Second in this series featuring Detective Shona Oliver,set around the Solway Firth. A complex mystery with lots of twists and turns.

A completing action packed thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Dead Man Deep by Lynne McEwan.
Nothing stays buried forever Lifeboat volunteer DI Shona Oliver receives a Mayday call coming from Kilcatrin Island. Upon the beach is the badly burned body of a man, and a boy lies gravely injured nearby. Strewn around them are scores of Second World War incendiary bombs, presumably washed up by the tide from Beaufort’s Dyke, an offshore arms dump deep in the Irish Sea. The dead man is a local fisherman – his son the other victim – and it rocks the tight-knit community on the shores of the Solway Firth. As lead detective, Shona has to maintain a professional distance. But she can’t ignore the hardship that her neighbours who make a living at sea are experiencing. Anger is directed at the Ministry of Defence when the fallout threatens tourism, and livelihoods including Shona’s own family B&B business are at risk. Suspicious behaviour seems to be found at every turn. It’s impossible for Shona to get to the truth unless she can gain the trust of those who know more than they’ve been willing to reveal. But blind loyalty may mean she’s too late to save those still in danger – including herself..
A really good read. Great story. Lots of action. 4*.

DI Shona Oliver is busy. In addition to her police duties, she is also part of the Lifeboat Rescue team. When the rescue team answers to a ‘shout’ they find themselves going to an island belonging to the Ministry of Defense that is used as a live shooting range. There, they find a dead man with severe chemical burns, along with a boy with severe burns. They also find find phosphorus shells floating in the water, and they could be deadly.

When Shona returns the the police station, she starts the investigation. Was it a military ‘screw-up’ or part of a terrorist plot? Shona has to work with a military representative, and when more details become known the investigation becomes a murder inquiry. As Shona balances all her duties along with the usual family issues, she is on a timer to solve the case.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book. I really liked the characters, the storyline, and the resolution, giving me reason to read more books in the series.

Dead Man Deep by Lynne McEwan is the second book in the excellent Detective Shona Oliver Scottish crime series set on the Solway Firth, and I was gripped from the beginning till the end just like the first book called In Dark Water.

Detective Shona Oliver, for Dumfries and Galloway Police Force and lifeboat volunteer when she gets spare time. When a mayday call from Kilcatrin Island in the Solway Firth and summons the lifeboat where they find a badly burned man’s body and a seriously injured young boy nearby. Detective Shona Oliver, soon realises that these injuries are not a normal burn but from a World War II phosphorus bombs, and there are other numerous bombs that are bobbing near the sea shore. These may of been washed ashore from Beaufort's Dyke a deep trench which is in the Irish Sea, they where dumped many years ago and no-one had done anything about.
Everyone around her, maybe in danger and have the same result as their victims they have just found. Quick action is needed by everyone, before there are more casualties.

These victim's are a local fisherman and his son is the other victim that are from a tight knit community on the shores of the Solway Firth.

How did they get there and why were they there?

This book was full of great twists and turns and I loved it. Looking forward to Lynne's next book.

Big thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canelo for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I liked this book. The characters have lives outside their work, which is not common in police procedurals but adds to the depth of the story and makes them almost feel human. The author left us hanging - looking forward to see what happens next

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and all the twists and turns it offered both personally and professionally for the lead character

This book had just about everything ... atmosphere, great characters and a compelling mystery. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware when I began reading that this was a sequel to an earlier book, but in the long run it really didn't matter. This is compelling enough to be read on its own.

McEwan's emphasis on the geography and history of the area was also first-rate and added a lot to the book.

The main character Shona (although beset by many problems) remained strong throughout and was never portrayed as a victim. I already can see #3 on its way from the various "easter eggs," left by McEwan throughout. There's no doubt we'll see the MOD inspector in the next book. I'll be first in line to read it.

The second in the scottish crime series featuring Di Shona Oliver a police officer and lifeboar volunteer

Unfortunately i couldnt get pass the 3rd chapter and couldnt seem to pick up the thread of the plot

I was immediately hooked. A fast paced, effortlessly quick read where the pages just turned themselves and I was engaged throughout, mission accomplished.

Another good thriller by Lynne McEwan. One of a series, ok as a stand alone, though I had read others in the series which helped for some of the background. This story was quite complicated, but interesting. Also developments in the main detective's private life, some of which could have had more explanation.
I like the characters, the location and Shona's (the main detective) no nonense attitude to life.
Thanks to NEt Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Well, Shona has her hands full in this book! She is juggling an errant husband, a rebellious daughter and a murder case where all is not what it seems. There are also environmental protestors to be careful of and all of this combines in this book.

This was a good police procedural set in Scotland (one of my favourite places in the world) and I really enjoyed the Scots peppered throughout. I could just "hear" some of the characters speaking to me. What happened with regard to the dumping of munitions after WWII made me shiver, it has to be said.

