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Out in the Cold

Stuart Johnstone (Goodreads Author)

3.78 · Rating details · 40 ratings · 27 reviews

INTUITION IS EVERYTHING IN THE POLICE FORCE, SOMETHING THAT SERGEANT DON COLYEAR KNOWS BETTER THAN MOST.

When a superior officer's decision not to respond to a routine disturbance has fatal consequences, Colyear finds himself sent away from Glasgow to work in a remote Highlands town.

Despite not wanting to be there, a feeling shared by his commander, Colyear soon settles int ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: March 18th 2021 by Allison & Busby

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Average rating 3.78 ·

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· 40 ratings · 27 reviews

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Oct 27, 2020 Ceecee rated it liked it

2-3 stars rounded up.

Sergeant Don Colyear is relocated to Stratharder, north of Oban, following problems in Glasgow. Alongside Constable Rowan Forbes, he investigates a variety of crimes from the minor to the death of a worker on a local estate which appears to be occult based as well as the disappearance of young girls.

There are things I like about this book, Colyear is an interesting and intuitive character and I like the relationship with Rowan who is very likeable. There are some lively ex ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 Louise Wilson rated it liked it

After an incident makes it impossible to stay in Glasgow, Sergeant Don Colyear is sent to work in the remote Highland town. His new Inspector wants him gone and the locals wonder why he's even there. But Don makes a go of things, striking up a good working relationship with rookie officer, Rowan Forbes.

This is a bit of a slow burner. We are quite a bit into the book before the main plotline starts, up to then, it's mostly character building. Don and Rowan form a great bond. There's also some fl ...more

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Feb 01, 2021 Tahera rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, netgalley, netgalley-books-2021, police-procedural, thrillers-mysteries-suspense

For Don Colyear the terms 'gut feeling' and 'gut instinct' take a very literal form as in whenever he is hit with one, it results in acute stomach cramps. This unique intuitive sense of his has helped him out in the past as well as got him in trouble. One such scenario has resulted in him being 'transferred' to a small Highland town of Stratharder as a Sergeant. It is a small town with a small community where everyone knows everyone else and seems to have a next to nil crime rate. But a chance h ...more

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Dec 20, 2020 The Coycaterpillar Reads rated it it was amazing

I have been so incredibly lucky as of late in my crime novels, but Out in the Cold surpassed all my expectations. It has an original plot, intriguing main characters and a writing style that is so sharp that it threatens to slit your throat. If I thought that it couldn’t get better than that opening chapter, I’d be sorely wrong. Have you ever found yourself in an untenable situation at work? Well Detective Sargent Colyear has a master’s in it. A situation that wasn’t his doing but takes the rap I have been so incredibly lucky as of late in my crime novels, but Out in the Cold surpassed all my expectations. It has an original plot, intriguing main characters and a writing style that is so sharp that it threatens to slit your throat. If I thought that it couldn’t get better than that opening chapter, I’d be sorely wrong. Have you ever found yourself in an untenable situation at work? Well Detective Sargent Colyear has a master’s in it. A situation that wasn’t his doing but takes the rap for it, nonetheless.

Out in the Cold (although I’m not a huge fan of comparisons) could have easily been an episode of Taggart (showing my age there, aren’t i?) they both take an almost harmless situation and show just how splitting it wide open will release the wretchedness of human nature. However, I do believe that Stuart Johnstone had the edge and his originality shone through. I enjoyed every aspect of this story, from characters that pack a serious punch to genuine moments between colleagues that show a deeper understanding within the police force.

Just to sum it up Out in the Cold spirals like an avalanche. The snow gains traction and if you don’t have your wits about you – you also will end up buried.

Out in the Cold is the first instalment in the Sergeant Don Colyear series. It is set in the fictious town of Stratharder near Oban. Thirty-three-year-old Don is promoted and sent to Stratharder after his position in Glasgow became untenable after an incident during a night shift. The crime rate at first glance seems to be relatively low and Don worries just what exactly he is going to do with his time there. As time clocks on he discovers that things are certainly not as they seem in the small town.

