A Deadly Flame is book 3 in the series.

I really enjoyed this psychological crime thriller. I would recommend reading the first 2 books first but you don't have to because it is written well. I also enjoyed the characters and storyline that held my attention.

Book 3 in DS Malkie McCulloch series. I’ve not yet read the previous books in this series but the setting in Scotland drew me in. It can be read as a standalone. A great book.

Doug Sinclair's A Deadly Flame delivers a chilling and suspenseful read that keeps the tension high throughout. The story centers around Anna Galbraith, whose life is turned upside down when her husband's whisky distillery is destroyed in a fire, claiming his life and that of a young firefighter. As Detective DS Malkie McCulloch digs deeper into the Galbraith family’s secrets, more questions arise, leading to a deadly and complex investigation.

Sinclair crafts compelling characters, especially Malkie, whose personal history with fire adds depth to his investigative journey. The pacing is tight, with each twist and turn adding to the mounting tension, and the revelations unfold at just the right moments to keep readers hooked. The emotional undercurrents running through the plot give the story a richness that balances the darker, more suspenseful aspects.

Though the twists are a bit heavy-handed at times, A Deadly Flame is a thrilling, atmospheric novel that offers a gripping experience for fans of crime fiction. Sinclair expertly blends mystery, personal conflict, and shocking turns to create a captivating tale that will keep you turning the pages.

A decent read all round, but perhaps not as gripping as some that I have recently read. One of those books that some will enjoy, while others might not.

#ADeadlyFlame #NetGalley I have not read the previous books in this series and whilst I was able to read and enjoy this book, I think it would have been helpful to have more background on the main characters. A bit slow to get going with some repetition, the second half of the book had plenty of action and twists and turns. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Twisty, entertaining, and fast paced story. It's an excellent series and I like the characters and the solid mysteries
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the 3rd book in the series.

Insightful characters and interesting story.
Lots of twists and sub plots that keep you attached

Nice weekend or beach read and will need to go back and read the other 2 now. Looking forward to more.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

A fire at a whisky warehouse where they find a body inside and a firefighter dies. A intriguing case that is also personal to Malkie as his mother recently died in a house fire. Good to see the characters develop and the interaction between Malkie and Steph as they try to solve the case. A well plotted books that moves along nicely. Thanks to Storm publishing and Netgalley for this review ARC.

A complex mystery in a mystery, Malkie thinks the case will be pretty straightforward- an accidental fire and a line-of-duty accidental death and he'll be back in bed soon. But as the fire investigator searches the scene and little things don't add up, and a body is found while Malkie watches the responding firemen (and women) at odds with one another, and when equipment is taken into the command center, he knows not6hing will be simple with this case. As both mysteries draw his teams attention back and forth from the widow and who would profit from a failing business, nothing is as it seems. a roller coaster read and a great intro into the series if you haven't read any of the previous books.

This was a very tense story all the way through. Public servants being adversly affected by the jobs they do, withoutthe support they need. Some very vivid characters and a compelling story line.

OMG! What a great read. I love the way this series is unfolding and I love Malkie as a character. He's tortured, kind, empathetic, smooth, rough and all the complex contradictions of someone who needs reminding of his true worth.
This took us into the dark world of deliberate fire setting and this darkness was compounded by personal revelations affecting Malkie and Steph.
Beautifully nuanced and quite addictive. I loved it!

Book 3 in the DS Malkie McCulloch series. A bit of a slow burner it didn’t really get going until half way through but then it became gripping! It’s nice to see how the main characters are developing over the series.

The third book in the series about Detective Malkie McCulloch and just as well written as the previous books. I was gripped from the start, as the team set out to solve the mystery of who was burnt alive in a bonded whisky warehouse.. Malkie works closely with the Fire Service Investigator as they seek answers to the cause of the fire and which Service is responsible for the investigation. Alongside this, bith Malkie and his DC Steph are dealing with their own personal trauma.
A gripping story that can be read as part of the series or as a standalone.
Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I look forward to the next one.

