Review: Never Proven by Bill Daly

Never Proven by Bill Daly, November 2018, 320 pages, Old Street Publishing, ISBN: 1910400777

Reviewed by Terry Halligan.
(Read more of Terry's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

This is the fourth book in the Charlie Anderson series by this very talented writer from Glasgow and set in around the town he knows so well.

John Preston an IT consultant is found dead on the streets of Glasgow and DCI Charlie Anderson is very disturbed by the circumstances of the killing which indicate that the victim perhaps knew his assailant. On the same night a local man was attacked in a local pub and had his hand nailed to the floor and it looked like the assailants were connected to the killing but the DCI has a hard case attempting to prove the connection.

As this is the fourth book in the series the detectives in the story become more familiar to the regular reader and their back story provides the author with a rich seam of content to pass on.

As is usual in books of this kind there are many false trails before the ultimate reveal in the final paragraphs.

Bill Daly originally came from Renfrew (near Glasgow). Having spent forty years away from Scotland (living mainly in France) he returned to live in Glasgow in 2015. In 2016, he was awarded The Scottish Association of Writers’ Constable Trophy for his novel writing. His first DCI Charlie Anderson thriller BLACK MAIL, published in 2014 became a No 1 Kindle Bestseller in the “Scottish Crime” category.

I always look forward to reading Bill Daly's books as they effortlessly incorporate the seedy nastiness of the tougher parts of Glasgow. They are always very fast moving and evocative and the characters all have a rich credibility. I was, as usual, absolutely gripped until the final dramatic paragraph and look forward to reading more from this very exciting and gifted author.

Very strongly recommended.

Terry Halligan, November 2018.

Review: Robbing the Dead by Tana Collins

Robbing the Dead by Tana Collins, February 2017, 278 pages, Bloodhound Books, ISBN: 0995692696

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

This nail-biting debut by Tana Collins introduces her detective, DCI Jim Carruthers, and heralds the arrival of another top-notch author of Scottish crime fiction. Set in a small town, called Castletown - that is roughly based on St. Andrews but still has an operational RAF base close by, the novel is a treasure trove of interesting locations that will hook in readers who are past and present residents of this unique university town and keep their attention right to the very last page.

The story starts with a particularly gruesome murder in the town, in a back alley. You are drip fed the fact that the victim is a young Welshman, a member of the RAF and knows his assailant, and also find out about the creepy person watching events unfold. That is all you find out. Even the police don't know much more but very soon this killing is upstaged by a car bomb and what looks like attempted murder. Theories abound but all centre on the fact that somebody doesn't like the intended victim’s opinions of the Welsh, particularly Welsh terrorist groups and those who are fighting for freedom. Carruthers, newly arrived in town, is thought to be out of depth on this case and outside help is drafted in, in the form of terror expert McGhee, who once tried to seduce Carruthers’ now ex-wife. There is no love lost between the men and tensions rise as his eyes fall on Andrea Fletcher; Carruthers’ extremely efficient and capable DS.

In their hunt for the intended victim, who has simply vanished, the would-be murderer, and a motive for this crime, as well as still trying to sort out first murder, Carruthers and Fletcher find themselves face-to-face with the aftermath of Bloody Sunday and have to join the dots to find out how everything is connected. They must hurry if they are to be successful as they are not the only ones looking for answers and, indeed, justice.

I loved this book! The story is captivating, well-written and has an ending that you can't see coming. Jim Carruthers is an extremely likeable cop, with enough personal trauma to make him interesting as well as good at his job. The prospect of more books about him and DS Fletcher, in their fight against crime in not-so-sleepy Castletown, is very exciting. In ROBBING THE DEAD Tana Collins has shown, extremely effectively, that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Extremely highly recommended.

Amanda Gillies, July 2017

Review: Death of a Ghost by M C Beaton

Death of a Ghost by M C Beaton, February 2017, Constable, ISBN: 1472117247

I'm a huge fan of M C Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series set in the Highlands of Scotland, which has been running for over thirty years now. Though time stands still in terms of the characters' ages they do move with the times in terms of modern accoutrements such as iPhones.

In this latest outing, DEATH OF A GHOST, Hamish and his latest police sidekick/colleague Charlie are summoned by an ex-police superintendent who has bought a castle in the dismal and remote loch-side village of Drim. The former police bigwig, nicknamed Handy, has been hearing howling, “haunted”, noises from the disused tower attached to his historic home. Hamish and Charlie agree to spend a night in the tower to dispel the myth of a ghost.

What they find however is not an airy-fairy ghost but an honest to goodness dead body.

And so begins an investigation into the residents of Drim and uncovering their secrets and desires and along the way there are more murders.

As well as the murder enquiries, we catch up briefly with all of Hamish's previous colleagues who have spent a short while with him in his police station/home in Lochdubh and his former love-interests Priscilla and Elspeth make brief and slightly longer appearances respectively.

I dive into this series whenever I need a bit of light relief and a trip to beautiful countryside. This one caught me particularly off guard with the identity of the murderer. M C Beaton manages to keep this series fresh, despite it having over thirty entries and I always look forward to the next one. If you like one, you'll like them all.

