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Lennox #1
Lennox
First novel in the Lennox series, featuring a shady investigator on the tough streets of 1950's Glasgow.
425 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
87 people are currently reading
935 people want to read
About the author
Craig Russell
71 books692 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Award-winning, best-selling and critically-acclaimed author. His novels have been published in twenty-five languages around the world. The movie rights to the Devil Aspect have been bought by Columbia Pictures. Biblical, his science-fiction novel, has been acquired by Imaginarium Studios/Sonar Entertainment, four Jan Fabel novels have been made into movies (in one of which Craig Russell makes a cameo appearance as a detective) for ARD, the German national broadcaster, and the Lennox series has been optioned for TV development.
Craig Russell:
• won the 2015 Crime Book of the Year (McIlvanney Prize) for 'The Ghosts of Altona', and is currently longlisted for the 2017 McIlvanney Prize for 'The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid', the latest in the Lennox series;
• was a finalist for the 2013 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger;
• was a finalist for the 2012 Crime Book of the Year (McIlvanney Prize);
• won the 2008 CWA Dagger in the Library for the Fabel series;
• was a finalist for the 2007 CWA Duncan Lawrie Golden Dagger;
• was a finalist for the 2007 SNCF Prix Polar in France;
• is the only non-German to be awarded the highly prestigious Polizeistern by the Polizei
Hamburg.
Official website: http://www.craigrussell.com
Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/craigrussell...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecraigrussell
Also writes under the pseudonym Christopher Galt
Award-winning, best-selling and critically-acclaimed author. His novels have been published in twenty-five languages around the world. The movie rights to the Devil Aspect have been bought by Columbia Pictures. Biblical, his science-fiction novel, has been acquired by Imaginarium Studios/Sonar Entertainment, four Jan Fabel novels have been made into movies (in one of which Craig Russell makes a cameo appearance as a detective) for ARD, the German national broadcaster, and the Lennox series has been optioned for TV development.
Craig Russell:
• won the 2015 Crime Book of the Year (McIlvanney Prize) for 'The Ghosts of Altona', and is currently longlisted for the 2017 McIlvanney Prize for 'The Quiet Death of Thomas Quaid', the latest in the Lennox series;
• was a finalist for the 2013 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger;
• was a finalist for the 2012 Crime Book of the Year (McIlvanney Prize);
• won the 2008 CWA Dagger in the Library for the Fabel series;
• was a finalist for the 2007 CWA Duncan Lawrie Golden Dagger;
• was a finalist for the 2007 SNCF Prix Polar in France;
• is the only non-German to be awarded the highly prestigious Polizeistern by the Polizei
Hamburg.
Official website: http://www.craigrussell.com
Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/craigrussell...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecraigrussell
Also writes under the pseudonym Christopher Galt
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
February 10, 2020
I’d enjoyed the author’s books featuring German detective Jan Fabel and loved his standalone novel The Devil Aspect, so I knew that sooner or later I’d take a peep at Russell’s other series. Set in Glasgow in the early 1950’s this story is much darker than the Fabel books. Known as the Dear Green Place because of it’s many parks, for many years the city actually had a reputation as a dangerous place, full of hard industry workers whose main pastime seemed to be participating in long, heavy drinking sessions. It’s also long been a place divided by class and religion. Lennox is a bit of a stranger in his own town, he was born in Glasgow but brought up in Canada. He settled back into the place of his birth after war service and it’s once again become his home. He’s a tough man, now used to eking out a living as a private investigator, but as this book opens he’s found himself in more than a spot of bother.
A second reason I was drawn to this book is that my own father was born in Glasgow and as a teenager he would have tread some of the same streets as Lennox. He didn’t often speak
of his upbringing there but I do know that he lived in an insalubrious part of the city and sometimes earned a few bob as a bookies runner. He once told of how he was given instructions to find a particular address and once there to ‘knock three times and ask for Louie’. When he’d tracked the place down and duly knocked a hatch was opened and he repeated the phrase, after receiving a quick up and down inspection he was granted entry. My brothers and I loved this story but were always thwarted when we attempted to pry for more. The city Russell introduces us to here certainly has the same menacing flavour about it.
After a startling opening scene, we’re taken back in time a few weeks. At this point, it seems that Lennox had had a nasty incident when he was attacked in the street by local villain. He survived the attack and broke the man’s nose but in the morning morning he was arrested and accused of murdering the man who’d attacked him - it seems he’d been beaten to death at his work premises during the night. In these early pages everyone we encounter seems hell bent on causing physical damage, and this includes the local police! Lennox is knocked about by the coppers but ultimately released. He later learns that the victim’s twin brother, and partner in crime, had also recently been murdered, again in a particularly brutal manner. But despite not wishing to get drawn into what might be a nasty gangland dispute Lennox decides to snoop around a bit to see if he can find out what going on.
The Glasgow underworld is run by a trio of gang leaders known as the Three Kings, each ‘owning’ their own patch. They’ve reached an uneasy truce and have learned to tolerate each other as long as each keeps to his own turf. Unwittingly, Lennox finds himself on the temporary payroll of one of the Kings, as he now attempts to track down the killer of the twins. They had been minor players in the city, but knowledge is power and he’s now being paid to provide it. He is also provided with a heavy to help him extract information where necessary, a huge man who has been endowed with the moniker Twinkletoes due to his propensity for using a bolt cutter to lop off a few toes if the required answers aren’t quickly forthcoming. Such is the nature of his tenuous relationship with the gangland boss that the thought crosses his mind that he himself may be ‘reduced a shoe size’ should he fail in this task.
