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Logan McRae #6
Eindspel
Detective Sergeant Logan McRae isn't happy to be part of the team helping convicted rapist Martin Knox settle into his new home. He's even less thrilled to be stuck with DSI Danby from Northumbria Police - the man who put Knox behind bars - who is here to 'keep an eye on things'. Only things are about to go very, very wrong.
Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2010
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About the author
Stuart MacBride
87 books2,721 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 360 reviews
December 11, 2017
This is proving to be such a good series. Admittedly it is dark and dirty, but the characters are so good and the stories move at such a perfect pace that you just have to enjoy it!
I love the setting too. Scotland is perfect somehow for crime and for police procedurals. In these books we are in Aberdeen where it always seems to be freezing cold and snowing. The best part of these books though is the dialogue. McBride has an enormous talent for writing entertaining conversations and banter, much of which is laugh out loud funny!
Be prepared though for the dark side of McBride's writing. The crimes are occasionally truly dreadful and the descriptions gory. And I still seriously hope that the Scottish police force is not exactly as depicted here.
Good book though highly recommended for readers who like this sort of thing:)
I love the setting too. Scotland is perfect somehow for crime and for police procedurals. In these books we are in Aberdeen where it always seems to be freezing cold and snowing. The best part of these books though is the dialogue. McBride has an enormous talent for writing entertaining conversations and banter, much of which is laugh out loud funny!
Be prepared though for the dark side of McBride's writing. The crimes are occasionally truly dreadful and the descriptions gory. And I still seriously hope that the Scottish police force is not exactly as depicted here.
Good book though highly recommended for readers who like this sort of thing:)
September 6, 2021
Another excellent episode in this dark humorous and gritty Scottish thriller. It's once again the middle of a freezing Aberdeen winter and DS Logan has his hands very full with a sex offender from Newcastle requiring round the clock surveillance, a series of jewellery shop robberies by a man with a sawn off sledgehammer accompanied by a child in a stroller, and counterfeit money and goods turning up all over Aberdeen. DI Steele is at her acerbic best, giving Logan more grief than help and on top of that he has the recently promoted useless DI Beardy Beattie to deal with.
I listened to the audiobook of this, narrated brilliantly by the author. Excellent entertainment!
I listened to the audiobook of this, narrated brilliantly by the author. Excellent entertainment!
April 18, 2018
Dark Blood (Logan McRae, #6) by Stuart MacBride.
A serial rapist of elderly men has been let out of prison after serving his sentence. Richard Knox has to find a place to live where he will be safe. Safe from retribution seeking family members of his victims...and there are many. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae is chosen to assist in finding that safe place in Aberdeen for the rapist.
That's just the tip of the ice berg with Logan. His drinking is causing a personal lack in judgment and character which is definitely hurting his working & personal relationships in a major way. In addition the amount of crimes that need immediate attention add that extra burden, not to mention D.I. Steel's endless negative presence.
I am totally addicted to the characters in this series and the amount of non-stop action, which comes to a boiler point towards that last 3rd of the story. I did miss the humor from Rennie's bantering with Logan. My problem is with the character of D.I. Steel. It's all so totally repulsive to me, but his continued involvement with her has me more than baffled. It's become more than believable. To be honest Steel's constant presence has put me off as a reader.
A serial rapist of elderly men has been let out of prison after serving his sentence. Richard Knox has to find a place to live where he will be safe. Safe from retribution seeking family members of his victims...and there are many. Detective Sergeant Logan McRae is chosen to assist in finding that safe place in Aberdeen for the rapist.
That's just the tip of the ice berg with Logan. His drinking is causing a personal lack in judgment and character which is definitely hurting his working & personal relationships in a major way. In addition the amount of crimes that need immediate attention add that extra burden, not to mention D.I. Steel's endless negative presence.
I am totally addicted to the characters in this series and the amount of non-stop action, which comes to a boiler point towards that last 3rd of the story. I did miss the humor from Rennie's bantering with Logan. My problem is with the character of D.I. Steel. It's all so totally repulsive to me, but his continued involvement with her has me more than baffled. It's become more than believable. To be honest Steel's constant presence has put me off as a reader.
January 24, 2017
Stuart MacBride is one of my favourite authors, and with each additional book I read he manages to remind me why such is the case. Whilst I do not consider Dark Blood to be the best in the Logan McRae series – that title is still held by Broken Skin, which I had far too much fun with – it was a great read.
Blink Eye, book five, allowed us to see Aberdeen in summer along with taking Logan across the sea to mainland Europe for a while. In book six, we’re back to what we know and love. The exaggerated terrible Aberdonian weather (I say this, and yet when I was walking down Union Street the other day a voice in the back of my mind mumbled ‘this is what Stuart MacBride is always speaking of’) and the craziness of Grampian Police Headquarters.
Speaking of the craziness that is Grampian Police Headquarters, I wish to make a quick point. Throughout I felt as though there was something missing with this one. I was constantly looking for something that wasn’t there. As soon as I started reading book seven, I knew what was missing from this one – Rennie! I know, I know, you wouldn’t expect to miss him all that much. It turns out, it’s very clear when he is not around. I missed him in this book, I missed his banter much more than I had expected, but what saddens me more is that it took picking up book seven for me to realise what it was I was missing so much.
Even without Rennie, the book was a lot of fun. It wasn’t quite as fast paced as some of the other books in the series, but as always there was a lot going on. The many different aspects of the story were linked together, each brining something to the overall storyline. Admittedly, it took a while for these things to come together, and I wasn’t as pulled in as I sometimes am, but the payoff was worth it in the end. As always, MacBride manages to give us a wonderful story with multiple parts that will keep you interested throughout.
