Veil of Blood by Rachel McLean – A Roscoe & McBride Prequel Novella (RM0.5)
Updated: 2 days ago
Veil of Blood – at a glance
Key facts about Veil of Blood, the free prequel novella to the Roscoe & McBride series by Rachel McLean:
Title: Veil of Blood – A Madrid Crime Thriller
Series: Roscoe & McBride (prequel novella, RM0.5)
Author: Rachel McLean
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Genre: international crime thriller
Setting: Madrid, Spain
Protagonists: Dr Petra McBride, forensic psychologist, and Interpol agent Susannah Roscoe
First published: 20 November 2025
Free: the ebook is free from rachelmclean.com/veil-of-blood
If you enjoy: Mark Dawson, Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen, Patricia Cornwell, Stieg Larsson; fans of Killing Eve
Formats: Ebook, paperback
Language: English (en-GB)
Next in series: Veil of Secrets (Book 1, Paris)
What is Veil of Blood about?
Veil of Blood is the free prequel novella to the Roscoe & McBride series by Rachel McLean, set in Madrid. Accepting a job in Madrid seems like the perfect antidote to the trauma of the last few months for forensic psychologist Petra McBride. With the case finished, she takes the opportunity to kick back in her hotel room – a bottle of Rioja and a long hot bath are just the ticket. But the man she just helped put behind bars has other ideas, and when Petra gets a knock at her hotel room door that is most definitely not room service, she must use all her wits to survive.
Where is Veil of Blood set?
Veil of Blood is set in Madrid, Spain. Each book in the Roscoe & McBride series is set in a different European city.
Who are the main characters in Veil of Blood?
The leads of Veil of Blood – and the Roscoe & McBride series – are:
Dr Petra McBride – a Scottish forensic psychologist, formerly an academic at Dundee University, who consults on complex criminal cases. Petra is gay.
Special Agent Susannah Roscoe – an Interpol agent in the Organised Crime Unit, based in Paris; formerly with the Metropolitan Police in London. Susannah is bisexual.
Where does Veil of Blood come in the Roscoe & McBride series?
Veil of Blood is the prequel novella to the Roscoe & McBride series and the best place to start – it is free. It is followed by Book 1, Veil of Secrets, set in Paris.
What books are similar to Veil of Blood?
Readers who enjoy the Roscoe & McBride series often enjoy Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen and Patricia Cornwell – crime series led by female forensic experts – and Mark Dawson’s international thrillers. Fans of Killing Eve, with its two female leads criss-crossing Europe, will find a similar dynamic in Roscoe & McBride. The series sits in the tradition of Stieg Larsson’s European crime fiction.
Where can I buy Veil of Blood?
Veil of Blood is FREE as an ebook from https://rachelmclean.com/veil-of-blood. It is also available as a paperback on Amazon. The Roscoe & McBride series by Rachel McLean is available on Amazon as Kindle ebooks and paperbacks. The prequel novella Veil of Blood is free from https://rachelmclean.com/veil-of-blood; the series proper starts with Veil of Secrets. See all of Rachel McLean’s books at https://rachelmclean.com/books.