British cozy crime is having a bit of a resurgence at the moment and if you like that sub-genre then why not start with the very first Hamish, DEATH OF A GOSSIP.

Review: Murderabilia by Craig Robertson

Murderabilia by Craig Robertson, March 2017, 432 pages, Simon & Schuster UK, ISBN: 1471156591

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

Another corker from Craig Robertson and covering a topic that is gruesome to say the very least. The central theme of the novel hovers around the unsavoury habit of collecting artifacts from murders – pieces of clothing, jewellery, hair, weapons. Even bricks from houses where murders took place. The list goes on and the prices paid can be astronomical. Robertson admits to having looked into this murky world as part of the research for his book. It is impossible to imagine what he found or, indeed, why people want to collect such things.

MURDERABILIA continues Robertson’s series featuring crime photographer Tony Winter and his detective girlfriend Rachel Narey. Tony lost his job with the police in the last book and is now trying his hand at journalism. Getting a lead for a good story is not proving to be particularly successful for him and he doesn’t feel cut out for the job. But then, one morning, a body suspended from a bridge in Glasgow city centre shocks the early commuters and the whole city finds itself reeling. The deceased is the son of a high profile politician and Tony’s photograph of the pile of clothes left neatly folded beneath the body proves to be an instant media hit. Narey, now pregnant, is removed from the case and, much to her disgust, made to endure forced bed rest after collapsing at work. She must stay calm at all costs to keep her baby safe but staying out of things proves to be too difficult for her – especially with her nemesis Denny Kelbie brought in to save the day.

Close scrutiny of Tony’s photo soon reveals that not everything is as it should be. Key pieces of clothing are missing from the pile and pretty soon they appear for sale on a somewhat dodgy website. Armed with her laptop and going out of her mind with boredom, Rachel starts to dig and is soon out of her depth in the Dark Web, shocked at what she finds. She sends Tony to do her investigating and both of them are soon caught up in a world where murder is a collectible art and people seem to be willing to pay very high prices for their coveted prize. Rachel, drawn in by the irresistible lure of the objects she finds, is soon buying murderabilia. But her questions have been noticed and it is not long before somebody is watching her closely as well. Can she and Tony solve the case before it is too late or will her fate end up being the same as that of Sharon Tate, who was infamously murdered when pregnant, and is now haunting her dreams?

An absorbing and engrossing book, this is one of Craig Robertson’s finest works. It has so many twists and turns that you must stay on your toes to keep up but the ever-increasing pace, that winds up slowly then reaches a screaming crescendo, will keep you up at night to find out what happens. I have read all of Craig Robertson’s books and am always delighted to be asked to review another one. He is a talented wordsmith and I am enjoying watching him develop his craft.

Extremely Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, April 2017

Review: Kill Me Twice by Anna Smith

Kill Me Twice by Anna Smith, August 2016, 400 pages, Quercus, ISBN: 1784294799

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

It is always an immense pleasure to be sent the latest Rosie Gilmour book to review. I love the way this feisty journalist gets her teeth into things and brings people to justice. She cares about more than just the perfect story and because of this people trust her to help them when there is nowhere else to turn.

Her creator, Anna Smith, is an award-winning journalist herself and has worked in many places in the world over the course of her career. KILL ME TWICE is her seventh book to feature Rosie Gilmour.

This time Rosie is caught up in the murky world of heroin addiction as she fights to protect two people who are hiding so that the truth will come out. A stunning young model has thrown herself off the top of a building and the celeb world is in shock at her apparent suicide. Unbeknown to those with the most to hide, this “suicide” is witnessed by another tortured soul: Milly Chambers - a former politician’s wife - who also has plans to end her life that day. She hides unseen as the young woman is brought up onto the hotel roof, fights for her life and is thrown off the building. In terror Milly runs but it is not long before she needs Rosie’s help to stay safe from her husband and others who would wish her harm.

In previous books Rosie has put her own life on the line for her witnesses. It seems as if this book is no exception as she is given a beating or two and threatened for knowing too much. There is also the issue of the secret that connects the heroin addict with the model; a story that could send sales of her paper though the ceiling. Just as long as she survives to tell the tale!

Anna Smith writes nail-biting prose that will keep you up late. It is always impossible to guess the ending and you are never disappointed. If you like feisty female lead characters, then you are going to love Rosie Gilmour. KILL ME TWICE reads well as a stand-alone but is even better if you've read the others in the series first.

Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, March 2017

Review: Crash Land by Doug Johnstone

Crash Land by Doug Johnstone, November 2016, 272 pages, Faber & Faber, ISBN: 057133086X

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

The briefest glimpse of the rather eye-catching cover on the front of Doug Johnstone’s latest novel lets you know that you are in for another corking treat. Following what seems to have become the trademark Johnstone style, the story opens with a stressful situation and rapidly goes downhill from there. The ensuing roller-coaster journey that you are taken on leaves you feeling somewhat dishevelled when you are finally spat out the other end. At times the flow of the writing in this book has an almost lacklustre feel to it that I initially found to be rather disappointing, as it wasn’t the high-octane stuff that I was expecting. However, upon reflection, the main character’s own frustration at the situation is cleverly mirrored in the way these parts of the book are written; such that the reader feels as impatient as the protagonist at the way things are turning out.

