‘Where No Shadow Falls’, the latest book in the ‘Grade den Herder’ series by former Lothian and Borders Police detective Peter Ritchie is published today
The books have become immensely popular due to their authentic characters on both sides of the law and their fast-paced action plots with believable dialogue, so it will come as no surprise to fans that Grace’s move from front line policing didn’t last long.
Earlier today, author Peter kindly took time out from his hectic schedule to speak to the Edinburgh Reporter about ‘Where No Shadow Falls.’
He said: “I had thought at one time that Grace would call it a day after the last book and felt the poor woman had gone through enough for one career. However she seems to have caught the imagination of a lot of people so she’s back although her life and career have moved on. Some of the old characters are back to join her. Basically her life is drifting when she’s asked to look at what should be a simple review of a suicide in Barlinnie prison. When she starts the investigation a series of separate events and characters are drawn together in ways none of them could have imagined. Much of this story looks at the sins of the past and how they never really leave us.
“I loved doing this one because it’s more than just a story about criminal acts and how they’re resolved. It explores family ties and a villain is brought back from one of the previous stories to haunt Grace, resurrecting some of her old demons. Although the story is quite dark there is humour in it.”
Grace den Herder’s life has moved on and while she has found a degree of peace with her family her career move away from the front line is proving more difficult than she thought. Eventually the strain begins to show and she worries for the future of her career and marriage.
She’s asked to review a suicide in Barlinnie Prison and takes it on as a break from the desk and at first it seems to be no more than a box ticking exercise. She teams up with her old DCI Jimmy McGovern who seems fully recovered from a health problem and grabs the opportunity to work one last job before he retires.
The prisoner who committed suicide is Tommy McMartin at one time the heir to one of the most powerful criminal organisations in west Scotland. His life is taken apart when he is convicted for the horrific murder of a gay lover although he remembers nothing about it. His life inside is made impossible without support from his own family who have disowned him.
As Grace reviews the case she uncovers some old skeletons, a trail of lies and she get dragged into a case that involves an old adversary Brenda McMartin who has been causing havoc across the Glasgow underworld. Big Brenda plans a robbery in Edinburgh from a rival gang which goes badly wrong and a complex series of events draws the main characters towards each other where the departed are taking their secrets the grave as Grace tries to uncover the truth of what happened to Tommy McMartin. At the same time someone watches her from the shadows and aches for revenge.
This is the fourth book about Grace and brings old and new characters together in a story about old secrets and lies that seemed to have been buried and forgotten util a chain of events pulls them back into the light. Grace is faced with the question whether to expose the truth or let the dead lie still.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
