What do you think?
Rate this book
DCI Logan Crime Thrillers #15
Here Lie the Dead
Six months ago, a girl vanished. Now, it’s happening again.
When the body of a teenager is discovered near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she disappeared, DCI Jack Logan and his team journey across the Highlands to investigate.
As they start to unpick the young woman’s life, the secrets and lies they expose soon threaten to tear the small, rural community apart.
But, when a second girl goes missing in similar circumstances, it isn’t just a murder investigation that Jack finds himself running.
It’s a race against time.
Here Lie the Dead is the 15th book in the multi-million selling DCI Jack Logan series from Scottish crime author, JD Kirk.
When the body of a teenager is discovered near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she disappeared, DCI Jack Logan and his team journey across the Highlands to investigate.
As they start to unpick the young woman’s life, the secrets and lies they expose soon threaten to tear the small, rural community apart.
But, when a second girl goes missing in similar circumstances, it isn’t just a murder investigation that Jack finds himself running.
It’s a race against time.
Here Lie the Dead is the 15th book in the multi-million selling DCI Jack Logan series from Scottish crime author, JD Kirk.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2022
1783 people are currently reading
958 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Kirk
48 books1,708 followersJD Kirk is the pen name of multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, and writer of comics, Barry Hutchison.
JD Kirk lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, two children, and a number of sturdy umbrellas. Despite writing from a young age, 'A Litter of Bones' is his first novel, and combines his love of the Highlands, crime thrillers, and cats.
JD Kirk lives in the Highlands of Scotland with his wife, two children, and a number of sturdy umbrellas. Despite writing from a young age, 'A Litter of Bones' is his first novel, and combines his love of the Highlands, crime thrillers, and cats.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
December 10, 2023
A first class crime thriller with a touch of humour!
The first few chapters of this book were a bit of a struggle as I tried to get my head around who everyone was and how their various relationships worked. After all, this was book 15 of a series and I was reading it as a stand alone novella. The book was primarily a police procedural tale involving two missing teenagers, one of whom turned up dead. It was a dark, intense thriller interspersed with a load of base Scottish humour. This was a real page turner of a book, a thrilling, intense mystery with a surprise ending. Oh, and the odd bit of Keystone Cop moments thrown in for good measure. Brilliant!
The first few chapters of this book were a bit of a struggle as I tried to get my head around who everyone was and how their various relationships worked. After all, this was book 15 of a series and I was reading it as a stand alone novella. The book was primarily a police procedural tale involving two missing teenagers, one of whom turned up dead. It was a dark, intense thriller interspersed with a load of base Scottish humour. This was a real page turner of a book, a thrilling, intense mystery with a surprise ending. Oh, and the odd bit of Keystone Cop moments thrown in for good measure. Brilliant!
August 16, 2023
Just brilliant.
A ruined wedding with a bridezilla that only Kirk could write so unsympathetically. So many funny scenes amid the carnage.
Logan and his team work so well - sheer reading gold. Hoon’s inclusion as a consultant adds snort out loud moments and he needs to stay.
Crime solved, laughter had and straight into the next one for me!
A ruined wedding with a bridezilla that only Kirk could write so unsympathetically. So many funny scenes amid the carnage.
Logan and his team work so well - sheer reading gold. Hoon’s inclusion as a consultant adds snort out loud moments and he needs to stay.
Crime solved, laughter had and straight into the next one for me!
February 19, 2025
This is another one of Kirk’s gems. It has a fast paced, gripping, realistic plot and his trademark Scottish dark humour. I’m always in stitches at the mannerisms and phrases (especially the colourful ones) the MC frequently comes out with and also the gaffs Tyler constantly makes. I think it adds an excellent balance to the seriousness of police work.
I love the familiar and evolving team dynamics and the tension that builds throughout the story. This time I felt that the team sometimes jumped to conclusions without solid evidence. This didn’t spoil my read it was just something I noticed. I always appreciate Kirk’s way of mixing dark humour with the sometimes horrible crimes he writes about.
Overall a very satisfying read blending crime, mystery and humour against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands with a surprising twist at the end. Plus Bob Hoon makes a return so that’s another bonus. You really need to read the earlier books to get a feel for the characters and their relationships with each other. It’s so worth it..
I love the familiar and evolving team dynamics and the tension that builds throughout the story. This time I felt that the team sometimes jumped to conclusions without solid evidence. This didn’t spoil my read it was just something I noticed. I always appreciate Kirk’s way of mixing dark humour with the sometimes horrible crimes he writes about.
Overall a very satisfying read blending crime, mystery and humour against the backdrop of the Scottish Highlands with a surprising twist at the end. Plus Bob Hoon makes a return so that’s another bonus. You really need to read the earlier books to get a feel for the characters and their relationships with each other. It’s so worth it..
December 2, 2022
I'm 15 books behind this is my first of this series and I L0VED it.
Darn it now I'm going to have to buy the entire back catalogue.
Hugely engaging and amusing characters and great plotting on the mystery elements. You don't need to have read the others so go ahead try this
Darn it now I'm going to have to buy the entire back catalogue.
Hugely engaging and amusing characters and great plotting on the mystery elements. You don't need to have read the others so go ahead try this
September 25, 2022
Amidst fancy wedding celebrations at Eilean Donan castle, the body of a teenage girl who has been missing for six months is found. She's only been dead for a short time, however, so where she has been this past half year becomes a central question in the team's investigation. Then a second girl goes missing, much intensifying the pressure to solve the first murder and prevent a second.
Another excellent read, gripping all the way through. I could do with less of Hoon, though... just reading his name makes my blood boil by now.