As its title suggests, this book is about a plane crash. In fact, it starts with the plane crash and the infuriating, machismo-driven, fight that causes it is maddening. You feel helpless to stop the plane from crashing and are forced to live the experience, in a dream-like slow motion, with Finn – who just wants to get home, from Orkney, for Christmas and could really do without the hassle. Unlike nearly everyone else on the plane, he survives the impact but when the beautiful woman he has been defending grabs her bag and leaves the crash site you get the sinking feeling that this isn’t going to end well.

And you will be right about that.

Pretty soon Finn is helping the police with their enquiries but they get the distinct impression that he isn’t telling them the whole truth. Forbidden from leaving the island and potentially about to be charged with causing the crash, Finn goes back to his gran’s house to cool his heels. Then he receives a text message and sets out on a course of action that soon gets him even further into trouble…

Johnstone’s books never fail to disappoint. He has this uncanny knack of making the reader feel helpless, along with the main character, and leaves you watching in dismay as the unfolding events just make matters worse and worse. If you like a cracking good story that you know will definitely not have a warm and fuzzy “Happy Ever After” ending, then CRASH LAND is just the book for you!

Extremely Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, November 2016.

Review: His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet

His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet, November 2015, 288 pages, Contraband, ISBN: 1910192147

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

This book, set in a remote crofting community in north-west Scotland in 1869, has been short-listed for the 2016 Man Booker prize. This well-deserved nomination speaks volumes for the quality of this wonderful novel: if you only read one book this year, then make sure it is this one! The author, Graeme Macrae Burnet, was the recipient of a Scottish Book Trust New Writer’s Award in 2013 and HIS BLOODY PROJECT is his second novel. Clearly a man of talent, Burnet is another one of those Scottish authors that we should most definitely keep a close eye on.

HIS BLOODY PROJECT is about a murder. A gruesome triple murder that shocks the small community where both the murderer and his victim live. The guilty party is a young man who goes by the name of Roderick Macrae. He is seen by his neighbour shortly after committing his dreadful act - covered in blood and carrying his weapons. There is no doubt that he is the guilty party and he is more than willing to admit what he has done. However, there is a question over his motive, and his sanity at the time of the crime, and his counsel bravely sets out to save him from the gallows. The novel consists of a series of reports, written by various officials to document the evidence of this shocking event and their opinions concerning the accused. They make for pretty somber reading but are nothing compared to the account written by Roddy himself, as he attempts to explain what he has done.

I am extremely grateful to both Karen and Contraband for giving me the opportunity to review this book. Every so often you get the rare opportunity to read something that is incredibly special and this is one of those occasions. I am still haunted by HIS BLOODY PROJECT: The vivid descriptions it contains of life as a crofter in the 1800s show that conditions were very far from pretty. The book is so harrowing and realistic that I even had to stop reading and find out whether the plot was based on a true story. If you like to be disturbed by what you read and enjoy first-rate thrillers that won’t let go of you when you have finished them, then you are going to love this book.

Extremely Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, September 2016

Review: Rough Cut by Anna Smith

Rough Cut by Anna Smith, January 2016, 416 pages, Quercus, ISBN: 184866432X

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

The long-awaited sixth book in Anna Smith’s fabulous series featuring feisty journalist Rosie Gilmour is with us, and it is every bit as fabulous as the previous books about her. Smith writes books that consume you. Her protagonist constantly finds herself up to her eyes in all sorts of trouble in her quest for the truth and takes you with her every step of the way. I love Rosie’s drive and ambition. I also love the way these books are written. They hold you captive and keep you guessing but are also a relatively quick read, so possible to whizz through in a couple of days – leaving you an exhausted heap by the time you have finished.

The novel opens with the gruesome scene of a prostitute with a dead punter at her feet. She has accidentally killed him in an erotic game that has gone terribly wrong and is left wondering what to do. She calls her friend, and fellow prostitute, for advice and the two of them are soon making their get-away; taking the punter’s mysterious briefcase with them. The contents of the briefcase turns out to be a pile of fake passports and a large number of rough diamonds. This discovery opens a whole can of worms and before too long there are threats being made on the girls’ lives by less than savoury men who want the case returned as soon as possible. Not knowing what to do, the girls turn to Rosie for help and she sets out to get to the bottom of the trouble.

As usual, Rosie doesn’t make things easy for herself and is looking into the apparent suicide of a young Pakistani bride at the same time as helping the prostitutes. What she finds out takes her to Pakistan, to rescue another young girl who suddenly disappears. What Rosie discovers shocks her to the core and soon she is once again running for her life. With diplomatic aid to help her escape, it seems as if Rosie might be safe this time, but you do start to wonder how long her luck will last.

