Glasgow
The cellar of a suburban bungalow has been hiding a dark secret. During building work, a skeleton is uncovered. DI Alex Scrimgeour and DS Mark Nicholson soon discover the remains have been there for sixty years. The owners of the house from that time, Richard and Doris Cavendish, are dead, but their daughter may still be alive.
Edinburgh
Edith Drummond is pleased to be back at work as a teacher after lockdown. She's a difficult woman with no friends but she's good at her job and the children love her. However, her Head Teacher, Olivia Waring, wants her to retire. Edith is determined to stay put, but their feud soon pales into insignificance when Edith receives a visit from the police.
Mark is sure Edith is hiding something, but he doesn't know what. His suspicion deepens when further remains are found at the bungalow in Glasgow, this time of a newborn baby. Despite dealing with his own personal problems, Mark is determined to get to the bottom of this bizarre case. Is there a link between the two crimes? Is the answer staring him In the face or is there more to the mystery than meets the eye?
What did I think?
The Shame is the third book in the Glasgow Southside Crime Series and although you can read it is a standalone and thoroughly enjoy it, it's absolutely brilliant when read as part of the series.
The character development throughout the series is outstanding and I was as hooked by the continuation of their stories as I was by the actual crime they were investigating. It's a rather grisly crime when the new owners of a home discover a skeleton in their basement so the police need to trace the previous occupants to identify the body and solve the crime.
Edith Drummond was so ashamed of her past in Glasgow that she changed her name and moved to Edinburgh. Edith is a difficult woman to love but she really did grow on me and I completely sympathised with her past family life and her present working life as a teacher. I was so annoyed that the head teacher can't see what a brilliant teacher Edith is but instead is set on making Edith retire. I was virtually fist bumping the air when Edith continued to stand up to her.
I am completely hooked by DS Mark Nicholson's story and although I do feel sorry for him, he made his bed so he has to lie in it. Unfortunately for Mark, that bed is in his boss's flat as his wife threw him out after his affair. DI Alex Scrimgeour is a bit of a teddy bear now that his own personal mystery has been solved but I really wouldn't be helping myself to his whisky if I was living in his flat!
As impossible to put down as it is to predict, The Shame is a cracking piece of crime fiction that had me on the edge of my seat and reading with my virtual running shoes on. I already consider this to be one of my favourite crime series and The Shame proves that it is just getting better and better. Very highly recommended.
I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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