Another excellent read, gripping all the way through. I could do with less of Hoon, though... just reading his name makes my blood boil by now.
November 24, 2022
My Rating System: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ticked all the boxes LOVED IT!!!
The body of a young girl is discovered near Eileen Donna Castle not just any young girl, one that vanished seemingly without a trace six months earlier.
DCI Jack Logan and the team are called in to investigate and the deeper they dig into the girl, the town and the shady characters that live in and around the area the more they threaten to expose.
A second girl goes missing in similar circumstances so what starts as a murder investigations quickly becomes a race against the clock.
This is the 15th novel in this series and while you could read this as a standalone they aren’t really written in a way that makes it easy to know who is who. You will miss jokes, relationships that developed years (books) earlier and generally things might seem a bit jagged due to missing pieces. However if you are wild and carefree and want to jump in here then by all means I will not stop you.
Every time I hear a new DCI Jack Logan book is coming out my first thought is YAY then I worry… will they still be good. I inevitably put off reading it for a while and then end up kicking myself for waiting so long because of course it’s good - they just never seem to let me down.
You wont be able to go back and read 15 reviews from this series from me because I was reading them before I was doing proper reviews so I haven’t done the series justice however…. It is truly entertaining and I do recommend it… TO SOME PEOPLE!!! This isn’t going to be to everyone’s tastes. It has very crude language and it does seem to bother a lot of people. I personally find the series hilarious BUT not everyone will… so you do you!!!
This follows right on from book 14 and like I said above my recommendation is to read from the start - you will definitely get a feel for whether you like the series at book 1. But if you jump in here you will also miss a lot of what has happened previously.
First things first - these books have me giggling and laughing out loud. The way these are written you can just imagine the characters are speaking directly at you in their Scottish accent and bellowing out the jokes or insults or just day to day speak that J.D. Kirk has managed to make extremely amusing. There is a serious side to the books as well and often some really dark undertones (after all it is a thriller/police procedural with some nasty crimes) but the humour really gets me every time.
I did say this once already but just in case I will say it again… if you do not like swearing and I don’t mean a light smattering I mean full blast, in your face Fs, Cs and all sorts then please don’t read this. It wont be to your tastes, you will be offended and it will happen fast and very often. On top of the language some of the comments, statements and jokes are not always PC either so if you aren’t up for that kind of humour/writing then be warned this is probably just not for you.
Oh and I said this in my last review but just worth nothing if you aren’t a fan of bad language then definitely do not read the Robert Hoon Thrillers by the same author… thats not a place for you to go.
DCI Jack Logan and his team manage to p*ss everyone off in this book while trying to solve a murder, in a town that seemingly just doesn’t want it to be solved. There are lots of secrets and red herrings along the way. We have the return of an old shall I say… friend? Foe? Anyway he’s here and he’s unwelcome but he’s mixing shit up and making it interesting to say the least.
DC Tyler Neish is back in trouble as always along with his very pregnant co-worker who also happens to be his wife. She is sass with a capital S and she is taking no prisoners and sparing no toilet from morning sickness!!!
There is a lot happening in this book - maybe too much for some people but it works. There are a lot of characters but none are too complicated to understand. The flow of the writing is easy to follow and the author manages to make it feel like you are just right there in the room with the crew chatting and talking. I just love these books - if you are even remotely interested (and not easily offended) give them a try thats really all I can say.
I will leave you with an excerpt that had my giggling:
“We’re friends, that’s all. No need for any of that hanky-panky business at our age. All we’re interested in is a bit of companionship, no’ to be bloody…” He waved a hand, like the rest of the sentence was way on the other side of the room, and he was trying to draw their attention to it. “…rolling around on each other like a couple of past their best sausages in a pan, or, I don’t know, slapping against one another like lumps of room temperature corned beef.”
A long, horrified silence fell, as the three other detectives all tried to keep either of those images from taking root in their heads.
None of them were successful.
Even Taggart, who had until now seemed content to remain there forever in Ben’s lap, jumped down and retreated under one of the desks.
“Jesus. Well, that was hauntingly descriptive,” Logan muttered.
“And oddly meat-based,” Sinead pointed out.
Logan nodded slowly. “Aye,” he agreed, ashen-faced. “Aye, very much meat-based.”
The body of a young girl is discovered near Eileen Donna Castle not just any young girl, one that vanished seemingly without a trace six months earlier.
DCI Jack Logan and the team are called in to investigate and the deeper they dig into the girl, the town and the shady characters that live in and around the area the more they threaten to expose.
A second girl goes missing in similar circumstances so what starts as a murder investigations quickly becomes a race against the clock.
This is the 15th novel in this series and while you could read this as a standalone they aren’t really written in a way that makes it easy to know who is who. You will miss jokes, relationships that developed years (books) earlier and generally things might seem a bit jagged due to missing pieces. However if you are wild and carefree and want to jump in here then by all means I will not stop you.
Every time I hear a new DCI Jack Logan book is coming out my first thought is YAY then I worry… will they still be good. I inevitably put off reading it for a while and then end up kicking myself for waiting so long because of course it’s good - they just never seem to let me down.
You wont be able to go back and read 15 reviews from this series from me because I was reading them before I was doing proper reviews so I haven’t done the series justice however…. It is truly entertaining and I do recommend it… TO SOME PEOPLE!!! This isn’t going to be to everyone’s tastes. It has very crude language and it does seem to bother a lot of people. I personally find the series hilarious BUT not everyone will… so you do you!!!
This follows right on from book 14 and like I said above my recommendation is to read from the start - you will definitely get a feel for whether you like the series at book 1. But if you jump in here you will also miss a lot of what has happened previously.
