On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.

In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…

Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.

It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.

My thanks to Avon Books for my review copy

Earlier this year I reviewed Perfect Prey by Helen Fields.  I liked that book (a lot) and gave it a five star review.  Before I read Perfect Prey I had read Perfect Remains, the book which introduced Luc Callanach, but as I read it while I was on vacation I did not get a chance to write up a review.  Time to catch up…

I Love, Love, Love Perfect Remains.

Helen Fields introduces Luc Callanach to Edinburgh – he is trying to rebuild a career after a scandal at work has forced him to leave France and settle in Scotland.  Callanach is half French and half Scottish and seemingly 100% drop-dead gorgeous – he will fit right in at Police Scotland.

Watching Callanach settle into his new surroundings and face down the battles against new colleagues (who are trying to exert their own claim to be the station’s Alpha Male) was great fun. He needs to prove his ability to a hostile crowd and can only rely upon the support of his fellow DI – Ava Turner.

Luc is thrown in at the deep end when a missing persons investigation becomes a murder case. The body of Elaine Buxton has been found in the hills, dental records confirming the charred remains are that of the missing woman.  However, the reader knows that Elaine Buxton is not dead – she has been hidden in a deep, dark backroom of a house in Edinburgh. If nobody is looking for Elaine then what hope does she have for rescue?

This is a phenomenal introduction to a new character and one of the stand-out reads of 2017. I raced through Perfect Remains, rolled immediately into Perfect Prey and I cannot wait until Luc Callanach returns in Perfect Death.  So, so good.

Perfect Remains is published by Avon Books and is available in digital and paperback format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Perfect-Remains-gripping-breathless-Callanach-ebook/dp/B01D4WRF9O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511637645&sr=1-1&keywords=perfect+remains