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D.I. Clare Mackay #6
Old Bones Lie
DI Clare Mackay is about to face a test of her loyalty…
When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?
DI Clare Mackay leads the team but has to do without her right hand man; DS Chris West is a cousin to one of the missing prison officers and must not be involved in the case. With a new sergeant at her side plus a previously unencountered DCI, Clare’s people skills are pushed to the limit. Especially once she realises her boss is keeping her on the sidelines. Just what is it that Clare doesn’t know? And if she has to choose between keeping secrets from a friend, or letting slip something that could see a culprit go free, which path will she take?
When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?
DI Clare Mackay leads the team but has to do without her right hand man; DS Chris West is a cousin to one of the missing prison officers and must not be involved in the case. With a new sergeant at her side plus a previously unencountered DCI, Clare’s people skills are pushed to the limit. Especially once she realises her boss is keeping her on the sidelines. Just what is it that Clare doesn’t know? And if she has to choose between keeping secrets from a friend, or letting slip something that could see a culprit go free, which path will she take?
358 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2022
181 people are currently reading
537 people want to read
About the author
Marion Todd
39 books359 followersMarion grew up in the City of Dundee, now home to the magnificent V&A Museum. Always a keen writer, she has had point-of-view pieces published in the Dundee Courier and short stories in My Weekly magazine. She won first prize in the Family Circle Magazine Short Story for Children Competition in 1987.
More recently, Marion has turned her hand to crime fiction and was one of only six commercial fiction writers selected to pitch to an industry panel at XPONorth in Inverness in 2017. In 2018 Marion was long-listed for the Sunstory Award and the Scottish Arts Council Short Story Award. This year she was short-listed for Dundee Rep’s Stripped programme. She is represented by Northbank Talent Management and her debut novel, See Them Run, will be published as an eBook by Canelo on 31 October 2019.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Marion worked as a lecturer, candle-maker and hotel lounge pianist, a job which provided rich material for her novels. When she isn’t writing, Marion can be found tussling with her jungle-like garden and walking in the beautiful Scotish countryside.
Marion lives in North East Fife overlooking the River Tay and is a sometime babysitter for her daughter’s unruly but lovable dog.
More recently, Marion has turned her hand to crime fiction and was one of only six commercial fiction writers selected to pitch to an industry panel at XPONorth in Inverness in 2017. In 2018 Marion was long-listed for the Sunstory Award and the Scottish Arts Council Short Story Award. This year she was short-listed for Dundee Rep’s Stripped programme. She is represented by Northbank Talent Management and her debut novel, See Them Run, will be published as an eBook by Canelo on 31 October 2019.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Marion worked as a lecturer, candle-maker and hotel lounge pianist, a job which provided rich material for her novels. When she isn’t writing, Marion can be found tussling with her jungle-like garden and walking in the beautiful Scotish countryside.
Marion lives in North East Fife overlooking the River Tay and is a sometime babysitter for her daughter’s unruly but lovable dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
June 14, 2022
This is Marion Todd's latest in her great St Andrew's based crime series featuring DI Clare Mackay, now sharing her home, Daisy Cottage, with DCI Alan Gibson. The novel opens on a Saturday night where 2 friends and prison guards, Alan and Gavin, along with their wives Kim and Debbie, have just taken delivery of their Chinese takeaway, when armed men wearing balaclavas abduct the wives, want the men to follow their instructions. Clare finds herself in charge when reports come in of a missing prison van, along with the 2 guards, and their jewellery robber prisoner, Paul Devine, who they were transporting to his uncle's funeral. Order is upset when the worried and frantic DS Chris West has to be removed from the case, prison guard Alan is his cousin, he is to work on the theft of farm machinery instead.
Matters are escalated when a woman is found murdered in her garden shed, a murder that looks to be connected with the missing prisoner. With West unavailable, Clare acquires a new team member, the chatty DS Max Evans with his puppy dog enthusiasm and ability to make a terrific cup of coffee. She is not happy when she is taken off the case of the guards and their prisoner, which is taken over by the all too laid back and suspiciously secretive DCI Ben Ratcliffe, what is she being kept in the dark about? She is left in charge of investigating the murder of the woman who was employed at the jewellery store that Devine had been convicted of robbing. Convinced in her mind that the two cases are linked, Clare cannot stay away, insinuating her way into Ratcliffe's inquiry whenever she can. This is a twisty case where not everything is as it appears and which culminates in Clare being offered an opportunity that she is tempted by.
Overall this was an okay crime read, but this addition lacked the sparkle of the previous books in the series, although it all comes good nearer the end when then narrative becomes significantly more tense and suspenseful. All the different threads are tied together in some surprising ways, and at the end Clare makes the decision to disobey orders, despite knowing that this could adversely affect her career as a police officer, but she feels its more important to do the right thing. I look forward to reading the next in this engaging Scottish crime series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Matters are escalated when a woman is found murdered in her garden shed, a murder that looks to be connected with the missing prisoner. With West unavailable, Clare acquires a new team member, the chatty DS Max Evans with his puppy dog enthusiasm and ability to make a terrific cup of coffee. She is not happy when she is taken off the case of the guards and their prisoner, which is taken over by the all too laid back and suspiciously secretive DCI Ben Ratcliffe, what is she being kept in the dark about? She is left in charge of investigating the murder of the woman who was employed at the jewellery store that Devine had been convicted of robbing. Convinced in her mind that the two cases are linked, Clare cannot stay away, insinuating her way into Ratcliffe's inquiry whenever she can. This is a twisty case where not everything is as it appears and which culminates in Clare being offered an opportunity that she is tempted by.
Overall this was an okay crime read, but this addition lacked the sparkle of the previous books in the series, although it all comes good nearer the end when then narrative becomes significantly more tense and suspenseful. All the different threads are tied together in some surprising ways, and at the end Clare makes the decision to disobey orders, despite knowing that this could adversely affect her career as a police officer, but she feels its more important to do the right thing. I look forward to reading the next in this engaging Scottish crime series. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
August 18, 2025
Enjoyable read!
This was much better than i expected -- but i'm still not feeling her (Clare) relationship with her old D.C.I. boss
This was much better than i expected -- but i'm still not feeling her (Clare) relationship with her old D.C.I. boss
June 1, 2022
It all starts on a Saturday with a takeaway delivery for two couples followed a few moments later with the frightening arrival of two balaclava clad, gun toting men who take away the women. Why? A few days later there’s a murder of a female. Is there a connection? By the Monday DCI Claire Mckay at St Andrews is alerted to a missing prison van along with two officers and a prisoner, Paul Devine, a convicted armed robber. Clare is convinced there is a connection between the cases but the prisoner case is taken away from her and given to DCI Ben Ratcliffe and she is to concentrate on the murder. What is going on?