First things first - these books have me giggling and laughing out loud. The way these are written you can just imagine the characters are speaking directly at you in their Scottish accent and bellowing out the jokes or insults or just day to day speak that J.D. Kirk has managed to make extremely amusing. There is a serious side to the books as well and often some really dark undertones (after all it is a thriller/police procedural with some nasty crimes) but the humour really gets me every time.
I did say this once already but just in case I will say it again… if you do not like swearing and I don’t mean a light smattering I mean full blast, in your face Fs, Cs and all sorts then please don’t read this. It wont be to your tastes, you will be offended and it will happen fast and very often. On top of the language some of the comments, statements and jokes are not always PC either so if you aren’t up for that kind of humour/writing then be warned this is probably just not for you.
Oh and I said this in my last review but just worth nothing if you aren’t a fan of bad language then definitely do not read the Robert Hoon Thrillers by the same author… thats not a place for you to go.
DCI Jack Logan and his team manage to p*ss everyone off in this book while trying to solve a murder, in a town that seemingly just doesn’t want it to be solved. There are lots of secrets and red herrings along the way. We have the return of an old shall I say… friend? Foe? Anyway he’s here and he’s unwelcome but he’s mixing shit up and making it interesting to say the least.
DC Tyler Neish is back in trouble as always along with his very pregnant co-worker who also happens to be his wife. She is sass with a capital S and she is taking no prisoners and sparing no toilet from morning sickness!!!
There is a lot happening in this book - maybe too much for some people but it works. There are a lot of characters but none are too complicated to understand. The flow of the writing is easy to follow and the author manages to make it feel like you are just right there in the room with the crew chatting and talking. I just love these books - if you are even remotely interested (and not easily offended) give them a try thats really all I can say.
I will leave you with an excerpt that had my giggling:
“We’re friends, that’s all. No need for any of that hanky-panky business at our age. All we’re interested in is a bit of companionship, no’ to be bloody…” He waved a hand, like the rest of the sentence was way on the other side of the room, and he was trying to draw their attention to it. “…rolling around on each other like a couple of past their best sausages in a pan, or, I don’t know, slapping against one another like lumps of room temperature corned beef.”
A long, horrified silence fell, as the three other detectives all tried to keep either of those images from taking root in their heads.
None of them were successful.
Even Taggart, who had until now seemed content to remain there forever in Ben’s lap, jumped down and retreated under one of the desks.
“Jesus. Well, that was hauntingly descriptive,” Logan muttered.
“And oddly meat-based,” Sinead pointed out.
Logan nodded slowly. “Aye,” he agreed, ashen-faced. “Aye, very much meat-based.”
October 16, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded up to 4⭐️)
When a young woman is found in the water near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she went missing, it is up to DCI Jack Logan and the gang to find out what has happened to her. They start to dig more into her life, where they find secrets that could destroy the small community. However, when another young girl goes missing, it's not just a murder that needs to be solved...
Although this series is one of my favourites, I feel like this book was missing something compared to the other books within this series. It started off quite slow and did not pick up until around the halfway mark, which made me not reach for this book as much as I have with the other books in this series. There were parts to the story that felt like they were missing, for example Shona had taken toxicology samples from the victim, however I don't remember reading anything about the results from these tests? Speaking of Shona, she hardly featured at all in this book which I felt was quite strange, same for Geoff Palmer and his team too. It feels like ever since Jack and Shona have became a couple, she's getting less and less time within the books as it feels like JD Kirk is unsure what direction to take the two in. Plus Geoff's comments out of jealousy are getting old now.
A lot of aspects of this book felt very disconnected and I just kept getting a sense that something was missing. The investigation felt a bit all over the place with multiple people being accused of murdering the young woman, which essentially felt like the police were clutching at straws. There was one particular character within this book (and no, it's not Hoon - he is one my favourites and I was glad to see him in this book) who I found extremely unlikeable. The things they would say about other people, their lack of regard for the murdered victim and their attitude in general was absolutely disgusting and I found myself wanting to skip the pages where they would talk because I could not believe my eyes at what I was reading. They were incredibly irritating and their storyline made no sense to me. Speaking of things not making sense, the perpetrator didn't make sense to me either - they didn't really strike me as the type to do the things that they did and I feel like we didn't get as much background information on them compared to other perpetrators within this series.
This book was definitely not one of my favourites from this series, as I also feel like some areas of this series are becoming repetitive. It's always Tyler throwing himself into danger or Ben with his tea and biscuits. I feel like some of the characters have became stagnant and don't really seem to be growing in this series, which I would have expected considering we're 15 books in.
⚠️ Content warnings: alcohol and drug use, profanity, fat-phobic comments, blood, murder, vomiting, mentions eating disorder, self harm, overdose and suicidal ideation, physical assault, rape, pregnancy, ableism, racism, homophobia, abduction, gun use, cheating and derogatory language ⚠️
When a young woman is found in the water near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she went missing, it is up to DCI Jack Logan and the gang to find out what has happened to her. They start to dig more into her life, where they find secrets that could destroy the small community. However, when another young girl goes missing, it's not just a murder that needs to be solved...
Although this series is one of my favourites, I feel like this book was missing something compared to the other books within this series. It started off quite slow and did not pick up until around the halfway mark, which made me not reach for this book as much as I have with the other books in this series. There were parts to the story that felt like they were missing, for example Shona had taken toxicology samples from the victim, however I don't remember reading anything about the results from these tests? Speaking of Shona, she hardly featured at all in this book which I felt was quite strange, same for Geoff Palmer and his team too. It feels like ever since Jack and Shona have became a couple, she's getting less and less time within the books as it feels like JD Kirk is unsure what direction to take the two in. Plus Geoff's comments out of jealousy are getting old now.
