Der gute Cop

MacNeice #2

by Scott Thornley

Detective Superintendent MacNeice ist alles andere als ein gewöhnlicher Ermittler: Er redet mit Vögeln und mit seiner verstorbenen Frau Kate, ohne deswegen eine Psychomacke zu haben. Er ist ein rasend guter Beobachter, lebensklug und vor allem liebenswürdig und empathisch. Sein feines Feeling für Menschen macht ihn zu einem gnadenlos guten Cop, der allerdings auch riskant und unkonventionell arbeitet. Er kann durchaus ruppig werden, wenn man ihn dazu zwingt. Und er hat ein loyales Team um sich herum, allen voran DI Fiza Aziz.

Als im Hafen von Dundurn, Ontario, einbetonierte Leichen auftauchen, zwei Biker-Gangs sich bekriegen und ein Mörder erfolgreiche Frauen mit ethnischem Hintergrund jagt, bedeutet das Dauerstress für MacNeice und seine Truppe. Nicht zuletzt deshalb, weil auch Fiza Aziz in den Fokus des Killers gerät. MacNeice läuft zur Hochform auf...

Genres: Mystery, Canada, Fiction

524 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 8, 2012

Reviews

[Ron S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of Canadian crime fiction that's firmly rooted in a recognizable place, might enjoy this conventional procedural set in Hamilton, ON.

[AB Maclean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down. MacNeice is a fascinating main character and Thornley’s writing style is direct while still having some emotional and philosophical depth to it. Having a Canadian locale as the setting made it all the more interesting. My 3 star rating had to do with the extreme body count and grisliness of the parallel story lines. While it made sense for the plot, it was a little too violent to be completely enjoyable for me. I will definitely take a look at the third instalment of the series, hoping that it will be a little less graphic.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thornley's Ambitious City is another moderate success which I enjoyed breezing through. The novelist has learned how to sharpen his dialogue, and his narrative is as engaging as it was in Erasing Memory but I think this time he's lost the plot. There are more bodies in this novel than there are apples in a barrel at harvest time -- and they keep bobbing up like Macintoshes in the apple-bobble game.

We start with 7 (dead) shrink-wrapped bikers found at a local farm, and then segue into 6 more bodies found at the bottom of the bay: two encased in concrete, and four more in a car from the 1930s. Somewhere in all of this, a serial killer is loose on the city, and he's already killed two young women "of colour". Add to this various shoot-outs in assorted "police situations", a Nascar-style race across the Sky High bridge which culminates in fireworks over the city, an explosion in Aldershot which sends another dozen or so bikers flying into the night-time sky and ... well, as you can see, it's easy for the reader to lose the plot, given what we're given. The novel reads like Thornley didn't trust himself to explore one story line (or even a secondary one) so he just threw in every stock character and situation in the police annals, stirred it up with a hint of Mafia soup and grappa ... and voila ... a mystery for all ages.

The thing is ... Thornley has a potential hit series here if he wasn't so busy over-reaching himself. MacNeice is an eminently likeable Detective Superintendent and he's gathered a fine team of Detective Inspectors, even if they do look a bit like the Politically Correct Reunion at a United Nations convention. A charming Italian with a bit of the streeter still in him, a smart-mouth black comic-cop, a cracker jack little white geek-hacker, a Muslim woman criminologist whose parents hail from Lebanon. Despite the colour-coded affair, it all works: the characters have a wonderful synergy that really moves the story along nicely. So, Thornley should just stop and think about all the "good" elements he owns, and work on making the next novel not quite so over-done.

As in his previous work, I enjoyed his descriptions of Dundurn and his obvious affinity for the Steel City. He has so much going for him in setting, character and plot, that I wonder why he tries so hard.

[Mark Edlund · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery series - Thornley steps up the gore factor in this one. There are 15 bodies by the first three chapters and promises of more to come. Some interesting cross border adventures outside of Dundurn (read Hamilton). Biker gangs, concrete companies and 1812 history intersect at several different angles. Entertaining read.
Canadian references - too many to record as it is set in Canada.
No pharmacy reference.
One glaring science error - a house blows up and the author says that the heavier items land first. If dropped from the same height, items would have landed at the same time. You're welcome.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good reads first reads. The Ambitious City by Scott Thornley is a real page-turner. I am giving it 4 stars just for starters....

