Ghost in the Machine: A serial killer detective thriller (DC Scott Cullen Crime Series Book 1)

‘Classic Scottish noir: bad food, bad moods, too much booze and tight plots’ @ey0k1, Twitter

For fans of Ian Rankin, Stuart McBride and Christopher Brookmyre, Ghost in the Machine is the novel that introduced readers to ambitious maverick Detective Constable Scott Cullen, whose series has set the bestseller charts alight.


With a messy divorce behind her, Caroline Adamson’s future is finally looking up. But after her mutilated body is found, police think Caroline’s ex-husband is the main suspect.

When one murder becomes three, Edinburgh faces up to the fact that it might have a serial killer in its midst. Then DC Scott Cullen of Lothian and Borders CID starts to question his superiors. Could the answer lie with Schoolbook, the latest social media craze to hit the city? Cullen has only been in the job for three months but he’s determined to prove himself, and equally as determined that the right person faces justice. As things take an even darker, personal turn, Cullen realises that he 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 the questions we don’t like to ask ourselves. Are we ever safe online, and how do we know who to trust?


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