Anne Mosedale My Books Browse ▾ This is my first read by Caro Ramsay and all I can say is wow, wow, wow. The author certainly grabbed my attention with the opening chapters and then held my interest all the way through the story to the final page. DI Caplan needs to kick start her career after a demotion and is sent to assist on an investigation where five family members are found murdered in Cronchie. Caplan is so likeable, believeable, has a good history and is very determined and I enjoyed the little glimpses into her home and personal life. The story is well written, flows easily and I found this to be one very entertaining and absorbing read. I loved the sense of intrigue and suspense the author created that made this a real page turner of a read and at times had me desperate to know more. The plot line is intricate, well thought out and executed and I loved all the story threads that began to tie together as the book reached its conclusion. The short time period for the story and the move from past to present days really work here in my opinion and make this a very moreish read - one I kept returning to and continuing reading whenever I could. So - overall a very, VERY good police procedural that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. I will definitely read the next book and also look at the authors other police series when I can. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It can be strange starting a new series from a favourite author, it’s a bit like starting up a new relationship and I find myself wondering if we will click. Well, of course I needn’t have worried at all. From the very outset of this book, I was immediately caught up in Caplan’s life. Caro Ramsay, once again has created a protagonist that comes alive and steps off the page and into your life. Caplan certainly doesn’t have it easy in life at the moment, there are lots of hints about an unsettled family life which are sure to be explored further as the series develops. She is a fascinating woman, on one hand she appears to be a confident professional woman, yet we also catch a glimpse of the woman who is sometimes left feeling invisible and undervalued. I found it impossible not to warm to her. Once again, Caro Ramsay has also created a cast of captivating characters to support her main character, Caplan and as we watch her join the Highland investigation, it quickly becomes clear that her fellow detectives are perhaps not always as lily white as they would like her to think they are. She quickly realises, not only has she got to earn her place in this small Highland village, where the gossip about her demotion is rife, but she is also left with a distinct feeling of unease that not everyone has her back. Suspicion and tension seep out of the pages, leaving a very real sense of unease and anxiety. The sense of place is simply outstanding, a small sleepy Highland village is not only breathtakingly beautiful but at the same time it is sinister and dark. Vivid imagery brings the scenes to life and the tension increases dramatically as Caplan begins to realise that her life might be in danger. There are some brutal and raw scenes in the book, never gratuitous and always driving the story forward. The story line has it all, it is a perfect mix of mystery and police procedural. It is an exploration of relationships, both personal and professional; it is toxic, twisted and deliciously dark. As the events in Glasgow and the Highlands collide and the pieces all drop into place, you will be left with your jaw dropping and desperate for the next instalment in this series. Caro Ramsay could never be accused of writing fluff and there is one thing you can be sure of when you pick up a book by Caro Ramsay and that is that you are going to going to find yourself embroiled in an intelligent and complex storyline which will leave you feeling as though you have stepped straight into the pages and become part of the investigation yourself. Outstanding and I can’t wait for the next in the series!

The Devil Stone is the first book in the DCI Christine Caplan series by British author, Caro Ramsay. Only just demoted to DI, Glasgow detective Christine Caplan is sent north to assist with a mass murder case near the village of Cronchie. Five members, three generations, of one family have been killed in what has been set up to look like a Satanic ritual. The youngest son of this wealthy, prominent, local land-owner family, Adam McGregor, is absent. Missing from the house, the Deilstane the family kept safe, local legend claiming death and disaster would follow if the stone was removed. Two teens break into the house, intent on stealing exactly that (and perhaps more) while the family is away on a cruise. They are members of the local Deilmen, devil worshippers, but their shock and distress at finding the three-week-old corpses is undoubtedly genuine. After he leaves this disturbing scene, the SIO, DCI Bob Oswald fails to return home, one reason Caplan is sent there; that the DI leading the case lacks experience and confidence is another factor. DI Garry Kinsella claims to be relieved that Caplan has arrived to help, but also seems to be wedded to the idea that two inept teens committed the murders, then returned weeks later: Caplan remains sceptical. Working with a team she doesn’t know, some of whom seem less that capable, others, quite secretive, is a challenge, as are the locals who openly display mistrust of the police. But Caplan is also distracted by lack of support from her superiors in a mugging incident where the teenaged assailant died. She leaves behind in Glasgow a dysfunctional family: a chronically depressed, unemployed husband, a son failing to commit to his education; and a daughter conflicted between tending family and advancing her career. Disturbingly, all her personal problems are apparently common knowledge within the team. Knowing exactly whom she can trust is a dilemma. Two more deaths occur before things become clear, and the one that looks like a tragic accident arouses Caplan’s suspicion enough that she looks into Bob Oswald’s most recent case. As she closes in on what’s really happening, multiple attempts to discourage her investigations only firm her resolve. Ramsay’s newest series offers a strong female protagonist, plenty of twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing, and a nail-biting climax. More of this cast of characters is most definitely welcome. Excellent Scottish crime fiction. This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Severn House.

This is an amazing start to a new series by Caro Ramsay! I loved the characterisation, especially Caplan, who is under extreme pressure to solve a multiple murder of a wealthy local family, living in a small village in west Scotland. The setting is beautiful and I felt transported right to the heart of the action. Caplan soon finds herself working with a team of strange detectives, uncovering a web of police corruption and drug smuggling. The whole story, with it's clever plotting just pulled me in from the beginning and I am sure this is promising to be a new, and superbly crafted, crime series which I highly recommend. I look forward to the next in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A very enjoyable read. The seemingly unsolvable problem of a collection of dead bodies leads to a torturous route of mystery and conspiracy. I enjoyed Caplan, she was a very interesting character with a great deal of steel in her bones. She really cracked on with the mystery and I enjoyed "meeting" her. I look forward to more in the series. There are a lot of characters to be aware of, so you have to concentrate in some parts to remember who is who. Enjoyed it