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Logan McRae #11
The Blood Road
Some things just won’t stay buried
Logan McRae’s personal history is hardly squeaky clean, but now that he works for Professional Standards he’s policing his fellow officers.
When Detective Inspector Bell turns up dead in the driver’s seat of a crashed car it’s a shock to everyone. Because Bell died two years ago, they buried him. Or they thought they did.
As an investigation is launched into Bell’s stabbing, Logan digs into his past. Where has he been all this time? Why did he disappear? And what’s so important that he felt the need to come back from the dead?
But the deeper Logan digs, the more bones he uncovers and there are people out there who’ll kill to keep those skeletons buried. If Logan can’t stop them, DI Bell won’t be the only one to die.
Logan McRae’s personal history is hardly squeaky clean, but now that he works for Professional Standards he’s policing his fellow officers.
When Detective Inspector Bell turns up dead in the driver’s seat of a crashed car it’s a shock to everyone. Because Bell died two years ago, they buried him. Or they thought they did.
As an investigation is launched into Bell’s stabbing, Logan digs into his past. Where has he been all this time? Why did he disappear? And what’s so important that he felt the need to come back from the dead?
But the deeper Logan digs, the more bones he uncovers and there are people out there who’ll kill to keep those skeletons buried. If Logan can’t stop them, DI Bell won’t be the only one to die.
496 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2018
757 people are currently reading
1771 people want to read
About the author
Stuart MacBride
88 books2,733 followersAka Stuart B. MacBride
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
June 14, 2018
This is the 11th in what is a favourite series of mine featuring DI Logan McRae, set in Aberdeen. At this stage, we are all familiar with the style, type of content, the comic humour juxtaposed with the bleak, the multiple threads in the tale, the familiar characters in all their glory as we wonder just how many scars the author will inflict on the battered Logan this time. Logan is now working for Professional Standards, with the idiot Rennie, making him a man to be avoided, and no-one is avoiding him more than DS Lorna Chalmers. For no obvious reason, she is on the scene at the fatal car crash of the stabbed DI 'Ding Dong' Bell. A Bell that had committed suicide over 2 years ago, whose burnt corpse they had buried to the shock of Police Scotland. There are ongoing child abductions, with demonstrations that condemn the inability of the Police to find 3 year old Ellie Morton, with rampant rumours of a underground Livestock Mart, where stolen children are auctioned to the highest bidder.
Logan wonders what sparked Bell to return to Aberdeen as he delves into Bell's life, and his cases, in particular Bell's frustration at being unable to find the abducted child, Aiden MacAuly, and the killer of his father, Kenneth . The griefstricken mother, Sally, has never got over his loss, writing a book to keep Aiden in the public eye, hiring private investigators to find her precious son. Then there is the question of who is buried in Bell's grave since the ex-cop had started a new life as Carlos Guerrero y Prieto in Spain with a new family. The prime suspect in Aiden's case, Fred Marshall, has not been seen for over 2 years. DS Chalmers is showing signs of being severely beaten, but she is unwilling to spill the beans as to who is responsible. She is asking for time to sort herself out, but her unco-operative behaviour forces Logan to threaten her with suspension. To his horror, she is discovered hanging in her garage, having apparently committed suicide.
With the police under severe and mounting pressure, DCI Hardie is showing the kind of strains that suggest he is beginning to teeter on the edge of madness and the intense media scrutiny is not helping. Logan thought that as an Inspector that people ran after you, so why is he constantly running after them? His request for more minions eventually results in his worst nightmare as he is assigned the mad wrinkly that is DS Roberta Steel. As another child is abducted, and tortured bodies are unearthed, McRae finds himself in desperate danger as he gets closer to the unspeakable horrors that connect the disparate threads in the narrative. Is he going to be able to find and save the children and live to tell the tale?
It is always a joy to renew my acquaintance with Logan and the iconic lesbian Steel, their conflicted and sniping relationship, their close bond cemented by the fact they are a modern madcap family with 2 children. MacBride has created a much loved ingenious series that thrives on intertwining the darkest of themes with comic absurdities, the slapstick, and highly memorable characterisation. It was lovely to see the role reversal of Logan being Steel's boss for a change, with Steel struggling to adjust to her change in fortunes. For long term fans of the series, you know what you are going to get and you will love McRae in his latest outing. For others, I suggest that they begin reading this outstanding series as soon as feasibly possible. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
Logan wonders what sparked Bell to return to Aberdeen as he delves into Bell's life, and his cases, in particular Bell's frustration at being unable to find the abducted child, Aiden MacAuly, and the killer of his father, Kenneth . The griefstricken mother, Sally, has never got over his loss, writing a book to keep Aiden in the public eye, hiring private investigators to find her precious son. Then there is the question of who is buried in Bell's grave since the ex-cop had started a new life as Carlos Guerrero y Prieto in Spain with a new family. The prime suspect in Aiden's case, Fred Marshall, has not been seen for over 2 years. DS Chalmers is showing signs of being severely beaten, but she is unwilling to spill the beans as to who is responsible. She is asking for time to sort herself out, but her unco-operative behaviour forces Logan to threaten her with suspension. To his horror, she is discovered hanging in her garage, having apparently committed suicide.
With the police under severe and mounting pressure, DCI Hardie is showing the kind of strains that suggest he is beginning to teeter on the edge of madness and the intense media scrutiny is not helping. Logan thought that as an Inspector that people ran after you, so why is he constantly running after them? His request for more minions eventually results in his worst nightmare as he is assigned the mad wrinkly that is DS Roberta Steel. As another child is abducted, and tortured bodies are unearthed, McRae finds himself in desperate danger as he gets closer to the unspeakable horrors that connect the disparate threads in the narrative. Is he going to be able to find and save the children and live to tell the tale?
It is always a joy to renew my acquaintance with Logan and the iconic lesbian Steel, their conflicted and sniping relationship, their close bond cemented by the fact they are a modern madcap family with 2 children. MacBride has created a much loved ingenious series that thrives on intertwining the darkest of themes with comic absurdities, the slapstick, and highly memorable characterisation. It was lovely to see the role reversal of Logan being Steel's boss for a change, with Steel struggling to adjust to her change in fortunes. For long term fans of the series, you know what you are going to get and you will love McRae in his latest outing. For others, I suggest that they begin reading this outstanding series as soon as feasibly possible. Many thanks to HarperCollins for an ARC.
June 29, 2018
When I skimmed the blurb for this book there came a point where I stopped, gave my head a shake & thought: I really should read more carefully because I’d swear it just said Logan MacRae was working for Professional Standards….*reads again*….Good lord, it’s true.
Oooookay. So he’s policing the police. He really shouldn’t be involved in criminal investigations but things get a little complicated when Duncan Bell, a former cop, is found stabbed to death. Sad yes, but also a tad excessive seeing as they attended his funeral 2 years ago.
Things get even murkier when they find a connection between Bell & an ongoing investigation into missing kids. Wee ones are being snatched & Logan has no choice but to wade in, dragging newbie DS Simon Rennie along for the ride.