The Ambitious City is a fabulous murder mystery full of suspense that I would recommend to others. Detective Superintendent MacNeice is a new favorite!

[Wendy Hearder-moan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As in the case of the first book, I enjoyed the local colour and the characterization. Not so sure that the two plot lines work well together. Could have perhaps saved the " Knight Templar" for another book...the bikers and the concrete business would have sufficed.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit predictable ...thought last book was better

[Miles Davren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really fun to read if you live in the Hamilton area.

[Havers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dundurn ist eine (fiktive) Kleinstadt im Osten Kanadas, deren besten Tage längst vorbei sind. Aber das soll sich nach dem Willen des ambitionierten Bürgermeisters ändern. Er hat einen Großinvestor an Land gezogen, der im Hafen ein Museumsprojekt realisieren möchte, in dessen Zentrum zwei 1813 versunkene Schoner stehen sollen. Eine einmalige Chance, um Touristen anzuziehen und das Städtchen wieder zum Leben zu erwecken. Zu früh gefreut, denn durch unerwartete Leichenfunde beim Ausbaggern des Hafenbeckens steht plötzlich das gesamte Vorhaben auf der Kippe. Die beiden Toten im Kofferraum des Oldtimers scheinen weniger das Problem, liegen sie wohl bereits seit Jahrzehnten im Wasser. Aber dann sind da noch die Leichen in den Betonsäulen, die offenbar neueren Datums sind und mit weiteren Toten auf dem Grundstück einer Biker-Gang in Zusammenhang stehen. Bloß ein Bandenkrieg, oder steckt etwa mehr dahinter? Und als ob das noch nicht genug wäre, treibt auch noch ein rassistischer Serienmörder in der Gegend sein Unwesen, der es auf erfolgreiche Frauen mit Migrationshintergrund abgesehen hat. Klar, dass Detective Superintendent MacNeice und sein Team alle Hände voll zu tun haben.

Einige Bemerkungen vorweg: Im Original liegen bereits vier Bände mit MacNeice plus Team vor. Da es in „Der gute Cop“ (zweiter Teil der Reihe), speziell was die Vergangenheit und die Beziehungen der Personen angeht, einige Verweise auf den Vorgänger gibt, stellt sich mir die Frage, warum man bei der Veröffentlichung nicht chronologisch vorgegangen ist. Des Weiteren erschließt sich mir die Wahl des Titels nicht wirklich. Offenbar soll signalisiert werden, dass hier ein neuer Protagonist am Start ist, aber „gut“ ist in diesem Zusammenhang sehr beliebig und wenig aussagekräftig.

Wir haben es hier mit einem astreinen „Police Procedural“ zu tun, in dem die Arbeit des Teams um MacNeice sehr kleinteilig geschildert wird, was im Lauf der Handlung immer wieder zu Längen führt. Manches davon ist wichtig, anderes wird offenbar nur erwähnt, um die Seiten zu füllen. Leider geht das stellenweise sehr zu Lasten der Spannung. Und auch die Beschreibung der Personen fällt sehr verschieden aus. Bei einigen gibt sich der Autor große Mühe, obwohl sie nur einen kurzen Auftritt haben, andere werden, obwohl wesentlich an den Ermittlungen beteiligt, eher oberflächlich abgehandelt.

