Simultaneously a high-stakes mystery and an in-depth exploration of grief and loss, The Beltane Massacre is reminiscent of a classic spy novel with a modern twist – Rowan McRae is a different kind of hero for a different age who must learn how to move on after experiencing unthinkable tragedy.

Rowan McRae, a former Canadian Forces intelligence officer, lives in the UK with a beautiful wife and healthy baby. He’s about to finish his PhD and then take up a teaching post in London. But then the unthinkable happens at the Edinburgh Beltane Festival; his wife and son, along with dozens of other people, are killed when a bomb is tossed into the bonfire. One year later, Rowan is enlisted by MI5 to help jumpstart the foundering investigation into the bombing. In so doing, he uncovers a conspiracy touching on the highest levels of society—a conspiracy protecting the bomber.

Raymond Critch is a lawyer and author from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Prior to getting called to the bar, he completed his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, and has taught at the University of Vienna and Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. He lives in his hometown with his wife and sons. The Beltane Massacre is his first novel.

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