Alternate chapters are narrated by an unknown character who initially seem benign enough. But as chapters progress we slowly begin to realize what’s happening. And it’s not pretty.
Steel is back, grumpier than ever due to the fact that Logan now outranks her. She has a smaller role here which is great because the story really shines when it focuses on Logan’s attempts to make sense of cryptic clues & an ever growing pile of bodies.
Logan & Rennie have great comedic chemistry & the story is fast paced with plenty of twists. As usual, it’s just a matter of time ’til the wheels fall off & it all goes horribly wrong but there is a decidedly more serious tone to the story. And just a heads-up: due to the subject matter, there are several scenes that are very disturbing. I don’t want to give anything away but I found them difficult to read.
This is book #11 & the addition of some new characters plus Logan’s change of job helps keep things fresh. It’s one of those series where if you like one, you’ll enjoy them all & diehard fans will whip through this in no time.
Oooookay. So he’s policing the police. He really shouldn’t be involved in criminal investigations but things get a little complicated when Duncan Bell, a former cop, is found stabbed to death. Sad yes, but also a tad excessive seeing as they attended his funeral 2 years ago.
Things get even murkier when they find a connection between Bell & an ongoing investigation into missing kids. Wee ones are being snatched & Logan has no choice but to wade in, dragging newbie DS Simon Rennie along for the ride.
Alternate chapters are narrated by an unknown character who initially seem benign enough. But as chapters progress we slowly begin to realize what’s happening. And it’s not pretty.
Steel is back, grumpier than ever due to the fact that Logan now outranks her. She has a smaller role here which is great because the story really shines when it focuses on Logan’s attempts to make sense of cryptic clues & an ever growing pile of bodies.
Logan & Rennie have great comedic chemistry & the story is fast paced with plenty of twists. As usual, it’s just a matter of time ’til the wheels fall off & it all goes horribly wrong but there is a decidedly more serious tone to the story. And just a heads-up: due to the subject matter, there are several scenes that are very disturbing. I don’t want to give anything away but I found them difficult to read.
This is book #11 & the addition of some new characters plus Logan’s change of job helps keep things fresh. It’s one of those series where if you like one, you’ll enjoy them all & diehard fans will whip through this in no time.
November 17, 2019
I love this series more with each book! Stuart MacBride - you can do no wrong. There are a few changes to the normal pattern this time too. Logan is now working in Professional Standards and finds himself in the uncomfortable position where people avoid him and conversations cease when he approaches.
Even more interestingly he is now senior to Roberta Steel and in this book she actually works under him for a while. I really enjoyed the change in their positions and the fact that Logan occasionally managed to score a few points against her.
Apart from that, oh and a person who comes back from the dead, it is business as usual at the police station. Chaos reigns, no one appears to ever listen to anyone else, there are too many cases and too few staff. Luckily Logan is there to solve the serious crimes or die trying.
Great book, great series and I actually have the next one waiting to be read as well. Just perfect.
Even more interestingly he is now senior to Roberta Steel and in this book she actually works under him for a while. I really enjoyed the change in their positions and the fact that Logan occasionally managed to score a few points against her.
Apart from that, oh and a person who comes back from the dead, it is business as usual at the police station. Chaos reigns, no one appears to ever listen to anyone else, there are too many cases and too few staff. Luckily Logan is there to solve the serious crimes or die trying.
Great book, great series and I actually have the next one waiting to be read as well. Just perfect.
August 15, 2018
Dead men do tell tails even when they died two years ago but When Detective Inspector Bell who Logan knows is dead & buried because saw his coffin he was murder but now He's been murdered again! Shit hits the fan & all thoughts skeletons buried seep keep popping up & the body count gets higher & higher.
Another twister from Cold Garnet crime writer & Halfhead is another Scottish crime.
Inspired by Conan Doyle this very Holmes it that after he fell from grace Until he reappears in the house standing next to Watson in the Empty house but in this case its empty car. He has enjoyed taken his Holmes through two years of Bell's life & two deaths we get the story of both.
Disgusting who puts vinegar on to macaroni & cheese Logan that's who, sounds nealy as bad as gravy on chips vomit food.
Superintendent Doig is making a Christmas Cake with currants, sultanas, dry cherries, black treacle & murder. This all while Logan tries disguise Lorna Chalmers who has just seen her husband in an oral sex position with another woman in her bed. She was in bad mood before as she'd just been worked over,now she is on the war path with hockey stick & fire in her belly Brian's her sex mad husband's car got the first swing.
This sort of extras that you never got in Agatha Christie cannot see Poirot having anal or oral with anyone. The modern crime books make the police force into real People that's why Stuarts books are good his police are real Not cardboard cutouts he makes the little Things like making a cake in the middle Of child hunt or domestic problems which is very big problems in police bad marriages & divorced men & Affairs. Little Things that are often the interesting things missing from books not just the crime but real Life & plenty of twists
This has more than one plot, we have Ding Dongs murder, who he murdered,we have a missing man, another murder & the answer to a question how far would you go to save your child?
This more than just Bell we have child abduction & selling of children a twisted plots but its very dark. Love Logan's monsters & his murdering cat too. This all so funny too another great Scottish book.
Another twister from Cold Garnet crime writer & Halfhead is another Scottish crime.
Inspired by Conan Doyle this very Holmes it that after he fell from grace Until he reappears in the house standing next to Watson in the Empty house but in this case its empty car. He has enjoyed taken his Holmes through two years of Bell's life & two deaths we get the story of both.
Disgusting who puts vinegar on to macaroni & cheese Logan that's who, sounds nealy as bad as gravy on chips vomit food.
Superintendent Doig is making a Christmas Cake with currants, sultanas, dry cherries, black treacle & murder. This all while Logan tries disguise Lorna Chalmers who has just seen her husband in an oral sex position with another woman in her bed. She was in bad mood before as she'd just been worked over,now she is on the war path with hockey stick & fire in her belly Brian's her sex mad husband's car got the first swing.
This sort of extras that you never got in Agatha Christie cannot see Poirot having anal or oral with anyone. The modern crime books make the police force into real People that's why Stuarts books are good his police are real Not cardboard cutouts he makes the little Things like making a cake in the middle Of child hunt or domestic problems which is very big problems in police bad marriages & divorced men & Affairs. Little Things that are often the interesting things missing from books not just the crime but real Life & plenty of twists
This has more than one plot, we have Ding Dongs murder, who he murdered,we have a missing man, another murder & the answer to a question how far would you go to save your child?
This more than just Bell we have child abduction & selling of children a twisted plots but its very dark. Love Logan's monsters & his murdering cat too. This all so funny too another great Scottish book.
June 24, 2018
I love this series so much. Actually I've loved all this authors books but there's a special love involved in one featuring Logan and Steele for many many reasons...
There's just no substitute anywhere in crime fiction for this pair, whether featured together or apart, in the case of The Blood Road luckily we get plenty of togetherness..Much to Logan's dismay..
