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Ed James
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Ghost in the Machine: An incredibly gripping, tense British murder mystery (Police Scotland Crime Series Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Ed James (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 8,853 ratings

Think you're safe online? Think again.


DC Scott Cullen of Lothian and Borders CID has only been in the job three months. Young, eager to please and desperate to do good. So a missing persons case should be an easy case to solve. Right?

Fresh from a messy divorce, Caroline Adamson’s future is finally looking up. Her son seems happy and she’s dating again. Trouble is, Cullen can’t find Caroline or the man she met on Schoolbook, the latest social network taking Edinburgh by storm.

When Caroline’s mutilated body is found, Edinburgh faces the reality of a serial killer hunting young women. The discovery of a second, connected victim leads DI Brian Bain to put Caroline’s ex-husband in the frame. Cullen isn’t so sure and is determined that the right person faces justice. As things take a personal turn, Cullen must look closer to home for the answer — before it’s too late.

A gritty, gripping and wholly satisfying modern crime novel, Ghost in the Machine asks if we’re ever safe online, and how do we know who to trust? For fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart McBride, Alex Smith and JD Kirk, Ghost in the Machine is the novel that introduced readers to ambitious maverick Detective Scott Cullen, whose Police Scotland series has set the bestseller charts alight.

Readers love Ghost in the Machine:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "What a fantastic read. Loved it from cover to cover" – Goodreads review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Classic Scottish noir: bad food, bad moods, too much booze and tight plots" – Twitter

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Rebus has a young pretender to his throne … [An] excellent read" – Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Scott Cullen is superb … Excellent plot, brilliant location, realistic characters and great dialogues. You’d be mad not to try it. If you’re into the crime genre, Ed James is a must-have for your collection" – Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Fresh and exciting … Scott Cullen brings a wonderful energy to the world of the police procedural … I’ll definitely be reading more in the series" – nigelpbird.blogspot.co.uk

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Up there with the best … managed to keep me guessing right to the end … Here’s hoping DC Scott Cullen has a long career in law enforcement" – Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Scary and topical. I loved it" – Amazon review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Rankin for the X-box generation" – Amazon review

The Police Scotland series:
  1. Dead in the Water
  2. Ghost in the Machine
  3. Devil in the Detail
  4. Fire in the Blood
  5. Stab in the Dark
  6. Cops and Robbers
  7. Liars and Thieves
  8. Cowboys and Indians
  9. The Missing
  10. The Hunted
  11. Heroes and Villains
  12. The Black Isle
  13. The Cold Truth
  14. The Dead End
Read more
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  1. Book 2 of 14
    Police Scotland Edinburgh Crime Thrillers
  2. Print length
    366 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    April 14, 2012
  6. File size
    2.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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There are 14 books in this series.

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From the Publisher

Covers for all eight Scott Cullen books

Editorial Reviews

Review

Reviews for Ghost in the Machine:

'Rebus has a young pretender to his throne ... [An] excellent read' Andy Caskey, Amazon five-star review

'Scott Cullen is superb ... Excellent plot, brilliant location, realistic characters and great dialogues. You'd be mad not to try it. If you're into the crime genre, Ed James is a must-have for your collection' Brian Smith, Amazon five-star review

'Fresh and exciting ... Scott Cullen brings a wonderful energy to the world of the police procedural ... I'll definitely be reading more in the series' nigelpbird.blogspot.co.uk

'Up there with the best ... managed to keep me guessing right to the end ... Here's hoping DC Scott Cullen has a long career in law enforcement' Phil Moore, Amazon five-star review

'Scary and topical. I loved it' Rroberta Stableford, Amazon five-star review

'Rankin for the X-box generation' Noj, Amazon five-star review

About the Author

Ed James is the author of the self-published Scott Cullen series of Scottish police procedurals, featuring a young Edinburgh Detective Constable investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he's desperate to climb. The first book, "Ghost in the Machine", has been downloaded over 300,000 times, hitting the Amazon UK top five and US top 50.

Ed's next novel is "Snared", starring Dundee DS Vicky Dodds, published by Thomas & Mercer on April 28, 2015.

In order to write full-time, Ed gave up a lucrative career in IT project management, where he filled his weekly commute to London by writing on planes, trains, and automobiles, managing to complete three full-length novels in just seven months. He lives in East Lothian, Scotland.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007U7GQHM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grey Dog Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 14, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 366 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 2 of 14 ‏ : ‎ Police Scotland Edinburgh Crime Thrillers
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 8,853 ratings

About the author

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Ed James

Ed James

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Ed James is a Scottish author who writes crime fiction novels across multiple series and in multiple locations.

His latest series is set in the Scottish Borders, where Ed now lives, starring DI Rob Marshall – a criminal profiler turned detective, investigating serial murders in a beautiful landscape.