A lot of aspects of this book felt very disconnected and I just kept getting a sense that something was missing. The investigation felt a bit all over the place with multiple people being accused of murdering the young woman, which essentially felt like the police were clutching at straws. There was one particular character within this book (and no, it's not Hoon - he is one my favourites and I was glad to see him in this book) who I found extremely unlikeable. The things they would say about other people, their lack of regard for the murdered victim and their attitude in general was absolutely disgusting and I found myself wanting to skip the pages where they would talk because I could not believe my eyes at what I was reading. They were incredibly irritating and their storyline made no sense to me. Speaking of things not making sense, the perpetrator didn't make sense to me either - they didn't really strike me as the type to do the things that they did and I feel like we didn't get as much background information on them compared to other perpetrators within this series.
This book was definitely not one of my favourites from this series, as I also feel like some areas of this series are becoming repetitive. It's always Tyler throwing himself into danger or Ben with his tea and biscuits. I feel like some of the characters have became stagnant and don't really seem to be growing in this series, which I would have expected considering we're 15 books in.
⚠️ Content warnings: alcohol and drug use, profanity, fat-phobic comments, blood, murder, vomiting, mentions eating disorder, self harm, overdose and suicidal ideation, physical assault, rape, pregnancy, ableism, racism, homophobia, abduction, gun use, cheating and derogatory language ⚠️
September 28, 2022
Excellent!
This is JD Kirk's best book yet.
Fast paced, funny and great twists and turns. I love all the characters.
This is JD Kirk's best book yet.
Fast paced, funny and great twists and turns. I love all the characters.
October 28, 2022
Here Lie the Dead is book fifteen in the DCI Logan Crime Thrillers by J. D. Kirk. DCI Jack Logan and his team caught a new case of a teenager who went missing six months before turning up near Eilean Donan Castle. At first, DCI Jack Logan had too many suspects and no motive for the young girl's death. However, this changed when a second teenager went missing, and DCI Jack Logan and his team needed to race to find answers before another teenager died. The readers of Here Lie the Dead will continue following DCI Logan and his team to discover what happens.
I know that Here Lie the Dead is a crime thriller; however, I can not help laughing at the characters' interaction throughout this book. I had no problem engaging with the characters and the story of Here Lie the Dead from the first page. I love J. D. Kirk's portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Here Lie the Dead is well-written and researched by J. D. Kirk. I like J. D. Kirk's description of the settings of Here Lie the Dead, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's
Here Lie the Dead, readers will learn about running a Bed and Breakfast place in rural Scotland. Also, the readers of Here Lie the Dead will learn about Eilean Donan Castle, situated on a small tidal island in the Western
of Scotland near the village of Dornie.
I recommend this book.
I know that Here Lie the Dead is a crime thriller; however, I can not help laughing at the characters' interaction throughout this book. I had no problem engaging with the characters and the story of Here Lie the Dead from the first page. I love J. D. Kirk's portrayal of his characters and the way they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Here Lie the Dead is well-written and researched by J. D. Kirk. I like J. D. Kirk's description of the settings of Here Lie the Dead, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's
Here Lie the Dead, readers will learn about running a Bed and Breakfast place in rural Scotland. Also, the readers of Here Lie the Dead will learn about Eilean Donan Castle, situated on a small tidal island in the Western
of Scotland near the village of Dornie.
I recommend this book.
October 17, 2022
2.5 starts rounded up
A nice book but the investigating team was taking a lot rushed decisions, jumping to conclusions without any concrete facts, accusing innocent people.
Not the best read.
A nice book but the investigating team was taking a lot rushed decisions, jumping to conclusions without any concrete facts, accusing innocent people.
Not the best read.
Read
October 1, 2022Immature bride with bad language and bad attitude towards her bridesmaids kicks off a book I just won't continue reading.
Kindle Unlimited
I have read several DCI Logan books in years past.
Kindle Unlimited
I have read several DCI Logan books in years past.
October 24, 2022
It was with a some sadness that I finished this novel. I have been reading a book by J.D. Kirk a week for a few months now, and after this I am all caught up. I believe the wait will be several months for the next volume. This is another great read in an excellent series! This is the nineteenth volume from J.D. Kirk that I have read in the last few months. I have enjoyed all that I have now read to date, a few were pretty gruesome, but watching Logan and the team, and even Hoon makes for some very entertaining reading. I have read the first 15 in the DCI Logan series and also the first 3 in the Robert Hoon series, as well as stand alone VIP exclusive short story. I picked the first for a few reasons, but mainly because authors Alex Smith and JE Mayhew have both recommended the author and series. I am a big fan of Smith’s DCI Kett novels and Mayhew’s DCI Will Blake Series. I was hooked from that first read. I had no idea how addictive Kirk’s books would be or that like Mayhew and Smith, Kirk publishes under three different names. Kirk publishes children books as Barry Hutchison, and other adult fiction as Barry J. Hutchison. He is coming up on 175 books across the three pen names. If I had known that or I might not have picked up this first one. Friends call me a ‘completionist’ in that when I find an author I like, I try to read everything they have published. Being caught up now on his works as J.D. Kirk I will now branch out to the others. But back to this volume.
The description of this novel is:
“Six months ago, a girl vanished. Now, it’s happening again.
When the body of a teenager is discovered near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she disappeared, DCI Jack Logan and his team journey across the Highlands to investigate.
As they start to unpick the young woman’s life, the secrets and lies they expose soon threaten to tear the small, rural community apart.
But, when a second girl goes missing in similar circumstances, it isn’t just a murder investigation that Jack finds himself running.
It’s a race against time.”