One of the best things about Rosie is her sense of justice. Being a journalist, her purpose and passion is to seek out the perfect story. However, she also has an overpowering desire for fair-play and honesty. She keeps the police informed as much as she can and does her utmost to help those who ask her to. Only one thing is missing – TJ, her love. She misses him constantly and you, the reader, are also caught up in the loneliness she feels when she thinks about him. You have your fingers crossed that she will be reunited with her love but are not quite sure if she will ever see him again.

If you like a good plot that keeps you guessing and covers a current, controversial topic with sensitivity and tact, then you are going to love this book. It is not necessary to read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one but it makes it much more interesting if you do.

Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, August 2016

Review: Silenced by Anne Randall (A J McCreanor)

Silenced by Anne Randall (A J McCreanor), September 2015, 368 pages, Constable, ISBN: 1472112334

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

Anne Randall is the pseudonym of A J McCreanor, author of the fabulous crime fiction debut novel RIVEN that was published in 2014. RIVEN was the first in Randall’s series to feature her detectives Wheeler and Ross. SILENCED is her second, and is every bit as harrowing as the first.

The story begins when Mark Haedyear, a notorious murderer, escapes from custody after his mother’s funeral. Now he is on the run and the girlfriend of the man believed to have grassed on him to the cops goes missing. Haedyear had murdered his original victim by burying her alive, so it seems as if history is about to repeat itself.

Things begin to get nastier when the body of a homeless man is found dumped amongst rubbish near a park in Glasgow. The only clue to the possible identity of the killer is a small card left near the body. The card comes from the mysterious Letum Institute: an organization interested in the afterlife and contacting the dead. It also funds a homeless hostel in the city and it could be that there is a connection between the hostel and the dead man. Wheeler and Ross are called in to investigate but clues are few and far between, and they feel as if they are getting nowhere fast.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, Fiona Henderson, daughter of Haedyear’s first victim has also gone missing. She turned into a mute recluse after the murder of her mother and spent increasing amounts of time homeless; avoiding her father and sister and trying to come to terms with her loss. With Haedyear’s escape from prison, the pressure is on to find Fiona, in case she becomes a victim too. Wheeler and Ross have their work cut out for them if they are to get to the bottom of their case before more people are killed.

If you enjoy your crime fiction a bit on the dark side, then you are going to love this latest book by Anna Randall. It also has a wonderful twist at the end that you won't see coming. It blows you away and leaves you feeing exhausted by the time you have finished the book.

Overall, a fabulous story by this gifted author that keeps you guessing and captivated, from the first page to the last.

Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, February 2016.

Review: Oh Marina Girl by Graham Lironi

Oh Marina Girl by Graham Lironi, April 2015, 176 pages, Saraband, ISBN: 1908643919

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

This quirky novel is simply brilliant. Several of the reviews on its back cover say that it is a cult classic in the making and they are not wrong. OH MARINA GIRL is the third novel by Graham Lironi, who is a former journalist and based in Glasgow. He is described as a “bad boy of Scottish fiction’ and is definitely a name to look out for.

OH MARINA GIRL is the narrated memoir of a spaceman – the nameless letters editor of a newspaper, who has had the same job for many years and follows the same routine every day. One morning he is dragged out of his usual pattern by a letter that states “Intolerance will not be tolerated” and threatens to kill a hostage – who had written to the newspaper criticizing a recently published book review and whose views had been printed the day before. The letter goes on to say that unless it is published, unedited, on the front page of the next day’s paper, the hostage will be executed. It also adds that failure to do this will mean that he, the letters editor, will also meet with an unpleasant end.

Our narrator ponders upon what he should do next and tells us a bit about himself and his family history at the same time. He decides to give the letter to his boss, who calls a board meeting and is far from happy, then try and discover the identity of the mysterious letter writer himself. He spends a great deal of time either in the library, talking with people whose names are, weirdly, all anagrams of each other, or meeting with a private detective who seems to be following him but wants to help him as well. It is all beautifully written and impossible to guess what is going to happen next.

I love Lironi’s way with words. He had me captivated and curious right from the start. This wonderful book is very short and a quick read but its impact stays with you for a long time after you finish it. It doesn’t feel like a short, quick read at all. If you like cult classics and books that make you think “eh?”, then you are going to love this one – especially the ending!

Extremely Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, November 2015.

Blog Tour: Q & A with Lin Anderson

I'm very pleased to welcome Lin Anderson to Euro Crime as the latest stop on the blog tour for The Special Dead.

Amanda, who reviewed The Special Dead, last week asks the questions in the following interview:


Hello, Lin, thanks for agreeing to come and talk to us today.

First of all, many congratulations on being shortlisted for the Crime Book of the Year award! It's a fantastic achievement. How did it feel when you found out?

Astonishment mainly, because I’m very aware of all the excellent books being written and submitted to the Scottish Crime Book of the Year award. Followed, of course, by excitement and delight and, as Chris Brookmyre said on twitter, ‘Honoured to be among such reprobates.’

Tell us about Rhona, your main character. What was your source of inspiration behind creating her? Do you see any of yourself in Rhona MacLeod? She features in over ten books now and goes from strength to strength. What do you think makes her so popular?

