This is the third book in the DI Clare Mackay series. She and her team work out of St. Andrews under the direction of her boss, DCI Alastair Gibson. This police procedural is quite complicated with 3 separate situations that Clare is juggling. The first has Clare hauled off to a super secret bunker where she's informed that an ethical hacker has been engaged to identify leaks coming from her station. The second involves Clare monitoring the safety of a critical witness in a trial concerning a gangster connected to gun running. The third is the investigation into the murder of a student and the disappearance of his friend. She's extremely busy but not so much that she hasn't time to be concerned about her love life. NO SPOILERS.

This was a quick read that follows the typical crime thriller detective formula. Although not particularly suspenseful or grisly, I have followed this series from the beginning and didn't want to miss this one. I didn't find this to be as compelling as the 2 previous installments, but certainly the descriptions of the Scottish setting are interesting. There's the requisite scene where Clare's life is in danger and soon enough the conclusion comes with Clare having a dilemma, not in her professional life, but in her personal one. Im sure I'll want to continue the series but hope for a more exciting set of cases next time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for this e-book ARC to read and review.

This is a detective story and written from the viewpoint of Claire . It is set in St Andrews in Scotland . It follows a couple of seemingly unrelated stories. The characters are well portrayed with descriptions which add a human touch. I liked the descriptions of the places too, I like to build up a picture in my mind whilst reading and this helps This is the third book of the series and although I have not read the others, that was not a problem because the book did not rely on previous events, though these are sometimes mentioned.
The story takes a few twists and turns, some epected, some less so . On the whole a believable story and I enjoyed it . Towards the end, it was fast-moving and a real page-turner.
Thank you to Net Galley for an ARc in exchange for an honest review

This was definitely my favorite book in Todd's DI Clare MacKay series. From page 1 to the end, I wasn't quite sure of how things would turn out. It combined a bit of everything - intrigue, technology and scenery. Don't miss it.

My thanks to Canelo for the invitation to receive an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Lies to Tell’ by Marion Todd in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third in her DI Clare Mackay series of crime thrillers/police procedurals set in the Scottish university town of St. Andrews. I had read the previous books and found them both highly engaging. This third outing proved how well Todd is developing her characters and setting along with delivering intriguing cases.

Early one morning DI Clare Mackay receives a message from her boss DCI Alastair Gibson and together they travel to a secret location in the Scottish hills. There they are introduced to ethical hacker, Gayle Crichton and advised that there has been a critical security breach coming from inside Police Scotland. They are sworn to secrecy on pain of the Official Secrets Act and told that Gayle will be working covertly in Claire’s station until the leak is identified.

In addition, Claire and her team have their hands full protecting an important witness for a criminal trial linked to organised crime as well as investigating the murder of a university student.

Todd does a great job of striking a balance between these cases as well as exploring aspects of her main characters’ private lives. She also delivered a nail-biting climax.

My first reaction on reaching the final page was to seek out details of Book 4: a strong indication of how addictive this series is. I was pleased to read that Marion Todd will be continuing to write more cases for DI Clare Mackay. I can hardly wait!

Marion Todd’s Detective Clare Mackay series is fast becoming a favourite of mine. It follows DI Clare Mackay, who is determined to make a new start in Fife following a difficult episode in her Glasgow life and career. A number of things particularly appeal to me about these books. For one, they’re good solid police procedurals. All the gory detail a crime fiction fan could wish for. It’s clear that Marion Todd has done her research, and her storylines ring true to life.

Secondly, the characters are interesting and believable. DI Mackay herself is revealed book on book in ever increasingly human layers. She’s a likeable and competent detective who knows her stuff and keeps a cool head. Yet she’s vulnerable to past hurts, and we see a caring side to her nature when she takes in Benjy the dog, worries about her sister, and makes some questionable decisions in her love life. DI Mackay and the wider team around her are developed expertly as the series continues.

And one of the stand-out features of this series for me is how damn well it’s written! Marion Todd’s writing is superb - a masterclass in immersive writing, where the reader can see and feel everything that’s going on, and perfect in its pace, each book taking us through a fascinating investigation up to a tense and thrilling climax. It’s been such a pleasure to read this series, and I’m thoroughly delighted to learn that Canelo have signed Marion Todd for a further three books. I can’t wait!

If you haven’t yet read the Detective Clare Mackay series, do yourself a favour - get it now.

DI Clare Mackay is now stationed at St Andrews & one morning receives a message from her boss DCI Alastair Gibson telling her to meet him in secret. She does as he asks and is taken to a secure location in the remote Scottish hills. There, she is introduced to ethical hacker Gayle Crichton and told about a critical security breach coming from inside Police Scotland. Clare is sworn to secrecy and must conceal Gayle’s identity from colleagues until the source is found. Clare already has her hands full keeping a key witness under protection and investigating the murder of a university student. When a friend of the victim is found preparing to jump off the Tay Road Bridge it is clear he is terrified of someone. Clare realises too late that she has trusted the wrong person. As her misplaced faith proves a danger to herself and others, Clare must fight tooth and nail to protect those she cares about and see justice done.
Another well written page turning read, this is the third book in the series & whilst it could easily be read on its own, I’d highly recommend reading the series in order – it’s so good. Strong, believable characters add to the enjoyment as does a well written story that has plenty of twists & turns exactly what I want in a murder mystery. I’m loving the series & sincerely hope they are man more to come
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Strong female protagonist: who can she trust?🤗🤗

My third read of a Marion Todd crime thriller and, once again, she had me in the palm of her hand. St. Andrews Detective Inspector Clare MacKay is one of my favorite female police detectives; she's so real. Yes, she is excellent at her job and very supportive of her team, but she does have a life after-hours with her unkempt garden, lovely little cottage, a dog she adores, some romantic quandaries, and a sister and nephew in need of her support.

