A wealthy family are slaughtered in their mansion and the evidence hints at satanism however when the local chief disappears DCI Christine Caplan is called in. She has been demoted and wants to clear up this murder quickly. As she investigates she realises that there is more to the tale and suspects her new team of involvement in the murders and a lucrative drug smuggling operation.
This is a new strand for experienced novelist Ramsay and I quite enjoyed it. As the series is new there were lots of characters and the back-stories were a little confusing at times. However the plot is tight enough, linking devil worship and eco-living, so it skipped along well. ( )

This is the first book by Caro Ramsay that I've read, but it won't be the last. The Devil Stone is what I hope is the start of a new series, DCI Christine Caplan has been "asked" to step down to DI in the wake of an irregularity with some evidence (I wonder if we'll learn more about that backstory at some point) when she's sent to cover a murder investigation that has misplaced its DCI. Everyone seems to be trying to get her to back off, from the DI who tries to freeze her out of the investigation to the ACC who says she's got Christine's back. Fast-paced and full of twists and turns, I recommend this police procedural.

Thanks to Severn House for access to a digital ARC via NetGalley. ( )

Great new Scottish crime entry!

Detective Chief Inspector Christine Caplan has just been slotted back to Detective Inspector.
A review of lost material had her demoted temporarily. She carried the card for someone else, a member of her team she’d trusted.
Part of her punishment is to go up north to Otterburn near Cronchie to take a secondary lead on a bizarre murder—five members of the one family with satanic ritual overtones.
Only when she arrives one of the lead detectives is missing. Things are not as they seem.
Back home she’s also being looked at for police brutality when she stopped a young thief who’d knocked a pensioner out of her wheelchair in an effort to steal her bag. And now the three eyewitnesses have all mysteriously turned against her.
The thing is the thief was high. A new drug’s in town that’s diabolical! Snapdragon! People are dying!
Who to trust, at home and up north? Those above her seem to be intent on making her the scapegoat. And I certainly wouldn’t trust her superior ACC Sarah Linden.
Tension, intrigue, targeted deaths, a target family, a time to cry! What more do I want?
Thrilling new entry into the modern Scottish crime scene!

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. ( )