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Rhona MacLeod #1
Driftnet
Seventeen years ago, she gave up her newborn son. Could it be his dead body at the scene? Driftnet is a thrilling, fast-paced crime novel by Lin Anderson and is the first novel in the series featuring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod.
'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail
Summoned in the early hours of the morning to a Glasgow flat, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is confronted by a horrific crime scene. A teenage boy has been found mutilated and strangled to death by a vicious killer.
But her grim task of scanning for evidence is made even more unsettling than normal by the boy’s remarkable resemblance to her – and by the fact that she gave up a baby boy for adoption all those years ago . . .
Overcome by guilt, Rhona sets out to find the boy’s killer and establish whether the young victim is her long-lost child. Soon, she finds herself immersed in an investigation seeking to expose the dark underworld of Glasgow as it preys on the young and vulnerable. And, as the case builds, it becomes clear that some very powerful men have a lot to lose if Rhona succeeds – and everything to gain if she dies . . .
'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record
Driftnet is the first in the brutal, thrilling investigations of forensic scientist Rhona Macleod. Continue the series with Torch .
'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail
Summoned in the early hours of the morning to a Glasgow flat, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is confronted by a horrific crime scene. A teenage boy has been found mutilated and strangled to death by a vicious killer.
But her grim task of scanning for evidence is made even more unsettling than normal by the boy’s remarkable resemblance to her – and by the fact that she gave up a baby boy for adoption all those years ago . . .
Overcome by guilt, Rhona sets out to find the boy’s killer and establish whether the young victim is her long-lost child. Soon, she finds herself immersed in an investigation seeking to expose the dark underworld of Glasgow as it preys on the young and vulnerable. And, as the case builds, it becomes clear that some very powerful men have a lot to lose if Rhona succeeds – and everything to gain if she dies . . .
'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record
Driftnet is the first in the brutal, thrilling investigations of forensic scientist Rhona Macleod. Continue the series with Torch .
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2021
382 people are currently reading
1282 people want to read
About the author
Lin Anderson
72 books378 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 247 reviews
April 12, 2022
**Should Read as 3.5 Stars!**
This first outing of the creation "Rhona MacLeod" from the author, Lin Anderson, has been on the one hand a thrilling one, but on the other also a little bit disappointing.
Storytelling is of a superb quality, no doubt about that, the descriptions of Glasgow and surrounding country are wonderful, but the characters are in my view a bit shallow and too obsessed with sex, instead of as a professional scientist, politician, and/or policeman/woman.
The book is situated mainly in and around Glasgow, Scotland, featuring Dr Rhona MacLeod as a forensic scientist, who will come into action when called upon to gather evidence on a murder scene, and this time it is the brutal murder and mutilated body of a rent-boy who goes by the name of, James Fenton.
In this investigation Dr Rhona Macleod is assisted mainly by a colleague named, Chrissy, and with the police-force it will be mostly DI Bill Wilson who is investigating and leading this brutal murder case.
What they will discover is that this murder has everything to do with a ring of paedophiles, who are working from the internet to lure young boys into a trap of no return, so they can use and abuse them to their own despicable liking.
During this investigation more and more will turn up, even the son of Rhona's-ex, now a lawyer and politician named Edward Stewart and married to Fiona, a young boy named, Jonathan, has fallen into the trap of those paedophiles, and with combined strengths they will be able to infiltrate and identify this ring of paedophiles.
What is to follow as a whole is a fast-paced thriller, although with way too much sex and with too little scientific evidence and real investigating, and where Dr Rhona Macleod while identifying the culprit, due to too much sex on her mind she's walking in a naive and silly fashion into a trap set by the perpetrator, but nevertheless and because this series has only just begun, I look very much forward to the next episode and hope that character-wise it will make a huge improvement.
Very much recommended, for this is an enjoyable start to this series, and what this first part is concerned I like to call it: "A Satisfying Scottish Crime Thriller Intro"!
This first outing of the creation "Rhona MacLeod" from the author, Lin Anderson, has been on the one hand a thrilling one, but on the other also a little bit disappointing.
Storytelling is of a superb quality, no doubt about that, the descriptions of Glasgow and surrounding country are wonderful, but the characters are in my view a bit shallow and too obsessed with sex, instead of as a professional scientist, politician, and/or policeman/woman.
The book is situated mainly in and around Glasgow, Scotland, featuring Dr Rhona MacLeod as a forensic scientist, who will come into action when called upon to gather evidence on a murder scene, and this time it is the brutal murder and mutilated body of a rent-boy who goes by the name of, James Fenton.
In this investigation Dr Rhona Macleod is assisted mainly by a colleague named, Chrissy, and with the police-force it will be mostly DI Bill Wilson who is investigating and leading this brutal murder case.
What they will discover is that this murder has everything to do with a ring of paedophiles, who are working from the internet to lure young boys into a trap of no return, so they can use and abuse them to their own despicable liking.
During this investigation more and more will turn up, even the son of Rhona's-ex, now a lawyer and politician named Edward Stewart and married to Fiona, a young boy named, Jonathan, has fallen into the trap of those paedophiles, and with combined strengths they will be able to infiltrate and identify this ring of paedophiles.
What is to follow as a whole is a fast-paced thriller, although with way too much sex and with too little scientific evidence and real investigating, and where Dr Rhona Macleod while identifying the culprit, due to too much sex on her mind she's walking in a naive and silly fashion into a trap set by the perpetrator, but nevertheless and because this series has only just begun, I look very much forward to the next episode and hope that character-wise it will make a huge improvement.
