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anneareads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
melaniesreads's review against another edition
4.0
I was gripped from the very first chapter. I already knew from the blurb Robert was in trouble but I had no idea how shocking that trouble would be. Just as I had started to like him too.
You know pretty early on how but not who and why, which the armchair detective in me loved. With another boy missing the race is on for Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy.
There are lots of clues from strange stones, burning incense, perfume, stars and drugged drinks and occasional narration from someone called “the watcher”. Also you have the social worker Michael taking it upon himself to try and find Nichol who has been missing a week.
The characters in this are fantastic. From Michael with his feral cats including Colonel Mustard. DI Monica, single mum to four year old Lucy, and her mum. Now Monica’s mum was my favourite and I loved how nosy she was due to watching too many police dramas. The author made me chuckle when Monica admitted that her mum wanted her to drink because all her favourite detectives were alcoholics.
This does contain quite graphic descriptions, luckily I’m not squeamish in the slightest, but it is the vivid imagery of the highlands and the portrayal of the weather and isolation that are the author’s skill. Bringing a real sense of atmosphere and adding extra creepiness to an already creepy and macabre plot.
This is a really solid debut and I can’t wait to read the next book for the tour in July.
You know pretty early on how but not who and why, which the armchair detective in me loved. With another boy missing the race is on for Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy.
There are lots of clues from strange stones, burning incense, perfume, stars and drugged drinks and occasional narration from someone called “the watcher”. Also you have the social worker Michael taking it upon himself to try and find Nichol who has been missing a week.
The characters in this are fantastic. From Michael with his feral cats including Colonel Mustard. DI Monica, single mum to four year old Lucy, and her mum. Now Monica’s mum was my favourite and I loved how nosy she was due to watching too many police dramas. The author made me chuckle when Monica admitted that her mum wanted her to drink because all her favourite detectives were alcoholics.
This does contain quite graphic descriptions, luckily I’m not squeamish in the slightest, but it is the vivid imagery of the highlands and the portrayal of the weather and isolation that are the author’s skill. Bringing a real sense of atmosphere and adding extra creepiness to an already creepy and macabre plot.
This is a really solid debut and I can’t wait to read the next book for the tour in July.
syren1532's review
2.0
Two young men have been killed and left posed in isolated spots in the Highlands. DI Monica Kelly is investigating. The only link to the two victims are black stones left with he body. Michael Bach is a social worker desperately trying to find a client of his, Nichol Morgan. Nichol has left clues for Michael about another young man who had died, classed a suicide by police, but who seems to be a victim of the same killer.
Almost gave up on this book several times but persevered to the end. Good enough story just very very slow. Didn’t find the main character, Monica, likeable at all and the fact that she was tall for a woman was mentioned far too often.
Thanks to Netgalley, Random House and G R Halliday for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
Almost gave up on this book several times but persevered to the end. Good enough story just very very slow. Didn’t find the main character, Monica, likeable at all and the fact that she was tall for a woman was mentioned far too often.
Thanks to Netgalley, Random House and G R Halliday for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
kba76's review
4.0
From the Shadows is one of those books that throws a lot at you, and you can’t help but become immersed in the world described. It’s not pleasant reading, but it’s a tense experience.
Our story really begins with the discovery of a body of a young man. A serious attack, and the autopsy reveals the boy has had a stone lodged in his throat. DI Kennedy (as the main investigator) is our focus, and we get enough snippets to know her back-story is an intriguing one. Perhaps as the first in the series we’re not told everything, but certainly enough to know that Monica Kennedy has a little more to her than meets the eye.
Set in and around the Scottish Highlands, this beautiful setting forms a macabre backdrop.
Nobody is sure what they’re dealing with. The boy who was found was at home, fine, and had then disappeared by the morning. Before long, we’re starting to see links with other disappearances.
There’s a lot of characters involved, and some suspects are set up as quite deliberate red herrings. We get the voice of the killer but very little to identify them until late on. There’s evidence of police corruption, and Kennedy has to rely on some rather unconventional methods to get results.
Suffice to say there’s some parts that could have been refined but this was a solid introduction to a new character, and definitely had me keen to read more.
Our story really begins with the discovery of a body of a young man. A serious attack, and the autopsy reveals the boy has had a stone lodged in his throat. DI Kennedy (as the main investigator) is our focus, and we get enough snippets to know her back-story is an intriguing one. Perhaps as the first in the series we’re not told everything, but certainly enough to know that Monica Kennedy has a little more to her than meets the eye.