This is the third book in the DS Malkie McCulloch series that is set in Scotland. The story opens with a body discovered in the aftermath of a fire in the Whiskey Distillery. Malkie struggles in the beginning of this investigation because he is still traumatized by the death of his mother in a house fire.
Detective Stephanie Sinclair is his partner, and she is struggling with some personal issues. The two have become close, and they encourage, support and worry about each other a lot.
As the two investigate the scene, they discover that one of the firemen died while trying to put the fire out. As details emerge, they become suspicious of the fireman's death. Their investigation leads them to try and discover the identity of the first body as well as the fireman. There are many entanglements with both- and the story takes a dark turn.
As with his previous ovels, the atmosphere is dark and adds dimension and tension to the unraveling of the mystery. Malkie and Stephanie are complicated characters, each dealing with traumatic issues. They are honest about their flaws, but this makes them a strong team. I am enjoying getting to know both of them on a deeper level.
The mystery is good, and definitely dark. I really enjoyed my time with Malkie! Looking forward to the next installment of this excellent series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I have read and enjoyed the previous 2 books in this series. This one does refer back to some of the cases in the other books, so although you can read it as a stand-alone, it is probabily better to read the books as the series. As the book starts, Malkie and Steph are investigating a fire in a whisky warehouse. A body is found and a firefighter loses his life during the incident. Malkie's mother also died in a fire so this is difficult for him emotionally. Steph also has problems in her personal life .
I enjoyed this book, enough action and you do get a good sense of life in the Scottish town. The characters of Malkie and Steph are developed further and their relationships with others and each other explored. I did think that Malkie's relationship with Deborah felt a bit tacked on rather than being an intrinsic part of the plot . It is a good read on the whole though.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

3.75 ⭐️ (round up to 4) - Doug Sinclair’s ''A Deadly Flame'' is the third installment in a series that immerses readers in a gripping mystery set against the evocative backdrop of a whiskey distillery in Scotland. While I hadn’t read the first two books, Sinclair manages to create a compelling story that stands on its own, though I occasionally felt I was missing some background details from previous installments.

The narrative begins slowly, requiring a bit of patience as it establishes the setting and characters. However, after the first third, the story takes off, pulling readers into its thrilling core. Anna Galbraith's world shatters when she learns that her husband’s distillery has burned to the ground, leaving behind not just the wreckage but also a body inside. Tragically, her husband isn’t the only victim; a young firefighter has also perished, leaving a grief-stricken fiancée just weeks away from their wedding day. This devastating opening sets the stage for a gripping investigation that quickly escalates.

As Detective Sergeant Malkie McCulloch delves into the Galbraith family’s affairs, he uncovers hidden financial struggles that raise questions about the seemingly perfect marriage Anna portrayed. The tension intensifies when another shocking attack on a firefighter occurs, followed by the discovery of another body, assaulted and set alight in their own home. It becomes clear that a frenzied killer is on the loose, and Malkie must confront not only the case but also his own painful memories of his mother’s death in a fire. This personal connection adds emotional depth to his character and heightens the stakes of the investigation.

Sinclair introduces a myriad of characters right from the start, which can be overwhelming. At times, my head was spinning with the number of names thrown at me, and I felt that some characters could have been introduced without their names, especially since not all play a significant role in the story. Additionally, the use of police jargon and abbreviations could benefit from some explanation, as it occasionally added to the confusion for readers unfamiliar with the terminology.

What truly shines in this book is the classic feel of a thrilling BBC detective series translated into literary form. The atmospheric setting of a whiskey distillery not only enhances the narrative but also serves as a character in its own right, adding depth and intrigue to the plot.

Among the well-drawn characters, Malkie stands out as a personal favorite. His perspective, shared through internal thoughts, makes him relatable and easy to root for, providing a nice balance to the more intense moments of the investigation.

