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DCI Daley #1
Whisky from Small Glasses
When the body of a young woman is washed up on an idyllic beach on the west coast of Scotland, D.C.I. Jim Daley is despatched from Glasgow to lead the investigation. Far from home, and his troubled marriage, it seems that Daley’s biggest obstacle will be managing the difficult local police chief; but when the prime suspect is gruesomely murdered, the inquiry begins to stall. As the body count rises, Daley uncovers a network of secrets and corruption in the close-knit community of Kinloch, thrusting him and his loved ones into the centre of a case more deadly than he had ever imagined. The first novel in the D.C.I. Daley Thriller series, Whisky from Small Glasses is a truly compelling crime novel, shot through with dark humour and menace.
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Denzil Meyrick
36 books341 followersAka D.A. Meyrick.
Denzil Meyrick was educated in Argyll, then after studying politics, joined Strathclyde Police, serving in Glasgow. After being injured and developing back problems, he entered the business world, and has operated in many diverse roles, including director of a large engineering company and distillery manager, as well as owning a number of his own companies, such as a public bar and sales and marketing company. D.A. Meyrick has also worked as a freelance journalist in both print and on radio. His first novel, Whisky from Small Glasses, was published by Ringwood in 2012.
Denzil Meyrick was educated in Argyll, then after studying politics, joined Strathclyde Police, serving in Glasgow. After being injured and developing back problems, he entered the business world, and has operated in many diverse roles, including director of a large engineering company and distillery manager, as well as owning a number of his own companies, such as a public bar and sales and marketing company. D.A. Meyrick has also worked as a freelance journalist in both print and on radio. His first novel, Whisky from Small Glasses, was published by Ringwood in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 385 reviews
August 16, 2018
The book “Whisky from Small Glasses” the first of the DCI Daley police procedural's by Denzil Meyrick is certainly competent yet fairly predictable for a police procedural with the added caveat that the book takes place in Scotland. This is new territory for me, not just the author but the location as well.
Denzil Merick was born 28 November 1965 in Glasgow Scotland. So he knows of the location of where he speaks. He also served as a police officer with Strathclyde Police. Strathclyde Police had the largest numbers of staff and served the largest population and the second largest area of the eight former Scottish police forces, after the Northern Constabulary. An Act of the Scottish Parliament, the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, created a single Police Service of Scotland, known as Police Scotland. The force was portrayed in the television series ‘Taggart’. 2012 was also when Mr. Merick wrote his first book.
In the book our main character, D.C.I. (detective chief inspector) Jim Daley is sent from the city (Glasgow) to investigate a murder after the body of a woman is washed up on an rural beach on the West Coast of Scotland. Far away from urban resources, he finds himself a stranger in a close-knit community. The head of the local police, who now must become subservient to Daley, immediately becomes an obstacle to the investigation. Oh my, not police corruption ?
Other than the predictability of the plot and the ‘made for television’ type of story pacing’ I was Irked by the constant usage of Merick’s interpretations of Scottish language of the characters communicating whith each other. For example of the speech type “It’ll be nae bother fir you tae get a wee part-time job” , it just become cumbersome.
Overall the book is a competent read and a window into another region of the world that the reader may not be acquainted with, and seems like the type of series that the BBC will spawn off as a television show some day.
Denzil Merick was born 28 November 1965 in Glasgow Scotland. So he knows of the location of where he speaks. He also served as a police officer with Strathclyde Police. Strathclyde Police had the largest numbers of staff and served the largest population and the second largest area of the eight former Scottish police forces, after the Northern Constabulary. An Act of the Scottish Parliament, the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, created a single Police Service of Scotland, known as Police Scotland. The force was portrayed in the television series ‘Taggart’. 2012 was also when Mr. Merick wrote his first book.
In the book our main character, D.C.I. (detective chief inspector) Jim Daley is sent from the city (Glasgow) to investigate a murder after the body of a woman is washed up on an rural beach on the West Coast of Scotland. Far away from urban resources, he finds himself a stranger in a close-knit community. The head of the local police, who now must become subservient to Daley, immediately becomes an obstacle to the investigation. Oh my, not police corruption ?
Other than the predictability of the plot and the ‘made for television’ type of story pacing’ I was Irked by the constant usage of Merick’s interpretations of Scottish language of the characters communicating whith each other. For example of the speech type “It’ll be nae bother fir you tae get a wee part-time job” , it just become cumbersome.
Overall the book is a competent read and a window into another region of the world that the reader may not be acquainted with, and seems like the type of series that the BBC will spawn off as a television show some day.
September 1, 2016
I enjoyed the book more than 3 stars would normally indicate. Inspector Jim Daley is a very relatable character and a good, solid copper. He is sent from Glasgow to the small town of Kinloch to lead the investigation into the murder of a young woman found washed up on a beach. His philandering wife ends up crashing the party and complicates life for the hapless Inspector.