Set in and around the Scottish Highlands, this beautiful setting forms a macabre backdrop.
Nobody is sure what they’re dealing with. The boy who was found was at home, fine, and had then disappeared by the morning. Before long, we’re starting to see links with other disappearances.
There’s a lot of characters involved, and some suspects are set up as quite deliberate red herrings. We get the voice of the killer but very little to identify them until late on. There’s evidence of police corruption, and Kennedy has to rely on some rather unconventional methods to get results.
Suffice to say there’s some parts that could have been refined but this was a solid introduction to a new character, and definitely had me keen to read more.
cbt00004's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
An extremely gripping read, very dark but completely investing. I struggled to put this book down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Torture, and Child death
scottiesandbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Is there any setting that lends itself better to an autumnal book other than one set in the Highlands!? 😍 🏔
Especially when it’s somewhere you yourself have explored and an area that @amysbookcollection and I hold close to our hearts.
@gr_halliday_author first novel in the DI Monica Kennedy series has used Gairloch and the surrounding area so well that I felt like I was right alongside Monica and the other characters as they try to find out just who is responsible for the deaths of so many young boys. The way he paints the scenes and uses it to add to the eeriness and darkness depicted within these novels is at times breathtakingly brilliant!
I especially enjoyed that A) Monica is a woman detective and one that is not sexualised in any way. She’s just bloody good at her job. In fact I would say Monica is painted the other way and gives me an almost Rilkeesque (Cutting Room Louise Welsh) vibes, so much so I think they are in fact related in some way. B) I loved the fact that the author has shown the struggle between the fast paced, super stressful job of being a detective and trying to juggle this with being a single mother, trying to be the best she can be in both worlds.
This is totally important character representation as often with crime novels we see a different type of character… often a mysoginist alcoholic with a dodgy past…. *yawn*
And let’s get to the story itself… WOW! Gareth has not shied away from giving us a storyline that is dark, edgy and keeps you gripped. At times we see what happens from the boys point of view which can read more like the start of a horror story in some aspects (but maybe not quite as scary).
All in all a wonderful start to this series and one i cannot wait to delve back into very soon!
If you love books set in the Scottish Highlands or if you love a decent crime book that breaks the mould then this one is for you!
Especially when it’s somewhere you yourself have explored and an area that @amysbookcollection and I hold close to our hearts.
@gr_halliday_author first novel in the DI Monica Kennedy series has used Gairloch and the surrounding area so well that I felt like I was right alongside Monica and the other characters as they try to find out just who is responsible for the deaths of so many young boys. The way he paints the scenes and uses it to add to the eeriness and darkness depicted within these novels is at times breathtakingly brilliant!
I especially enjoyed that A) Monica is a woman detective and one that is not sexualised in any way. She’s just bloody good at her job. In fact I would say Monica is painted the other way and gives me an almost Rilkeesque (Cutting Room Louise Welsh) vibes, so much so I think they are in fact related in some way. B) I loved the fact that the author has shown the struggle between the fast paced, super stressful job of being a detective and trying to juggle this with being a single mother, trying to be the best she can be in both worlds.
This is totally important character representation as often with crime novels we see a different type of character… often a mysoginist alcoholic with a dodgy past…. *yawn*
And let’s get to the story itself… WOW! Gareth has not shied away from giving us a storyline that is dark, edgy and keeps you gripped. At times we see what happens from the boys point of view which can read more like the start of a horror story in some aspects (but maybe not quite as scary).
All in all a wonderful start to this series and one i cannot wait to delve back into very soon!
If you love books set in the Scottish Highlands or if you love a decent crime book that breaks the mould then this one is for you!
livreads__'s review
4.0
This was a really good thriller with an interesting story line! I loved the fact that it is set in Inverness (where I live) and it made reference to places and areas near me which I know and recognised. Also it had a Social Worker as one of the main characters (which is my job) so I liked that too!
It was slightly slower paced in the middle, however the story was engaging and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!
This is the first book in a series of three. I have the second book, Dark Waters, which I plan to read this month. Then the third book, Under the Marsh, is being released on 21st July 2022. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series!!
It was slightly slower paced in the middle, however the story was engaging and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!
This is the first book in a series of three. I have the second book, Dark Waters, which I plan to read this month. Then the third book, Under the Marsh, is being released on 21st July 2022. I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the series!!