The prose is lyrical and droll – I regularly found that I had a smile on my face and several times laughed out loud – but the action is often brutal and the language raw, this is certainly not one for the faint-hearted. Russell drags you into a complex plot and then slaps you around with a story that’s as hard boiled as it comes and action that never lets up. It’s as atmospheric as hell and I absolutely loved it! I’m also amazed at how different this book felt to the other books I’ve read from this author, what a clever man he is. I’ll most definitely be back for more.
A second reason I was drawn to this book is that my own father was born in Glasgow and as a teenager he would have tread some of the same streets as Lennox. He didn’t often speak
of his upbringing there but I do know that he lived in an insalubrious part of the city and sometimes earned a few bob as a bookies runner. He once told of how he was given instructions to find a particular address and once there to ‘knock three times and ask for Louie’. When he’d tracked the place down and duly knocked a hatch was opened and he repeated the phrase, after receiving a quick up and down inspection he was granted entry. My brothers and I loved this story but were always thwarted when we attempted to pry for more. The city Russell introduces us to here certainly has the same menacing flavour about it.
After a startling opening scene, we’re taken back in time a few weeks. At this point, it seems that Lennox had had a nasty incident when he was attacked in the street by local villain. He survived the attack and broke the man’s nose but in the morning morning he was arrested and accused of murdering the man who’d attacked him - it seems he’d been beaten to death at his work premises during the night. In these early pages everyone we encounter seems hell bent on causing physical damage, and this includes the local police! Lennox is knocked about by the coppers but ultimately released. He later learns that the victim’s twin brother, and partner in crime, had also recently been murdered, again in a particularly brutal manner. But despite not wishing to get drawn into what might be a nasty gangland dispute Lennox decides to snoop around a bit to see if he can find out what going on.
The Glasgow underworld is run by a trio of gang leaders known as the Three Kings, each ‘owning’ their own patch. They’ve reached an uneasy truce and have learned to tolerate each other as long as each keeps to his own turf. Unwittingly, Lennox finds himself on the temporary payroll of one of the Kings, as he now attempts to track down the killer of the twins. They had been minor players in the city, but knowledge is power and he’s now being paid to provide it. He is also provided with a heavy to help him extract information where necessary, a huge man who has been endowed with the moniker Twinkletoes due to his propensity for using a bolt cutter to lop off a few toes if the required answers aren’t quickly forthcoming. Such is the nature of his tenuous relationship with the gangland boss that the thought crosses his mind that he himself may be ‘reduced a shoe size’ should he fail in this task.
The prose is lyrical and droll – I regularly found that I had a smile on my face and several times laughed out loud – but the action is often brutal and the language raw, this is certainly not one for the faint-hearted. Russell drags you into a complex plot and then slaps you around with a story that’s as hard boiled as it comes and action that never lets up. It’s as atmospheric as hell and I absolutely loved it! I’m also amazed at how different this book felt to the other books I’ve read from this author, what a clever man he is. I’ll most definitely be back for more.
January 15, 2024
Welcome to the violent gangland of 1950’s Glasgow where the likeable and wise cracking private detective Lennox is always talking his way out of trouble to avoid being fast tracked to the morgue. Plenty of interesting characters woven around a fairly complex plot, with cut throat humour throughout.
May 5, 2020
This book I have is called: Lennox and is a Quercus release with the same ISBN number so hemce my puzzlement about the information.
Anyhow having read later installments of this Glasgow Noir novel about a Private Detective in the post war '50's In Glasgow is actually very entertaining and classy. The lead character has been stuck in Glasgow after the war and has not returned to Canada after the second World War. He gets stuck with a case neither of the three major crime lords in Glasgow want to be blamed for namely the murder of Tam McGahern and his twin brother. The police seems to get nowhere so Lennox gets on the case. This Chandler/Hammett- esque tale is a hoot and a half and grand entertainment.
This is a story about betrayal and coldblooded murder which will be observed by Lennox a few times in the case of the missing wife who is not missing as it turns out except for any morals she ever might have had. Two brothers are murdered, a pimp gets murdered, police uniforms get stolen and so are a shipload of military material. The Three kings from Glasgow, as the gangster threesome are called that divided Glasgow among them are seemingly in the dark hence their choice in hiring Lennox and no is not an answer. As Lennox grinds away he finds out more than he wanted to know but also ends up with a well deserved rest.
An Excellent entrance for a new series that can be considered as Glasgow noir and is as entertaining as the best in genre can deliver. It is certainly different from the Faber books and that is perhaps as big as a compliment you can give this writer, two separate series with their own voice and style. And they both are very well written series with great books.
Anyhow having read later installments of this Glasgow Noir novel about a Private Detective in the post war '50's In Glasgow is actually very entertaining and classy. The lead character has been stuck in Glasgow after the war and has not returned to Canada after the second World War. He gets stuck with a case neither of the three major crime lords in Glasgow want to be blamed for namely the murder of Tam McGahern and his twin brother. The police seems to get nowhere so Lennox gets on the case. This Chandler/Hammett- esque tale is a hoot and a half and grand entertainment.
