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Human Face
(2018)(Death on Skye)
(The first book in the DI Kelso Strang series)A novel by Aline Templeton
‘Templeton has become the crime tzar of the Scottish small town.’ Val McDermid.
The Isle of Skye is a place where the air feels thick with silence. The inhabitants keep their distance, and the cold, drafty lodge across the bay is steeped in secrecy. Every glance lingers, every word measured. On this island, nothing is as it seems.
Detective Kelso Strang hasn’t been sent to Skye to solve a case — he’s been sent there to disappear.
Still reeling from the sudden death of his wife, Strang is a man on the edge and his behaviour is worrying the team.
When reports reach head office that a young woman has vanished from a remote lodge, Superintendent Jane Borthwick seizes the opportunity to get Strang out of Edinburgh and sends him to investigate.
Strang arrives at the remote coastal village of Balnasheil to find the case is darker than it first appeared. At the centre is Balnasheil Lodge, home to Human Face, a charity that claims to help the vulnerable. But Strang quickly senses there’s more to the lodge than its polished image.
The locals are tight-lipped. The charity operates behind closed doors. And its enigmatic director, Adam Carnegie, is clearly hiding something.
Then a body is found, half-buried in the moorland peat — and what began as a routine missing persons inquiry becomes a hunt for a killer.
An atmospheric and unputdownable Scottish mystery, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Peter May, Caro Ramsay, Daniel Sellers and Val McDermid.
MEET THE DETECTIVE
DI Kelso Strang, once an army sniper and now a senior officer with the Edinburgh police force, is still reeling from the sudden death of his wife. It left him hollow, short-tempered, and increasingly difficult to reach. His job is the only thing that keeps him going. He now lives alone in a harbour cottage, where silence suits him better than small talk and black coffee keeps him steady. He reads old poetry, owns far too many maps and has a scar down one side of his face that people don’t ask about twice.
Please note this book was previously published as Human Face.
PRAISE FOR THE DI KELSO STRANG SERIES:
‘Templeton has wit, a strong narrative sense and a dab hand with atmospherics.’ Literary Review.
⭐���⭐⭐⭐ ‘The plot was very mysterious and deeply tragic with lots of twists and turns along the way. I liked the enigmatic DI Kelso Strang.’ JM B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘She keeps the story moving fast, her character development is superb, and her plot is amazing.’ Gaby
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A wonderful and authentic sense of place, great characters that are cleverly drawn without pages of descriptions and an excellent plot that really draws you in.’ Ms Puck.
'''⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I hope this is the first of a long series.’ Gylzcy
''⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It’s a good story, the setting and atmosphere are evocatively described.’ LizzeN4.
Genre: Mystery
The Isle of Skye is a place where the air feels thick with silence. The inhabitants keep their distance, and the cold, drafty lodge across the bay is steeped in secrecy. Every glance lingers, every word measured. On this island, nothing is as it seems.
Detective Kelso Strang hasn’t been sent to Skye to solve a case — he’s been sent there to disappear.
Still reeling from the sudden death of his wife, Strang is a man on the edge and his behaviour is worrying the team.
When reports reach head office that a young woman has vanished from a remote lodge, Superintendent Jane Borthwick seizes the opportunity to get Strang out of Edinburgh and sends him to investigate.
Strang arrives at the remote coastal village of Balnasheil to find the case is darker than it first appeared. At the centre is Balnasheil Lodge, home to Human Face, a charity that claims to help the vulnerable. But Strang quickly senses there’s more to the lodge than its polished image.
The locals are tight-lipped. The charity operates behind closed doors. And its enigmatic director, Adam Carnegie, is clearly hiding something.
Then a body is found, half-buried in the moorland peat — and what began as a routine missing persons inquiry becomes a hunt for a killer.
An atmospheric and unputdownable Scottish mystery, perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Peter May, Caro Ramsay, Daniel Sellers and Val McDermid.
MEET THE DETECTIVE
DI Kelso Strang, once an army sniper and now a senior officer with the Edinburgh police force, is still reeling from the sudden death of his wife. It left him hollow, short-tempered, and increasingly difficult to reach. His job is the only thing that keeps him going. He now lives alone in a harbour cottage, where silence suits him better than small talk and black coffee keeps him steady. He reads old poetry, owns far too many maps and has a scar down one side of his face that people don’t ask about twice.
Please note this book was previously published as Human Face.
PRAISE FOR THE DI KELSO STRANG SERIES:
‘Templeton has wit, a strong narrative sense and a dab hand with atmospherics.’ Literary Review.
⭐���⭐⭐⭐ ‘The plot was very mysterious and deeply tragic with lots of twists and turns along the way. I liked the enigmatic DI Kelso Strang.’ JM B.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘She keeps the story moving fast, her character development is superb, and her plot is amazing.’ Gaby
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A wonderful and authentic sense of place, great characters that are cleverly drawn without pages of descriptions and an excellent plot that really draws you in.’ Ms Puck.
'''⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I hope this is the first of a long series.’ Gylzcy
''⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘It’s a good story, the setting and atmosphere are evocatively described.’ LizzeN4.
Genre: Mystery
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Used availability for Aline Templeton's Human Face