This was always going to be a winner in my eyes since its set local whoch makes it all the more personal and easy to picture. The characters are well written and I loved the dynamics and interactions. There's a lot of humour throughout which i loved and was a nice change for a murder mystery. I loved the writing style, it's not too waffley and doesn't veer off to describe irrelevant things. It's just really good storytelling, although there was a bit of repetition which unfortunately took me out the flow a bit since I became more focused on double checking if I'd already read that phrase earlier on.

Anyways, that aside it wad a really good murder mystery and I couldnt get through it quick enough.

359 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

DI Clare Mackay’s latest case is a convoluted investigation of the murder of a local solicitor. I really appreciate the sly humor in these books. The disagreement about how to properly eat a Kit Kat made me chuckle. I like the way Clare’s team gets along with one another.

When another murder occurs, this one obviously related to the solicitor’s murder, the tension in the story ratchets up.

Ms. Todd created believable characters. The main characters’ personal lives are cameoed in such a way as to not be obtrusive. This fleshes them out and gives the reader a chance to connect with them.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes police procedurals. While I did not like this book as much as Ms. Todd's previous novels, it is still a good read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

DI Clare Mackay #7

The St Andrews team investigate a missing person case who is later found in his car in Tentsmuir Forest with his throat cut. The victim is solicitor Harry Richards and his murder is just the start of a tricky investigation for Clare and the team.

First of all, there is a really good balance between the personal lives of the police team who are all likeable and there is enjoyable banter between them. Clare is a relatable and authentic central character, and I like the contrast between her days at the “coal face“ and the calm provided by her partner, DCI Alistair Gibson, and of course, Benjy her dog!

This is a well written novel with the storyline flowing via the linear timeline. There are no unnecessary frills, just good straightforward storytelling. The plot gets more and more intriguing with the investigative tentacles spreading far beyond the dead solicitor, taking us into a topical direction. If becomes complex and there are some good plot twists. Whilst the pace is never especially fast, it is all well considered and it feels a realistic too. It’s immersive and gripping as the different plot strands connect together at the end. I like the good humour used to break up the darker side of the plot and I’m in absolute agreement on the right way to eat a KitKat! Just off to find myself a Wagon Wheel!

Overall, this is a good series and one I’ve continued to enjoy and I’m already anticipating number eight. It can easily be read as a standalone.

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

DI Clare Mackay and the team are back for this latest instalment of the series. When a property solicitor is reported missing and later found dead in his car it’s up to Clare and the team to get to the bottom of this murder. Why did a seemingly quiet and hard working solicitor make a grizzly end? As they dive deeper in to this mystery and links to a bigger issues comes to the surface, can Clare gather the evidence and nail the killer? With the wife of one of Harry the solicitor’s colleagues killed in a suspicious car crash could this also be linked?

I love this series so much! Marion’s writing is just brilliant and I look forward to each instalment with anticipation! By now we have got to know the characters, and my all time favourite The DCI also makes a cameo! The story was gripping and I couldn’t stop reading! Fantastic!

3.5 stars


I've been fortunate enough yo listen to most of this series on audio, which meant when I read this one, I could hear Clares voice perfectly.
It's a good bunch of characters that I enjoy catching up with, and the crimes are interesting.
It's a good entertaining , easy read, and just what my Sunday afternoons call for.

I was delighted to recieve the lastest installment of this series through netgalley and the publishers.

I got stuck in straight away and raced through it, a very easy book to read which i loved.

Catching up with Clare and her team is always a joy and of course her darling dog Benji.

Investigating the death of a local solicitor sends Clare and the team into a real complex case which ends up including illegal money lending and house selling.

5 stars

A Blind Eye
Marion Todd
Publisher: Canelo Crime
Publication Date: 8 June 2023

DI Clare Mackay investigates the murder of local solicitor, Harry Richards, found dead in his car at a local tourist spot with his throat cut. What could Harry have been involved in that would lead to such a cold-blooded execution?
As Clare finds herself drawn deeper into the case, not all is as it seems – and when she finds herself getting closer to the truth, it puts the safety and security of others at risk.