This is a story about betrayal and coldblooded murder which will be observed by Lennox a few times in the case of the missing wife who is not missing as it turns out except for any morals she ever might have had. Two brothers are murdered, a pimp gets murdered, police uniforms get stolen and so are a shipload of military material. The Three kings from Glasgow, as the gangster threesome are called that divided Glasgow among them are seemingly in the dark hence their choice in hiring Lennox and no is not an answer. As Lennox grinds away he finds out more than he wanted to know but also ends up with a well deserved rest.
An Excellent entrance for a new series that can be considered as Glasgow noir and is as entertaining as the best in genre can deliver. It is certainly different from the Faber books and that is perhaps as big as a compliment you can give this writer, two separate series with their own voice and style. And they both are very well written series with great books.
August 2, 2025
Lennox was a surprising read for me in a good way. Before picking up this book I knew nothing about it or the author. It has been sitting in my bookcase for years. The genre would be described as detective fiction or noir. I have read previously the Philip Marlowe books by Raymond Chandler. There are some definite similarities with this series (femme fatales, blondes, blackmail and hard drinking). Perhaps Lennox is not quite as dark being on the slightly more lighthearted side. But in saying that there was a decent amount of foul language and violence in this book. The book is set in 1950’s Scotland. More specifically the Glasgow underworld. Lennox is Canadian, ex military and as tough as they come. He lives in a mean city, but he is not mean himself. In fact there is a sense of honour about him. He tries to do what is right, even when that means putting himself in danger. Like Marlowe, Lennox is wisecracking in terms of actual dialogue. But in terms of his inner dialogue it went to a whole new level. Many times I found myself literally laughing out loud. It was my type of humour. The whole book was full of amazing characters. But behind it all, and most importantly was some great writing and a terrific plot. It was complex with plenty of twists and surprises. Lennox was kind of in the wrong place at the wrong time. Caught in the middle of the Glasgow underworld dealing with the police and the four crime lords (and all their heavies). He took several nasty beatings and suffered multiple concussions, and dished out a few of his own as well. Many times he considered simply walking away, going back to Canada. But that sense of honour, doing the right thing and justice prevailing always won out. Interspersed throughout, Lennox manages to find time for the odd romantic liaison. This book was a page turner, thoroughly entertaining and I loved every minute of it. It had me engaged from the very first page. Due to the foul language, violence and type of humour, this book is probably more suited to male readers.
November 27, 2012
"Lennox" é o primeiro livro de uma série que promete, aos amantes de policiais, momentos de leitura emocionantes, na companhia do talento excepcional de Craig Russell. Nas palavras de Michael Connelly (cujo livro "Lua Vazia" recomendo) "Lennox" é "mais do que um policial, uma história genial."
Este escritor do noir rendeu-me ao seu estilo narrativo directo e cruel desde a primeira página. A realidade é retratada tal como é, seja com um tom terrivelmente sério ou com um tom de humor incrivelmente inteligente. A história envolve o leitor numa sucessão de diálogos e descrições sem comparação, que tornam quase dolorosa a interrupção da leitura.
"Novo dia, a mesma merda, como se diz em Glasgow."
Craig Russell transporta-nos até 1953. Glasgow é uma cidade que apenas conhece uma cor: o preto. O constante smog que cobre os seus habitantes, camuflando habilmente as ameaças e a escumalha visível nas ruas, apenas reforça o cenário sombrio desta narrativa sem precedentes.
Numa atmosfera, onde o leitor sustém a respiração com medo de denunciar a sua presença, Craig Russell dispõe um enredo cuja expressividade ultrapassa todas as palavras.
As suas personagens adquirem contornos assustadoramente reais. Desde os três Reis que controlam o submundo, aos dois irmãos gémeos que estão no centro de todo o mistério, a um torturador que gosta de cortar os dedos dos pés, a um simples rapaz dos recados de cabelo oleoso e os seus amigos, a uma senhoria viúva alcoólica que julga todos os seus actos até uma mulher de corpo escultural responsável pela gerência de um bordel, Lennox relaciona-se com todas as camadas sociais, seja em trabalho ou em prazer.
Será que algum dia a verdade verá a luz do dia? Cabe ao nosso detective privado desenterrar os factos, ocultados nas mentiras mais engenhosas e obscuras.
Deixo-vos as primeiras palavras do Lennox, cuja voz dará vida à narração: "No decorrer da minha vida fui muitas vezes obrigado a encontrar explicações para conseguir safar-me de situações bastante complicadas, mas esta ultrapassa todas as outras."
Este escritor do noir rendeu-me ao seu estilo narrativo directo e cruel desde a primeira página. A realidade é retratada tal como é, seja com um tom terrivelmente sério ou com um tom de humor incrivelmente inteligente. A história envolve o leitor numa sucessão de diálogos e descrições sem comparação, que tornam quase dolorosa a interrupção da leitura.
"Novo dia, a mesma merda, como se diz em Glasgow."
Craig Russell transporta-nos até 1953. Glasgow é uma cidade que apenas conhece uma cor: o preto. O constante smog que cobre os seus habitantes, camuflando habilmente as ameaças e a escumalha visível nas ruas, apenas reforça o cenário sombrio desta narrativa sem precedentes.
Numa atmosfera, onde o leitor sustém a respiração com medo de denunciar a sua presença, Craig Russell dispõe um enredo cuja expressividade ultrapassa todas as palavras.