Set four hundred miles south on the gritty streets of East London, his bestselling DI Fenchurch series features a cop with little to lose and a kidnapped daughter to find.

His Police Scotland books are fronted by multiple detectives based in Edinburgh, including Scott Cullen, a young Edinburgh Detective investigating crimes from the bottom rung of the career ladder he’s desperate to climb.

The DS Vicky Dodds books put Dundee on the Tartan Noir map, featuring a driven female detective struggling to combine her complex home life with a heavy caseload.

Formerly an IT project manager, Ed filled his weekly commute to London by writing on planes, trains and automobiles. He now writes full-time and lives in the Scottish Borders with a menagerie of rescued animals.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
8,853 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this British murder mystery book engaging with a well-constructed storyline and interesting twists, featuring compelling characters with the right number of supporting roles. Moreover, the book is fast-paced and keeps readers guessing, with customers loving the Scottish setting. However, the readability and language receive mixed reviews - while some find it well-written, others find it difficult to understand, and while some enjoy the Scottish phrases, others find the constant crude language excessive.

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EnjoymentPlotCharacter developmentPacingGuessing abilityScottish settingReadabilityLanguage
215 customers mention "Enjoyment"203 positive12 negative

Customers find the book thoroughly enjoyable and diverting, keeping them engaged throughout.

"...What brought an especially fascinating sense to this story was the inclusion of current technology...." Read more

"...So, I thought the novel was fun, and I can see the series developing into something deeper and more nuanced. It did have some problems...." Read more

"...an interesting setting, and a worthy villain to make the investigating worth the effort...." Read more

"...It is a very fine effort by a newer author. Mr. James merits your close continued attention...." Read more

191 customers mention "Plot"180 positive11 negative

Customers enjoy the plot of the book, praising its well-constructed storyline with interesting twists.

"...I recommend Ghost in the Machine to anyone who loves a classic mystery and enjoys tagging along with the police (via the printed page, of course) as..." Read more

"...The novel explores maturity, and sometimes the lack of it. There's a sharp contrast between Cullen's professional and personal life...." Read more

"...Summary: book, story & writing is pretty good, but not enough to make me want to read any more Scott Cullen mysteries." Read more

"A terrific find! I'm always glad to discover a new series that is cleverly plotted, with an appealing main character, an interesting setting, and a..." Read more

120 customers mention "Character development"110 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the right number of supporting characters and outstanding plot progression.

"...The storyline is a very well crafted mystery and the characters are believable and engaging...." Read more

"...He's not an unwelcome addition. In fact the book has a variety of memorable characters, with Bain the main one...." Read more

"...to discover a new series that is cleverly plotted, with an appealing main character, an interesting setting, and a worthy villain to make the..." Read more

"...not be disappointed if you at all enjoy the genre along with good character development...." Read more

55 customers mention "Pacing"41 positive14 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, describing it as fast-paced and well-crafted, with one customer noting that the twists and turns are well crafted.

"...track of a large cast of police officers and witnesses, but I enjoyed the pace and slightly technical aspects of the case." Read more

"...The Ghost in the Machine is well crafted and tight. It exhibits very good editing and continuity worthy of a full-blown publishing house...." Read more

"I enjoyed this book and read it fairly quickly...." Read more

"...The same can be said of the pacing as the story drags on and on, rather than varying the tempo, keeping the reader engaged and building the..." Read more

14 customers mention "Guessing ability"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's ability to keep them guessing, with one customer noting its realistic portrayal of daily life and social conditions.

"...Over all, a fine time for mystery readers with this one! I'll be starting my next one in the DC Scott Cullen series shortly." Read more

"...a journalist in the UK and I believe James has a good grasp of social conditions and attitudes. I have already bought the second novel in the series." Read more

"...a snappy, quick-moving, well plotted police procedural that gives us an involving puzzle and an approachable protagonist...." Read more

"...It was realistic about the drudgery and frustration and politics that goes along with detective/police work, especially for one new to the position,..." Read more

14 customers mention "Scottish setting"14 positive0 negative

Customers love the Scottish setting of the book, with one customer specifically mentioning the educational look at Edinburgh.

"...I also LOVE the Scottish setting. Books set with a different backdrop give the reader the sense of the true universality of mystery!..." Read more

"A Scottish mystery. This one is a new author for me - I really enjoy all of the scottish phrases - have to look some of them up though :)..." Read more

"...It's not a great book but it was fun to read. I really liked the Scottish setting. The US and British setting are really getting old...." Read more

"...I loved the Scottish setting as I have been to Edinburgh recently and the writer made it come alive with the use of great imagery...." Read more

116 customers mention "Readability"79 positive37 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book, with some finding it well written and easy to read, while others note it is difficult to understand.