First of all, I’ve read several of the series and enjoyed them as I like the characters and the Saint Andrews setting, however, this one isn’t as exciting as the previous ones and after a good start it becomes a bit of a PC Plod. This does improve further into the book but the ending is not especially dramatic and could definitely have been better.
There are moments of a really good puzzle as there are distinctly off notes that are intriguing and there’s certainly something fishy going on about the appointment of DCI Ratcliffe. There are some good twists but there are also some that are predictable. There’s a great deal of mention of coffee and cake but what’s missing is the usual good banter within the team. It’s a decent enough police procedural but not as good as I’m expecting missing some of the previous sparkle.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canelo for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
First of all, I’ve read several of the series and enjoyed them as I like the characters and the Saint Andrews setting, however, this one isn’t as exciting as the previous ones and after a good start it becomes a bit of a PC Plod. This does improve further into the book but the ending is not especially dramatic and could definitely have been better.
There are moments of a really good puzzle as there are distinctly off notes that are intriguing and there’s certainly something fishy going on about the appointment of DCI Ratcliffe. There are some good twists but there are also some that are predictable. There’s a great deal of mention of coffee and cake but what’s missing is the usual good banter within the team. It’s a decent enough police procedural but not as good as I’m expecting missing some of the previous sparkle.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canelo for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
August 8, 2022
Old Bones Lie by Marion Todd is an excellent Scottish police procedural. This is the sixth instalment in the DI Clare Mackay series but it reads well as a stand-alone. However, I now would very much like to read the previous novels. The plot revolves around the disappearance of two prison guards and their prisoner as well as the prison van they had been in. It soon becomes apparent that the guards’ wives are also nowhere to be found. Where could five people have gone? The prisoner had been taken to a family funeral and he attended with his guards. No one saw them again after this. DI Mackay and her detectives will work day and night to uncover the reason for the disappearance of five people. The characters are interesting and realistic. The mystery moves along at a good pace. What kept me from rating Old Bones Lie with five stars was the ending. It was so incomplete and rushed that I found myself turning the page to continue reading. Unfortunately, the next page was the acknowledgements! Marion Todd has written an exciting mystery. Highly recommended. Thank you to Canelo, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2022
Old Bones Lie is another engrossing instalment in Marion Todd's series featuring Detective Inspector Clare Mackay. It features an enthralling and twisty police procedural plot, a great cast of new and continuing characters, and an evocative setting in the rural area surrounding the historic town of St. Andrews, Scotland.
The book opens dramatically, with a scene in which two young women sitting down to share a takeaway Chinese dinner are abducted by gun-wielding balaclava-clad men. Their husbands, who work together as custodial officers at the nearby HMP Perth prison, can only watch on, helpless as their wives are driven away in a van. Two days later, St. Andrews Detective Inspector Clare Mackay and her team are called in when a prisoner, Paul Devine - convicted for the armed robbery of a local jewellery store two years previously, disappears after the van in which he is being driven is hijacked while returning him from a family funeral in Pittenweem, Fife. The two prison officers accompanying him, who also remain unaccounted for, are none other than Alan Carter and Gavin Gates, whose wives were abducted on the preceding Saturday night...
Three parallel but likely related investigations then unfold - the disappearance of Devine, the abduction of Kim Carter and Debbie Gates and the brutal murder of a woman - identified as Margaret White, who happens to work for the jewellery store robbed by Devine - at her rural home north of St. Andrews. D.I. Mackay's investigation is hampered somewhat by the fact that Alan Carter is D.S. Chris West's cousin, and the potential conflict of interest precludes his involvement in the case. D.S. West is moved sideways to run an investigation into a series of robberies of high tech farm equipment, while D.I. Mackay is joined by a new D.S. on secondment, Max Evans. He's a completely different type of officer to West, with whom Mackay has developed a comfortable working rapport, but is redeemed by his ability to produce superlative quality coffee! Before long, another newcomer arrives at St. Andrews, the rather reticent D.C.I. Ben Ratcliffe, who has been parachuted in to take over the investigation into the missing prisoner, custodial officers and abducted women, leaving D.I. Mackay to concentrate her efforts on solving the murder of Maggie White. Ratcliffe's presence and investigative methods, which appear to her to veer from secretive to apparently casual, rankle with Mackay, and she manages to discretely maintain an overall perspective on both cases. The conclusions to the various strands of the mystery are complex, somewhat unexpected, but ultimately satisfying.
This is a series I really enjoy, and this latest instalment was no exception. D.I Clare Mackay is an engaging central protagonist, and the supporting cast of continuing and new characters was also well-developed. The setting in and around the town of St. Andrews is evocative and the intertwining plot threads well conceived and engrossing. My only quibble was with the inconceivably long time it took for D.I. Mackay to follow up on a couple of particularly important leads - I can see that this enabled author Marion Todd to draw out the dramatic tension, but to me these examples didn't fit well within the character of a police officer readers have come to know to be both competent and conscientious.
I'd recommend Old Bones Lie, both as an entertaining standalone read, and as part of an excellent series, to any reader who enjoys twisty police procedurals with strong characterisations.
My thanks to the author, Marion Todd, publisher Canelo, and NetGalley (UK) for the opportunity to read and review this title.
The book opens dramatically, with a scene in which two young women sitting down to share a takeaway Chinese dinner are abducted by gun-wielding balaclava-clad men. Their husbands, who work together as custodial officers at the nearby HMP Perth prison, can only watch on, helpless as their wives are driven away in a van. Two days later, St. Andrews Detective Inspector Clare Mackay and her team are called in when a prisoner, Paul Devine - convicted for the armed robbery of a local jewellery store two years previously, disappears after the van in which he is being driven is hijacked while returning him from a family funeral in Pittenweem, Fife. The two prison officers accompanying him, who also remain unaccounted for, are none other than Alan Carter and Gavin Gates, whose wives were abducted on the preceding Saturday night...
