When Shadows Fall (DS Max Craigie Scottish Crime Thrillers, Book 6)

By: Neil Lancaster

Narrated by: Angus King

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'Non-stop action, breakneck pace, deliciously suspenseful… When Shadows Fall was my first DS Max Craigie book and won’t be my last – I loved it.' Andrea Mara

A TRAGIC DEATH

When the body of Leanne Wilson is found at the bottom of a Scottish mountain, it is classified as a tragic accident. There is no evidence to suggest otherwise.

A RISING BODY COUNT

Then DS Max Craigie discovers that five other women in the last year have died by falling off mountains, and something feels very wrong. They were all experienced climbers and alone when they died. This can only mean one thing: there’s a killer on the loose.

A KILLER IN THE SHADOWS

The more Max investigates, the more he believes that they are dealing with something much bigger than a lone serial killer. With five victims and conflicting clues, how do you catch someone committing the perfect crime?

* * * *

Praise for Neil Lancaster:

‘Think Jack Reacher fronting Line of Duty’ Ian Rankin

‘Fast-paced, compelling, and deeply authentic’ Jane Casey

‘Neil Lancaster is so damn clever’ Marion Todd

‘A thriller writer set to blow up the bestseller lists’ C. L. Taylor

'A spine-chilling concept, despicable villains, a propulsive narrative. As satisfying as crime fiction gets.' Paul Finch

‘Deliciously dark’ Daily Mail

‘It’s rare that a book is such a joy to read, particularly one mid-series when – as a reader – you are behind the eight-ball, but Neil has absolutely smashed it out of the ball park. It’s so, so good.’ G. D. Wright

©2025 Neil Lancaster (P)2025 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

'Non-stop action, breakneck pace, deliciously suspenseful… When Shadows Fall was my first DS Max Craigie book and won’t be my last – I loved it.' Andrea Mara

'Superb reading. Neil is the master of the crime mystery. His serial killer "pusher" is the creepiest villain I think I've met this century…' Jeremy Vine

' Bone-chilling and full of so many twists' The Sun

'A good old police procedural… I was pleasantly terrified' The Guardian

‘As hard as it is to believe, these books just get better and better’ Tony Kent

‘A wickedly clever and riveting thriller’ Graham Bartlett

‘Neil Lancaster just gets better and better. This is a gripping read that feels entirely authentic, seasoned with lovely flashes of humour' Cass Green

‘Smashed through it, top work!’ Callum McSorley

‘Neil Lancaster is one of the most exciting, innovative crime writers in the UK right now… One of the best police procedurals I’ve read in a long time. Consider me a fan’ M. W. Craven

‘Action-packed & lightning-paced with some of the best dialogue I’ve read. I’m a huge fan of Lancaster and he’s a true rising star in crime fiction. Explosive & compelling’ Helen Fields

‘When Shadows Fall is searing in its pace and achingly good in everything else. The imagery, the story, the characters… It’s rare that a book is such a joy to read, particularly one mid-series when – as a reader – you are behind the eight-ball, but Neil has absolutely smashed it out of the ball park. It’s so, so good.’ G. D. Wright

'A spine-chilling concept, despicable villains, a propulsive narrative. As satisfying as crime fiction gets.' Paul Finch

'A complex and well-driven thriller' The Critic

The Onion Router (TOR) Deep Web is central.

This entertaining and horrific portrayal of a misogynist conspiracy to profit from the multiple killings in Scotland by causing women to fall from the various Munroe Mountains introduced me to the US Naval Research Laboratory development of the Onion Router (TOR) Dark Web. I learned that many sites are addressed via a 56 character stream terminated in .onion. I see no reason that I have any interest in the use but it certainly is central to the activities in this imaginative novel of Scotland Police corruption.

Katie's character is ridiculously immature!

I really like this series but Katie is too needy and lacks any substance for these story lines. I've always thought that Max would never be with a woman who is so insecure. LE or military could never handle this type of personality, IMO. Because of her constant berating of Max, I found this book more difficult to complete. Pregnant or not, her whinny childish attitude was too over the top and almost ruined the drama of the story.

Twists and unexpected turns

Max, Ross, and Jayne never fail to disappoint. Another complex mystery with well-crafted characters.

Love Maxx stories

Love Max series and always love Angus King narration. I hope there is another one soon.

Loved it!

Creative, unpredictable, suspenseful story and delivery. Great character development and plot twist to the very end.