Loved the atmosphere setting of this book along with a really good who dunnit and some brilliant characters, I’m looking forward to reading more by this author. Highly recommended for anyone that loves a murder mystery!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC

Cold Secrets

‘how fragile, how suggestive the human mind can be and how willing it is to believe anything that is placed in front of it. ‘ [ … ]

What a fantastic book! I'm actually a bit sad to see it come to an end, but if it's up to me, I'd love to come down to the Pine Needles for a wee dram at some point in the future and have a chat about another adventure!

I know Scotland well, I have hiked there a number of times - from the Highlands to the Outer Hebrides - ; I am also a whisky lover (a fan of Speyside whiskies myself.), and try to get there as often as possible. I have no problem with the Scottish weather: it pours just as often here in the north of the Netherlands: it's just part of the experience. A dram by the fire in the evening and the rain and wind are soon forgotten.
The book breathes Scotland, I will not give away too much of the plot for fear of spoiling too much.

The never solved murder of a young girl years ago, with a touch of Greek tragedy is the basis for this sublime murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Mirabella offers Robert, the owner of the Pine Needle pub, a handsome reward for finding the murderer of her daughter Clara years ago.
Together with the other staff of the Pine Needle, he sets out to find out who murdered the girl and left the Rowley family in shambles.
They almost get killed and burned alive in the process…

I liked the way almost every chapter ends with a cliffhanger - it is very suspenseful until the very last page.

It is incredibly well written, thrilling until the very last page, and has a very original and completely believable plot. I liked each of the characters, although I found the switch from ‘bad cop’ to ‘good cop’ (McCrae) a bit far-fetched. I fear that Robbie has been hitting the whisky bottle too many times,how can he fail to see that Eilidh is madly in love with him? :)

Some parts were hilarious, like the meeting at Felicity's place in the woods. Like The Marlowe Murder Club, I have a feeling that this book could be suitable for the screen.
I thought that the pages of the book fit in incredibly well with the story and were very original.

The story has a somewhat open ending, so I'm really hoping for a sequel! And I'd love to come and have a wee dram at The Pine Needles!

For fans of The Marlow Murder Club - a great, and atmospheric murder mystery set in bonnie Scotland!
Highly recommended, 5 stars!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ solid 4 stars! Can't wait to read more by V.J. Randle!!!

If you like your mysteries with a side of danger and a hint of ice, Cold Secrets is a must read!!

Cold Secrets is a fast-paced thriller and V.J. Randle's writing carves out a plot as crisp and thrilling as the winter landscape it's set in. With twists as sharp as a shard of ice and as unpredictable as a winter storm.
Amidst the tension, there’s a frosty backdrop of desperation at Robert's Pine Needle bar. Robert was left the bar by his late father. The bar is in danger of having to close as it is barely making ends meet. The cool £100k offered by well-to-do Londoner Mirabella Rowley ( the mother of a teenage girl who was murdered twenty-two years ago and who claims to have spoken to Robert's father the day he died ) in exchange for Robert to look into what happened to her daughter would be the lifeline needed to save the Pine Needle.

Lovely writing style from V.J. Randle and I very much look forward to reading more from this author.

P.S Sorry for the wintery/ice puns I can't help myself!!






Thank you to NetGalley and the author V.J. Randle for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Robert Begg is struggling. He is still grieving the death of his father & the bar- The Pine Needle' is struggling to make ends meet. As the traditional Hogmanay party is in full swing & he wonders if they can keep going till the next one. A very well to do lady arrives & demands that Robert help her right a wrong. Her son is imprisoned for the murder of his sister but she is convinced he didn't do it & the detective who investigated was involved. She offers money to find out the truth. Money that would keep the bar open. Robert discovers that his father had been contacted by her- why did he never mention it?

This was a terrific story. The setting of Findrussie is beautifully crafted- you can almost feel the wind off the Loch! The characters were well written & mostly likeable & the pace of the story was great. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

I really enjoyed this book. Set in Findrussie in the Scottish highlands, Robert Begg is still trying to get over the sudden death of his father and keeping his bar Pine Needles from sinking, luckily he has the support of his friends.
The group of four friends are thrown into investigating a twenty year old murder by the victim’s mother, reluctantly Robert gets involved not realising the danger he will be putting him and his friends into.
Well written and enjoyable read.

Cold cases, a good who done it murder mystery and an accidental detective as MC, what's not to like? This was and enjoyable read with an atmospheric setting and likable characters.

This is a good little thriller in which the eclectic team from the Pine Needles bar are dragged into solving an historical murder. In carrying out their investigations, they put themselves in danger.
This isn't your typical gritty Scottish thriller - it's softer and sweeter than that.

First.of all, i love that this is set in Scotland. And the fact that our MC is an accidental detective is brilliant. The writing is fantastic and this is truly such an enjoyable, edge of your seat read!

Terrific setting, premise and characters. The author creates something special with this accidental detective and I loved getting to know him and the people around him as he adjusted, somewhat reluctantly, to his new role. Excellent descriptions of the world in which the plot takes place make this a charming read.

A very different detective and plot. A good read with plenty of action and suspense,set in Scotland.

I really enjoyed that this wasn’t a old detective as a main character but someone that was accidental put in that position. The story was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this world. It had a great mystery element that I was hoping for and was glad I got to read this. V J Randle has a strong writing style and was glad I got to start this series.

Meet Robert Begg: bar owner and now accidental detective, as he’s swept up in a decades’ old case in the Scottish Highlands! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and a few twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!