lives in America so he doesn’t get to see him.
Tension is high with CID, this case really needs solving and the pressure is on everyone, Alyson’s boss DCI Kate Templeton takes no nonsense I love the way every time she comes into the room for a briefing the door slams against the wall. It’s not long before another crime is committed this time a priest who has had so many stab wounds to his face, but has also had his ears removed. The pressure is rising could the two crimes be linked? When Martin makes a comment about god and hearing Don thinks there is something there, as he looks at Aly’s paperwork he starts to look into a few things himself.
When Don tells Aly what he has been doing she is non too pleased, but things begin to move pretty fast, Aly tries not to tell her boss about Don, but that becomes impossible when a new development happens, Don may be out of a job at the end. I didn’t see the end coming. The past can haunt you, sometimes it can’t be buried, sometimes it just takes a trigger to set you off on the wrong path.
What I loved about this book was the characters, the crimes are tough. But the author has managed to put some lightness into the story, as Don goes out for a drink one night with his colleagues a bit of romance may be in the air, although it’s not plain sailing with some amusing incidents.
I couldn’t read this quick enough, the author just manages to deal with the deaths, but also puts the care and thought into the relationship with Martin, who could have been so easy to just dismiss, I found that so touching. I also loved reading about Edinburgh and Leith places I’ve never visited but would love to see, it covered the harder areas that have become rundown after mines closing down, the weather, the culture. You could picture everything in your mind.
I look forward to see where Don Colyear ends up next I absolutely loved this book, if you like a good procedural with some great characters, some humour despite the horrific murders. Then grab this book you will not be disappointed.
I would like to thank the publishers @AllisonandBusby for a gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read go buy a copy of this support an Indie author and Indie publishers. It is available to buy direct from www.Allison and busby.com
Sergeant Don Colyear is a Community Police Officer on the outskirts of Edinburgh, he manages a small team of officers and seems quite content with his job. Not a great deal happens, as long as he keeps his paperwork up to date, most of the work is dealing with local robberies, vandalism as well as anti social behaviour so nothing too dramatic. Until a colleague he trained with Alyson who is a DC with CID asks him if he could do her a favour. A phone call had gone through to triple nine from someone who has been given the nickname Mr Beeswax, mainly because when he is asked questions when calling he tells them to mind there Beeswax. When he calls he says about a victim losing his eyes, there are just two problems with the call, the gentleman calling is in a care home with Dementia, the crime he mentions matches one that has happened to a boy who has been murdered three weeks after the call, his eyes removed, it’s a case that CID are desperate to solve.
When Don and Alyson go to interview Mr Beeswax whose real name is Martin he is not lucid and no way can they ask him anything. But Don asks the care home if they can call him if he has a lucid moment. Which they do, Don is so good with Martin when he is with him, the relationship they have when he is lucid is a bit like a surrogate son as Martins only son lives in America so he doesn’t get to see him.
Tension is high with CID, this case really needs solving and the pressure is on everyone, Alyson’s boss DCI Kate Templeton takes no nonsense I love the way every time she comes into the room for a briefing the door slams against the wall. It’s not long before another crime is committed this time a priest who has had so many stab wounds to his face, but has also had his ears removed. The pressure is rising could the two crimes be linked? When Martin makes a comment about god and hearing Don thinks there is something there, as he looks at Aly’s paperwork he starts to look into a few things himself.
When Don tells Aly what he has been doing she is non too pleased, but things begin to move pretty fast, Aly tries not to tell her boss about Don, but that becomes impossible when a new development happens, Don may be out of a job at the end. I didn’t see the end coming. The past can haunt you, sometimes it can’t be buried, sometimes it just takes a trigger to set you off on the wrong path.
What I loved about this book was the characters, the crimes are tough. But the author has managed to put some lightness into the story, as Don goes out for a drink one night with his colleagues a bit of romance may be in the air, although it’s not plain sailing with some amusing incidents.
I couldn’t read this quick enough, the author just manages to deal with the deaths, but also puts the care and thought into the relationship with Martin, who could have been so easy to just dismiss, I found that so touching. I also loved reading about Edinburgh and Leith places I’ve never visited but would love to see, it covered the harder areas that have become rundown after mines closing down, the weather, the culture. You could picture everything in your mind.
I look forward to see where Don Colyear ends up next I absolutely loved this book, if you like a good procedural with some great characters, some humour despite the horrific murders. Then grab this book you will not be disappointed.