The character complement, police, victims, suspects, friends and family alike, is kept at a level that's manageable for me; I so dislike a story with so many characters to keep track of that I feel I need to take notes! But I also like the realism of multiple subplots and cases that Clare and her crew investigate simultaneously in a day's work.

The Scottish setting first attracts me to her stories and then the plot and characters keep me hooked. The climax was a nail-biter thrill and, for me at least, a twist that I really did not see coming. I will definitely be looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thanks to publisher Canelo and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review and the opinions expressed are solely my own.

Don’t you just love it when you open a book and bam, you are engaged on the first page?! I am not sure what it is about Todd’s writing that makes the DI Clare Mackay mysteries so easy to read. Perhaps it is because her characters are far from perfect, they make mistakes, use bad judgment which makes them real and relatable. They have relationships which are often “of the moment” leading to all sorts of interesting and sometimes messy situations. And of course, there is crime, witness protection, courtroom drama, murder, diabolical dealings, and a warning to trust no one. Now about the ending, - a little tease, an intake of breath and uh oh can’t even guess what comes next. What is this girl to do? What is there not to love? Exactly, get on with it and read this latest installment while I wait impatiently for the next adventure of DI Mackay.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for a copy.

DI Clare Mackay #3

Clare has stayed in St. Andrews while Geoff has taken the job in America. DCI Alistair Gibson tells Clare that they need to go to a secret location. 5his is where we first meet ethical hacker Gayle Crichton. He later gets an office at Clare's station to investigate leaks within police Scotland. Clare is told to trust no one and that there could be bugs in her office, car etc. Alongside this and her team are trying to protect Tamsin Quinn who is giving evidence against her husband. Then there's the two Swiss students who have both separately disappeared.

Marion Todd is quickly climbing my favourite authors list. Each new book gets better than the previous one. I love her descriptive style in writing. The story is told from Clare's perspective. The plotline is complex, with plenty of twists and it kept my interest throughout. The pace is fast in this thrilling read. There's also a bit of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read the next installment to find out the outcome. I highly recommend this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Canelo and the author Marion Todd for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DI Clare MacKay has her hands full. She's making sure a key witness in an ongoing trial is kept safe, all the while trying to solve the murder of a young student and worrying about an information leak at her station.

It was my second book in the DI Clare MacKay series, and since I found the previous one a good read, I was curious to follow it up.
However, the story didn't grip me at all. I kept waiting for the opening to offer something captivating, but sadly it didn't happen.
There were a couple of cases that DI MacKay was involved in, and because they seemed completely unrelated, I couldn't get into it.
The cases eventually did come together, but it was too late in the book to re-engage me.
The good thing about this book was the location. I loved seeing Scottish cities featuring in the story.
I've seen lots of good reviews of this book, but unfortunately, it wasn't to my liking.
The ending twist left me open-mouthed and was the reason I raised the rating up to 2 stars.
However, because it seems that I'm in the minority, I think it's worth you check it out yourself.

Police thriller set in and around St Andrews in Scotland. Interesting and strong set of characters and a fast paced storyline. I really enjoyed it ,a new author,wish I had read her other two novels first.

A third instalment in a really good detective series set in Scotland. The book delivers exactly what it promises to deliver: a well crafted plot and a protagonist that you can understand and identify with. There are a few different storylines of which some converge towards the satisfying ending. If you like series with women detectives, this will give you a few hours of good entertainment. I will be waiting for the next one.

This is the third instalment in the DI Clare MacKay series and again another belter…. This series is going from strength to strength… I didn’t know who to trust during this one never mind Clare!

DI Clare MacKay and her DCI Alistair Gibson have been summoned to a secret high security location to meet with Gayle Crichton, an ethical hacker who has informed her that they have a breach in Police Scotland and she needs to be stationed out of Clare’s office until it is resolved… Clare’s head is spinning, she is not allowed to tell anyone for fear she will be fired.

In the meantime, it looks like a witness’s whereabouts, Tamsin Quinn who is testifying against her crimelord husband has been compromised and Clare is called in to help and safely remove her to a new safe house and keep her safe until the trial.

As if Clare hasn’t enough on her hands, the body of a student who has been reported missing turns up… Clare is really up against it and becoming more and more paranoid that nobody can be trusted!!!

Add to that Clare’s personal struggle in her relationship with Geoffrey Darke and more besides!

