Malkie McCulloch returns to work after a six month leave of absence following the death of his mother in a house fire. He can’t forgive himself for not being able to rescue her & thinks he’s a failure.

His first case is a hit and run but he thinks there’s more to it than that. The evidence points towards people he had history with.

It seems that everyone involved in this story has known each other for years. Many of them were in the army together and have long standing grudges. I got bored quite quickly and struggled to keep up with all of the characters & their convoluted past. Not wanting to sound unsympathetic, I also got fed up of Malkie’s constant self pity over his grief.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent read and an instant page turner. Good characters and plot line. An author to keep an eye on. Recommended.

whilst an excellent premise for a story and in the most part compellingly told, I found some sections got a bit slow moving and overly focused on aspects of the characters that lent nothing to the story at that moment, but would have been useful perhaps earlier or in a different context.
That said, the story flows well for the most part and the characters are gritty and dark and eminently human!

Unfortunately this wasn't engaging for me. Felt a bit slow and with attempted mystery on the past but nothing propelling the story forward. I am rating 5 stars as it was a DNF out of fairness. Thank you so much for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this gripping crime thriller and looking forward to reading more by this author and more from this series.

In this gripping crime thriller, family ties become a deadly force as DS Malkie McCulloch confronts a brutal hit-and-run case in the shadow of the Pentland Hills. The victim's fight for survival sets off a chain of events that lead Malkie deep into a complex web of family connections, deception, and greed.

Resisting pressure to hand the case over, Malkie and his partner DC Steph Lang uncover evidence pointing towards a former soldier grappling with PTSD. As Malkie delves into the investigation, he risks not only his career but also his life. The narrative skillfully navigates the intricate layers of the case, revealing a sinister plot that goes beyond the initial crime.

The author weaves a suspenseful tale where justice, vengeance, and police corruption collide. Malkie must untangle the truth before the body count rises, navigating a dangerous path where even the police force itself may be implicated. A must-read for fans of crime fiction that combines intricate storytelling with a relentless pursuit of justice.

I enjoyed reading through this one! Highly captivating and engaging. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

Blood Runs Deep is the first book in a new Scottish series featuring DS Malkie McCulloch.

Malkie McCulloch has been on leave after his mother has died. The night before he is to return to duty, he gets a call about a hit and run accident. Once there Malkie believes this is no accident but a deliberate attempt to kill the man.

The evidence will lead Malkie to a crime family that may be responsible, but his boss wants him to close the case quickly. Malkie doesn't win any points in his return to work as it is apparent, he his is still difficult to work with. But Malkie believes his boss is acting suspicious. Could he be involved with the crime family.

This was a wonderful and gritty mystery. It also deals with PTSD and biases about homosexuality. I think this was a great start to a new series. My only issue was I struggled with some of the words used. I could have used a glossary for some of the words since I wasn't sure who they were being used. In spite of that, I really liked the characters and how they interacted with others.

This is the first book in the DS Malkie McCullouch detective series, and it's a gritty and graphic tale of dark crimes and a detective battling with his demons. It begins when Malkie returns to work after enforced medical leave, and I wondered if there was a preceding book when I first started reading. There is a mixture of action, graphically described crimes, introspection and backstory. Whilst it is clear that Malkie believes in justice, he does appear to be on the path to self-destruct, which is emotionally draining. There is a believable dynamic between Malkie and his partner, Detective Steph Lang.
There is effective suspense building and a mystery with twists. I like the suspense and the investigation team dynamic and am interested in how the main character develops in the next book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Doug Sinclair's Blood Runs Deep is a gripping new police procedural set in central Scotland. The characters are well-written with plenty of realism and gallous humour. I look forward to reading the next in the series

Not a bad. crime novel but, I've read better. Found this a littl3 slow and labouring and I nearly gave up. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you for the advance copy of 'Blood runs Deep', a highly-anticipated book from Doug Sinclair.
I was lucky enough to hear Doug read a couple of chapters of this out at an event a few years ago, and I told him then it was brilliant. Since then, it has become a thing of beauty, and I loved every page. Malkie is not an easy character to love, mainly because of his own self-loathing, but he is still the perfect man for the job in hand.
His dogged determination is admirable, and I found myself both cheering him on and shouting at him to pull himself together.
The plot was intricately woven, with clues seeded in so cleverly you have to go back and check once you reach the end. I predict this book will win awards, and I'm very much looking forward to reading more books by this author.