As suas personagens adquirem contornos assustadoramente reais. Desde os três Reis que controlam o submundo, aos dois irmãos gémeos que estão no centro de todo o mistério, a um torturador que gosta de cortar os dedos dos pés, a um simples rapaz dos recados de cabelo oleoso e os seus amigos, a uma senhoria viúva alcoólica que julga todos os seus actos até uma mulher de corpo escultural responsável pela gerência de um bordel, Lennox relaciona-se com todas as camadas sociais, seja em trabalho ou em prazer.
Será que algum dia a verdade verá a luz do dia? Cabe ao nosso detective privado desenterrar os factos, ocultados nas mentiras mais engenhosas e obscuras.
Deixo-vos as primeiras palavras do Lennox, cuja voz dará vida à narração: "No decorrer da minha vida fui muitas vezes obrigado a encontrar explicações para conseguir safar-me de situações bastante complicadas, mas esta ultrapassa todas as outras."
May 31, 2012
A cracking start to a potentially great series and a book which further compounds my disbelief that Russell is so underated in the crime genre as his Jan Fabel series is compelling reading! Anyway, I digress, `Lennox' does for 50`s Glasgow what Arnott did for 60`s London with the same assortment of dodgy gangsters, bent coppers and the wonderfully seedy underbelly of post war society. I think what sets this apart is not only the brilliant re-creation of the period but the strength of the characterisation and the blackly comic asides that permeate the book. I liked the fact that Lennox is Canadian and views everything that's thrown at him with the air of an outsider but by the same token how he has overcome this status to mix with some, by and large, unsavoury characters and who is man enough to take a beating! Teamed with a pacy plot this series is one to watch and I will be reading the follow-up 'The Long Glasgow Kiss' forthwith!
November 19, 2018
As with the others in the series, this was highly impressive in terms of the stylish and witty prose, and the ease and rapidity with which I found myself siding with the eponymous central character. Chock full of delightfully creative and evocative similes, there is a high quality to the observation and a degree to which Glasgow as one of a number of colourful characters populates the plot, and an entertaining plot at that. Yes, I did start to get slightly confused in the second half. Yes, there was a bit more of the superhuman coincidence than I have praised the absence of in later books in the series. Yes, it did feel fifty pages too long. However, it entertained and impressed me a great deal and I would very definitely recommend this to lovers of Scottish noir.
September 15, 2016
Ok…so I was chatting to Graham Smith – whose books, by the way…are bloody awesome– on social media and he asks if I have ever read any of Craig Russell‘s books. I immediately did what any self respecting blogger would do …..and checked my kindle…NOPE. Mr Smith proceeds to totally big up this Craig Russell guy…and then suggested I would enjoy the #Lennox series. So yeah…I downloaded book 1. I was easily persuaded….
OH-MY-FRIGGIN-GOD #bookjunkies! Where the hell have I been!? This book was published in 2010 and I have only read it now!? I have to give a MAHOOSIVE thanks to Mr Smith for pointing me in Craig Russell’s direction as this book rocked!
As the synopsis states, this book is set in 1950’s Glasgow and has a very hard-boiled / noir-ish feel to it, if that makes sense! It reminded me of a Philip Marlow-type story and I was immediately drawn in. A twisted sense of justice, retribution, truth-seeking, betrayal, gang-land violence, power and loss were just some of the themes I came across.
Now can we talk Lennox!? OMFG!!!! I am not going to lie…I was Eeeeek-ing…A LOT!! This character is just awesome! Whether we gals admit it or not, we do like a bad boy…and Lennox…he is baaaaad…but oh so gooood!!! I may have a wee #FictionalCrush..Born in Glasgow, but raised in Canada – he returns to Glasgow after his time in the war and works as a somewhat unorthodox private investigator. Lennox has a darkness about him. His dry wit and ability to uncover the truth, while finding himself in pretty scary situations, just had me reeling with excitement and fear at the same time. It was exhilarating following this characters journey…and what a bloody (literally) thrilling journey it was!
We also come across a slew of other intriguing characters which make your skin crawl but keeps the reader turning the page at a fiery pace! The Three Kings, Helena (loved her!) Mr Andrews and his wife Lillian – superb characterisation. There is also McNab – a copper…but I do not like this guy! There is no love lost between him and Lennox yet I am desperate to know more! Jack Ferguson, another copper – is someone Lennox has a bit of trust in and they serve/complement each other well. But I must admit, I loved the complete irony of the brutes named Tiny (who was not-so-tiny at all) and Twinkletoes….do NOT be fooled by their names…this pair could break you like a twig! I could go on and on…oh, and De Jong! Laughing my ass off just thinking about this guy…you will have to read the book though, to find out why!
I devoured this book. It was raw, gritty, dark, violent and intoxicating – just my cup of tea! Will I be reading any more in this series? Hmmmmmm….HELL YEAH I will! I have a lot of catching up to do and cannot wait to see what Lennox is up to next!
So thanks Graham Smith! You were RIGHT! I adore Lennox and would recommend it to anyone who likes a crime thriller with a twist. Head over to amazon and check it out!
OH-MY-FRIGGIN-GOD #bookjunkies! Where the hell have I been!? This book was published in 2010 and I have only read it now!? I have to give a MAHOOSIVE thanks to Mr Smith for pointing me in Craig Russell’s direction as this book rocked!