Overall, it was another wonderful read. As I said, it’s not my favourite, but I still loved it.
Blink Eye, book five, allowed us to see Aberdeen in summer along with taking Logan across the sea to mainland Europe for a while. In book six, we’re back to what we know and love. The exaggerated terrible Aberdonian weather (I say this, and yet when I was walking down Union Street the other day a voice in the back of my mind mumbled ‘this is what Stuart MacBride is always speaking of’) and the craziness of Grampian Police Headquarters.
Speaking of the craziness that is Grampian Police Headquarters, I wish to make a quick point. Throughout I felt as though there was something missing with this one. I was constantly looking for something that wasn’t there. As soon as I started reading book seven, I knew what was missing from this one – Rennie! I know, I know, you wouldn’t expect to miss him all that much. It turns out, it’s very clear when he is not around. I missed him in this book, I missed his banter much more than I had expected, but what saddens me more is that it took picking up book seven for me to realise what it was I was missing so much.
Even without Rennie, the book was a lot of fun. It wasn’t quite as fast paced as some of the other books in the series, but as always there was a lot going on. The many different aspects of the story were linked together, each brining something to the overall storyline. Admittedly, it took a while for these things to come together, and I wasn’t as pulled in as I sometimes am, but the payoff was worth it in the end. As always, MacBride manages to give us a wonderful story with multiple parts that will keep you interested throughout.
Overall, it was another wonderful read. As I said, it’s not my favourite, but I still loved it.
June 28, 2012
Really wanted to like this one more than I did, but even so, a mediocre Logan MacRae is still a Logan MacRae.
The good: DI Steel, DI Steel, DI Steel, especially when she's being obscene about Helen Mirren and a Curly Wurly. The interactions with Beattie, or as MacRae thinks of him "sixteen stone of useless with a beard." The interesting, Gollumlike villain. The Wee Hamish Mowat storyline. Aberdeen in winter equaling placeporn for miiiiiiiiiles.
The not-so-good:
--Go away, Samantha, or grow a personality. (Bring back Jackie!)
--Way too many random small-time lowlifes who get athletically arrested by MacRae, forgotten for 100 pages and then trotted out as plot devices. I get the plot device thing, but there were way too many of the dudes this time around. There's a bit where MacRae has a brainstorm and goes to find Angus Black and I sat there holding the book thinking, "Was that the art student? The car dealer? The guy in the caravan? Or...who was that again?"
--All the inter-policial hidey-pokey "intrigue". Bizarre and distracting.
--I felt like the villain got wasted on the plot to a large extent, because there was really no explanation for his behavior except he's a deviant. Why? Because he rapes old men. Why? Because he's a deviant. (HT TyrusBooks). We could've lost at least two subplots and come back to Knox and his backstory, because he really deserved better.
However, I can forgive a lot when DI Steel's involved. Three stars, definitely reading the next installment.
The good: DI Steel, DI Steel, DI Steel, especially when she's being obscene about Helen Mirren and a Curly Wurly. The interactions with Beattie, or as MacRae thinks of him "sixteen stone of useless with a beard." The interesting, Gollumlike villain. The Wee Hamish Mowat storyline. Aberdeen in winter equaling placeporn for miiiiiiiiiles.
The not-so-good:
--Go away, Samantha, or grow a personality. (Bring back Jackie!)
--Way too many random small-time lowlifes who get athletically arrested by MacRae, forgotten for 100 pages and then trotted out as plot devices. I get the plot device thing, but there were way too many of the dudes this time around. There's a bit where MacRae has a brainstorm and goes to find Angus Black and I sat there holding the book thinking, "Was that the art student? The car dealer? The guy in the caravan? Or...who was that again?"
--All the inter-policial hidey-pokey "intrigue". Bizarre and distracting.
--I felt like the villain got wasted on the plot to a large extent, because there was really no explanation for his behavior except he's a deviant. Why? Because he rapes old men. Why? Because he's a deviant. (HT TyrusBooks). We could've lost at least two subplots and come back to Knox and his backstory, because he really deserved better.
However, I can forgive a lot when DI Steel's involved. Three stars, definitely reading the next installment.
September 29, 2017
2.5* This is the one where I really started to lose interest. Steel is slowly becoming way too much, and McRae is not really developing at the same rate as the earlier books. The crime plot in this one is less gruesome and really wasnt that interesting. The dialogue is still what kept me reading these.
August 13, 2020
What a phenomenal audiobook (read author by Stuart MacBride).
I am an avid Logan McRae fan so I may be a little biased but I haven't found another character quite so dark, dry, and witty. The sarcastic, killer comments and banter between characters continue to give me laugh out loud moments.
Aberdeen, Scotland is the perfect gothic style setting for the gory, horrific and stomach-churning crimes, from the freezing crime scenes to the bloody details, it all works! The best part of these books though is the dialogue.
Hearing MacBride give voice to McRae was the icing on the read! Highly recommend this series to lovers of crime, black humour, deep and damaged characters, and intense pace.
I am an avid Logan McRae fan so I may be a little biased but I haven't found another character quite so dark, dry, and witty. The sarcastic, killer comments and banter between characters continue to give me laugh out loud moments.
Aberdeen, Scotland is the perfect gothic style setting for the gory, horrific and stomach-churning crimes, from the freezing crime scenes to the bloody details, it all works! The best part of these books though is the dialogue.
Hearing MacBride give voice to McRae was the icing on the read! Highly recommend this series to lovers of crime, black humour, deep and damaged characters, and intense pace.
June 18, 2021
I love the series, especially the audiobooks which are narrated by the author and add to the enjoyment. The main protagonis, Logan McRae, is sometimes painful to watch (read about), because he constantly gets himself into trouble, usually unnecessarily, and often seems totally inept. But somehow, he seems to win in the end. The whole group are basically a bunch of bungling idiots, but the humor does a good job of smoothing out the horrible crimes.
In this book, a man gets out of prison for sexually assaulting older men. He doesn't kill them, but I get the feeling some of them almost wish he had. But now that he's out, he says he has found God and regrets his evil ways; he just wants to live in his old family home in peace. Unfortunately for him, there seems to be a lot of others who have their own feelings about this, such as the town's citizens and former victims. So McRae and his team are stuck with babysitting him, protecting him, and other fun and games. There are some nice twists and turns, and a surprise ending that leaves the story somewhat incomplete.
In this book, a man gets out of prison for sexually assaulting older men. He doesn't kill them, but I get the feeling some of them almost wish he had. But now that he's out, he says he has found God and regrets his evil ways; he just wants to live in his old family home in peace. Unfortunately for him, there seems to be a lot of others who have their own feelings about this, such as the town's citizens and former victims. So McRae and his team are stuck with babysitting him, protecting him, and other fun and games. There are some nice twists and turns, and a surprise ending that leaves the story somewhat incomplete.
March 10, 2011
The problem with an author making it onto my "Pre-Order IMMEDIATELY list" is that once the book arrives I have that dreaded "do I read immediately or hoard" dilemma. It's easier with some of my all time favourite authors - there's a few, well not to put too fine a point on it, aren't as young as they used to be. Stuart MacBride, on the other hand, is a young man. Last time I set eyes on him he looked to be in remarkably good health. But still, you never know. Publishers are queer folk and they may suddenly have a brain freeze, or worse still, Stuart may just get distracted by .. well gardening stuff... and forget to write the next one.
So I've come up with a reasonable compromise with these books which is simply "hang onto them until you can stand the suspense no longer!". I held out pretty well with DARK BLOOD but I'm really really pleased I didn't keep it up forever (and the latest book has arrived so it's not like I don't have another one to hoard ... just for a little while.)
DARK BLOOD starts out with one of the best opening sequences I have read in years. One of those opening pieces that make you sit up straight and pay attention. From there the reader is launched into a world of missing informants, sawn-off sledgehammers, fake money, counterfeit goods and jewellery shop robberies. Add to the standard mayhem of Aberdeen on a normal day (well a MacBride normal day anyway), and about the only thing that McRae, Steel and the entire Aberdeen command can agree on is that having one of England's most notorious sex killers "dumped" into their patch on his release from jail is just about the height of all cheek. Which is bad enough, but a Northumbrian DSI tagging along to "keep an eye on things" is dangerously close to taking liberties.
There is always something comforting about returning to a favoured series character - and Logan McRae is one of my favourite characters, although DI Steel is not above giving him a bit of a nudge. Having said that, other readers of these books will be wondering what exactly I'm sniffing if I think McRae, Steel or any of the circumstances of MacBride's books are comforting. But in a strange (okay so slightly twisted) way, they are comforting. That's not to say that things also don't move on in their lives, albeit sometimes slowly. McRae's been doing quite a strong line of greatly put upon, martyrdom in recent books, but in DARK BLOOD he's actually firing up a bit, getting a bit bolshie. Which needless to say doesn't go down well. Nobody could possibly have imagined it would go down so badly that DI Steel would be giving him "advice" on how to get on with others mind you. But advice she does dole out. At the same time that the impending birth of her child is making her life a lot more complicated than she thought it would... especially with conciliatory and caring not exactly coming naturally to DI Steel. As usual McRae doesn't just have to deal with Steel, DI Beattie seems to be going out of his way to behave like a prat, whilst all the time journalist Colin Miller is needling away at the police in general and McRae in particular.
The problem with an ongoing series has to be that it's sometimes too easy to slip into familiar patterns, particularly where the characters and their interactions are concerned. Avoiding this DARK BLOOD has something a little more edgy about McRae - sure he's still a bit of a martyr to the cause, but there's just the occasional flash of a fight back. DI Steel is still delightfully, gloriously over the top, but she's softening just a little, impending parenthood is obviously going to have some sort of affect, but what exactly... well some things aren't to be contemplated too closely. DARK BLOOD also veers away from the more gruesome aspects of some of the recent books, and works harder on a really tight, taut, pacey and interesting plot. There's a realistic feel of pressure - external and within, of competing priorities, and changing levels of urgency. It feels like each of these characters is doing a fine line of tight-rope juggling - personally and professionally. MacBride also isn't afraid to ditch popular characters, to put them in unexpected situations, to pick them up again, and generally to move his chess pieces where the will takes him. But, as always, there's a real underlying humour - some of it observational, some of it almost slapstick, but always with sneaking sense of great affection. The characters for each other, the author for his cast, and in the case of this reader, the reader for the whole package.
So I've come up with a reasonable compromise with these books which is simply "hang onto them until you can stand the suspense no longer!". I held out pretty well with DARK BLOOD but I'm really really pleased I didn't keep it up forever (and the latest book has arrived so it's not like I don't have another one to hoard ... just for a little while.)
DARK BLOOD starts out with one of the best opening sequences I have read in years. One of those opening pieces that make you sit up straight and pay attention. From there the reader is launched into a world of missing informants, sawn-off sledgehammers, fake money, counterfeit goods and jewellery shop robberies. Add to the standard mayhem of Aberdeen on a normal day (well a MacBride normal day anyway), and about the only thing that McRae, Steel and the entire Aberdeen command can agree on is that having one of England's most notorious sex killers "dumped" into their patch on his release from jail is just about the height of all cheek. Which is bad enough, but a Northumbrian DSI tagging along to "keep an eye on things" is dangerously close to taking liberties.
There is always something comforting about returning to a favoured series character - and Logan McRae is one of my favourite characters, although DI Steel is not above giving him a bit of a nudge. Having said that, other readers of these books will be wondering what exactly I'm sniffing if I think McRae, Steel or any of the circumstances of MacBride's books are comforting. But in a strange (okay so slightly twisted) way, they are comforting. That's not to say that things also don't move on in their lives, albeit sometimes slowly. McRae's been doing quite a strong line of greatly put upon, martyrdom in recent books, but in DARK BLOOD he's actually firing up a bit, getting a bit bolshie. Which needless to say doesn't go down well. Nobody could possibly have imagined it would go down so badly that DI Steel would be giving him "advice" on how to get on with others mind you. But advice she does dole out. At the same time that the impending birth of her child is making her life a lot more complicated than she thought it would... especially with conciliatory and caring not exactly coming naturally to DI Steel. As usual McRae doesn't just have to deal with Steel, DI Beattie seems to be going out of his way to behave like a prat, whilst all the time journalist Colin Miller is needling away at the police in general and McRae in particular.
The problem with an ongoing series has to be that it's sometimes too easy to slip into familiar patterns, particularly where the characters and their interactions are concerned. Avoiding this DARK BLOOD has something a little more edgy about McRae - sure he's still a bit of a martyr to the cause, but there's just the occasional flash of a fight back. DI Steel is still delightfully, gloriously over the top, but she's softening just a little, impending parenthood is obviously going to have some sort of affect, but what exactly... well some things aren't to be contemplated too closely. DARK BLOOD also veers away from the more gruesome aspects of some of the recent books, and works harder on a really tight, taut, pacey and interesting plot. There's a realistic feel of pressure - external and within, of competing priorities, and changing levels of urgency. It feels like each of these characters is doing a fine line of tight-rope juggling - personally and professionally. MacBride also isn't afraid to ditch popular characters, to put them in unexpected situations, to pick them up again, and generally to move his chess pieces where the will takes him. But, as always, there's a real underlying humour - some of it observational, some of it almost slapstick, but always with sneaking sense of great affection. The characters for each other, the author for his cast, and in the case of this reader, the reader for the whole package.
August 22, 2013
A so so police procedural - sort of
this is the sixth of the Logan McRea series and I couldn't help but feel that perhaps the author is running out of steam.
Nothing too wrong with the plot but, there are only so many times I can read about McRea being put upon and used by his superiors and getting the blame without being given the chance to explain himself. Also tired quickly of McRea being beaten up by various baddies. After the 3rd or 4th time I started to roll my eyes. plot ok but way too much repetitious padding to be truly enjoyable.
this is the sixth of the Logan McRea series and I couldn't help but feel that perhaps the author is running out of steam.
Nothing too wrong with the plot but, there are only so many times I can read about McRea being put upon and used by his superiors and getting the blame without being given the chance to explain himself. Also tired quickly of McRea being beaten up by various baddies. After the 3rd or 4th time I started to roll my eyes. plot ok but way too much repetitious padding to be truly enjoyable.
April 16, 2018
4* Dark indeed. But funny as heck, at least for someone who grew up with boys and had three sons, thereby becoming seasoned to Grade 7 boys’ humour, and thus able to appreciate more creative foul language. Again I am amazed at how police forces in the British Isles manage to recruit anyone. Will be glad to find more by this author.
July 15, 2017
Probably 3.5+ stars actually.
This is the 6th book in the DS Logan McRae series set in Aberdeen.
The books are a bit of an acquired taste-- they are generally incredibly violent, with excessively gruesome crimes and sadistic villains. Things are mostly told from the perspective of the police, since Logan is the primary main character. However the police are not always portrayed in positive lights, and in this one Logan is at his most unlikable, so much so that his boss, DI Steel, a lesbian with somewhat questionable ethics and disturbing unhygienic habits gives him a talking to about his "attitude."
In DARK BLOOD, convicted serial rapist/senior abuse Richard Knox is also a POV character and he is definitely not a sympathetic person.
Logan is almost comically overworked and overburdened with the number of crimes he's expected to solve in EVERY book I have read in the series so far, but in DARK BLOOD it is more disturbing than comedic.
That being said, by the end of the book, a fair number of the 1/2 dozen cases on Logan's brief do get resolved, one way or the other.
However for some reason in DARK BLOOD, the dark and depressing downward spiral both Logan' professional and personal lives appear to be in for most of the book made me less likely to engage with the story. I'm not sure why this was the case this time.
I suppose it's because we have seen Logan generally get fantastic results so many times before that it is starting to feel oppressive that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves and is instead apparently engaged in self-sabotage for reasons which are somewhat opaque.
Happily by the end of the book he does appear to be cutting down on both the smoking and the boozing so there is hope that things will be looking up for him im future entries.
I hope so.
This is the 6th book in the DS Logan McRae series set in Aberdeen.