Very much recommended, for this is an enjoyable start to this series, and what this first part is concerned I like to call it: "A Satisfying Scottish Crime Thriller Intro"!
February 12, 2017
Driftnet is where it all began for police forensic examiner Dr Rhona MacLeod and was originally published in 2003. Fifteen-years later Lin Anderson and Rhona are still going strong with eleven books to date. Having read several books much further into the series I really enjoyed seeing how Rhona had developed and finding out her back story. Even in this first outing Lin Anderson manages to combine revealing forensic depth with a horrific crime, all the while negotiating the personal events of her leading characters - something that has made this series such a success.
Summoned in the early hours of the morning to a squalid block of flats Dr Rhona MacLeod is confronted with a shocking scene which threatens to strike dangerously close to her heart given the son she gave up for adoption seventeen years ago. Faced by a horrific crime scene in which a young teenage boy has been asphyxiated during anal sex, she is appalled by the bite marks and evidence of post-mortem testicle gnawing ravaged on his body. He could be any fair-haired young boy, but the vulnerable eyes, well-nourished body and distinct lack of drug abuse tell of someone new to the scene. Rhona wonders if the victim could be a student from Glasgow university and when Bill catches sight of the Manchester United scarf he doubts the boy is a native Glasgow lad! The scent of expensive aftershave, the quality and brand of the whiskey and the tailor made French curtain and silk fibres found on the body indicate that this is no run-of-the-mill encounter. Rhona and DI Bill Wilson conclude that this is not a isolated incident and Rhona is alerted when she sees what looks to be a thin leather neck band with a Celtic cross on it. Given she has witnessed this marking on the body of a young male student's corpse six-months previously, Rhona and Bill suspect the two incidents could be connected and they decide to probe a little further.
With DI Bill Wilson, pathologist Dr Sissons and Rhona's Scientific Officer, Chrissy McInsh, commenting on the boys uncanny resemblance to Rhona she knows she will have to get answers about the child she gave up for adoption. The man who fathered that child, lawyer and potential by-election candidate, Edward Spencer, is aware that a scandal is just what he must avoid, but finding her birth son becomes a priority for Rhona. In an effort to keep Rhona quiet Edward acquiesces to her demands to confirm the child they shared in not the victim, but he is reluctant to delve deeper. When Rhona meets police cyber-sleuth Gavin MacLean he seems to present her opportunity to attempt to contact the child she gave away, but is he just a little too good to be true? Having not told her lover of seven months, Irishman and jazz musician, Sean, about the child along with her own doubts about his faithfulness she opts out of a romantic trip to Paris and with Sean away, Gavin sees his chance to get to know Rhona a little better!
The case unsettles DI Bill Wilson, with two teenage children of his own and after his harrowing baptism of fire attending the sex crimes computer training he has seen just how chilling the courting and recruiting process is. When journalist Jim Connelly, runs an investigative expose on the paedophile rings of Glasgow in the local newspaper the secretive groups dive for cover in the depths of the darkweb making Bill's job becomes even more difficult. As things come to a head, Chrissy reconnects with an old school friend, rent boy Neil MacGregor who has plenty of problems of his own. The welts on his neck and the story he tells echoes the scene of crime that confronted Rhona but threatening to embroil Edward's well-connected circle of friends and son, Jonathan, the tension escalates.
I really enjoyed Lin Anderson's focus on why Rhona had changed from studying three years of medicine to forensic science, a discipline where she could seek the truth, look for answers and perhaps discover why a crime happened. The specifics of her role as a forensic scientist is kept to the fore in Driftnet and it is wonderful to see an author so conversant with the nitty-gritty details of the process. Rhona's diligent focus on bringing justice for the victims of crime makes her immensely likeable and it is hard not to admire her search for forthright answers. I was disappointed with the overexcitable race to the finish, which included an overblown hospital kidnap as it detracted from a thoughtful investigation.
Given that Driftnet numbers less than 250 pages, I found it satisfyingly complicated and with developments in all of the central characters lives I was impressed with how many individual threads Lin Anderson juggled. Huge potential for character development and a brilliant mix of crime and changing lives. The specifics of this storyline pertain to paedophilia and are grim reading, hence I would not recommend Driftnet to readers of a more sensitive nature. Thankfully not all of Rhona's work is as emotive as child abuse and certainly makes for easier reading.
Summoned in the early hours of the morning to a squalid block of flats Dr Rhona MacLeod is confronted with a shocking scene which threatens to strike dangerously close to her heart given the son she gave up for adoption seventeen years ago. Faced by a horrific crime scene in which a young teenage boy has been asphyxiated during anal sex, she is appalled by the bite marks and evidence of post-mortem testicle gnawing ravaged on his body. He could be any fair-haired young boy, but the vulnerable eyes, well-nourished body and distinct lack of drug abuse tell of someone new to the scene. Rhona wonders if the victim could be a student from Glasgow university and when Bill catches sight of the Manchester United scarf he doubts the boy is a native Glasgow lad! The scent of expensive aftershave, the quality and brand of the whiskey and the tailor made French curtain and silk fibres found on the body indicate that this is no run-of-the-mill encounter. Rhona and DI Bill Wilson conclude that this is not a isolated incident and Rhona is alerted when she sees what looks to be a thin leather neck band with a Celtic cross on it. Given she has witnessed this marking on the body of a young male student's corpse six-months previously, Rhona and Bill suspect the two incidents could be connected and they decide to probe a little further.
