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Dead Man’s Grave by Neil Lancaster is a taut well written crime procedural that I was invested in from the very beginning to the end the characters were well developed & likeable, the setting in Scotland always draws me to a book thought I was there. The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally murdered, his body dumped inside an ancient grave in a remote cemetery. I just recently read The Blood Tide - book 2 of the DS Max Craigie series by this author and I loved it so much I had to buy the first book. Unfortunately I knew some of what would happen but it didn’t detract too much from what was an otherwise explosive story! 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. 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”!
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. 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 thoroughly enjoyed Dead Man’s Grave which has an unusual opening premise, a fast pace and plenty of twists and turns. It is told mostly from Max’s point of view with the reader given glimpses from the other side’s point of view to widen the perspective. 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! 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.
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The. Ore Max & Janie look into the murder that corruption is rife in this case, who Killed Hardie & why? I’m sorry to be so critical, but I really didn’t get on with Dead Man’s Grave. I struggled to the end, but I won’t be bothering with DS Craigie again. 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. 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. 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 .
The author was previously a Metropolitan police detective investigating serious crimes in addition to serving in the military police so I would recommend this to those connoisseurs of police tactical methods.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 Max has always wanted to be one of the 'good guys' - that's why he joined the police force in the first place. He has a strong personal moral code and is not afraid to stand up against higher authorities for what he believes in. He has a sly sense of humour, and can take, as well as give, a good ribbing. I'm not usually a fan of novels based around organised crime and gangs, but Dead Man's Grave is so much more than that. Yes, it's a tense, taut and gritty thriller, but it's also a character study of a man who serves his country with every fibre of his being, and continues to do so in the face of every obstacle. 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.
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