I would like to thank the publishers @AllisonandBusby for a gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read go buy a copy of this support an Indie author and Indie publishers. It is available to buy direct from www.Allison and busby.com
July 18, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Allison & Busby for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Into The Dark follows two investigators as they try to figure out who commited a horrendous crime - and how to stop them before they do it again. Added to it is the mystery of a senior resident of a care home having, while hallucinating, called the police predicting this crime before it was ever commited.
This was a fun, fun read, especially because the side characters (I love you, Morgan) can be so charming. The mystery itself is interesting to follow, but what makes this book its own thing is the fact that we're so close to day-to-day police work while things unravel.
I must say that I had to issues with this book. First, the fact that some of the follow-ups on the investigation never seemed like logical conclusions to the clue that had been discovered, as if the consequences and the actions that followed were obvious on the author's head, but never that clear for the reader. My second problem with it, though minor, is that there are a bunch of tiny side 'quests', if you will, that take the focus away at times and have absolutely nothing to do with the main case, not even as red herrings. That makes the pacing a bit off at times.
Having said all that, I was intrigued and had a great time reading this, which is more than enough to make me like a thriller. Into the Dark, though not a masterpiece of the genre, sure made me want to look into the author's previous work and look up for what he writes next.
Into The Dark follows two investigators as they try to figure out who commited a horrendous crime - and how to stop them before they do it again. Added to it is the mystery of a senior resident of a care home having, while hallucinating, called the police predicting this crime before it was ever commited.
This was a fun, fun read, especially because the side characters (I love you, Morgan) can be so charming. The mystery itself is interesting to follow, but what makes this book its own thing is the fact that we're so close to day-to-day police work while things unravel.
I must say that I had to issues with this book. First, the fact that some of the follow-ups on the investigation never seemed like logical conclusions to the clue that had been discovered, as if the consequences and the actions that followed were obvious on the author's head, but never that clear for the reader. My second problem with it, though minor, is that there are a bunch of tiny side 'quests', if you will, that take the focus away at times and have absolutely nothing to do with the main case, not even as red herrings. That makes the pacing a bit off at times.
Having said all that, I was intrigued and had a great time reading this, which is more than enough to make me like a thriller. Into the Dark, though not a masterpiece of the genre, sure made me want to look into the author's previous work and look up for what he writes next.
July 3, 2021
352 Pages
5 stars
Sergeant Don Colyear works at the Edinburgh detachment of Police Scotland. He is a Community Liaison Officer, so he doesn’t normally investigate big cases like murder. However, he gets involved with his old pal Alison “Aly” in the murder of a young boy. His eyes have been removed. The team from Glasgow is in charge, and along with them comes a hard driving, territorial, foul-mouthed DCI - a woman no less. There has always been tension between the two teams.
The police chase several leads, but seemingly to no avail. They are at a loss until a telephone call to “999” has Don and Aly interviewing an elderly man with dementia. Martin has his “dark days” according to his caretaker Vicki. But the old man reported the murder three weeks before it occurred.
Don becomes involved in a very interesting and caring relationship with Martin. It was perhaps my favorite part of the book.
Another murder occurs, this time of an elderly priest. Are the cases connected? What is going on?
This is a great book. It is both well written and plotted. I liked Don a great deal. He seems warm and friendly - until pushed into confrontations. I liked the ending of the book as well. It was well deserved.
I want to thank NetGalley and Alison & Busby for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
5 stars
Sergeant Don Colyear works at the Edinburgh detachment of Police Scotland. He is a Community Liaison Officer, so he doesn’t normally investigate big cases like murder. However, he gets involved with his old pal Alison “Aly” in the murder of a young boy. His eyes have been removed. The team from Glasgow is in charge, and along with them comes a hard driving, territorial, foul-mouthed DCI - a woman no less. There has always been tension between the two teams.
The police chase several leads, but seemingly to no avail. They are at a loss until a telephone call to “999” has Don and Aly interviewing an elderly man with dementia. Martin has his “dark days” according to his caretaker Vicki. But the old man reported the murder three weeks before it occurred.
Don becomes involved in a very interesting and caring relationship with Martin. It was perhaps my favorite part of the book.
Another murder occurs, this time of an elderly priest. Are the cases connected? What is going on?
This is a great book. It is both well written and plotted. I liked Don a great deal. He seems warm and friendly - until pushed into confrontations. I liked the ending of the book as well. It was well deserved.