This is not a fast-paced thriller, it is more character driven, and the characters are certainly a motely bunch. The plot was fairly predictable as was the ending. It was still, somehow, a rather satisfying read and, being the first of a series, I expect some refinement to develop in the later books. I am certainly planning to continue with this series.
This is not a fast-paced thriller, it is more character driven, and the characters are certainly a motely bunch. The plot was fairly predictable as was the ending. It was still, somehow, a rather satisfying read and, being the first of a series, I expect some refinement to develop in the later books. I am certainly planning to continue with this series.
January 8, 2016
This is the first in a series of books featuring D.C.I Jim Daley. One hundred and fifty miles from Glasgow, on Scotland’s rugged west coast, the body of a woman is found floating in the bay of a fishing village called Kinloch. Daley and his team, including Detective Sergeant Brian Scott, are called in to help with the case and discover a seemingly placid and close knit community, but one which has an undercurrent of hidden problems – from family secrets to drugs.
Although this is, obviously, a mystery; much of the storyline stems from the characters and setting of the novel. Daley himself has a troubled marriage and, having previously caught his wife in an act of infidelity, now wavers between obsessive love and jealousy. The small community of Kinloch is filled with interesting characters and the local police also add colour; especially the aggressive, bullying Inspector MacLeod and the young Detective Constable, Archie Fraser. I found this an interesting start to this series and look forward to reading further books featuring Jim Daley.
Although this is, obviously, a mystery; much of the storyline stems from the characters and setting of the novel. Daley himself has a troubled marriage and, having previously caught his wife in an act of infidelity, now wavers between obsessive love and jealousy. The small community of Kinloch is filled with interesting characters and the local police also add colour; especially the aggressive, bullying Inspector MacLeod and the young Detective Constable, Archie Fraser. I found this an interesting start to this series and look forward to reading further books featuring Jim Daley.
August 16, 2017
Introducing DCI Jim Daley, Whisky from Small Glasses, is the first in Denzil Meyrick’s highly distinctive series, marked out by dark humour, a very unique setting and some central characters who make a huge impression. Indeed, this first novel is largely vibrant, with some great tongue in cheek humour and is centred around a rather macabre and ever expanding investigation. Combining a compelling and brutal crime with characters who feel like everyday folk rather than the usual dysfunctional detectives that litter crime fiction means Whisky from Small Glasses feels blissfully down to earth. The fictional village of Kinloch is located in the back end of beyond, one hundred and fifty miles from Glasgow and has recently been subsumed under the umbrella authority of Strathclyde Police. A washed up corpse and victim of murder sees DCI Jim Daley and his partner, DS Brian Scott (“tweedledum” in the terminology of boss Superintendent John Donald) dispatched for a quick turn around, some cost effective policing and to show the yokels how things are done! Before I realised it I was half-way through the novel and wrapped up in both the marital woes of DCI Jim Daley and realising that there was something distinctly rotten below the surface of the remote and close-knit community of Kinloch.
Protagonist, DCI Jim Daley, is an amiable lead character to follow, with a quick wit, an ever expanding waistline and monumental marriage concerns with unfaithful and highly flirtatious wife, Liz. His partnership with number two, DS Brian Scott, is a genuine friendship and the easy rapport between the pair is a pleasure to sit back and watch unfold. The feel of the village and the various characters that reside within Kinloch is brilliantly conveyed by Meyrick and Daley and Scott’s jocular musings on the antiquated backwater with immensely colourful characters is relayed with an incisive vigour. Indeed the repartee between the team and their shared view of life in the village as they oversee yet another farcical occurrence is rather amusing. The investigation of the initial murder is followed in no short order by the discovery of two other brutally despatched victims with wider links to prostitution and an international drug-trafficking ring. However it is a disappointment to see the investigation into the murders turn into a rather tedious drug stake out, that is more or less an irrelevance to the initial murder. For me, it felt like the later investigation was an afterthought, tacked onto the gruesome murders in order to pad the novel out. Matters aren’t helped by the pompous local police chief, Inspector MacLeod, whose connections to the sordid debacle under the microscope reveals his propensity for turning a blind eye to the insalubrious shenanigans taking place within his domain and certainly makes for an enjoyable sideshow. That Daley’s wife, Liz, turns up on some kind of jolly with her sneering, supercilious and loaded brother-in-law makes things more awkward for Daley, at a time when he can ill afford distractions. At that the mercy of Liz’s capricious affections he is led a merry dance and for me, Liz was a somewhat repetitive diversion which increasingly detracted from the crimes.