The story as ever is a dark and hugely emotive one, this time featuring missing children and the continuing saga of Bell. I like Logan in his "professional standards" form but soon he's hot on the trail of a killer, Steele "helping " in her usual indomitable fashion. The dialogue is fast, pacy, darkly humorous and extraordinarily engaging, you just get swept along with them all in a kind of hypnotic reading trance, often involving inappropriate giggling.
I adore the background noise Stuart MacBride embeds into his narrative making the setting pop, all the characters good, bad and inbetween are beautifully drawn and wonderfully complex, you genuinely feel they are real people and if you were to pop up to their necks of the woods you might run into them.
This particular tale made me both laugh and cry, nobody messes with the emotional core of the reader quite like this author and he does it seemingly effortlessly.
The Blood Road really is stand out crime fiction at its very very best. Head and shoulders above the rest.
Highly recommended. No messing.
There's just no substitute anywhere in crime fiction for this pair, whether featured together or apart, in the case of The Blood Road luckily we get plenty of togetherness..Much to Logan's dismay..
The story as ever is a dark and hugely emotive one, this time featuring missing children and the continuing saga of Bell. I like Logan in his "professional standards" form but soon he's hot on the trail of a killer, Steele "helping " in her usual indomitable fashion. The dialogue is fast, pacy, darkly humorous and extraordinarily engaging, you just get swept along with them all in a kind of hypnotic reading trance, often involving inappropriate giggling.
I adore the background noise Stuart MacBride embeds into his narrative making the setting pop, all the characters good, bad and inbetween are beautifully drawn and wonderfully complex, you genuinely feel they are real people and if you were to pop up to their necks of the woods you might run into them.
This particular tale made me both laugh and cry, nobody messes with the emotional core of the reader quite like this author and he does it seemingly effortlessly.
The Blood Road really is stand out crime fiction at its very very best. Head and shoulders above the rest.
Highly recommended. No messing.
November 26, 2021
Love this series. I'm not sure how many I've read now as I haven't read them in order. But they're all brilliant!
If you don't know it's Scottish detective fiction that is incredibly bleak with equal parts dark humour.
You don't necessarily need to read the books in order as they are stand-alone cases each time, but there are personal storylines that run throughout that you might want to follow...Logan leads a rather sensational life!
If you don't know it's Scottish detective fiction that is incredibly bleak with equal parts dark humour.
You don't necessarily need to read the books in order as they are stand-alone cases each time, but there are personal storylines that run throughout that you might want to follow...Logan leads a rather sensational life!
October 24, 2018
I guess I'm biased, I've loved this series and with this book I think Stuart MacBride is back to his absolute best. McCrae is now an Inspector in Professional Standards and, in a twist of fate, Roberta Steel is a Sergeant on his team, not to her liking one little bit. Its quite a long, convoluted story and starts with the discovery of a body that was supposed to have been buried two years ago - DI Bell. So if it wasn't Bell in that grave, who the hell is it? Bell never got over his inability to find young Aiden McCauley whose father, Kenneth, was murdered as his son was abducted. Bell was convinced a local thug had taken the lad but couldn't prove it. Is that who is in Bell's grave?
We also have a rogue DS, Lorna Chalmers, what is her game? Someone has beaten her up but she's not telling. And we have a couple of recent child abductions. There is talk of a roving 'livestock market' where young children are bought and sold. McCrae has his hands full as he tries to work out who killed Bell (the second time), who is in Bell's original grave, where the abducted children are, and is the livestock market a real thing?
Throughout we have McBride's trademark dark humour and petty squabbles amongst the police officers. Insults fly and feathers are ruffled but slowly and surely McCrae puts the pieces together. The only question is - does he get to walk away yet again or has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
We also have a rogue DS, Lorna Chalmers, what is her game? Someone has beaten her up but she's not telling. And we have a couple of recent child abductions. There is talk of a roving 'livestock market' where young children are bought and sold. McCrae has his hands full as he tries to work out who killed Bell (the second time), who is in Bell's original grave, where the abducted children are, and is the livestock market a real thing?
Throughout we have McBride's trademark dark humour and petty squabbles amongst the police officers. Insults fly and feathers are ruffled but slowly and surely McCrae puts the pieces together. The only question is - does he get to walk away yet again or has he finally bitten off more than he can chew?
June 21, 2018
'm a latecomer to this series. I read A Dark so Deadly a wile back then started on the McRae series. I read Cold Granite just last week and still have the ones in between that and this latest one so some of the questions I have will no doubt be answered as I play catch but I did like the continuation from Book 1 to it's conclusion here with the Livestock Mart - the market for selling children.
This is another instance where I've read an ARC from netgalley and then had to go out and get the remaining books as I find yet more new favourite authors. This, like the first and I assume the rest is full of dark humour as McRae and colleagues try and solve the murder of DI Bell for the second time as well as tracking down this mysterious market. You'd need a sense of humour in those circumstances.
It moves along at quite a good pace, my interest was captured from start to finish and if it wasn't for the fact that Kindle Fire battery life is rubbish I'd have probably read it all in one go.
This is fast turning into a must read series. Completely engaging, fantastic and I love the characters.
This is another instance where I've read an ARC from netgalley and then had to go out and get the remaining books as I find yet more new favourite authors. This, like the first and I assume the rest is full of dark humour as McRae and colleagues try and solve the murder of DI Bell for the second time as well as tracking down this mysterious market. You'd need a sense of humour in those circumstances.
It moves along at quite a good pace, my interest was captured from start to finish and if it wasn't for the fact that Kindle Fire battery life is rubbish I'd have probably read it all in one go.
This is fast turning into a must read series. Completely engaging, fantastic and I love the characters.
June 24, 2018
I mentally squealed with delight when I saw that my audiobook service had this book. Even though it was over 16 hours to listen through. But, if there is one author I can trust completely to make all those 16 hours of pure fun and bloody joy is it Stuart MacBride. And, I speed it up so the narrator speaks as fast I speak and think (and I speak fast)!
As I was saying, this book is pure fun straight through and it all starts with a dead body of Detective Inspector Bell. He's been murdered. The problem is that they buried him two years ago. So, who is it they buried, and what has "Ding Dong" Bell been doing these last two years? Logan shouldn't be working the case since he now works for Professional Standards, policing the police. But, he gets dragged in to do the investigation. And, the more he investigates the more problem he gets, especially dangerous kind of problem...
Honestly, I just love this book so much! I love Logan, his cat Cthulhu that he talks too (perfectly normal), I love his daughters (oh the part when Logan's girlfriend has to babysit them when Roberta drops them off hilarious), and of course Roberta Steel. She's a rock in Logan's shoe. But, wait until the end of the book, then she shows her through colors concerning Logan. And, well just read the darn book! You love it!
As I was saying, this book is pure fun straight through and it all starts with a dead body of Detective Inspector Bell. He's been murdered. The problem is that they buried him two years ago. So, who is it they buried, and what has "Ding Dong" Bell been doing these last two years? Logan shouldn't be working the case since he now works for Professional Standards, policing the police. But, he gets dragged in to do the investigation. And, the more he investigates the more problem he gets, especially dangerous kind of problem...