Straight away Don is teamed up with Constable Rowan Forbes and the bantering relationship between the two was fun to get lost in. They investigate a spate of vandalism reports and teenage girls mysteriously going missing. Don’s gut instinct has rarely let him down so just why are residents of this sleepy town refusing to give him insight…just what is it that is keeping them quiet? The author has an exquisite skill in dissecting feelings and emotions of being a blow in in a quiet town, as a police officer, as a young professional guy and as a person sticking his nose where a lot of residents don’t want it.

That exciting anticipation of moving to the Scottish Highlands soon becomes a world of grey, the underbelly as rotten as in any city.

I loved Don’s character; genuine, resilient, and still believes in the good in people even after everything he has been through. He’s not naive and with his aspirations comes some hard truths. He’s not scared of putting in the grunt work. Safe to say I will be waiting with bated breath for the next in the series, this may just become my favourite crime series. The author has created pure escapism with side dish of twistedness that makes sure you will come back for more. ...more

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Oct 22, 2020 Lisa rated it it was ok

Shelves: net-galley

"Cough, cough..gasp!"
I thought I'd love this tale. First off, it's in Scotland. Only my favorite book location, ever! Better..it leaves Glasgow..my least favorite Scottish destination. No offense, but that's just me. Once this went a wee bit North, I thought it would get better.
Nope. I didn't like anyone. Even the m.c.'s had no backbone. Maybe later in the tale! Too late!
I'm sorry, but a book needs something or someone! A hook. A barbed hook!
Like secretly trout fishing off the dock at night. ...more

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Nov 30, 2020 Rach rated it really liked it

Police Sergeant Don Colyear has a gift of intuition but sometimes it doesn't work in his favour. He was working in Glasgow but after a incident he is forced to work in a remote Highlands town. His new Inspector wants him gone and the locals can't understand why he is working in their town. Don himself doesn't want to be working in this town but decides to make a go of it. He starts to build a working relationship with rookie officer Rowan Forbes. As Don starts to work he feels something is off a ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Lou rated it it was amazing

Out in the Cold is the first instalment in the Sergeant Donald "Don” Colyear police procedural series, set in the fictional Scottish town of Stratharder, just north of the coastal fishing town of Oban in the Highlands. Thirty-three-year-old Sergeant Colyear has been promoted and transferred from his now untenable post in Glasgow to the remote town of Stratharder where the crime rate seems, at first glance, to be vastly lower. On his arrival at the station on his first day, he is shown around tow Out in the Cold is the first instalment in the Sergeant Donald "Don” Colyear police procedural series, set in the fictional Scottish town of Stratharder, just north of the coastal fishing town of Oban in the Highlands. Thirty-three-year-old Sergeant Colyear has been promoted and transferred from his now untenable post in Glasgow to the remote town of Stratharder where the crime rate seems, at first glance, to be vastly lower. On his arrival at the station on his first day, he is shown around town by Constable Rowan Forbes, a young, friendly elfin girl. Staying at Hilda Brownhill’s home in the nearby town of Kirkmartin means it is only a short drive to work each day for Don. He is partnered up with Forbes and they begin to investigate the slew of crimes, mostly petty in nature, in the local area. But it doesn't take long for Don to realise that something isn't right in this town and that beneath the quiet, serene exterior lies sinister secrets and a dangerous pact of silence held by residents. Can Don use his famed gut instinct to get to the bottom of the strange and overwhelming level of crime, the spate of disappearances of young teenagers, a possible murder and a string of reports made about ongoing vandalism, that descends upon Stratharder?