Three parallel but likely related investigations then unfold - the disappearance of Devine, the abduction of Kim Carter and Debbie Gates and the brutal murder of a woman - identified as Margaret White, who happens to work for the jewellery store robbed by Devine - at her rural home north of St. Andrews. D.I. Mackay's investigation is hampered somewhat by the fact that Alan Carter is D.S. Chris West's cousin, and the potential conflict of interest precludes his involvement in the case. D.S. West is moved sideways to run an investigation into a series of robberies of high tech farm equipment, while D.I. Mackay is joined by a new D.S. on secondment, Max Evans. He's a completely different type of officer to West, with whom Mackay has developed a comfortable working rapport, but is redeemed by his ability to produce superlative quality coffee! Before long, another newcomer arrives at St. Andrews, the rather reticent D.C.I. Ben Ratcliffe, who has been parachuted in to take over the investigation into the missing prisoner, custodial officers and abducted women, leaving D.I. Mackay to concentrate her efforts on solving the murder of Maggie White. Ratcliffe's presence and investigative methods, which appear to her to veer from secretive to apparently casual, rankle with Mackay, and she manages to discretely maintain an overall perspective on both cases. The conclusions to the various strands of the mystery are complex, somewhat unexpected, but ultimately satisfying.
This is a series I really enjoy, and this latest instalment was no exception. D.I Clare Mackay is an engaging central protagonist, and the supporting cast of continuing and new characters was also well-developed. The setting in and around the town of St. Andrews is evocative and the intertwining plot threads well conceived and engrossing. My only quibble was with the inconceivably long time it took for D.I. Mackay to follow up on a couple of particularly important leads - I can see that this enabled author Marion Todd to draw out the dramatic tension, but to me these examples didn't fit well within the character of a police officer readers have come to know to be both competent and conscientious.
I'd recommend Old Bones Lie, both as an entertaining standalone read, and as part of an excellent series, to any reader who enjoys twisty police procedurals with strong characterisations.
My thanks to the author, Marion Todd, publisher Canelo, and NetGalley (UK) for the opportunity to read and review this title.
May 17, 2022
3.5 stars rounded down
When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St. Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?
I have read all the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them. Unfortunately this one didn't quite gel together for me. I found the pace a little slow. When Clare discovers her partner, DS Chris West is related to one of the missing prison guards, she has to put him on a different case. She is now working with DS Max Evans. There's three separate crimes being investigated, but how are they linked? There's lots of twists and plenty of suspects. I'm sure I will be in the minority and lots more readers will love this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Canelo and the author #MarionTodd for my ARC of #OldBonesLie in exchange for an honest review.
When a report comes in that a van containing two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief is missing, the police in St. Andrews work quickly to locate the vehicle. Their efforts prove in vain when no trace is found and they realise the wives of both officers also appear to have left the area. Is this a case of corrupt guards springing a felon, or innocent people caught in the crossfire?
I have read all the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them. Unfortunately this one didn't quite gel together for me. I found the pace a little slow. When Clare discovers her partner, DS Chris West is related to one of the missing prison guards, she has to put him on a different case. She is now working with DS Max Evans. There's three separate crimes being investigated, but how are they linked? There's lots of twists and plenty of suspects. I'm sure I will be in the minority and lots more readers will love this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Canelo and the author #MarionTodd for my ARC of #OldBonesLie in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2023
I have enjoyed this series but would not recommend this one unless you have read previous books in the series. I like the key characters, Claire, Al, Chris, Sarah, etc. but felt they were not developed further here but relied on previous books.
Although I enjoyed this, especially the first half, the ending felt unfinished, rushed and left me scratching my head. I also found it odd that the narrative referred to Claire’s partner Al by his title in social occasions.
3.5*
Although I enjoyed this, especially the first half, the ending felt unfinished, rushed and left me scratching my head. I also found it odd that the narrative referred to Claire’s partner Al by his title in social occasions.
3.5*
January 18, 2026
OLD BONES LIE is #6 in the DI Clare Mackay series by Marion Todd. It is a police procedural focused primarily on the escape of a police prisoner, Paul Devine, from the custody of two guards who were escorting him while he was attending his uncle's funeral. The two guards, Alan and Gavin, are also missing and, as Clare soon discovers, so are their wives.
Initially the reader knows more about this escape than Clare, as the opening prologue is a scene wherein the wives of the guards are kidnapped by masked men who tell the guards to follow their instructions if they want these two women to live.
Soon after the prisoner disappears, Margaret White is found murdered in her garden shed. Clare discovers that White worked at the jewelry store that Paul Devine was convicted of robbing and had testified against him. Thus, Paul Devine becomes suspect #1 in the murder of Margaret White. (Although another possible suspect is identified almost immediately.)
Concurrent with these investigations, there is a shakeup with Clare's team. DS Chris West, her usual dependable assistant, must be removed from the case because Alan, the missing prison guard, is his cousin. Clare's new assistant is DS Max Evans, who is not as resourceful as Chris (but makes a better cup of coffee). Then Clare is taken off the escaped prisoner case and told to concentrate on the murder of Margaret White by DCI Ben Ratcliffe, even though it appears that the two cases are connected. Ratcliffe appears to be easy going but also seems to have a secretive agenda.
I found that the first half of this story moved slowly, with too much detail, describing every move made by Clare. Then it began moving more quickly. There were two twists near the end that I definitely didn't foresee. At that point, I thought it was going to be a strong four-star book. Then came the ending. Although the missing prisoner case was satisfactorily solved, the murdered woman case wasn't, to my satisfaction. I'm still not certain who killed her (although several possible suspects were ruled out). Too many things happened in the last section, muddling up my understanding of how (and why) the murder occurred, not to mention exactly who did it—Person A (who has died) or Person B (who said Person A killed her but whose role is never fully investigated before the book ends).
So, a strong 4-star becomes a strong 3-star because, for some reason, the author didn't satisfactorily close the murder case. I still like the series, and will read more of it. Luckily my library has acquired most of the latter books in this series, and I purchased a few of the earlier books when they went on sale by kindle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books from this series:
Bridges To Burn (DI Clare Mackay, #8)
A Blind Eye (DI Clare Mackay, #7)
What They Knew (DI Clare Mackay, #4)
See Them Run (DI Clare Mackay, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook that I read.
Initially the reader knows more about this escape than Clare, as the opening prologue is a scene wherein the wives of the guards are kidnapped by masked men who tell the guards to follow their instructions if they want these two women to live.
Soon after the prisoner disappears, Margaret White is found murdered in her garden shed. Clare discovers that White worked at the jewelry store that Paul Devine was convicted of robbing and had testified against him. Thus, Paul Devine becomes suspect #1 in the murder of Margaret White. (Although another possible suspect is identified almost immediately.)
Concurrent with these investigations, there is a shakeup with Clare's team. DS Chris West, her usual dependable assistant, must be removed from the case because Alan, the missing prison guard, is his cousin. Clare's new assistant is DS Max Evans, who is not as resourceful as Chris (but makes a better cup of coffee). Then Clare is taken off the escaped prisoner case and told to concentrate on the murder of Margaret White by DCI Ben Ratcliffe, even though it appears that the two cases are connected. Ratcliffe appears to be easy going but also seems to have a secretive agenda.