I want to thank NetGalley and Alison & Busby for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
July 28, 2021
'Cut his eyes out, so he has. What kind of a monster could... Cut his eyes out?'
The brutal murder of ten-year-old Callum Bradley sent shockwaves across Scotland but, as the weeks have stretched on with no solid leads, the investigation has been scaled back. Sergeant Don Colyear, Community Police Officer, is tasked with tying up a loose end: a 999 call which may have hinted at the boy's mutilation and murder. However, the call was made fully three weeks before the crime took place.
The caller turns out to be a resident at an Edinburgh care home, drifting in and out of lucidity due to dementia. Enough to write off the potential lead as a dead end. But when a fresh murder disturbs the city, the clock is ticking and Don is drawn far away from his usual beat onto a dark path to catch a violent killer.
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
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 action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
The brutal murder of ten-year-old Callum Bradley sent shockwaves across Scotland but, as the weeks have stretched on with no solid leads, the investigation has been scaled back. Sergeant Don Colyear, Community Police Officer, is tasked with tying up a loose end: a 999 call which may have hinted at the boy's mutilation and murder. However, the call was made fully three weeks before the crime took place.
The caller turns out to be a resident at an Edinburgh care home, drifting in and out of lucidity due to dementia. Enough to write off the potential lead as a dead end. But when a fresh murder disturbs the city, the clock is ticking and Don is drawn far away from his usual beat onto a dark path to catch a violent killer.
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series!
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 action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story.
Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.
I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.
July 5, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
I thought this book looked like my kind of read. I felt it initially was a real slow burner and I did wonder if it was for me. I persevered with it though and am glad I did. I really liked the main character Don Colyear, and thought he was realistic and believable. He is a police officer and is asked to look into a phone call made from a residential home that may link to the murder of a young boy. He looks into this, even though he isn’t on the investigating team and gets better results than the team itself which could cost him his job. After a slow start this book did start to pick up and I liked the characters, the friendship between Don and Aly and the little snippets about Don’s home and personal life which were funny at times. I loved the no nonsense DCI, her language was awful and she doesn't suffer fools. The book raced to a satisfying conclusion with all loose ends tied up nicely. Overall, this became a good, enjoyable and entertaining read, although it didn’t wow me. It was well written and I liked the twists in it. I hope there is a second book, I’d like to see how Don Colyear develops as a character.
I thought this book looked like my kind of read. I felt it initially was a real slow burner and I did wonder if it was for me. I persevered with it though and am glad I did. I really liked the main character Don Colyear, and thought he was realistic and believable. He is a police officer and is asked to look into a phone call made from a residential home that may link to the murder of a young boy. He looks into this, even though he isn’t on the investigating team and gets better results than the team itself which could cost him his job. After a slow start this book did start to pick up and I liked the characters, the friendship between Don and Aly and the little snippets about Don’s home and personal life which were funny at times. I loved the no nonsense DCI, her language was awful and she doesn't suffer fools. The book raced to a satisfying conclusion with all loose ends tied up nicely. Overall, this became a good, enjoyable and entertaining read, although it didn’t wow me. It was well written and I liked the twists in it. I hope there is a second book, I’d like to see how Don Colyear develops as a character.
July 29, 2021
Sergeant Don Colyear is an officer working as part of community policing in Edinburgh, it is a long way from the big cases but it suits him. Elsewhere in the city detectives are trying to find the perpetrator of the horrific murder of a thirteen year old boy, but they seem to be getting nowhere. When a strange call comes through to 999 of someone ranting about a key element of the murder Don is charged with finding out about the caller which has been traced to a care home & Martin, a resident who has moments of lucidity in his dementia. When another murder takes place officers are dropped in from Glasgow & Don finds himself more involved than expected.
I enjoyed the first book in this series so I was delighted to meet Don again, although in a completely different setting. This was a fascinating police procedural with elements of the supernatural. I loved the variety of characters & the different paths the story took. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I'm already looking forward to seeing what Don gets up to next.
I enjoyed the first book in this series so I was delighted to meet Don again, although in a completely different setting. This was a fascinating police procedural with elements of the supernatural. I loved the variety of characters & the different paths the story took. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I'm already looking forward to seeing what Don gets up to next.