"...And the descriptions were well put; I could "see" the sites described, and I appreciate the talent of the author to bring them into three-..." Read more

"...What struck me most about the author's style is his keen ear for dialogue and ability to reduce it to writing with seemingly effortless skill...." Read more

"...OK...I didn't find any of the characters likable; there was no real depth or any hints that allowed the reader to see underneath the surface of the..." Read more

"...The writing's crisp, and the villain no deus ex machina, which I find necessary in crime novels...." Read more

36 customers mention "Language"12 positive24 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the language in the book, with some enjoying the Scottish phrases while others find the constant crude language and excessive profanity off-putting.

"Too much Scottish slang. It was very difficult to understand a lot of their common sayings such as "the back of six"...." Read more

"...And it is interesting to see the slight shifts in language, the regular use of "wee" for small and "lassie" for a young woman...." Read more

"...Bain survive this book to appear in sequels, he is even more gauche, vulgar and arrogant in subsequent novels..." Read more

"...only underscored by the lousy weather, but also by the foul language frequently employed...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • J. F. Juzwik
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ghost in the Machine - Superb Mystery
    Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is the author's first novel in the series about DC Scott Cullen. He has been a full detective for only a short period of time, and has a very strong ambition to move higher within the Department. He is assigned a missing persons case, which turns out to be that of a young and recently-divorced mother. Friends relate she had a date with a new man in her life, but she never returns to pick up her son and is never seen again - alive.

    When DC Cullen investigates her case, which has now become her murder after her brutalized body is found, he discovers a tangled web of deception, and as the body count rises, finds his own life caught up in this twisted scenario. Someone is using an Internet social media site, Schoolbook, to manipulate the victims' lives and set them up for the kill. Who is the Ghost in the Machine?

    I couldn't put this one down. The storyline is a very well crafted mystery and the characters are believable and engaging. The police procedural aspect of this novel never becomes routine or stale and it clearly illustrates how a police investigation can never be done in a straight line. Around every corner is a new twist and clue. At times, the police can continue to move forward; however, most times, they are thrown ten steps back and need to regroup and begin again at square one.

    What brought an especially fascinating sense to this story was the inclusion of current technology. The Internet, with all its promise and available knowledge, can also be used to obscure and confuse and harbor dark secrets. The police use technology to aid in their investigations, but killers use it too for their own evil purposes. Is there a balance between the two? Does one serve to counter the other? Who can say...

    I recommend Ghost in the Machine to anyone who loves a classic mystery and enjoys tagging along with the police (via the printed page, of course) as they investigate a series of murders. I saw there are other books by this author with DC Scott Cullen, and I am very anxious to read them all.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Hannibal the Carthaginian
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Police Procedural
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Ed James' Ghost in the Machine is a self-published police procedural crime novel, and the first in the Scott Cullen series. The author asked for an honest review.

    The story opens with a murder, the first of many to splatter the novel. Scott Cullen, under the stewardship of cantankerous bastard Bain, investigates a number of nightmarish murders, all seemingly connected to each other through Schoolbook. It looks like a vendetta. The first suspect is the initial victim's ex-husband, whom Bain determines to collar. However, as certain clues don't add up and even get personal, Cullen doubts his superior's reasoning.
    Cullen is another Scottish detective pounding Edinburgh's pavements. He's not an unwelcome addition. In fact the book has a variety of memorable characters, with Bain the main one. His explosions always raise a smile, though the trade-off is you might not take him seriously. But I enjoyed how he puts Cullen down, while also having a begrudging admiration for him. Bain is a bull-headed nutter with a badge, but he's the sun the other characters orbit, and I hope he plays as much of a role in the other three books in this series. I'd also like to see more of DC Chantal Jain. A female Indian-origin copper in a hard male Scottish environment can only make for some fantastic situations.

    I enjoyed the novel a lot. Though it doesn't reach Ian Rankin's heights, it deals with numerous themes in entertaining fashion, such as police laziness. Miller personifies this, an aspiring detective who cannot concentrate on detail because football keeps invading his thoughts. The theme runs through Bain too, though I'm not sure if Bain's actions constitute laziness or corruption. His intent on using circumstantial evidence to use against a suspect, for a quick result, in order to further his promotion prospects does feel a little forced sometimes. Everything certainly points at him, but as Cullen points out - make that bloody evidence hard. However, as events such as the Hillsborough Disaster fiasco show, some coppers just follow their nose and merely aim to be `seen' to get results, or try to favourably shape their cock-ups to excuse poor judgement.
    The novel explores maturity, and sometimes the lack of it. There's a sharp contrast between Cullen's professional and personal life. Matt Haig recently twittered a joke on how to write a police procedural: the detective must redeem his disastrous personal life by finding the killer. Thankfully, James does not soak his hero's sorrows in Scotch, and he is hardly suicidal. He merely has relationship problems with an ex, a woman who claims a stake in his present, and a colleague he hopes is in his future. His lame response to women is in sharp contrast to the determination he shows in looking for firmer evidence in his work. This extends to looking after Bain's back, a superior you guess Cullen wouldn't mind throwing to the wolves. Yet his professional pride pushes him to the right thing.
    Cullen is emotionally stunted, finding it difficult to get over an ex, and treating a love interest so cold you wonder why, after he talks so dismissively about her, a new potential lover doesn't reject him.
    So, I thought the novel was fun, and I can see the series developing into something deeper and more nuanced. It did have some problems. It didn't pull me into Edinburgh, a city of such strong character you expect it to play a stronger part. Some victims also seem a little naive, considering none are teenagers. We're all aware of social media dangers, so I'd expect the victims to show a more savvy awareness. Still, that could be harsh - you read about desperate people all the time.

