Ann Cleeves fans will be gripped by G N Smith’s The Flood, the first title in his crime fiction series featuring Fiona McLeish.

Still haunted by the death of her parents, Fiona is close to breaking point. Having been told to step away from her role at Police Scotland, Fiona finds herself going back to her childhood home nestled in a remote valley on the Scottish borders. With everything that is going on in her life, Fiona needs time to regroup and figure out her next step, but that might be harder than she initially thought because there is a storm coming that is going to bring to light secrets that have lain buried for a very long time – like a dead body.

Fiona finds the blooded body of a neighbour in their flooded house and judging by the bruising around the victim’s neck, this was no accident, but cold-blooded murder. With the storm cutting the entire village off, Fiona realises that she has to work fast because there is a dangerous killer on the loose who might just strike again. As flood waters continue to rise and the entire community rallies around, Fiona and some locals hide out at the highest-standing farm where another victim is found with even more suspicious wounds.

Trapped with a killer on the farm, can she figure out whodunnit before more bodies are found? Or is Fiona about to come face to face with the killer – and become the next victim?

G N Smith’s The Flood is a heart-stopping chiller I struggled to put down. Packed with tension, atmosphere and suspense, The Flood is a cleverly constructed and brilliantly written thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Fiona McLeish is a terrific heroine – she’s a fascinating woman haunted by demons from her past who is clever, intuitive, intelligent and somebody readers will enjoy spending time with.

A must-read for crime fiction fans, The Flood is an unmissable page-turner by G N Smith.

Thank you Bookoutre and Netgalley for this ARC.
This was a breath of fresh air - a new author, new series - brilliant.
The storyline was intriguing, suspenseful and fast paced with plenty of suspects and it kept me interested.
Looking forward to the next book.
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Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. The first in this series was a home run. The characters and storyline were well done. Due to the a circumstance this became a kind of locked room thriller/mystery. It was a bit slow and repetitive but well worth the read. Looking forward to more from the series.

I really enjoyed this and I’m happy to have a found a new series with a brilliant main character. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. This is the first book in a series of police procedurals set in Scotland. I really liked the suspense this book brought. It kept me on my toes and guessing all throughout. It did drag on at times but overall a good read!

I love a book set in Scotland. Throw in a police procedural and Im sold. I liked this book but I couldnt say I loved it. It dragged on too much. I have read number 2 in the series and found I connected more to that one.

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

Loved this book., if you enjoy thrillers you will definate enjoy this book. I would recommend this book to anybody.

Intriguing and fast paced with lots of suspects. I enjoyed the layout and suspense I was given with the character development. Narration is done well. It kept me interest in wanting to know who’s behind the murder of Fiona’s parents. I hope the next book will spell it out! Thank you, G.N. Smith, Bookouture, & Netgalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.

The first book in a new series is always make or break….

This is definitely a fantastic start to what is looking to be a wonderful series. Smith has pulled me in instantly and made this a book which has been completely unputdownable.

I loved Fiona, she’s just such a great character from beginning to end. We meet her on a break from work, visiting family only to have a murder to solve.

The setting really adds an element to this one which I have loved. Isolated, poor weather and an intriguing crime to solve.

The Flood contains a whole array of characters to get to know. I really hope we get to revisit these in a later book. Fiona has definitely been my favourite.

To start with, this has been slower than I usually prefer. Although, it didn’t stop me becoming lost in the pages.

I can’t wait to read more by Ryun author.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The first in a series of police procedurals. It set up a very atmospheric scenario in the Borders of Scotland with a group of people diminishing in numbers when hit by an unexpected flood. There is a murderer in their midst and it is down to Fiona a police constable coming to grips with a difficult past.

The Flood by G.N. Smith is the first book in the new PC Fiona MacLeish Crime Thriller series and what a great book. Fiona MacLeish is a Scottish Police Detective and has been ordered to step back from her role in her job in the the Police Force in Scotland. Haunted by the murder of her parents, she is dangerously close to breaking point: and is back in her remote childhood home with her Aunt Mary, nestled in a valley on the Scottish border. But there’s a terrifying Storm Odin coming, this will play havoc on the village residents causing a huge flood in the area and the water is rising quickly. Fiona and Aunt Mary are clearing out quickly to travel a safe distance from the flood, but is wonder about their elderly neighbouring property. Fiona goes to check if they're ok and to see if they need any help. Only to find George dead and his wife missing.
On closer inspection, it looks like George has been murdered!

Now, with no way out.......the water is rising quickly there is a murderer on the loose and where is George's wife?

Can Fiona work out who the killer is before they kill again?

WoW this is so tense with great twist and turns that will have you sitting on the edge of my seat especially as I have a storm where I live and its pouring down! Great setting for this book. lol

This new series was addictive that made me want to read and find out more about this new character PC Fiona MacLeish which I did like. I am looking forward reading more books within this series.

