After a long recuperation from a stab wound, Detective Sergeant Logan McRae's first night back on duty in Aberdeen, Scotland, takes him to a crime ...
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Apr 20, 2010
Joyce
rated it: 
A police procedural of the more or less hard boiled type. Set in Aberdeen, Scotland.[return][return]Detective Sergeant Logan MacRae has returned from recovering from near-fatal stab wounds to the Grampian Police Force to face immediately a dead child and the possibility of a serial paedophile killer. Other dead children appear as well as a puzzling adult corpse, causing more than a little confusion within the police ranks. In addition, it s clear that someone inside the Grampian Police Force
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Oct 28, 2011
David
rated it: 
This story by Stuart MacBride reads like part two of a series, yet is the first story he's had published. The "hero" is a Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, who has returned to duty after recuperating from injuries inflicted when he solved a previous murder.
The style is confident, casual and has good pace. The location is in chilly Aberdeen, in northern England. I would have enjoyed the story more but for the horrible nature of the murders here, sex crimes and killings of children. More...
The style is confident, casual and has good pace. The location is in chilly Aberdeen, in northern England. I would have enjoyed the story more but for the horrible nature of the murders here, sex crimes and killings of children. More...
Jul 27, 2011
Stuart
rated it: 
This is the first mystery novel by Stuart MacBride, who indicates he used to write SF. I liked it a lot. It was recommended to me by a friend who lived in Aberdeen (Scotland), where the action is set. Inevitably, it will be compared to Ian Rankin’s Rebus series, and in my opinion, it survives the comparison well. Less complicated than a Rankin story, there was more actual crime-solving. In fact, the detective in this book (Logan McRae) solves several crimes almost simultaneously in his first wee
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Aug 10, 2010
Bree
rated it:
This is Stuart MacBride’s first novel and as debuts go, it’s pretty tightly done. Detective Sargeant Logan McRae is back reporting for duty after a year off on sick leave. He was stabbed, multiple times (23, apparently) in the abdomen by a murderer nicknamed the “Mastrick Monster”. It took seven hours for a surgeon to sew DS McRae’s inside’s back together and he bears hideous scars and suffers from searing pain.
But the book is not really about that. Instead it’s about the case he cat More...
But the book is not really about that. Instead it’s about the case he cat More...
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Oct 11, 2011
Andreas
rated it:
A serial killer is on the loose in Aberdeen (the one in Scotland), and our hero Detective Sergeant Logan McRae is on the case. He is just back from leave after being badly stabbed in the belly. He is working for the constantly candy eating Detective Inspector Insch.
The afterword ends with “Aberdeen’s really not as bas as it sounds. Trust me.” I certainly hope so. It sounds like a grey, wet, frozen hellhole full of criminals and never-have-beens with no future in the book. The views int More...
The afterword ends with “Aberdeen’s really not as bas as it sounds. Trust me.” I certainly hope so. It sounds like a grey, wet, frozen hellhole full of criminals and never-have-beens with no future in the book. The views int More...
Sep 07, 2011
Lady*M
rated it: 
4.5 stars
Rarely realistic police procedural: cops that work several cases at once, never able to completely dedicate themselves to one, breaking the tension with drinking and small amusements in the midst of terrible cases, dealing with pressure from superiors and press and private lives... Interesting tidbits of Scottish justice system and police procedure, grim image of Aberdeen. Great setting, dark and cold as only Scottish winter can be. I loved the language.
Great cha More...
Rarely realistic police procedural: cops that work several cases at once, never able to completely dedicate themselves to one, breaking the tension with drinking and small amusements in the midst of terrible cases, dealing with pressure from superiors and press and private lives... Interesting tidbits of Scottish justice system and police procedure, grim image of Aberdeen. Great setting, dark and cold as only Scottish winter can be. I loved the language.
Great cha More...
Jan 10, 2009
Cold Granite, by Stuart MacBride. A.
Casstte book, (available on CD as well) purchased from Isis.
