D.I. Callanach Series by Helen Sarah Fields, Robin Laing

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation... moreOn a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer. less

In the midst of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker. The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads - until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim... moreIn the midst of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker. The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads - until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.It’s only when they realise the words are appearing before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim ... and the more innocent the better. less

There’s no easy way to die…Unknown to DI Luc Callanach and the newly promoted DCI Ava Turner, a serial killer has Edinburgh firmly in his grip. The killer is taking his victims in the coldest, most calculating way possible – engineering slow and painful deaths by poison, with his victims entirely unaware of the drugs flooding their bloodstream until it’s too late... moreThere’s no easy way to die…Unknown to DI Luc Callanach and the newly promoted DCI Ava Turner, a serial killer has Edinburgh firmly in his grip. The killer is taking his victims in the coldest, most calculating way possible – engineering slow and painful deaths by poison, with his victims entirely unaware of the drugs flooding their bloodstream until it’s too late.But how do you catch a killer who hides in the shadows? A killer whose pleasure comes from watching pain from afar? Faced with their most difficult case yet, Callanach and Turner soon realise they face a seemingly impossible task… less

'Relentless pace, devilish cleverness and a laser-sharp focus on plot.' Chris BrookmyreWhen silence falls, who will hear their cries?The body of a young girl is found dumped on the roadside on the outskirts of Edinburgh. When pathologists examine the remains, they make a gruesome discovery: the silhouette of a doll carved in the victim's skin.DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are struggling to find leads in the case, until a doll made of skin is found nestled beside an abandoned baby... more'Relentless pace, devilish cleverness and a laser-sharp focus on plot.' Chris BrookmyreWhen silence falls, who will hear their cries?The body of a young girl is found dumped on the roadside on the outskirts of Edinburgh. When pathologists examine the remains, they make a gruesome discovery: the silhouette of a doll carved in the victim's skin.DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are struggling to find leads in the case, until a doll made of skin is found nestled beside an abandoned baby.After another young woman is found butchered, Luc and Ava realise the babydoll killer is playing a horrifying game. And it's only a matter of time before he strikes again. Can they stop another victim from being silenced forever - or is it already too late? less

Your darkest moment is your most vulnerable…Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge until a suicide prevention counsellor stops him. A week later, Stephen is dead. Found at the bottom of a cliff, DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are drafted in to investigate whether he jumped or whether he was pushed…As they dig deeper, more would-be suicides roll in: a woman found dead in a bath; a man violently electrocuted... moreYour darkest moment is your most vulnerable…Stephen Berry is about to jump off a bridge until a suicide prevention counsellor stops him. A week later, Stephen is dead. Found at the bottom of a cliff, DI Luc Callanach and DCI Ava Turner are drafted in to investigate whether he jumped or whether he was pushed…As they dig deeper, more would-be suicides roll in: a woman found dead in a bath; a man violently electrocuted. But these are carefully curated deaths – nothing like the impulsive suicide attempts they’ve been made out to be.Little do Callanach and Turner know how close their perpetrator is as, across Edinburgh, a violent and psychopathic killer gains more confidence with every life he takes…Listening length: 12 hours, 37 minutes less

Alone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim. Drugged and kidnapped, the realization soon dawns that he's been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn't yet know is that he's now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed .. moreAlone, trapped in the darkness and with no way out, Bart Campbell knows that his chances of being found alive are slim. Drugged and kidnapped, the realization soon dawns that he's been locked inside a shipping container far from his Edinburgh home. But what Bart doesn't yet know is that he's now heading for France where his unspeakable fate is already sealed ...DCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach are working on separate cases that soon collide as it becomes clear that the men and women being shipped to France are being traded for women trafficked into Scotland. With so many lives at stake, they face an impossible task-but there's no option of failure when Bart and so many others will soon be dead ... less

One for sorrow, two for joyEdinburgh is gripped by the greatest terror it has ever known. A lone bomber is targeting victims across the city and no one is safe. Three for a girl, four for a boyDCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach face death every day – and not just the deaths of the people being taken hostage by the killer... moreOne for sorrow, two for joyEdinburgh is gripped by the greatest terror it has ever known. A lone bomber is targeting victims across the city and no one is safe. Three for a girl, four for a boyDCI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach face death every day – and not just the deaths of the people being taken hostage by the killer. Five for silver, six for goldWhen it becomes clear that with every tip-off they are walking into a trap designed to kill them too, Ava and Luc know that finding the truth could mean paying the ultimate price. Seven for a secret never to be told…But with the threat – and body count – rising daily, and no clue as to who’s behind it, neither Ava nor Luc know whether they will live long enough to tell the tale…Listening length: 11 hours, 46 minutes less