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sshabein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
char_lottereadss's review against another edition
4.0
the darkness was there waiting for her. Whatever else happens, the dark remains
[b:The Dark Remains|56442695|The Dark Remains (Jack Laidlaw, #0)|William McIlvanney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609133458l/56442695._SY75_.jpg|88043515] Rating: 3.75/4
I've been branching out to different genres lately, trying to get myself into more non-YA, non-fantasy books and this one is another that made me have a whole other reading experience than I normally do. As a teenage girl, I still find thrillers/mystery written by white men really different and "weird" when compared what I normally read. This one is no different, but in a good way. Mind you I had no idea that this was a prequel to a very well-loved and somewhat legendary detective series? [b:Laidlaw|952162|Laidlaw (Jack Laidlaw, #1)|William McIlvanney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1318156284l/952162._SY75_.jpg|937081] but I assure this can be read without the triology cuz thrillers/mystery are fun like that.
honestly this was the first thriller that I did not feel like was draggy in the beginning, probably because this book is fairly short (under 300 pages). I felt like the pacing was really really well-done, it was perfectly laid out in a way that there was always something happening but not revealing everything at once
the reveal at the end really did shook me. The authors are skillful in a way that when you reread the book you find the clues laid out prominently across the whole book. But when you are reading it, you find out about the killer at the very same time the detective did I found that really satisfying.
the writing is really easy to get into, you can probably finish this in one sitting if you are that kind of reader ( I am not)
I also really liked that Laidlaw actually does see the injustice in the justice system even when he is part of it. I wished that could have been explored a little more since I found it added so much more depth to the character
I think Laidlaw is well-loved by many, and I originally did found him charming too but unfortunately the ending pissed me off. What is it with white men thinking that them not feeling "right" in their household gives them the justifiable right to cheat??? anyway that's a whole other discussion, but I really did not like it.
I don't know if I will pick up the rest of the series yet I Hope I will. Will recommend this to mystery lovers definitely!
special thanks to pansings distribution for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review
annarella's review against another edition
5.0
That said it's a gripping, gritty, atmospheric and dark thriller. I was hooked since the beginning and fell in love with the style of writing and the storytelling.
I have to confess that i'm able to tell who wrote but I can surely say it is well written, well plotted and the characters are vivid.
The descriptions, the atmosphere brought me back in time and it is an exciting read.
Please do not expect a Rebus mystery as this story it's on the darker side of Tartan Noir.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
shitbookreviews's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I have never read any of William McIlvenney’s stuff.
And even though we nearly share a last name and I buy my mum his books religiously every Christmas, I’ve also never read any of Ian Rankin’s.
Your gal went in blind with this one. Here’s what you’re in for with The Dark Remains:
✨ Scottish AF
✨ 1972 detective grit
✨ GANG LOOOORDS partaking in fisty-cuffs with knives
✨ Tartan Noir (which is a thing apaz)
Right so you’ve got this one guy, Jack Laidlaw, who keeps getting chucked from police station to station because he rubs people up the wrong way. Something about his mannerisms just don’t match up with the 1970s lad vibes which causes a few issues on cases. As a chaotic force of nature who very much likes to work on his tod, he can often be found flapping away somewhere leaving his partner Bob Lilley in the dust trying to figure out wtf just happened.
So what are these wee scamps investigating? A dodgy as hell lawyer going by the name of Bobby Carter has just been found stabbed (and very dead) down a dirty alleyway. Whilst most people are probably thinking ‘ah one less asshole on the streets’, it comes with a slightly bigger issue. The dumping of the body will lead to an all-out gang war if they don’t solve it as quickly as their little crime-solving fingers will let them.
I found this hard to get into – I like a good thriller but something didn’t quite gel for me. Perhaps it’s the Scot in me that finds reading Scottish words hard (only a thing in my head), but I’m also very aware that I am very much in the minority here.
Now this book is a little different – it was started by McIlvanney who sadly died in 2015. Ian Rankin was asked to pick up the mantle (and the manuscript) and pull the story to life. Not something I’d ever want to do because screw trying to match someone else’s style, but if I didn’t know it was written by two people, I’d honestly have no idea.
Perhaps die-hard McIlvanney/Rankin fans can, but eejit mcplebface over here was none the wiser
estellehart's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
bookoholic's review against another edition
5.0
The story is set in a dark side of 1972 Glasgow. With gangsters running the city, casino and strip clubs being something normal and general poverty. It's written in such a perfect way that you feel the atmosphere, the cold and gloom spilling from the pages and filling the space around you.
The dead body of a lawyer Bobby Carter is found in a small alleyway. It wouldn't be that bad, if not for the fact, that Carter was associated with a gangster Cam Colvin, and his body was found on the other gangster's territory - John Rhodes'. That can mean war.
DC Jack Laidlaw works for the Crime Squad and with his partner DS Bob Lilley they try to solve the crime. To be fair, Laidlaw is mostly doing whatever he wants and feels and Lilley is keeping an eye on him. Strangely, this pair makes a fantastic team, they trust each other and achieve results that they wouldn't, if they were to follow the rules.
A murder that can destroy the city must be solved. Someone wants a war. And Jack Laidlaw needs to stop them. He's not a likeable character as such, he lives in a hotel when he's working on a case, leaving his wife worried at home, he knows all the criminals and sometimes is even very friendly with them, but he also has a good heart and great instincts.
It was my first William McIlvanney's novel and I definitely want to read the rest of his books.
Very atmospheric, clever and engaging.
nathwani's review against another edition
1.5