Honestly, I just love this book so much! I love Logan, his cat Cthulhu that he talks too (perfectly normal), I love his daughters (oh the part when Logan's girlfriend has to babysit them when Roberta drops them off hilarious), and of course Roberta Steel. She's a rock in Logan's shoe. But, wait until the end of the book, then she shows her through colors concerning Logan. And, well just read the darn book! You love it!
January 10, 2019
Five stars, as usual. Thank you Mr. MacBride for another galloping romp through the Granite City with all of my favorites from Police Scotland! As with many of the books in this series, there's humor of all kinds, but be warned; parts of the subject matter are not for the faint of heart. This one in particular shines a light on some of the absolute worst kind of scumbags that the world has to offer. 'Nuff said on that!
This is one of my absolute favorite crime/police series. Highly recommend 'em if you haven't already.
This is one of my absolute favorite crime/police series. Highly recommend 'em if you haven't already.
June 23, 2018
If you are a fan of the series (as I am) don't read this. And no, it isn't because of the subject matter, I couldn't care less one way or another, it just isn't a good book. Everyone is full of witty banter, everyone is clever, rank doesn't mean anything in this police force, the relationship between Logan and Steel is... well, unreal, meaning NOT real. The story is silly (and that probably flatters it). Nah, I have read them all, and the last couple (barring the two short stories) have been pretty iffy. They are too long for what's in them, there just isn't enough meat, and too much sauce if you get what I'm saying. How many times can we hear Roberta say, "blah blah blah" or Macbride describing odours using food metaphors? Eventually, it wears a bit thin.
I loved the first six novels, but from there, they went downhill (as all series seem to do) and have just run out of puff. I'll give one more a shot, but if it doesn't improve, it's bye bye Logan, and off to find the next good series. It was a good ride while it lasted.
I loved the first six novels, but from there, they went downhill (as all series seem to do) and have just run out of puff. I'll give one more a shot, but if it doesn't improve, it's bye bye Logan, and off to find the next good series. It was a good ride while it lasted.
June 17, 2018
Where to begin. If youre reading this youre obvisouly a massive fan. The story blends yhe usual comic humour with the darkest of deeds once again. We have the multiple plot threads which come to a boil. We have the loveable characters that MacBride has so wonderfully created. I love Logans and Steels relationship and the way they feed off eachother. Its interesting to see Logan as Steels boss for once, which is something a little new. The story overall wasnt overly original but still a blast for old fans. Highly recommend anyone who hasnt checked out the Logan McRae series do so immediately!!
May 18, 2018
This is my favourite crime series in the world - everything about these books to my mind is perfect, not least the incredible personalities we meet. Roberta Steel will live long in legend and I'm delighted to say that she gets her time in the rain in The Blood Road. The story here is particularly harrowing, driving Logan and his team on like a team possessed. I'll never think of phone caller IDs and ringtones in the same way again.... Review to follow on For Winter Nights closer to publication.
May 18, 2019
The Blood Road is book eleven in the Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride. Inspector Logan McRae became involved in the investigation on the death of a law enforcement inspector who was believed to have die couple years before. However, during Inspector Logan McRae investigation he uncover more then he bargain for. The readers of The Blood Road will continue to follow the twists and turns of the Detective Inspector Logan McRae investigation into disappearance and death of Detective Inspector Bell.
I love reading books in the Logan McRae series and The Blood Road was another fantastic attention to this fantastic series. Stuart MacBride knows how to make me laugh and engaged with the characters and the plot of The Blood Road. I like Stuart MacBride portrayal of his characters and they way they interacted with each other throughout The Blood Road. The Blood Road is well written and researched by Stuart MacBride. The settings of The Blood Road was well done by Stuart MacBride which help me to feel that I live in Aberdeen.
The readers of The Blood Road will learn about law enforcement investigation in Scotland. Also, the readers of The Blood Road will start too understand the devastating consequences of child trafficking.
I recommend this book.
I love reading books in the Logan McRae series and The Blood Road was another fantastic attention to this fantastic series. Stuart MacBride knows how to make me laugh and engaged with the characters and the plot of The Blood Road. I like Stuart MacBride portrayal of his characters and they way they interacted with each other throughout The Blood Road. The Blood Road is well written and researched by Stuart MacBride. The settings of The Blood Road was well done by Stuart MacBride which help me to feel that I live in Aberdeen.
The readers of The Blood Road will learn about law enforcement investigation in Scotland. Also, the readers of The Blood Road will start too understand the devastating consequences of child trafficking.
I recommend this book.
February 17, 2023
As of 2019 this is the penultimate book in the series. I'm sure eventually Macbride will return to Logan and Co. eventually but as of now I'm almost caught up.
Following the events of In the Cold Dark Ground and Now We Are Dead (a Steel novel) Logan's fortunes have improved a lot. To combat that Macbride delivers a book with one of the most horrendous subject matters imaginable. At this point you not to expect something like phone fraud but even so this one can make you feel queasy, uncomfortable and disturbed.
All my favourite characters are back together insulting each other, talking about two different things at the same time and making me laugh and roll my eyes ( in the best way possible) in equal measure. As I said Logan's fortunes have improved but that doesn't mean things go smoothly for him. He still seems to be the only one who gets anything done and has as much support as ever.
Somewhere in-between the two previous novels I mentioned something happened that surprised me big time because I swear we never actually saw it take place. Here it takes centre stage and uncovers events that becomes more shocking as things go on. More than that I'll not say to avoid spoilers.
As always there are a lot of side characters and it's not always the easiest to keep track on who they are especially since we now get perspectives from others than Logan (if this is something that has happened for a long time it's something I've obviously forgotten). Not all are reliable but I'll admit it helps the story flow as we dip into the mind of others even if it's only briefly.
The ending didn't feel as complete as previous novels which makes me wonder if this is something we'll return to. I actually hope not because while I liked the book this was as harrowing as can be and not something I need to revisit.
Another cracking read from Stuart Macbride. Not as easy a read as previous but still a 5 star read. It made me laugh, it made me wince and at one point it made me want to puke my guts up. It won't be for everyone and I can appreciate that but this is a series I'll return to as long as Macbride writes it.
Following the events of In the Cold Dark Ground and Now We Are Dead (a Steel novel) Logan's fortunes have improved a lot. To combat that Macbride delivers a book with one of the most horrendous subject matters imaginable. At this point you not to expect something like phone fraud but even so this one can make you feel queasy, uncomfortable and disturbed.
All my favourite characters are back together insulting each other, talking about two different things at the same time and making me laugh and roll my eyes ( in the best way possible) in equal measure. As I said Logan's fortunes have improved but that doesn't mean things go smoothly for him. He still seems to be the only one who gets anything done and has as much support as ever.
Somewhere in-between the two previous novels I mentioned something happened that surprised me big time because I swear we never actually saw it take place. Here it takes centre stage and uncovers events that becomes more shocking as things go on. More than that I'll not say to avoid spoilers.