With DI Bill Wilson, pathologist Dr Sissons and Rhona's Scientific Officer, Chrissy McInsh, commenting on the boys uncanny resemblance to Rhona she knows she will have to get answers about the child she gave up for adoption. The man who fathered that child, lawyer and potential by-election candidate, Edward Spencer, is aware that a scandal is just what he must avoid, but finding her birth son becomes a priority for Rhona. In an effort to keep Rhona quiet Edward acquiesces to her demands to confirm the child they shared in not the victim, but he is reluctant to delve deeper. When Rhona meets police cyber-sleuth Gavin MacLean he seems to present her opportunity to attempt to contact the child she gave away, but is he just a little too good to be true? Having not told her lover of seven months, Irishman and jazz musician, Sean, about the child along with her own doubts about his faithfulness she opts out of a romantic trip to Paris and with Sean away, Gavin sees his chance to get to know Rhona a little better!
The case unsettles DI Bill Wilson, with two teenage children of his own and after his harrowing baptism of fire attending the sex crimes computer training he has seen just how chilling the courting and recruiting process is. When journalist Jim Connelly, runs an investigative expose on the paedophile rings of Glasgow in the local newspaper the secretive groups dive for cover in the depths of the darkweb making Bill's job becomes even more difficult. As things come to a head, Chrissy reconnects with an old school friend, rent boy Neil MacGregor who has plenty of problems of his own. The welts on his neck and the story he tells echoes the scene of crime that confronted Rhona but threatening to embroil Edward's well-connected circle of friends and son, Jonathan, the tension escalates.
I really enjoyed Lin Anderson's focus on why Rhona had changed from studying three years of medicine to forensic science, a discipline where she could seek the truth, look for answers and perhaps discover why a crime happened. The specifics of her role as a forensic scientist is kept to the fore in Driftnet and it is wonderful to see an author so conversant with the nitty-gritty details of the process. Rhona's diligent focus on bringing justice for the victims of crime makes her immensely likeable and it is hard not to admire her search for forthright answers. I was disappointed with the overexcitable race to the finish, which included an overblown hospital kidnap as it detracted from a thoughtful investigation.
Given that Driftnet numbers less than 250 pages, I found it satisfyingly complicated and with developments in all of the central characters lives I was impressed with how many individual threads Lin Anderson juggled. Huge potential for character development and a brilliant mix of crime and changing lives. The specifics of this storyline pertain to paedophilia and are grim reading, hence I would not recommend Driftnet to readers of a more sensitive nature. Thankfully not all of Rhona's work is as emotive as child abuse and certainly makes for easier reading.
March 21, 2016
This is the first in the Dr. Rhona MacLeod, forensic scientist, series.
A young lad is found mutilated and dead in a flat in Glasgow. There is a striking resemblance between Rhona and the victim, made all the more difficult by the fact that Rhona gave her son up for adoption 17 years previously. There is a similarity in ages between the victim and Rhona’s son. Rhona sets out to identify the victim, ascertain if he is her son, find the killer and if the victim is not her son, Rhona wants to find her son. What follows is a dark, horrifying, haunting investigation involving internet paedophile rings and powerful people.
I recently met Lin Anderson at an event held in Darlington library. I had only read her most recent book “The Special Dead” and following the very interesting talk she gave, I decided that I would read the whole Dr. Rhona MacLeod series right from the beginning and boy am I glad that I did.
For me, this was a real CPID (can’t put it down) book. Reading this book became addictive. Lin is a fantastic storyteller and really does know how to capture your attention right from the very first word on the very first page. This book certainly did have me under its spell. I felt that I was right there with them in the thick of the action and a bystander to all the drama.
The characters are realistic and believable and they are given even more authenticity by the fact that Lin is a screenwriter. Rhona MacLeod is a career woman, who has been damaged by events in her past. She is dedicated to her career often at the cost of her own personal relationships and her personal life. All Rhona tries to do is her best. Bill Wilson, who is the policeman in charge of the investigation, adopts an almost paternal role in his interactions with Rhona. He is a straight and decent policeman. The villains were scarily realistic in this book, especially those in the paedophile rings. This book illustrated how frighteningly easy it is to have different sides to a character and how easy it is to switch from nice to nasty in a short pace of time.
Reading this book was like watching a soap opera, in that you become involved in the story, you care about the characters, you want to shout out at times and read with your hands over your eyes as you fear what is coming next.
I really did enjoy reading this book and I think that it would make a fantastic tv series to fill the gap left by the programme “Taggart”. I would definitely recommend this series to anybody.
A young lad is found mutilated and dead in a flat in Glasgow. There is a striking resemblance between Rhona and the victim, made all the more difficult by the fact that Rhona gave her son up for adoption 17 years previously. There is a similarity in ages between the victim and Rhona’s son. Rhona sets out to identify the victim, ascertain if he is her son, find the killer and if the victim is not her son, Rhona wants to find her son. What follows is a dark, horrifying, haunting investigation involving internet paedophile rings and powerful people.
I recently met Lin Anderson at an event held in Darlington library. I had only read her most recent book “The Special Dead” and following the very interesting talk she gave, I decided that I would read the whole Dr. Rhona MacLeod series right from the beginning and boy am I glad that I did.
For me, this was a real CPID (can’t put it down) book. Reading this book became addictive. Lin is a fantastic storyteller and really does know how to capture your attention right from the very first word on the very first page. This book certainly did have me under its spell. I felt that I was right there with them in the thick of the action and a bystander to all the drama.
The characters are realistic and believable and they are given even more authenticity by the fact that Lin is a screenwriter. Rhona MacLeod is a career woman, who has been damaged by events in her past. She is dedicated to her career often at the cost of her own personal relationships and her personal life. All Rhona tries to do is her best. Bill Wilson, who is the policeman in charge of the investigation, adopts an almost paternal role in his interactions with Rhona. He is a straight and decent policeman. The villains were scarily realistic in this book, especially those in the paedophile rings. This book illustrated how frighteningly easy it is to have different sides to a character and how easy it is to switch from nice to nasty in a short pace of time.
Reading this book was like watching a soap opera, in that you become involved in the story, you care about the characters, you want to shout out at times and read with your hands over your eyes as you fear what is coming next.
I really did enjoy reading this book and I think that it would make a fantastic tv series to fill the gap left by the programme “Taggart”. I would definitely recommend this series to anybody.
July 24, 2011
Enjoyed reading this but felt a bit short changed - like it was all a bit of an anti-climax, more kept threatening to happen.
July 13, 2023
1.5 stars
This is the first in what is obviously a very popular series (up to number 17 or so I believe) set in Glasgow and staring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. This first book was published around 20 years ago now and I did think it felt a little dated when I read it although the topic of child abuse and grooming remains, unfortunately, all too relevant. For me this book fell flat. Although the key protagonist is a forensic scientist there was little pathology/forensic content, but there were, I thought, a lot of clichés and predictable tropes. The characters were one dimensional, their relationships lacking, and although Anderson is not shy of writing the gore and the details, the crimes actually lacked menace. I promise I am not a prude, but I felt the abundance of sex scenes and the writing of them felt cringe worthy and I found myself almost laughing as yet another penis passed across the pages. Not, I suspect, what the author was intending, and obviously not the case for all of those readers who obviously enjoy this series. I am just not one of them.
This is the first in what is obviously a very popular series (up to number 17 or so I believe) set in Glasgow and staring forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. This first book was published around 20 years ago now and I did think it felt a little dated when I read it although the topic of child abuse and grooming remains, unfortunately, all too relevant. For me this book fell flat. Although the key protagonist is a forensic scientist there was little pathology/forensic content, but there were, I thought, a lot of clichés and predictable tropes. The characters were one dimensional, their relationships lacking, and although Anderson is not shy of writing the gore and the details, the crimes actually lacked menace. I promise I am not a prude, but I felt the abundance of sex scenes and the writing of them felt cringe worthy and I found myself almost laughing as yet another penis passed across the pages. Not, I suspect, what the author was intending, and obviously not the case for all of those readers who obviously enjoy this series. I am just not one of them.
November 6, 2018
A taste of unsavory crime in Glasgow with intro to forensics expert Rhona Macleod. I am late in coming to this series and do not plan to continue reading. One book was quite enough for me as I am not interested in reading explicit sex scenes thrown in like visits to the coffee shop.
Poor young "rent boy" is brutally used during and after a murder described in detail as the book opens. Then you get treated to what is going on in Rhona's bed as well. Plenty of people have described the plot, and I am sorry I did not read reviews before trying the book. Not for me.
Poor young "rent boy" is brutally used during and after a murder described in detail as the book opens. Then you get treated to what is going on in Rhona's bed as well. Plenty of people have described the plot, and I am sorry I did not read reviews before trying the book. Not for me.
August 9, 2020
2.5 stars. Felt rushed and unfinished towards the end.
December 7, 2025
I recently read the three latest books in Lin Anderson's Rhoda MacLeod series and liked them so much that I decided to start in the beginning, with #1, which was published in 2003. Although describing fictional events that took place over 20 years ago, it did not seem out-of-date, and kept my interest till the end.
The main storyline revolves around the torture and murder of rent boys—so the focus on child abuse and paedophile grooming seemed very relevant to contemporary societal concerns. A secondary storyline involves Rhoda's regret over the fact that she gave up her infant son for adoption 17 years earlier. A rent boy—who is discovered horribly mutilated—looks so much like Rhoda that she fears he may be her own relinquished child. Interwoven among these two primary narratives are scenes involving several other characters: 1) DI Bill Wilson, a family man in charge of the murder investigation; 2) Chrissy McInsh, Rhona's assistant, who has her own family problems; 3) Edward Spencer, the father of Rhoda's child, who is currently an ambitious politician; 4) Gavin MacLean, a computer expert recently hired by DI Wilson to help uncover nefarious paedophile groups; and 5) Sean (no last name), a jazz musician and Rhoda's lover.
There was one twist that for me was not completely unexpected, but I wonder if I would have been "not so surprised" had I read this novel when it was first published, before "twists" became expected in thrillers.
My main disappointment with this novel was the overemphasis on sex scenes, and I noted that several reviewers felt likewise. Although there is too much descriptive sex content, I did not feel, as several reviewers did, that these were so disturbing as to warrant a one-star rating. I just skipped over them quickly.
A secondary disappointment was that I felt the book was wrapped up too quickly, with too many hanging threads.