Frustratingly, after starting with a bang, the novel tails off enormously and ends with something of a whimper and whilst I found the beginning great fun, a drawn out and convoluted denouement was a disappointment. The downward descent into the close was also noticeable in the narrative which seems to lose much of its punchy and engaging wit. In short, Whisky for Small Glasses left a pretty middling impression and whilst I liked the characters, a tired plot and laboured finish made this a disappointment after such early promise. Although the dialogue is written in broad Scottish dialect and may be a little awkward for those readers alien to the United Kingdom, I found this easily decipherable after reading just a few pages. I will certainly be continuing the journey with DCI Jim Daley but will look for an overall improvement in the next novel.
Worthy of a read for DCI Daley’s introduction alone:
Protagonist, DCI Jim Daley, is an amiable lead character to follow, with a quick wit, an ever expanding waistline and monumental marriage concerns with unfaithful and highly flirtatious wife, Liz. His partnership with number two, DS Brian Scott, is a genuine friendship and the easy rapport between the pair is a pleasure to sit back and watch unfold. The feel of the village and the various characters that reside within Kinloch is brilliantly conveyed by Meyrick and Daley and Scott’s jocular musings on the antiquated backwater with immensely colourful characters is relayed with an incisive vigour. Indeed the repartee between the team and their shared view of life in the village as they oversee yet another farcical occurrence is rather amusing. The investigation of the initial murder is followed in no short order by the discovery of two other brutally despatched victims with wider links to prostitution and an international drug-trafficking ring. However it is a disappointment to see the investigation into the murders turn into a rather tedious drug stake out, that is more or less an irrelevance to the initial murder. For me, it felt like the later investigation was an afterthought, tacked onto the gruesome murders in order to pad the novel out. Matters aren’t helped by the pompous local police chief, Inspector MacLeod, whose connections to the sordid debacle under the microscope reveals his propensity for turning a blind eye to the insalubrious shenanigans taking place within his domain and certainly makes for an enjoyable sideshow. That Daley’s wife, Liz, turns up on some kind of jolly with her sneering, supercilious and loaded brother-in-law makes things more awkward for Daley, at a time when he can ill afford distractions. At that the mercy of Liz’s capricious affections he is led a merry dance and for me, Liz was a somewhat repetitive diversion which increasingly detracted from the crimes.
Frustratingly, after starting with a bang, the novel tails off enormously and ends with something of a whimper and whilst I found the beginning great fun, a drawn out and convoluted denouement was a disappointment. The downward descent into the close was also noticeable in the narrative which seems to lose much of its punchy and engaging wit. In short, Whisky for Small Glasses left a pretty middling impression and whilst I liked the characters, a tired plot and laboured finish made this a disappointment after such early promise. Although the dialogue is written in broad Scottish dialect and may be a little awkward for those readers alien to the United Kingdom, I found this easily decipherable after reading just a few pages. I will certainly be continuing the journey with DCI Jim Daley but will look for an overall improvement in the next novel.
Worthy of a read for DCI Daley’s introduction alone:
“As I’m sure you all know by now, I’m Inspector Jim Daley, and before anyone says it, yes, I do go to the gym daily.”
September 26, 2016
It is great to discover a new police series set in a fresh and enjoyable location. DCI Daley and DS Scott are based in Glasgow but are temporarily assigned Kinloch.
For Kinloch, (fictional place), look up Kintyre and you'll have a perfect understanding of where this crime thriller is set.
The sense of place is beautifully captured in the writing of Meyrick. From the characters he draws and the authentic language he gives to them. A little challenging at first and distracting but having made it to the end of the book I feel it is much the better for this original dialect.
A love the idea of a closed knit community that seems to know everyone's business but where the darkest secrets are hidden.
Newly promoted to a DCI Daley struggles with the complexity of the case as he finds corruption and betrayal close to hand. A murder investigation seems to be escalating out of control after a further killing that appears to be drug related.
Daley's shortcomings seem to be his unfaithful wife and quick temper and this case doesn't help either as he is forced to work long into the night.
More Scandi Noir than city based detective fiction, drawing on the landscape, weather and hostile environment. That Daley & Scott are outsiders adds to the uneasy fit.
Crime is crime though, and Daley has seen alot of violent death. When one of his own is hurt it becomes more personal and if he can't control his wife maybe it will destroy his home.
I warmed to the characters in Two One Three: A DCI Daley Thriller I was pleased to enter the world of these detectives and would urge you to share their journey.
For Kinloch, (fictional place), look up Kintyre and you'll have a perfect understanding of where this crime thriller is set.
The sense of place is beautifully captured in the writing of Meyrick. From the characters he draws and the authentic language he gives to them. A little challenging at first and distracting but having made it to the end of the book I feel it is much the better for this original dialect.
A love the idea of a closed knit community that seems to know everyone's business but where the darkest secrets are hidden.
