The Blurb
When a distillery owner’s body is discovered on a remote Scottish mountain, forensics confirm that he died of natural causes. DI Corstorphine’s concerns are raised, however, when the dead man’s eccentric sister receives a message, apparently from beyond the grave.
The police are dismissive until it appears that the devil itself is intent on attacking other family members. Why is his daughter kept locked and sedated in her room in the baronial mansion? Who or what is stalking his son as he scatters his father’s ashes on lonely summits? And what insanity is behind the horrific attacks in their small Highland town?
DI Corstorphine and his team don’t know what they’re really facing until it’s too late.
From the author of Whirligig: Shortlisted for The McIlvanney Prize 2020, Longlisted for The CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger.
The Devil's Cut was published on 28th October 2021 by Fledgling Press.
Buy Link
https://www.fledglingpress.co.uk/product-page/the-devil-s-cut
My Review
This is the second outing for DI James Corstophine and his team following last year's impressive Whirligig and again Andrew James Greig has delivered a well written, interesting crime thriller.
When distillery owner Jack McCoach is found collapsed near the top of a mountain, a heart attack is deemed the cause. But the man's eccentric sister thinks differently, and then things start happening. The team are stretched to their limits trying to solve this case whilst still trying to deal with everything else going on in their patch.
Corstorphine is a character you can't help but like. A straight up, moral, decent guy who still misses his late wife. He heads up just a small team and is assisted by Frankie MacKenzie, a capable young woman forging her way in the police force and who isn't afraid to use her own initiative. The two complement each other. He brings some interesting specialist help in this time too....
The story itself is satisfyingly complex and sends the team down a fair few blind alleys. It's also unexpectedly sad. But the author doesn't compromise on violence with a couple of quite creative crimes and you'll need a strong stomach for those sections! The writing is great, very descriptive, and we see what's going on in the minds of the characters. Phoebe's sections are particularly clever - I would be interested to know about the author's research for that character.
The Devil's Cut is a well written, complex, exciting, emotional and occasionally violent story centred around a dysfunctional family with a whole load of secrets. Very enjoyable.
The Author
'My home is in Scotland, which inspires my writing.'
Website: https://andrewjgreig.wordpress.com
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