But overall a great beginning to a new series, a series that is still ongoing today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other Rhona MacLeod novels:
The Wild Coast (Rhona MacLeod #17)
Whispers of the Dead (Rhona MacLeod #18)
The Dead and the Dying (Rhona MacLeod #19)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The main storyline revolves around the torture and murder of rent boys—so the focus on child abuse and paedophile grooming seemed very relevant to contemporary societal concerns. A secondary storyline involves Rhoda's regret over the fact that she gave up her infant son for adoption 17 years earlier. A rent boy—who is discovered horribly mutilated—looks so much like Rhoda that she fears he may be her own relinquished child. Interwoven among these two primary narratives are scenes involving several other characters: 1) DI Bill Wilson, a family man in charge of the murder investigation; 2) Chrissy McInsh, Rhona's assistant, who has her own family problems; 3) Edward Spencer, the father of Rhoda's child, who is currently an ambitious politician; 4) Gavin MacLean, a computer expert recently hired by DI Wilson to help uncover nefarious paedophile groups; and 5) Sean (no last name), a jazz musician and Rhoda's lover.
There was one twist that for me was not completely unexpected, but I wonder if I would have been "not so surprised" had I read this novel when it was first published, before "twists" became expected in thrillers.
My main disappointment with this novel was the overemphasis on sex scenes, and I noted that several reviewers felt likewise. Although there is too much descriptive sex content, I did not feel, as several reviewers did, that these were so disturbing as to warrant a one-star rating. I just skipped over them quickly.
A secondary disappointment was that I felt the book was wrapped up too quickly, with too many hanging threads.
But overall a great beginning to a new series, a series that is still ongoing today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other Rhona MacLeod novels:
The Wild Coast (Rhona MacLeod #17)
Whispers of the Dead (Rhona MacLeod #18)
The Dead and the Dying (Rhona MacLeod #19)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 7, 2013
This is between 3 and 1/2 and 4 stars but it kept me captivated. The story revolves around rent boys and politicians. I liked the main character, Rhona. There isn't much sense of Glasgow that comes through in the novel but perhaps in her later work (this was her first.)
April 9, 2021
Sleazy and scandalous series opener. A great introduction to the main character and enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
January 27, 2023
3.5—————— Bookish Books Reading Challenge & #LibraryLoveChallenge
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November 24, 2021
It seems that every new series in recent years that are police procedurals/mysteries/thrillers that take place in Scotland are inevitably touted by someone as the "next John Rebus series." I noticed words to that effect on the cover of Driftnet and cringed; why isn't Scotland big enough for John Rebus AND other law enforcement?
Rhona MacLeod is a forensic examiner for the police in Glasgow. She's an independent-minded woman in her mid to late 30s with a live-in boyfriend, Sean. These two must hit it off under the theory that opposites attract because Sean is as easy-going as Rhona is tightly-wound.
The investigation at hand begins with the discovery of the body of a young man -- a "rent boy" or male prostitute. Not only has the young man been strangled, but his genitals have been bitten, some parts missing entirely. As the investigation moves forward, a paedophilia ring is suspected, upping the ante and suspense.
As a deviation from the standard plot, the murdered young man strongly resembles MacLeod and is the same age as the young man would be that MacLeod placed for adoption 17 years earlier.
An interesting and well-told story.
Rhona MacLeod is a forensic examiner for the police in Glasgow. She's an independent-minded woman in her mid to late 30s with a live-in boyfriend, Sean. These two must hit it off under the theory that opposites attract because Sean is as easy-going as Rhona is tightly-wound.
The investigation at hand begins with the discovery of the body of a young man -- a "rent boy" or male prostitute. Not only has the young man been strangled, but his genitals have been bitten, some parts missing entirely. As the investigation moves forward, a paedophilia ring is suspected, upping the ante and suspense.
As a deviation from the standard plot, the murdered young man strongly resembles MacLeod and is the same age as the young man would be that MacLeod placed for adoption 17 years earlier.
An interesting and well-told story.
May 4, 2023
First in this series. Very good read. Lin Anderson write very good thrillers.
August 4, 2018
This time round I wanted to read a book whose main character was not a police officer or detective operating from a police station. Rhona MacLeod is a forensic scientist (yes, granted, she works for the police, but she's not a police officer!) She takes samples of other people's lives, mistakes and crimes, to the lab and examines them. She's the main protagonist in a Glasgow-based series by Lin Anderson. Written quite a number of years back now, 'Driftnet' is the first book.
The mutilated, naked body of a teenage boy is discovered in a small flat. It seems he has been killed during some sort of sex game, and the injuries and signs of abuse found on his body point to a vicious, demented killer. When Rhona is summoned to the scene to take her samples, she's shocked to notice that the victim bears an uncanny resemblance to her. Someone later tells her that he looked so like her, he could have been her younger brother! Unbeknown to everyone else, seventeen years earlier, Rhona had given up a baby boy for adoption. Without an ID for the victim and stunned by the horrible possibility, Rhona becomes desperate to dig deep to help the police find out who this boy was, why did he end up there, who did this to him. She also suddenly wants to trace her son in the hope that he's still out there alive and well. But could this really be her son? Racked by guilt, Rhona is determined to find out. Not so eager is the man who fathered that boy, lawyer and by-election candidate Edward Spencer, who's now married with children. He warns Rhona that he doesn't want a scandal to crop up now and ruin his prospective future career in politics. Still, Rhona doesn't care, with or without his help, she will find out the truth.
