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The Shadow Men: a gripping crime mystery (Anna Scavolini Mysteries) Paperback – October 14, 2021

by M.R. Mackenzie (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 270 ratings
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They see everything. They hear everything. They know everything.

When a young police officer, Derek Sullivan, goes missing, the detective investigating his disappearance turns to criminologist Anna Scavolini – Derek’s one-time university lecturer – for help. Haunted by the belief that she failed in her duty of care towards her former student, Anna finds herself drawn increasingly deeper into the investigation.

Meanwhile, Zoe Callahan – once Anna’s best friend, now unhappily estranged – becomes preoccupied by unsettling rumours involving her old school. Uncovering a trail of evidence implicating the most powerful men in Scottish society in a scandal stretching back decades, she soon attracts the attention of sinister forces who don’t look kindly on those who disturb the past…

A missing police officer, a highly coveted list of names, a fatal car crash on a rainswept night – what connects these seemingly unrelated threads? And who are the mysterious Shadow Men, whose very name strikes terror into the hearts of all who hear it?

A compulsive page-turner with a labyrinthine, multi-stranded plot, The Shadow Men is the third novel in the Anna Scavolini series, perfect for fans of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Denise Mina’s Garnethill trilogy.

Praise for M.R. Mackenzie

‘Brings a fresh new voice to the field of Tartan Noir.’ – James Oswald

‘Writes with precision and passion.’ – Caro Ramsay

‘Splendidly written stuff.’ – Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

‘An immersive slow burn of a tale, peppered with disquieting fire-crackers of revelation.’ – Morgan Cry

‘Mackenzie has come up with something that defies easy definition and is truly original.’ – Paul Burke, NB Magazine

‘Up there with the best contemporary authors working today.’ – David B. Lyons

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Previous page
  1. Book 3 of 5
    Anna Scavolini Mysteries
  2. Print length
    430 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    October 14, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    5.06 x 1.08 x 7.81 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1916094821
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1916094826
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mad House (October 14, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 430 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1916094821
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1916094826
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 1.08 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 270 ratings

About the author

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M.R. Mackenzie

M.R. Mackenzie

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M.R. Mackenzie is the author of several gritty, character-driven crime fiction novels set mainly in his native Glasgow, including an ongoing series of mysteries featuring criminology lecturer Anna Scavolini.

The first book in the series, In the Silence, was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year and longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2019.

PRAISE FOR M.R. MACKENZIE:

“One of the most consistently accomplished writers on the current scene.” — Financial Times

“Brings a fresh new voice to the field of Tartan Noir.” — James Oswald

“Writes with precision and passion.” — Caro Ramsay

“An immersive slow burn of a tale, peppered with disquieting fire-crackers of revelation.” — Gordon J. Brown

“Mackenzie has come up with something that defies easy definition and is truly original.” — NB Magazine

“Up there with the best contemporary authors working today.” — David B. Lyons

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
270 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Marjorie Simmons
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I love Anna and Zoe and Fin this story shows how determination and persistence can pay off.. Anna and Zoe continue in their search for the sad truth
Good read. Can’t wait to read more
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Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf)
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting plot!
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2021
The Shadow Men by M.R. Mackenzie was a really interesting read! This book is technically the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone. The Shadow Men follows the mysterious disappearance of a young police officer, Derek Sullivan. The lead investigating officer on the case turns to the reluctant Anna Scavolini, a criminologist and lecturer, to help find out exactly what happened to Derek.

The beginning starts off slightly confusing with multiple small plots interwoven into the larger plot. The book is well-written and Mackenzie does a great job of wrapping any loose ends up. Most of the characters were interesting and likable and I found myself enjoying the book a lot because of the plot and great characters. The book was slightly lengthy, and I felt there were a few details that didn’t necessarily pertain to the book, but I still enjoyed it.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Wendy Vaal
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2023
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I absolutely loved this book. It kept me turning pages till the end. I can't wait until the next book.
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Melinda
5.0 out of 5 stars the shadow men
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2022
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Another good Anna Scavolini tale, and somehow this one seemed a little slower before getting into the real action but perhaps that’s just because this tale was lengthier than the previous books.
In spite of its length, I appreciated that the author included the after story ie. how the main characters resolved the horror of the actual mystery had been solved.
All in all, a good read.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterful Novel
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2022
Gripping ,never dull, very eell writte , with a message of justice and equity for the reader
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Top reviews from other countries

Keris Nine
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific read with hidden depths
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2021
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Crime novels are not usually all that complicated or nuanced. In many cases someone is killing people, a police detective is called in to investigate, solve the mystery and try to prevent more deaths; there are good guys and bad guys. Things are never so simple in M R Mackenzie's Anna Scavolini series of books, which is appropriate as she is a lecturer in criminology at University of Glasgow and it's a vast subject. And she is a lecturer, not a police detective or investigator. Yet crime affects everyone and has a wider impact on society, and that is something we continually find in Mackenzie's writing. That and the guarantee of a rattling good crime thriller, and he provides that again, page after page, in The Shadow Men.

Mackenzie certainly doesn't take any easy route in the crimes he covers in his work. In Cruel Summer, the second Anna Scavolini book, he hinted at crimes of corruption and abuse that extend beyond the traditional underground gangland crime or serial killer subjects. There's another dark seam of criminality among those with the power, authority and influence to cover it up. In The Shadow Men he takes that further, considering paedophile rings and the lengths the establishment could conceivably go to in order to cover up this kind of vile activity.