As the synopsis states, this book is set in 1950’s Glasgow and has a very hard-boiled / noir-ish feel to it, if that makes sense! It reminded me of a Philip Marlow-type story and I was immediately drawn in. A twisted sense of justice, retribution, truth-seeking, betrayal, gang-land violence, power and loss were just some of the themes I came across.
Now can we talk Lennox!? OMFG!!!! I am not going to lie…I was Eeeeek-ing…A LOT!! This character is just awesome! Whether we gals admit it or not, we do like a bad boy…and Lennox…he is baaaaad…but oh so gooood!!! I may have a wee #FictionalCrush..Born in Glasgow, but raised in Canada – he returns to Glasgow after his time in the war and works as a somewhat unorthodox private investigator. Lennox has a darkness about him. His dry wit and ability to uncover the truth, while finding himself in pretty scary situations, just had me reeling with excitement and fear at the same time. It was exhilarating following this characters journey…and what a bloody (literally) thrilling journey it was!
We also come across a slew of other intriguing characters which make your skin crawl but keeps the reader turning the page at a fiery pace! The Three Kings, Helena (loved her!) Mr Andrews and his wife Lillian – superb characterisation. There is also McNab – a copper…but I do not like this guy! There is no love lost between him and Lennox yet I am desperate to know more! Jack Ferguson, another copper – is someone Lennox has a bit of trust in and they serve/complement each other well. But I must admit, I loved the complete irony of the brutes named Tiny (who was not-so-tiny at all) and Twinkletoes….do NOT be fooled by their names…this pair could break you like a twig! I could go on and on…oh, and De Jong! Laughing my ass off just thinking about this guy…you will have to read the book though, to find out why!
I devoured this book. It was raw, gritty, dark, violent and intoxicating – just my cup of tea! Will I be reading any more in this series? Hmmmmmm….HELL YEAH I will! I have a lot of catching up to do and cannot wait to see what Lennox is up to next!
So thanks Graham Smith! You were RIGHT! I adore Lennox and would recommend it to anyone who likes a crime thriller with a twist. Head over to amazon and check it out!
April 15, 2010
Former Scottish policeman Craig Russell has made his literary name (and won several awards) penning crime fiction centred on Hamburg detective Jan Fabel; mythology-drenched murder stories set in contemporary Germany. But with his latest book, Lennox, the first of a planned series of neo-noir novels, he ‘returns home’ – and also heads back in time.
After surviving an awful war which stained his soul, Canadian ex-soldier Lennox now operates as a private eye and ‘fixer’ in a battlefield equally as brutal; the violent, corrupt and crime-ridden streets of 1950s Glasgow. A grimy city where there is little difference between cops and criminals, and where Lennox finds himself dangerously entangled with both, especially when he is hired by one of the city’s biggest and most unforgiving crime lords to find out who slaughtered gangster-on-the-rise Tam McGahern and his twin brother. Bad becomes worse for Lennox when it becomes clear he is being shadowed by even more dangerous men, and he finds himself unwittingly entangled in a wider conspiracy with potentially global effects.
In Lennox, Russell pleasantly evokes some of the Chandler/Hammett-esque conventions of the classic hard-bitten private eye novel, while at the same time imbuing the story with many era-appropriate and notably Scottish touches. Tautly plotted, the book is full of wisecracking narration, Neanderthal henchmen, and cynical femme fatales – but Russell rises far beyond copycatting or cliché with his unique storytelling, dark humour, and ability to weave a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Lennox himself is an intelligent and complex protagonist that you are drawn to follow, a man dealing with a sense of dislocation and not ‘fitting in’ after the war, or even worse – not recognising himself as he actually begins to fit in amongst the dark and violent underbelly within which he occasionally operates. Gripping and memorable; I look forward to the next instalment.
This review was originally published in the October 2009 issue of WildTomato magazine
After surviving an awful war which stained his soul, Canadian ex-soldier Lennox now operates as a private eye and ‘fixer’ in a battlefield equally as brutal; the violent, corrupt and crime-ridden streets of 1950s Glasgow. A grimy city where there is little difference between cops and criminals, and where Lennox finds himself dangerously entangled with both, especially when he is hired by one of the city’s biggest and most unforgiving crime lords to find out who slaughtered gangster-on-the-rise Tam McGahern and his twin brother. Bad becomes worse for Lennox when it becomes clear he is being shadowed by even more dangerous men, and he finds himself unwittingly entangled in a wider conspiracy with potentially global effects.
In Lennox, Russell pleasantly evokes some of the Chandler/Hammett-esque conventions of the classic hard-bitten private eye novel, while at the same time imbuing the story with many era-appropriate and notably Scottish touches. Tautly plotted, the book is full of wisecracking narration, Neanderthal henchmen, and cynical femme fatales – but Russell rises far beyond copycatting or cliché with his unique storytelling, dark humour, and ability to weave a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Lennox himself is an intelligent and complex protagonist that you are drawn to follow, a man dealing with a sense of dislocation and not ‘fitting in’ after the war, or even worse – not recognising himself as he actually begins to fit in amongst the dark and violent underbelly within which he occasionally operates. Gripping and memorable; I look forward to the next instalment.
This review was originally published in the October 2009 issue of WildTomato magazine
June 19, 2011
From BBC Radio 4 Extra:
The sardonic private eye is hired by 1950s Glasgow gang leaders, The Three Kings. Taut neo-noir thriller read by Grant O'Rourke.