Newly promoted to a DCI Daley struggles with the complexity of the case as he finds corruption and betrayal close to hand. A murder investigation seems to be escalating out of control after a further killing that appears to be drug related.
Daley's shortcomings seem to be his unfaithful wife and quick temper and this case doesn't help either as he is forced to work long into the night.
More Scandi Noir than city based detective fiction, drawing on the landscape, weather and hostile environment. That Daley & Scott are outsiders adds to the uneasy fit.
Crime is crime though, and Daley has seen alot of violent death. When one of his own is hurt it becomes more personal and if he can't control his wife maybe it will destroy his home.
I warmed to the characters in Two One Three: A DCI Daley Thriller I was pleased to enter the world of these detectives and would urge you to share their journey.
July 22, 2022
big disappointment after enjoying a stand alone set in Kinloch....this detective series was tried by me with two books and is definitely not for me. (view in 2021)
that old low star rating was me in Sep 2021. I am reading this book anew and really enjoying it - so who knows. Will review anew when finished reading for my second try. Now a strong 4 stars!
7/22/2022 Update -I did enjoy this Scottish police procedural the second time 'round! Here is what I suspect happened on my first reading -- I was not in the "mood" to read so many "f" words and just gave up on the book. There is a lot of challenging police work, difficult work relationships, interesting settings with their own challenges, marital discord and accord, threats to the wife of the main character, Daley and good police work in the end.
that old low star rating was me in Sep 2021. I am reading this book anew and really enjoying it - so who knows. Will review anew when finished reading for my second try. Now a strong 4 stars!
7/22/2022 Update -I did enjoy this Scottish police procedural the second time 'round! Here is what I suspect happened on my first reading -- I was not in the "mood" to read so many "f" words and just gave up on the book. There is a lot of challenging police work, difficult work relationships, interesting settings with their own challenges, marital discord and accord, threats to the wife of the main character, Daley and good police work in the end.
October 8, 2019
It was a pleasure to read despite the predictability of some of the developments.
August 31, 2015
Outstanding first effort by D.A. Meyrick! (@Lochlomonden on Twitter)
The story is very compelling, with excellent character and story development, and it turns into a real page-turner at about the 2/3 point. I'm looking forward to many more books about DCI Daley and the town of Kinloch.
One interesting point that I've already mentioned in an earlier comment is how the author captured the different personalities through their dialogue: many of the locals and a few of the supporting cast "speak" in a Scottish brogue. This was challenging to read at first and took a few "re-reads" through a few of the conversations, but it is easily picked up the further along I went.
HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries or just a great book!
The story is very compelling, with excellent character and story development, and it turns into a real page-turner at about the 2/3 point. I'm looking forward to many more books about DCI Daley and the town of Kinloch.
One interesting point that I've already mentioned in an earlier comment is how the author captured the different personalities through their dialogue: many of the locals and a few of the supporting cast "speak" in a Scottish brogue. This was challenging to read at first and took a few "re-reads" through a few of the conversations, but it is easily picked up the further along I went.
HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who likes murder mysteries or just a great book!
October 10, 2018
WHISKEY FROM SMALL GLASSES is the first in the DI Jim Daley (yes he does go to the gym daily) and DS Brian Scott series, which I've started listening to, as opposed to reading, and very fine listening it is. Narrated by David Monteath, the series is now up to book 6.
Starting out with a good balance between introduction and set up of new characters, and an interesting investigation to be getting on with, WHISKEY FROM SMALL GLASSES comes with a unique setting and some dark humour into the bargain. There's also more than enough intrigue, marital issues, and police politics to keep a reader amused.
Set in a seemingly fictional version of Kinloch, one hundred and fifty "long way round" miles from Glasgow, the area has recently come under the overall control of the Strathclyde Police. Superintendent John Donald, once footsore copper and compatriot of Daley's, now his boss, is determined to get these remote outposts to step into line, so a murder case seems like the perfect opportunity to send Daley and Scott off to the countryside, get a quick turnaround on the case, and show these yokels a thing or two about effective policing. Not exactly the best timing for Daley's personal life as his marriage to the serially unfaithful Liz is tanking rapidly, his waistline is expanding and his reserves of patience sorely tried. When Liz lobs into Kinloch with her suspect brother-in-law in tow, it's the last thing Daley wants or needs, although the arrival of his investigating buddy, friend and sounding board Brian Scott, him of the highly colourful turn of phrase, and pointed turn of snark, has given Daley the friend and support he needs.