I found that the first half of this story moved slowly, with too much detail, describing every move made by Clare. Then it began moving more quickly. There were two twists near the end that I definitely didn't foresee. At that point, I thought it was going to be a strong four-star book. Then came the ending. Although the missing prisoner case was satisfactorily solved, the murdered woman case wasn't, to my satisfaction. I'm still not certain who killed her (although several possible suspects were ruled out). Too many things happened in the last section, muddling up my understanding of how (and why) the murder occurred, not to mention exactly who did it—Person A (who has died) or Person B (who said Person A killed her but whose role is never fully investigated before the book ends).
So, a strong 4-star becomes a strong 3-star because, for some reason, the author didn't satisfactorily close the murder case. I still like the series, and will read more of it. Luckily my library has acquired most of the latter books in this series, and I purchased a few of the earlier books when they went on sale by kindle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for other books from this series:
Bridges To Burn (DI Clare Mackay, #8)
A Blind Eye (DI Clare Mackay, #7)
What They Knew (DI Clare Mackay, #4)
See Them Run (DI Clare Mackay, #1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook that I read.
February 17, 2023
This was unputdownable! If you haven’t read any of this crime and police procedural series, you can start with this #6 without any issues. However, if you have the time, go back after reading this one and begin w/the first so you get to know D.I. Clare MacKay (prounounced Ma-kEye) and the rest of this delightful crew. The tension and suspense will keep you riveted.
I read this on Audiobook via my Libby app - TY public library! Marion Todd not only is the talented author but also the smooth-sounding, delightful, Scottish narrator. It’s told from Clare’s POV, but we hear from all the characters via Ms Todd and her 30-year old voice. It’ll keep you guessing and wondering, then guessing and thinking some more. Clare, the lead, is a strong female force to be reckoned with and her brain works overtime in a polite but determined way.
You can read the publisher’s blurb for the background but I’ll tell you there are multiple issues and plots to excite and suspend you through the entire novel. Juicy and fun and exciting, but I blame the author for my lack of decent bedtime two evenings (early mornings) in a row!
I read this on Audiobook via my Libby app - TY public library! Marion Todd not only is the talented author but also the smooth-sounding, delightful, Scottish narrator. It’s told from Clare’s POV, but we hear from all the characters via Ms Todd and her 30-year old voice. It’ll keep you guessing and wondering, then guessing and thinking some more. Clare, the lead, is a strong female force to be reckoned with and her brain works overtime in a polite but determined way.
You can read the publisher’s blurb for the background but I’ll tell you there are multiple issues and plots to excite and suspend you through the entire novel. Juicy and fun and exciting, but I blame the author for my lack of decent bedtime two evenings (early mornings) in a row!
July 21, 2022
This is the 6th instalment in Marion Todd's Detective Inspector Clare Mackay series, set in St Andrews, Scotland.
It's a Saturday night and Alan Carter and Gavin, both prison officers, along with their wives, Kim and Debbie, are having a takeaway. DI Clare Mackay is at her cottage home with DCI Alastair Gibson and their English bull terrier, Benjy. When police receive reports of a missing prison van and Paul Devine, a jewellery robber prisoner, as well as two guards, Clare is put in charge.
Once again, I was completely and thoroughly hooked by this compelling story right from the start. I think Old Bones Lie would be fine as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first ones in the series as you'd be missing out if you didn't! I fell right into this well-crafted and absorbing tale and I felt as though I was shadowing Clare as she worked with a new team member, DS Max Evans, chasing her leads and following her instincts. Marion Todd's writing style continues to be impressive and noteworthy. Clare is a more than competent DI who normally strives to look after her team and cares about getting justice. This is a Scottish crime series that I have found highly appealing and engaging, and I look forward to reading the next instalment.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
It's a Saturday night and Alan Carter and Gavin, both prison officers, along with their wives, Kim and Debbie, are having a takeaway. DI Clare Mackay is at her cottage home with DCI Alastair Gibson and their English bull terrier, Benjy. When police receive reports of a missing prison van and Paul Devine, a jewellery robber prisoner, as well as two guards, Clare is put in charge.
Once again, I was completely and thoroughly hooked by this compelling story right from the start. I think Old Bones Lie would be fine as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first ones in the series as you'd be missing out if you didn't! I fell right into this well-crafted and absorbing tale and I felt as though I was shadowing Clare as she worked with a new team member, DS Max Evans, chasing her leads and following her instincts. Marion Todd's writing style continues to be impressive and noteworthy. Clare is a more than competent DI who normally strives to look after her team and cares about getting justice. This is a Scottish crime series that I have found highly appealing and engaging, and I look forward to reading the next instalment.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 10, 2022
I was hooked right from the prologue- the action in this book started really quickly and drew me in, not that I needed much tempting, having read the previous 5 DI Clare Mackay books and having been eagerly awaiting this next instalment. The characters I love are back, with some new faces too- hoping Max (with the good coffee!) stays around to become a familiar face!
This book is fast paced, and along with the usual police procedures we’ve come to expect from Marion Todd, came a term I’d learnt from Line of Duty (CHIS) - all that TV watching has come in useful for something! There was also character development, with Clare and Al’s relationship progressing, along with that of Chris and Sara. It’s a good balance too, not too focused on the personal lives of the characters to overshadow the story- and what a story it was! Without giving anything away, it was full of twists and turns and not your average crime!
As a local reader, I love all the reference to places I know, or have heard of- I think there should be a Clare Mackay bus tour next!
For those who haven’t read the other previous books, there’s nothing stopping this being a standalone book for you, but you would miss out on the relationships between the characters, and their ‘back stories’. Definitely one of my favourite series’ of books!
I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
This book is fast paced, and along with the usual police procedures we’ve come to expect from Marion Todd, came a term I’d learnt from Line of Duty (CHIS) - all that TV watching has come in useful for something! There was also character development, with Clare and Al’s relationship progressing, along with that of Chris and Sara. It’s a good balance too, not too focused on the personal lives of the characters to overshadow the story- and what a story it was! Without giving anything away, it was full of twists and turns and not your average crime!
As a local reader, I love all the reference to places I know, or have heard of- I think there should be a Clare Mackay bus tour next!
For those who haven’t read the other previous books, there’s nothing stopping this being a standalone book for you, but you would miss out on the relationships between the characters, and their ‘back stories’. Definitely one of my favourite series’ of books!
I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
July 2, 2022
I absolutely loved this book.
Just when you think you know what's happening the plot takes a completely different turn. I was gripped from the start and even got up at 6am so I could carry on reading!
