The Special Dead cover art

The Special Dead

Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

A night of passion leads into an occult nightmare – and more lives are at risk. The Special Dead is the thrilling tenth book in Lin Anderson's Glasgow-set forensic crime series featuring Rhona MacLeod.

'One of the most satisfying characters in modern crime fiction' – Daily Mail


When Mark is invited back to Leila's flat and ordered to strip, he thinks he's about to have the experience of his life. Waking later, he finds Leila gone from his side. Keen to leave, he opens the wrong door and enters a nightmare. Behind swaying Barbie dolls that hang from the ceiling is Leila – dead.

Rhona MacLeod's forensic investigation reveals the red plaited silk cord used to hang Leila to be a cingulum, a Wiccan artefact used in sex magick. Sketches of sexual partners hidden in the dolls provide a link to nine powerful men, but who are they? As the investigation continues, it looks increasingly likely that other witches will be targeted too.

Working the investigation is the newly demoted DS Michael McNab, who is keen to stay sober and redeem himself with Rhona – but an encounter with Leila's colleague and fellow Wiccan Freya Devine threatens his resolve.

Soon, McNab realizes Freya may hold the key to identifying the men linked to the dolls. But the Nine will do anything to keep their identities a secret . . .

'The best Scottish crime series since Rebus' – Daily Record

The Special Dead is the tenth book in the Rhona MacLeod series by Lin Anderson. It is followed by None but the Dead.

Readers love The Special Dead:

'Her characters are real, the plot intriguing and fast moving'
'I never guessed where it was all going. A cracking read'
'After finishing this book I bought the rest in the series and I can't wait to read them'

Perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, Martina Cole and Silent Witness.

Crime Thrillers Detective Fiction Magic Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Magic Users Witchcraft Crime Exciting

Critic reviews

Lin Anderson is one of Scotland's natural treasures - don't be fooled by comparisons, her writing is unique, bringing warmth and depth to even the seediest parts of Glasgow. Lin's Rhona MacLeod is a complex and compelling heroine who just gets better with every outing (Stuart MacBride, author of the Logan McRae series)
Anderson clearly knows what her readers want and how to keep them coming back for more
The Special Dead is the tenth in Lin Anderson's series featuring her forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod and it is everything that we have come to expect from this highly talented author
This unusual police procedural series has been running for more than a decade but shows no signs of flagging, with its solid plotting and recurring characters who are worth getting to know
Lin Anderson crafts her prime characters beautifully. They are as warm blooded and fragile, or as fierce and angry, as well known friends
I was gripped from the first chapter
A real page-turner (Ian Rankin, author of the Inspector Rebus series, on The Party House)
Vivid and atmospheric . . . enthralling (The Guardian on The Killing Tide)
A cast of characters who feel like old friends (The Sunday Times on None But the Dead)
All stars
Most relevant
Witches, and magical cats! and Rhona back with the serial cheat Shaun, having spent the previous 2 books seemingly sleeping with half of Scotland. Does a disservice to women having her behave in this way. I'm not sure why authors choose to have a female lead and then bring them down by making them stupid where men are concerned. and there's no way McNab would be allowed to work at the same police station after the last book, are we to believe that the crime lord that he got put away, when no-one else could, would have forgotten about him. he'd still be in danger. he'd be given a new identity and moved away.

the most ridiculous story so far

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.