The sardonic private eye is hired by 1950s Glasgow gang leaders, The Three Kings. Taut neo-noir thriller read by Grant O'Rourke.
January 4, 2020
Glasgowliebe <3
April 18, 2023
Fiel retrato y reflejo de la sociedad y ciudad de Glasgow donde distintos grupos se reparten lo bueno y lo mejor de la ciudad.
En toda esta trama está el personaje, Lennox y su investigación que comienza y finaliza de una manera magistral.
Quizá un poco denso el final pero se disfruta cada párrafo. Descripción y buen posicionamiento de personajes en la trama.
Recomendable si lo que te gustan son los toriles policiacos.
En toda esta trama está el personaje, Lennox y su investigación que comienza y finaliza de una manera magistral.
Quizá un poco denso el final pero se disfruta cada párrafo. Descripción y buen posicionamiento de personajes en la trama.
Recomendable si lo que te gustan son los toriles policiacos.
August 27, 2015
Primera entrega de este personaje de Graig Russell. La ambientación en la oscura Escocia de los 50 es brillante y estremecedora, un campo de juego agreste y duro donde los que no tienen agallas para ello lo pagarán caro. Entre ellos se mueve Lennox con gallardía y obstinación parejas, en un reflejo deformado del hardboiled del otro lado del charco.
Hay momentos brillantes, pero no siempre de continuo; hay momentos en los que Lennoxx se rie del mundo, pero luego se lo toma todo demasiado en serio. Quizás por ello estoy a punto de darle 3 estrellas, porque a veces siento falta de continuidad, pero teniendo en cuenta que el objetivo de Russell reside en la acción, en ser trepidante, y en llevarnos por esta espiral de violencia de aquella época (y que lo consigue), termino dándole la cuarta estrella.
No esperemos filosofía kantiana en este texto, sin embargo.
Hay momentos brillantes, pero no siempre de continuo; hay momentos en los que Lennoxx se rie del mundo, pero luego se lo toma todo demasiado en serio. Quizás por ello estoy a punto de darle 3 estrellas, porque a veces siento falta de continuidad, pero teniendo en cuenta que el objetivo de Russell reside en la acción, en ser trepidante, y en llevarnos por esta espiral de violencia de aquella época (y que lo consigue), termino dándole la cuarta estrella.
No esperemos filosofía kantiana en este texto, sin embargo.
March 20, 2013
Finally, a Scottish writer who follows the detective fiction tradition of Chandler and MacDonald with a noiresque world view. Harkening back to the rough and tumble world of 1950's gangland Glasgow Russell fills the night with tough guys whipping out both guns and one-liners. A must read for those fans of detective fiction who feared all was lost to the glitz of forensics and trial procedurals. Wish I had written this one. Loved by the hardened readers at Monday Night Murders. I will be reading the rest of Russell's books in this series.
Want to read
June 26, 2016This is the hardcover published by Quercus from the UK published in 2009, a first edition. I'm a bit confused where the title listing came from as the words "A Man for Hire, But Not for Sale" is nowhere to be found on the book or on the copyright page.
December 1, 2025
My dad enjoyed this book because he went to Glasgow earlier this year and absolutely loved it; slightly ironic to share that love via a novel that doesn't exactly show the city in its best light. Russell is very consciously playing in a noir mode: Lennox was Traumatized in the War, and now, in a post-war Glasgow controlled by three rival mob concerns, is working as a private eye. At times this book is enjoyably voice-y, in an aspirational Chandler-esque way, but the mystery is wandering and not that interesting, and there's an undercurrent of misogyny throughout the novel that really soured me on it. I don't mind a flawed protagonist, particularly in a noir, but I have to want to spend time with him. Lennox is icky to women, is blackmailing a gay man, and drops quite a bit of casual racism toward the novel's end. I was insufficiently charmed.
I haven't been to Glasgow since 2006 but as I remember, it was fine.
I haven't been to Glasgow since 2006 but as I remember, it was fine.
December 5, 2022
A good old fashioned who dunnit - full of twists and turns and violence. Based in Glasgow it's about the 3 crime lords who run the city but who do you trust? Lennox is caught in the middle and needs to do his best work to save himself from an unforgiving beating or even death. Well worth reading
November 24, 2009
Craig Russell is best known for his series of novels featuring Hamburg based detective Jan Fabel, but LENNOX is (it is reported) the first in a series of neo-noir styled novels, this one set in Glasgow, post World War II. Lennox is a Canadian ex-soldier who bears the psychological and physical scars of a brutal war, left with a skill set that makes him an ideal player in post-war, corrupt, grimy, dirty, mucky, violent Glasgow. Organised crime is establishing itself and at the centre of machinations are identical twins, Tam and Frankie McGahern. When Tam is murdered Lennox is "hired" by Frankie to find his killer. Now Tam, it seems, was the brains of the twins operation, and Frankie mostly muscle, as Lennox finds when he tries to sidestep Frankie's request. But when Frankie quickly turns up dead himself, and Lennox finds himself in the frame for his murder, he doesn't have much choice but to solve the mystery of both murders himself.
