Lin Anderson
Author of Driftnet
About the Author
Lin Anderson was born in Greenrock. She is a graduate of Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities. She has lived throughout Scotland and has spent five years in Africa. She soon bacame a mathematics teacher and later started her writing career. Her first film, Small Love, was nominated for TAPS writer of show more the year award 2001. Her book titles include: None but the Dead, Follow the Dead, and Bloody Scotland. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Tim Duncan
Series
Works by Lin Anderson
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Anderson, Linda
- Birthdate
- 1951
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- teacher
screenwriter
writer - Short biography
- Lin Anderson is the co-founder with Alex Gray of the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival, and is known as a Tartan Noir writer. Anderson, Gray and Alanna knight are member of the Femmes Fatales crime writing trio. She is also a screenwriter, with a Celtic Festival best drama award for River Child. She taught math and computing before quitting to become a writer, and she took Glasgow University's forensic science course to prepare her for writing about forensic scientist Dr. Rhona MacLeod. The series of books have been optioned for British television. Her short story, "Dead Close" is in production as a movie. Lin is working with John Sinclair, former keyboard player with Ozzy Osbourne, on a rock musical. She divides her time between the Highland, Edinburgh, and the south of France. [from Bloody Scotland, 2018 and Daily Record interview, 2012, and Wikipedia (retrieved 8/27/2021]
- Nationality
- UK
Scotland - Birthplace
- Greenock, Scotland, UK
- Places of residence
- Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Nigeria - Associated Place (for map)
- Scotland, UK
Members
Reviews
So today’s post is kind of a doubleheader. First up is my review then I’ll close with a short rant which may stray close to spoilerish territory so just a heads up.
When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod gets called, it’s rarely good news. This time a body has been found in one of Glasgow’s tunnels. And it’s immediately clear the killer has gone to great lengths to get their message across. The second body turns up near Rhona’s home. Same careful display, same props, same lack of show more forensics……there’s no doubt it’s related to the first.
Rhona does her best to provide clues for the police but it’s slim pickings. And maybe that’s a clue in itself. Everything points to someone with superior forensic knowledge. When one clue is tied to Rhona they all have to wonder. Is the killer taunting her or stalking her?
The gang is all back including DS Michael McNab. He & Rhona have a complicated history. They fell out after their last case which also resulted in a demotion for McNab. He’s been trying to keep his head down but when this case is assigned to DS Janice Clark, he can’t resist pushing his way into the investigation.
Just to amp up the creep factor, in alternate chapters we listen in as the killer makes their plans. There are also side stories dealing with the personal lives of the MC’s. The author does a great job of keeping you guessing. When it comes to suspects, you’re spoiled for choice. I had it narrowed down to three & kept looking for any hint that would sway me one way or the other.
One little niggle was a lack of information about the killer. Even after they’re revealed, we’re no wiser as to their background, motive or why they became fixated on Rhona. But that wasn’t the issue for me. Warning: mini-rant ahead.
I was all in on this story. Loved the Glasgow setting & got swept up in the investigation & the characters’ personal story lines. Then I hit the 90% mark. At this point Rhona makes a decision that can only be described as monumentally boneheaded. You know those slasher movies where a frisky couple looking for privacy come across an abandoned house? It’s usually isolated, has no electricity & one pipes up with something akin to “Hey, I’m going inside to check out that noise in the cellar by myself. You wait out here all alone in the dark. No worries, I’m sure it’s nothing to do with that serial killer who recently escaped.” Yup, that.
I realize authors take license to create suspense. My problem is when a character who has been portrayed as smart & experienced is dumbed down in order to create that suspense. It’s a personal peeve that yanks me out of the story & leaves me shaking my head. Maybe I lack the ability to suspend my disbelief that far but surely there are other ways to create the desired tension that allow the character to remain consistent. So that’s where my rating took a hit.
