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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
When I looked back at my last book review of Stuart MacBride’s book, Bloody Road, I saw that I wrote that I hoped his next book wasn’t quite so dark. Well, I didn’t get my wish in this book either. One short blurb from a review calls him “twisted genius.” It certainly is the case. MacBride continues to write some of the darkest books I’ve read in a while, but he balances it with humor and, in the end, both justice and ethics. The book was published in 2019 and reflects the period following the vote for Scottish independence that didn’t pass. It’s actually nice to see that Scotland has it’s share of overly nationalistic morons. When one of the characters talks about a Scotland ONLY for Scots with no Pakis, English or other immigrants, there is, sadly, some deja vu here.
Someone is kidnapping English residents of Scotland who spoke out against nationalists and independence. Body arts are being mailed. DI Frank King is heading the investigation. Unfortunately, a newspaper reporter has discovered that King has a past in a radical fringe group of Scottish Nationalists. He protests that he didn’t do anything, but Logan suspects he is hiding a secret.
If anything this was gorier and bloodier than the last book. Despite that, I really liked it, but I admit that MacBride is probably not for everyone.
After all this is a guy who names his cats Grendel,Gherkin, Onion and Beetroot.
This book is dark and thoughtful at the same time. Toward the end, DC Steele (formerly a DI, but she got demoted for screwing up badly) tells someone that she is all for independence for Scotland - as long as it’s a Scotland for all including the English who choose to make Scotland home. Steele is one of the ongoing characters in the series who started out as Logan’s boss. She is annoying, often disgusting, but there is a core of decency even if she often doesn’t exhibit it. She exhibits it very well in this latest book. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Another highly enjoyable novel in the Logan McRae series. I read these as audiobooks, listening while I'm driving in my work van and I'm sure I get some funny looks when I'm sitting at traffic light sniggering or laughing out loud, especially at some of the exchanges between Logan & Steele.
In this book it's good to see a more confident, authoritative Logan than in some of the previous books, but maybe that's in part because "Horrible Steele" is no longer his superior.
All the usual characters are there and brought to life expertly once again by Steve Worsley who is the perfect choice for this series.
In this book it's good to see a more confident, authoritative Logan than in some of the previous books, but maybe that's in part because "Horrible Steele" is no longer his superior.
All the usual characters are there and brought to life expertly once again by Steve Worsley who is the perfect choice for this series.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I read a lot of crime fiction and desperately wanted to enjoy this more, but I found the characters frankly quite annoying, and the Aberdeen vernacular grating and forced.
An interesting premise, who is abducting, maiming and killing anti-Scottish nationalists, but though I finished the book I didn't really enjoy it
An interesting premise, who is abducting, maiming and killing anti-Scottish nationalists, but though I finished the book I didn't really enjoy it
The most recent addition to the Logan McRae series is definitely the best yet. Set in Aberdeen, (the only place to rival the county of Midsomer for serial killers and astronomical body counts), our hero is working for Professional Standards in Police Scotland and is a Inspector. He is surrounded by the usual motley crew:
Sergeant Roberta Steel (formerly DCI) - a contender for the rudest and most politically incorrect character in crime fiction, Steel nevertheless remains a firm favourite with me. I was originally shocked by her behaviour but I have become somewhat immune and now just enjoy the dark humour in each novel and wonder what she will utter next. Despite her attitude, she delivers some of the best one liners.
Detective Sergeant Simon Rennie - when we first met Rennie, he was a mere DC and had joined McRae was part of the "screwup squad" run by Steel. He is now a DS and part of the PS team. He considers himself to be the best sidekick that McRae could ever have and is rather thick but he does try his best.
And finally, my favourite of the crew, DC Stewart "Tufty" Quirrel - the lovably daft member of the team. I'm not sure how Tufty has survived this long in the series, without someone (mainly Logan) attempting to kill him. But "I is Tufty" is hilarious and his ability to ignore the obvious and focus on the topic that interest to him, serves as comic relief to the seriousness of the investigation.
