On the remote Black Isle, the ancient Drumdalloch Woods rise dark and forbidding above the Moray Firth, a brooding wilderness where the wind whispers through centuries-old oaks.

For generations, the Forsyth family have owned Drumdalloch House and the vast woods that surround it. The land is sacred to ageing landowner Giles Forsyth — a living legacy to be protected for generations.

His children see things differently. His son wants to sell, his daughter doesn’t want the responsibility. So Giles resolves to leave Drumdalloch to his daughter-in-law, Helena.

But his plans are ruined when Helena is found lying dead beneath a great oak, a deep wound to her head. Her death is dismissed as a tragic accident.

Three years later, the estate is crumbling, debts are mounting, and the Forsyth family is close to breaking point.

When Perry Forsyth, Helena’s husband, is also found dead — his body floating in a woodland pond — it seems like another unfortunate accident.

DCI Kelso Strang doesn’t believe in coincidence. He heads north to the Black Isle in search of answers — only to find a family poisoned by jealousy and guilt, and a remote community where everyone knows what happened in the woods, but no one dares speak of it . . .

A chilling, atmospheric Scottish mystery, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Peter May, Caro Ramsay, Daniel Sellers and Val McDermid.

MEET THE DETECTIVE

DI Kelso Strang, once an army sniper and now a senior officer with the Edinburgh police force, is still reeling from the sudden death of his wife. It left him hollow, short-tempered, and increasingly difficult to reach. His job is the only thing that keeps him going. He now lives alone in a harbour cottage, where silence suits him better than small talk and black coffee keeps him steady. He reads old poetry, owns far too many maps and has a scar down one side of his face that people don’t ask about twice.

Please note this book was previously published as Deadfall.