Red, Red Snow

Caro Ramsay starts delivering right from page one; capturing the actual hell on earth that is a “fast food burger joint” she drags us straight into the action with one family definitely not heading for a merry Christmas now! And she does not let up until the very end. Costello and Anderson are two of my favourite Fictional Detectives, I can picture them in my head, hear their sharp barbed retorts and smile as they bounce perfectly off one another.
Costello warms the cockles of my heart, her caustic wit, impatience, sense of independence and her tendency to pull no punches when she speaks, make her instantly recognisable and perfectly relatable. And Anderson, well lets just say his home life currently resembles the set of a Jeremy Kyle show!
As usual Caro Ramsay presents her readers with a large cast of characters and a number of subplots running through the book, so pay attention; relationships strengths and weaknesses are explored and I was certainly put through the mill and more as the book drew to an explosive and emotional rollercoaster ride of a conclusion!
Travelling between the Highlands and Central Scotland, we are taken on a suspenseful and at times eerie journey between the plots. We have the tensions and stresses of urban life with Anderson and Costello while the rural policing of the Highlands is most certainly not of the cosy kind. Caro Ramsay somehow manages to marry two seemingly unconnected incidents and present a perfect union for her readers.I love that this series makes me think, it is not a sit back and lose yourself kind of read, there is a very real need to pay close attention to what is going on in these pages; she may present us with an awful lot of information but believe me, it all makes sense! Costello and Anderson initially don’t feature together in this book but when things take a sinister turn in the Highlands they are thrown together into a dark side of country life with coffin bridges, rumours of malicious snow sprites and local folklore set against a backdrop of a picture perfect Christmas snow scene. Only you know things are not perfect, definitely not when they have been sprinkled with the famous Caro Ramsay twistieness! It gave me shivers, little fingers of suspense crawling over me, it worked my old gray matter, nothing is ever given away easy from Caro Ramsay, she makes sure you work to earn that damn reward!Once again Caro Ramsay nails it, sense of place, characters and plot all tied up and presented in a bow twisted tighter than a corkscrew! Do not miss this!

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Another fantastic read, no. 11 in the Anderson & Costello series, that I literally ate up, even knowing I have to wait at least another year for no. 12, sigh...
DCI Anderson and DI Costello are called from Glasgow to the wilds of Northern Scotland in a blizzard that would kill you if you ever got stranded in it. A German couple on vacation were found dead in and near a cabin. The man was still inside, but the wife looked like she tried to escape to the outside, blood trails showing her flight. But why anyone would want to kill this couple, who had only been there for a day, and were happy and friendly, enjoying the idea of having Christmas in the beautiful surroundings of glens and ancient woods, makes for a tough case, practically impossible to solve.
I love Anderson and Costello, they are a terrific team, even though Anderson has fantasies of throttling Costello and throwing her out the window at times. She has no filter and says it like it is, not always a welcome trait. But they trust each other unconditionally and work together like a fine tuned clock. Anderson is still having a tumultuous home life, living with the rest of the family and hangers on in his huge house, because he can't bear to be separated from his little grandson, but needs babysitters! He spends much time on the job and probably will miss Christmas at home, a thought not all together unpleasant to him.
This was such a great book, the twists, turns and surprises are incredible and the sense of place claustrophobic at times (in a good way) and I would give it more than 5 stars if I could. Highly recommended!

My thanks to Net Galley and Severn House Publishers for my ARC of this book 11 in the Anderson and Costello series. Although it is a standalone read, I would recommend beginning at book one. When a man is murdered in a fast food restaurant, there are no witnesses and no clues as the team are called to investigate. A few days later, two bodies are discovered in a remote Highland cottage. The investigative team travel north in blinding snow and freezing temperatures to assist the local village police and find the killer. I love the character of Costello with her wit and impatience, Anderson's troubled domestic life adds a touch of realism and the cast of characters with their intricate relationships. makes this a really good read. Plenty twists, action and surprises with a great ending makes this a 5* read.

In Glasgow, Eric Callaghan of Inkermann Tattoo Parlour had been to the ice show with his wife, Geraldine and daughter, Lisa when he was stabbed in Planet Burger. He died within minutes, but his murder seemed motiveless and there were no clues. He was a genuine man and a talented artist: those investigating his death had hit a dead end. There were two deaths to investigate in the north of Scotland: it wasn't thought wise to involve the local murder team as someone on the Glen Riske police force was indirectly involved in the case. Christmas - and a lot of snow were rapidly approaching.

Two German tourists were staying at Rhum Cottage. They should have gone to Eigg Cottage but that didn't have a downstairs bedroom and bathroom. Suzette Catterson, whose family was occupying Rhum Cottage, was happy to make the swap: her husband, the obnoxious Jonathan and her even more obnoxious daughter were not so happy, but that didn't displease Suzette. The tourists were quite happy about the party which was happening that night in Rhum Cottage - 'the gathering', as it was known - and joined in the fun.

Charlie Priestly earned some extra money by going in and cleaning up after the party each year, but the next morning he was found curled up in the bottom of the shower at home, bloodied and incoherent. When he'd got to Rhum Cottage he'd found one of the tourists dead - and there was a lot of blood. When DCI Colin Anderson and DI Costello got to Glen Riske there was another body - the tourist's wife - who was in the garden. Snow should help when it's at a crime scene but on this occasion, it created more of a mystery. The only footprints were those that could be accounted for: surely this wasn't down to the snow sprite, stories of which so terrified children?

Anderson and Costello were joined in Glen Riske by DC Morna Taverner, who you'll remember from The Sideman. If you haven't read The Sideman but are intending to then you'd best read it before The Red, Red Snow, as there's quite a spoiler in there. Anderson's marriage is on the rocks and Brenda has made it plain that she wants a divorce and to move on her relationship with Rodger - who has moved into the Anderson household. Anderson isn't particularly worried - and you get the feeling that it wouldn't take a lot of encouragement for something to start between him and Morna Taverner.