There you have it. The bulk of the story is a well paced, twisty tale that will keep you turning the pages. As a bonus, you also get a peek at the hidden history of Glasgow. If the above doesn’t bother you, go for it as there’s a reason this popular series has reached book #13. show less
When forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod gets called, it’s rarely good news. This time a body has been found in one of Glasgow’s tunnels. And it’s immediately clear the killer has gone to great lengths to get their message across. The second body turns up near Rhona’s home. Same careful display, same props, same lack of show more forensics……there’s no doubt it’s related to the first.
Rhona does her best to provide clues for the police but it’s slim pickings. And maybe that’s a clue in itself. Everything points to someone with superior forensic knowledge. When one clue is tied to Rhona they all have to wonder. Is the killer taunting her or stalking her?
The gang is all back including DS Michael McNab. He & Rhona have a complicated history. They fell out after their last case which also resulted in a demotion for McNab. He’s been trying to keep his head down but when this case is assigned to DS Janice Clark, he can’t resist pushing his way into the investigation.
Just to amp up the creep factor, in alternate chapters we listen in as the killer makes their plans. There are also side stories dealing with the personal lives of the MC’s. The author does a great job of keeping you guessing. When it comes to suspects, you’re spoiled for choice. I had it narrowed down to three & kept looking for any hint that would sway me one way or the other.
One little niggle was a lack of information about the killer. Even after they’re revealed, we’re no wiser as to their background, motive or why they became fixated on Rhona. But that wasn’t the issue for me. Warning: mini-rant ahead.
I was all in on this story. Loved the Glasgow setting & got swept up in the investigation & the characters’ personal story lines. Then I hit the 90% mark. At this point Rhona makes a decision that can only be described as monumentally boneheaded. You know those slasher movies where a frisky couple looking for privacy come across an abandoned house? It’s usually isolated, has no electricity & one pipes up with something akin to “Hey, I’m going inside to check out that noise in the cellar by myself. You wait out here all alone in the dark. No worries, I’m sure it’s nothing to do with that serial killer who recently escaped.” Yup, that.
I realize authors take license to create suspense. My problem is when a character who has been portrayed as smart & experienced is dumbed down in order to create that suspense. It’s a personal peeve that yanks me out of the story & leaves me shaking my head. Maybe I lack the ability to suspend my disbelief that far but surely there are other ways to create the desired tension that allow the character to remain consistent. So that’s where my rating took a hit.
There you have it. The bulk of the story is a well paced, twisty tale that will keep you turning the pages. As a bonus, you also get a peek at the hidden history of Glasgow. If the above doesn’t bother you, go for it as there’s a reason this popular series has reached book #13. show less
Easy Kill, the fifth book in Lin Anderson’s series about forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod was a fast paced thriller as Rhona and her cohorts come up against a very clever serial killer. Rhona is called to a cemetery where a body of a prostitute has been found left sprawled on top of old grave-site. After removing the body, Rhona discovers another dead woman buried shallowly, just under the first. A further investigation of the area turns up one more body. Three dead women, all young show more prostitutes alerts the team to the fact that a serial killer is working the streets of Glasgow.
The search is on and all members of the team are on alert, Professor Magnus Pirie is brought in to profile the murderer but both the man in charge of the case, DI Bill Wilson, and Rhona believe more in the facts and evidence than in the intangible offerings of the professor. This entry in the series was the best story yet, and I particularly thought the chase through Glasgow underground sewers was riveting. However I was less pleased with how the serial killer was able to reach out and involve himself in the private lives of some of the investigating team.
This volume moved the life of Rhona MacLeod along as well with what appears to be a final break between Rhona and her Irish lover, and perhaps a new man coming into her life. As the series moves along, I am finding each book is getting better and the cases more complex. I am enjoying reading about how the forensic science plays a part in the investigations and I am looking forward to the next book. show less
The search is on and all members of the team are on alert, Professor Magnus Pirie is brought in to profile the murderer but both the man in charge of the case, DI Bill Wilson, and Rhona believe more in the facts and evidence than in the intangible offerings of the professor. This entry in the series was the best story yet, and I particularly thought the chase through Glasgow underground sewers was riveting. However I was less pleased with how the serial killer was able to reach out and involve himself in the private lives of some of the investigating team.