Doug Sinclair introduces readers to Detective Sargent Malkie McCulloch. Who is just returning to duty after several months out. Thanks to the death of his mum in a house fire.

And his first case is one that's supposed to be simple. After all his superiors are sure it's just a simple hit-and-run. An accident and something his colleagues in the road policing unit can deal with.

Yet, Malkie isn't convinced, and evidence on the road clearly shows the victim was targeted and soon the vehicle is found. Along with the driver who is a former soldier suffering from PTSD.

However, Malkie isn't so sure he was driving and decides it's best to ignore his boss and continue the investigation. Which leads him and his colleague DC Stephanie Lang down a dangerous path and possibly onto a collision course with a local crime family.

And with questions raised about the treatment of ex-service men, moments of gruesomeness (which I loved) and gritty characters. This was a compelling introduction to a new series, and it's one I'll be reading more of in the future.

I really enjoyed the police characters in this book, but I feel Malkie is a little too maverick to keep his police post. I look forward to reading more in this series to see how the characters develop.

A great introduction to a new detective. Fast paced, plenty of red herrings and enough teasers to look forward to the next book in the series. Malkie McCulloch is a man with heavy baggage - he’s just come back to work after losing his mother in a house fire in which he and his father are seriously injured. He’s straight in at the deep end when he decides that the ‘accidental’ RTA is anything but. The story revolves around an ex-soldier with PTSD, his former comrades and the different lives they all lead. The book is set in Edinburgh area but I felt that it could have been set anywhere. There was no feeling of being tartan noire - no Scottish dialect, few familiar place names and no real connection to Edinburgh. I will look out for the next book to see how the character develops. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a prepublication ebook in return for an honest review.

Scottish-noir, crime-thriller, detective, new-series, first-in-series, grief, grieving, gritty, unputdownable, depression, mental-health-issues, lies, secrets, corruption, family, greed, violence, triggers****

DS Malkie McCulloch is a mess. Awash in PTSD complete with horrible nightmares and still battling the depression that came with the events that fried his mother, left his father still in hospital, and overwhelming financial burden. But he's been cleared to return to work with his old partner DC Steph Lang. As if. Malkie seems to get the job done, but he is not a by-the-rules team player.
The first call is to an RTA that turns into an attempted murder case that brings him back into his younger days and the crime families that dogged him. Gripping but violent. Even so, I want to see where this new series goes next.
I requested and received an EARC from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you

A great start to a new series. DS Malkie McCulloh and his partner DC Steph Lang take us on a roller coaster fast paced action thriller that keeps you gripped to the last page. Some excellent social comment is included that recognises individuals struggles to deal with life and what life throws at them. Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

3.5 stars
This is a good start to a new series.
DS Malkie McCulloch has been off work for a while and still seems to be struggling with his life.
His first case back is explained to him as a hit and run but when looking at the scene, it seems the man was struck down on purpose.
Malkie and his partner Steph start to investigate but thus brings him in contact with a criminal who he has clashed with in the past.
This is a good crime thriller.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

It is hard to believe this is the first book by the author and I do hope it is the start of a new series! Set in Livingston, I loved the characterisation, even the criminals were very interesting! Malkie is a tortured DS with a brilliant sidekick in Steph, the voice of reason. The plotting was interesting, family, greed and secrets, with vivid descriptions of violence, perhaps too vivid for some readers! Overall, it's a very good crime thriller and one I really enjoyed reading. please write another one! Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

A good crime thriller I enjoyed: gritty and gripping, featuring a complex and flawed detective.
Will surely read the next book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine