The best of the Laidlaw series. Being written in first person really lets you inside the character much more than the others. ( )

I really like McIlvanney as a writer - the subject matter was not great but as I'm from Glasgow, the locations and the atmosphere were very familiar and friendly indeed. ( )

I was a little thrown to start with by the change to first person narrative, but thouroughly enjoyed this tale of Laidlaw coming to terms with his brother's death, and digging into what went wrong in his life. The writing, excellent as always, manages to be both personal and universal. ( )

The writing is reflective, delving into self-honesty and character flaws with dull knife. Good story and well-paced.

This final instalment in the trilogy sees Laidlaw taking some time off his normal duties (of course, to the frustration of his work colleagues) to investigate the apparently accidental death of his brother, Scott.
There follows two essentially parallel narratives, one in which Jack uncovers a guilty secret his brother was harbouring dating back to his college days, and the other in which Laidlaw attempts to finally bring to justice local gangster, Matt Mason.
Scott was a lovable man with many demons, but his death was too soon. Jack needed to find out for himself what his brother's death was all about. His life as a detective brings him certain skills, and he is able to track down those who will be helpful. It's a mess as they say. At the same time he is involved in a murder case with his assistant. Genus able to function in all capacities with the help of others and a little scotch.

Once again, McIlvanney's plotline serves simply as the framework within which Laidlaw's own frailties and obsessions are explored, as the detective embarks on a crusade in the name of the exploited Glaswegian underclass (mothers who are ignorant of the exploits of their criminal offspring, wives of the victims of gangland murders and drug addicts coerced into becoming criminals' accessories).
No McIlvanney character is black or white - they are all multi-shaded and multi-layered, and Laidlaw has the empathy to see them in the round. And it is Laidlaw's empathy that makes these books special, because through him the reader is also brought to feel understanding for the way the world is. ( )