The books are a bit of an acquired taste-- they are generally incredibly violent, with excessively gruesome crimes and sadistic villains. Things are mostly told from the perspective of the police, since Logan is the primary main character. However the police are not always portrayed in positive lights, and in this one Logan is at his most unlikable, so much so that his boss, DI Steel, a lesbian with somewhat questionable ethics and disturbing unhygienic habits gives him a talking to about his "attitude."
In DARK BLOOD, convicted serial rapist/senior abuse Richard Knox is also a POV character and he is definitely not a sympathetic person.
Logan is almost comically overworked and overburdened with the number of crimes he's expected to solve in EVERY book I have read in the series so far, but in DARK BLOOD it is more disturbing than comedic.
That being said, by the end of the book, a fair number of the 1/2 dozen cases on Logan's brief do get resolved, one way or the other.
However for some reason in DARK BLOOD, the dark and depressing downward spiral both Logan' professional and personal lives appear to be in for most of the book made me less likely to engage with the story. I'm not sure why this was the case this time.
I suppose it's because we have seen Logan generally get fantastic results so many times before that it is starting to feel oppressive that he doesn't get the recognition he deserves and is instead apparently engaged in self-sabotage for reasons which are somewhat opaque.
Happily by the end of the book he does appear to be cutting down on both the smoking and the boozing so there is hope that things will be looking up for him im future entries.
I hope so.
January 30, 2015
This was book 6 in the Logan McRae series, and despite it having a slower begining to usual there were soon crimes a-plenty. Initially it seems as though they are totally unrelated, but they are skillfully dealt with throughout the book. The reader is treated to further developments in Logan's character, as frustrations and past events take their toll.
Often finding himself at the beck and call of various Detective Inspectors, it is hardly surprising that Logan often finds himself in the Policing Standards Office for one thing or another. We find that he tries to find solace in a bottle, which seems to cause further problems. Most of the usual characters are still in the books, but I do miss the likes of DI Insch from the earlier books, but it was good to see the return of the journalist Colin Miller.
Once again this book was played out against the backdrop of Aberdeen, but in the depths of Winter this time. This time the reader is treated to organised crime, a relocated sex offender, counterfeit goods, forged currency, jewellry raids and the odd flasher. All of which Logan has to get involved with to a greater or lesser extent, it's hardly surprising that he sometimes lets his frustration show.
Definitely a book that I enjoyed, and were it not for the slow start I would have given it the full five stars.
Often finding himself at the beck and call of various Detective Inspectors, it is hardly surprising that Logan often finds himself in the Policing Standards Office for one thing or another. We find that he tries to find solace in a bottle, which seems to cause further problems. Most of the usual characters are still in the books, but I do miss the likes of DI Insch from the earlier books, but it was good to see the return of the journalist Colin Miller.
Once again this book was played out against the backdrop of Aberdeen, but in the depths of Winter this time. This time the reader is treated to organised crime, a relocated sex offender, counterfeit goods, forged currency, jewellry raids and the odd flasher. All of which Logan has to get involved with to a greater or lesser extent, it's hardly surprising that he sometimes lets his frustration show.
Definitely a book that I enjoyed, and were it not for the slow start I would have given it the full five stars.
August 8, 2021
Edinburgh is as bleak as always, and so is the overall mood. But unlike some of the earlier novels, this one is relatively free from torture and other horrors. However,... there is still plots within plots within plots. DI Steel is still annoying and mad as a hatter with the world in general and everyone in it. I wish McBride would tone her down a bit. Logan makes odd choices which get him into trouble with his superiors, who themselves don't make a very professional impression. I hope the Scottish police are not actually like this. In spite of the police blunders and DI Steel...the entire series is curiously addictive.
February 19, 2011
I have trouble finding anything wrong with MacBride's novels as he's made me fall completely in love with Logan MacRae. Bastard! I don't really read this series any more for the crime story, more for the interaction between the characters. Lovable, hilarious, annoying, they run the full gamut of emotions and idiosyncrasies. This edition also includes the short story 'Creep', a fun little crime tale with a twist.
July 15, 2024
Brilliant as Always I honestly can not get enough of DS Logan McRae and DI Steel both amazing characters on to shatter the bones then I am having a break from the series, I think I said that after book two read six books of the series back to back and about to start the seventh.
July 17, 2020
4.5* This was another strong instalment in Stuart MacBride's acclaimed Logan McRae / Roberta Steel series, with plenty of twisty interconnected plot lines, a fair dose of gritty violence and the snappy dialogue readers have come to love.
DS Logan McRae has a bad attitude, as every one of his collegues is at pains to point out to him... but perhaps he has good reason. Former DS "Beardy" Beattie has been promoted to Inspector, and is taking every opportunity to lord it over him, he's way out of DCI Finney's good books after the events depicted in Blind Eye, DI Roberta Steel is being her usual acerbic and demanding self, he's drinking far too much, working all hours and his relationship with IB tech Samantha Mackie - the one thing he thought he had going for him - is beginning to suffer. To make matters worse, he's receiving unwelcome visits from local gangster "Wee" Hamish Mowat's enforcer, Reuben.
