This is book 5 in a crime series. The plot is very strong. I liked the writing style. Another great addition to this series

I hadnt read any of the books in this series but it worked as a standalone (probably better as a series though). It was a very well written police procedural and I completely enjoyed it.

I was given a free copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.

Another good read in the DI Claire Mackay series. An interesting plot with the twists and turns I've come to expect from the author. Looking forward to reading more!

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Next in Line is the fifth book in the DI Clare Mackay series set in St Andrews. I have enjoyed them all, and the unusual setting is one of the attractions. Clare is called back from the wedding of her ex, when a dead body is discovered at Lamond Lodge, where a group of old friends were celebrating a birthday. The victim turns out to be the brother of TV personality Gaby Fox, who had also been at the wedding.
The motive for the killing is not obvious at first, and Clare and her team find it difficult to make any headway as everyone seems to hiding something. Short chapters move the story along and the mystery is slowly unravelled. This is a believable police investigation, with lots of setbacks and changes of direction, where the reader knows everything the police do, but there is no input from the killer. Several times I thought I had it worked out only to discover I was yet again being led up the garden path. The characters are well drawn, and the team of police officers has become well known to the reader over the course of the previous four books, with just enough detail about their private lives to make them believable. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Old Bones Lie, when it is published later in the year. Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

Marion Todd goes from strength to strength and Next in Line, the fifth book in the DI Clare Mackay series, shows this clearly. The plot, setting and characterisation are all spot on and with plenty of twists and turns, the story is gripping throughout. The author's familiarity with her St Andrews locations gives the book a very authentic feel, as does the relationship between Clare and her DS Chris West. Pick this book up and you'll not want to put it down until you reach the very last page!

Police procedural set in and around St Andrews. A wedding,a murder and a mystery to solve. The characters are good and there are many twists and turns.

Next In Line is an excellent read and unlike many books doesn’t simply fizzle out with the last few pages being somewhat meaningless.
The storyline and characters are first class and I look forward to many more books from the author. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Despite not yet having read the preceding instalments in Marion Todd's D.I. Clare Mackay series, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Next in Line. It's a well-conceived police procedural, set in and around the picturesque Scottish city of St. Andrews.

The book opens with the protagonist, D.I. Clare Mackay, bemusedly attending the wedding of her ex-partner. Fortunately, Clare's given an early excuse to leave, when she's called to an unusual crime scene - a shooting death - at a plush country house outside St. Andrews. Discretion is required, as the murdered man is the brother of television personality Gaby Fox, who Clare briefly met as a fellow guest at the wedding.

Clare and her team begin sifting through the clues, interviewing the friends of the victim, Russell Fox, to discern a motive for his murder and following up leads about the presence of a suspicious van seen in the area the previous night. Feathers are ruffled by the arrival of D.C.I. Tony McAvettie, renowned for his sexual shenanigans with junior officers and tendency to take credit for others' work, to oversee the investigation.

As the investigation proceeds, the team uncover possible financial motives for Russell's murder and identify a prison sentence he served some years ago as a possible contributor to current events. Can Clare unravel all the tangled threads and identify the killer before they claim another victim?

I appreciated that, as well as a strong and complex plotline surrounding the investigation, Next in Line also featured a compelling intertwined narrative focussing on Clare's private life, in particular her developing relationship with D.C.I. Alastair Gibson. Characters were well-developed and believable and the dialogue snappy, with a sprinkling of Scots vernacular.

Next in Line was a compelling and entertaining read. I'll certainly be seeking out earlier books in the series for my future reading pleasure. I'd recommend the book to any reader who enjoys well-characterised police procedurals, in the line of Ann Cleeves' Vera Stanhope series and Caroline Graham's D.C.I Barnaby series. Like both those series, I believe this would translate well to television adaptation in the future.

My thanks to the author, Marion Todd, publisher Canelo, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I have read the previous books in the series so I knew I would enjoy this. I was proved right and found ot just as compelling as its predecessors.