Meine hohen Erwartungen an diesen Kriminalroman wurden leider nicht erfüllt. Es gibt zwar interessante Ansätze, aber schlussendlich ist mir die gesamte Story „zu dünn“ und hätte auch auf der Hälfte der Seiten abgehandelt werden können.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spannender Auftakt mit leider schwachem Ende

Der Klappentext klang für mich wirklich mehr als spannend und auch viel versprechend. Noch dazu ist der Schreibstil wirklich gut und liest sich recht flüssig. Die Protagonisten sind interessant, alle miteinander. Sie haben ihre Ecken und Kanten, geben aber nie zu viel von sich Preis, so dass man immer auf einen kleinen Brocken mehr hofft, was auch die Spannung ein wenig antreibt in der Handlung selbst.
In der Handlung selbst gibt es zwei verschieden Mordserien, die die Ermittler um MacNeice so schnell es nur geht lösen müssen. Der eine scheint sich um rivalisierende Biker-Gangs zu handeln, die ihre Kreise zum einen in die USA als auch in die Reihen von hohen Unternehmerbossen zu ziehen scheint, die sich aus dem neuesten Projekt und Vorhaben des Bürgermeisters hervortun. Die Verwicklungen und Verzweigungen sind hier wirklich sehr gut umgesetzt, man verliert aber nie den roten Faden, so dass sie Spannung selbst in dem Fall auch nie wirklich flöten geht. Und dann gibt es "nebenbei" noch die Mordserie an erfolgreichen Frauen mit Migrationshintergrund. Der Fall war am Anfang auch interessant, lässt zum Ende hin allerdings sehr nach und endet auch meiner Meinung nach eher unbefriedigend. Der Biker-Fall war da weit besser dargestellt, mehr im Rampenlicht und hätte auch alleine gut und gerne für den Roman ausgereicht.
Alles in allem fing "Der gute Cop" echt gut an, ließ dann aber doch nach und schwächelte arg. Es war keine verschwendete Lesezeit, das nicht, aber ich würde das Buch nicht unbedingt noch einmal lesen. Wer Lust auf eine spannende, verzwickte Ermittlung hat und gerne selber miträtselt, dem kann ich das Buch empfehlen.

[Jean-paul Audouy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster of a novel that was!
Not one but two, and even three mysteries to solve if you count a vintage case that will bring back memories of the 1920s Borscht Belt (or Yiddish Alps) when hotels and resorts refused to accept Jews. The discrimination led to a need for alternative lodging that would accept New York City Jewish families in a vacation spot in upstate New York from the 1920s through the 1960s.
We learn a lot of the inner working of construction businesses, bike gangs from Ontario and Quebec and the deranged mind of a white supremacist serial killer. The only flaw is that maybe the good guys are too good but since there are all endearing, you let it pass. There is one violent episode in the last quarter of the book that had my heart racing. It is so vividly written that it was better than watching a movie. All in all, a lot of fun.

[Genevesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed that this was set in Hamilton and had many historical references, but as many said, this could have been two books to separate the plot lines of serial killer vs biker gangs. Also, it felt too “Hollywood” - meaning, let’s have lots of dead bodies, impossible explosions, gore and sadism. I did not enjoy the man saving the girl at the end with MacNeice and Aziz. Do we always need a man to save us? Also, Dance should never had been able to enter a police department that easy. Police departments have locked doors and use a fob entry system. Even if Dance had followed an officer in the back way, he could not lock the door behind him, fob systems don’t work that way.

[A. Macbeth reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat enjoyable but I was sorely distracted by the comings and goings of the DI Aziz character, which deducted some ratings points for the book, as far as I was concerned. Notwithstanding that Mr Thornley added the disclaimer that Mrs Thornley aided him in his writing project and she vouched for the authenticity of what he wrote about. I hope that character is now too burned out for police work . But I’ll probably check out the next book in the series in a few weeks; I’ve got other books slated in until then.

[Hernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book on the McNeice series. It starts with a complex plot involving two crime investigations. The first one is quite intricate, but the second never developed as much. And in fact, once one of them is more or less solved, the other is left there almost dragging on.

Overall a really nice read, but I found it didn't hang in there all tight as the first book in the series.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ended up being a double mystery!
There were two issues needing police attention in this longer book.
Loving the regular characters and constant mentions of real places in Hamilton.
Looking forward to book 3!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots going on in this one, learned more about the concrete business that I perhaps wanted to. Will never look at the murky depths of Hamilton Harbour in the same way! Read it and you will know what I mean!

[Cybercrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

[Donna Mcnab · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book that I have read by Canadian author, Scott Thornley. The story, although a little complicated at times, is well told and interesting, and I do like all the characters.

[Denise Loveless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving the characters and this series.

[Plantaquatix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bravo au traducteur qui respecte bien l’environnement dans lequel le livre se passe. Il manquait un petit plus dans l’ensemble de l’œuvre pour que je lui accorde 4 étoiles.

[Carine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pas aussi enlevant que le premier tome mais quand même très bon!

[Eric Morneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Très bon, deuxième tome de la série. On est plus dans les émotions que dans l'action. On ressent ce que Macneice et Aziz vivent. Plus crédible que la majorité des polars que je lis

[Ted Cartier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thornley maintains a great pace and has strong characters.

[Lyle Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this series. Fascinating stories and a really gripping cast of characters.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Detective Superindent MacNeice of the Dundurn police force. He is dealing with a biker war, the discovery of bodies encased in cement at the bottom of a lake, and a serial killer who is targeting women who are visible minorities.

MacNiece is the kind of character that I would love as a boss or mentor. He is cool under pressure, smart, looks after his employees, and is a good man. He always seems to make the choice to do the right thing even if it isn't popular or he may get in a bit of trouble for doing so. He misses his wife, and is working too much and perhaps drinking too much to deal with his pain. He is always bang on when it comes to work though, and always professional.

I really enjoyed the author's style of writing, and the fact that his characters have some substance to them. They can be complicated and they do have quirks to them. I found so many of them to be very interesting...even the bad guys. I could understand their motives, and why characters responded the way they did to different situations.

The story itself is very engaging and I appreciated how easy it was to follow the development of all the cases that MacNiece was working on. It was interesting to follow all the twists and turns and there were a lot of surprises.

Another thing that I really liked about this book is that you don't have to read the first one to understand the characters and what has previously occured to them. The author does a great job at developing the characters, but also gives the reader enough glimpses of what happened in the past so that everything makes sense. I really appreciate that as I hate picking up a book and feeling lost about what I am reading. I don't always want to read a whole series first just to enjoy a later book.

That being said, I enjoyed this book so much I am interested in picking up the first book now!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thornley has done it again. In his second in a series, this quick paced read consumed me from the start. I think I know, or at least want to know better, this man, MacNeice. A very cool cat, highly intuitive with nerves of steel, yet oh so sensitive, this is a man you want to lead your team. In the ambitious city of Dundurn MacNeice solves multiple puzzles at a dizzying pace. Looks like I am a convert to crime fiction now, at least in this series. MacNeice is a man of integrity to the utmost degree and will be interesting to see what happens in the next book. I am hoping he can look directly into his eyes in the mirror and see more. Bravo.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second in Scott Thornley's marvelous detective series featuring Detective Superintendent MacNeice of the 'Dundurn' City police force. (Dundurn is a thinly veiled Hamilton which Thornley willingly acknowledges) MacNeice, the grappa drinking poetry writing, music loving bedeviled cop is once again confronted with a layered set of mysteries that do and don't go to the heart of the nature of the working class city that is Hamilton...there are long dead bodies, references to the war of 1812, biker gangs, a sniper and a racist demographer serial killer. What's not to love and when it is wrapped in some very good writing the pleasure is intensified.

[Hella Comat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darn, I've done it again - started a series but not in the right order. Well, this one makes it worth looking at others in the series. It's a detective mystery but based in Hamilton, ON with constant references to local streets, even describing the steel mills on the bay with clear, if depressing, accuracy:) He only changes the name of the city to Dundurn and the name of the Skyway, but everything else is identifiable for a local. A couple of intertwined plots, but lots of action to keep the reader hooked.

[Rory James Gilfillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

After finishing erasing memory I immediately picked up the sequel and while this is still a great read its not quite as good as the first one. Really this is two different stories packed into one. It's easy to follow but its a bit convoluted. Nevertheless it's a fun end of summer book.