McRae and Steel are deputed to oversee the resettlement of an unwanted citizen to Aberdeen - notorious serial grandpa rapist, Richard Knox - who has elected to return to his childhood home after being parolled following a lengthy sentence in Newcastle. Knox is accompanied by Newcastle-based Detective Superintendent Danby, who remains in Aberdeen to oversee the former prisoner's assimilation. Predictably, the good (and bad) citizenry of Aberdeen are not overly delighted when Knox's return to Scotland is revealled by the press and a series of protests and violent incidents ensue. Knox maintains he just wants to live a quiet life and practice his newfound Christian faith - but is that really the case? It transpires that he was once the beancounter for a recently deceased Novacastrian gangster, and may be the one person who knows the relevant details and codes to access his hidden millions.
Meanwhile, Steel is trying to locate a missing informant, a minor crim who's been working on a residential development owned by notorious gangster Malcolm "Malk the Knife" McLennan. Aberdeen is also awash with counterfeit currency and pirated electrical goods, leading McRae all over the nearby countryside in search of their origin.
We see a much darker side of McRae's personality in this outing - it's hardly surpising that he's both traumatised and jaded following the events of the preceding two novels, Flesh House (Logan McRae #4) and Blind Eye (Logan McRae #5). While these novels read well as standalones, having now read all three (in order 4-6-5), I would recommend that new readers tackle them in series order, as there is a strong underlying character-development arc that links these three.
Highly recommended for those who like their crime thrillers gritty.
DS Logan McRae has a bad attitude, as every one of his collegues is at pains to point out to him... but perhaps he has good reason. Former DS "Beardy" Beattie has been promoted to Inspector, and is taking every opportunity to lord it over him, he's way out of DCI Finney's good books after the events depicted in Blind Eye, DI Roberta Steel is being her usual acerbic and demanding self, he's drinking far too much, working all hours and his relationship with IB tech Samantha Mackie - the one thing he thought he had going for him - is beginning to suffer. To make matters worse, he's receiving unwelcome visits from local gangster "Wee" Hamish Mowat's enforcer, Reuben.
McRae and Steel are deputed to oversee the resettlement of an unwanted citizen to Aberdeen - notorious serial grandpa rapist, Richard Knox - who has elected to return to his childhood home after being parolled following a lengthy sentence in Newcastle. Knox is accompanied by Newcastle-based Detective Superintendent Danby, who remains in Aberdeen to oversee the former prisoner's assimilation. Predictably, the good (and bad) citizenry of Aberdeen are not overly delighted when Knox's return to Scotland is revealled by the press and a series of protests and violent incidents ensue. Knox maintains he just wants to live a quiet life and practice his newfound Christian faith - but is that really the case? It transpires that he was once the beancounter for a recently deceased Novacastrian gangster, and may be the one person who knows the relevant details and codes to access his hidden millions.
Meanwhile, Steel is trying to locate a missing informant, a minor crim who's been working on a residential development owned by notorious gangster Malcolm "Malk the Knife" McLennan. Aberdeen is also awash with counterfeit currency and pirated electrical goods, leading McRae all over the nearby countryside in search of their origin.
We see a much darker side of McRae's personality in this outing - it's hardly surpising that he's both traumatised and jaded following the events of the preceding two novels, Flesh House (Logan McRae #4) and Blind Eye (Logan McRae #5). While these novels read well as standalones, having now read all three (in order 4-6-5), I would recommend that new readers tackle them in series order, as there is a strong underlying character-development arc that links these three.
Highly recommended for those who like their crime thrillers gritty.
January 19, 2012
First Line: Run.
Richard Knox was a violent rapist of elderly men. He was caught, put on trial, and convicted of his crimes. While in prison, he found God, and now that he's been released all he wants is to make a new start in a place where no one knows his past. Unfortunately for Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, Knox's new home is in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Add Knox to a stew that contains gangsters from Edinburgh, a local crime lord, an inspector from Newcastle who wants to keep an eye on Knox, and folks from Newcastle looking for a missing mob accountant, and you can see that there's more than enough to keep McRae busy for two or three lifetimes. His problem is that he's still being jerked back and forth between two detective inspectors who can't seem to be able to live without McRae being at their beck and call every single hour of every single day.
MacBride writes edgy, violent tales with such a finely-honed dark sense of humor that I've often found myself laughing like a total nutter only a page or two after being left stunned and slightly sickened by something else. I know that makes me sound as if I'm a bit schizophrenic, but perhaps being a bit unbalanced helps you to understand what's going on once you've immersed yourself in MacBride's world.
I find myself having very strong and very personal reactions to the books in this series now. Logan McRae has found himself caught between two superior officers for far too long. At first, I found both of the superiors (and I'm using the term very loosely here) to be hilarious although their lack of willingness to do any real work greatly bothered me. I've gone through in the real world what McRae is going through in MacBride's fictional one. Although I did my best to find the humor in what I went through, there wasn't much to be found, and as McRae's woes keep going on a seemingly endless loop, almost every molecule of humor has been leached from the situation for me. I love the character of McRae too much to stop reading, so I'm hoping that MacBride will be kinder to him in the next book!
Despite my negative reactions I found Dark Blood to be another excellent book in this series. All the plot lines seem hopelessly tangled, and it's a miracle that McRae is able to sort out any of them at all. But MacBride reminds us that life isn't a fairy tale. Real life isn't neatly wrapped up and tied with a bow just as the last page is turned. The ending of Dark Blood may leave you as angry as it did me, but-- sadly-- what happens is far from being a new occurrence on planet Earth. I only wish that McRae had seen "The Shawshank Redemption" as many times as I have.