Like many of the other stories in this series the murder is gruesome, and as a father of daughters this time particularly so. This story starts with a wedding, and a particularly nasty Bridezilla! And that was even before a body was found during her photo shoot. Soon Logan and the team are working out of a very small detachment. The Town is in an uproar. And Another girl has gone missing. The layers and layers of secrets in both girls’ lives, and in the town is staggering. It is up to Logan and the team, and they are racing against the clock.
It is another great read in an excellent series. I love the two series written under the pen name J.D. Kirk are definitely Scottish Mysteries, and I can see the comparisons with Smith’s and Mayhew’s works, as well as several other more mainstream names. Each time I finish a book by Kirk it takes willpower not to just pick up the next one and keep going. I have now read all the books published buy this author under this name, and I am looking forward to that new series that has been teased, and the forthcoming Hood and Logan novels. As mentioned it is now time to branch out into his other works. I love that the stories are set in Scotland! This book and series would be great reads for fans of Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan, or Temperance Brennan. I state it again it is a great read in an excellent series!
The description of this novel is:
“Six months ago, a girl vanished. Now, it’s happening again.
When the body of a teenager is discovered near Eilean Donan Castle several months after she disappeared, DCI Jack Logan and his team journey across the Highlands to investigate.
As they start to unpick the young woman’s life, the secrets and lies they expose soon threaten to tear the small, rural community apart.
But, when a second girl goes missing in similar circumstances, it isn’t just a murder investigation that Jack finds himself running.
It’s a race against time.”
Like many of the other stories in this series the murder is gruesome, and as a father of daughters this time particularly so. This story starts with a wedding, and a particularly nasty Bridezilla! And that was even before a body was found during her photo shoot. Soon Logan and the team are working out of a very small detachment. The Town is in an uproar. And Another girl has gone missing. The layers and layers of secrets in both girls’ lives, and in the town is staggering. It is up to Logan and the team, and they are racing against the clock.
It is another great read in an excellent series. I love the two series written under the pen name J.D. Kirk are definitely Scottish Mysteries, and I can see the comparisons with Smith’s and Mayhew’s works, as well as several other more mainstream names. Each time I finish a book by Kirk it takes willpower not to just pick up the next one and keep going. I have now read all the books published buy this author under this name, and I am looking forward to that new series that has been teased, and the forthcoming Hood and Logan novels. As mentioned it is now time to branch out into his other works. I love that the stories are set in Scotland! This book and series would be great reads for fans of Jack Reacher, Jack Ryan, or Temperance Brennan. I state it again it is a great read in an excellent series!
October 11, 2022
Author snaked in Bob Hoon and his NSFW cussing
This was an enjoyable, police procedural audiobook until a disagreeable character—who I’d thought had retired—unexpectedly dropped into the story. I stopped the audiobook. As a crime fiction fan, I’m used to reading NSFW language, including obscenities, and sometimes vulgar sexual references.
Bob Hoon is a crude and rude recurring character, who uses some version of the f-word at least once in every sentence he speaks. He doesn’t seem to serve a purpose in this book, except to remind readers that the author has a Bob Hoon series.
I opened my Kindle and speed-skimmed through the Hoon appearances and finished the book. 3.5 stars but not 4 stars.
This was an enjoyable, police procedural audiobook until a disagreeable character—who I’d thought had retired—unexpectedly dropped into the story. I stopped the audiobook. As a crime fiction fan, I’m used to reading NSFW language, including obscenities, and sometimes vulgar sexual references.
Bob Hoon is a crude and rude recurring character, who uses some version of the f-word at least once in every sentence he speaks. He doesn’t seem to serve a purpose in this book, except to remind readers that the author has a Bob Hoon series.
I opened my Kindle and speed-skimmed through the Hoon appearances and finished the book. 3.5 stars but not 4 stars.
November 22, 2022
As always a good read
September 16, 2023
Eigentlich ist die Hochzeit der schönste Tag im Leben einer Frau, besonders wenn sie an einem so schönen Ort wie Eilean Donan Castle gefeiert wird. Diese Hochzeit ist aber nicht der schönste, sondern der schlimmste Tag im Lebender Braut. Denn die Leiche, die im Meer vor dem Schloss treibt, stört das perfekte Bild gewaltig. Dabei muss ich zugeben, dass ich fast so etwas wie Schadenfreude empfunden habe, als die Hochzeit so gestört wurde. Das Ermittlerteam nennt die ehemals glückliche Braut nur Bridezilla und das zu Recht, denn sie führt sich wie das Monster aus dem Kino auf und das nicht erst, als die Leiche gefunden wurde.
Ich verfolge die Reihe um Jack Logan seit dem ersten Fall und habe gelernt, mich nicht von dem Ton im Ermittlungsteam täuschen zu lassen, der manchmal schon fast zu sarkastisch ist oder von den Charakteren, die immer ein kleines bisschen übertreiben wirken. Obwohl ich gerade Tyler eine ernsthaftere Darstellung wünschen würde, denn er ist immer das jüngste, nervige Kind des Teams.
Die Tote ist ein Mädchen, das vor über einem Jahr verschwunden war. Damals ist man davon ausgegangen, das sie das Leben in dem kleinen Ort satt hatte und nach England gegangen war. Jetzt stellt sich heraus, dass sie in dieser Zeit nicht nur gefangen war, sondern auch ein Kind auf die Welt gebracht hat. Von dem fehlt aber jede Spur.