A brilliant 5 🌟 police thriller that will keep you hooked.
Already looking forward to the next one.
Just when you think you know what's happening the plot takes a completely different turn. I was gripped from the start and even got up at 6am so I could carry on reading!
A brilliant 5 🌟 police thriller that will keep you hooked.
Already looking forward to the next one.
July 9, 2022
“𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞?“
Until reading this well-written & compelling mystery, I had completely forgotten how much I used to love a good, old-fashioned detective procedural. Years ago, I was obsessed with the writings of Ruth Rendell and Ian Rankin and would read novel after novel in quick succession. 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘦, by Marion Todd took me back to those days and made me question why I ever stopped.
“𝙿𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚂𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝙴𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚗“
Set in Scotland, this tightly plotted story introduces us to Detective Clare Mackay. D.I. Mackay is a very likeable character who is also capable, conscientious, & kind. More importantly, she is a great detective who will stop at nothing when it comes to solving a crime.
“‘𝙸‘𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝙲𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚊𝚢: 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍
𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔!‘“
This was an easy, quick read with top-notch descriptions, vibrant visuals, and surprising twists. I flew through this book, wanting to keep reading in order to solve the mystery along with Detective Mackay.
“𝙸𝚗 𝙲𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚎‘𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.“
Although a fantastic stand-alone tale, this is actually the sixth book in the series! If I had only known about the other five, I would have been reading about D.I. Mackay years ago. I will definitely be exploring Todd’s backlist in order to solve more mysteries with Clare and her colleagues.
Until reading this well-written & compelling mystery, I had completely forgotten how much I used to love a good, old-fashioned detective procedural. Years ago, I was obsessed with the writings of Ruth Rendell and Ian Rankin and would read novel after novel in quick succession. 𝘖𝘭𝘥 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘪𝘦, by Marion Todd took me back to those days and made me question why I ever stopped.
“𝙿𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚂𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙷𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝙴𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚗“
Set in Scotland, this tightly plotted story introduces us to Detective Clare Mackay. D.I. Mackay is a very likeable character who is also capable, conscientious, & kind. More importantly, she is a great detective who will stop at nothing when it comes to solving a crime.
“‘𝙸‘𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜, 𝙲𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚌𝚔𝚊𝚢: 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍
𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔!‘“
This was an easy, quick read with top-notch descriptions, vibrant visuals, and surprising twists. I flew through this book, wanting to keep reading in order to solve the mystery along with Detective Mackay.
“𝙸𝚗 𝙲𝚕𝚊𝚛𝚎‘𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.“
Although a fantastic stand-alone tale, this is actually the sixth book in the series! If I had only known about the other five, I would have been reading about D.I. Mackay years ago. I will definitely be exploring Todd’s backlist in order to solve more mysteries with Clare and her colleagues.
July 7, 2022
As you all know, I love a good crime thriller, and despite the great things I have heard about Marion Todd in the past, this was my first time reading any of her books. Well, I can certainly see why people like her!
Old Bones Lie begins with four friends enjoying a normal Saturday night in, but things soon take an unexpected turn when the group are held at gun point, and the two women are forcibly removed from the house. This opening scene sets you up perfectly, and leaves you ready to completely dive in to the rest of the book.
After the opening chapter, we are then introduce to DI Clare Mackay and her team. When a report comes in that a police van, two officers, and a convicted felon have gone missing, it is all hands on deck to crack the case. Once they get in to the case though, they realise that it isn’t as straight forward as they first thought. There are so many elements to this case and as the story goes in it creates lots more questions than it does answers. It’s exciting, and it keeps you guessing. This book has you hooked from beginning to end.
In regards to the characters, they were all very well written. I liked Clare, not only does she seem to be a great officer, who never takes her eye off the ball, she also has a very likeable personality, and cares a lot about her friends and colleagues. Her team are a real mix, but I love their banter, and how seamlessly they work together. Even the villains of the story were enjoyable to read. They were believable and real, and in one specific part of the story, extremely intimidating.
All of the aspects of this case are woven together brilliantly, and come together so perfectly in the end. There were a few parts that I definitely didn’t see coming, which just added to the build up and excitement before the final reveals, which in themselves were extremely satisfying.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and although this is part of the DI Clare Mackay series, it can easily be read as a standalone (which is how I read it). I will definitely be going back to read the rest of the series.
I give Old Bones Lie a 4 star rating!
*A huge hank you to Love Books Tours and Canelo Crime for my copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review*
Old Bones Lie begins with four friends enjoying a normal Saturday night in, but things soon take an unexpected turn when the group are held at gun point, and the two women are forcibly removed from the house. This opening scene sets you up perfectly, and leaves you ready to completely dive in to the rest of the book.
After the opening chapter, we are then introduce to DI Clare Mackay and her team. When a report comes in that a police van, two officers, and a convicted felon have gone missing, it is all hands on deck to crack the case. Once they get in to the case though, they realise that it isn’t as straight forward as they first thought. There are so many elements to this case and as the story goes in it creates lots more questions than it does answers. It’s exciting, and it keeps you guessing. This book has you hooked from beginning to end.
In regards to the characters, they were all very well written. I liked Clare, not only does she seem to be a great officer, who never takes her eye off the ball, she also has a very likeable personality, and cares a lot about her friends and colleagues. Her team are a real mix, but I love their banter, and how seamlessly they work together. Even the villains of the story were enjoyable to read. They were believable and real, and in one specific part of the story, extremely intimidating.
All of the aspects of this case are woven together brilliantly, and come together so perfectly in the end. There were a few parts that I definitely didn’t see coming, which just added to the build up and excitement before the final reveals, which in themselves were extremely satisfying.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and although this is part of the DI Clare Mackay series, it can easily be read as a standalone (which is how I read it). I will definitely be going back to read the rest of the series.
I give Old Bones Lie a 4 star rating!
*A huge hank you to Love Books Tours and Canelo Crime for my copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review*
June 23, 2022
DI Clare Mackay has a team of officers she values and respects. They work well together and, more importantly, get results. When Clare is notified about a missing prisoner who seems to have disappeared without trace, along with the guards accompanying him, as he returns from a funeral, she knows her new case will be testing from the start.
Clare soon has everyone working together to discover what happened but unfortunately changes are afoot and things don't go quite to plan. Instead she has to break in a new DS and share her investigation with a very secretive DCI and the case itself is made even more urgent when a dead body is found.
With far more people involved on both sides of the investigation than she’d like Clare keeps pressing forward until a totally separate discovery brings her the breakthrough she's been waiting for. Maybe now the clues will fall into place but then information which changes everything comes to light and Clare begins to doubt just how much authority she actually has.
