Where Demons Hide

"Fast-paced and straight to the point—like a well-aimed literary projectile"—Times Scotland
 Set amid the dramatic beauty of the Scottish Highlands and threaded with Highland history and lore, the latest Rebecca Connolly thriller is another stellar crime novel from “a writer to watch” (Publishers Weekly).

Something scared Nuala Flaherty to death. When her body is found in the center of a pentagram on a lonely moor in the shadow of Ben Shee mountain, Rebecca is determined to find out what killed her. Was her death caused by supernatural means or is there a more down-to-earth explanation? The body was discovered on the Island of Stoirm, about which Rebecca has some complicated feelings. Her beloved father, a career policeman, came from there, but he fled the island’s and his own family’s dark history, and Rebecca herself had a brush with death while pursuing a story there. But there’s no way she can avoid going back. Besides, her dear friends, photographer Chaz Wymark and his partner, Alan, are about to be married on Stoirm, causing a small stir in the isolated island community.
 
Rebecca’s  investigation will lead her to a mysterious cult and local drug dealings. But what she doesn’t know is that crime matriarch Mo Burke still has her in her crosshairs. Mo wants payback for the death of her son, and after one failed attempt to hurt Rebecca, she’s upping the ante. And this time, it could be lethal.

Douglas Skelton was born in Glasgow. He has been a bank clerk, tax officer, taxi driver (for two days), wine waiter (for two hours), journalist, and investigator of real-life crime for Glasgow solicitors. He has written eleven true crime and Scottish criminal history books but now concentrates on fiction. Thunder Bay, the first Rebecca Connolly thriller, and A Rattle of Bones, the third, were longlisted for Bloody Scotland’s McIlvanney Prize for best crime book of the year, as were his novels Open Wounds and An Honourable Thief. He is now at work on the next Rebecca Connolly thriller and lives in southwest Scotland.
 

Praise for Douglas Skelton
“If you don't know Skelton, now’s the time.”—Ian Rankin
“A master of his craft.”—Scots Whay Hae
“Among Scotland’s top cadre of crime writers.”—Scotsman
“Skelton writes grittily authentic crime novels . . . fast-paced and straight to the point—like a well-aimed literary projectile.”—Times Scotland
“Skelton remains a writer to watch.”—Publishers Weekly
“The real draw for me is how Skelton expresses his characters. He clearly has a path he is building, and their growth feels natural.”—Geek Girl Authority
 
Praise for Where Demons Hide:
“A page-turning novel in a fine series . . . going from strength to strength.”—Scotland on Sunday
“Skelton writes grittily authentic crime novels . . . fast-paced and straight to the point—like a well-aimed literary projectile.”—Times Scotland
“An atmospheric Highland tale . . . Douglas Skelton is a fine writer with an ironic sense of humor.”—Sunday Times Crime Club, “Pick of the Week”
“Drenched in mystery, Highland history, and dark humour, the compelling fourth installment in Douglas Skelton’s Rebeca Connolly series . . . drips with tension.”—Dundee Courier
“[Where Demons Hide] has a plot that is packed with twists and turns and an ending that is nicely veiled and, when you get to it, feels absolutely right. The result is a superb read; and one I’d very highly recommend.”—Undiscovered Scotland
“Packs just as much punch as its predecessors.”—Scottish Field
“Where Demons Hide is soaked in atmosphere, the tension drips from its pages and it keeps you on your toes right until the very end.”
—Chapter in My Life
“Where Demons Hide is a beautifully written crime novel that weaves together several compelling strands. Dark humor, a fast pace and gritty plot kept me intrigued.”—Lovereading
“Douglas Skelton will have readers hooked with this gritty crime thriller.”—Scots Magazine