As always there are a lot of side characters and it's not always the easiest to keep track on who they are especially since we now get perspectives from others than Logan (if this is something that has happened for a long time it's something I've obviously forgotten). Not all are reliable but I'll admit it helps the story flow as we dip into the mind of others even if it's only briefly.
The ending didn't feel as complete as previous novels which makes me wonder if this is something we'll return to. I actually hope not because while I liked the book this was as harrowing as can be and not something I need to revisit.
Another cracking read from Stuart Macbride. Not as easy a read as previous but still a 5 star read. It made me laugh, it made me wince and at one point it made me want to puke my guts up. It won't be for everyone and I can appreciate that but this is a series I'll return to as long as Macbride writes it.
January 2, 2021
The 11th book in the Logan McRae series written by Stuart MacBride set in Aberdeen, Scotland is one of the best. The Blood Road has all the elements we’ve come to love from a Logan McRae novel: irrepressible humor and awfully funny jokes, ghastly images of murder and mayhem, and extensive details of police procedure as they try to solve truly horrific crimes, some committed by the dregs of humanity and some by people Just Like Us.
The Logan McRae books have quickly become some of my favorites in the genre of British police-procedural, murder-mysteries. They have all the feature of other similarly labeled books but somehow MacBride is also able to successfully include humor, in multiple forms. The Logan books feature macabre jokes, awful puns, ridiculous encounters, and truly farcical situations. I’m shocked the series hasn’t been adapted for television yet like other series (which are also quite good but not nearly as amusing) Peter Robinson’s DCI Alan Banks, Val McDermid’s Tony Hill & Carol Jordan and Elisabeth George’s Inspector Lynley.
What really makes the Logan books extraordinary is while they are often hilarious they are also suspenseful thrillers and interesting mysteries. The very first book begins with Logan returning to work a few months after being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and experiencing a near-death experience. In fact, Logan earns the nickname “Laz” (short for Lazarus) by his boss, the astonishingly horrible DI Roberta Steele. Steele is one of the great fictional comic inventions in British mysteries. She’s completely without shame or scruples; she regularly takes credit for Logan’s excellent detective work and is a walking H.R. and P.R. disaster. The interactions between Logan and Steele are the primary sources of comic relief in the books, but there are many others as well; first among these are the antics and descriptions of their eccentric police co-workers.
In The Blood Road, the Scottish police are dealing with multiple major (high-profile) crimes simultaneously: several young children have disappeared recently and the public is increasingly anxious about their whereabouts and safety. The book begins with the body of a Scottish police officer being found in a car—the problem is that same officer had been found dead and buried in an official funeral two years before after a supposed suicide. This means that not only was the officer (known by the sobriquet of “Ding-Dong”) a rotten cop, someone (likely Ding-Dong himself) must have killed someone else two years ago to produce a body that could be mistaken for him and now he’s been killed himself! As usual, Logan gets up to his eyebrows deep in solving multiple crimes (which is odd because after the events of the previous book In the Cold Dark Ground Logan now works for Professional Standards, not Major Crimes).
Overall, The Blood Road is one of the best entries in the series, reminiscent of some of the very best which cemented its appeal for me (books 4-7, in my humble opinion). It has multiple laugh out loud (LOL) moments while simultaneously being legitimately suspenseful. Logan gets put through the ringer again physically and the reader isn’t really sure he’s gonna get out of peril without permanent serious consequences (like death!) All of the best sidekicks from the previous books make appearances in this one (Steele, Tufty and of course Rennie!) and even the though the central crimes are truly appalling the book is quite engaging and enjoyable. The sad part of finishing The Blood Road is the knowledge that now there’s only one unread entry in the series remaining: Book 12’s All That’s Dead.
The Logan McRae books have quickly become some of my favorites in the genre of British police-procedural, murder-mysteries. They have all the feature of other similarly labeled books but somehow MacBride is also able to successfully include humor, in multiple forms. The Logan books feature macabre jokes, awful puns, ridiculous encounters, and truly farcical situations. I’m shocked the series hasn’t been adapted for television yet like other series (which are also quite good but not nearly as amusing) Peter Robinson’s DCI Alan Banks, Val McDermid’s Tony Hill & Carol Jordan and Elisabeth George’s Inspector Lynley.
What really makes the Logan books extraordinary is while they are often hilarious they are also suspenseful thrillers and interesting mysteries. The very first book begins with Logan returning to work a few months after being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach and experiencing a near-death experience. In fact, Logan earns the nickname “Laz” (short for Lazarus) by his boss, the astonishingly horrible DI Roberta Steele. Steele is one of the great fictional comic inventions in British mysteries. She’s completely without shame or scruples; she regularly takes credit for Logan’s excellent detective work and is a walking H.R. and P.R. disaster. The interactions between Logan and Steele are the primary sources of comic relief in the books, but there are many others as well; first among these are the antics and descriptions of their eccentric police co-workers.
In The Blood Road, the Scottish police are dealing with multiple major (high-profile) crimes simultaneously: several young children have disappeared recently and the public is increasingly anxious about their whereabouts and safety. The book begins with the body of a Scottish police officer being found in a car—the problem is that same officer had been found dead and buried in an official funeral two years before after a supposed suicide. This means that not only was the officer (known by the sobriquet of “Ding-Dong”) a rotten cop, someone (likely Ding-Dong himself) must have killed someone else two years ago to produce a body that could be mistaken for him and now he’s been killed himself! As usual, Logan gets up to his eyebrows deep in solving multiple crimes (which is odd because after the events of the previous book In the Cold Dark Ground Logan now works for Professional Standards, not Major Crimes).
Overall, The Blood Road is one of the best entries in the series, reminiscent of some of the very best which cemented its appeal for me (books 4-7, in my humble opinion). It has multiple laugh out loud (LOL) moments while simultaneously being legitimately suspenseful. Logan gets put through the ringer again physically and the reader isn’t really sure he’s gonna get out of peril without permanent serious consequences (like death!) All of the best sidekicks from the previous books make appearances in this one (Steele, Tufty and of course Rennie!) and even the though the central crimes are truly appalling the book is quite engaging and enjoyable. The sad part of finishing The Blood Road is the knowledge that now there’s only one unread entry in the series remaining: Book 12’s All That’s Dead.
June 14, 2018
Stuart MacBride has been on my list of go-to authors for as long as I can remember. Every time there’s a new book of his on the horizon, my anticipations and expectations are sky high but I also always have faith that he’ll deliver. So of course I dropped whatever it was I was doing when I got the opportunity to read this one early and I didn’t regret it for a second.
The Blood Road is the eleventh instalment in the Logan McRae series and it’s every bit as brilliant and fresh as its predecessors. Logan McRae now works for Professional Standards but that doesn’t mean he’s not able to stick his nose into a good crime now and again. The Blood Road starts with a road accident and Logan McRae is rather confused at first as to why he’s called to the scene. Until he realises the dead body is DI Bell and that’s a huge shock because DI Bell died two years ago. They had a funeral and everything.
Lots of questions that need answering then. Why did DI Bell run and hide? Where has he been these last two years? Why did he come back? And who the heck did they bury in his place? Logan McRae sets out to investigate but danger lurks as there are people out there who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.