This is the sixth book in the wonderful Clare Mackay series and Marion Todd nails it from page one. Told in daily installments the investigation shows both the urgency and waiting around that goes on and has just enough of Clare's private life to keep her as rounded a character as usual. Added to this are problems with a key team member and the introduction of a new DS, both of which worked brilliantly.
If I were to offer any criticism it would be that, after a book full of action and discovery, the end was more low key than I'd expected. It wasn't however, enough to lessen my enjoyment of this excellent book.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This addition to a brilliant, must read, series is highly recommended.
Clare soon has everyone working together to discover what happened but unfortunately changes are afoot and things don't go quite to plan. Instead she has to break in a new DS and share her investigation with a very secretive DCI and the case itself is made even more urgent when a dead body is found.
With far more people involved on both sides of the investigation than she’d like Clare keeps pressing forward until a totally separate discovery brings her the breakthrough she's been waiting for. Maybe now the clues will fall into place but then information which changes everything comes to light and Clare begins to doubt just how much authority she actually has.
This is the sixth book in the wonderful Clare Mackay series and Marion Todd nails it from page one. Told in daily installments the investigation shows both the urgency and waiting around that goes on and has just enough of Clare's private life to keep her as rounded a character as usual. Added to this are problems with a key team member and the introduction of a new DS, both of which worked brilliantly.
If I were to offer any criticism it would be that, after a book full of action and discovery, the end was more low key than I'd expected. It wasn't however, enough to lessen my enjoyment of this excellent book.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the opinions expressed are my own. This addition to a brilliant, must read, series is highly recommended.
July 7, 2022
DI Clare Mackay and DCI Al Gibson have finally moved in together and all seems to be rosy on that front (thank goodness).
In other news, a prison van containing a prisoner on compassionate leave to attend a funeral goes missing, along with the prisoner and two prison guards escorting him. The prisoner was convicted of armed robbery of a local high-end jewellery store so Clare puts officers on guard of the store, its owner, and the female assistant who actually identified the man and got him convicted. But when she goes to the woman's isolated cottage, she finds a dead body in the shed and £20,000 in cash hidden in a bag of compost (ericaceous in case you were wondering).
With a murder and two missing prison guards, not to mention an escaped prisoner, Clare's boss brings in a DCI from another station to take over the disappearances while Clare focuses on the murder, but she can't help but think the two are linked and that the missing prisoner is her prime suspect.
This is police procedural at its best. Following down clues, missing things, circling back and double-checking. Things not being as obvious as you might originally have thought. Things that make no sense.
Having received an ARC of the fifth book, and then having bought the previous four and devoured them, I can honestly say that Marion Todd has joined my list of autobuy/request authors. The crimes are different (not a serial killer every time like some authors), the interaction with the other characters at the police station is good and there has been some real character development from when Clare first came to St Andrews.
Overall, another intriguing and gripping detective story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
In other news, a prison van containing a prisoner on compassionate leave to attend a funeral goes missing, along with the prisoner and two prison guards escorting him. The prisoner was convicted of armed robbery of a local high-end jewellery store so Clare puts officers on guard of the store, its owner, and the female assistant who actually identified the man and got him convicted. But when she goes to the woman's isolated cottage, she finds a dead body in the shed and £20,000 in cash hidden in a bag of compost (ericaceous in case you were wondering).
With a murder and two missing prison guards, not to mention an escaped prisoner, Clare's boss brings in a DCI from another station to take over the disappearances while Clare focuses on the murder, but she can't help but think the two are linked and that the missing prisoner is her prime suspect.
This is police procedural at its best. Following down clues, missing things, circling back and double-checking. Things not being as obvious as you might originally have thought. Things that make no sense.
Having received an ARC of the fifth book, and then having bought the previous four and devoured them, I can honestly say that Marion Todd has joined my list of autobuy/request authors. The crimes are different (not a serial killer every time like some authors), the interaction with the other characters at the police station is good and there has been some real character development from when Clare first came to St Andrews.
Overall, another intriguing and gripping detective story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
May 11, 2022
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
This instalment focusses on the escape of a man imprisoned for armed robbery and the murder of the witness who testified against him, with some farm equipment thefts thrown in for good measure. I found this complicated, but I think I have worked out what went on. Clare is asked to pass the search for the escaped prisoner to another senior officer, Ben, (although she is for ever working on that aspect too) and this thread was intriguing, with Ben acting oddly at times.
Another strong instalment in this series.
This instalment focusses on the escape of a man imprisoned for armed robbery and the murder of the witness who testified against him, with some farm equipment thefts thrown in for good measure. I found this complicated, but I think I have worked out what went on. Clare is asked to pass the search for the escaped prisoner to another senior officer, Ben, (although she is for ever working on that aspect too) and this thread was intriguing, with Ben acting oddly at times.
Another strong instalment in this series.
January 19, 2026
A really good thriller.
July 14, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Old Bones Lie is the 6th D.I. Clare Mackay procedural thriller by Marion Todd. Released 5th July 2022 by Canelo, it's 358 pages and is available in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a strong entry in a strong Scottish crime procedural series. The characters and settings are well established at this point and the whole plot is well constructed and flows unencumbered to a surprisingly exciting climax and satisfying (twisty!) denouement and resolution. The dialogue is gritty and rough in places, exuberantly peppered with rugged Anglo-Saxon monosyllables throughout. Roughly R-rated. The established team in the earlier books in the series is disrupted in this book due to a conflict of interest of the case with one of Clare's team members.
I was pleasantly surprised by the intricacy and how well engineered the plot devices and twists were written. I did not manage to guess all the twists on my own. The mystery is self contained and there are not really any major spoilers in this book, so it could be read as a standalone. It's a consistently solid series, however, and would make a great selection for a summer binge-reading weekend.
Four stars. highly recommended for fans of the genre.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Old Bones Lie is the 6th D.I. Clare Mackay procedural thriller by Marion Todd. Released 5th July 2022 by Canelo, it's 358 pages and is available in ebook format. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a strong entry in a strong Scottish crime procedural series. The characters and settings are well established at this point and the whole plot is well constructed and flows unencumbered to a surprisingly exciting climax and satisfying (twisty!) denouement and resolution. The dialogue is gritty and rough in places, exuberantly peppered with rugged Anglo-Saxon monosyllables throughout. Roughly R-rated. The established team in the earlier books in the series is disrupted in this book due to a conflict of interest of the case with one of Clare's team members.
I was pleasantly surprised by the intricacy and how well engineered the plot devices and twists were written. I did not manage to guess all the twists on my own. The mystery is self contained and there are not really any major spoilers in this book, so it could be read as a standalone. It's a consistently solid series, however, and would make a great selection for a summer binge-reading weekend.
