The. Ore Max & Janie look into the murder that corruption is rife in this case, who Killed Hardie & why? A missing person enquiry leads DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder to an ancient and abandoned burial ground, by the remains of an old chapel, located in a very remote spot in the Scottish Highlands. They discover a headstone with the inscription “This Grave Can Never Be Opened”!

Max is an admirable character with along with his lovable dog. I look forward to the next in this new series and unlike other first books, this wrapped up well. No annoying loose strings or unfinished business. Dead Mans grace by Neil Lancaster is the first in a series featuring DS Max Craigie and if this is to be the standard to expect then I’m looking forward to the rest of the series. ways draws me to a 📚 it was very atmospheric & thought I was there I can’t wait to read the next instalment in this wonderful new series. DCI Max Craigie & his partner DCJanie Calder are called to a burial ground near a church to look for a missing person they see a grave that says NEVER TO BE OPENED, but that doesn’t deter Max & Janie they open it to find the body of a notorious drug lord Tam Hardie he is the most wanted gangster in Scotland .

Christmas Gifts

The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally murdered, his body dumped inside an ancient grave in a remote cemetery. Since retiring from the Metropolitan Police, Neil has relocated to the Scottish Highlands with his wife and son, where he mixes freelance investigations with writing. A remote burial ground containing a grave with the inscription "This Grave Never to be Opened" created an atmospheric start to this new crime series. What followed was a good gripping story that included a two hundred-year-old feud, gangsters & police corruption. It’s up to Detectives Max Craigie & Janie Calder to get to the bottom of the tangled web that’s been woven. DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins UK Audio via Netgalley for providing an audio ARC of Dead Man's Grave by Neil Lancaster for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Tam Hardie is the head of the biggest Scottish OCG and is on a quest into the past. He finds a burial ground in the far north and a grave marked ‘this grave never to be opened’ .... it is the last thing he sees on this earth. His death unleashes a vendetta pursued by his ruthless son Tam Jr and a net of corruption that spreads far and wide. DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder of the Serious Crimes Team at Gartcosh are instructed by boss DI Ross Fraser to carefully tread in a close enquiry. I found the opening of this book very atmospheric. An old crime boss visits the grave of a very old relative. It says "this grave can never be opened" on the grave stone. However, when the crime boss disappears and his family (also hard core villains) ask the police for help, the grave is opened. DS Max Craigie is the policeman who is involved. He has only recently returned to Scotland from England and has some issues from his time there. Will Scotland bring him any peace... When Max reports to the sons of the crime boss about his findings they don't seem surprised by any of the news. Could they have possibly found out before Max saw them and if so how? Really looking forward to the next in this series. The book itself is a standalone but has been set up beautifully for the next one. My first read by Neil Lancaster and certainly won’t be my last. An ages-old feud between two Scottish families is unearthed when a top crime boss is found murdered in an unnamed grave. So the plot is good but it is accompanied by an excellent writing style that is lively and encourages further reading. The humour is rough, realistic and funny and wouldn’t be out of place in most workplaces. The plotting is clear sighted and logical with little room for misunderstanding or ambiguity (not always a given). There are also some great descriptions of the Highlands scenery and locations.Dead Man's Grave is the first in the DS Max Craigie series, and what an introduction to Max! He's a bit like a bull terrier - once he gets his teeth into something, he just doesn't let go. The best police procedural I've read in years – fast-paced, compelling and deeply authentic. DS Max Craigie is a brilliant hero and I can't wait for the next in the series’ Jane Casey Author, Neil Lancaster was with Metropolitan Police for over two decades. You just know that he has many good ideas for his upcoming books. Can't wait for the next! Oh, and don't miss the author's note! As the body count rises, the investigation uncovers large-scale corruption at the heart of the Scottish Police Service. Now Max and Janie must turn against their closest colleagues – to solve a case that could cost them far more than just their lives…

THE AUTHOR: Neil was born in Liverpool in the 1960s. He recently left the Metropolitan Police where he served for over twenty-five years, predominantly as a detective, leading and conducting investigations into some of the most serious criminals across the UK and beyond. When ageing gangster Tam Hardie goes missing Max and Janey are asked to investigate. It doesn’t take them long to find his body hidden in an old grave in the Highlands under a stone carved with the message “this grave can never be opened” and not much longer to find the killer and uncover an old feud. The consequences of the murder are much worse with the bodies piling up and evidence of police corruption emerging. Ross Fraser, Max's boss, and Max have a strong relationship, having served together in the Armed Forces. Their camaraderie doesn't, however, prevent Ross from giving Max a good bawling out when he thinks he deserves it. This book hits the ground running and doesn’t let up throughout. Well written characters and excellent story construction make this a hugely enjoyable read. Max is a great central character and well rounded enough to carry the story.

Diaries & Calendars

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Dead Man’s Grave, the first novel to feature DS Max Craigie and DC Janey Calder of Police Scotland. This was a compelling read from start to finish enjoyed every minute the characters were well fleshed out & likeable loved the setting of Scotland that a