I am a big fan of the DI Mackay series by Marion Todd. Next in Line is another cracker. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys crime fiction.

Another great read
Love this ladies books
This book is one in a series
Lots of twist and turns
Can’t wait for the next book
Thanks NetGalley

Another brilliant addition to Marion Todd's series. The more of these I read the more I enjoy them. Clare is a fantastic main character, her team around her have that brilliant balance of loyalty & humour. Her relationship with Al is a lovely addition to the main story & I really want them to be happy together.

I know I've said it before but this is a series that I'll always grab the next one of.

Love the DI Clare Mackay series and the Scottish setting. Excellent characterisation, story telling and nice mix of police procedural and character's personal back stories.

This is the fifth instalment in Marion Todd's Detective Inspector Clare Mackay series, set in St Andrews, Scotland.

It's Russell Fox's 40th birthday and he, his sister, Gaby and a few mates are celebrating at the salubrious Lamond Lodge. DI Clare Mackay is attending a wedding with DCI Alastair Gibson. The groom is an ex-boyfriend of Clare's which she is finding distracting. Later, DS Chris West informs her of a murder, the victim being Russell Fox who was shot at the Lamond Lodge. Gaby was also a guest at the wedding that Clare attended. In a complex case, Clare and her team must work hard to get to the truth in a case where secrets are being closely guarded and everyone is unforthcoming.

Once again, I was completely and thoroughly hooked by this compelling story right from the start. I think Next in Line would be fine as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first ones in the series as you'd be missing out if you didn't! I fell right into this well-crafted and absorbing tale and I felt as though I was shadowing Clare as she worked at chasing her leads and following her instincts. Marion Todd's writing style continues to be impressive and noteworthy. Clare is a more than competent DI who always strives to look after her team and cares about getting justice. This is a Scottish crime series that I have found highly appealing and engaging, and I look forward to reading the next instalment.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Canelo via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Another excellent novel by Marion Todd with her Detective Clare Mackay and her team. The novel starts with the death of Russell Fox, it should have been a happy time for him as it was his 40th birthday celebrations and he was with his sister Gaby, his brother in law and his 3 best friends from primary school, his brother David also appeared who’d been missing for 17 years presumed dead in the Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand. The team have very little to go on and think it is a professional hit because of the manner of the death and things take a turn for the worse when Clare falls sick during the investigation.

Very enjoyable crime story, part of a series. Though I have not read any of the previous books, I feel that this didn’t hamper my enjoyment of this story as it reads well as a stand-alone too.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is the fifth book in the series and they are all brilliant. Definitely one of my favourite detective series’ with a fantastic bunch of characters and great storylines. I look forward to the next in the series.

Having some downtime with partner Al is a rarity for Clare but attending her ex's wedding wasn't really her idea of fun. However a call from her team saying there has been a shooting wasn't really what she wanted to drag her away. The victim is the brother of a TV personality. He had been staying at an upmarket lodge celebrating his fortieth birthday which should have been ultra safe with security team etc. Because of the celebrity factor Claire knows that this is going to be a much publicised case.

This is the fifth in the excellent Clare Mackay series and a good addition to the series. As always the reader is led up blind alleys & kept guessing. Overall it as a great read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I have read more of this series about Clare. This was not a bad read, but was not the best of the series. A businessman was shot dead during a party weekend to celebrate his 40th birthday. A group of friends was staying in a large house. None of the friends seemed to be honest about what took place, bit by bit when evidence appeared, they admit to having arranged for a party of women to come to the house and later other facts come to light. The result was that the plot was confusing and confused at times. Towards the end, the suspense built up and the pace of the story picked up,
I liked Clare in the other books, here she was more business like at work but approachable, I am not sure about her personal relationship though, her partner seemed more in the background. The descriptions of places and buildings was great, allowing me to get a good impression in my minds eye of where the book was et.
As usual, the forensic clues were well researched and interesting, building up to a strong case
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review