This is a compulsive, slow-burn procedural with an action-packed, complex plot, which features several intermingling threads, and there's never a dull moment as Johnstone keeps you on your toes. I will say that it takes a little while to get used to the format of the story as the timeline shifts often without warning, which can be confusing initially, but it's well worth putting the effort in as this is a thoroughly enjoyable and convoluted thrill ride. Colyear’s interesting backstory is fed to the reader in digestible chunks throughout so as not to overwhelm and it works well; I was fascinated with the situation he found himself in and it was a refreshingly original personal story. The fact that it's told exclusively from Don’s perspective allows you to become more immersed in the goings-on, and in all honesty, if both the timeline and the point of view were both frequently changing I think it would've probably bombed. I loved the Scottish slang interspersings and the descriptions of the Highlands made me feel right at home in a comforting way. This is a high-octane, edge of your seat read made all the more authentic by the author being a former police officer. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Allison & Busby for an ARC. ...more

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Dec 09, 2020 Liz Barnsley rated it really liked it

was rather a fan of this novel- I do like a good Scottish setting, that plus the small town vibe and an interesting, relatable and darkly humorous main protagonist made this an excellent read.

There’s also of course the intuitive undertone to it that you would think might offer our Sergeant Colyyear an edge but somehow gets him into as much trouble as it gets him out of..

Therein lies one of the main hooks in this read for me – it is a crime novel plus, offering a decently unpredictable mystery, ...more

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Feb 02, 2021 Lainy rated it really liked it

Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days

Pages - 352

Publisher - Allison & Busby

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

INTUITION IS EVERYTHING IN THE POLICE FORCE, SOMETHING THAT SERGEANT DON COLYEAR KNOWS BETTER THAN MOST.

When a superior officer's decision not to respond to a routine disturbance has fatal consequences, Colyear finds himself sent away from Glasgow to work in a remote Highlands town.

Despite not wanting to be there, a feeling shared by his commander, Colyear soon settles into ...more

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Jan 31, 2021 Jacob Collins rated it it was amazing

I loved Out in the Cold by Stuart Johnstone. If you’re a fan of Paul Finch’s DS Mark Heckenburg series, then you need to give this a go. It’s pacy, addictive and really atmospheric.

When Don Colyear arrives in a remote Highlands town, after being transferred there from Glasgow, he isn’t exactly given a warm reception. In fact, his new boss tells him from the start that he didn’t want him there, and his placement in the town does seem strange as well. The police station is due to close within wee I loved Out in the Cold by Stuart Johnstone. If you’re a fan of Paul Finch’s DS Mark Heckenburg series, then you need to give this a go. It’s pacy, addictive and really atmospheric.

When Don Colyear arrives in a remote Highlands town, after being transferred there from Glasgow, he isn’t exactly given a warm reception. In fact, his new boss tells him from the start that he didn’t want him there, and his placement in the town does seem strange as well. The police station is due to close within weeks, so what will happen to him after then? But there is a disturbing reason why he isn’t made to feel particularly welcome. Soon, Don finds himself very close to danger.

I love a crime novel set in an isolated location. There is tension right from the moment Don arrives in the town, and the setting made me feel very uncomfortable. I wanted to know why there was so much animosity towards Don when he first arrived. If I was in his position, I would have wanted to leave on the first day, particularly as the station was closing down soon anyway. There are times as well when Don himself questions why he stays.

But Don immediately feels that there isn’t something right about the town. Soon he becomes aware of reports of teenagers going missing. It is presumed they have run off to get out the town where there isn’t much going on. But Don thinks there is something more going on here. He also seems to be the only person interested in the disappearance, apart from the teenager’s parents. This I found really disturbing. I wanted to know what was going on here and I was rooting for Don to get to the truth. It’s what makes him stay as he knows that there is something here which he needs to get to the bottom of.

The pace in this novel flowed really well, and I loved the dialogue. I wouldn’t say it was, on the whole, a fast-paced read, but there are some taut scenes which had me on the edge of my seat. Stuart Johnstone describes these moments in the book really well, and the writing makes it feel as though the action is happening right in front of you. We also learn some intriguing things about Don as well, which does, in a way, gives the novel a hint of a supernatural element to it as well.

Out in the Cold is a must-read for police procedural fans. I’m hoping that there are going to many more books to come in this series.