Well, I've known about author Lin Anderson for a long time now, but for one reason or another I'd never read any of her books. I found this one quite intriguing and brilliantly written. Even though it was written a number of years ago, it doesn't feel dated at all. The author's vivid descriptions and the way she puts her words kept me interested throughout. The possibility that the victim could be Rhona's son kept me hooked till the end, wanting as much as herself to find out if that was the case or not. Was he, or not??
The book deals with paedophilia and paedophile rings, a theme not everyone is comfortable reading about, however the author treats it very sensitively. The crime scene's description can be a bit disturbing to go through, however there aren't any violent scenes of children being abused in the book.
All characters and dialogues are realistic. Rhona is quite likeable, a brilliant scientist who has not quite put her past behind her. The guilt feelings and regrets of abandoning her child have never left her. I'm now keen to learn more about her and some of the other characters like Chrissy, her assistant; DI Bill Wilson who leads the investigation; and Sean, the man she loves, in the following books.
All in all, I thought for a debut, this book was very good, however the ending felt a bit rushed and certain questions remained unanswered, or not clearly answered. Having said that, I really enjoyed it and will certainly be reading more books by this brilliant author.
The mutilated, naked body of a teenage boy is discovered in a small flat. It seems he has been killed during some sort of sex game, and the injuries and signs of abuse found on his body point to a vicious, demented killer. When Rhona is summoned to the scene to take her samples, she's shocked to notice that the victim bears an uncanny resemblance to her. Someone later tells her that he looked so like her, he could have been her younger brother! Unbeknown to everyone else, seventeen years earlier, Rhona had given up a baby boy for adoption. Without an ID for the victim and stunned by the horrible possibility, Rhona becomes desperate to dig deep to help the police find out who this boy was, why did he end up there, who did this to him. She also suddenly wants to trace her son in the hope that he's still out there alive and well. But could this really be her son? Racked by guilt, Rhona is determined to find out. Not so eager is the man who fathered that boy, lawyer and by-election candidate Edward Spencer, who's now married with children. He warns Rhona that he doesn't want a scandal to crop up now and ruin his prospective future career in politics. Still, Rhona doesn't care, with or without his help, she will find out the truth.
Well, I've known about author Lin Anderson for a long time now, but for one reason or another I'd never read any of her books. I found this one quite intriguing and brilliantly written. Even though it was written a number of years ago, it doesn't feel dated at all. The author's vivid descriptions and the way she puts her words kept me interested throughout. The possibility that the victim could be Rhona's son kept me hooked till the end, wanting as much as herself to find out if that was the case or not. Was he, or not??
The book deals with paedophilia and paedophile rings, a theme not everyone is comfortable reading about, however the author treats it very sensitively. The crime scene's description can be a bit disturbing to go through, however there aren't any violent scenes of children being abused in the book.
All characters and dialogues are realistic. Rhona is quite likeable, a brilliant scientist who has not quite put her past behind her. The guilt feelings and regrets of abandoning her child have never left her. I'm now keen to learn more about her and some of the other characters like Chrissy, her assistant; DI Bill Wilson who leads the investigation; and Sean, the man she loves, in the following books.
All in all, I thought for a debut, this book was very good, however the ending felt a bit rushed and certain questions remained unanswered, or not clearly answered. Having said that, I really enjoyed it and will certainly be reading more books by this brilliant author.
January 18, 2017
Set mainly in Glasgow the chief viewpoint character of Driftnet is Forensic Scientist Rhona MacLeod but many scenes are seen through the eyes of others. The case involves the murder of a teenager - with a startling resemblance to Rhona – who is apparently a rent boy.
Anderson’s writing is fine enough but to my mind there were several factors which marred the reading experience. Typical of the protagonists in such novels Rhona has relationship problems but here her backstory is far too convoluted. Granted, it helps to progress the plot but it all felt too contrived, too neat, too enmeshed. Another flaw was that the murderer is easily identified on his first appearance. Anderson tries to finesse the point but that only succeeds in making Rhona look too naïve - or stupid. (Her realisation earlier than she does would have made for a shorter book though, and less jeopardy for others.) Also far too many of the characters are connected to the murderer’s orbit. It stretches belief beyond credibility for so many to be so close to the perpetrator. I thought that the description of the criminal ring he is a part of as containing paedophiles - while probably correct in a legal sense - skirts on the margins of that definition; at least on the evidence of their victims as presented here. For a tale supposedly centred round a Forensic Scientist too little time is spent in the lab; there are only really two instances of any forensic detail.
This may not technically be a detective novel - even if DI Bill Wilson is given several viewpoint scenes - but the function of such a story is to set the world back on an even keel. In Driftnet that does not happen - which may be truer to life but does not provide the sense of satisfaction that the form demands. Another serious misstep was Rhona’s moment of release on the third last page which wasn’t justified by any of the foregoing and is only there to provide a spurious sense of uplift.
I did scoot through it in two nights reading, though.
Anderson’s writing is fine enough but to my mind there were several factors which marred the reading experience. Typical of the protagonists in such novels Rhona has relationship problems but here her backstory is far too convoluted. Granted, it helps to progress the plot but it all felt too contrived, too neat, too enmeshed. Another flaw was that the murderer is easily identified on his first appearance. Anderson tries to finesse the point but that only succeeds in making Rhona look too naïve - or stupid. (Her realisation earlier than she does would have made for a shorter book though, and less jeopardy for others.) Also far too many of the characters are connected to the murderer’s orbit. It stretches belief beyond credibility for so many to be so close to the perpetrator. I thought that the description of the criminal ring he is a part of as containing paedophiles - while probably correct in a legal sense - skirts on the margins of that definition; at least on the evidence of their victims as presented here. For a tale supposedly centred round a Forensic Scientist too little time is spent in the lab; there are only really two instances of any forensic detail.