This volume moved the life of Rhona MacLeod along as well with what appears to be a final break between Rhona and her Irish lover, and perhaps a new man coming into her life. As the series moves along, I am finding each book is getting better and the cases more complex. I am enjoying reading about how the forensic science plays a part in the investigations and I am looking forward to the next book. show less
This is the first in a series about Forensic Scientist Dr. Rhona MacLeod, 36, based in Glasgow, Scotland.
Rhona is called to the scene after the discovery of the body of a boy, abused and strangled whose cause of death was asphyxiation during sex. The victim looks so much like he could be Rhona’s son that it leads her to an investigation of where her own son might be. Seventeen years before she had a baby with politically rising star Edward Stewart. Rhona was 19, and Edward was 21. Rhona show more named the boy Liam James MacLeod, but they agreed to give the baby up for adoption Edward and Rhona’s relationship lasted only six months after the adoption. Now Edward contacts Rhona to try to ensure she never mentions “the incident,” since he is running for office. But Rhona wants more from Edward: she wants his help in finding out who adopted Liam so she can determine if it was their boy that was murdered.
Meanwhile, the investigation leads the team led by Detective Inspector Bill Wilson to one of the rings of paedophiles operating in Glasgow. Because of the new technology, they were thriving. The paedophiles began by befriending lonely boys who look for companionship through the Internet. They then offer to meet, and if the kid doesn’t cooperate with sex, they are threatened with blackmail. It is of course worse if they do cooperate. A tip gets them to focus on a man named Simon.
Gavin MacLean, who heads a cyber sleuth team for the police, is tasked with looking for Simon. He also begins to try to court Rhona, temporarily estranged from her boyfriend, jazz musician Sean McGuire.
Tension mounts as Rhona worries about her adopted son, and Edward has fears about his current son, Jonathan, who is increasingly withdrawn and spending more and more time on the Internet.
Rhona’s scientific officer, Chrissy McInsh, also gets in danger through the activities of her brothers.
Evaluation: This is a good beginning to a series with complicated characters. Rhona reminds me a bit of Dr. Frieda Klein in the detective/psychological thriller series by Nicci French. Like Frieda, Rhona is secretive, suspicious, closed off even to those who love her, and prickly. But there is no denying her skills, nor her tendency to attract danger. show less
Rhona is called to the scene after the discovery of the body of a boy, abused and strangled whose cause of death was asphyxiation during sex. The victim looks so much like he could be Rhona’s son that it leads her to an investigation of where her own son might be. Seventeen years before she had a baby with politically rising star Edward Stewart. Rhona was 19, and Edward was 21. Rhona show more named the boy Liam James MacLeod, but they agreed to give the baby up for adoption Edward and Rhona’s relationship lasted only six months after the adoption. Now Edward contacts Rhona to try to ensure she never mentions “the incident,” since he is running for office. But Rhona wants more from Edward: she wants his help in finding out who adopted Liam so she can determine if it was their boy that was murdered.
Meanwhile, the investigation leads the team led by Detective Inspector Bill Wilson to one of the rings of paedophiles operating in Glasgow. Because of the new technology, they were thriving. The paedophiles began by befriending lonely boys who look for companionship through the Internet. They then offer to meet, and if the kid doesn’t cooperate with sex, they are threatened with blackmail. It is of course worse if they do cooperate. A tip gets them to focus on a man named Simon.
Gavin MacLean, who heads a cyber sleuth team for the police, is tasked with looking for Simon. He also begins to try to court Rhona, temporarily estranged from her boyfriend, jazz musician Sean McGuire.
Tension mounts as Rhona worries about her adopted son, and Edward has fears about his current son, Jonathan, who is increasingly withdrawn and spending more and more time on the Internet.
Rhona’s scientific officer, Chrissy McInsh, also gets in danger through the activities of her brothers.
