Title: FROM THE SHADOWS
Author: G.R. HALLIDAY
ISBN: 9781787301412
Publisher: Point Blank Crime / Oneworld
Pages: 432
Source: Review copy from Publisher
Blog Tour Organised by Random Things Tours
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case won’t begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.
Official Summary
14 July 2026
Thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for the invitation to participate in this blog tour and for providing me with a review copy of the book.
I am new to G.R. Halliday’s work, and it was a pleasure to be introduced to a new author at the start of a new series. This Scottish police procedural quickly immerses you in the isolation of a small Highland town, combining breathtaking scenery with the horror of a brutal murder.
When the body of a young boy is discovered and another young man goes missing, Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy is tasked with hunting down a killer who leaves no trace behind.
Monica is an intriguing protagonist. Unusually tall, she attracts attention wherever she goes, but it is her determination and resilience that truly stand out. As a dedicated detective and single mother, she constantly struggles to balance the demands of her career with family life. When her own past begins to intersect with the investigation, she is forced to question who she can trust while trying to stop a killer she is convinced will strike again.
I also enjoyed Michael, the social worker who finds himself drawn into the investigation, largely against his better judgement. His determination to find his missing young client adds an extra layer of compassion and humanity to the story, making him a character I was happy to follow.
There were a few aspects of the plot that remained open-ended by the conclusion, particularly Nichol’s disappearance. However, this feels like a deliberate setup for future instalments in the series and has certainly left me curious to see where the story goes next.
Michael’s cat and the regular ride-alongs provided welcome moments of warmth and humour, offering a nice contrast to the darker themes running throughout the novel.
Overall, From the Shadows is an atmospheric and engaging crime novel filled with enough twists to keep the pages turning. The vivid Highland setting, compelling characters, and well-paced investigation make for an enjoyable start to a new series, and I look forward to seeing what Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy tackles next. Fans of Scottish crime fiction and police procedurals will find plenty to enjoy here.
REMEMBER TO VISIT THE OTHER TOUR STOPS
Also by G.R. Halliday
DARK WATERS Monica Kennedy #2
THREE MISTAKES. TWO MURDERS. ONE MORE VICTIM TO GO . . .
Annabelle loves to drive. It helps her escape her world, her past. Speeding on a mountain road in the Scottish Highlands, she sees a little girl step out in front of her. She swerves to avoid her. The next thing Annabelle remembers is waking up in a dark, damp room. A voice from the corner of the room says, ‘The Doctor will see you now’.
Scott is camping in the woodlands in the Scottish Highlands – but in the middle of the night, he hears something outside his tent. When he goes out to have a look, a little girl is standing among the trees, staring right at him. Scott is never seen again.
When a dismembered body is discovered, DI Monica Kennedy gets called to the scene immediately. After six months away from the Serious Crimes team, they need her back on board.
As Monica searches for the murderer, another body is found. Monica knows the signs… She’s on the hunt for a serial killer.
About The Author
Author bio from the author’s site
G.R. HALLIDAY was born in Edinburgh and grew up near Stirling in Scotland. He spent his childhood obsessing over the unexplained mysteries his father wrote about as a paranormal investigator, which have been a major inspiration for his writing. Gareth studied Ancient History at Edinburgh University and is a co-founder of the Caledonian Crime Collective. In 2024, he qualified from the University of the Highlands and Islands as a counsellor and psychotherapist. He works as a volunteer for an addiction charity and has his own private counselling practice. Gareth lives with his partner in the rural Highlands outside Inverness, where he pursues his favourite pastimes of mountain climbing and swimming in the sea, before returning home to his band of semi-feral cats.
Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my review. Crime fans will enjoy this one. Have you read it yet? Remember to leave a comment below. Until next time… Happy Reading!