#ABlindEye is a straightforward and pacy Scottish crime tale. It plays out in a linear fashion from the perspective of Clare Mackay, over a period of nine days. It’s a good read which is easy to digest; if you’re the type who likes their crime novels twisty but not too challenging, it’s right up your street.

A complex police procedural, it isn’t. I prefer a crime novel which gives me a greater insight into the workings of the police force, that envelops me in a sense of what it really feels like to be a police offer working a live investigation. In accord with its relatively simple construction, A Blind Eye never delves too deeply into the characters, the office politics, or the legal and procedural complexities of catching a killer. It’s this lightweight handling which makes this more of a beach read than a cerebral outing.

The writing style is simple; I caught the same phrasing being used time and again, which was distracting. On a wider perspective, the simplicity of the writing means that the novel doesn’t quite hit the mark in the big moments; the narration doesn’t carry your emotions as it should or create enough detail to immerse you fully in the author’s world. I felt the same about the slightly sketched characterisation. I don’t have a sense of who Clare Mackay is. The character insights are missing, and as a result I never fully empathise and engage with the challenges thrown her way.

If you’re a fan of Marion Todd, you’ll doubtless not be disappointed with this new outing for Clare Mackay and her team. Pack it in your suitcase for a summer holiday read. If you’re after something gritty and intriguing, this one probably won’t be for you.

Thanks to #netgalley for the advance copy!

A Blind Eye by Marion Todd is book 7 in the Detective Clare Mackay series. I love this series and this was a great addition. Set in Scotland, this starts with the murder of solicitor Harry Richards and the reported stalking of his wife Louise. The case becomes very complicated with evidence leading them off at tangents. Love the rapport between DS Chris West and Clare. A fair bit of humour involved which is good. Other good characters too. Jim, the Desk Sergeant seems to be salt of the earth. And poor Robbie, one of the DCs, is going through a hard time personally. This is one of the aspects of Marion’s books that I like, all the great personalities and their caring natures. A great read and I would recommend this without question.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had suspense, intrigue, murder, mystery, great police work, A great who done it, and a few crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my Kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Crime for my approval to read and review this book.

Once again, Marion has written a gripping story full of plot twists and turns. I love Clare as she is a very relateable protagnoist and it is so nice to meet her and the team as they feel like family!!

DI Clare Mackay leads the investigation into the murder of a solicitor, Harry Richards, as the SIO. There are moments when you will find some humour thrown in and I feel this lightens up what could be a dark story of crime and murder. The threads of the plot are woven skillfully and the story is fast paced. I will definitely recommend this book to my fellow book worms.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I have read the whole of this series and it has been consistently strong. Here Clare investigates the murder of a local solicitor and wonders if the apparently accidental death of his paralegal's wife might be linked. The balance between the police procedural aspects and the focus on the officers' home lives was good, and (although I have no way of knowing if this is true) the police work read as authentic.

The opening chapters were a little dull and didn't particularly draw me in, but it soon picked up. The identity of the murderer was known from quite early on and then it was more a case of finding evidence for a prosecution, although the paralegal's wife case had more twists and turns.

Also, I totally agree about the correct way to eat a KitKat...

A Gruesome Case..
The seventh outing in the DI Clare Mackay series finds her grappling with the case of a dead solicitor- found in his car, deep in woodlands, with his throat slit. As Clare and the team investigate the gruesome and potentially complex case things soon become even more sinister. An engaging, fluid and well thought out pacy police procedural with a solid mystery at heart, a deftly crafted cast of wholly credible characters, a firm sense of place and a compelling plot with nicely woven threads. The series shows no signs of flagging whatsoever and the main characters are simply becoming more nuanced as it progresses.