It's a big cast and Caro Ramsay handles it with aplomb, but it is easier to keep track of who's who (and why) if you have some knowledge of what's gone on in previous books. I've now read the last three books in the series but I still keep getting caught out by references to something which went on before I joined the party. It didn't spoil my enjoyment though!

The plot is very good - I was completely taken aback when the solution was revealed, despite all the clues being there. It's a clever story, almost harking back to the golden age of crime fiction in its ingenuity and it brings the north of Scotland (in winter) to life in all its chilly glory. I'd like to thank the publishers for letting Bookbag have a review copy: I just hope that it's not too long before we meet Anderson and Costello again.

EXCERPT: Eric Callaghan paused as co-worker Simon chucked some ketchup and salt sachets on top of the fries,then picked a Santa balloon from the display behind him and tucked the string under Geraldine's diet coke.

Simon wished him a happy Christmas.

Eric wished him a better career.

He could see Geraldine through the Santa balloons and light sabres. Suddenly, he coughed, balancing the tray on one arm as his body jerked. He tried to resist another cough; his mouth tasted blood. Leaving the crush at the counter, he needed fresh air. The heat in the food court was oppressive, making him feel dizzy, even a little faint. He leaned against a bin, catching his breath. The small snakes of potato wriggled across the tray, turning his stomach. He bumped into a grey-haired woman holding onto two Santa balloons, thinking that the mild collusion in such a tight space did not merit the look of alarm on her face. She asked him if he was okay, a gloved hand touching his arm, the kindness of a stranger, and then Geraldine was at his side as his eldest daughter lifted the tray from him. It all went rather colourful and pretty as the Santa balloons danced around the room.

'I'm fine.' He looked around him, lifted up his jacket, his black T-shirt wet with sweat. The tail of his peacock tattoo wound round his lower ribs, curving to his abdomen. The tail feathers were blue and purple, their tips turning crimson as the blood ran and dripped.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: A family man is stabbed to death at a crowded Christmas Ice Show. Murdered in plain sight. No clues, no witnesses, no known motive.

A week later, two bodies are discovered at a holiday cottage in a remote highland glen: one in the kitchen; the other sprawled outside on the icy lawn. The killer would appear to have arrived and left without leaving a trace, not even a footprint in the snow.

What secrets are lurking within this isolated, superstitious community? As the snow piles higher, detectives Anderson and Costello put their wits to solving a seemingly impossible crime, and gradually uncover a twisted tale of greed, obsession - and cold-blooded murder.

MY THOUGHTS: I haven't been hiding in the salt mines of Siberia, or even in remote parts of the Scottish highlands, so how come this is the first ever Caro Ramsay book that I have read, and #11 in the series at that?

I loved this complex and atmospheric mystery/police procedural. Even starting this series at #11 didn't diminish my pleasure.

There are multiple mysteries in The Red, Red Snow. Why would anyone take the risk of stabbing a family man in plain sight in a crowded food court? Why would anyone stab him anyway?

And the elderly German couple in a holiday cottage in the remote Scottish Riske Glen, who would want them dead?

How did the killer get in? There are no footprints in the snow...

There is talk of Skirfin and nuckelavee, which are by no means the creepiest things in this book. No, that honour goes to the coffin bridge, a remarkable contraption that has you lay inside a coffin and, using an arrangement of ropes and pulleys, pull yourself across the river. No way would I ever climb inside that thing!

The characters are very real, their lives as complex as this case. But in no way do their private lives overshadow the main storyline, indeed it complements it. There is obviously a bit of back history between some of the characters of which I am unaware, and this has piqued my curiosity. Amongst the characters is a bad-tempered DI, a lovestruck forensic scientist, a pathologist obsessed with choosing her new curtains, and a woman called Suzette and, I quote, 'I do apologise for my horrible daughter. I wish I could blame it on some disorder, but I'm afraid she is just an evil little cow.' There is even a character called Arthur 'Conman' Doyle, and a wonderful Staffie (I love Staffies) called Nesbit.

Ramsay writes with a lightness of touch, a sensitivity to the situation, and a wry sense of humour.

I now have another series to add to my list to read from the beginning. And rest assured, I will be first in line for the next Caro Ramsay book.

🤩🤩🤩🤩

#TheRedRedSnow #NetGalley

'She wondered vaguely what had happened to the rise of feminism, and if it applied in adverse weather conditions.'

'It's Christmas. People fight about everything.'

'I can read you like a book. Just not a very good book.'

THE AUTHOR: Caro Ramsay was born and educated in Glasgow. She has been writing stories since she was five years old, developing a keen interest in crime fiction and a passion for the genre that lead her to write Absolution, her first novel.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Severn House via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Red,Red Snow by Caro Ramsay for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

It seems to be the season for me to read 'Locked Room' mysteries where weather provides the physical barrier (the locked room)
Despite having had a gap from reading the Costello and Anderson series, I found myself firmly engrossed from the beginning as the characters familiarity made me sink into a confortable chair and succumb to the ride.
Set just before Christmas time in the Scottish highlands when a suspicious death has Costello and Anderson leaving their homes and ending up cut off from the rest of the world as they investigate, the Red Red Snow is a combination of extreme weather coping strategies, domestic noir, police procedure and small community intrigue.
Beautifully plotted, Ramsay weaves varying strands together subtly and thus the narrative flows perfectly as the two struggle to work out who is keeping secrets form them and why.
Compelling and thought provoking this is a commentary on entitlement, community, loyalty and more.
Loved it!