Dead Man’s Grave

DS Max Craigie, Book 1

By: Neil Lancaster

Narrated by: Angus King

This grave can never be opened.
The head of Scotland’s most powerful crime family is brutally murdered, his body dumped inside an ancient grave in a remote cemetery.

This murder can never be forgotten.
Detectives Max Craigie and Janie Calder arrive at the scene, a small town where everyone has secrets to hide. They soon realise this murder is part of a blood feud between two Scottish families that stretches back to the 1800s. One thing’s for certain: it might be the latest killing, but it won’t be the last…

This killer can never be caught.
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…

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 McILVANNEY PRIZE FOR SCOTTISH CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR

‘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

‘Genuinely gripping, a total page-turner and one of my favourite reads of the year’ Matt Nixon, Daily Express

‘The most authentic voice in thriller writing’ Tony Parsons

‘A genuinely thrilling adventure’ Scottish Sun

‘A page turner you won’t want to miss’ Denzil Meyrick

Don’t miss the first stunning thriller in the new DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime series!

©2021 Neil Lancaster (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Grabbed me from the first page." (Ian Rankin)

"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)

"A stone cold classic of the genre; the strongest start to a series I’ve seen in years." (Tony Kent)

"A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists." (C. L. Taylor)

"Absolutely blown away by how good this is." (Marion Todd)

Wonderful!

I love this storyline and it takes place in one of my favorite places in the world! Now, I can’t wait to get onto the sequel . . Happy Reading : )

Great story with a captivating hook

I was at a loss as to what to read after finishing off all the books in the UK and Scottish detective series that I follow, and I went looking for something new. I was pleased to find that one of my favorite readers was narrating another series, Mr Angus King. It was because of this that I decided to listen to this book. The story started a bit slow but with a great hook and then proceeded on to keep me entertained for the full duration. The author weaves a fantastic story filled with murder, mystery, and a bit of humor. Through it all there is wonderful descriptions of the highlands and all the areas where the story takes place. The author writes from a place of knowledge and a depth of understanding that someone without his background would not be able to. I can honestly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest in this series.

Different Scottish Police mystery

Very good story , very well read and very entertaining. Look forward to more books from Neil Lancaster

This was fun!

Loved the characters, loved the story, very taut, exciting without over-the-top violence. The dog didn’t die. The narrator is grand.

Keeps you on the edge of your seat!

Fabulous book! great characters, wonderful narration and a story that I just couldn't put down! Set in beautiful Scotland, my favorite place in the world! Now I need to go look for the next book in this very exciting series!

Complex yet entertaining

Well crafted characters and plot. Excellent narration. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

loved it!

wow! Great story line and awesome character development! I'm excited to read book 2! absolutely love the narration!

Interesting and enjoyable

These accents were worth the entire credit! This was an interesting and intriguing storyline filled with colorful characters and suspense. I had a bit of a hard time keeping track of the various characters in this one, but overall this was a good listen.

Loved it

Angus King is always incredible and this was a perfect story for his talent. A new series for me.

Love the unpredictable storyline

Very captivating suspense with details that really put you there. This series is a great way to explore another world.