Overall, A Deadly Flame is an engaging read that will satisfy fans of crime fiction and psychological thrillers. While it may take some time to fully immerse yourself in the story, the payoff is well worth it, delivering a thrilling experience steeped in the complexities of human relationships and the haunting specter of the past.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for sending me a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

DS Malkie McCulloch's third outing, this time for a fire at a whisky bonded warehouse where a dead body was found in one of the offices and A firefighter lost his life. There are so many variables, was the fire arson? Was the firefighter's equipment faulty? Was the person dead before the fire was started? Did they start the fire? Why did one of the fire-fighters take the dead firefighters breathing apparatus away in contravention of standard procedure? Why was one firefighter shouting at another?

This was a gripping detective story, although the prologue made it obvious (to me) what had happened (although not necessarily why). However, ... I feel that in his attempts to create some personal lives for Malkie and Steph outside the cases Doug Sinclair draws with a very thick pen and is repetitious, very repetitious, to the point where, frankly, I no longer believed in the storyline. (view spoiler)

I also find Doug Sinclair's depiction of women a bit problematic, you might argue that no-one comes out of this looking good and that would be a fair point, but I just feel that one way or another they are all victims. I said with the first book that maybe these were too dark and tortured for me and this has reinforced that view.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

A suspicious fire, a found body and drama amongst the firefighters...

DS Malkie McCulloch is the detective up for this case, which not only killed someone inside the burnt whisky distillery but also one of the responding firefighters. Factor in his recent loss of his mother in a house fire, and he's incredibly invested to solve this crime. As he investigates, he finds suspicious behavior within the team of firefighters - odd handling of the gear and attacks on team members. What does this have to do with the circumstances?

I found the beginning difficult to keep the characters straight, and a little tough to follow. By the midpoint, things began to click and I was able to zip through the rest.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Doug Sinclair for the eARC.

This book had me gripped from the first page and reading into the wee small hours, Doug Sinclair is a new author to me and this book is the third in the series, it can totally be read as a standalone but I will definitely be reading the first two, I need to know what makes these brilliant, complex characters tick.
A fire is the last thing that DS Malkie McCulloch needed after the death of his mother in a house fire, the reality of which Malkie still had to face, his team were worried but Malkie knew that he had to face this, thankfully this fire was in a whiskey distillery not in a house.
Malkie was a good detective, sometimes pushing the boundaries, happy to stay as a DS but he had his own demons to fight. Malkie knew that his coping mechanism would be pushed to the limit when a charred body was found at the heart of the fire.
Malkie's partner, DC Steph Lang is also a complex character, the product of a rough upbringing, Steph had fought her way to where she is now, having to prove worth in a man's world to gain their respect, Steph was fighting her own demons and not always winning.
The gut feeling radar of Malkie and Steph is on full alert, the elegant surgeon wife of the distillery owner was adamant that he was away on business but became distraught when she couldn't reach him, a young female firefighter was crying and yelling accusations when the body of a young male firefighter was dragged from the building and just as the investigation was getting underway, another body was found in a house fire.
This book is definitely unputdownable, there are wonderful, if complex, characters, there is nail biting suspense, there are red herrings by the bucketful as Malkie, Steph and the team battle for answers. I love the way that the author has obviously done research for this book, the complexities of running a whiskey distillery etc, a very well deserved five stars.
Thank you Storm Publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, my review is my own.

Fire kills!

Scottish police procedural mystery with an interesting group of characters. Detective Sergeant Malkie McCulloch and Detective Constable Stephanie Lang have each other’s backs. Malkie is still recovering from the death of his cancer stricken mother in a fire. A candle left burning caused the fire. Malkie had bought her a candle for her birthday. He obsesses that the tragedy might have been his fault.
Now eight months later he’s confronted with another fire investigation and the death of someone sleeping inside the warehouse. A fireman on duty dies in the conflagration.
Meanwhile Steph is coping with news about her true father, a first rate scumbag and rapist.
I went from wondering who these people were to becoming completely immersed in their lives.
Now I have to catch-up on previous titles by Sinclair.

A Storm ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)