One of my excellent Maths pupils at Grantown Grammer School in the Spey Valley went off to do Forensic Science at Strathclyde University. We lived in the same village, Carrbridge, and her mum was a good friend. When she came back home in the holidays she talked with great enthusiasm about her course. This was before CSI. Emma Hart became the inspiration for Rhona the forensic scientist (in her professional not personal life). Emma was working in London when I wrote Driftnet, the first in the series, and she helped me with the forensic aspects of it. The dilemma that Rhona finds herself in in Driftnet propels the story. Having given up her son for adoption seventeen years before, she thinks the latest victim may be her son.
I find I’m getting to know more about Rhona all the time. (A woman is like a teabag, you don’t know her strength until you put her in hot water). And I do put her in a lot of hot water. As for why readers like her, you’ll maybe have to ask them. One of her fans wrote to me recently to say ‘Rhona – what a woman! But she didn’t say why.

We have heard that your Rhona novels are currently being adapted for ITV. Is this true? When do you think we will see Rhona on our TV screens?

Elaine Collins, when she was with ITV was a big fan of Rhona and developed a series beginning with Final Cut. This was at the same time as she was working on Vera. There was much excitement about it, but sadly Elaine has now moved from ITV and the rights are back with me... On the plus side others are interested.

It must be difficult watching your creation being turned into something suitable for another medium and having no say in the matter. How involved are you in this process or is it totally out of your hands?

During the process Elaine very much kept me on board, and the script for Final Cut was excellent. As someone who writes for screen myself, I was confident that they understood the characters really well. When I was asked if I had any worries, my only comment was that Rhona MacLeod is not a ‘wee lassie’, but a mature woman.

Thinking of writing for film and TV, you have written several screenplays yourself, and been successful there as well. Can you tell us about this? How did it all get started? Any current projects that you can tell us about?

I had a drama on television called Small Love before I had Driftnet published. I went on to write short films. River Child won best drama at the Celtic Film Festival and a student Bafta while I completed my MA in Screenwriting from the Film Academy at Edinburgh Napier University.
The current project is a full length feature, a paranormal crime thriller called Dead Close, inspired by a short story of mine of the same name. Set in the Old Town of Edinburgh, both above and below ground, it’s being directed by Graeme Maley. September should see the start of the countdown on production with Makar Films. We’re all very excited about it.
My latest venture is a rock musical which I’m writing with John Sinclair, keyboard player with Ozzie Osbourne for 17 years, who now has a recording studio in the highlands near my home village. I’m writing the Book (script) and he’s writing the music and lyrics. It’s called Voice of a Generation and is set in 1975 in New York when it was known as Fear City. We’ve been working on it for the last 18 months and hope to complete it by the end of the year.

Another hugely successful project you are involved in is, of course, Bloody Scotland, the Scottish crime writing festival that is now in its fourth year. What inspired you to start this festival in Scotland? Why Stirling?

Bloody Scotland was born at a Crime Writers’ Association conference in Lincoln. Alex Gray and I, while drinking Prosecco, pondered why we Scots always came south for crime festivals when we had such a large body of excellent crime writers at home, and decided it was time for folk to come to us. Brilliant idea, followed by three years hard work and planning launched the festival. Four years later and it’s gone from strength to strength with an international reputation. We were also very fortunate to have great advice from Val McDermid, who began the Harrogate festival. We chose Stirling as the venue because of its unique position as the gateway to the Highlands, within easy reach of both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and because of its spectacular and history. When Alex came up with the name Bloody Scotland, it matched the festival content and location perfectly. Many of our visitors come from the USA and various European countries and use the visit to explore the highlands before or after the festival.
When Ian Rankin launched the first festival he said Scandinavia doesn’t have better crime writers than Scotland, it has better PR. Bloody Scotland was created to change that. 

What is it, do you think, that has made Bloody Scotland so special?

For me, it’s doing what we dreamt of – encouraging new writers, celebrating the success of established writers, plus bringing UK and international stars to a Scottish audience. Bloody Scotland is now a brand, operating throughout the year to celebrate Scottish Crime Writing at home and abroad.

You used to be a teacher. How did your writing career start? What was it like taking the step to writing full time?

I come from Irish/Scottish parentage where story telling was very much a part of life. My first play was written at primary school. It featured Mary Queen of Scots and the murder of Lord Darnley. I studied Maths and Astronomy at Glasgow University, along with computing and went on to teach Maths first of all and later solely computing science. In between I had three children and spent five years in a remote part of northern Nigeria where I taught in the Savanah Sugar Company school. My first short stories, set in Nigeria, were written about that time and were broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and published in various collections. When I wrote Driftnet I was still teaching full time and was Principal Teacher of Computing at an Edinburgh School. It was very difficult to give up a full time job and salary to write full time, but it was what I wanted to do. After writing three books in the few hours after work, I suddenly had the freedom to write when I wanted. It was wonderful.

And finally, what next for Rhona?

I am currently working on None But the Dead, the sequel to The Special Dead. Set on the island of Sanday in Orkney, strange things begin to happen when the remains of a woman are found in the grounds of an old schoolhouse.