Four stars. highly recommended for fans of the genre.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 10, 2022
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
I've really been enjoying the DI Clare Mackay series. I bought the first one, See Them Run, as a audio deal on Chirp. When the next few in the series went on sale I thought I should see if I liked the first one before I bought more, but then I found the next ones on audio at Hoopla. The audio was interesting because the author narrates them herself, which is something I normally like, and I could hear all the regional type accents of Scotland. So when Old Bones Lie came available I was just caught up to current and ready.
The series is a police procedural and that is the primary focus. We get everything from Clare's point of view and she leads her team. Often a DCI comes in and never seems to provide support, only wants reports and to take the credit. There are layers in her relationships with her co-workers and her personal life. Clare spends a very high percentage of her time on work, so she doesn't put much effort into her personal relationships. This may be why they don't always work. However, she does seem to be settling into one at the moment.
I appreciate many things about Clare's work life. There is her skill and strategy at tackling an investigation, knowing what is important and what steps to take. She also has to deal with victims and families of victims with some care. Her mentoring of her team and best utilizing their skills also takes some efforts.
The current events seem like a straightforward case where things connect up. The events do connect up but not in the way expected. Really things seemed obvious, except the unavailable DCI, until they weren't. The whole thing turned on its head with lots of people firmly believing things which were not reality. Clare and her team do figure things out, but it's a little unsatisfying because some people can't be charged as there isn't enough evidence. That is quite realistic though.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
3.5 hearts
I've really been enjoying the DI Clare Mackay series. I bought the first one, See Them Run, as a audio deal on Chirp. When the next few in the series went on sale I thought I should see if I liked the first one before I bought more, but then I found the next ones on audio at Hoopla. The audio was interesting because the author narrates them herself, which is something I normally like, and I could hear all the regional type accents of Scotland. So when Old Bones Lie came available I was just caught up to current and ready.
The series is a police procedural and that is the primary focus. We get everything from Clare's point of view and she leads her team. Often a DCI comes in and never seems to provide support, only wants reports and to take the credit. There are layers in her relationships with her co-workers and her personal life. Clare spends a very high percentage of her time on work, so she doesn't put much effort into her personal relationships. This may be why they don't always work. However, she does seem to be settling into one at the moment.
I appreciate many things about Clare's work life. There is her skill and strategy at tackling an investigation, knowing what is important and what steps to take. She also has to deal with victims and families of victims with some care. Her mentoring of her team and best utilizing their skills also takes some efforts.
The current events seem like a straightforward case where things connect up. The events do connect up but not in the way expected. Really things seemed obvious, except the unavailable DCI, until they weren't. The whole thing turned on its head with lots of people firmly believing things which were not reality. Clare and her team do figure things out, but it's a little unsatisfying because some people can't be charged as there isn't enough evidence. That is quite realistic though.
July 17, 2022
I have become rather fond of the characters in this series, and enjoy the security of returning to St Andrews nick to see what’s happening. Old Bones Lie starts off at a really fast pace and remains unrelenting as the story unfolds. That’s always been one element that draws me into Marion’s writing, the impossibility of being able to put the book down. As it was, I finished in a single day, reading into the wee small hours.
DI Clare McKay isn’t perfect, but she’s excellent when it comes to getting the job done. Old Bones Lie came with a twist as she was unable to have her usual support from DS Chris West. Their repartee is an enjoyable element of the series, and I certainly missed their sparring. That said, the change in the dynamic brought an enjoyable new character with DS Max Evans and his magical coffee skills.
There are the anticipated twists and turns, but I never imagined the twists that would come from meeting DCI Ben Ratcliffe. The depth of research is plain to see, but the skill is in the storytelling, and I honestly believe that this is her best yet.
The way that three potentially unrelated crimes merge together had me gripped and I genuinely couldn’t have imagined where the story was going to go next. The timeline is easy to follow with excellent character development and some tense moments. Once again, the sleepy village of Wormit saw some action.
The books all work as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading some of the earlier offerings and getting to know all the regular characters.
DI Clare McKay isn’t perfect, but she’s excellent when it comes to getting the job done. Old Bones Lie came with a twist as she was unable to have her usual support from DS Chris West. Their repartee is an enjoyable element of the series, and I certainly missed their sparring. That said, the change in the dynamic brought an enjoyable new character with DS Max Evans and his magical coffee skills.
There are the anticipated twists and turns, but I never imagined the twists that would come from meeting DCI Ben Ratcliffe. The depth of research is plain to see, but the skill is in the storytelling, and I honestly believe that this is her best yet.
The way that three potentially unrelated crimes merge together had me gripped and I genuinely couldn’t have imagined where the story was going to go next. The timeline is easy to follow with excellent character development and some tense moments. Once again, the sleepy village of Wormit saw some action.
The books all work as a standalone, but I would highly recommend reading some of the earlier offerings and getting to know all the regular characters.
June 18, 2022
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gripping book
marion todd has done it again...book 6 in this amazing series and its action all the way...
with the abduction of two women
with the escape of a prisoner...clare mackay and her team have their work cut off for them
but their hands get further tied when one of her team is a relative of the missing women
two new officers are introduced to the team as they start to investigate and its not long before things start to unravel
brilliant book to this series and i for one couldnt put it down....
cant wait for the next book in this brilliant series
marion todd has done it again...book 6 in this amazing series and its action all the way...
with the abduction of two women
with the escape of a prisoner...clare mackay and her team have their work cut off for them
but their hands get further tied when one of her team is a relative of the missing women
two new officers are introduced to the team as they start to investigate and its not long before things start to unravel
brilliant book to this series and i for one couldnt put it down....
cant wait for the next book in this brilliant series
July 16, 2022
I’ve followed the D.I. Clare Mckay series since book 1 and have pretty much binged read them all.
Marion Todd has an easy writing style which draws you in. Full of detail of the places the stories are set and rich with realistic characters.
Here, an escaped convict is on the lose, along with two missing prisoner officers and their wives. A complicated plot with plenty of twists and a murder needing solved. With a new sergeant and a new D.I in the station, who’s shutting her out, she needs all her skills to push through and solve the case.
No spoilers here, but I’m glad she chose Benjy and Al.
Marion Todd has an easy writing style which draws you in. Full of detail of the places the stories are set and rich with realistic characters.
Here, an escaped convict is on the lose, along with two missing prisoner officers and their wives. A complicated plot with plenty of twists and a murder needing solved. With a new sergeant and a new D.I in the station, who’s shutting her out, she needs all her skills to push through and solve the case.
