Member Reviews

4.5 stars rounded down for Goodreads

It was great to get caught up Teàrlach and crew again. I have grown to love this trio from the very first book. That hasn't changed. I think this was my favorite book in the three part series. This story kept me hooked from beginning to end. I couldn't stop reading and ended up binging in one day.

This storyline is easy to become lost in. Each time it looked like we were getting answers, we'd meet a dead end. The revelation after revelation came up. Some involving our favorite trio. There was so much happening but it wasn't confusing at all. It was very easy to follow and added layer after layer of suspense and mystery.

The book is very well written and I liked the story being told from multiple perspectives. Everyone held a key to the truth so, it was almost like following a trail of breadcrumbs. When it all came to light it was equal parts heartbreaking and shocking. I felt both emotions strongly.

What I wasn't a fan of was the ending. I feel like for the end of the series, there's still so much that can e done with these characters. I'm hoping that I misunderstood and we see more of these three in the future. Overall, I still very much enjoyed this one.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley and the author for my eARC of this book. All opinions are my own and I am leaving my review voluntarily. <\u>

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This is the third book in the Private Investigator Tearlach Paterson series. I have read all the books in the series and have enjoyed them very much. In the latest, the deaths of a photographer and a marine scientist, and the disappearance of a young fisherman seem unrelated. However, Tearlach is asked to look into the death of the photographer, and returns to his hometown of Mull. Tearlach brings his team of Dee and Chloe along to help look into all of these incidents. As they look deeper into the three men, they find family secrets, forbidden love, betrayal, family feuds, and quite possibly a recording of a siren's song that the marine scientist recorded under water before his death.

Greig continues to be a master of infusing atmospheric settings into his stories as if it, too, were a main character. An impending storm adds to the tension as Tearlach and his team try to unwind the strands that connect the three men, and their secrets.

I enjoyed this installment. However, I found it drag a bit at the beginning. And the inspection of Tearlach and Dee's relationship- although important to the characters development, pulled the reader out of the tension building with the investigation. It is relevant as the reader discovers at the end- but there seemed to be a lot more introspection of these two characters in this installment.

I did really enjoy the investigation, and thought it was quite clever the way the author tied it all together. I still enjoy this series, and look forward to the next one!

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

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The third in the series, I did not engage with this book as quickly as I did with the previous two and I cannot really put my finger on why not. Tearlach is asked to look into the death of the husband of Lucy, who he knew at school. He was a wildlife photographer and was found in Fingal's cave on the Isle of Staffa. The team return to Mull, where Tearlach grew up, living with his aunt. Another suspicious death occurs . There were clues which were not picked up on later in the book and the team were not appreciated by the local police. The pace was slowish at first, picking up later in the book. I did get into the book more as the book progressed and liked the descriptions of the island scenery and life. Tearlach , Dee and Chloe were together, but their working relationship did not seem so close this time, all three do have their own personal issues though. Saying that I will definately read a future episode and would rate this book as a strong 4 star (rather than the 5 for the other two books) . I like the author's writing style and the locations.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC

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This is one story where the setting added so much to the story. Scottish highlands and remote islands, some with very few inhabitants, some only with birds - puffins and skuas. Turbulent weather, storms, raging seas and a very hardy people.

Tearlach born on the islands is back at his childhood home. He left years ago and has not returned, not even to sort the cottage out. He has plenty of baggage to sort out. A private investigator he is tasked by Lucy Patterson to find out what happened to her wildlife photographer husband. She refuses to accept that her husbands death was an accident. Within a few days the next death occurs which the police conveniently mark out as an accident and when a young man disappears with no trace, it seems very strange that three suspicious deaths have occurred in an area where deaths like this are rare.

Tearlack along with his assistants Chloe and Dee have to tread carefully. The local police do not like them hovering around and cooperating with them is not looked on favorably. Despite putting pieces of the puzzle together much faster than the local police, Tearlach has to step carefully, dealing with volatile characters.

The story apart from the detection held interest especially the descriptive nature of the islands added so much to the story. There are side stories of Dee’s past and Tearlach discovery of a daughter hitherto unknown but they were almost distractions from the main story.

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The Graveyard Bell is an absolutely captivating read! From the eerie setting on the Isle of Mull to the gripping mystery at its heart, I was hooked from the very first page. Teàrlach Paterson is a fantastic protagonist, and I loved how his investigation slowly unraveled a web of dark secrets and betrayals. The suspense builds perfectly, and the stormy atmosphere made everything feel so much more intense. The twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the ending was brilliantly satisfying. If you love atmospheric, twisty mysteries, this is a must-read!

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If you have ever been to the island of Mull, then you will understand just how remote it can feel although it is not that far from the mainland however in bad weather it may as well be. The story enfolds quickly and when there are additional plots added, the team just seem to absorb it all albeit with a severe lack of internet/mobile connection which just adds to the plot. Beautifully described and a great page turner with the team of three developing nicely. Overall 4.5*

Thanks to Netgalley/Storm Publishing for the ARC to review.

