annieb123
Written on Jul 14, 2022
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.