What follows is an incredibly dark, disturbing and harrowing case that will chill you to the bones. My lips are sealed as you really need to get the full effect of this one but it’s one case I won’t forget in a hurry. It’s a truly frightening and, sadly, believable scenario. Yet, true to form, Stuart MacBride manages to lighten the mood with a healthy dose of humour. I found myself chuckling at the most inappropriate moments. It shouldn’t work but it actually does and really well too. Nobody does this as brilliantly as Stuart MacBride does and this is what makes him stand out from the crowd.
I worried when the magnificent team of Logan McRae and Roberta Steele was broken up but I shouldn’t have. The incomparable Roberta still makes unforgettable appearances but quite frankly, there are two new show-stealers in town by way of Rennie and most importantly, Tufty. These two have me constantly in stitches in their own unique inimitable ways and I dare say they are totally entitled to their own spin-off. I’d pay good money for that.
This has been one of my most favourite crime fiction series for years and it continues to blow my mind with every new addition. If you are not reading these, you are missing out! With a fantastic cast of characters, absolutely brilliant writing and a fabulous dollop of wit, this author should be on everyone’s bookshelves. I for one can’t wait for whatever Stuart MacBride comes up with next!
The Blood Road is the eleventh instalment in the Logan McRae series and it’s every bit as brilliant and fresh as its predecessors. Logan McRae now works for Professional Standards but that doesn’t mean he’s not able to stick his nose into a good crime now and again. The Blood Road starts with a road accident and Logan McRae is rather confused at first as to why he’s called to the scene. Until he realises the dead body is DI Bell and that’s a huge shock because DI Bell died two years ago. They had a funeral and everything.
Lots of questions that need answering then. Why did DI Bell run and hide? Where has he been these last two years? Why did he come back? And who the heck did they bury in his place? Logan McRae sets out to investigate but danger lurks as there are people out there who will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.
What follows is an incredibly dark, disturbing and harrowing case that will chill you to the bones. My lips are sealed as you really need to get the full effect of this one but it’s one case I won’t forget in a hurry. It’s a truly frightening and, sadly, believable scenario. Yet, true to form, Stuart MacBride manages to lighten the mood with a healthy dose of humour. I found myself chuckling at the most inappropriate moments. It shouldn’t work but it actually does and really well too. Nobody does this as brilliantly as Stuart MacBride does and this is what makes him stand out from the crowd.
I worried when the magnificent team of Logan McRae and Roberta Steele was broken up but I shouldn’t have. The incomparable Roberta still makes unforgettable appearances but quite frankly, there are two new show-stealers in town by way of Rennie and most importantly, Tufty. These two have me constantly in stitches in their own unique inimitable ways and I dare say they are totally entitled to their own spin-off. I’d pay good money for that.
This has been one of my most favourite crime fiction series for years and it continues to blow my mind with every new addition. If you are not reading these, you are missing out! With a fantastic cast of characters, absolutely brilliant writing and a fabulous dollop of wit, this author should be on everyone’s bookshelves. I for one can’t wait for whatever Stuart MacBride comes up with next!
March 17, 2020
What happened?
My favourite characters (are present), great story but a wheel fell off.
With a terrible crime afoot (telegraphed in the first few chapters so no mystery there) it seems all but Logan are completely disinterested. Tufty talks in third-person LOL-speak ("ooh, Tufty had a genius"); Rennie makes lengthy and random observations, singing or "joking" and doing his "happy dance", instead of talking to Logan and focusing on the missing children. And Steel...no, don't get me started.
At some stage all of the characters exclaim "Aaaagh" and "Gah", to indicate dissatisfaction, with the DI managing the investigation repeatedly banging his head on the table or covering his face with paperwork.
This is more Keystone Kops and less crime fiction.
These crazy events and puerile dialogue aren't isolated - they're present on almost every page.
All of MacBride's previous, excellent, Logan books have had elements of fitting dark humour. For this instalment, MacBride (if the book wasn't farmed out to a ghost) has decided banal school-boy humour was the way to go.
Very, very disappointing. I had to score the novel a "1" not because it was truly awful but because when compared with previous Logan outings this is dire indeed.
My favourite characters (are present), great story but a wheel fell off.
With a terrible crime afoot (telegraphed in the first few chapters so no mystery there) it seems all but Logan are completely disinterested. Tufty talks in third-person LOL-speak ("ooh, Tufty had a genius"); Rennie makes lengthy and random observations, singing or "joking" and doing his "happy dance", instead of talking to Logan and focusing on the missing children. And Steel...no, don't get me started.
At some stage all of the characters exclaim "Aaaagh" and "Gah", to indicate dissatisfaction, with the DI managing the investigation repeatedly banging his head on the table or covering his face with paperwork.
This is more Keystone Kops and less crime fiction.
These crazy events and puerile dialogue aren't isolated - they're present on almost every page.
All of MacBride's previous, excellent, Logan books have had elements of fitting dark humour. For this instalment, MacBride (if the book wasn't farmed out to a ghost) has decided banal school-boy humour was the way to go.
Very, very disappointing. I had to score the novel a "1" not because it was truly awful but because when compared with previous Logan outings this is dire indeed.
January 30, 2019
If crime & mystery is your thing, look no further than the Logan McRae series. It’s set in Aberdeen, Scotland, and the speech is most often written in the dialect, but don’t let this put you off. These books are full of intrigue, and mystery, but above all, they are bloody hilarious. The characters not only have grown with the readers, but we’re so used to their quirks and misgivings that it’s hard not to love every character.
It’s hard to get into what this book is about because whilst there’s a case, I found this one to be quite character driven and this is book eleven. So there’d be quite a lot of explaining to do for anyone to understand. Just know that I love these books, I love the series-titular character and there’s a special place in my heart for Tufty and Rennie.
It’s hard to get into what this book is about because whilst there’s a case, I found this one to be quite character driven and this is book eleven. So there’d be quite a lot of explaining to do for anyone to understand. Just know that I love these books, I love the series-titular character and there’s a special place in my heart for Tufty and Rennie.
August 27, 2024
Brilliantly complex.
Definitely a series that needs to be read from the start as the intertwining of characters and their relationships are central to each of the instalments. It was also fantastic to see the roles reversed with Logan the more senior officer to Steel - the banter, the humour, the sniping. I love this author.
The plot is dense, intricate, ever-changing and how Macbride keeps all the threads going is remarkable. The desperate search for missing children, errant officers, and rumours of children being bought at auction underpin the various storyline’s. This is not a book that can be read over weeks.
Oh how I wish I wasn’t so close to the last book in the series!
Definitely a series that needs to be read from the start as the intertwining of characters and their relationships are central to each of the instalments. It was also fantastic to see the roles reversed with Logan the more senior officer to Steel - the banter, the humour, the sniping. I love this author.
The plot is dense, intricate, ever-changing and how Macbride keeps all the threads going is remarkable. The desperate search for missing children, errant officers, and rumours of children being bought at auction underpin the various storyline’s. This is not a book that can be read over weeks.
