Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Cold Harbour by Lynne McEwan Series: Detective Shona Oliver #7
Published by Canelo on September 10, 2026
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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DI Shona Oliver is at a professional and personal crossroads. The National Crime Agency is coming for her over the murder of her former boss, determined to charge someone. Her current boss insists she keeps a low profile, sending her to Galloway.
There, she meets DI Kenneth Dalrymple who is on compassionate leave to care for his terminally ill wife, Isobel. He asks Shona to look into a cold case the murder of his wife's sister, Ailsa. A talented young artist, she was killed while painting at the nearby lighthouse in Portpatrick. All leads led to dead ends. Isobel desperately wants to know the truth about her sister's death, before it's too late.
The Detective Shona Oliver series is a police procedural set in Scotland. Shona Oliver is a Detective Inspector. I would read these books in order for the personal growth and relationships. Her husband, Rob is still in jail. Her daughter, Becca has now gone to University.
Shona is set to a different area to run a team while the DI there is tending to his dying wife. He asks her to look at a cold case, never solved, where Isobel’s sister Ailsa was murdered 40 years ago. Shona is still worried about the fallout after Delfont’s death. Shona has difficulty at first with her temporary team.
Becca is focused on her boyfriend Jack after his injury, and her discovery of her grandmother. Angie the grandmother has become a therapist. She wants to reconnect with Shona. Shona was starved and neglected until at 3 she went to live with her grandmother. Shona does agree to a short meeting and is only more angry and shocked by new revelations.
Meanwhile a farmer has been murdered as someone steals his ATV and other farm equipment. It’s a brutal murder. Shona and her team work hard to pursue leads with some success but it’s tough going. Everything shows what a great officer Shona is.
The police work was strong. The personal background was emotional. A Cold Harbour was an especially engaging installment. Things are concluded well and then there are bombshells at the end which no doubt sets up a future book.
About Lynne McEwan
Glasgow-born Lynne McEwan is a former newspaper photographer turned crime author. She’s covered stories including the Fall of the Berlin Wall and the first Gulf War in addition to many high profile murder cases. Her DI Shona Oliver series is set on the beautiful Solway Firth which forms the border between Scotland and England, and where Shona is also a lifeboat volunteer. Lynne is a graduate of the University of East Anglia’s Creative Writing programme and splits her time between Lincolnshire and Scotland.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Wonderful review, Anne💜 Another series to tuck away for the future. Love the setting and police procedural elements.
Thank you. It’s a reasonably interesting series.
This series is one I’d like to read. I love the setting.
It is a beautiful setting. The main character is smart and capable but she’s had some tough choices.
The background does sound emotional!
The main character is dealing with a lot of issues which easily are emotional and difficult.