No spoilers here, but I’m glad she chose Benjy and Al.
July 7, 2022
This is the 6th book in the Clare Mackay series and I wish I'd found this author sooner so I could have read the other 5 first. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely go back and read the rest of the series. The storyline was great with twists and turns and the characters were believable and likeable. It was really well written. The story flowed well and was very easy to read and was both gripping and intriguing. I would highly recommend this book and this author.
March 1, 2025
4.5 ⭐
The Blurb 📖
A prison van with two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief has gone missing and the wives of the prison officers can't be traced either. And one of the prison officers is related to DI Clare Mackay's right hand man, DS Chris West.
Without Chris, Clare has to work with Max, a new sergeant and navigate an unknown DCI who appears to be keeping secrets from Clare.
Are the prison officers corrupt? Is there something else at play here?
The Good 📖
This is book 6 in the DI Clare Mackay series. If you've read any of the earlier books, you know what you are getting. If this is your first encounter with Clare and her team, I'm sure you will want to pick up the earlier books.
Learning a little of Chris' family outside of the police, and seeing how he reacts to his cousin missing and the possibility that his cousin might be involved was a plus. Sometimes in a series, it can be easy to forget that the characters have a life of outside of the police so this was a nice touch.
Introducing new characters to an established team can always be a challenge but I liked Max and look forward to learning more about him in later books. He's definitely a keen bean, desperate to please and I can imagine how irritating that might be until you get to know someone!
The Meh 📖
I did feel the ending was a little rushed, a little like putting the foot on the accelerator to build up speed and then, bang, slamming on the brakes. But it didn't ruin the book.
The Result 📖
I downloaded this from the Libby app but even if I had paid for this, it would have been worth it. If you like a bit of Scottish crime, this is a good choice, whether as a standalone or as part of the series.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GYU...
The Blurb 📖
A prison van with two prison officers and a convicted jewel thief has gone missing and the wives of the prison officers can't be traced either. And one of the prison officers is related to DI Clare Mackay's right hand man, DS Chris West.
Without Chris, Clare has to work with Max, a new sergeant and navigate an unknown DCI who appears to be keeping secrets from Clare.
Are the prison officers corrupt? Is there something else at play here?
The Good 📖
This is book 6 in the DI Clare Mackay series. If you've read any of the earlier books, you know what you are getting. If this is your first encounter with Clare and her team, I'm sure you will want to pick up the earlier books.
Learning a little of Chris' family outside of the police, and seeing how he reacts to his cousin missing and the possibility that his cousin might be involved was a plus. Sometimes in a series, it can be easy to forget that the characters have a life of outside of the police so this was a nice touch.
Introducing new characters to an established team can always be a challenge but I liked Max and look forward to learning more about him in later books. He's definitely a keen bean, desperate to please and I can imagine how irritating that might be until you get to know someone!
The Meh 📖
I did feel the ending was a little rushed, a little like putting the foot on the accelerator to build up speed and then, bang, slamming on the brakes. But it didn't ruin the book.
The Result 📖
I downloaded this from the Libby app but even if I had paid for this, it would have been worth it. If you like a bit of Scottish crime, this is a good choice, whether as a standalone or as part of the series.
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January 18, 2023
Old Bones Lie is number six in the DI Clare Mackay series of crime novels set in St Andrews and the surrounding Fife countryside. Several things happen within a short space of time. Two prison officers and a prisoner attending a funeral all fail to return. The strange thing is their wives seem to have disappeared as well. As DS Chris West is related to one of the officers, he has been taken off the case; to say he is not happy about it would be an understatement. Clare is now working with DS Max Evans, who apparently makes much better coffee. The investigation is going nowhere fast when a young woman is found murdered in her garden shed. She just happens to have been the witness who identified Paul Devine (the missing prisoner) when he robbed the jeweller’s shop where she worked. DCI Ben Ratcliffe is now bought in to oversee the disappearances, leaving Clare and her team to investigate the murder, but is not sharing everything despite Clare believing that the investigations are linked.
This is not an easy case – it involves a lot of good old-fashioned detective work, checking and re-checking the facts just to try and make some progress. They appear to be making some headway, then an unexpected twist turns everything on its head. The story is told entirely from Clare’s point of view. The focus is on solving the crimes, with just enough attention paid to her private life (and those of her team) to make her believable as a character. This series is not about the personal problems of the police officers overshadowing the investigations. The storyline, setting and familiar characters make Old Bones Lie a pleasure to read, and I look forward to the next one. Thanks to Marion Todd, Canelo and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
This is not an easy case – it involves a lot of good old-fashioned detective work, checking and re-checking the facts just to try and make some progress. They appear to be making some headway, then an unexpected twist turns everything on its head. The story is told entirely from Clare’s point of view. The focus is on solving the crimes, with just enough attention paid to her private life (and those of her team) to make her believable as a character. This series is not about the personal problems of the police officers overshadowing the investigations. The storyline, setting and familiar characters make Old Bones Lie a pleasure to read, and I look forward to the next one. Thanks to Marion Todd, Canelo and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
March 10, 2024
Abduction, theft and fraud… oh my. I admit I sometimes struggled to keep this one straight in my head, which is down to me though and not the writing. It’s another good book in the series, and I’m really enjoying seeing Clare and Al’s relationship develop (though I am starting to worry a bit about Clare’s drinking?). Chris features a bit less in this one due to a personal connection to one of the men who goes missing, but this helps introduce Max into the team, which is a nice refreshing addition. The only slight niggle for me was that it felt like a bit of an abrupt ending which didn’t really wrap all the threads up for me, at least in terms of the Jardines. Or maybe I was just hoping for a bit more detail. A solid 3.75 stars though.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Canelo, in return for an unbiased review. Apologies for the delay in providing this.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers Canelo, in return for an unbiased review. Apologies for the delay in providing this.
March 17, 2023
This book started out okay until the part about the undercover operation came about. The story became so convoluted and had so many holes! Freya’s murder was never solved. How does Clare celebrate this unsolved case? By having people over for dinner and serving them honey and ginger cheesecake for dessert. This is the first book by the author I’ve read and it will be the last. I wasn’t impressed at all. (Having Clare live with the DCI doesn’t endear me to her character either.)
August 8, 2022
Another intriguing story from an author who keeps the reader guessing. Well, this one anyway. Unlike some others who have the same characters in a series, the main story is the crime and its solution. The main characters do have private lived, interact, but it is kept to a minimum. Marion Todd is a must if you like well plotted crime stories.
January 3, 2025
Book 6 in the DI Clare Mackay series. This series just gets better and better !! A great read which had me gripped from the first page . Looking forward to the next one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
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