This is the first of three books so far in the series. The setting is Scotland in the 1890s when the city was sharply divided between the well-to-do and the not so-well-to-do. Detective Inspector Ian Hamilton is given the case of a suspected suicide, but Hamilton sees at once that it is murder.

The DI chases the elusive killer all while chasing his own ghosts and dealing poorly with his older brother who is finally giving up the bottle.

As the title and cover might suggest this story is on the dark side. Also, DI Hamilton is fixated on solving the case and has little personality for anything else. Still, it is a gripping tale.

Lawrence has also written as C. E. Lawrence and Carole Bugge.

Mike Lawrence