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Brodie MacLennan #3
The Watcher
When a twisted serial killer starts to prey upon the city’s vulnerable women, the media quickly dub him The Edinburgh Ripper. But when he gets closer to her own family, lawyer Brodie McLennan must fight to unmask him.
Four days before Christmas, a young woman's body is found in a ditch in the grounds of Edinburgh Castle, the discovery rendered even more terrifying by the message 'More Will Die' written on her body in blood. Soon, the prophecy is fulfilled, more young women disappear - all redheads - their bodies later found bludgeoned to death, their feet severed. Quickly dubbed 'The Edinburgh Ripper', the murders bring the city to its knees. It might be the season of goodwill but its citizens live in fear of becoming the latest victim.
Headstrong young lawyer Brodie McLennan teams up with DI Duncan Bancho in an effort to discover the identity of this warped killer. Soon, their investigations uncover a ring of human traffickers, selling Eastern European women as sex slaves, a depraved group called the ‘Hobbyists’ and a clandestine internet chat room.
Unbeknownst to Brodie, the killer's web is spinning ever closer to her and her teenaged half sister Connie, recently back in her life. When Connie is reported missing, Brodie must quickly uncover the Ripper's identity - before her own flesh and blood becomes the latest victim.
Four days before Christmas, a young woman's body is found in a ditch in the grounds of Edinburgh Castle, the discovery rendered even more terrifying by the message 'More Will Die' written on her body in blood. Soon, the prophecy is fulfilled, more young women disappear - all redheads - their bodies later found bludgeoned to death, their feet severed. Quickly dubbed 'The Edinburgh Ripper', the murders bring the city to its knees. It might be the season of goodwill but its citizens live in fear of becoming the latest victim.
Headstrong young lawyer Brodie McLennan teams up with DI Duncan Bancho in an effort to discover the identity of this warped killer. Soon, their investigations uncover a ring of human traffickers, selling Eastern European women as sex slaves, a depraved group called the ‘Hobbyists’ and a clandestine internet chat room.
Unbeknownst to Brodie, the killer's web is spinning ever closer to her and her teenaged half sister Connie, recently back in her life. When Connie is reported missing, Brodie must quickly uncover the Ripper's identity - before her own flesh and blood becomes the latest victim.
- GenresFiction
Audio CD
First published December 13, 2008
3 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Grace Monroe
43 books7 followersGrace Monroe is the pseudonym for the writing team of Maria Thomson and Linda Watson-Brown.
Maria Thomson was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She graduated with a law Grace Monroe (aka Maria Thomson and Linda Watson-Brown) degree in her early 20s, and a year after qualifying, was made a partner in an Edinburgh law firm. She met her husband-to-be, Gordon, already a partner in a rival firm, before the couple formed a law firm together. They were seen as mavericks, due in part to their unique style and progressive marketing techniques. Their reputation as ‘rainmakers’, and as spearheads of the new style which clashed with how things were ‘supposed to be done’, caused considerable controversy within the legal community, leading to discipline actions against them and their company being struck off in 1995 for ‘administrative mistakes’.
In response they raised a defamation action, which they won, resulting in compensation and an apology from the Law Society. Ironically Maria’s husband Gordon was at that time spokesperson for Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers, which name was later changed to Injured by the Law.
Maria and her husband decided that they no longer wished to practice law, and with their children travelled the world for a year, settling briefly in Hawaii, before returning to Scotland.
Maria has since then worked as a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, stage hypnotist and fertility counsellor, amongst many things. Moving with her family to Kingussie, in the beautiful Monarch of the Glen country in the Scottish Highlands, has afforded Maria the chance to start the next chapter in her life, as a writer. Read our Maria Thomson interview.
After ten years as a Politics lecturer in Scottish universities, Linda Watson-Brown began a journalistic career as a columnist at The Scotsman. She went on to write on a regular basis for the Daily Mail, Big Issue, Daily Record, Sunday Herald and Independent, amongst others, and also developed a career as a ghost-writer. Her best-selling ghost-written book, The Step Child, first published in 2006, has now been released in paperback, and remains a best-seller. She is now working on a screenplay of the book, as well as continuing with ghost-writing and fiction. She and her family live in the North-East of Scotland, in a converted steading, formerly a pig barn.