...more

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Oct 27, 2020 Syeda Sumayya Tariq rated it liked it

Shelves: net-galley, thrillers

Police sergeant Don Colyear has a very powerful and strong sense of intuition that's helped him solve cases beyond anyone's imagination. Now posted to a town where even petty crimes are rare, he's quick to notice that things are not as they seem and something's off about this whole town.

I liked the plot of this one, and the light tone in which the whole story is told is very enjoyable. And it's gripping from the get-go, the first chapter made me want to read it double time. It's a slow burn, and ...more

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Oct 17, 2020 Sarah rated it liked it

I received this book via NetGalley and Allyson & Busby. The plot of the book was good but I found it extremely difficult to get into this book. I like the main character Donald and his associate Rowan but the rest of the characters weren’t developed enough for me to really care about them.

It was a slow building story and there was too many pages left on describing a drive in a van instead of building the suspense. Nothing seems to blend together with the main character going from one place to a ...more

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Nov 05, 2020 Elaine Tomasso rated it it was amazing

I would like to thank Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy of Out in the Cold, a police procedural featuring Sergeant Don Colyear, set in the fictional Scottish town of Stratharder.

After a spot of trouble in Glasgow Don Colyear is promoted and transferred to Stratharder, a remote highland town. It’s not long before Don realises that something isn’t quite right underneath the quiet façade but with a spate of vandalism, a possible murder and the disappearance of a string of teenagers I would like to thank Netgalley and Allison & Busby for an advance copy of Out in the Cold, a police procedural featuring Sergeant Don Colyear, set in the fictional Scottish town of Stratharder.

After a spot of trouble in Glasgow Don Colyear is promoted and transferred to Stratharder, a remote highland town. It’s not long before Don realises that something isn’t quite right underneath the quiet façade but with a spate of vandalism, a possible murder and the disappearance of a string of teenagers he’s not got much time for deep digging.

I thoroughly enjoyed Out in the Cold which is slow to start but soon accelerates to a high octane finish. Technically the format of the novel is something I complain about frequently, shifting timelines and unexplained circumstances with no apparent relevance but I found it all intriguing and very moreish, perhaps because it is told entirely from Don Colyear’s point view. I was fascinated by why he is in his current circumstances (not what I expected) and what caused his transfer to Stratharder. The answers and what’s wrong in the town are teased out over the course of the novel.

I am always drawn to Scottish crime fiction as there is comfort in the familiar. I must admit that I know little about the Highlands so I didn’t get much sense of familiarity from the location, in fact I don’t think there is much, apart from multiple references to Oban, to identify the location as Scottish and it could be any small town in the UK. There is more of a sense of Scottishness in some of the slang used. It’s not excessive or obscure enough to put readers off, just a taste of Scotland.

The author is a former police officer and this shines through in the character of Don Colyear and the band of brotherhood that seems to permeate the force. Don is a bit of a loner, not buying in to the brotherhood, who takes a common sense approach to policing. I like his voice and his story and would welcome hearing more from him.

Out in the Cold is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending. ...more

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Nov 10, 2020 Lisa rated it liked it

Not a bad storyline and did enjoy the characters but the writing style of going back to the past then back to the present got rather confusing at times.

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Nov 06, 2020 Martha Brindley rated it liked it

I liked the Scottish setting of this book and it had an interesting plot. Although it was a bit slow and jumped between the past and the present, which made it difficult for me to get into. I liked the main character of Don and his colleague Rowan. This has the promise of a good series, if there is a follow up, with just a bit more clarity with plot construction and editing. Overall, I enjoyed the read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

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Nov 06, 2020 Annie rated it really liked it

Well when I registered this on Good reads, the reviews were not great . But I never let anything like that put me off so I started to read. At first, the story was confusing, with flashbacks, life at work and Don finding himself in a compromising position, but as the book progressed, I liked the way the story developed. The descriptions of the town /village involved were realistic and I could understand Don's feeling that something was not right.
For me, one criticism would be the story of Carly ...more