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Just Wow, this is the first book that I have read by Andrew James Greig but he has just earned himself a place on my "authors to watch out for" list. Although this is the third book in this series the author cleverly gives a potted version of the backgrounds of the well moulded and likeable main characters.
PI Tearlach Paterson and his assistants, Dee and Chloe all had disturbing childhoods, all overcame the adversities and became a team that really shouldn't work but just does, and just does brilliantly.
When Tearloch is contacted by an old schoolfriend to find out what happened to her husband, he leave his Glasgow home and heads to the remote island of Mull, the place where he had spent his childhood with his beloved aunt, the place that he hadn't returned to since her death, the place that he returned to with trepidation.
Lucy's husband, a well known wildlife photographer, had been found dead at the bottom of a cliff close to Fingal's Cave, the police had it down as an accident but Lucy was convinced that it wasn't ,and where was his camera ? To add to his problems, Tearlach was also contacted by a dying man who wanted him to find his missing son, he wanted to know what had happened to him before he died........he only had a short time.
This story twists and turns as the stories intertwine, Tearloch, Dee and Chloe try to unravel the mysteries in this usually quiet, close knit community, they encounter deep family feuds that go back generations, conspiracies, deceptions, secrets, haunting undersea music like sirens drawing the sailors to their deaths.
This story is so atmospheric, the author writes with such passion about the Scotland that I love, I could practically feel the icy cold, the blistering, howling wind, the horizontal rain, I cold practically taste the salt in the sea air.
I really look forward to reading more about Tearloch, Dee and Chloe.
Thank you Storm publishing and Net Gallery for this ARC, this review is voluntary.

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I've not read this author before but the story sounded interesting.
Teàrlach Paterson PI is called by a friend to find out what really happened to her husband.
What a tangled web this story was, several deaths in such a small place. Were they somehow connected?
The setting is the islands of Scotland, desolate and distant yet the author brought them to life. I think I gave my kindle dictionary a workout for the meanings of certain words.
This was a gripping tale, a little slow paced but I enjoyed it very much.

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A really enjoyable read from start to finish from an author worth seeking out.. Decent story line and characters which is always a big plus.

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Thank you, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for letting me review this book!

The Graveyard Bell is the third book in the Scottish murder mystery series, Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson, and this is the first book I have read by Andrew James Greig, especially the first book in the series. I did not feel I needed to read the first two, to understand what was going on, and it completely gripped me in the very beginning all the way to the end!

There were three terrible events that took place at the Isle of Mull. The police do not believe anything was amiss, however, the widow of one of the death’s believes her husband did not just fall off the cliff but was pushed to his death. She hires Private Investigator Teàrlach Paterson bringing him back to his childhood home.

These three events all tie in together, but you will have to read the book to find out! I recommend this book if you are a fan of mysteries, and whodunits. It held my attention, and ended the same way - with my full attention!

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THE GRAVEYARD BELL - An improvement over Silent Ritual with the wordiness. Interesting story lines, a variety of characters, a steady pace and interesting descriptions of the locale and people. Source: Netgalley. 5*

SILENT RITUAL - An interesting but wordy book with good story lines and good characters. While an interesting story, the wordiness made it hard to keep my focus reading, too easy to set down. Gruesome crimes but not graphically gory. Source: Netgalley. 3*

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2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of The Graveyard Bell.

Private investigator Paterson returns back to his hometown to investigate a murder. He is hired by the widow to investigate the murder and what he uncovers is a web of lies and deceit. But can he find the truth before someone else gets hurt?

I had such a hard time connecting with this book and the characters. I also feel like it drug on too long. I was unfortunately not a fan.

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I downloaded this times 2 as it downloaded the first 1/3rd missing, which happened on both downloads. I did read the remainder as the blurb was to my liking but unfortunately, it did nothing for me.
I did not like any of the players it just seemed a bit mismatched.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing. I'm sorry I did not like what I read. There was a story, but to my mind, it was not put together very well.

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The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig

No 3 in the PI Teàrlach Paterson series treats us to a ferry trip to Mull.

Teàrlach and his team have their work cut out for them. Are 3 mysterious events on this normally quiet island linked? What, if anything, connects a missing fisherman, a wildlife photographer, and an environmentalist?

In this third novel in the series, we uncover more of Teàrlach’s childhood, expanding on previous books (but it could still be read as standalone).
Is he still a local or is he a tourist in his old home?

This is an enjoyable mystery, with some twisted moments. For me the stars are the Hebridean landscape and weather, making it an atmospheric story where you can feel that salty Atlantic wind and sea harr that soaks you to the bone.

