This review is written with thanks to HQ Digital for my copy of The Devil You Know via Netgalley.

Blurb:

A CASE GONE COLD

Six years ago, Beata Dabrowski arranged to meet her lover in Glasgow and was never seen again. There were no leads… until now.

AN UNRELIABLE WITNESS

Imprisoned gang boss Davie Hardie wants to talk in exchange for his freedom. He knows exactly where Beata is buried, and he’s prepared to take the police to her grave.

A KILLER DESPERATE TO ESCAPE

But when the mission to locate Beata’s body is hijacked, DS Max Craigie is drafted on to the case. Someone is selling secrets.

Max will stop at nothing to expose police corruption and uncover Beata’s murderer… but can you ever really trust a killer to catch a killer?

Don’t miss the next book in the DS Max Craigie series! Fans of Ian Rankin and Marion Todd will love this utterly gripping Scottish thriller!

Review:

I have loved this series from the outset, so I’m always excited to see a new installment come out and The Devil You Know is no different. From the beginning of the fifth book in the series, it is fast paced and full of drama and surprises, and it was almost impossible to tear myself away.

At first, it’s difficult to see how DS Max Craigie and his team will be involved in the case that emerges in the first few chapters, as they are all instructed to stay away, but they soon find a way in, and are as dogged and determined as always. The partnership between DS Max Craigie and DC Janie Calder is just as strong as it has always been, with the banter between them providing some relief between some very dark scenes. I also love the supporting characters and their unorthodox methods make the investigation a joy to follow.

I was intrigued by the investigation from the very beginning as the complex nature of the plot means it’s not always obvious what is happening. Neil Lancaster is brilliant at bringing the threads together in a fascinating way and I loved trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The tension towards the end of the novel is created brilliantly and I was hanging on to every word until the very end.

I do hope this series continues as the novel ends in a way that suggests there is much more to come from DS Max Craigie.

The Devil You Know is available from Amazon.