Listening to this novel washing past was a very enjoyable experience. There is a hefty concentration on Daley's problems with his marriage, enough that I'd have normally expected to be rapidly over it, but it does kind of work here. The concentration on the case, the friendship between Daley and Scott, the idiotic behaviour of the local police chief, all sort of slot together, making everyone feel real, and conflicted, and trying hard. With the Daley's being away from home, in a place where they are unknown there is always the hope that they might eventually decide whether it's a yes or no on the marriage. With Daley and Scott being in town, even though the body count does grow, there's always a feeling that there might not be Donald's longed for quick turnaround, but a resolution to the murders will be found. All the while there is the real feeling that Kinloch and it's people are working their way into Daley's admiration and life.
There is much more to these murders than originally thought, and things quickly go from a murder investigation to sorting out an international drug-trafficking ring, and at that point the investigative side of the novel does get a bit ropey, although where it's heading becomes obvious at the end. Write this one off to a major amount of set up for the rest of the series and you should be able to forgive things getting a bit messy, to say nothing of some very heavy darning to pull some threads into place.
Having now listened to the first couple of books in the series, I think I'll stick with them in audio format as the dialogue, the place names, even the thought patterns of the characters are quintessentially Scottish and part of the enjoyment was hearing it in just the right accent.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Starting out with a good balance between introduction and set up of new characters, and an interesting investigation to be getting on with, WHISKEY FROM SMALL GLASSES comes with a unique setting and some dark humour into the bargain. There's also more than enough intrigue, marital issues, and police politics to keep a reader amused.
Set in a seemingly fictional version of Kinloch, one hundred and fifty "long way round" miles from Glasgow, the area has recently come under the overall control of the Strathclyde Police. Superintendent John Donald, once footsore copper and compatriot of Daley's, now his boss, is determined to get these remote outposts to step into line, so a murder case seems like the perfect opportunity to send Daley and Scott off to the countryside, get a quick turnaround on the case, and show these yokels a thing or two about effective policing. Not exactly the best timing for Daley's personal life as his marriage to the serially unfaithful Liz is tanking rapidly, his waistline is expanding and his reserves of patience sorely tried. When Liz lobs into Kinloch with her suspect brother-in-law in tow, it's the last thing Daley wants or needs, although the arrival of his investigating buddy, friend and sounding board Brian Scott, him of the highly colourful turn of phrase, and pointed turn of snark, has given Daley the friend and support he needs.
Listening to this novel washing past was a very enjoyable experience. There is a hefty concentration on Daley's problems with his marriage, enough that I'd have normally expected to be rapidly over it, but it does kind of work here. The concentration on the case, the friendship between Daley and Scott, the idiotic behaviour of the local police chief, all sort of slot together, making everyone feel real, and conflicted, and trying hard. With the Daley's being away from home, in a place where they are unknown there is always the hope that they might eventually decide whether it's a yes or no on the marriage. With Daley and Scott being in town, even though the body count does grow, there's always a feeling that there might not be Donald's longed for quick turnaround, but a resolution to the murders will be found. All the while there is the real feeling that Kinloch and it's people are working their way into Daley's admiration and life.
There is much more to these murders than originally thought, and things quickly go from a murder investigation to sorting out an international drug-trafficking ring, and at that point the investigative side of the novel does get a bit ropey, although where it's heading becomes obvious at the end. Write this one off to a major amount of set up for the rest of the series and you should be able to forgive things getting a bit messy, to say nothing of some very heavy darning to pull some threads into place.
Having now listened to the first couple of books in the series, I think I'll stick with them in audio format as the dialogue, the place names, even the thought patterns of the characters are quintessentially Scottish and part of the enjoyment was hearing it in just the right accent.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
January 12, 2013
The debut novel from D.A.Meyrick takes the reader to the fictional town of Kinloch in the west of Scotland, introducing the character of DCI Jim Daley, who will apparently go on to feature in future novels. We follow the cop as he tries to solve a series of brutal murders, uncovering corrupt officials, drug smuggling and sexual intrigue as he goes.
This is a well-woven tale, chock full of red herrings, building to a tense finale with a lovely, sinister twist to finish off. The characters are really nicely drawn; interesting, colourful and empathetic. The town and its environs are beautifully described and invoked - Kinloch is a pseudonym for a well-known, remote town in Argyll that will be obvious to anyone who knows it even reasonably well.
A couple of things to be aware of: it is brutally graphic in terms of the violence it contains, and the author has chosen to treat the local accent phonetically, which may mean non-Scots have to make a bit of an effort to follow the dialogue - an effort worth making incidentally.
A great start to the series and a great read.
This is a well-woven tale, chock full of red herrings, building to a tense finale with a lovely, sinister twist to finish off. The characters are really nicely drawn; interesting, colourful and empathetic. The town and its environs are beautifully described and invoked - Kinloch is a pseudonym for a well-known, remote town in Argyll that will be obvious to anyone who knows it even reasonably well.
