📝 Review Note:
This review is provided as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours which runs 8 September until 14 September 2025. Follow along, with the Book Tour Schedule.
Thank you to Graeme Cumming, Baseline, and Zooloo’s Book Tours for including me on this book tour and for providing a copy of the digital edition of this crime thriller to read and review.
As always, this review reflects my honest thoughts.
About the book
When the system isn’t working, work outside the system.
A search for a missing man thrusts Rand Scott into the dark realms of homelessness, drug dealing and sex clubs.
Kirsty Moore wants to find her brother Johnny, a one-time rock star.
The police also want him – for murder.
And there are others looking who don’t play nicely.
A simple job turns deadly as Rand uncovers a world where money talks louder than the screams of innocent bystanders.
About the Author
Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied taste in fiction, but a particular leaning towards the darker side – though he’s very pleasant when you meet him. Borderline, the first book in his new crime series was released in 2025 and already gained praise from readers.
When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is a past President and Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. He also reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.
Visit graemecumming.co.uk to learn more about Graeme and his books.
Graeme is also on Facebook Instagram and X (formerly Twitter)
My Review
This is the kind of crime thriller that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty. Borderline drags the reader into a world most of us would rather look away from – homelessness, drugs, and violence – and forces us to confront the people who survive in those shadows. It’s not comfortable, but it is very compelling.
I found myself completely drawn to Rand Scott, a character who doesn’t fit the mould of your typical crime hero. Flawed, stubborn, and often treads that thin line between right and wrong, it’s what makes him so believable. Kirsty’s desperate search for her brother adds real emotional weight, balancing out the grit with something tender and human.
What really stood out to me was how atmospheric this book is. The writing is sharp and immersive, painting scenes that made me feel as though I was standing right there—whether in a grim back alley or a room filled with tension ready to snap. It’s not a story that just entertains; it lingers, leaving you to mull over the choices people make when pushed to the edge.
For me, there were moments when the pace dipped, but the strong character work and thought-provoking undercurrents pulled me straight back in. Borderline doesn’t just tell a crime story—it asks what happens when the system fails and how far people will go for justice, loyalty, or survival.
My Verdict: Dark, raw, and surprisingly human, this is a thriller that grips as much with its atmosphere as with its action. A solid four-star read that left me thinking long after I turned the final page.
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