Oh how I wish I wasn’t so close to the last book in the series!
July 24, 2019
Stuart MacBride is one of my favourite crime writers, and I’m always eager to dive into the next Logan McRae novel. With The Blood Road, book eleven, I was extra eager as Logan was entering a new era in his career. Although it’s a new era, it’s very much the classic Stuart MacBride read.
With The Blood Road, Stuart MacBride does what he does best. We have a gripping storyline with many elements, each time we start to put the pieces together, more is introduced. Even when you work out details, you remain curious about the little things, desperate to see how every small detail will play out in the end.
On top of the gripping story that has you turning the pages, we have the great characters and humour. As always, I was giggling away at this story and in love with the way the individual storylines developed. Some of the things that happen are a bit on the childish side, meaning the story won’t be funny for all, but I found it highly entertaining as a whole.
As ever, I’m eager for the next Logan McRae story.
With The Blood Road, Stuart MacBride does what he does best. We have a gripping storyline with many elements, each time we start to put the pieces together, more is introduced. Even when you work out details, you remain curious about the little things, desperate to see how every small detail will play out in the end.
On top of the gripping story that has you turning the pages, we have the great characters and humour. As always, I was giggling away at this story and in love with the way the individual storylines developed. Some of the things that happen are a bit on the childish side, meaning the story won’t be funny for all, but I found it highly entertaining as a whole.
As ever, I’m eager for the next Logan McRae story.
May 27, 2019
Another stunning novel by Stuart MacBride. I always find myself devouring his novels but I tried to keep this one going longer than usual. It boasts all the old characters up to their usual shenanigans. I did find McRae to be a tad more heroic in this one. I guess he didn’t have much of a choice when put in his predicament. Fight or flight! When do I get to read the next one?
April 17, 2022
Absolutely splendid. I am looking forward beginning the next book.
July 4, 2019
Sono soddisfatta della storia e di essere riuscita a leggerla in originale.
L’inizio è stato un po’ difficoltoso, dovuto a una lettura un po' lenta, poichè piena di acronimi inglesi, di riferimenti alla cultura pop britannica e modi di dire scozzesi. Una volta che si prende confidenza con la terminologia e lo stile di scrittura, si prende il ritmo e si procede abbastanza velocemente.
Ci sono delle cose che sono rimaste nebulose (spero di aver dato l’interpretazione giusta; ne avrò la conferma quando me lo rileggerò in italiano), per il resto c’è internet e il (san) kindle con i suoi dizionari (quanto è d’aiuto con la lettura in originale!).
E adesso mi è venuta voglia di rileggermi tutta la serie in originale ^^
Per quanto riguarda la storia, trovo che questo sia fra i più bei libri della serie.
Ci sono diversi colpi di scena e tra un’intuizione geniale e una fortuna sfacciata, Logan, diventato un ispettore dei Professional Standard e per questo temuto da (quasi) tutti i suoi colleghi, risolve una serie di casi in un colpo solo come solo lui sa fare.
Finalmente gli vengono riconosciuti i meriti che merita, ma è possibile che succede solo quando è ?
Comunque rimane in sospeso la mia curiosità su ciò che lui ha detto a Napier in In the Cold Dark Ground e temo che tutta quella storia gli possa portare nuovi guai in futuro.
E adesso cosa farà? Rimarrà negli Affari Interni o tornerà ad essere un ispettore della omicidi?
Perché vederlo interagire con la Steel, Rennie e Tufty non ha prezzo:
Honestly, it was like being in charge of a kindergarten, full of delinquent drunken monkeys.
Oltre ai bambini cresciuti, tra le cose più belle di questo libro, è stato vederlo avere a che fare con i bambini veri, sia le sue (terribile pensare che al mondo queste cose succedono veramente). Rebecca con Orgalorg sono i miei idoli!
Ma la cosa più bella in assoluto è vedere Logan con la sua micina Cthulhu *.*
E poi parliamo dell’ Irn-Bru (che come mi hanno detto in Scozia è la Scotland's other national drink): che nostalgia! Come scordarsi di quel suo sapore alla gomma da masticare liquida (tipo Big Buble)... però mai la berrei con un doughnut come fa Laz; si rischia una crisi iperglicemica XD
One hand behind his head, the other mangling a paperback – the spine bent so far back it was broken.
Now that made Marky’s gums itch. There were killers in here, people who’d strangled their wives, or battered a drug rival to death with a sledgehammer, or drowned their own brother, or slit a stranger’s throat because they supported the wrong football team.
But to do that to a book?
Ah, le priorità della vita dei lettori … XD
L’inizio è stato un po’ difficoltoso, dovuto a una lettura un po' lenta, poichè piena di acronimi inglesi, di riferimenti alla cultura pop britannica e modi di dire scozzesi. Una volta che si prende confidenza con la terminologia e lo stile di scrittura, si prende il ritmo e si procede abbastanza velocemente.
Ci sono delle cose che sono rimaste nebulose (spero di aver dato l’interpretazione giusta; ne avrò la conferma quando me lo rileggerò in italiano), per il resto c’è internet e il (san) kindle con i suoi dizionari (quanto è d’aiuto con la lettura in originale!).
E adesso mi è venuta voglia di rileggermi tutta la serie in originale ^^
Per quanto riguarda la storia, trovo che questo sia fra i più bei libri della serie.
Ci sono diversi colpi di scena e tra un’intuizione geniale e una fortuna sfacciata, Logan, diventato un ispettore dei Professional Standard e per questo temuto da (quasi) tutti i suoi colleghi, risolve una serie di casi in un colpo solo come solo lui sa fare.
Finalmente gli vengono riconosciuti i meriti che merita, ma è possibile che succede solo quando è ?
Comunque rimane in sospeso la mia curiosità su ciò che lui ha detto a Napier in In the Cold Dark Ground e temo che tutta quella storia gli possa portare nuovi guai in futuro.
E adesso cosa farà? Rimarrà negli Affari Interni o tornerà ad essere un ispettore della omicidi?
Perché vederlo interagire con la Steel, Rennie e Tufty non ha prezzo:
Honestly, it was like being in charge of a kindergarten, full of delinquent drunken monkeys.
Oltre ai bambini cresciuti, tra le cose più belle di questo libro, è stato vederlo avere a che fare con i bambini veri, sia le sue (terribile pensare che al mondo queste cose succedono veramente). Rebecca con Orgalorg sono i miei idoli!
Ma la cosa più bella in assoluto è vedere Logan con la sua micina Cthulhu *.*
E poi parliamo dell’ Irn-Bru (che come mi hanno detto in Scozia è la Scotland's other national drink): che nostalgia! Come scordarsi di quel suo sapore alla gomma da masticare liquida (tipo Big Buble)... però mai la berrei con un doughnut come fa Laz; si rischia una crisi iperglicemica XD
One hand behind his head, the other mangling a paperback – the spine bent so far back it was broken.
Now that made Marky’s gums itch. There were killers in here, people who’d strangled their wives, or battered a drug rival to death with a sledgehammer, or drowned their own brother, or slit a stranger’s throat because they supported the wrong football team.