In 2003, Maria and Linda met and became firm friends. They soon realised that they should put their talents and experiences together and write as a team.
Maria Thomson was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She graduated with a law Grace Monroe (aka Maria Thomson and Linda Watson-Brown) degree in her early 20s, and a year after qualifying, was made a partner in an Edinburgh law firm. She met her husband-to-be, Gordon, already a partner in a rival firm, before the couple formed a law firm together. They were seen as mavericks, due in part to their unique style and progressive marketing techniques. Their reputation as ‘rainmakers’, and as spearheads of the new style which clashed with how things were ‘supposed to be done’, caused considerable controversy within the legal community, leading to discipline actions against them and their company being struck off in 1995 for ‘administrative mistakes’.
In response they raised a defamation action, which they won, resulting in compensation and an apology from the Law Society. Ironically Maria’s husband Gordon was at that time spokesperson for Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers, which name was later changed to Injured by the Law.
Maria and her husband decided that they no longer wished to practice law, and with their children travelled the world for a year, settling briefly in Hawaii, before returning to Scotland.
Maria has since then worked as a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, stage hypnotist and fertility counsellor, amongst many things. Moving with her family to Kingussie, in the beautiful Monarch of the Glen country in the Scottish Highlands, has afforded Maria the chance to start the next chapter in her life, as a writer. Read our Maria Thomson interview.
After ten years as a Politics lecturer in Scottish universities, Linda Watson-Brown began a journalistic career as a columnist at The Scotsman. She went on to write on a regular basis for the Daily Mail, Big Issue, Daily Record, Sunday Herald and Independent, amongst others, and also developed a career as a ghost-writer. Her best-selling ghost-written book, The Step Child, first published in 2006, has now been released in paperback, and remains a best-seller. She is now working on a screenplay of the book, as well as continuing with ghost-writing and fiction. She and her family live in the North-East of Scotland, in a converted steading, formerly a pig barn.
In 2003, Maria and Linda met and became firm friends. They soon realised that they should put their talents and experiences together and write as a team.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 18, 2020
Number three in the series, not worth bothering with unless you have read the previous, far too many people and plot links. And, I’m not entirely sure you should read it anyway. An odd style of writing, too much assumption you have read the previous and not one really likable character.
“The Ripper” is a serial killer terrorising modern day Edinburgh. He seems especially fond of red heads. When her sister is abducted maverick lawyer Brodie must find him before her sister becomes the latest victim.
As I said, hard to like any of the characters and the flow of the book didn’t really work for me either. Edinburgh is a good background but this was just too messy and didn’t hold together too well.
“The Ripper” is a serial killer terrorising modern day Edinburgh. He seems especially fond of red heads. When her sister is abducted maverick lawyer Brodie must find him before her sister becomes the latest victim.
As I said, hard to like any of the characters and the flow of the book didn’t really work for me either. Edinburgh is a good background but this was just too messy and didn’t hold together too well.
November 10, 2014
Very confusing beginning to this book,it seems all over the place.It does improve and is quite a good read but the beginning could put people off.
June 3, 2012
Really excingting and with a very unexpected ending.
May 27, 2013
Not too bad at end but confusing to start.
February 20, 2014
I really enjoyed the mystery in this book. Part of a series, set in Scotland, I could see it all happening....some gore, some thrill, some mystery...great story.
March 26, 2014
Really enjoyed all the Grace Monroe books, love that they are set in Edinburgh and a wee bit scary!
November 3, 2014
Good characters and set in the most atmospheric city in the world for me...Unfortunately they are arriving from the last book from the library, so yet to read books 1 and 2.
Want to read
April 12, 2013needs cover image
July 10, 2014
Too jumpy/disconnected at times.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews