Edinburgh Detective stars in gripping new historical murder mystery

An Edinburgh police detective is summoned to the island of Malta, in this gripping and atmospheric murder mystery set in the Victorian era. It is the summer of 1880, and DI Sam McQueen has been called away from the gray, damp streets of Edinburgh to investigate a case on the oppressively hot Mediterranean island of Malta. Inspector Sam McQueen is out of his comfort zone. Malta is hot and his clothes are more suited to the Edinburgh climate. The local police chief is distinctly unwelcoming. McQueen finds the help he needs in an eclectic mix of local people as he tangles with local aristocrats, unearths secrets and conspiracies, and is faced with more suspicious deaths that may or may not be connected to the late admiral . . .

Edinburgh and Malta are as much characters in this novel as the colourful and complex human cast, as the author weaves a fast-paced narrative into the historic context of the time. The people involved in the crime belong to a social class which is impenetrable to McQueen. His investigation is hindered throughout. McQueen is a great character - gruff and brusque, ill at ease in high society but compassionate and dogged in his pursuit of justice.

Many of the issues of class, injustice and inequality that McQueen encounters are still relevant today. Whilst drawing out these parallels, there is no heavy handed dwelling on them - just an easy to read book that you really want to return to when you put it down and stays with you afterwards. This is an excellent debut novel with a hint at the end that we'll be hearing more from Detective Sam McQueen