Runaway

'A brilliant new talent for the lover of crime.' Sue Black DBE, forensic anthropologist

When Aberdeen housewife Debbie Milne abruptly vanishes without trace, leaving behind her two young children, husband Scott is too distraught to sit out the police's 72-hour window and await developments. He turns to local detective agency Harcus & Laird.

Put off by previous "domestic" cases, Maggie Laird isn't keen, but is cajoled by partner Wilma Harcus into a covert operation. Together they comb through meagre scraps of information, eventually trawling the city's women's refuges and homeless squats, in spite of the deadly danger.

Then a woman's body is discovered in a Dundee builder's skip. With the clock ticking and the police struggling to make identification, the race is on. Claire MacLeary fashions a surprising, gritty, fast-paced tale with the warmth and wisdom of 'women of a certain age'.

Praise for the Harcus & Laird series:

"Gripping." Good Housekeeping

"A terrific writer." Kirsty Gunn, Scotsman

"This is a thoroughly entertaining series that could run and run." Sunday Herald

"A wise and all-too-pertinent voice." Raven Crime Reads

"A brilliant new talent for the lover of crime." Dame Sue Black, forensic anthropologist

"Refreshingly different... a fast-paced tale." Shirley Whiteside, Herald

"Fantastic ... a gritty book with a surprisingly warm theme." The List

"Terrific ... compelling to the end." Theresa Talbot