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Ed James
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Devil in the Detail: An unputdownable gripping Scottish Detective Mystery (Police Scotland Crime Series Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Ed James (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 3,465 ratings
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A missing schoolgirl. A haunted detective. An enthralling mystery.


When the body of Mandy Gibson, a young disabled girl, turns up in the affluent East Lothian town of Garleton, DC Scott Cullen finds himself caught in the cross-fire of competitive police politics. The heartbroken parents don’t hesitate to point the finger of suspicion at young Jamie Cook, a tearaway teen with a long history of run-ins with the police. But where is he now?

When the victim’s and the suspect’s families are revealed to belong to an offshoot group of the Catholic Church run by an excommunicated priest, Cullen quickly realises that the key to catching the killer is finding out the darkest secrets of this close-knit community, one family at a time.

For fans of Ian Rankin, Ed McBain and Christopher Brookmyre, Devil in the Detail is the third novel in the gritty Police Scotland police procedural series that has set the bestseller charts alight.

Praise for Devil in the Detail:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant and compelling. A must-read for those who enjoy crime thrillers’ – Amazon reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘[I have] struck gold! If you like crime fiction this is a must-read’ – Amazon reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The characters are convincingly drawn, and show all the human failings and frailties of real people … If I have a complaint, it's only that Mr James will be completely unable to keep up with my reading speed. If there can be a higher compliment, I'm already comparing his quality with that of the late lamented Ed McBain’ – Amazon reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Loved it from beginning to end. You will not be disappointed" – Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fantastic author and series … [Devil in the Detail] has some subtle twists and turns and others which knock you sideways. Highly recommended!’ – Amazon reviewer

‘Classic Scottish noir: bad food, bad moods, too much booze and tight plots’ – @ey0k1, Twitter

The Police Scotland series:
  1. Dead in the Water
  2. Ghost in the Machine
  3. Devil in the Detail
  4. Fire in the Blood
  5. Stab in the Dark
  6. Cops and Robbers
  7. Liars and Thieves
  8. Cowboys and Indians
  9. The Missing
  10. The Hunted
  11. Heroes and Villains
  12. The Black Isle
  13. The Cold Truth
  14. The Dead End
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  1. Book 3 of 14
    Police Scotland Crime Series
  2. Print length
    358 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    January 15, 2014
  6. File size
    2666 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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This option includes 10 books. This option includes 14 books. See included books
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There are 14 books in this series.
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Police Scotland Crime Series Book 1 - Book 10
Police Scotland Crime Series Book 1 - Book 14
Bundle price: Kindle price
$11.97
Bundle price: Kindle price
$21.95
Bundle price: Kindle price
$46.90
Bundle price: Kindle price
$68.86
By clicking the above button, you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use
More like Devil in the Detail: An unputdownable gripping Scottish Detective Mystery (Police Scotland Crime Series Book 3)
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From the Publisher

Covers for all eight Scott Cullen books

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B009O51HFO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grey Dog Books (January 15, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2666 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 358 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 3,465 ratings

About the author

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Ed James

Ed James

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Hi, my name is Ed James and I'm the author of multiple series of crime novels.

If you want to contact me, copy the addresses into your app of choice!

Mailing list — https://geni.us/EJmailer

Email — ed@edjames.co.uk

Twitter — http://www.twitter.com/edjamesauthor

Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/EdJamesAuthor

The bestselling DI Simon Fenchurch series is set on the gritty streets of East London, with seven books in the series.

The Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals features a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he's desperate to climb. The first book, "Ghost in the Machine", has been downloaded over 400,000 times, hitting both the Amazon UK & US top five.

Spinning off the Cullen books, the Craig Hunter books star a PTSD-suffering ex-squaddie now working as a cop investigating sexual abuse cases, with lots of slapstick and office banter. The first three books are out now.

DS Vicky Dodds has two books set in Dundee, with another two planned for release in 2021.

I live in the Scottish Borders, Scotland and I write full-time, but used to work in IT project management, where I filled my weekly commute to London by literally writing on planes, trains and automobiles.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
3,465 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book nice to read with a good storyline. They also appreciate the narrative flows briskly but not without a wealth of detail. Readers also like the characters.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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ReadabilityStorylineCharactersPacing
18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book nice, impressive, and gripping. They also appreciate the quality of writing and character development.