Logan McRae is the protagonist in this police procedure set in Scotland. Children are disappearing. At first there is no trace of them. Then, some bodies turn up where the children are murdered and tortured. But there are differences in each scene, and it’s hard to know whether or not these disappearances and murders are all connected. This is an action-packed book with several inter More...
Casstte book, (available on CD as well) purchased from Isis.
Logan McRae is the protagonist in this police procedure set in Scotland. Children are disappearing. At first there is no trace of them. Then, some bodies turn up where the children are murdered and tortured. But there are differences in each scene, and it’s hard to know whether or not these disappearances and murders are all connected. This is an action-packed book with several inter More...
Jul 07, 2010
Becca
rated it:
I am a born and bred (well at least for the first 12 years of my life) Scotty. I now live in Australia (LOVE IT!!) Anyway... when family come and visit, they always bring many books with them. (23 hour flights get boring, and sometimes it's too hot here to anything but lie about in a patch of shade and read) So they always bring books and my Grandparents brought this book last time they visited, and in true book lover fashion, the minute they put it down I stole it and read it in one sitting. I
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Aug 23, 2011
Heather
rated it:
"Cold Granite" is the first in the series of the "Logan McRae" crime novels set in Aberdeen. Crime isn't a genre that I read often, but MacBride is an author that I am rapidly coming to love.
MacBride's writing is fast paced, intelligent, and has a thread of wickedly dark humour throughout. I find him far more entertaining than the (in my opinion) more pompous Rebus books from Ian Rankin. The hero of the piece, DS "Lazarus" McRae, is a loveable character who despi More...
MacBride's writing is fast paced, intelligent, and has a thread of wickedly dark humour throughout. I find him far more entertaining than the (in my opinion) more pompous Rebus books from Ian Rankin. The hero of the piece, DS "Lazarus" McRae, is a loveable character who despi More...
Feb 03, 2012
Joan
rated it:
This was for the first Scottish crime novel I have ever read. This was a complex multifaceted gritty police novel. The setting was a huge part of the story for me. While Aberdeen does not sound like a vacation wonderland, it does lend itself to the tragic crimes that Detective Logan is trying to solve. The cold wet weather made me just want to curl up on the couch with a blanket as I read. The characters are well written and authentic. There is humor to help break the horrendous sadness in this
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Nov 16, 2011
arjuna
rated it:
Started slowly and not particularly promisingly, but while the writing remains patchy in places, the characters, setting and general story were unusually unlikeable/bleak/bald enough to create and sustain interest - a bit rough round the edges but enough fire in the belly to make me want to read his later works. And his grotesqueries are well thought through - they stick in the mind more than one expects.
Some problems evident in Halfhead are definitely visible here - maybe that's More...
Some problems evident in Halfhead are definitely visible here - maybe that's More...
Jun 29, 2011
Derk
rated it:
A really good book. Scottish police procedural with a number of twists. I picked this book at random, never having heard of the author before. I rate it 4 and 1/2 stars and almost 5. I have only one complaint. It reads like a sequel even though it is the author's first (published) book. There are references to the past that are never explained in detail, but obviously have had a profound effect on the hero. Maybe we are being set up for a prequel, but the tantalizing hints were annoying. Stil
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Apr 27, 2010
Johnny
rated it:
This is a hard book to review. While it is well-written and the characters are fully realized, I found the story continually frustrating. In short, the police in this procedural aren't very good at their jobs.
It's hard to really get behind the characters when they find a small piece of evidence then center their attention on one suspect, abandoning all other lines of investigation. And most of the time, the evidence is flimsy and the suspect weak. At one point, a child goes missi More...
It's hard to really get behind the characters when they find a small piece of evidence then center their attention on one suspect, abandoning all other lines of investigation. And most of the time, the evidence is flimsy and the suspect weak. At one point, a child goes missi More...
Mar 27, 2010
Steve
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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May 14, 2009
Soul
rated it:
Bought this book under sad circumstances i.e. I was going offshore to work. Purchased the book in the heliport shop simply because it was set in Aberdeen (where I was flying out of) and I was reading Ian Rankin at the time.