This may not technically be a detective novel - even if DI Bill Wilson is given several viewpoint scenes - but the function of such a story is to set the world back on an even keel. In Driftnet that does not happen - which may be truer to life but does not provide the sense of satisfaction that the form demands. Another serious misstep was Rhona’s moment of release on the third last page which wasn’t justified by any of the foregoing and is only there to provide a spurious sense of uplift.
I did scoot through it in two nights reading, though.
July 12, 2021
Edizione italiana da parte di Newton&Compton con il titolo: La bambina che giocava con il fuoco. (sigh)
Ciofeca. Smilza, ma sempre ciofeca est.
Cominciamo dal titolo che non ha niente a che vedere con il contenuto del libro. Il titolo originale é "Driftnet" che significa "Rete a strascico", secondo me un genio incompreso della casa editrice dopo non aver letto il libro, in nessuna lingua, inglese o italiano che sia, tanto non le capiva, illuminato improvvisamente nella buia notte neuronale in cui brancola, deve aver letto da una qualche parte qualcosa su una bambina che giocava con il fuoco...Et voilá trovato UN titolo al libro. Poteva anche essere: La nonna che non sapeva parlare, oppure: Il bambino e la bambola, o anche Zio Gino andava a pesca di cavedani, o Olga coscialunga, che tanto era lo stesso.
Il contenuto adesso. In poche parole: bisogna davvero impegnarsi per scrivere cosí insulsivamente, personaggi tagliati giù con la motosega, storia banale e scontata, cliché a gogó, e mi fermo qua che é meglio.
Dal riciclo viene, nella carta straccia finisce, manco ritorna in circolo.
Poveri, poveri alberi...
Ciofeca. Smilza, ma sempre ciofeca est.
Cominciamo dal titolo che non ha niente a che vedere con il contenuto del libro. Il titolo originale é "Driftnet" che significa "Rete a strascico", secondo me un genio incompreso della casa editrice dopo non aver letto il libro, in nessuna lingua, inglese o italiano che sia, tanto non le capiva, illuminato improvvisamente nella buia notte neuronale in cui brancola, deve aver letto da una qualche parte qualcosa su una bambina che giocava con il fuoco...Et voilá trovato UN titolo al libro. Poteva anche essere: La nonna che non sapeva parlare, oppure: Il bambino e la bambola, o anche Zio Gino andava a pesca di cavedani, o Olga coscialunga, che tanto era lo stesso.
Il contenuto adesso. In poche parole: bisogna davvero impegnarsi per scrivere cosí insulsivamente, personaggi tagliati giù con la motosega, storia banale e scontata, cliché a gogó, e mi fermo qua che é meglio.
Dal riciclo viene, nella carta straccia finisce, manco ritorna in circolo.
Poveri, poveri alberi...
June 20, 2020
MYSTERY/ SUSPENSE
“The boy who had been abused and strangled in that hideous little room looked so like her, he could have been her brother.”
Scottish noir? Yes. And what a great book Lin Anderson gives with her first in series Driftnet. Protagonist forensic scientist Dr. Rhona MacLeod arrives at a site to not only find a dead body, but one that looks so like her, she is stunned by the resemblance. The coincidence is too remarkable to let go. And at that moment, the reader doesn’t want to stop reading. They want to know how the dead body is related to MacLeod. And as a reviewer, I was very curious to see what this author was going to weave that wouldn’t lead to stereotypical endings.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Having finished this riveting, can’t put down, where-is-this-author-going-novel, I immediately hit her “Follow” button on Amazon.
Review Published in Le Coeur de l'Artiste https://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de...
“The boy who had been abused and strangled in that hideous little room looked so like her, he could have been her brother.”
Scottish noir? Yes. And what a great book Lin Anderson gives with her first in series Driftnet. Protagonist forensic scientist Dr. Rhona MacLeod arrives at a site to not only find a dead body, but one that looks so like her, she is stunned by the resemblance. The coincidence is too remarkable to let go. And at that moment, the reader doesn’t want to stop reading. They want to know how the dead body is related to MacLeod. And as a reviewer, I was very curious to see what this author was going to weave that wouldn’t lead to stereotypical endings.
I wasn’t disappointed.
Having finished this riveting, can’t put down, where-is-this-author-going-novel, I immediately hit her “Follow” button on Amazon.
Review Published in Le Coeur de l'Artiste https://www.djadamson.com/le-coeur-de...
December 4, 2018
It was fun to read a mystery set in Scotland (Glasgow), but I did feel a little disappointed. The author is one of those mystery writers that doesn’t let the reader know what the characters know. For example, so-and-so sees these emails and is shocked and runs from the room to deal with them. Yeah, so, what did the emails say?!? Also, as the tension ratchets up towards the end, she writes shorter paragraphs and bounces quickly around from character to character. As a result, I felt like it was rushed and I wasn’t sure what actually happened. So, I’m not giving up on this author, but I do have a few reservations about this first of the series.
