It features Detective Sergeant Logan McRae (who is later nicknamed "Lazarus") as its central character, who works for Grampian Police in Aberdeen, Scotland.

[1] It is Logan McRae's first week back after being on sick leave for a year; courtesy of Angus Robertson (The Mastrick Monster) who carved him up with a knife.

The local paper screams about police incompetence and is gunning for McRae's boss, Detective Inspector David Insch.

[5] Matthew Lewin, writing in The Guardian, described the book as "Tartan Noir" which is laced with gallows humour but that the author [MacBride] just can't pull off.

Susan Manfield, writing in The Scotsman, said that Cold Granite is a capable police thriller, and a good read - outside of mealtimes.