But to do that to a book?
Ah, le priorità della vita dei lettori … XD
May 3, 2019
Look, we all know what I'm going to say here, so let's just get straight to it.
The Logan McRae series is the bees knees of Scottish police procedurals. The plots are intricate, often confrontational (as is very much the case with this one) and the characters are brilliant. Grumpy, put upon McRae (is that a new girlfriend we spy, god knows what's going to happen to her then) to AKA Detective Sergeant Simon Occasionally-Useful-When-Not-Being-A-Pain-In-The-Backside Rennie, DS Roberta Steel (demoted / still over-the-top) and PC Quirrel (together they are North East Division's answer to Blackadder and Baldrick), all make an appearance in THE BLOOD ROAD.
Quick bit about the plot - McRae's now works for Professional Standards (followers of this series will be aware that's .... a tad of leap in it's own right...), so when DI Bell turns up dead in the driver's seat of a car, stabbed, it's a bit of a surprise to all. What with them having buried him two years ago, or so they thought. Needless to say a bit of a shufty around in Bell's past is called for, which is right up Professional Standard's corridor (so to speak). When that expands to include the investigation of the possible suicide of a currently serving officer, McRae and his little team of mad buggers find themselves knee deep in dodgy coppers, old cases, odd goings-on, and unfortunately the series of missing kids that the major crimes division is also investigating. There's a lot of cross over, crossing under, crossing off, and generally getting cross - as you'd expect from a Stuart MacBride novel.
There's also the question of missing kids, and the possibility that something seriously horrible is happening to them, so if you're a reader who doesn't like that sort of (fictional) plot then this may not be the novel for you. Which will be a pity because you'll be missing out on a heap of wise-cracks, an impressively bolshie young lady, some dedicated coppering, some seriously manipulative behaviour (Steel wants a night out with the wife, whether McRae likes the idea or not), and some clever thinking and persistence as you'd expect.
But then again you knew I was going to say all of that, and you know I've already pre-ordered ALL THAT'S DEAD - 12th book in the Logan McRae series, due to lob into my Google Books account around the 19th of May.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
The Logan McRae series is the bees knees of Scottish police procedurals. The plots are intricate, often confrontational (as is very much the case with this one) and the characters are brilliant. Grumpy, put upon McRae (is that a new girlfriend we spy, god knows what's going to happen to her then) to AKA Detective Sergeant Simon Occasionally-Useful-When-Not-Being-A-Pain-In-The-Backside Rennie, DS Roberta Steel (demoted / still over-the-top) and PC Quirrel (together they are North East Division's answer to Blackadder and Baldrick), all make an appearance in THE BLOOD ROAD.
Quick bit about the plot - McRae's now works for Professional Standards (followers of this series will be aware that's .... a tad of leap in it's own right...), so when DI Bell turns up dead in the driver's seat of a car, stabbed, it's a bit of a surprise to all. What with them having buried him two years ago, or so they thought. Needless to say a bit of a shufty around in Bell's past is called for, which is right up Professional Standard's corridor (so to speak). When that expands to include the investigation of the possible suicide of a currently serving officer, McRae and his little team of mad buggers find themselves knee deep in dodgy coppers, old cases, odd goings-on, and unfortunately the series of missing kids that the major crimes division is also investigating. There's a lot of cross over, crossing under, crossing off, and generally getting cross - as you'd expect from a Stuart MacBride novel.
There's also the question of missing kids, and the possibility that something seriously horrible is happening to them, so if you're a reader who doesn't like that sort of (fictional) plot then this may not be the novel for you. Which will be a pity because you'll be missing out on a heap of wise-cracks, an impressively bolshie young lady, some dedicated coppering, some seriously manipulative behaviour (Steel wants a night out with the wife, whether McRae likes the idea or not), and some clever thinking and persistence as you'd expect.
But then again you knew I was going to say all of that, and you know I've already pre-ordered ALL THAT'S DEAD - 12th book in the Logan McRae series, due to lob into my Google Books account around the 19th of May.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
March 30, 2019
The latest in the Logan McRae series finds Logan now an Inspector with the Professional Standards unit of Police Scotland based in Aberdeen. They had all thought that Detective Inspector Bell had blown his own brains out two years previously when he is found stabbed to death at the wheel of a crashed car. The inevitable questions arise, who was in the grave , where has he been and what was he doing in the time? The area is short staffed as as there are currently concerns over missing young children who have vanished without leaving any clues. Logan finds himself back in the fray aided and abetted by his nemesis Roberta Steel, previously Logan's boss but now reduced to being a Sergeant on his team.
The book goes at a good pace and it has its frustrations and high moments as the investigations proceed and inevitably merge into one. Good characters that you can imagine sitting next toin the canteen or visiting in the cells. Combines emotive subjects of child abuse, callous underworld and those simply out for personal gain with the everyday lives of the main characters. It does help to have read the previous books in this series as there are ongoing themes.
Very good read 4stars.
The book goes at a good pace and it has its frustrations and high moments as the investigations proceed and inevitably merge into one. Good characters that you can imagine sitting next toin the canteen or visiting in the cells. Combines emotive subjects of child abuse, callous underworld and those simply out for personal gain with the everyday lives of the main characters. It does help to have read the previous books in this series as there are ongoing themes.
Very good read 4stars.
April 10, 2020
At times during the first half of this novel, I wasn't really enjoying it, and was all prepared to give three or fewer stars to a book that I felt was falling well below the high standards of preceding ones in the series. I was even tempted to give it up before the half way point. It just seemed too cartoonish, too disorganised, as if MacBride was confident anything he put out in the Logan McRae series would be well received, even if it wasn't quite up to scratch.
It improved in the second half, the disconnected strands came together, the paedophile ring and 'presumed dead but seemingly not' plot (always strong - it was the style that wasn't quite right) developed cleverly and the wise-cracking either became less frequent or just bothered me less in the second half. A little cautious, the previous feeling that one of my favourite authors can do no wrong has been knocked, though - partly for completeness' sake - I will of course make sure I continue to follow the series.
It improved in the second half, the disconnected strands came together, the paedophile ring and 'presumed dead but seemingly not' plot (always strong - it was the style that wasn't quite right) developed cleverly and the wise-cracking either became less frequent or just bothered me less in the second half. A little cautious, the previous feeling that one of my favourite authors can do no wrong has been knocked, though - partly for completeness' sake - I will of course make sure I continue to follow the series.
July 1, 2018
Stuart MacBride rules - he can write no wrong.
Nothing else needs to be said :)
Nothing else needs to be said :)
June 24, 2018
My favourite series. I love Logan and his quips and the supporting characters always crack me up. On a side note, this book touched on a pretty intense topic and ultimately gave me the creeps!
P.S. I feel as if I'm the only non-Steel fan 😫
P.S. I feel as if I'm the only non-Steel fan 😫
July 4, 2019
Took a while for this book to interest me, and even longer to get used to the Scottish language an procedural differences. However, the plot finally became interesting enough so that I was able to follow along, and appreciated the story line.
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