Thanks again, Lin. We have really enjoyed chatting with you. All the best with the short list. Euro Crime will have its fingers crossed for you!

A big thank you for your support and good wishes. Hope to see you at Bloody Scotland in the near future.

Lin Anderson’s new novel The Special Dead is published by Pan Macmillan 13 August 2015, £12.99 HB. For more information about Bloody Scotland (11-13 September 2015) go to bloodyscotland.com.

Review: The Samaritan by Mason Cross

The Samaritan by Mason Cross, July 2015, 416 pages, Orion, ISBN: 1409146162

Reviewed by Terry Halligan.
(Read more of Terry's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains, LAPD Detective Jessica Allen knows this isn't the work of a first-time killer. She's seen this MO before - two and a half years ago on the other side of the country. Allen begins to dig deeper and soon uncovers a terrifying truth. A sadistic serial killer has been operating undetected for the past decade, preying on lone female drivers who have broken down. The press dub the killer 'the Samaritan', but with no leads and a killer who leaves no traces, the police investigation quickly grinds to a halt.
That's when Carter Blake shows up to volunteer his services. He's a skilled manhunter with an uncanny ability to predict the Samaritan's next moves. At first, Allen and her colleagues are suspicious. After all, their new ally shares some uncomfortable similarities to the man they're tracking. But as the Samaritan takes his slaughter to the next level, Blake is forced to reveal that the similarities between the two men are closer than even Allen suspects.
With time running out and an opponent who knows all of his tricks, Blake must find a way to stop the Samaritan . . . even if it means bringing his own past crashing down on top of him.

THE SAMARITAN is a very powerful and literate thriller set in California, written by a very talented new author from Glasgow. This is the second book by this author with Carter Blake as principal protagonist. Carter Blake is a strange but friendly loner who has extraordinary abilities that he appears to have learned doing CIA black ops but which he is very unforthcoming about.

Blake heard about the problems that "The Samaritan" is causing on the TV news before he arrived in Los Angeles and so could not be the killer himself as some suppose. Blake first appeared in the author's debut book THE KILLING SEASON when he helped FBI agent Elaine Banner catch a serial killer named Caleb Wardell otherwise known as "The Chicago Sniper" and thus Banner is well disposed to give him a good reference when asked by LAPD Detective Jessica Allen about this man she is so unsure about trusting.

The murders of young women, killed when their vehicle breaks down reaches a high number and the public are very worried about their personal safety in the US where ownership of a car is so important as the distances of travel are so much greater than here.

The book was very atmospheric and deftly plotted. All the characters are very richly drawn and the author writes the book seeing the story from different viewpoints (e.g. Allen, the detective, or Carter Blake or even The Samaritan which makes for some compelling reading). There are a few red herrings to draw the reader to the wrong conclusion before the very exciting last page.

I was fascinated by the story and once started I just could not put it down. This author who has only published one other book so far, writes with such dexterity and expert plotting that one would think he has many, many titles to his credit. I must try and get hold of his earlier book as I don't think I can wait until next year to read more about Carter Blake. Extremely well recommended.

Terry Halligan, August 2015.

Review: The Special Dead by Lin Anderson

Lin Anderson's The Special Dead is released today and is reviewed below by Amanda; check back next Tuesday for her interview with Lin.

The Special Dead by Lin Anderson, August 2015, 448 pages, Macmillan, ISBN: 1447298314

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

THE SPECIAL DEAD is the tenth in Lin Anderson’s series featuring her forensic scientist, Rhona MacLeod and it is everything that we have come to expect from this highly talented author. Rhona holds her own brilliantly, as usual – both professionally and in her private life – and it is always refreshing to see a successful and focused woman doing so well in her career.

After the traumatic ending to the last novel, PATHS OF THE DEAD, things are cold between her and her old pal, McNab. Demoted and demoralized, McNab tries to make amends with Rhona and stay away from the booze, the source of his troubles, but the secret they both share is getting harder to avoid. They both spend a significant amount of time in this novel making, drinking, and offering each other strong coffee. So much so that you can definitely smell it!

The story beings with Mark travelling through to Glasgow to enjoy a night out with his best mate. Placating his girlfriend by telling her that they are planning to play football, the lads go drinking and in search of girls instead. Much to his delight, Mark manages to pull Leila and she takes him back to her flat. High and drunk, he can’t believe his luck when she orders him to strip. Unfortunately, the night turns out to be slightly wilder than he had hoped: upon waking up, groggily, with only a dim recollection of what happened, he discovers that he is alone in bed. He decides to make a hasty exit but then makes the grim discovery of Leila’s lifeless body, hanging from a hook with a red silk cord round its neck, in a room with weird rows of Barbie dolls suspended from the ceiling. This is only the start of his trouble, especially when he decides that going to the police is not a very good idea.

Meanwhile, Rhona’s investigations indicate that Leila was a practising Wiccan. The red cord in particular suggests that sexual magick was involved and when another witch, one of Leila’s friends, is also found dead both Rhona and MacNab must hurry to solve the case before a third young woman, Freya, also loses her life.