Big thank you to netgalley, and Bookouture and the author G.N.Smith for an early copy of her book.

This is a common review of the books in this series: The Flood, The Island, and The Shelter.
This is a good series: gripping, tense, and a quite dark.
Fiona is not a character you will like since the beginning: flawed, damaged, obsessed by the murder of ther parents. She grew on me and I appreciated her after a bit.
The stories are well plotted and and the solid plot kept me guessing.
I recommend it as it's an intriguing set of mysteries.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Book 1 in what is looking like a new superb series.
The Flood By G N Smith is a great start to a series.

The flood waters are rising. And so is the body count…

Police officer Fiona MacLeish has been ordered to step back from her role in Police Scotland. Haunted by the murder of her parents, she’s dangerously close to breaking point: and is back in her remote childhood home nestled in a valley on the Scottish border. But there’s a terrifying storm coming…

Fiona has gone staying with her aunt, the woman who has always been there for her, the woman who brought her up after losing her parents. Fiona and Aunt Mary soon become trapped when their attempt to leave the valley is stopped with a mud slide blocking the road. The only thing they can do is return to one of the farm houses that the other locals have gone to. The problem now is Fiona knows one of the neighbors in the farm house is a killer. What she doesn't know is who the killer is. It could be anyone of them. Fiona will need her police nose and skills to sniff out which one of her aunts friends or neighbors is a brutal murderer.

A gripping, intense and exciting read. Especially when you are reading it while 'Storm Agnes is forecast for your area. I could feel the tension, the fear but also the determination to come out the other side of the storm that has hit the valley.

Superb read, loved every bit of it and I can't wait to read the next books in the series.
2 The Island
3 The Shelter

Baton down the hatches a storm is about to hit..

This is pure intensity from the moment I started until the end. It’s a little bit of a locked room type mystery as a storm and flood trap the characters and when they start dying, there is a limited amount of suspects. No one knows that Fiona is a police officer as she is trapped with the others and so she starts to investigate without any backup.

This is a great setup for the Fiona MacLeish series. She is a likable character and determined to find justice. I wish she showed us a little more than slowing down the pace to tell us everything she was thinking as she works out the evidence, but other than that, a very enjoyable first book in this new series.

I switched back and forth between reading and listening to this one and I enjoyed Helen McAlpine’s narration and accent.

This is a review of the audiobook.

Will not be going on with this book , though out it the author kept reminding us of stuff she already told us about the main character

Police Officer Fiona MacLeish has briefly stepped from her job & is staying with her Aunt Mary is an isolated valley in the Borders. Aunt Mary has loved & cared for her since her parents were brutally murdered as a teen. Although Fiona would love to be a detective, getting the news of her parents death after an exam has left her with total inability to sit exams.

It is a wild night, hurricane force winds are on their way & with snow melt it looks like they will be flooded. As Mary puts their immediate needs & precious things in the car. Fiona goes to check on their neighbours down the hill- only to find one missing & one dead! Before they can get to the nearest town & report it the road is closed by a landslide. Along with the other residents they head for the highest house, belonging to the farmer. Of course they are given shelter even though there are a great number of local bad feelings. As the storm batters them & another body is found & someone disappears, Fiona is left trying to discover the killer before there are more bodies!

This was a brilliant read! Was it a bit far fetched in places?- well yes. Did it have all the requisites for a disaster movie? Again yes, but that made no difference. The storm, a character in itself permeates the atmosphere & I really loved it!

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book

Police officer Fiona MacLeish has been ordered to step back from her role in Police Scotland. Haunted by the murder of her parents, she’s dangerously close to breaking point: and is back in her remote childhood home nestled in a valley on the Scottish border. But there’s a terrifying storm coming…

When Fiona finds the bloodied body of a neighbour in their flooded house, a chill runs through her veins. The bruising around his throat tells Fiona someone wanted this elderly man dead. And with the torrential rain cutting the farming village off completely, the murderer must still be nearby.

Can Fiona find the killer before they strike again?

I enjoyed this book. There was enough tension and drama to keep you guessing right to the end. I look forward to reading the next book.

The storyline of The Flood was original and at times was tense and exciting. Unfortunately, parts of the book were more slow moving. Fiona was a strong character but her thoughts and narration could be repetitive. The final third was the most compelling.

This book is addictive and clear your schedule because you won't be able to put it down! Fiona and her aunt are evacuating because it looks like the flood waters are rising. Then Fiona finds one of their neighbours murdered with tension and flood waters rising will Fiona be able to catch the killer before there are many more murders? The setting of this is so atmospheric and reminds me of floods that I have experienced but of course I wasn't trying to catch a killer. Fiona and her aunt are strong females and I am inspired by Fiona and her strength and resilience. The setting and the characters are what really engaged me throughout the story and I am eager to read more about Fiona in the next book.