Lennox is one of those lone-wolf, fixer, cynical, wisecracking, dark and troubled traditional noir characters. Not a cliché however, he sits within the timeframe of 1950's Glasgow and the place and circumstances. Damaged by a brutal war, Lennox, and Glasgow, the crime figures, the cops, everyone fits within the expectations of time and place. Interestingly enough I was a little into the novel before I sorted out the timeframe, the era and the resulting factors that were driving the characters - which was actually a good thing. There is a real feeling of reality and actuality about the book, that make the wise-cracks, the dangerous (but a little thick) men, the dangerous (not necessarily thick) women, all delivered with a Glasgow-Scottish tweak just fit together very seamlessly.
The best part of LENNOX is undoubtedly the great story-telling, the tale is told in the first person - Lennox is hard-bitten, driven, yet funny and honourable. The sense of place, the gloom and the ever-present outfall from a brutal war is palpable. The only downside of the book that remained is that I didn't find anything in it particularly memorable - it hasn't really stayed with me since completing reading it. But I did enjoy the actual reading of it immensely.
Lennox is one of those lone-wolf, fixer, cynical, wisecracking, dark and troubled traditional noir characters. Not a cliché however, he sits within the timeframe of 1950's Glasgow and the place and circumstances. Damaged by a brutal war, Lennox, and Glasgow, the crime figures, the cops, everyone fits within the expectations of time and place. Interestingly enough I was a little into the novel before I sorted out the timeframe, the era and the resulting factors that were driving the characters - which was actually a good thing. There is a real feeling of reality and actuality about the book, that make the wise-cracks, the dangerous (but a little thick) men, the dangerous (not necessarily thick) women, all delivered with a Glasgow-Scottish tweak just fit together very seamlessly.
The best part of LENNOX is undoubtedly the great story-telling, the tale is told in the first person - Lennox is hard-bitten, driven, yet funny and honourable. The sense of place, the gloom and the ever-present outfall from a brutal war is palpable. The only downside of the book that remained is that I didn't find anything in it particularly memorable - it hasn't really stayed with me since completing reading it. But I did enjoy the actual reading of it immensely.
July 9, 2015
Time taken to read - 2 days
Pages - 425
Publisher - Quercus
Blurb from Amazon
Glasgow, 1953: the war may be over but the battle for the streets is just beginning. Three crime bosses control the murky streets, but a small-scale con is trying to invade their territory. The balance is shifting. Lennox, a hard man in a hard city at a hard time, finds himself caught in the middle - a dangerous place to be.
One night, a body is discovered on the road, his head mashed to pulp, and Lennox is in the frame for murder. The only way of proving his innocence is to solve the crime - but he'll have to dodge men more deadly than Glasgow's crime bosses before he gets any answers.
The first in a unique and memorable crime series, Lennox is gritty, fast-paced, mordantly funny and totally compelling.
My Review
It is Glasgow, 1950s. There are crime bosses and small time criminals trying to carve a bit of business out for themselves. When a particularly brutal slaying of one of the small time players is carried out Lennox is called upon to investigate. Lennox is a private eye, has fists of steel and an attitude to match. He has no intention of getting involved until suddenly he is being fingered as a suspect and the police are turning up the heat. Can he uncover the killer before he goes to jail, or worse, is taken out!
This is the first in a series, Lennox is a hard man, not entirely likable to be honest, he is a bit of a cad to the ladies although his background gives some insight into his thought process and actions. He is intelligent, sly like a fox and tough enough to keep himself protected although manages to annoy and bring violence where he goes.
Good paced story, certainly a good start to a series, I liked reading a tale set in old Glasgow. It is littered with coarse language which some readers may find offensive. Can't say I loved any of the characters to be honest although they are cleverly created in fitting with the theme of the tale. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again.
Pages - 425
Publisher - Quercus
Blurb from Amazon
Glasgow, 1953: the war may be over but the battle for the streets is just beginning. Three crime bosses control the murky streets, but a small-scale con is trying to invade their territory. The balance is shifting. Lennox, a hard man in a hard city at a hard time, finds himself caught in the middle - a dangerous place to be.
One night, a body is discovered on the road, his head mashed to pulp, and Lennox is in the frame for murder. The only way of proving his innocence is to solve the crime - but he'll have to dodge men more deadly than Glasgow's crime bosses before he gets any answers.
The first in a unique and memorable crime series, Lennox is gritty, fast-paced, mordantly funny and totally compelling.
My Review
It is Glasgow, 1950s. There are crime bosses and small time criminals trying to carve a bit of business out for themselves. When a particularly brutal slaying of one of the small time players is carried out Lennox is called upon to investigate. Lennox is a private eye, has fists of steel and an attitude to match. He has no intention of getting involved until suddenly he is being fingered as a suspect and the police are turning up the heat. Can he uncover the killer before he goes to jail, or worse, is taken out!
This is the first in a series, Lennox is a hard man, not entirely likable to be honest, he is a bit of a cad to the ladies although his background gives some insight into his thought process and actions. He is intelligent, sly like a fox and tough enough to keep himself protected although manages to annoy and bring violence where he goes.
Good paced story, certainly a good start to a series, I liked reading a tale set in old Glasgow. It is littered with coarse language which some readers may find offensive. Can't say I loved any of the characters to be honest although they are cleverly created in fitting with the theme of the tale. 3/5 for me this time, I would read this author again.