I really liked this book, although the plot wasn't quite as tight as it could have been. I did like the interactions of Shona with Becca - such a typical teenager! Glad I am not going through it all anymore, either as the teen or as the mother, lol. I hope we will get to see more of Dan in future books and I liked Simon too, the MoD fella.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo.

Dead Man Deep is a real cracker of a book. Combining police procedural with the perils of volunteer lifeboat crew and some dodgy MOD arms dumping thrown in for good measure. This is the second book in the DI Shona Oliver series and there is plenty of character action too, with Shona, her hardworking husband and teenage tearaway daughter.

The body of a badly disfigured man is found by the lifeboat crew, along with a young lad who is barely alive. The race is on to get him to safety, whilst avoiding the chemical shells floating in the water. Once on dry land, Shona must investigate - who are the two casualties and what has happened to them. Her efforts are hampered on all sides, by MOD involvement and the somewhat unhelpful local community,

I absolutely loved this book. So much so I read it in one sitting.

When the coastguard responds to a mayday call they discover the badly burned body of a man and nearby a badly injured boy.

DI Shona Oliver is the volunteer who found them and she is tasked with finding out what happened. Things turn personal when the victim is identified.

I loved the mix of police work and personal life in the story. The twists kept the pages turning and left me shocked at the end.

I will definitely recommend this series to all crime fiction fans.

I liked the first book in this series and liked this one. It's a good, gripping and entertaining story that kept me hooked and guessing.
The cast of characters is fleshed out and the plot flows and never drags.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Refreshing Take…
The second in the Detective Shona Oliver series finds the lifeboat volunteer with a distress call from Kilcatrin Island which sets in motion a distressing series of events. Will Shona get to the the truth or find herself in danger. With a unique angle, a well crafted cast of characters, an intriguing plotline with a mix of personal threads and a refreshing take on a detective this is an immersive and engaging read. An atmospheric and worthy follow up to the first in the series.

DI and RNLI volunteer Shona Oliver is called out on an early morning mayday from tidal Kilcatrin Island, located in the Ministry of Defense firing range. They find the body of a horribly burned man lying dead on the beach and a young boy, critically burned. Then Shona discovers the source of the duo’s injuries - thousands of floating phosphorus shells, probably from a nearby undersea dumping area.

The dead man is Tony Carlin, a local fisherman, the husband of Shona’s friend Laura and the boy is their son. As Shona and her team investigate the Tony’s accident, they have much to contend with. Where did the shells come from? Why was Tony on Kilcatrin Island, where he had no license to fish. How did he get there? And, most upsetting to the local tourist season, when will the local beaches open?

Lynne McEwan continues a riveting Scottish police procedural in Dead Man Deep, the second in the Shona Oliver series. The characters, especially Shona, her husband Rob and daughter Becca are so well described that you feel like you know them. In the middle of investigating a possible murder, Shona must deal with Becca’s friendship with an older girl who encourages her to attend protests which may turn violent and lead to their arrests. The Scottish location, the Solway Firth, is atmospheric. I enjoyed learning about the RNLI team and their lifesaving work. I cant wait for the third in this series! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Canelo Crime and Lynne McEwan for this ARC.

DI Shona Oliver is out on a Lifeboat 'shout' when she finds a badly burnt body on the beach of the island along with a badly injured boy. Chemical burns and phosphorus munitions washed up. MoD Police join with Shona and team to investigate. We have environmental activists, family loyalty, effects of dying fishing industry, poaching and trying to make a living and, for Shona, personal problems with somewhat errant husband and 16-year old daughter stretching her wings. There is a lot of stress before at least the police issues are resolved. Looking forward to the next book. Nice to have a series set in my part of the world, lovely descriptions and the characters work together well. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second instalment in this series, and it's one I have quickly come to love! Maybe it's the Scottish scenery, or how refreshingly honest of a character Shona is, or how realistic her domestic issues are, but she's a character that quickly grows on you, and one you'd love to know in real life! In this book she's coping with troubles at home, in the village, and at work, with being forced to work with the military, due t her crime scene being on their property. Never a good mix, add in a mystery with many turns, and you may guess the suspect, but not the WHY. Fun page turner, this one will have you pining for the Scottish coast!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Dead Man Deep by Lynne McEwan is the second in the Detective Shona Oliver series. I had not read the first, though I have since purchased it as I found this to be an enthralling read. Shona is not only a detective but also an RLNI volunteer and the two worlds collide when the body of a man and his badly injured son are found on the beach of an island. It is soon discovered that the death and injury have been caused by wartime munitions dumped at sea and washed up ashore. As often in novels set in small communities suspicions run deep and Shona has to use every trick in the book to uncover the truth. A very well-written and likable character with an interesting family background this had the makings of a cracking series.