A Cold Heart

With shaking hands, she tells herself she can do this. There’s nothing she won’t do for her daughter. But will she ever forgive herself for what happens next?

When Elizabeth Dunn is brutally snatched from her home in broad daylight, DS Malkie McCulloch must race against time to find her before it's too late. The victim is a carer, mother and wife living a quiet life in a housing estate in Livingston. But someone wanted to hurt her badly enough to risk everything.

As Malkie pieces together the scattered clues Elizabeth left behind, the case takes a devastating turn, connecting her disappearance to the violent death of a local security guard and a web of secrets that threatens to destroy everyone it touches.

With his personal life in turmoil – a newly discovered relative, a deepening relationship with fellow trauma survivor Deborah, and a renewed investigation into his mother’s suspicious death – Malkie must focus on finding the victim alive. As winter temperatures plummet, his investigation reveals a story of family betrayal and desperate love that shows just how far a parent will go to protect their child…

The fourth book in a gripping Scottish crime thriller series featuring DS Malkie McCulloch, a brilliantly complex detective who will risk everything to protect the innocent. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, J M Dalgliesh and JD Kirk.

What readers are saying about the DS Malkie McCulloch series:

‘I absolutely devoured this book… What a complex, loveable character… the author is fast becoming one of my favourites in the genre and up with the best. Please bring us more Malkie soon!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I dove into this book without having read the first in the series and finished it in one sitting! A resounding 5 stars.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I could not wait to get my hands on book number two to see what DS Malkie McCulloch would get up to next. I was definitely not disappointed! Another fantastic book and it’s safe to say Doug Sinclair has earned himself a fan in me!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, serial killers, a fantastic who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline had me glued to my Kindle! I highly recommend reading this book and series!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A fast-moving, edge-of-the-seat novel you won’t be able to put down.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Oh wow… an excellent follow-up to Blood Runs Deep… a twisty, turning story involving a senior officer in Police Scotland. Revenge is best served cold.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I had to finish this entertaining story in one sitting… an immersing tapestry of justice, revenge and murder.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Kept me guessing for a very long time.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An exciting and well-thought-out murder mystery that keeps your interest to the very end.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Doug Sinclair lives in West Lothian, with a very patient wife and three furry dependents. He is the author of the DS Malkie McCulloch series, set in the semi-rural (but wild in ways he's always loved) regions of central Scotland. The first in the series, _Blood Runs Deep, _was published in February 2024.