Rhona MacLeod is the protagonist of Lin Anderson’s Scottish crime series. She is a forensic scientist based in Glasgow whose work takes her to crime scenes across Scotland, from the city to the remote Highlands and islands. Her skill with physical evidence is matched by her knowledge of the communities where the crimes occur.
The series has run for over two decades, with 22 novels published between 2003 and 2025. Rhona’s character has deepened across that span, with her personal history, her connections to the Highlands, and her professional relationships developing alongside the criminal investigations. The Rhona MacLeod series collects all the books in reading order.
Reading Order#
See the complete Rhona MacLeod reading order for all books in the series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rhona MacLeod?
Rhona MacLeod is a forensic scientist based in Glasgow who works with the Scottish police on murder investigations. Her expertise in physical evidence drives the cases, while her personal ties to the Highland community where she grew up add emotional depth to the series.
How many books feature Rhona MacLeod?
Rhona is the protagonist of 22 novels, starting with Driftnet (2003) and continuing through The Dead and the Dying (2025).
What role does Scotland play in the Rhona MacLeod series?
Scotland is central to every book. Rhona’s cases take her from her Glasgow lab to crime scenes across the Highlands, islands, and coastal communities. Anderson uses real Scottish locations and weather as integral parts of the stories, and the relationship between urban Glasgow and rural Scotland is a recurring theme.