August 8, 2021
This was definitely an interesting read. The story started off at a decent pace with Sergeant Donald Colyear asked to check with an elderly man about a phone call he had made a couple of months back. They believe it was a crank call but with no suspects yet in the gruesome murder of a ten-year-old they want him to take a statement from the old man. That the old man has dementia further complicates the case and, in his dementia, induced state he further shares information which Donald traces to another murder and another one which he believes is yet to happen. An interesting turn of events where he is the only person working on this theory and is facing the ire of the main police team who sees this as a waste of time. What I also loved about the book was the description of Edinburgh city. The characters in the book had their own perspective about the city and each in their own way was correct. This book, I think, is one of the first in the series for Donald Colyear and I will eagerly wait for his forthcoming adventures.
June 24, 2022
A very good book by a new author for me. It sounds terrible to say that you like a book when it's deep into the murder of a 10yr old boy who had his eyes cut out, a murdered priest who had his ears cut off and soon to be another one who presumably would have his/her tongue cut out. But I did like it! It was well paced, well constructed and well written. The plot is far too long for me to go through here but I will look out for any other books by Mr Johnstone as he seems to be a very good author!!
June 16, 2023
Compelling
My first dive into the work of Stuart Johnstone has left me ready for more. Impeccably narrated by David Monteath, the plot is both chilling and all too believable. The dark history of institutionalised child abuse is a horrific testament to the inhumanity of those who perpetrate such vile criminality. Stuart’s characters are captivating and well filled out. I look forward to the next Don Colyear book.
My first dive into the work of Stuart Johnstone has left me ready for more. Impeccably narrated by David Monteath, the plot is both chilling and all too believable. The dark history of institutionalised child abuse is a horrific testament to the inhumanity of those who perpetrate such vile criminality. Stuart’s characters are captivating and well filled out. I look forward to the next Don Colyear book.
Read
January 18, 2025Sgt. Colyear #2. I haven't read #1. It's unusual to have a uniformed cop as the protagonist, but this one gets involved in bigger investigations, not with the agreement of senior officers. Colyear has personal problems, and so do various others. There's constant aggro between certain cops and Colyear, and it all got a bit wearing. Although I read a lot of this, I also skipped a lot, so I'm calling it a DNF. No rating.
I don't think I want any more of this series.
I don't think I want any more of this series.
September 2, 2025
I'm so pleased with this book! I picked it up at a charity sale for a summer read and it ticked all the boxes. Great character development, plausible mystery, likeably flawed characters, just enough humor and just enough gore. I'm glad this is part of a series, but it also worked well as a stand alone. I'm adding the other books to my queue post haste! This is one of my favorite mystery/thriller books I've read this year.
July 18, 2021
The first word that springs to mind when thinking about this book is fluffy for some reason!!
It's a far from serious, easy to read police procedural with an enjoyable plot for the most part although I didn't really get why Martin was shoehorned into the plot or what the point of Don being "sensitive" adds.
It's a far from serious, easy to read police procedural with an enjoyable plot for the most part although I didn't really get why Martin was shoehorned into the plot or what the point of Don being "sensitive" adds.
July 21, 2022
This is the second book in the DS Don Colyear. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last ! A great storyline and great characters, will definitely look out for his next book in the series
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison and Busby for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Allison and Busby for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 22, 2021
Book two in the Sergeant Don Colyear series has a slight hint of the supernatural in this police procedural and it took me a while to get into it. It was a good read with interesting and believable characters, as well as being a fun read for summer. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
July 25, 2021
I was sent a copy of this book for an honest review.
I loved this book. Brilliant story, which had that 'sitting on the edge of my seat' feeling! Well written and it had lots of nice human touches which I liked.
#IntoTheDark #Netgalley
I loved this book. Brilliant story, which had that 'sitting on the edge of my seat' feeling! Well written and it had lots of nice human touches which I liked.
#IntoTheDark #Netgalley
July 24, 2021
Great book even without reading the previous volume! Authentic and gripping, with a true knowledge of both police work and Edinburgh setting.
February 15, 2022
A great follow up to his first book. I read this in one sitting. Maybe not quite as tense as his 1st book but I still enjoyed it. It was nice to catch up with the characters and see how they develop.
June 29, 2022
Loving this series so far. Can't wait for the next installment
July 1, 2022
Into the Dark
Would recommend. Love the characters in the books. Can't wait for more and hope to see the characters develop .
Would recommend. Love the characters in the books. Can't wait for more and hope to see the characters develop .
October 10, 2025
You think you have a complicated life until you meet Don
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