Richard Knox was a violent rapist of elderly men. He was caught, put on trial, and convicted of his crimes. While in prison, he found God, and now that he's been released all he wants is to make a new start in a place where no one knows his past. Unfortunately for Detective Sergeant Logan McRae, Knox's new home is in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Add Knox to a stew that contains gangsters from Edinburgh, a local crime lord, an inspector from Newcastle who wants to keep an eye on Knox, and folks from Newcastle looking for a missing mob accountant, and you can see that there's more than enough to keep McRae busy for two or three lifetimes. His problem is that he's still being jerked back and forth between two detective inspectors who can't seem to be able to live without McRae being at their beck and call every single hour of every single day.
MacBride writes edgy, violent tales with such a finely-honed dark sense of humor that I've often found myself laughing like a total nutter only a page or two after being left stunned and slightly sickened by something else. I know that makes me sound as if I'm a bit schizophrenic, but perhaps being a bit unbalanced helps you to understand what's going on once you've immersed yourself in MacBride's world.
I find myself having very strong and very personal reactions to the books in this series now. Logan McRae has found himself caught between two superior officers for far too long. At first, I found both of the superiors (and I'm using the term very loosely here) to be hilarious although their lack of willingness to do any real work greatly bothered me. I've gone through in the real world what McRae is going through in MacBride's fictional one. Although I did my best to find the humor in what I went through, there wasn't much to be found, and as McRae's woes keep going on a seemingly endless loop, almost every molecule of humor has been leached from the situation for me. I love the character of McRae too much to stop reading, so I'm hoping that MacBride will be kinder to him in the next book!
Despite my negative reactions I found Dark Blood to be another excellent book in this series. All the plot lines seem hopelessly tangled, and it's a miracle that McRae is able to sort out any of them at all. But MacBride reminds us that life isn't a fairy tale. Real life isn't neatly wrapped up and tied with a bow just as the last page is turned. The ending of Dark Blood may leave you as angry as it did me, but-- sadly-- what happens is far from being a new occurrence on planet Earth. I only wish that McRae had seen "The Shawshank Redemption" as many times as I have.
March 13, 2016
Review to come...
December 6, 2019
Once again to the author I still believe the phrase dark and gritty was invented for in the 6th instalment of his ongoing Logan Macrae series.
I don't go deep into plot because no matter how long a book has been published there is still going to be someone who hasn't read it. That said it does take a while for the main case to get going and I feel this hindered the book somewhat.
I said in my review of the last book that I was happy to see Logan grow a backbone and stand up to his superiors. This continues but you can tell the HUGE workload put on him is taking its toll. Now I'm all for the main protagonist to have the spotlight on them but the amount he's expected to do is insane and it certainly brings out a less than likeable side to his personality. I sympathised with him but he still got on my nerves at times and I hope in the next book Macbride make him a happier person.
The best thing about these books for me has always been the characters and their lives. But the case is usually gripping as well. This time round it was a little too long winded and took far too long to really get going. Too much sitting around waiting for things to happen. The side cases were OK and for the most part things ended well (although the ending wasn't the best) but I feel it would have benefited from having a couple less investigations going on.
The rest of the recurring characters were great to revisit. Steel was, as always, a stand out with some great lines and mannerisms. She did however surprise me with a rare moment of tenderness which reminded me she's actually a cop, and her relationship with Logan (while seriously messed up) is one definitely based on friendship and love.
In terms of a Logan Macrae book it was quite a weak one but judging it just as a book it was an average read. The fact that I still went through it in a week is proof that a sub-par crime isn't enough to make me not like this particular series.
3.75 - Hoping for better with the next one.
I don't go deep into plot because no matter how long a book has been published there is still going to be someone who hasn't read it. That said it does take a while for the main case to get going and I feel this hindered the book somewhat.
I said in my review of the last book that I was happy to see Logan grow a backbone and stand up to his superiors. This continues but you can tell the HUGE workload put on him is taking its toll. Now I'm all for the main protagonist to have the spotlight on them but the amount he's expected to do is insane and it certainly brings out a less than likeable side to his personality. I sympathised with him but he still got on my nerves at times and I hope in the next book Macbride make him a happier person.
The best thing about these books for me has always been the characters and their lives. But the case is usually gripping as well. This time round it was a little too long winded and took far too long to really get going. Too much sitting around waiting for things to happen. The side cases were OK and for the most part things ended well (although the ending wasn't the best) but I feel it would have benefited from having a couple less investigations going on.
The rest of the recurring characters were great to revisit. Steel was, as always, a stand out with some great lines and mannerisms. She did however surprise me with a rare moment of tenderness which reminded me she's actually a cop, and her relationship with Logan (while seriously messed up) is one definitely based on friendship and love.
In terms of a Logan Macrae book it was quite a weak one but judging it just as a book it was an average read. The fact that I still went through it in a week is proof that a sub-par crime isn't enough to make me not like this particular series.
3.75 - Hoping for better with the next one.
July 8, 2013
This sixth installment of the Logan McRae series feels bit more like a return to the earlier novels in the series in many ways. Aberdeen and its residents are suffering through another miserable winter, and some old names crop up as Edinburgh’s Malk the Knife once more encroaches on the criminal world of Aberdeen. It’s a complex plot involving rivaling criminal gangs while the Aberdeen police force spend a rather exorbitant amount of money protecting a man newly released from prison after imprisoning and raping an older gentlemen (though only convicted once, it is common knowledge that he is a serial offender).