Loved it so much more then any Rebus I had previously read. Logan McRae is a fantastic character. I don't really care if a book is saying anything about the state of the nation or how crap wars are, I just want a good story with characters care about.
T More...
Loved it so much more then any Rebus I had previously read. Logan McRae is a fantastic character. I don't really care if a book is saying anything about the state of the nation or how crap wars are, I just want a good story with characters care about.
T More...
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Jan 18, 2012
Frances
rated it:
...well, yes, I can definitely see the mind of the man who wrote halfhead at work here. (He thanks his first agent for being the one "who suggested I stop writing all that SF rubbish and try a serial killer novel instead." Now I'm wondering what else he wrote, besides halfhead...
Kind of surprised to find out that McRae's encounter with Angus Robertson predates the first book. I was coming to this vaguely sorry that I already knew the resolution of the first story, and am p More...
Kind of surprised to find out that McRae's encounter with Angus Robertson predates the first book. I was coming to this vaguely sorry that I already knew the resolution of the first story, and am p More...
Oct 22, 2008
Tony
rated it:
MacBride, Stuart. COLD GRANITE. (2005). ****. My wife, Betsy, met Mr. MacBride when we were attending the recent Bouchercon in Baltimore. She was impressed by his comments on one of the panels and thought she’d give his book a try. When she finished it, she told me I had to read it. It was terrific! Well, it’s an excellent first novel, a combination thriller cum police procedural. MacBride is from Aberdeen, Scotland, and this is where the novel is set. If you’ve ever been to Aberdeen,
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Sep 20, 2008
Jenny
rated it:
As a fan of detective fiction, I wasnt very impressed with this book. However my husband did enjoy it. It is the first book in a series by this author. It stars the detective Logan and is set in Aberdeen. This particular book portrays the cold snowy northern city very well and has some plus points to it, particularly a good insight into how the police work. However I did feel some aspects of the forensic work had maybe been lifted from Patricia Cornwell. Also the characters were definitely not
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Aug 25, 2007
LJ
rated it:
COLD GRANITE (Police Procedural-Scotland-Cont) - VG
MacBride, Stuart – 1st in series
Harper Collins, 2005- Hardcopy
DS Logan McRae nearly died in the line of duty and is now back after a yearlong recovery. However, his first day back isn't the gentle return he'd expected as the body of a murdered four-year-old boy has been found. As more children go missing and their bodies found, the question is whether all the cases are related. It doesn't help that someone is leaking inform More...
MacBride, Stuart – 1st in series
Harper Collins, 2005- Hardcopy
DS Logan McRae nearly died in the line of duty and is now back after a yearlong recovery. However, his first day back isn't the gentle return he'd expected as the body of a murdered four-year-old boy has been found. As more children go missing and their bodies found, the question is whether all the cases are related. It doesn't help that someone is leaking inform More...
Oct 18, 2011
Ili
rated it:
I enjoyed it. Gripping plot, funny at times and very likeable characters. I even liked Miller, the journalist who I thought at first was such a PITA. It was my first experience reading a book by a Scottish writer and that made the language unique and fresh and made me stay with the book till the end. And I loved how the author portrayed Aberdeen and sometimes I found myself googling up pictures of the city and thought how nice was it if I were there. I'm going to start reading the second book
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Aug 12, 2011
Bridget
rated it:
This book very much felt like a mix of Tana French and Chelsea Cain. Scottish detective mystery with a serial killer thrown in. So, basically, some good-old fashioned fun.
This is MacBride's first go-around on the detective series, after he'd always written sci-fi before. You can kind of tell but that doesn't mean the book wasn't enjoyable. Logan McRae is incredibly likeable. He's not perfect, but he's funny and somewhat ridiculous. And he blushes more than any man I've ever met.
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This is MacBride's first go-around on the detective series, after he'd always written sci-fi before. You can kind of tell but that doesn't mean the book wasn't enjoyable. Logan McRae is incredibly likeable. He's not perfect, but he's funny and somewhat ridiculous. And he blushes more than any man I've ever met.
