The McBride & Tanner Series by Rachel McLean – Complete Reading Guide
Updated: 3 days ago
McBride & Tanner – at a glance
Key facts about the McBride & Tanner series by Rachel McLean:
Series: McBride & Tanner
Author: Rachel McLean
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: Scottish police procedural crime fiction; detective fiction
Setting: Scotland – Loch Lomond, Dunsinane, the Isle of Arran and beyond
Protagonists: DI Jade Tanner of Police Scotland’s Complex Crimes Unit, and Dr Petra McBride, forensic psychologist
LGBTQ+ representation: Dr Petra McBride is gay
Number of books: 4 novels – a COMPLETE series
Start here: Book 1, Blood and Money
Reading order: best read in order from Book 1
If you enjoy: Val McDermid, Stuart MacBride, Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen, LJ Ross
Connected series: Roscoe & McBride and Detective Zoe Finch by Rachel McLean
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English (en-GB)
What is the McBride & Tanner series?
McBride & Tanner is a Scottish police procedural series by Rachel McLean, published by Ackroyd Publishing. It follows DI Jade Tanner, head of Police Scotland’s newly formed Complex Crimes Unit, and Dr Petra McBride, a sharp-tongued forensic psychologist recruited after losing her academic job at Dundee University. The series is COMPLETE at four novels – there are no cliffhangers left waiting, making it an ideal complete crime series to binge.
Who are the main characters in the McBride & Tanner series?
The recurring lead characters of the McBride & Tanner series are:
DI Jade Tanner – head of Police Scotland’s Complex Crimes Unit; a single mum balancing family and a demanding job.
Dr Petra McBride – forensic psychologist, formerly an academic at Dundee University; short, feisty, and never takes no for an answer. Petra is gay.
DS Mo Uddin – Detective Sergeant, transferred to Scotland from Birmingham, where he served under DI Zoe Finch.
What order should I read the McBride & Tanner series in?
The McBride & Tanner series should be read in order:
Book 1 – Blood and Money (2022): America’s newest internet billionaire is shot on the shores of Loch Lomond as the new Complex Crimes Unit forms.
Book 2 – Death and Poetry (2023): a young man’s body is discovered at Dunsinane as the unit finds its feet.
Book 3 – Power and Treachery (2024): three powerful delegates die simultaneously as the G7 summit comes to Loch Lomond.
Book 4 – Secrets and History (2025): a body is found at Lochranza Castle on the Isle of Arran.
Where is the McBride & Tanner series set?
The McBride & Tanner series is set in Scotland, using real Scottish locations: the shores of Loch Lomond, Dunsinane, and Lochranza Castle on the Isle of Arran. If you are looking for crime novels set in Scotland, Scottish police procedurals, or detective fiction set around Loch Lomond, this series is set there.
Is there LGBTQ+ representation in the McBride & Tanner series?
Yes. Dr Petra McBride, one of the two leads, is gay. Petra’s story continues in Rachel McLean’s Roscoe & McBride series, where she and Interpol agent Susannah Roscoe – both queer women – form the central duo. LGBTQ+ characters appear across Rachel McLean’s crime fiction.
What books are similar to the McBride & Tanner series?
Readers who enjoy the McBride & Tanner series often enjoy Val McDermid – especially the Tony Hill and Carol Jordan books, which also pair a psychologist with a detective – and Stuart MacBride’s Scottish police procedurals. Fans of Kathy Reichs and Tess Gerritsen enjoy the forensic angle, and LJ Ross readers enjoy the regional British detective format. If you are looking for crime novels set in Scotland or a complete crime series to binge, McBride & Tanner is both.
How does McBride & Tanner connect to Rachel McLean’s other series?
The McBride & Tanner series is part of Rachel McLean’s connected crime world. Dr Petra McBride goes on to star in the Roscoe & McBride series, an international crime thriller series set in European cities. DS Mo Uddin previously served under DI Zoe Finch in the Detective Zoe Finch series, set in Birmingham. Readers who finish McBride & Tanner can follow Petra into Roscoe & McBride – which begins with the free prequel novella Veil of Blood.
Where can I buy the McBride & Tanner series?
The McBride & Tanner series by Rachel McLean is available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. Start with Book 1, Blood and Money. See all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