A couple of things to be aware of: it is brutally graphic in terms of the violence it contains, and the author has chosen to treat the local accent phonetically, which may mean non-Scots have to make a bit of an effort to follow the dialogue - an effort worth making incidentally.
A great start to the series and a great read.
March 13, 2019
I first became aware of Denzil Meyrick's novels via The UK Crime Book Club on Facebook, and have had his first book waiting on my ereader ever since. This was so worth waiting for, and I look forward to catching up with the rest of the DCI Daley series!
Jim Daley is in the Glasgow force; used to working in Paisley with all the resources to hand, it comes as a bit of a shock to the system to be sent to a rural location where the locals know what's happening almost before his team does. But murder is the same wherever it occurs, and this is a case that needs solving.
British crime thrillers are my favourite in the genre; I enjoy reading about the varying locations and relish the differing accents. What a treat to read one set in my own wee corner of Scotland! A skilfully-plotted thriller which has true-to-life characters and the typical humour of the 'glesga polis' which really lightened the tone of the investigation. I thought I had worked it out, but no chance - I was way off! This is an enthralling read which captured my attention from the word go. The location comes across as truly stunning. There is plenty going on around the main focus of the case, but Jim Daley's attention never wavers. His relationship with his sergeant is completely captivating, injecting much humour typical of the west of Scotland - and I really hope these two feature together in the rest of the series. A well-paced and extremely well-written novel, this is worth every one of the five shining stars I'm more than happy to give it. Roll on book two!
Jim Daley is in the Glasgow force; used to working in Paisley with all the resources to hand, it comes as a bit of a shock to the system to be sent to a rural location where the locals know what's happening almost before his team does. But murder is the same wherever it occurs, and this is a case that needs solving.
British crime thrillers are my favourite in the genre; I enjoy reading about the varying locations and relish the differing accents. What a treat to read one set in my own wee corner of Scotland! A skilfully-plotted thriller which has true-to-life characters and the typical humour of the 'glesga polis' which really lightened the tone of the investigation. I thought I had worked it out, but no chance - I was way off! This is an enthralling read which captured my attention from the word go. The location comes across as truly stunning. There is plenty going on around the main focus of the case, but Jim Daley's attention never wavers. His relationship with his sergeant is completely captivating, injecting much humour typical of the west of Scotland - and I really hope these two feature together in the rest of the series. A well-paced and extremely well-written novel, this is worth every one of the five shining stars I'm more than happy to give it. Roll on book two!
October 12, 2022
This is the first in the DCI Daley series but of course it's the second one I've read. While it was okay, for me something was missing though I can't quite put my finger on what it was, maybe it just didn't enthral me enough.The story line was alright although it didn't make the impact it could have & the killers "reasons" for killing seemed a poor finale to me.
Out of interest I checked out my review of the second book "The Last Witness" which I really liked. To be frank if I'd read the books in the correct order I'm not sure I'd have continued with the series - which would have been a shame since I enjoyed the second instalment! As it is I'll probably read the third....but only if it happens my way, I won't bother chasing a copy down.
Out of interest I checked out my review of the second book "The Last Witness" which I really liked. To be frank if I'd read the books in the correct order I'm not sure I'd have continued with the series - which would have been a shame since I enjoyed the second instalment! As it is I'll probably read the third....but only if it happens my way, I won't bother chasing a copy down.
October 11, 2013
I loved this crime thriller. From the name of this book you'd never guess where it would take you. It was fast paced, engaging, the characters larger than life and very likeable. I was kept guessing even though I was pretty sure I thought I knew who was the brutal murderer and it's set in a lovely seaside town in Scotland. Unlike a lot of very similar fast-paced thrillers, I laughed and cried through this one, as I came to care about many of the characters in play and was kept at the edge of my seat.
D.A Meyrick has a way of putting things that captures your imagination effortlessly. If you enjoy crime thrillers it would be an absolute crime (no pun intended) to miss this one.
D.A Meyrick has a way of putting things that captures your imagination effortlessly. If you enjoy crime thrillers it would be an absolute crime (no pun intended) to miss this one.
March 8, 2016
I found this very unpleasant reading, the level of gratuitous violence and the vast over use of swearing got in the way of the story. I also, sadly, found the plot very easy to predict.
April 18, 2023
I had high hopes for this, the first in a series, set in Scotland, but was sadly disappointed. This is a long meandering book by an author who is not afraid of graphic descriptions of crime scenes. After ploughing through too many pages, frequently hearing about the beauty and large breasts of the main detectives wife, the novel suddenly becomes totally predictable and quite ridiculous (in particular the late scenes of Daley trying to get a boat to save a victim - in a great hurry, life at stake, but still time for banter!)
Not for me.
Not for me.