In 'All That's Dead', Logan has been assigned to support the unfortunate DI Frank King as he investigates to disappearance of a well-known professor. As always, the case is not as straightforward as it initially appears and soon we learn of several subsequent disappearances - the only connection between the victims being their pro-union stance. There is definitely a more political edge to this book than in previous novels, but only from the perspective of several characters, and the author does not attempt to force any opinions on the readers.
This is a gripping tale with plenty of twists to hold the readers attention and quite a few moments that grab you by the throat and do not let go.
According to the author Stuart MacBride, he approached the first book in the series, Cold Granite as "Mind you, I wanted Cold Granite to read as if it was from the middle of a series (lots of events from the past that are never explained) so you should be able to dip in and out in any order you fancy." And this remains true, whether you read one of the novellas or start with #12.
The stories listed in in chronological order (including the short stories and novella) are as follows: Cold Granite, Dying Light, Broken Skin, Flesh House, Blind Eye, Dark Blood, DI Steel’s Bad Heir Day, Shatter The Bones, Stramash, Close to the Bone, The 45% Hangover, 22 Dead Little Bodies, The Missing and the Dead, In the Cold Dark Ground, Now we are Dead, The Blood Road and the most recent Logan novel, All That's Dead.
Sergeant Roberta Steel (formerly DCI) - a contender for the rudest and most politically incorrect character in crime fiction, Steel nevertheless remains a firm favourite with me. I was originally shocked by her behaviour but I have become somewhat immune and now just enjoy the dark humour in each novel and wonder what she will utter next. Despite her attitude, she delivers some of the best one liners.
Detective Sergeant Simon Rennie - when we first met Rennie, he was a mere DC and had joined McRae was part of the "screwup squad" run by Steel. He is now a DS and part of the PS team. He considers himself to be the best sidekick that McRae could ever have and is rather thick but he does try his best.
And finally, my favourite of the crew, DC Stewart "Tufty" Quirrel - the lovably daft member of the team. I'm not sure how Tufty has survived this long in the series, without someone (mainly Logan) attempting to kill him. But "I is Tufty" is hilarious and his ability to ignore the obvious and focus on the topic that interest to him, serves as comic relief to the seriousness of the investigation.
In 'All That's Dead', Logan has been assigned to support the unfortunate DI Frank King as he investigates to disappearance of a well-known professor. As always, the case is not as straightforward as it initially appears and soon we learn of several subsequent disappearances - the only connection between the victims being their pro-union stance. There is definitely a more political edge to this book than in previous novels, but only from the perspective of several characters, and the author does not attempt to force any opinions on the readers.
This is a gripping tale with plenty of twists to hold the readers attention and quite a few moments that grab you by the throat and do not let go.
According to the author Stuart MacBride, he approached the first book in the series, Cold Granite as "Mind you, I wanted Cold Granite to read as if it was from the middle of a series (lots of events from the past that are never explained) so you should be able to dip in and out in any order you fancy." And this remains true, whether you read one of the novellas or start with #12.
The stories listed in in chronological order (including the short stories and novella) are as follows: Cold Granite, Dying Light, Broken Skin, Flesh House, Blind Eye, Dark Blood, DI Steel’s Bad Heir Day, Shatter The Bones, Stramash, Close to the Bone, The 45% Hangover, 22 Dead Little Bodies, The Missing and the Dead, In the Cold Dark Ground, Now we are Dead, The Blood Road and the most recent Logan novel, All That's Dead.
Amazing book, dark, bloodthirsty and full of black humour, MacBride’s characters are the best in British crime fiction.
I love the descriptions of Scottish cuisine as well, a kitkat butty..... this could well replace the deep fried Mars Bar as the national dish.
I love the descriptions of Scottish cuisine as well, a kitkat butty..... this could well replace the deep fried Mars Bar as the national dish.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
After so many it’s now Like reading an old friend. Same cracking characters, bit of humour and a great who done it all rolled into one.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot