If you don’t trust the police, there’s only one place to go
The death of an old acquaintance drags Rand Scott back to a life he’d left behind.
A police investigation is going nowhere and a grieving wife wants answers.
Putting minds at rest should be easy, and it gets him away from the city.
But factory farms and animal rights activists can be a toxic combination.
And Rand soon discovers a world where violence is the only common language.
Graeme Cumming’s Renegade was published by Baseline on 10 April 2026, you can find out more about the book on Amazon, Goodreads and StoryGraph.
I am excited to share my review of Renegade as part of the Virtual Book Tour hosted by Zooloo’s Book Tours, running 27 April to 3 May 2026. Do check out the full tour schedule and follow along to see what other early readers are saying about the book. My thanks to the author, publisher and, of course Zooloo’s Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour and for providing a digital copy of the book.
Graeme Cumming
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.
For more information about Graeme and his books, you can check his website www.graemecumming.co.uk
🔗 Connect with Graeme
Facebook @GraemeCummingAuthor
Instagram @graeme_cumming_author
My Review
Sleep-Stealing Thriller
From the very first pages, Renegade by Graeme Cumming pulls you straight back into Rand Scott’s world — a world that is as tense as it is compelling.
When the death of an old acquaintance draws Rand back into a life he thought he had left behind, what begins as a search for answers quickly becomes something far more complex. With a stalled police investigation, a grieving wife, and a setting where tensions are already running high, this is a story that never truly lets you settle.
What stood out to me most was the constant underlying sense of unease. Even in the quieter, more reflective moments, there is a feeling that something isn’t quite right and danger is never far away. That balance between emotional depth and dark, gripping suspense is handled incredibly well, and it kept me completely hooked. The pacing is relentless in the best possible way. This is one of those books where “just one more chapter” quickly turns into reading into the early hours, needing to know what happens next while almost dreading what might be coming. The tension builds steadily, and the payoff is more than worth it.
Rand is a fascinating character to follow — complex, layered, and shaped by a past that continues to cast a long shadow. The relationships around him add further depth, and there’s a real sense that every interaction carries weight, even when very little is said outright.
Although Renegade can absolutely be read as a standalone, it also works brilliantly as a continuation of Borderline, with just enough background woven in to ground the reader while still delivering a complete and satisfying story.
This is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that kept my pulse racing from beginning to end. Graeme Cumming has a way of telling a story that draws you in completely — and once you’re in, there’s no leaving until the final page.
#Renegade #GraemeCumming #RandScott
#Baseline #ZooloosBookTours #bookreview #booktour
A Note from Me
Before starting Renegade, I decided to revisit Borderline — where Graeme Cumming first introduces Rand, Hazard and the rest of the team — and I am so glad I did. What I expected to be a quick refresher turned into a full re-read, and honestly, it felt like experiencing the story for the first time all over again. Reading it in a different mindset made a huge difference. I found myself far more immersed in the tension, the characters, and the writing style, and it gave me a completely new appreciation for the way Graeme Cumming builds his stories. If anything, I feel I did the book a slight injustice the first time around. It’s rare to have such a clear shift in perspective on a re-read, but this was definitely one of those moments. Going straight from Borderline into Renegade made the experience even stronger, allowing me to fully connect with Rand and appreciate the continuation of his story on a much deeper level — even if it did mean a breathless few hours and a distinct lack of sleep… and it was absolutely worth it!
See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines. This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication. DISCLOSURE: I received a review copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. As always, my thoughts are honest and my own. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.
© [2026] [MoMoBookDiary]
MoMoBookDiary 
Leave a comment