"Ed James is not only prolific, but terrific...." Read more

"...I will certainly buy more books by this author and recommend this as a good read. Satisfying. Holds interest." Read more

"...come a bit too easy but the first two in the series are worth reading. First one was better, looking forward to the third" Read more

"...n't disappointed - in fact if anything I was even more impressed with the quality of writing...." Read more

15 customers mention "Storyline"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the storyline good, full of twists and turns, and well-written. They also describe the book as a detective novel that captures the bleakness of Scotland. Readers also mention that the narrative flows briskly but not without a wealth of detail.

"...Mr James brilliantly steers his own path with well thought-out plot lines, characters that make you care (one way or another) strong police..." Read more

"...I really liked the continuity of the storyline from the first book whilst still retaining an entire story premise in itself...." Read more

"...It's a good mystery and police procedural. I liked it so much that I went back and ordered five more of the DC Scott Cullen series." Read more

"...Once again, the narrative flows briskly but not without a wealth of detail that gives these novels a wonderful sense of place. Kudos, Mr. James." Read more

12 customers mention "Characters"12 positive0 negative

Customers like the characters in the book.

"Ed James is not only prolific, but terrific. His characters are all so well-drawn that we would recognize them immediately if we were to see them on..." Read more

"Really wonderful book with worthwhile characters. The reviews said it was reminiscent of Ian Rankin and it actually is!..." Read more

"...steers his own path with well thought-out plot lines, characters that make you care (one way or another) strong police procedural and of course lots..." Read more

"I just discovered this author. The characters in the book are very interesting with each having a unique personality...." Read more

4 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the pacing of the book excellent with constant plot progression and very little fluff.

"...The pace is excellent with constant plot progression and very little fluff...." Read more

"...The pace and suspense never stopped, and I got absolutely nothing else done all day and evening because of it...." Read more

"Nice read. To me the book's pace is fast at the start, slows towards the middle then fast towards the end. It does grab your interest and hold it...." Read more

"Incredible mystery. Full of twists and turns. Very well written, fast paced, believable characters Can't wait for the next book." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

patricia brown
5.0 out of 5 stars A first-rate writer
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2013
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Ed James is not only prolific, but terrific. His characters are all so well-drawn that we would recognize them immediately if we were to see them on the street. He investigates, not just the mystery, but the feelings and foibles of both police and the persued. Scott Cullen is a "cowboy" detective who goes his own way and brings down the culprit. The reader moves right along with him, sometimes egging him on, sometimes groaning with despair when he does stupid things. This is a character that one wants to see a lot more of in future books.
2 people found this helpful
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Singing Lemur
4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Scottish mystery.
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2014
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Really wonderful book with worthwhile characters. The reviews said it was reminiscent of Ian Rankin and it actually is! I will certainly buy more books by this author and recommend this as a good read. Satisfying. Holds interest.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great pace and plotting
Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2013
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After grabbing a free copy of Ed James' first "Scott Cullen" novel (Ghost in the Machine) I was more than happy to pay for another delve into the life of Lothian & Borders' finest! "Devil" definitely did not disappoint.

Mr James brilliantly steers his own path with well thought-out plot lines, characters that make you care (one way or another) strong police procedural and of course lots of twists and turns in the story. The pace is excellent with constant plot progression and very little fluff. Scott Cullen grows more likeable while his boss, DI Bain, becomes more impetuous and irritating, yet still remains within the realms of believability. Mr James creates sufficient underlying suspicion about several characters, I found it difficult to determine who "dunnit" until the reveal.

It's great to find a series which is "unputdownable", especially among the wealth of new, self-published talent there is out there. I will be leaping on Mr James' future works as soon as they are available.
One person found this helpful
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Jeff K
4.0 out of 5 stars great set ups
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022
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The conflicting evidence as the story builds are well done. The ending conversations come a bit too easy but the first two in the series are worth reading. First one was better, looking forward to the third
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Twillpicket
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2013
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Ed James' first book, "Ghost in the Machine,'' was excellent in every way. I read it a few days ago and gave it a five star review. I can't do the same for this, his second book. I bought it as soon as I finished his first but couldn't get more than ten percent in. Thinking it was me, cranky from a head cold, I give it another try this morning. I got a little bit further but had to stop again.