Rhona MacLeod is one of my favourite crime fiction characters. I love the way she deals with everything that is thrown at her, but still has time for a bite to eat with Chrissy, her colleague, or a coffee with MacNab, despite their current differences. Rhona is very much her own person and comfortable in her own skin. She enjoys men but doesn’t want the complications of having one live with her; even though the thought is tempting after a tough day at work. THE SPECIAL DEAD, as with all the Rhona series, is an addictive change to the usual police procedural and looks at the world of crime through the eyes of a scientist instead. If you like books with feisty females in the lead then you are going to love this one. Next please!

Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, August 2015.

Review: Double Mortice by Bill Daly

Double Mortice by Bill Daly, April 2015, 320 pages, Old Street Publishing, ISBN: 1910400130

Reviewed by Terry Halligan.
(Read more of Terry's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

Rich, successful and married -- with a beautiful mistress on the side -- top Glasgow lawyer Michael Gibson is to all appearances an enviable man. On the inside, his life is falling apart.
Philippa, his lover, is demanding a divorce, but his wife refuses to cooperate. Meanwhile, an event from his shady past threatens to resurface and wipe out everything he's achieved. Worst of all, the city's most notorious psychopath, Jack McFarlane -- a man whom Gibson has good reason to fear -- is about to be released from prison.
When Gibson's wife goes missing, DCI Charlie Anderson has to establish if he's dealing with a case of abduction, suicide or murder. As events unfold against the uneasy streets of modern Glasgow, Anderson finds his renowned analytical skills seriously challenged.

DCI Charlie Anderson has to look into these events as well as other cases that his team are handling in this thoroughly engrossing and very well written police procedural. As is usual there are lots of different clues to be checked and eliminated and a finite time to it and as always there are senior policemen threatening to bring in fresh people if the team cannot complete the leads and get a result. Anderson, however is not put off by all the pressure as he has an understanding wife and family and his police team are very well chosen and supportive.

DOUBLE MORTICE is a brilliantly gripping and well plotted story by an extremely talented author who handles his subject matter with great dexterity and humour. This is one of the best police procedurals by a British author that I have read in a considerable time. I found the story very exciting and fast moving with enough twists and turns to keep you gripped as the pages just flew by. The author has great story telling abilities and all of his characters are very well drawn with a rich credibility to them which is often absent from other similar books.

I had the pleasure of reading for review purposes his previous and debut DCI Charlie Anderson novel BLACK MAIL and enjoyed it tremendously and was therefore very pleased to read this his second book in the series.

The locality of Glasgow is well evoked with plenty of references to the Scottish diet and humour as well as street names and other geographic descriptions which should appeal to Scottish readers, but which may have been a bit beyond me without the help of Google maps. I truly loved reading this book and enjoyed it tremendously and didn't want it to end and will definitely look out for further books by this greatly talented British author who now lives and works in Montpelier, France. Extremely well recommended.

Terry Halligan, August 2015.

Review: Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina

Blood Salt Water by Denise Mina, July 2015, 304 pages, Orion, ISBN: 1409140741

Reviewed by Michelle Peckham.
(Read more of Michelle's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

Iain and Tommy take an unidentified woman out to some sand dunes, near Loch Lomond and murder her. As she dies, Iain sucks in her dying breath, as she seems to say the name ‘Sheila’, the name of his mother. He feels that he has sucked in her soul and it is now trapped inside him. Driving back after dumping her body in the Loch, he cannot shake the feeling that she is inside him. He looks at his hands, which have traces of watery blood, and remembers that his mother once told him that only salt water lifts blood. But they’d dumped the body in a fresh water loch. The effects on his psyche of committing his first ever murder, influence his behaviour throughout the book.

Alex Morrow, a detective based in Glasgow, is involved in a surveillance case, following someone called Roxanna. She is somehow involved in possible drug related activities/money laundering. But Roxanna disappears and the police don’t know where she has gone. One of her kids rings in anonymously to alert the police, and after confirming that it was one of the kids (through CCTV), this allows them to follow up her disappearance officially. But no one seems to know where she’s gone.

Boyd Fraser runs an organic, local farmer’s market café in Helensburgh. A woman called Susan Grierson turns up. Long years ago, Susan was Boyd’s Akela in the Scouts, and his first ever sailing instructor. She has been living in the USA for the last twenty years, and is just back following her mother’s death, to sort out her house.

These three strands set the scene for the story to unfold; the criminal suffering from a conscience, the unhappy and bored café owner, and Morrow’s drugs investigation. Sooner or later, all three storylines link up and as usual, Denise Mina cleverly weaves the three strands together. There is an insightful look into police politics and how they influence their investigation, the ‘dos and don'ts’, and the consequences of receiving rewards and attribution for catching criminals also wanted elsewhere. The real villain is right under everyone’s noses the whole time without anyone suspecting, and there is a satisfying conclusion to the story once the drama has played out. This is a full-fat story with plenty of plot, character development, insight and local colour. Beautifully written, lovely to read and highly recommended.

Michelle Peckham, August 2015

Blog Tour: Review of The Jump by Doug Johnstone

Today, the Blog Tour for Doug Johnstone's The Jump arrives at Euro Crime where we have a review of The Jump, written by Amanda Gillies.

