Well I thought I added this to my Reading list, but it didn't show up, so I guess I'll just fudge the dates. Anyways. I can't remember why I picked this one up, particularly. It's a sort of noir-ish detective mystery set in Scotland in 1969. D.I. McCormack is some sort of hotshot, and he gets called in to help the Glasgow police solve a serial rape and murder case, which they have apparently bungled. Or at least failed to solve. McCormack is a fairly typical detective, except that he harbors a secret (the same secret that a detective in another book I just read also kept). That secret isn't a huge part of the narrative, but it actually plays a big part later in the story, and probably sets up the rest of the series. Or at least the next book. The story also follows a band of thieves who rob a gallery of a pretty big haul of jewels, and that crime ends up getting mixed up with the rape/murder case (the Quaker case). The story is set in 1969, and I suppose it is "of" those times, to some degree, though the setting doesn't inform the story too much. I feel like the main reason to set a story in time like that is to make the time kind of a character in the story, and here it's really just background, not so significant. I got caught up in it as it came to a climax, but until that point I found it sort of plodding. Maybe I'll take up another volume down the line, but for now I'm content to dip in my toe. ( )

I don't read much crime fiction as it's just not my preferred formula and I probably wouldn't have stuck with this one if it hadn't been a book club pick. I did find myself getting more into it as I got further in, with the heavy caveat that I skimmed a lot (esp when the Queen Mary stuff came up), and I think Duncan makes for a good main character. As in, if this was my sort of thing I'd definitely be looking out for the next in the series as I'd like to see how things shake out for Duncan. So, if crime fiction isn't your thing this is probably not the title to convert you but if it is I think you'd like The Quaker (obvi kinda guessing here). ( )

‘The Quaker’ is a genuinely gripping, atmospheric and convincing crime story set against the back drop of late 1960s Glasgow. It’s inspired by a real-life series of killings committed by a man christened ‘Bible John’ by the press. Author Liam McIlvanney wisely uses the case as a starting point for his story, rather than attempting to recreate it accurately. The result is a really compelling mystery that I couldn’t put down.

McIlvanney’s hero is DI McCormack, a determined young detective with a secret. McCormack has been sent to audit the investigation into a number of killings by serial rapist and murderer ‘The Quaker’ which has failed to yield any results. There’s a palpable tension between McCormack and the officers whose work he is checking, and the setup makes for a great twist on the normal investigative routines that are familiar from so many other crime novels. As the plot progresses and McCormack sees through the failings in the investigation to date, he begins to take control of the case. As you might expect, the truth ends up being far more complex than it at first appears.

McCormack is an utterly believable and sympathetic hero. His struggles against the engrained flaws and prejudices in the Glasgow police force are more than just a plot device. I found myself really rooting for him and caring about him as a character as well as the agent through which the mystery would be solved.

The surrounding characters are similarly convincing. McIlvanney manages to give them rich lives without getting bogged down in detail. There’s a big subplot about a safecracker which is almost as enjoyable as the main story, and which really helps to flesh out the city and the criminal gangs that run it. 60s Glasgow comes alive on the page and McIlvanny’s portrayal of the city is as accomplished as his writing of the human characters.

That sense of place and time is key to the success of the book. It reminded me a lot of the excellent ‘The Long Drop’ by Denise Mina, which is also set in Glasgow around the same time. For me, ‘The Quaker’ isn’t quite as good as that book, but it’s still definitely worth your time. It’s thrilling, the unravelling of the mystery is wonderfully satisfying and McCormack is a brilliant protagonist.

Read more of my crime and thriller reviews on CriminOlly.wordpress.com ( )

This book is set in Glasgow in 1969 when a serial killer, nicknamed The Quaker, has killed three young women over a period of months and the police investigation is going nowhere. Detective Inspector Duncan McCormack is brought in to evaluate whether the investigation should be closed down after several months since the last murder. Just as he submits his recommendation to end the inquiry a fourth murder takes place.

McCormack is a relatively young officer from the Scottish Highlands and does not fit in with the big city team working the case, but he brings fresh ideas and a different approach which helps to move the search for the killer along. Further, McCormack is gay at a time when homosexuality is illegal, but tolerated in private, although a career killer in the police.

This is an exciting story with plenty of complex twists and turns including several red herrings. The mirroring of the attempts to excise corruption from the police with the city attempting to excise poverty by destroying the slums is a nice touch.

Good read. ( )

Bit long but good