J.D. Kirk zeigt, was der Fall mit der kleinen Gemeinde gemacht hat. Es gab Misstrauen den Nachbarn und Wut der Polizei gegenüber. Diese Gefühle lodern jetzt wieder auf und machen dem Team die Ermittlungen unnötig schwer. Dabei gibt es von Anfang an zahlreiche Spuren, die in die richtige Richtung deuten, die aber nur rückblickend zu sehen waren. Aber der Autor hat sie auch gut in dem Chaos, was nach dem Fund der Leiche herrscht und den dunklen Geheimnissen, die das Team neben dem eigentlichen Fall ans Licht bringen, gut versteckt.
Ich verfolge die Reihe um Jack Logan seit dem ersten Fall und habe gelernt, mich nicht von dem Ton im Ermittlungsteam täuschen zu lassen, der manchmal schon fast zu sarkastisch ist oder von den Charakteren, die immer ein kleines bisschen übertreiben wirken. Obwohl ich gerade Tyler eine ernsthaftere Darstellung wünschen würde, denn er ist immer das jüngste, nervige Kind des Teams.
Die Tote ist ein Mädchen, das vor über einem Jahr verschwunden war. Damals ist man davon ausgegangen, das sie das Leben in dem kleinen Ort satt hatte und nach England gegangen war. Jetzt stellt sich heraus, dass sie in dieser Zeit nicht nur gefangen war, sondern auch ein Kind auf die Welt gebracht hat. Von dem fehlt aber jede Spur.
J.D. Kirk zeigt, was der Fall mit der kleinen Gemeinde gemacht hat. Es gab Misstrauen den Nachbarn und Wut der Polizei gegenüber. Diese Gefühle lodern jetzt wieder auf und machen dem Team die Ermittlungen unnötig schwer. Dabei gibt es von Anfang an zahlreiche Spuren, die in die richtige Richtung deuten, die aber nur rückblickend zu sehen waren. Aber der Autor hat sie auch gut in dem Chaos, was nach dem Fund der Leiche herrscht und den dunklen Geheimnissen, die das Team neben dem eigentlichen Fall ans Licht bringen, gut versteckt.
September 1, 2023
A perfect story. Highly recommend this series!
Logan and Team once again called away, as a young girl washed up on the shore during a wedding. A whole wedding party witnesses, A Bride-zilla, A Paedo, and a less than helpful retired copper. This is the cast of suspects. Bob Noon joins in to "assist" the team as a consultant, but with his colorful language and attitude, assist is a stretch. As the team narrows the suspect pool down, its only a matter of time they find their guilty suspect. Here Lie The Dead is a definite page turner.
Logan and Team once again called away, as a young girl washed up on the shore during a wedding. A whole wedding party witnesses, A Bride-zilla, A Paedo, and a less than helpful retired copper. This is the cast of suspects. Bob Noon joins in to "assist" the team as a consultant, but with his colorful language and attitude, assist is a stretch. As the team narrows the suspect pool down, its only a matter of time they find their guilty suspect. Here Lie The Dead is a definite page turner.
September 22, 2022
Here Lie The Dead by J D Kirk is book15 in the DCI Logan crime police series and once again it is an outstanding read. The police characters are all very well drawn and it is like meeting up with old friends, especially Hoon.
The storyline is interesting and intriguing and the comedy and sarcasm are always entertaining.
Highly recommended
The storyline is interesting and intriguing and the comedy and sarcasm are always entertaining.
Highly recommended
April 10, 2025
Yet again another brilliant book His stories and characters humour is up there with the best The storyline is great and keeps you guessing until the end and there’s always another subplot somewhere in the story This one with Bob Hoon
February 16, 2023
Bookish Books Reading Challenge
September 30, 2023
Another fast paced well done murder mystery. Several possible culprits.
March 4, 2024
Another great book that's hard to put down.
June 3, 2025
Loved the reintroduction of Hoon into this!! I’ve got the Hoon series in my TBR pile and it made me really excited for them, even if he is an arse.
October 6, 2022
Another great Logan story, yet...
I am a JD Kirk and Logan fan. As always, the story is great. JD Kirk's Logan series is filled with interesting characters, plenty of action, perfectly subdued romance, and wonderful, haunting, spell binding "visuals" of Scotland. Why 3 stars? Why the "yet?" In the near perfect package, Kirk also includes some welcomed humor to break up the overall seriousness...it is a murder mystery. afterall. However, in my opinion, what could be some simple relief to the darkness, becomes a very distracting and irritating clown show. The "back and forth" interaction of certain characters quickly becomes tedious, juvenile, and plain stupid. I like funny, but it does not need to go on for pages (I admit to using a large print setting so may be several paragraphs). From the second book, realizing that a couple of the characters are not "maturing," I gave up and skip these portions. Here Lie the Dead, unfortunatey, seems to be the worst yet as far as the clown show goes. Otherwise it is brilliant writing, an excellent story! My apologies to JD Kirk on this one. I almost quit 1/2 way in, but picked it back up knowing a great ride was still in store, and I was not disappointed. So, 5 stars or the story, 1 star for the distractingly over done clown show, for 3 stars overall. Now, can't wait for the next one!
I am a JD Kirk and Logan fan. As always, the story is great. JD Kirk's Logan series is filled with interesting characters, plenty of action, perfectly subdued romance, and wonderful, haunting, spell binding "visuals" of Scotland. Why 3 stars? Why the "yet?" In the near perfect package, Kirk also includes some welcomed humor to break up the overall seriousness...it is a murder mystery. afterall. However, in my opinion, what could be some simple relief to the darkness, becomes a very distracting and irritating clown show. The "back and forth" interaction of certain characters quickly becomes tedious, juvenile, and plain stupid. I like funny, but it does not need to go on for pages (I admit to using a large print setting so may be several paragraphs). From the second book, realizing that a couple of the characters are not "maturing," I gave up and skip these portions. Here Lie the Dead, unfortunatey, seems to be the worst yet as far as the clown show goes. Otherwise it is brilliant writing, an excellent story! My apologies to JD Kirk on this one. I almost quit 1/2 way in, but picked it back up knowing a great ride was still in store, and I was not disappointed. So, 5 stars or the story, 1 star for the distractingly over done clown show, for 3 stars overall. Now, can't wait for the next one!