February 7, 2023
I flew through the pages especially the last few chapters so for that reason alone, this book definitely deserves a 4.5 stars.
November 9, 2020
A solid 3.5 stars; will check out the second in the series.
April 9, 2019
Highly enjoyable albeit a wee bit far fetched at times. The depiction of scheming or all-knowing teuchters is pure "Whisky Galore" and quite unfair but the author gets away with it thanks to a great plot which gets the pages turning faster than you can get a dram into the glass....well, almost!
February 19, 2022
Whisky From Small Glasses slightly disappointed me. D.A.Meyrick clearly is a talented writer, and this is a decent story, but I felt this book dragged slightly for me as it sagged in the middle. Set in a town on Scotland's west coast which seemed based on the Kintyre area, Meyrick's central character DI Jim Daley has to solve a series of murders which end up involving him more personally.
I wanted to know more of Jim Daley, who is supposed to have a "volcanic temper" and has even been to anger management classes, yet has risen to quite senior levels in the police force; and his temper isn't really an issue in this novel either. Then there's Daley's wife - her releationship with him is unconvincing, and an important character in that relationship simply disappears in he plot, as if forgotten. I felt there was enough for two novels here, and it might have been better as two much shorter ones.
This book is published by Ringwood, and as with at least one other Ringwood novel I've read recently, it suffers a little from a lack of tight editing. There are one or two Ringwood-style curious layout issues, although after a while the reader forgets about them.
All the same, the novel is a decent read. The central plot is a good one, and the author's genuine understanding of the locality means he can visually picture, even feel, the scenery really well. It might well be that I read this book when I wasn't in the right mood for it. I'd certainly consider reading another Jim Daley novel.
I wanted to know more of Jim Daley, who is supposed to have a "volcanic temper" and has even been to anger management classes, yet has risen to quite senior levels in the police force; and his temper isn't really an issue in this novel either. Then there's Daley's wife - her releationship with him is unconvincing, and an important character in that relationship simply disappears in he plot, as if forgotten. I felt there was enough for two novels here, and it might have been better as two much shorter ones.
This book is published by Ringwood, and as with at least one other Ringwood novel I've read recently, it suffers a little from a lack of tight editing. There are one or two Ringwood-style curious layout issues, although after a while the reader forgets about them.
All the same, the novel is a decent read. The central plot is a good one, and the author's genuine understanding of the locality means he can visually picture, even feel, the scenery really well. It might well be that I read this book when I wasn't in the right mood for it. I'd certainly consider reading another Jim Daley novel.
October 15, 2017
Whisky in Small Glasses is the first in the DCI Daley series set in the West of Scotland. Daley is for the most part calm, collected and reasonable but he also has anger management issues that flair up when stressed. Given the state of his marriage, the pressure from his boss, and a difficult case, he’s never far from snapping. His sidekick is DS Brian Scott, a no-nonsense cop who’s reached his career ceiling. Together they make an interesting pair. Where the story suffers though is with respect to the plotting and telling. Meyrich uses a succession of plot devices to keep the story moving forward, some of which are seem barely credible, such as the backstory and unfolding drama involving the local chief cop, and Daley’s wife following him to the murder location. Moreover, the identity of the killer is strongly telegraphed from about halfway through in what is meant to be a whodunit. This is not helped by the lifeless, workmanlike prose. The result is a fairly weakly told police procedural anchored by a couple of intriguing lead characters.
March 22, 2015
This was an enjoyable book about a DI sent up to a part of Scotland from the city to investigate a murder.
As you expect a couple more bodies turn up and on the way through there are a few twists and turns.
The first thing getting used to was the use of the broad Scottish for some of the characters. Once you get your head around it reads ok but it does take a couple of reads the first time it hits you to work it out (if your not Scottish). The story line is ok and the twist and turns as the DI tries to work out just who is behind it all including possibly Latvian drugs smugglers? or is it a couple of local brothers or someone else. Of course I wont say who but there are enough twists and possibilities to make it a reasonable read and even when it is solved there is a twist right at the end to make you think what will happen in the next book.
A good read from an author I haven't come across before but will definitely be reading more of.
As you expect a couple more bodies turn up and on the way through there are a few twists and turns.
The first thing getting used to was the use of the broad Scottish for some of the characters. Once you get your head around it reads ok but it does take a couple of reads the first time it hits you to work it out (if your not Scottish). The story line is ok and the twist and turns as the DI tries to work out just who is behind it all including possibly Latvian drugs smugglers? or is it a couple of local brothers or someone else. Of course I wont say who but there are enough twists and possibilities to make it a reasonable read and even when it is solved there is a twist right at the end to make you think what will happen in the next book.
A good read from an author I haven't come across before but will definitely be reading more of.