December 13, 2015
Lennox is a gritty PI tale set in Glasgow not long after the end of the Second World War. Naturally cynical, hardened by the war and tenacious, Lennox is well able to look after himself on the tough streets of the Scottish city, offering services to shady characters, including the three kings, the rival leaders of the main three gangs. Russell tells the tale of Lennox’s attempt to solve the murders of the McGahern twins in a first person voice that is genuinely engaging and brings 1950s Glasgow to life. Moreover, the plot rattles along a jaunty pace, with plenty of action, tension, and twists and turns. The story is all a little far-fetched, especially the denouement, but it little matters as it’s a rip-roaring read. Overall, an entertaining tale that introduces a tough-guy, wise-cracking PI who has some depth and substance.
August 15, 2012
This is terrific crime noir set against the background of gritty 1950s Glasgow. Lennox is a private investigator who is looking for a client's missing wife. When a couple of seedy underworld brothers are murdered, one of Glasgow's crime bosses hires him to look into it. Soon it appears that there are connections between the two cases and that some genuinely nasty professionals may be involved.
The mystery is reasonably compelling, but what really makes this book shine is Lennox's sardonic sense of humour (reminiscent of Bernie Gunther in Philip Kerr's excellent books) and the wonderful sense of place that permeates the story.
This is the first in a series of (currently) four books.
The mystery is reasonably compelling, but what really makes this book shine is Lennox's sardonic sense of humour (reminiscent of Bernie Gunther in Philip Kerr's excellent books) and the wonderful sense of place that permeates the story.
This is the first in a series of (currently) four books.
March 24, 2019
More likely a third than a second read, but no less enjoyable for it, since there's a lot to rediscover and enjoy.
There was a point, reading this, when I wondered whether I'd become seriously addicted to noir Scottish crime fiction. I don't know, but I am certain that it's the characters and their interaction, their dialogue, the sparky writing and the plot that keeps me reading, somewhat enviously, since to achieve such a gripping pace is admirable. And the 1950s era is refreshing and well-evoked. Craig Russell is another name on my not-to-be-missed list.
There was a point, reading this, when I wondered whether I'd become seriously addicted to noir Scottish crime fiction. I don't know, but I am certain that it's the characters and their interaction, their dialogue, the sparky writing and the plot that keeps me reading, somewhat enviously, since to achieve such a gripping pace is admirable. And the 1950s era is refreshing and well-evoked. Craig Russell is another name on my not-to-be-missed list.
May 1, 2014
Despues de un comienzo poco prometedor, en el que se repite hasta la saciedad que los hombres de Glasgow son bajitos y desnutridos. Russell empieza a desgranar una historia s��rdida, en la que estan implicados los bajos (!) fondos de Glasgow.
El protagonista es antag��nico del famoso Bernie Gunther De las novelas de Philip Kerr. No tiene nada de buena persona y su humor esta lejos de la ironia de Bernie.
Final trepidante y que deja, y eso me sorprendio, un buen regusto de boca.
El protagonista es antag��nico del famoso Bernie Gunther De las novelas de Philip Kerr. No tiene nada de buena persona y su humor esta lejos de la ironia de Bernie.
Final trepidante y que deja, y eso me sorprendio, un buen regusto de boca.
March 6, 2014
Taut neo-noir thriller read by Grant O'Rourke. The scene is 1953 gangland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/...
Talked-up toughness of the blurb far outstripped the actuality.
2.5*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2014
Me esperaba un poco más, como personaje me gusta Lennox pero está lleno de tópicos, como escritor me gusta Craig Russell, es original a ratos pero todo me huele a YA leído. No creo que lea más de la serie...
April 27, 2013
Bueno, no. Buenísimo! Me he tragado 200 páginas en un día porque no podía parar. Increíble, no tengo adjetivos!!
July 17, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this Glasgow based 50's noir thriller. A really smart, clever and fast moving plot with some memorable gangsters - looking forward to seeing how the rest of series plays out.
October 5, 2024
Enjoyed reading this one. Got me out of a reading slump. Some quite funny at points, in a dark humour sort of way.
Recommended by my dad
Recommended by my dad
April 15, 2023
Having read Hyde, Russell seemed an incredibly strong, and powerful author. Although the plot was not to my taste, and felt to leave rather a great deal to be desired, I was keen to read another of his works; filled with humour, and powerful narration and description, I knew I wanted to get more.
Lennox is the perfect mix. Unusually for crime writing, the main character is not a member of the police. Rather an anti-hero, Lennox is instead fiddling his way through the hard crime life in Glasgow. Marvellous narration of this post-war city lines the book page by page. In reading the book, you truly are transported into another this other realm that the city feels to represent. The novel really is a stunning work.
In terms of a comparison, this novel really does have traces of Ian Rankin's Rebus series, as well as sparks of M.W. Craven's Poe and Tilly novels. For fans of either series, this really is a wonderful work. Likewise, for those who have enjoyed this book, both series are great next steps!
Lennox is the perfect mix. Unusually for crime writing, the main character is not a member of the police. Rather an anti-hero, Lennox is instead fiddling his way through the hard crime life in Glasgow. Marvellous narration of this post-war city lines the book page by page. In reading the book, you truly are transported into another this other realm that the city feels to represent. The novel really is a stunning work.
In terms of a comparison, this novel really does have traces of Ian Rankin's Rebus series, as well as sparks of M.W. Craven's Poe and Tilly novels. For fans of either series, this really is a wonderful work. Likewise, for those who have enjoyed this book, both series are great next steps!
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