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Dec 19, 2020 Maggie rated it liked it

After a nasty incident in Glasgow Don Colyear is sent to Stratharder, North of Oban. He is not exactly made welcome. The local Inspector wants him gone as soon as possible, the locals wonder why he's there. The only bright spot is the eager young constable, Rowan. At first it seems a very quiet posting, dealing with small vandalism cases. When a local man is found dead in odd circumstances things get a bit more complicated! The story switches from present to past & back again, which makes it som ...more

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Nov 08, 2020 caroline rated it it was amazing

This was like a warm hug of a book. The scenery descriptions were wonderful, I really wanted to go there and holiday - if it wasn't for the crime wave.

The relationship between Don and Rowena was really good and real.

What I did struggle with was the time jumps and not really understanding the reasons for the move until nearly the middle of the book so I struggled a bit with who was who and how they impacted onto the story.

It definitely looked like it was setting up for a sequel which I will de ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Kathleen Gray rated it really liked it

Don Colyear figured policing would be quieter in Stratharder than in Glasgow. He didn't figure on the fact that there's a subtle crime wave going on - one that's been around for a long time. A murder brings out a whole set of secrets (no spoilers from me). His new partner- Rowan- is a rookie. That makes for some tough times but also for some smart dialogue. Don's backstory spools out slowly in this novel that moves back and forth in time (be prepared to occasionally be a bit confused). The chara ...more

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Jan 11, 2021 Steph Sheppard rated it it was amazing

Shelves: crime, netgalley, police-procedural, scottish-police-procedural

Stuart Johnstone is a new author to me but #OutInTheCold has made sure that I will be looking out for more of his work and as any self respecting bookworm knows it's always a pleasure to find a new author to add to the list. I've got my fingers crossed that this is the start of what is going to be a decent SPP (Scottish Police Procedural).

In this we meet Sargent Don Colyear who is freshly promoted and shipped out to Stratharder up in the Highlands, a place that he assumes is going to be a sleepy ...more

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Nov 03, 2020 Salome G rated it liked it

This book is the slowest of slow burns. I was starting chapter 4 when I finally had to check and make sure I was reading the right book. I was expecting a cracking Scottish-set mystery/thriller and that far into the book, all that had been established was that it was indeed taking place in Scotland. The central mystery turned out to be basically a big whatever and I didn’t really like any of the characters, including the protagonist. But still, there was something about it that I found charming. ...more

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Nov 17, 2020 Priya rated it it was amazing

A well written police procedural with some good character building and background description. The backstory of the protagonist is introduced seamlessly in different parts of the story. Due to the lack of editing the sudden change in scenarios is confusing which I hope is rectified in the final version. The main plot starts quite late but picks up fast. Looking forward to the next one.

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Jan 05, 2021 Sally Boocock rated it liked it

As crime novels go this one was pretty mediocre. I loved the two main protagonists Don and Rowan and feel this was more a character building book ready for the next one. I did find the flashbacks a little confusing but overall it was a good read and I look forward to reading more by this author.

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Jan 16, 2021 Emily Maynard rated it liked it

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me have a copy of this novel to read for free, unfortunately I was not able to finish it before the license expired. I wound up at about 70%. It was a decent story but very slow moving and I had a hard time connecting with it.

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Feb 02, 2021 Delia rated it really liked it

A slow burn to start, but really good! After I got invested in the story I couldn’t put it down. I particularly liked the characters and the setting. As others have remarked though, the pacing was somewhat off and confusing at times. Still, a mystery I thoroughly enjoyed!

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Jan 28, 2021 GMT Books added it

More please! A great read indeed

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Nov 22, 2020 Vicki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Such a good book!

I was hooked after the first chapter and read it in a few days. A great story, clues subtly dropped along the way without being cliche, and a focus on detective work (with a twist). I also liked that it was a crime novel without over-the-top graphic violence and gore. Hard to believe this is a debut book. Can’t wait for the next one!

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