    Overall, an impressive first novel. The ending pulls you in deeper and gets the nerves on edge, and I didn't guess the killer.
    I'd like to read the rest of the series now.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars both liked and disliked it
    Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    For the detail inclined, there are occasional typos, which are annoying but not enough to downgrade this book. Why just OK...I didn't find any of the characters likable; there was no real depth or any hints that allowed the reader to see underneath the surface of the main ones, just stereotyped cliche's - the boss is super-ambition and willing to do anything for that next promotion; the inter- and intra-department political back-stabbing is rampant; cops are lazy, fat and drink too much so that they are almost forever hung-over during working hours; etc. I'm a Harry Hole (Jo Nesbo, author) fan, so dark, imperfect heroes are OK with me but at least he has SOME allies and real friends, adding a human dimension. Scott Cullen is missing that element, in my view

    If you don't mind this aspect, then the only last comment is that it took me several chapters to get hooked in the story, so don't give up before you've read at least 10%.

    Summary: book, story & writing is pretty good, but not enough to make me want to read any more Scott Cullen mysteries.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • 🐭 Miki101.Micha
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommendable Police Procedural ...
    Reviewed in Italy on November 24, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first of four (until now) crime ebooks about the DC Scott Cullen in the Lothian and Borders Division, based at Edinburgh.

    A young mother disappears and DC Cullen, Sundance Kid for his awful superior with a knack for naming his subordinates after movie characters, has to find her. Yeah, they will find her, sure, but it's an other type of crime and felon they will be after then! Soon they will be looking for a very serious serial perpetrator...

    I bought all the other stories written by this very promising author too, because the characters are well developed and the crime is highly credible, especially in our days of the Facebook/Twitter generation...
    Look out, what You are looking for!
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  • Imma
    5.0 out of 5 stars Imma
    Reviewed in Spain on December 6, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    My husband, from Edinburgh never heard of Ed James. He was well surprised. Not only he loved the book but visualized every street and place mentioned in it. He's looking forward to read the next one.
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  • MRM
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read (and I'm not easily impressed)
    Reviewed in Australia on December 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A great read. What starts off a bit slow (and I admit I almost stopped reading after a few pages) then takes off on a rollercoaster and edge of seat thriller. The humour is good and you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I did get a bit annoyed at the way the author moves back in time at the end of the book and those parts could have been easily edited out. This stumbled the almost flawless narrative. But this is a minor miss in an otherwise great book.

    Two thumbs up and recommended!
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  • Mej
    3.0 out of 5 stars Readable
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on May 19, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Readable but nothing very special. I always finish any book i am reading so that it gets a fair chance, this one was just middle of the road
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  • Flatfield
    5.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe the 1 star reviews
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I really don't get where the lower star reviews come from for this work. I try to be an objective reviewer and as a professional writer myself I am always honest. Read my others and you'll see I am always honest, often brutally. This book was a great read and despite seeing the 1 and 2 star reviews I went into it expecting much less than I normally would and came out with much more than I had hoped for. Ed James, is a writer to watch.

    At last a detective who isn't a sociopath, alcoholic or depressive. A normal copper doing his job, you may think wont make for interesting reading, but here you'd be wrong, Cullen is an oasis of calm within his department headed by the monstrous Bain, a thoroughly unlovable character.

    The writing is tight with pithy chapters that propel the reader along at a steady pace, with just enough descriptive prose to set the scenes. The authors knowledge of modern computers and programming is used to great effect and is just enough to show that he knows what he's talking about, rather than it becoming like a technical manual. I liked the invention of the social networking site and its later reference to Facebook made it relevant.

    There were at times a few too many characters to keep track of, and at one point when someone mentioned 'the Asian officer' I had to stop and think, who is the Asian officer? I do think maybe trimming the officers down would have been better, but this said it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

    This was a great read, realistic with well structured dialogue kept the story fresh through to the climax.
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