January 10, 2019
The first in a series I really hoped I was going to love but.... However I will try another and see if I like more. Scottish detective thriller which boded well and I like the author's book titles. Well written but quite slow paced. The main characters are not hugely likeable. DCI Daley is, as his superior believes quite a weak man. His wife is irritating and spends a fair amount of time with her breasts poking out from bedclothes. At the end of the book is the suggestion of higher corruption- will Daley in subsequent books be strong enough to deal with it? Who knows. Sadly it seems as though his DS is going to have "traumas". This is not necessarily always a good thing. How can we make this character more intriguing? I know we'll give him a nervous breakdown/make him an alcoholic/or drug addict. Well I wish you wouldn't. Not bad but I hope things improve
April 3, 2017
I don't know why but I forgot to add the book to my list of books I read in 2017.
I like to discover crime fiction series new to me.
This debut novel was an entertaining read.
It is set in the fictional town of Kinloch on the West Coast of Scotland.
I liked the setting and the characters a lot.
The author delivered a story with twist and turns, sadness and humour, and and not to forget horrid crime scenes.
I like to discover crime fiction series new to me.
This debut novel was an entertaining read.
It is set in the fictional town of Kinloch on the West Coast of Scotland.
I liked the setting and the characters a lot.
The author delivered a story with twist and turns, sadness and humour, and and not to forget horrid crime scenes.
March 21, 2019
Laboured and clumsy police procedural. Depressingly clunky, poorly written and edited. Full of cliche and cumbersome adverbs. The author never uses a simple word when something more intrusive comes to mind. 'Recalcitrant' appears three times in the first half alone. Every time we meet poor Liz Daley, the only major female character in the book who is not a murder victim, her prominent, full breasts are thrust in our face by the author."
February 6, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. I am a fan of crime thrillers, and this book did not disappoint! There is humour, sadness, gruesome crime scenes, twists and turns, all with the backdrop of evocative Scottish scenery. A thoroughly good read!!!
November 29, 2017
This is a little gem of a find. New (to me anyway) Scottish author - crime series set in Kinloch with idyllic surroundings and quirky characters, a flawed but interesting detective and his trusty sidekick with quite a caustic wit. Definitely a series to get stuck into.
November 25, 2022
Whisky From Small Glasses is the first book in the DCI Jim Daley series set on Scotland’s West Coast.
I’d seen repeated recommendations for these books in the UK Crime Book Club Facebook group, so used an Audible promotion to check out the audiobook over a couple of car journeys. What this lacks in originality it makes up for in sarcastic Scottish humour, and while the plot was predictable and features almost every possible crime fiction trope going, I enjoyed it enough to continue the series (which currently stretches to ten books, suggesting that they must improve.)
Jim Daley is a middle-aged detective from Glasgow with a beautiful cheating wife, an obnoxious boss and a rapidly expanding waistline. When a young woman washes up on the beach of a small fishing village, Daley and his uncouth but loyal sidekick DS Scott are sent to investigate.
The narration here was excellent - there’s a lot of Scottish dialect and slang so it helped me to hear rather than read this - but then I also lived in Scotland for ten years, people who haven’t may struggle with some of the words. There’s the typical debut author tendency to over-describe every scene, the plot didn’t really make sense and the villain was too obvious from fairly early on, plus I had some issues with the female characters, hence 3 stars.
I’d seen repeated recommendations for these books in the UK Crime Book Club Facebook group, so used an Audible promotion to check out the audiobook over a couple of car journeys. What this lacks in originality it makes up for in sarcastic Scottish humour, and while the plot was predictable and features almost every possible crime fiction trope going, I enjoyed it enough to continue the series (which currently stretches to ten books, suggesting that they must improve.)
Jim Daley is a middle-aged detective from Glasgow with a beautiful cheating wife, an obnoxious boss and a rapidly expanding waistline. When a young woman washes up on the beach of a small fishing village, Daley and his uncouth but loyal sidekick DS Scott are sent to investigate.
The narration here was excellent - there’s a lot of Scottish dialect and slang so it helped me to hear rather than read this - but then I also lived in Scotland for ten years, people who haven’t may struggle with some of the words. There’s the typical debut author tendency to over-describe every scene, the plot didn’t really make sense and the villain was too obvious from fairly early on, plus I had some issues with the female characters, hence 3 stars.
February 6, 2021
Killings in Kinloch, sets the tone early with dark humour and a DCI ready to take no shit from his rural counterpart. Great banter between the DCI and his DS, and the colourful cast of locals. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
January 19, 2020
Full review at classicmystery.blog
November 16, 2020
This police mystery was difficult to get into. I listened on audio and the narrator was was really good, but had a pronounced Scottish accent. I'm fine with the accent but I had to listen to it on a slower speed than usual. I didn't really like the characters but the story was good.
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