Wednesday, 20 July 2016

One Man's Opinion: WAYS TO DIE IN GLASGOW by JAY STRINGER


'Now didn't seem like the right time to tell Mrs Hunter that the only principle I'd been holding out for was the one called the right price.'

Ways To Die In Glasgow (US) is a terrific read.

Told from multiple points of view, we get to witness events in the lives of a disparate bunch of criminals at a time when they’re struggling to maintain their usual murky equilibrium.

Stepping into their world is Sam Ireland, a brilliant new Private Investigator who manages to fill the PI mould and also to break it. She’s a tenacious woman who is developing the ability to follow her instincts on a case. Sam’s a top class creation, full of spirit and energy while being likeable, fragile and a little bit crazy. As she probes into the case she’s working, she sets in motion a sequence of violence, killings, deals and double deals that spin at top speed like an enormous tornado.

The cast of characters here is superb. Glasgow counts among them and is described with a warmth and touch that could only be done by someone who really knows the city.

The story has a strong energy which maintains the tension from start to finish. Action, threat and brutality are peppered liberally throughout, but there’s also humour and a level of observation that need to be enjoyed and admired.


Great plot, great people, great places, great entertainment and, above all, great writing. Essential reading for lovers of any shade of crime fiction.  

And the really good news? There's another Sam Ireland book due out any time soon. It may not make up for the Brexit fiasco, but it should bring a few welcome hours of distraction from the whole nonsense.

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