The Jump by Doug Johnstone, August 2015, 288 pages, Faber & Faber, ISBN: 0571321577

Reviewed by Amanda Gillies.
(Read more of Amanda's reviews for Euro Crime here.)

THE JUMP is the seventh book written by the very talented Doug Johnstone. Just when you start to wonder how on earth it could be possible for him to write anything better than his last masterpiece, he does it again and ups the stakes still further. Magnificent. This book is full of the usual Johnstone chaos but beautifully mixed in with a sad tale of life after bereavement – specifically, the tragic loss of a teenage son to suicide and how his parents struggle to cope in the aftermath.

Ellie’s life was torn apart when her son, Logan, jumped off the Forth Road Bridge. THE JUMP is set six months after this tragic event, with Ellie taking daily walks onto the bridge, and her husband flyering and obsessed with conspiracy theories, in an attempt to keep on going when they feel as if they have nothing left. One morning Ellie is following her usual pattern when she encounters Sam – another teenage boy – in a highly distressed state and clearly about to hurl himself from the bridge as well. Ellie talks him back from the edge and takes him home, determined to save this life even though she couldn’t save her son. Sam does not want to go back to his parents and Ellie goes to find out what the problem is. By doing so, she becomes embroiled in some very dark secrets and the reader wonders just how far she is prepared to go in order to save Sam. But, as it says on the front of the book, “you can do anything if you have nothing left to lose …”

If you have yet to read anything by this author then I suggest you do so, without delay. His words always have a particularly hard-hitting edge to them, that lingers when the book is done and safely on your bookshelf. THE JUMP is the saddest of all Johnstone’s books and has left me with a lump in my throat, along with, of course, the usual exhilaration from being carried along on the tidal wave of emotions that work by this author never fails to evoke.

I am lost for superlatives to describe this book. It’s excellent. Go and read it. Now.

Extremely Highly Recommended.

Amanda Gillies, August 2015.

TV News: The Field of Blood (Denise Mina)

The BBC Press Office has today released details of an upcoming tv adaptation of Denise Mina's The Field of Blood:

Set in Glasgow, 1982, crime drama The Field Of Blood centres on would-be journalist Paddy Meehan, a young copygirl working in a newspaper office.

Stuck in an almost exclusively male-dominated world of limited opportunities and cynicism, Paddy dreams of becoming an investigative journalist – believing that in miscarriages of justice, reporters are sometimes the only hope.

Funny, smart, and feisty, Paddy seizes an opportunity to kick start her career and becomes embroiled in a dark murder case. For Paddy, it's the opportunity of a lifetime but comes at great personal cost...

Filming on The Field Of Blood, a thrilling investigative drama, begins in October with casting to be announced in the coming weeks. The drama will transmit on BBC One Scotland in 2011.

Caroline Parkinson, Creative Director, Creative Scotland, said: "Creative Scotland is delighted to be working with Andrea Calderwood at Slate North and BBC Scotland, in bringing to life the first of the Paddy Meehan series, The Field of Blood by Denise Mina to Scottish audiences. A gripping two-part thriller, it will be set and filmed in Glasgow and Creative Scotland hopes that this marks the first in a long series from this impressive team."

(The Paddy Meehan series was intended to be 5 books but it seems to have stopped at 3.)

Publishing Deal - Alex Gray

From BookBrunch:

To Little,Brown, two further novels by Glasgow crime writer Alex Gray. The novels, which continue Gray's series featuring Detective Inspector Lorimer and psychologist Solly Brightman, will be published in 2011 and 2012. In addition, Shelley has acquired, from Canongate, mass market paperback rights to Gray's first novel NEVER SOMEWHERE ELSE, and FIVE WAYS TO KILL A MAN. They will be published in September this year and spring 2010 respectively.

Alex Gray's bibliography can be found here.

Louise Anderson's next book

I may have used the above title before but...there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for those of us awaiting the follow-up to Perception of Death.

The US edition of Perception of Death came out a couple of weeks ago. (The UK edition came out in 2004 - that's how long a wait it's been!)

In a recent interview in the Evening Times, this slight hope was given:

"Louise said: "I love writing because I can just escape into it. The characters are real to me - I miss them when I'm not writing.

"We are hoping to have my second book out this year, but it will depend on the market. I want to finish the second one so I can get on with some more new ideas."

I listened to the audio book of Perception of Death narrated by the superb Cathleen McCarron and my review is here.

There's also an extract published here.

Publishing Deal - Lin Anderson

From BookBrunch:

To Suzie Doore at Hodder, a further two crime novels by Lin Anderson featuring Glasgow-based forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod. In THE REBORN (2010), the body of a teenager is found with her uterus cut open and a full term foetus removed; MacLeod’s investigations lead to the maker of reborns, or lifelike baby dolls. A further novel, the eighth in the series, will appear in 2011. Hodder has world rights through Jenny Brown at Jenny Brown Associates.

Lin Anderson's Euro Crime bibliography with reviews of the Rhona MacLeod series, can be found here.