BOOK 1 · THE DCI SURINDER TAWS MYSTERIES
The Crimson Keep
A killer who believes murder is justice.
Ebook & paperback · Also in Kindle Unlimited
About the book
When a young woman’s body is discovered at the foot of Dunnottar Castle’s ancient cliffs, DCI Surinder Taws wants to believe it was suicide. She can’t.
Carved into the victim’s skin is a red spiral, a mark tied to a centuries-old legend the locals call the Crimson Keep.
Then a second woman is found. Same mark. Same killer. And now he’s getting bolder.
Set on the breathtaking and unforgiving Aberdeenshire coast, The Crimson Keep is a gripping debut mystery that weaves ancient myth into modern murder, perfect for readers who love their crime with atmosphere, place and a detective they’ll want to follow for many books to come.
Perfect for readers of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross and Elly Griffiths.
THE SETTING
Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire
A harbour town of fishing boats and granite walls, where Dunnottar Castle watches from its clifftop and the North Sea is never far from anything.
Stonehaven is a real town, Dunnottar Castle is a real and spectacular ruin, and the local legends woven through The Crimson Keep are rooted in the genuine folklore of this remarkable stretch of Scottish coastline. If you’ve ever stood on those cliff paths with the wind coming in off the North Sea, you’ll recognise every page.
Meet the detective
DCI Surinder Taws – Sindy – came to Stonehaven to escape her past. She found a murder instead. Smart, stubborn, menopausal and not remotely interested in playing politics, she’s exactly the kind of detective you root for from the first page, and exactly the kind Stonehaven’s killer didn’t expect.
Want to know who Sindy was before Stonehaven? The Returning Woman, the free prequel novella, tells the Glasgow case that changed everything.
Praise
I absolutely loved The Crimson Keep. It kept me engaged the whole time. I started last night and did nothing else today until I finished it!
– Noel C., early reader
In the series
The Returning Woman (prequel, free) – The Crimson Keep (Book 1) – The Salt Wives (Book 2, coming next)
Don’t miss the next Sindy Taws mystery.
Sign up for occasional news from Rachel – new releases, behind-the-scenes glimpses of life on the Aberdeenshire coast, and the stories behind the stories. You’ll also get The Returning Woman, the free prequel novella, delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Just crime.