October 1, 2022
The story starts with an obnoxious bride and she is brought back towards the end - her story line makes no sense (as a start to the book it's fine) she is obnoxious and her part at the end just peters out Why would she want her ex involved in her life at all? Why bring Hoon back - again an overdrawn character who no one would include in law enforcement and the author is going to write additional books about him?? Can we have a full book where Tyler almost does not die - it is no longer funny and his lack of skill as officer is problematic. As the crime itself is resolved...yes it is a surprise after leading us down different routes but their actions were overly cruel - walk on nails?? The find at the house was able to be kept a secret? I don't know this could be a so much better than it was...
October 2, 2022
Although I'm an avid fan the series is getting very samey
This is a.much improved offering than the previous book in the series - the ex-girlfriend part was ridiculous. That being said, I'm finding Tyler now more of an irritant and I skip over any sections where he is heavily featured.
I've struggled with the last couple of books. The author doesn't seem to know what to do with Logan and Shona now they're a couple ( hence the ex to try and bring in angst/jealousy last time) and Logan himself is a slightly watered down version.
I'll read the next book and hope it revives my interest.
This is a.much improved offering than the previous book in the series - the ex-girlfriend part was ridiculous. That being said, I'm finding Tyler now more of an irritant and I skip over any sections where he is heavily featured.
I've struggled with the last couple of books. The author doesn't seem to know what to do with Logan and Shona now they're a couple ( hence the ex to try and bring in angst/jealousy last time) and Logan himself is a slightly watered down version.
I'll read the next book and hope it revives my interest.
September 30, 2022
When the body of Orla Coull, a girl missing for six months, is found in the water of a lake at a wedding at Eilean Donan Castle in Kyle of Lochalsh in the Scottish Highlands DCI Jack Logan and his team are soon on the case.
When the police arrive the bride is going ballistic as under her perception a dead body and the police are deliberately ruining her big day. Her crass and unseemly behaviour make her the bridezilla of all bridezillas with her spitting contempt for the young woman who's passed away. As far as she's concerned the police have to get rid of the body with the minimum of fuss to her big day but that can't happen as the body has to be processed and forensics have to do their thing, this has been complicated by four or more people bringing the body to dry land.
When it turns out that Orla's recently had a baby the suspicion immediately falls on her boyfriend Ronnie Donlon Jr but since he was down in England at the time of Orla's disappearance. The local police at the time just put it down to a young woman running away and barely investigated as the girl had left her mother a note.
A video of Orla surfaces which could bring serious implications for her father and CCTV footage of the bride Ellie Tonks outside a bank where the victim had just withdrawn all her savings on the day she disappeared meant things were looking decidedly bleak for possibly one or both the suspects.
What really happened on that fateful night when Orla disappeared? How did she end up in the water dead nearly six months later? What happened to the baby she delivered? Who is responsible for the young woman's death and why? You'll have to read the book to find out.
When the police arrive the bride is going ballistic as under her perception a dead body and the police are deliberately ruining her big day. Her crass and unseemly behaviour make her the bridezilla of all bridezillas with her spitting contempt for the young woman who's passed away. As far as she's concerned the police have to get rid of the body with the minimum of fuss to her big day but that can't happen as the body has to be processed and forensics have to do their thing, this has been complicated by four or more people bringing the body to dry land.
When it turns out that Orla's recently had a baby the suspicion immediately falls on her boyfriend Ronnie Donlon Jr but since he was down in England at the time of Orla's disappearance. The local police at the time just put it down to a young woman running away and barely investigated as the girl had left her mother a note.
A video of Orla surfaces which could bring serious implications for her father and CCTV footage of the bride Ellie Tonks outside a bank where the victim had just withdrawn all her savings on the day she disappeared meant things were looking decidedly bleak for possibly one or both the suspects.
What really happened on that fateful night when Orla disappeared? How did she end up in the water dead nearly six months later? What happened to the baby she delivered? Who is responsible for the young woman's death and why? You'll have to read the book to find out.
June 10, 2023
As a resident near to the area of Kyle, this book was suggested to me by a well-meaning tourist who was excited to have a book with a cover with a picture of the castle they were standing in front of. I set off with the first few chapters, picking out the ‘artistic liberties’ taken with the design of Eilean Donan/Kyle (12 people working a wedding at the castle? Try 2-3. True that the bank closed down and that confetti is a big no-no in the castle though). To anyone who hasn’t lived in the area or worked at the castle themselves/have family who worked there, these won’t be noticeable though. We enjoyed sitting around and discussing these things as a family too (Is it actually council housing around the station? It’s definitely not hard to find, though. Just how many chippies do people think are in Kyle? Canapés in the castle? Definitely not!).
By the end of the book, however, I was quite tied up in the intrigue- I can honestly say I did NOT see most of the plot twists coming and it was an enjoyable read in that regard. As this was the first book in the Jack Logan series I’ve read, some of the character developments/references were lost on me, but it didn’t necessarily detract from the reading experience. Would I re-read it? Probably, if it was in front of me and I was bored. Will I recommend it to mystery lovers and tourists I see around the castle? Yeah. I absolutely loved some of the characters (Tyler and Hoon, particularly), who added a comic relief that was good.
Overall, inaccuracies aside since creative license is necessary, I’d give it a solid 3.5-4 stars out of 5.