November 15, 2020
Enjoyed this book 1 and getting to know characters Would recommend
January 13, 2016
Really enjoyed the story line in this book, kept me hooked & i didn't want to put my kindle down! Looking forward to reading the rest if the books in this series.
July 15, 2021
Review to come.
September 28, 2020
I’d been meaning to read this series for years and hadn’t got round to it.
This is the first book in the Rhona MacLeod series, written 17 years ago.
I’ve attended a talk by Lin Anderson and she’s obviously very passionate about her work. This encouraged me to read this series as I’m a fan of crime fiction.
This book is graphic from the outset, a young boy is found dead after violent sexual activity. Several people comment that the boy bears a striking resemblance to Rhona and this sets off her trying to locate her son she gave up for adoption years before. The police also uncover an operation where young boys are being lured and blackmailed online.
There’s a lot going on in this story with lots of strands of activity for the different characters. They do link up but it took me a minute or two to remember who was who and how they were connected.
I quite liked most of the characters, considering how many of them there are, they’re well developed.
A couple of parts of the plot I thought were a bit too coincidental but still enjoyed the book overall.
Considering it was written almost 20 years ago it didn’t seem too dated.
I’m planning to keep reading the series to see how the characters develop.
This is the first book in the Rhona MacLeod series, written 17 years ago.
I’ve attended a talk by Lin Anderson and she’s obviously very passionate about her work. This encouraged me to read this series as I’m a fan of crime fiction.
This book is graphic from the outset, a young boy is found dead after violent sexual activity. Several people comment that the boy bears a striking resemblance to Rhona and this sets off her trying to locate her son she gave up for adoption years before. The police also uncover an operation where young boys are being lured and blackmailed online.
There’s a lot going on in this story with lots of strands of activity for the different characters. They do link up but it took me a minute or two to remember who was who and how they were connected.
I quite liked most of the characters, considering how many of them there are, they’re well developed.
A couple of parts of the plot I thought were a bit too coincidental but still enjoyed the book overall.
Considering it was written almost 20 years ago it didn’t seem too dated.
I’m planning to keep reading the series to see how the characters develop.
January 6, 2012
This is crime thriller set in Glasgow, centred around the work of a female crime scene operative, as she helps investigate the brutal murder of a young rent boy. Afer initially opening well, I was disappointed as the plot degenerated and only managed to keep on track because of the ineptitude of those investigating. Basically it seemed that everyone had a secret linked to the death and this kept them all from talking to each other, hence the crime went unsolved for far too long.
September 1, 2021
Oh dear!
What promised to be a really good read spoiled by a lack of a final proofread (or, possibly, any) and a story that left threads unresolved. Read it because I wanted to see if I was right about whodunit but won't be rushing to read more
2*
What promised to be a really good read spoiled by a lack of a final proofread (or, possibly, any) and a story that left threads unresolved. Read it because I wanted to see if I was right about whodunit but won't be rushing to read more
2*
August 19, 2014
loved this book met the author at a book talk last week cant wait to read the next book
November 6, 2020
3 1/2 stars. The first novel in a series featuring Scottish forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. An excellent crime thriller that is fast paced, intriguing and atmospheric. Highly recommended.
March 20, 2022
Tried out the first in a long series of Rhona MacCleod novels written by Lin Anderson. Driftnet was first published in 1988, but has seen some incarnations since then to update the tech a bit. It was recorded as an audio book in 2020, narrated by Sally Armstrong. At least 13 of the 16 novels in the series are available as audio book on Scribd.
I enjoyed getting to know forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. The author is a good storyteller (and a screenwriter) and manages to keep you engaged with a good paced and exciting storyline. I’m a sucker for good police procedural and this one is certainly promising. Anderson doesn’t shy back from graphic and explicit scenes. There’s a murder investigation, a paedophile ring, relationship problems, secrets, and the search for Rhona’s son she gave up for adoption 17 years ago.
Not bad for a first book in a series considering it was written over 20 years ago and I’m looking forward to explore more in future.
m/f
Themes: Glasgow Scotland, gruesome murder of a rent boy, secrets, adoption.
4 Stars
I enjoyed getting to know forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. The author is a good storyteller (and a screenwriter) and manages to keep you engaged with a good paced and exciting storyline. I’m a sucker for good police procedural and this one is certainly promising. Anderson doesn’t shy back from graphic and explicit scenes. There’s a murder investigation, a paedophile ring, relationship problems, secrets, and the search for Rhona’s son she gave up for adoption 17 years ago.
Not bad for a first book in a series considering it was written over 20 years ago and I’m looking forward to explore more in future.
m/f
Themes: Glasgow Scotland, gruesome murder of a rent boy, secrets, adoption.
4 Stars
May 23, 2025
I kind of started reading books in this series the wrong way, so I have read rhis first book of the series after reading 4 others. As with the other books, it's an excellent read. I don't think the storytelling is as refined as in later books, but still excellent.
August 11, 2018
Va ganando ritmo a medida que adelantas el libro, así que vas enganchándote poco a poco hasta que ya no puedes parar.
Sin embargo, insisto, para cuándo un poli sin un pasado oscuro y que no oculte información. Que parecen haberse sacado el título de polis en CEAC.
Sin embargo, insisto, para cuándo un poli sin un pasado oscuro y que no oculte información. Que parecen haberse sacado el título de polis en CEAC.
June 4, 2021
Quite enjoyed this forensic novel. Found it weird though how you didn't really meet the characters, more thrown into their lives
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