Dead Man's Grave

Dead Man's Grave introduces DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder, along with the wonderfully irascible DI Ross Fraser.

This book combines not only an extremely good detective yarn with excellent procedure, in a beautiful location, it also does a very good job of setting up the premise for the rest of the series.

The author is a former Metropolitan Police detective, and although the location is Scotland, it is full of authentic police procedure. This book (and the series as a whole) has a well-balanced mixture of crime, police procedure, and well-developed characters with a generous splash of humour.

The first novel in the DS Max Craigie series.Neil is an ex-police detective, and it shows in this series.

The whole book just sings with authenticity on every page. There are some complex procedural aspects to the story, but you get the sense that you’re following a genuine investigation, one which is far more detailed (and interesting) than in a standard police procedural.

DS Max Craigie is a compelling character. His PTSD, plus flashbacks to the causes of his condition, are handled with delicacy and are not used to turn the emotional screws. They feel convincing, and Craigie is… show more.