A delightful beginning to a planned new police procedural series based in Scotland. The book and series features DI Clare MacKay, a former armed response officer who shot and killed a teenage suspect. Although the shooting was determined to be justified, with the suspect approaching the police with a gun pointed at them. It was later determined the gun he held was a toy, and the family is now considering a civil suit against Clare. All this is happening while Clare and her team begin investigating a murder which quickly escalates to another murder and a suspicion they may actually be hunting a serial killer.
I particularly enjoy mystery series where the author has strong character development and interesting secondary storylines that may build from book to book. There are lots of book series that are out there, but not all of them have the character development I’m talking about. It seems there are plenty of series out there that are easy-read “airplane” books. You know what I’m talking about, those books you can pick up to read on the plane and when you’re done you put it down and forget about it. There are lots of books like that, and they have their place as well, but I’m talking about those series that have the reader waiting for the next book to come out, coming back for more, wanting to return to whatever magical place that the author has created or massaged into somewhere the reader wants to be.
That’s what See Them Run by Marion Todd is for me. Todd has created a detective in Clare MacKay who is a dedicated police officer with just enough of a painful past to make her human. Her backstory, which is referred to in this novel but not actually part of this story, is enough to give depth to the character without being so compelling the reader is frustrated by not having that backstory as a book of its own. So now, I’m waiting for the second book in the series while I’m spreading the word to my reading friends that here’s a new series worth some time and attention. Here’s my review of the first novel.
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A delightful beginning to a planned new police procedural series based in Scotland. The book and series features DI Clare MacKay, a former armed response officer who shot and killed a teenage suspect. Although the shooting was determined to be justified, with the suspect approaching the police with a gun pointed at them. It was later determined the gun he held was a toy, and the family is now considering a civil suit against Clare. All this is happening while Clare and her team begin investigating a murder which quickly escalates to another murder and a suspicion they may actually be hunting a serial killer.
Before the shooting, Clare was a successful police officer who lived with her boyfriend in a committed, loving relationship. Their relationship became strained as she was tried for the shooting and her boyfriend’s law office represented the victim’s family. Although he recused himself, he refused Clare’s request to sit with her in court and show his support. As soon as she was exonerated, she decided to leave Glasgow, separate from her boyfriend and move to St. Andrews to reestablish herself. The DCI who is called in to assist her team as they work to solve the murders questions if she is emotionally strong enough to complete the investigation.
Clare has been through counseling, and has been given permission to return to active duty, although the welfare officer still asks her if she is in need of additional assistance. As the book progresses, Clare and the DCI face off on several issues including her fitness to serve and his objection to the treatment of one of the victim’s wives who is a personal friend of his. The tension is just enough to add interest to the story without becoming overwhelming.
The book comes to a satisfactory conclusion and while I had figured it out prior to the final chapters I wasn’t too far ahead and it did not diminish my enjoyment of the novel. There are some great set-ups for the series to move forward with Clare possibly getting a new place to live, a potential love triangle as the old boyfriend tries to reconcile at almost the same time Clare meets someone new. There are several secondary characters who are engaging and offer possible secondary storylines as their relationships with Clare are expanded. Plus, while there is little detail offered about the location, it is still an added bonus to vicaiously travel to Scotland.
If you like police procedurals, or detective fiction, or detective fiction in Scotland, then this is a series for you to consider picking up in the beginning. This story is complete within the novel, but relationships and how they play out are likely to expand with the series. It’s scheduled to be published on October 31st, so you have just enough time to visit your local bookseller to order it or get on the waiting list at your library. If they haven’t ordered it, now is the time to ask them to put it on their list. My thanks to Canelo Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced digital read copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review.
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Hopefully I have whetted your appetite for reading and given you a new series to consider. As we enter fall, it’s always good to have a book you can curl up with if the weather turns cold all of a sudden. Of course, the same can be said when it’s the middle of the summer and the heat and humidity drive you inside to the air conditioning. In other words, no matter the weather, you can always enjoy a good book. Happy Reading.