Another reason why this is tricky is that it risks credibility indulging in conspiracy theories, or in the idea that a university lecturer and her friend could potentially blow it all apart and bring it to light. However we know such things go on and there are now many testimonies coming to light from those who are now able to find sympathetic ears willing to listen and believe. If the Shadow Men succeeds in its intentions, it's because Mackenzie's insightful writing propels you along the rapidly unfolding plot with clear, fluid prose and authentic dialogue. On top of this however is the attention to character, detail and nuance. Every issue is thought through for consequences and implications.

Most importantly perhaps is the choice of having Anna Scavolini and Zoe Callahan tackle the issues and criminal activities raised from different angles and social backgrounds. There is perhaps a little contrivance here this time, but no more so than two separate stories coming together in a traditional crime novel manner. Here the two have a shared history so it is less surprising, but more important is how their differences in character and temperament provide a dynamic and wider overview of the investigation.

Anna is methodical but hesitant, Zoe wading in there with no sugarcoating. But nothing is that simple and other factors or extreme situations can influence how we behave and sometimes act out of character. Here Anna is pregnant and she has to take that into account, while we know about Zoe's brother having shall we say (no spoilers) a troubled history in In The Silence. All of this has an impact on how they approach their investigation and how they react to what they find, to say nothing of the fact that this is a difficult and sensitive subject. Life goes on and people carry their scars with them. This is vital to The Shadow Men, and Mackenzie doesn't put a foot wrong.

As a thriller this hits all the expected points, a little too mechanically and cinematically perhaps with some things falling into place a little too conveniently. All that however is part of the package, designed just to keep you reading - and it does - looking for resolution to a crime of a terrible nature, scale and proportions. Will Anna and Zoe resolve an age-old conspiracy that runs deep through the highest levels of society's most respectable institutions? Whether they do that or not, what Mackenzie really achieves - for me anyway - is much more important. He delves further into the nature of crime, its pervasiveness in society and how much remains unseen, and he connects its novelistically into a truth that manages to be shocking and thrilling, darkly humorous and insightful, and does it without compromising at all on the serious nature of the subject.
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Torky53
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly well written.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2024
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The Shadow Men by M.R. MacKenzie. Great book I'm going onto book four in the series and they've all been brilliant, it was a bit of a heavy subject this one but truly well written. We all know this stuff goes on in real life and it's covered up in real life just like in the book and the people that make the laws in this country are making them to protect themselves. I'd thoroughly recommend this book and series to anyone.
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Roger Keen
5.0 out of 5 stars More Than Just a Crime Story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 3, 2021
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In this, the third Anna Scavolini mystery, the character of the criminologist is well established from the outset – a feisty, sometimes defiant presence within the male-dominated world of policing, giving her sometimes antagonistic points of view readily, and taking no nonsense from any alpha males, including high-ranking ones, such as the debonair Porsche-driving DCI Vasilico. Through the DCI, Anna gets inducted into a Strathkelvin police investigation concerning a missing young police officer, and from her different perspective she manages to uncover hidden clues, overlooked by the boys in blue.

Other mysterious elements involve an alcoholic cop visiting the scene of a fatal car accident at night, and rumours of organised child sexual abuse at the old school of Anna’s best friend, Zoe Callahan, and she herself turns detective in an effort to get to the truth. Naturally all this is connected, and as more strange deaths follow and the sense of jeopardy increases, the two friends become thrown together, wondering how far the conspiracy extends, fearing for their own safety and not knowing who to trust, but still determined to get to the bottom of things regardless.

Further depths to Anna’s character are revealed by her state of being pregnant, but experiencing a disconnect from the customary processes of joyful maternal expectation. With children appearing within the story and the historical children associated with the abuse, a whole strand opens up on the nature of childhood, and M. R. Mackenzie handles this with a sensitive expert touch, building character portraits that extend the book beyond the remit of a straightforward crime story. Anna’s journey of maternity synchronises with her journey of crime detection, and as she gets the answers she seeks, she also discovers more about herself.

Bent cops, dubious police practices and murky plutocrat paedophile rings are high in the zeitgeist at present, and moreover they’ve been writ larger than life in dramas such as Line of Duty. M. R. Mackenzie taps into this rich vein most successfully, creating gripping tension as the ante ramps up, and giving it all his customary Glaswegian spin, of course.
3 people found this helpful
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Aggie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great writing and plot
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2021
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M.R. Mackenzie’s readers will be pleased to reconnect with Anna the criminology lecturer and Zoe, her drifter friend, again becoming involved in a situation which places them in danger as they uncover evidence of a scandal involving respected and powerful men. The plot progresses with suspense, clues and red herrings which kept me guessing. The characters are memorable, skilfully presented in high standard narrative and dialogue. The Shadow Men is a great read that keeps you guessing and takes you into the worlds of the characters.
4 people found this helpful
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Rosann
5.0 out of 5 stars A very good series of books
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2022
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Excellent writing, brilliant characters and a wonderful story thread. I have read all the 3 books in this series now and they have me sleepless nights.....I couldn't put them down. I still find it amazing that a male writer can get so thoroughly into a woman's skin!
2 people found this helpful
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