When Shadows Fall

A new utterly gripping Scottish police procedural for crime fiction and thriller fans for 2025!

'Non-stop action, breakneck pace, deliciously suspenseful… When Shadows Fall was my first DS Max Craigie book and won’t be my last – I loved it.' Andrea Mara

'A good old police procedural… I was pleasantly terrified' The Guardian

'Non-stop action, breakneck pace, deliciously suspenseful… When Shadows Fall was my first DS Max Craigie book and won’t be my last – I loved it.' Andrea Mara

'A good old police procedural… I was pleasantly terrified' The Guardian

A TRAGIC DEATH

When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

A RISING BODY COUNT

Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose.

A KILLER IN THE SHADOWS

The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

* * * *

‘Think Jack Reacher fronting Line of Duty’ Ian Rankin

‘Fast-paced, compelling, and deeply authentic’ Jane Casey

‘Neil Lancaster is so damn clever’ Marion Todd

‘A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists’ C. L. Taylor

'A spine-chilling concept, despicable villains, a propulsive narrative. As satisfying as crime fiction gets.' Paul Finch

‘Deliciously dark’ Daily Mail

‘It’s rare that a book is such a joy to read, particularly one mid-series when – as a reader – you are behind the eight-ball, but Neil has absolutely smashed it out of the ball park. It’s so, so good.’ G. D. Wright