Evaluation: This is a good beginning to a series with complicated characters. Rhona reminds me a bit of Dr. Frieda Klein in the detective/psychological thriller series by Nicci French. Like Frieda, Rhona is secretive, suspicious, closed off even to those who love her, and prickly. But there is no denying her skills, nor her tendency to attract danger. show less
The Special Dead – Addictive as Crack
Lin Anderson has created a crime thriller series around forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod that is as addictive as crack. Unlike other Glasgow based crime novels; we are made to think a little, which is always a good thing. Anderson’s writing style and prose is stunning, she is descriptive without going in to too much detail and boring the reader, her writing is soothing while drawing you further in to the story. Lin Anderson is yet another example of show more the excellent Scottish writing of the moment and Val McDermid has a worthy challenger for her crown, as Queen of Scottish Crime Fiction.
The book is the Friday night rite of passage of the young, go to pub, boy meets girl, boy gets lucky, gets to fill his boots even if things are kinkier than he is used too. While the sex is great and he has no memory of much of the night, when he wakes the girl is no longer next to him. As he tries to sneak out he is opening doors to find the exit, when he discovers the object of his Friday night lust. Unfortunately she is dead, in a room full of dolls suspended from the ceiling and she owns a very scary black cat with green eyes.
What follows is a complex investigation that brings Rhona MacLeod back working with the newly demoted Detective Sergeant Michael McNab is an investigation in to the truth. Both would be entering a world they know nothing about as everything hinges around Wicca and their religion and practices. While at the same time people higher up the Police chain of command are worried that McNab may put his foot in things during the investigation.
We also see the complicated lives of both Rhona MacLeod and Michael McNab are intertwined however much they try to break their bonds and move on. Both are dependent on each other for the truth to be served and come out, especially as they are up against powers unknown. Both Rhona, as a scientist, and McNab as detective, are also sceptical of Wicca and Witches but need to overcome this to be able to solve the crimes.
The Special Dead has a wonderful pace throughout the book that you just do not want to break, as you read on you are drawn in further and want to know what is happening. This crime thriller was one of the most gripping that I have read in a while and cannot wait to read more of Lin Anderson’s work. This is one author who is going places, get aboard and enjoy the ride. show less
Lin Anderson has created a crime thriller series around forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod that is as addictive as crack. Unlike other Glasgow based crime novels; we are made to think a little, which is always a good thing. Anderson’s writing style and prose is stunning, she is descriptive without going in to too much detail and boring the reader, her writing is soothing while drawing you further in to the story. Lin Anderson is yet another example of show more the excellent Scottish writing of the moment and Val McDermid has a worthy challenger for her crown, as Queen of Scottish Crime Fiction.
The book is the Friday night rite of passage of the young, go to pub, boy meets girl, boy gets lucky, gets to fill his boots even if things are kinkier than he is used too. While the sex is great and he has no memory of much of the night, when he wakes the girl is no longer next to him. As he tries to sneak out he is opening doors to find the exit, when he discovers the object of his Friday night lust. Unfortunately she is dead, in a room full of dolls suspended from the ceiling and she owns a very scary black cat with green eyes.
What follows is a complex investigation that brings Rhona MacLeod back working with the newly demoted Detective Sergeant Michael McNab is an investigation in to the truth. Both would be entering a world they know nothing about as everything hinges around Wicca and their religion and practices. While at the same time people higher up the Police chain of command are worried that McNab may put his foot in things during the investigation.
We also see the complicated lives of both Rhona MacLeod and Michael McNab are intertwined however much they try to break their bonds and move on. Both are dependent on each other for the truth to be served and come out, especially as they are up against powers unknown. Both Rhona, as a scientist, and McNab as detective, are also sceptical of Wicca and Witches but need to overcome this to be able to solve the crimes.
The Special Dead has a wonderful pace throughout the book that you just do not want to break, as you read on you are drawn in further and want to know what is happening. This crime thriller was one of the most gripping that I have read in a while and cannot wait to read more of Lin Anderson’s work. This is one author who is going places, get aboard and enjoy the ride. show less
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- Works
- 32
- Also by
- 3
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- 1,142
- Popularity
- #22,480
- Rating
- 3.7
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- 86
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- 195
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