4 Stars from me
This is book one in the DS Malkie McCulloch series and is a great introduction to this character and the wider team. Malkie has been on compassionate leave since the death of his mother and carries deep guilt in relation to her death – but is it justified or misplaced.
Malkie is a complex soul with a deep and mysterious past, I hope more of this is revealed in future books. He takes a no nonsense approach and butts heads frequently with his boss DI McLeish who would delight in finding a reason to kick him out of the force.
In Blood Runs Deep, Malkie and his partner DC Steph Lang are called to investigate a hit and run and although his superiors feel it is just that Malkie isn’t convinced and goes against instruction to pursue suspects he has been specifically warned off of investigating.
Seemingly hell bent on annoying the higher ups, Malkie flies close to the wind in this dark and gritty crime thriller. I loved the Scottish-ness of it too and suspect it would be great to listen to as an audio book.
Overall this is a great debut and this series will do doubt be a hit with crime thriller fans and I thank NetGalley, the author and Storm Publishing for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Blurb: Family ties can be deadly… In the shadow of the Pentland Hills, a man has been callously struck down in front of his home. Tyre marks suggest it was no accidental hit-and-run. Somebody wanted him dead and as the man fights for every breath, they might still get their wish.
Grappling with the demons he thought he could leave behind after months away on enforced leave, DS Malkie McCulloch resists pressure from his superiors to pass the case on to the road policing unit, convinced that whoever was behind the wheel will be waiting for the chance to finish the job.
With the help of his partner DC Steph Lang, Malkie uncovers evidence that leads him to a former soldier suffering with PTSD. Risking his already tarnished career – and his life – he must unpick a complex web of family ties, deception, and greed to reveal the secrets at the heart of the case. When the former soldier decides to take justice into his own hands, and a key witness reveals information that implicates somebody within the police, can Malkie piece together the truth before the body count soars?
Read and Rated 