Many recurring characters appear here - even Colin Miller makes a cameo! And there are several laugh-out-loud hilarious scenes of dialogue and banter (many surrounding a new addition to the DS pool - Biohazard Bob). Logan himself continues to fall far from his once hero/goldenboy status. But even through his struggles and missteps, he remains a likable and sympathetic hero. Logan continues to carry the scars of the previous novels which adds to the realism of the entire series. This installment is fairly fast-paced, too, and I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series!
Many recurring characters appear here - even Colin Miller makes a cameo! And there are several laugh-out-loud hilarious scenes of dialogue and banter (many surrounding a new addition to the DS pool - Biohazard Bob). Logan himself continues to fall far from his once hero/goldenboy status. But even through his struggles and missteps, he remains a likable and sympathetic hero. Logan continues to carry the scars of the previous novels which adds to the realism of the entire series. This installment is fairly fast-paced, too, and I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series!
June 5, 2019
3.5 Stars rounded up to 4 Stars.
May 28, 2023
Na šis jau šeštasis trileris apie seržantą Loganą Makrėjų tokio didelio įspūdžio nepaliko, kaip prieš tai skaitytos kitos šio autoriaus knygos. Nors skaitėsi gan greitai, vienas veiksmas vyko po kito, tačiau šiame detektyve vyko visko gana daug. Nemažai nusikaltimų, kurie iki galo liko neišaiškinti, įvairių, sudėtingų darbinių santykių aprašymas. Nors veikėjai gana ryškūs ir įdomūs o ir detektyve netrūksta juodo humoro ir ironijos, kuris detektyvui suteikia nemažai ryškumo..
January 20, 2015
Not a bad volume in the Logan McRae series, but definitely not one of the better ones. This one slogged along for most of the book, but really picked up with the last quarter of the story.
Stuart MacBride is a master at tying up his books neatly and cleanly, and this one was no exception. The problem with this one was getting there: there was simply too much going on, almost like he was trying to make it as complicated as possible before the finale. Still, the character development and the back stories of the main characters is very compelling, and I'll be jumping into the next book very soon.
Stuart MacBride is a master at tying up his books neatly and cleanly, and this one was no exception. The problem with this one was getting there: there was simply too much going on, almost like he was trying to make it as complicated as possible before the finale. Still, the character development and the back stories of the main characters is very compelling, and I'll be jumping into the next book very soon.
May 23, 2017
A Scottish police procedural, very noir and set in an a freezing cold Aberdeen. DS Logan Macrae continues to have to try to please two different Inspectors as he deals with murder, robbery, counterfeit goods and money, drugs and protection of a released rapist. Pretty dark plot, enlivened with some pretty strong local Aberdonian banter between the police teams.
August 4, 2021
Too much of the same. Steel's behaviour is over the top, en Mcrae got so much beatings he should be dead several times.
And do these people sleep at all ?
I'm not going further with this serie.
And do these people sleep at all ?
I'm not going further with this serie.
December 30, 2016
I can't understand why Logan doesn't just tell them all to bugger-off. His superiors treat him so poorly (even when they need him) that every day must be a grind. He would be better off leaving and becoming a Private Eye, as he obviously has the smarts, he just stuffs up occasionally.
Logan is tasked with looking after a recently released sex-offender in a safe house with another couple of cops and some volunteers. Richard- the offender is at first thought to be a pretty ordinary sex-offender- he rapes and tortures older men, which is pretty irksome but when it comes to light that he was the accountant of a recently dead criminal, it is thought that he (Richard) has access to some of the money.
Now all sorts of people are after Richard and in the process his house is burnt down and he has to be moved.
Even though the last few pages are an eye-opener I didn't like this story as much as the other Logan books, but I do find D.I Steele very very funny and obnoxious in the same breath.
Logan is tasked with looking after a recently released sex-offender in a safe house with another couple of cops and some volunteers. Richard- the offender is at first thought to be a pretty ordinary sex-offender- he rapes and tortures older men, which is pretty irksome but when it comes to light that he was the accountant of a recently dead criminal, it is thought that he (Richard) has access to some of the money.
Now all sorts of people are after Richard and in the process his house is burnt down and he has to be moved.
Even though the last few pages are an eye-opener I didn't like this story as much as the other Logan books, but I do find D.I Steele very very funny and obnoxious in the same breath.
August 5, 2021
I usually love Stuart McBride's Logan McRae books as I love crime novels and was brought up in the Aberdeen area (though haven't lived there for more than 20 years). However I struggled with this one and didn't feel it reached the quality of the earlier books.
It felt very "bitty" and disjointed to me, as if there were too many plots going on at once. I did enjoy the development of Logan's character in his book, when he's forced to think about his life and whether he's able to make changes.
Still worth a read for fans of Stuart McBride, but I'm hoping for a return to form in the next novel of the series.
It felt very "bitty" and disjointed to me, as if there were too many plots going on at once. I did enjoy the development of Logan's character in his book, when he's forced to think about his life and whether he's able to make changes.
Still worth a read for fans of Stuart McBride, but I'm hoping for a return to form in the next novel of the series.
July 20, 2016
The 6th book in the Logan McRae series by Stuart MacBride.
I have read the previous 5 books and I have to admit that I have lost the initial interest that I had in this series. The books have become very tired and predictable. The plots are ok but maybe it's time for a change.
I have read the previous 5 books and I have to admit that I have lost the initial interest that I had in this series. The books have become very tired and predictable. The plots are ok but maybe it's time for a change.
February 7, 2017
Ужасные глупости; "триллер" для мальчиков, в котором вместо буйства тестостерона - нытьё про погоду, вялотекущее пьянство и ни одной сцены с блондинкой в нижнем белье.
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