‘Tony
deserves to die,’ I say, ‘More than I deserve to live.’
We're all rooting for Graeme Macrae Burnet's His Bloody Project in the Man Booker's aren't we? I'm hoping he wins, but whether that happens or not, I'm delighted for all those involved that the book has had so much exposure and wonderful feedback. I may not have read it yet (it's near the top of the pile) but I'll do the odd old-man cartwheel if it comes in.
In case you've been switched on by his work, I'd like to shine a light onto another book published by Saraband's Contraband imprint.
Russell D McLean has
produced yet another cracking novel for you to enjoy and I reckon you should pick
yourself up a copy as soon as so that you can share in the pleasure of this
one.
And When I Die (US) is set in
Glasgow. Like any well-written novel, the city itself is part of the fabric of
the story. It’s a living and breathing entity which has moulded its population
over the centuries, some for better and others for worse.
The Scobies have an interesting
past. Previous successes have been whittled away by each generation as
circumstance shifts against them and the only way for the current head of the
family (Derek) to get back on top was to turn to crime. It turns out he’s
rather good at it, too. Of course, it helps if his henchmen are super tough
guys with enormous reputations and cold hearts. The most feared of all the
Scobie killers is his son, Ray. Ray’s a beast. A giant. A cold-blooded killer
who doesn’t feel pain, but he also has a tenderness rattling about inside him.
There’s a touch of Frankenstein’s monster or of King Kong to him in that
respect, and he’s just as compelling. When we meet him, he’s about to be blown
up by a car bomb and he’s not going to emerge from it well. And then things get
worse.
The bomb has been planted
by an undercover cop (John) whose own identity has always been unstable. His
infiltration into the Scobie family has done nothing to help him find clarity
in life and he’s more confused than ever about what he should be doing next.
He’s so deep into his undercover work that his criminal life has taken over
from his police role and he no longer has a sense of what he really is. The
waters have been further muddied by his feelings for Kat. Kat was his way into
the family in the first place. He wasn’t supposed to fall for her, but things
don’t always go to plan. Unfortunately for both of them, their relationship had
to end and Kat left the city to find some of the quiet life. In the aftermath
of the car-bombing, John is forced to face up to what he has done to her and to
see if he can sort everything out and make amends.
Kat had another special
relationship in her life, a bond with Ray that holds them tight. She comes back
for Ray’s funeral, not knowing that Ray isn’t in the coffin. Returning home
screws with her mind as she reflects on her past. Needless to say, the last
person she wants to see is also the first she’d like to meet, and that’s her
ex. When they do finally get together again, their chemistry is rather
explosive, though not in any of the more romantic connotations that phrase
might hold.
Kat and John tell their stories
in alternating chapters and in the present tense. This means the action feels
fast and that the tension is amplified as it constantly builds. As the world
around them falls apart, loyalties are tested to the full. Everyone is
conflicted in some way and each decision comes with a slice of doubt or a dose
of guilt. Nothing is easy and none of the options are likely to end up with a
simple conclusion.
Ray is magnificent. John
and Kat are perfectly flawed. The surrounding cast play their parts admirably and
McLean shows off his talent for creating gripping and emotionally demanding
tales.
Noir with deep roots and a
bagful of broken promises.