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May 03, 2009
Bob
rated it:
Very good Scottish police procedural with a host of terrific precinct characters I wouldn't mind passing time with again. A bit overlong at 455 pages with some not-quite-credible moments, but a great atmosphere in the wintry city of Aberdeen (perpetual rain turns to perpetual snow and ice), interesting enough to get me to Google some photographs. DS Logan "Lazarus" McRae in the lead is a terrific character, and I'll definitely return to the series. Nice sense of humor for some good lau
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Aug 09, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
Loving MacBride!
Some series you tend to be able to read in any order and this true up to a point with MacBride as the storyline is independently strong. However as far as DS McRae's personal relationships go the plot is better if read in the order written.
The charaters are so well defined without being overly illustrated and the narrative flows withut being overly descriptive.
Real page turning stuff. If you like Rankin, you'll love this.
Some series you tend to be able to read in any order and this true up to a point with MacBride as the storyline is independently strong. However as far as DS McRae's personal relationships go the plot is better if read in the order written.
The charaters are so well defined without being overly illustrated and the narrative flows withut being overly descriptive.
Real page turning stuff. If you like Rankin, you'll love this.
Apr 08, 2010
stan
rated it:
Stuart Macbride has taken over the gap left by Ian Rankin by becoming the leading exponent of Scottish Police Novels> The hero, and this loosely termed is D.S.Logan McRae a old fashioned copper living in a P.C environment. This is a gritty story of our time . It leave no room for sentiment, this is life in the thin blue line. This is the first of Macbride s novels and the building of the characters bio's is first class.
Jun 18, 2010
Move over Ian Rankin - Aberdeen and Logan McRae are hot on your footsteps. If you enjoy books of this nature or TV mysteries like Wire in the Blood, add DS Logan McRae to your list of must reads. This is the first in a series (that I have not yet persued) but the writing evocative of an interesting city. Too many children in jeopardy for much comfort but no tricks - just good police work.
May 19, 2011
A new-to-me series that I like. Fairly graphic descriptions of dead children, so not everybody's cup of tea, but likeable protagonist, appealing (but cold and rainy) Aberdeen setting, authentic cast of cops, pathologists, reporters and other stalwarts of the police procedural. Glimpses of personality and humor which are welcome. Will definitely read more of the Logan McRae series.
Apr 24, 2011
Jo
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Really enjoyed this book. One of my favourite crime books so far. I would have given it 4.5 stars if possible. The negatives are small but there, simply put, I don't believe the police are as hopeless as Macbride writes. Still, made for a good read. Now I'm eagerly awaiting the next few books in the series, due to drop through my letterbox very soon :D
Mar 22, 2009
Jackie
rated it:
The first in a series with protagonist Logan McCrae. He is a youngish Detective Sargent who works out of Aberdeen, Scotland. Does a great job of getting the feel of the culture, people and environment of NE Scotland, and weaves the story well. I would definitely read more, but warning on this one for putting children in danger or as victims.
Dec 21, 2009
Jacqui
rated it:
This is Stuart MacBride's first novel and it's a hoot. Set in wet, cold Aberdeen, it follows Logan McRae, a detective sergeant back from sick leave. The storyline is knotted and the characters are colourful and likeable. I loved the atmosphere created and the use of the Scottish vernacular. I'll definitely by hunting up subsequent books.
May 16, 2011
Sue
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I really liked this book, the characters, the ups and downs of being a police officer, it was funny, quirky, set in winter, freezing conditions, continual snow, rain, most of the time getting wet, and warming up with endless cups of tea and the odd drink at the pub.
The inspector with his lollies addiction, but it was serious, heart wrenching, lots of twists and turns to catch and stop the serial killer.
I will be reading more of Stuart McBride.
The inspector with his lollies addiction, but it was serious, heart wrenching, lots of twists and turns to catch and stop the serial killer.
I will be reading more of Stuart McBride.