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The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig is book 3 in the PI Tearlach Paterson series. It is published on 24 February. Thank you to Storm Publishing, Netgalley and the author for an advance copy to review. Lucy Jameson travels to Glasgow from the Isle of Mull to ask Tearlach for his help to investigate the death of her husband, Robert, after it was declared accidental. However, that is not the only death, with the drowning of a wildlife underwater sound recordist on the small Isle. There is also the matter of the missing Calum Donald, who was last seen on a fishing boat. All these sinister events are surely connected. Tearlach’s team is made up of Dee, who is an IT expert, and Chloe, the expert in the office. They have all grown close because of their last case and are now like family. They all have demons but that makes them who they are. To get a good grip on the characters, it is best to read the series in order and start at book 1, The Girl in the Loch. I love the writing and the descriptions place you in the middle of the story. The team move to Mull to investigate, moving into the cottage left to him by his aunt and a can of worms is opened for Tearlach. A fabulous read.

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The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig is the second book of read featuring private investigator Teàrlach Paterson. (I missed the last one) but it doesn’t detract to much from the story, which starts with a wildlife photographer being found at the bottom of a cliff , he’s was the husband of his old school friend and childhood crush Lucy Jameson and she tracks down Teàrlach to investigate, as she is convinced there is more to his death, but returning to the island where he was brought up by his Aunty after the tragic death of his mother & brother brings back lots of unresolved memories for Teàrlach and the rest of his team Dee & Chloe have to deal with their own issues as well, Before they all know it they are dragged into more missing people and deaths and family feuds,
I will definitely look out for more from this author.

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The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig (Storm Publishing, 2025) is the third book in Greig’s series about private investigator Teàrlach Paterson. When former classmate Lucy Jameson asks Paterson to look into the death of her husband, Paterson privately agrees with the police that it was an accident. Lucy insists that photographs published in a wildlife magazine weeks after her husband’s death and attributed to a stranger are her husband’s. Paterson turns his digital whiz colleague Dee loose on locating the original photos and the metadata that would show when they were taken.

Returning to Mull where Jameson fell from a cliff raises all sorts of uncomfortable memories in Paterson. He grew up there with his aunt who took him in after his family fell apart. His aunt died two years earlier as he was leaving the military. He did not know she was ill, was not prepared to lose her, and realizes he had never dealt with any part of the loss. The cottage had been closed since the funeral and his aunt’s possessions remained as she left them, only now they were covered with dust. Paterson knew his life was in Glasgow and decided he could no longer put off the hard work of clearing the home and making it available to someone else who needed it.

While Paterson is on the island, Fraser Donald contacts Paterson’s office to ask for help in locating his missing son Callum, working as a fisherman on Mull, giving Paterson another job. When a second death occurs in the seaside vicinity of the first, Paterson begins to wonder about potential connections among the two dead men and the missing fisherman.

A complicated plot involving three victims, their families, friends, and back stories as well as Paterson’s difficult childhood and Dee’s search for her biological parents. Sorting his aunt’s papers uncovers information new to Paterson and suggests where the next book in the series might lead. Despite the complexity of multiple threads, the narrative blends all of them seamlessly while the action propels the story forward without the occasional lull that so often occurs in long books.

I enjoyed reading this new investigation; any missing context provided by the first two in the series was not noticeable. An unusual setting adds to its appeal. Readers who like private investigator scenarios or small town mysteries or who are looking for another series should consider this one.

The trade paperback was released in January 2025 and the ebook will be released in late February.

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Loads of suspense and atmosphere🌊🛥

This series, now three in, is better with each book! This mystery moved quickly in a multiple POV format that kept me guessing the exact hows and whys. And I loved the Western Hebridean isle setting and how it traps the action on an island where secrets are really hard to keep. In a matter of days, two deaths, one missing fisherman who's caught up with his girlfriend in a family feud and a situation where Tearlach and his crew of private investigators have almost a clear field for poking around thanks to a small local police force not up to the challenge.

The stormy weather and rough seas provided that extra bit of drama and ominous atmosphere and I loved the way a tourist amateur photographer helped blow the cases wide open.

Tearlach's personal life, the surprises and emotions on returning to the place where his aunt raised him, had just enough focus to give substance to his, Dee and Chloe's characters and underline how protective they can be for each other. The plot remained a pageturner despite the occasional deviations and revelations about Tearlach's past.

A really gripping Scottish mystery!

Thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Review shared 2/19/25 with Waterstones, Goodreads and Barnes & Noble. To be shared with kobo upon publication.

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This is the first book I've read in this series, but it gives enough background that I don't think it matters. Asked by an old friend to look into the death of her husband, the investigation soon widens to include another death and a missing man. Gradually they untangle the threads linking them together, leading to another death. A good book and I will look for others by this author

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My first Andrew James Greig novel but definitely not my last. I went in totally blind and that suited very well. This book flowed well. A rich cast of characters that kept me totally invested. Stories and substories that were rich and decadent. Totally enjoyed this one!
Thank you NetGalley, Andrew James Greig for the opportunity to read and review this book.

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