This was a fast paced brilliantly plotted together police procedural saga, plenty of drama, twists and turns and an outstanding finale to boot… all in all perfect recipe!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I initially thought this book got off to a slow start, and found myself pulled more into it as it progressed. DI Mackay has separate cases she is investigating and the links between these cases becomes clear towards the end. There are lots of twists and turns, and an unexpected and shocking reveal that I did not see coming. I think the author has wrote a cleverly plotted and well thought out book here and I enjoy her writing style. She is very descriptive and I can picture the towns, villages in my mind. I love reading of the DI’s working relationships and friendships with her colleagues, and the small romance element in the book. Overall a great read after a slow start and I look forward to the next book.

Lies To Tell by Marion Todd is the second book in her D.I. Clare Mackay series. In the midst of the trial of a local Crimelord Clare is trying to protect her key witness,the villain's wife, when she is summoned by her boss, DCI Al Gibson, to a secret location where she meets Gayle Crichton ,an ethical hacker,under conditions of strict secrecy. Apparently there is a leak within Police Scotland that has resulted in the disruption of several important investigations. Clare fears that the identity and location of her witness will be compromised and an important trail sabotaged. While the trial continues and Gayle tries to find the leak a German student reports his best friend missing before abruptly leaving the police station..
From there the story ,and Clare's private life,gets more complicated and both take unexpected turns. This is easy reading and very entertaining. there is plenty that stretches belief but it's a pleasant change to enjoy a crime thriller where there's no graphic violence and Clare's private life provides a diverting backstory to the main plot. The book ends with a bit of a cliff-hanger .....and not one I've ever come across in a crime novel before..

Thanks to Marion Todd, Canelo and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoy this series of books featuring DI Clare Mc Kay and this is the best yet. It just keeps improving as Clare finds herself investigating a security breach inside the office and the apparent murder of a young student, not to mention the security of a key witness in a trial. I would highly recommend this series. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer… "

DI Clare Mackay is taken to a secure location in the remote Scottish hills by her boss DCI Alastair Gibson. There, she is introduced to ethical hacker Gayle Crichton and told about a critical security breach coming from inside Police Scotland. Clare is sworn to secrecy and must conceal Gayle’s identity from colleagues until the source is found.

Clare finds her hands full with the responsibility of providing protection of a key witness, Tamsin Quinn, due to give evidence in a high profile court case the following week.as well as investigating the murder of a university student.

This is the third book in the DI Clare Mackay series. Even though I haven't read the first two books, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and had a lot of twists and turns, some of which were quite surprising.

I can’t wait for the next book to know how the story continues. Until then I shall keep guessing the answer for the situation that arises at the end.. Hopefully I shall get it right !!

Thank You to NetGalley and Canelo for this ARC!!

DI Clare MacKay is now based at St Andrews on the Scottish coast, north of Edinburgh. Clare and her boss DCI Alistair Gibson are summoned to a secret and secure location by ethical hacker Gayle Crichton as there’s a security breach at Clare’s station and Gayle will be brought in under a different guise to monitor activity. Additionally, there’s an important court case soon to take place in Edinburgh and they have to keep a key witness free from harm in a safe house and as if that isn’t enough in your plate there’s a missing university student. A week in the life of a detective!

First of all, this is well written and the story flows effortlessly. There are few frills and unnecessary detail, it’s straightforward, to the point storytelling with a good plot. It’s very easy to read and there are plenty of twists and turns with moments of tension, suspense and excitement. The characters are good, many are likeable and can be easily imagined. I like that the storyline is interspersed with various characters issues, worries or problems such as Clare’s on/off relationship with Geoffrey Dark and Al Gibson’s marriage difficulties which makes it feel realistic. My only negative is maybe Clare could have gone on a bit less about how her new Mercedes is her pride and joy!!!!!

Overall, a very enjoyable read in a good setting with believable characters, a plausible plot and an interesting and at times, exciting storyline.

With thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ARC.

I’d like to thank Canelo and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Lies To Tell’, the third in the DI Clare Mackay series written by Marion Todd, in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

DI Clare Mackay is taken to a high security establishment by DCI Alastair Gibson where they meet Gayle Crighton, an ethical hacker working for Police Scotland, who tells them there’s a serious security breach coming from Clare’s office. Clare’s told not to discuss it with anyone on her team as it’s top secret so who can she trust to confide in? Meanwhile, as Clare is involved with keeping Tamsin Quinn safe as she testifies against her husband Phil, extra pressure is put on her as the body of a young student is discovered in the local park.

‘Lies To Tell’ is a thoroughly enjoyable police procedural thriller and DI Clare Mackay is fast becoming one of my favourite characters, I can’t read enough of her. The explanation given for money laundering on popular selling sites makes the story feels realistic and tells me something I’ve often wondered about. The plot is well-thought-out, it has tension and drama, twists and turns, and culminates with a heart-stopping finale. Thank you, Ms Todd, for yet again giving me hours of great reading, but there’s one thing that’s got me wondering – who does Clare choose to drive her home? I shall have to wait for book four to find out.

Another great book by Marion Todd! I was so excited to read this book and it didn’t let me down. Murder, hacking, money laundering, deceit, and relationships all come together to make “Lies to Tell” a book that was impossible to put down.