By the end of the book, however, I was quite tied up in the intrigue- I can honestly say I did NOT see most of the plot twists coming and it was an enjoyable read in that regard. As this was the first book in the Jack Logan series I’ve read, some of the character developments/references were lost on me, but it didn’t necessarily detract from the reading experience. Would I re-read it? Probably, if it was in front of me and I was bored. Will I recommend it to mystery lovers and tourists I see around the castle? Yeah. I absolutely loved some of the characters (Tyler and Hoon, particularly), who added a comic relief that was good.
Overall, inaccuracies aside since creative license is necessary, I’d give it a solid 3.5-4 stars out of 5.
August 26, 2025
4.5 Stars
Here Lie the Dead is the fifteenth book in the DCI Logan Crime Thrillers by J.D. Kirk.
The DCI Logan Crime Thrillers series by J.D. Kirk made for a gripping read while also weaving some dark humor, emotional depth, and nail-biting suspense through each instalment.
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Scotland, from the bustling streets of Glasgow to the haunting beauty of the Highlands, this series immersed me in a world full of complex characters and chilling crimes.
DCI Jack Logan is a flawed and yet deeply relatable character. His sharp wit, haunted past, and relentless pursuit of justice make him a compelling figure. Mr. Kirk does a fantastic job of balancing Logan's personal struggles (such as his broken marriage, lingering trauma, and occasional self-doubt) with his professional brilliance. This duality added ‘real’ humanity to the character, making it easy for me to invest in him, even through his darkest moments.
Each book is packed with twists and turns, and is perfect for anyone who loves police procedurals, psychological thrillers, or character-driven dramas.
Happy Reading…
Here Lie the Dead is the fifteenth book in the DCI Logan Crime Thrillers by J.D. Kirk.
The DCI Logan Crime Thrillers series by J.D. Kirk made for a gripping read while also weaving some dark humor, emotional depth, and nail-biting suspense through each instalment.
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Scotland, from the bustling streets of Glasgow to the haunting beauty of the Highlands, this series immersed me in a world full of complex characters and chilling crimes.
DCI Jack Logan is a flawed and yet deeply relatable character. His sharp wit, haunted past, and relentless pursuit of justice make him a compelling figure. Mr. Kirk does a fantastic job of balancing Logan's personal struggles (such as his broken marriage, lingering trauma, and occasional self-doubt) with his professional brilliance. This duality added ‘real’ humanity to the character, making it easy for me to invest in him, even through his darkest moments.
Each book is packed with twists and turns, and is perfect for anyone who loves police procedurals, psychological thrillers, or character-driven dramas.
Happy Reading…
March 30, 2023
I'd read all the previous books in this series and so am invested in the characters. Of course, the author writes to a formula but he does it well so I was looking forward to this novel.
The book is 376 pages split into 49 chapters.
I've actually been to visit the castle featured at the start of the book and always look it when an experience connects you to a fictional story.
Of course, the characters are great - particularly the recurring police team. Their usual antics are all on show. I loved the appearance of Bob Hoon, although really had no idea why he was there and am not convinced he added anything to the story (it's also completely implausible that he would be allowed to have anything to do with a live investigation regardless of how entertaining he is).
The plot itself is very disjointed and this meant the book didn't engage me as much as the others have done. It took me nearly a week to read which is almost unknown so I clearly wasn't enjoying it as much as normal.
This isn't the best of this series and I hope the standard improves with the next one.
The book is 376 pages split into 49 chapters.
I've actually been to visit the castle featured at the start of the book and always look it when an experience connects you to a fictional story.
Of course, the characters are great - particularly the recurring police team. Their usual antics are all on show. I loved the appearance of Bob Hoon, although really had no idea why he was there and am not convinced he added anything to the story (it's also completely implausible that he would be allowed to have anything to do with a live investigation regardless of how entertaining he is).
The plot itself is very disjointed and this meant the book didn't engage me as much as the others have done. It took me nearly a week to read which is almost unknown so I clearly wasn't enjoying it as much as normal.
This isn't the best of this series and I hope the standard improves with the next one.
April 1, 2023
Funny, classic mystery, needs dialect translation
This was my first of the DCI Logan books, and I originally acquired the audio version. The narrator was great, but the dialect was strong and I had difficulty following the story at the same time as processing the accent. The accent/dialect added a lot of color but was difficult enough that I acquired the Kindle version of the book and stopped listening to the Audible version.
It’s clear that the team has history (makes sense, this *is* the 15th in the series). It was complete enough to thoroughly enjoy, but there were sufficient references to past events that I couldn’t help feeling like I was missing out - I will be starting this series with Book 1.
The mystery itself was quite complex and quite original. The book is full of characters you will hate (a Bridezilla and a really crazy ex-cop are two examples) and hidden motives and hidden connections between characters - as you’d expect. Very satisfying. If it weren’t for the need for translation, I’d have given it 5 stars.
This was my first of the DCI Logan books, and I originally acquired the audio version. The narrator was great, but the dialect was strong and I had difficulty following the story at the same time as processing the accent. The accent/dialect added a lot of color but was difficult enough that I acquired the Kindle version of the book and stopped listening to the Audible version.
It’s clear that the team has history (makes sense, this *is* the 15th in the series). It was complete enough to thoroughly enjoy, but there were sufficient references to past events that I couldn’t help feeling like I was missing out - I will be starting this series with Book 1.
The mystery itself was quite complex and quite original. The book is full of characters you will hate (a Bridezilla and a really crazy ex-cop are two examples) and hidden motives and hidden connections between characters - as you’d expect. Very satisfying. If it weren’t for the need for translation, I’d have given it 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews