The depression in the 1930s hit Glasgow hard. The city was a morass of corrupt officials, rival fighting gangs, police unable to control crime, and terrible poverty. Into this mix, Percy Joseph Stilltoe is appointed Chief Constable. He selects teams to fight facets of this corruption. DI Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner, DS Archie McDaud are part of this select band.
When the body of Charles Geddes is found in the River Clyde, Dreghorn and McDaid are given the assignment of finding the killer. Geddes is the son-in-law of Sir Iain Lockhart, one of Glasgow’s wealthiest men, and Dreghorn has ties to the family, particularly Isla, the daughter of the family.
Pursuing the case Dreghorn and McDaid, move from the high society of the Lockhart’s to the dregs of the most poverty stricken and crime ridden areas of the city. The author does an excellent job of bringing both scenes to life. He doesn’t shy from the brutality which makes the book very dark in some sections. However, the author also shows the picturesque side of Glasgow giving the reader a taste of both sides of the city. He was able to make the background so real, I felt as if I were there.
The book is not fast paced, but moves at a tempo that keeps you reading. I also found the scenes of Dreghorn’s early life illuminating. It’s a good start if this is the first book in a new series.
I received this review copy from Net Galley and Random House.
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