The problem was James' lead detective, Brian Bain. He was a little irritating in the first book but a major annoyance in ''Devil in the Detail.'' Every time I got into the ''Zone,'' that wonderful place where you forget you're reading, Brian Bain stumbled onto the scene like a bull in a china shop. He dropped F-bombs and coarse references all over the place, abused the other characters and was just a major irritant in general. I'm not so tender that every F word will send me into the vapors but Bain's language, employee abuse and over the top rudeness were too much of a distraction from what looked to be a very promising plot.

Think of the many fictional characters who have entertained readers and viewers over the last century: Holmes, Marple, Poirot, Hammer, Bond, Fletcher, Colombo or Clouseau. They were tough as nails or sweetly benign, delightfully quirky or polished and urbane. None nor his boss was vulgar or unlikeable. Remember Clouseau's Chief Inspector Dreyfus! Popular modern authors like Sanders, Grisham, Cussler or McBain never descended into the gutter. They didn't need to and neither does Ed James. He's much too good for that.

This is just one woman's opinion but James should dump Brian Bain. Buck him up the ranks or something. His character is too crass to be believable in my view. The author owes it to his other wonderful characters and to his considerable talent to bring in a better man.

I wanted so much to love ''Devil in the Detail'' but couldn't. I gave it three stars. I couldn't go higher and had no right to go lower. Many other have loved it so it's a judge-it-for-yourself kind of thing. Ed James has great potential so maybe his third will be a charm. Hope so.
14 people found this helpful
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Kasj13
5.0 out of 5 stars Devil of a good story!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2014
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I thoroughly enjoyed Ed James "The Ghost in the Machine " so it was a natural progression to move quickly onto "The Devil in the Detail." Again I wasn't disappointed - in fact if anything I was even more impressed with the quality of writing. I really liked the continuity of the storyline from the first book whilst still retaining an entire story premise in itself. Keep up the great writing Mr James. It's been a pleasure.
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HelenH
4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely no second book slump
Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2013
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Ed James has another winner in this, the second Scott Cullen police procedural. It's filled with enough dead ends, crazy happenings and jarring truths to make it a real pager turner.

I can understand where one reviewer is coming from, in regards to ye olde copper Bain -- he definitely gets under a reader's skin from beginning to end. But this is part of the "charm" -- hard to call it that -- of the character. There's got to be an end to this man; he's going to implode, and James' faithful readers (and Scott Cullen, of course) will be there to see it.

Just as an aside, it will help if one has read the first book in the series - Ghost in the Machine. There are mentions and plot points, both large and small, that come from this first book. You will understand more of what's going on with Scott Cullen if you have read it.

Highly recommended.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Peter J Campbell
5.0 out of 5 stars Devil in the Detail
Reviewed in Canada on September 26, 2019
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Another great read. I enjoy reading Ed James. I enjoy the way he introduces his characters. Keep keeps you guessing who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.
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Danic
4.0 out of 5 stars Bonne surprise !
Reviewed in France on September 16, 2014
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Voir mon commentaire pour le titre "Bottleneck", 5ème de la série, du même auteur, avec les mêmes personnages et des enquètes toutes très intéressantes.
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Robert Hoyle
4.0 out of 5 stars New to me
Reviewed in Spain on July 24, 2014
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I very much enjoyed this ,to me, new detective character and I may well buy other books in the series. A sense of relism in the characterisation was apparent
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yvonne2907
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent follow-on
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 25, 2012
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I absolutely loved "Ghost in the Machine" and have been eagerly awaiting the second title in the Scott Cullen series. I was hoping the new story would be as good as the first ... and it was! Scott Cullen again emerges as a detective constable with a good policing brain. It will be interesting to see how long the series will keep Cullen at his current rank.
The storyline is credible, tautly plotted with enough twists to keep the reader engaged. The cast of characters are expertly described in sufficient detail so that they become almost real. The conflict between different policing units working on the case is sharply portrayed. The locations are clearly painted so that even if you don't know Edinburgh, you can picture the landscape and architecture. The story is well finished off with questions answered where they need to be but without spoiling continuing storylines for future novels.
The setting of the story within a small close-knit religious community gives you pause for thought as to what really goes on behind closed doors within such communities!
All in all, this is an excellent second novel from Ed James. The future bodes well for this series.
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Louis Doyle
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good reading
Reviewed in Australia on November 29, 2015
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I enjoyed this as much as the first one. I don't understand why Cullen hasn't been promoted to a sergeant.
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