Tooth for a Tooth

DCI Gilchrist #3

by Frank Muir, T. Frank Muir

When a woman's skeleton is discovered in a shallow grave DCI Andy Gilchrist is tasked with finding her murderer. But a psychic's warnings and markings on a rusted cigarette lighter found among the rotted remains  take Gilchrist on a journey into his own past that brings him closer to discovering the identity of his brother's killer from a hit-and-run case some thirty-five years before. 

When dental records from an extracted tooth force Gilchrist to confront the unthinkable—that his brother was her killer—he keeps his fears to himself, only to be suspended on suspicion of destroying evidence.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Scotland, Audiobook, Thriller, Detective

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Aka T.F. Muir, T. Frank Muir

Born in Glasgow, Frank was plagued from a young age with the urge to see more of the world than the rain sodden slopes of the Campsie Fells. By the time he graduated from University with a degree he hated, he’d already had more jobs than the River Clyde has bends. Short stints as a lumberjack in the Scottish Highlands and a moulder’s labourer in the local foundry convinced Frank that his degree was not such a bad idea after all. Twenty-five years of working overseas helped him appreciate the raw beauty of his home country. Now a dual US/UK citizen, Frank divides his time between Richmond, Virginia, and Glasgow, Scotland, carrying out research in the local pubs and restaurants. Frank is currently doing some serious book research in St Andrews' local pubs, and working on his next novel, another crime story suffused with dark alleyways and cobbled streets and some things gruesome.

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This T. Frank Muir crimer just didn’t hold my interest. It’s more what this book isn’t than what it is. It isn’t really well written, it isn’t as interesting as books by the great contemporary Scottish crime writers such as Val McDermid, Ian Rankin, and Denise Mina. It didn’t even appeal as a “Scottish” book.

Somehow the protagonist is pretty colorless and some characters…well the American psychic detective is ridiculous. Not horrible but not for me. 2 1/2.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as a Goodreads first reads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. For some, this crime novel will hit all the marks. It full of twists and turns, it has hints of both romance and intriguing relationships, the main investigator runs the bloody edge between good cop and bad cop. Personally, while there was entertainment value throughout the book, it missed the mark a little and in the end I was less shocked by the "reveal" than just happy to be at the end.

For me, I think the main distractions were; 1) There were elements/characters that seemed less developed than they needed to be and not just for the mystique value, 2) The relationships between some of the characters was slightly unbelievable and a bit confusing, and 3) There were too many "UKish" references that were intended to transport US readers to the setting. I normally enjoy those little blurbs, but in the case of this text, they seemed a bit forced and lacked the connectivity that would allow me to be immersed in the drama.

In summary, some will finish this book, come across this review, and think "What a snob, I really enjoyed this book". I get that, I'm certainly not trying to be that way and I understand this review paints me in that light. Oh well......I'm knowingly taking that path but the call for honest reaction trumps that risk. Hope it's a "5 star" for you and you can think of me in that way.

[Ann James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three-quarters way through I gave up and flicked to the last chapter, so technically have I read it or not?

I enjoyed the first book in the DI Gilchrist series. Good plot, unexpected twists and turns that kept the pages turning. The second one got irritating with the increased references to swigging beer, then the DI jumping into his Merc, putting his foot down and listening to the purr of the engine (there're obviously no drink & drive laws in his part of the world!).

This third book....the plot was completely lost in the pub visits and that inevitable purr of the DI's Merc. It also seemed that the author had learnt a few indigenous words of the area, and took every opportunity to slip them into a sentence. It seemed at odds with the rest of the vocabulary used, so spoiling the flow of the text.

Having skipped several chapters, I felt I'd not missed anything, the conclusion of the book as I predicted from the first chapter. Possibly by reading the previous two books I got used to the style of writing and pre-empted any twists that otherwise would have come as a surprise. Hence why I gave it 3 stars and not less.

[Deb Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the DCI Gilchrist series from the first book and have enjoyed each one. I thought the first two books were stronger than Tooth for a Tooth, but this one was also a positive reading experience.

Gilchrist is a man devoted to his job, although he realizes that that devotion likely caused the end of his marriage years earlier and his near estrangement from his two adult children. Not only is Gilchrist devoted to his work, but he is good at it as well.

In Tooth for a Tooth, Gilchrist is the Senior Investigating Officer for a skeleton unearthed in a cemetery -- though not a body in a coffin or in any other way meant to be there. The skeletal remains of a young woman are thought to be about 30 years old or so -- back at the time that Gilchrist himself was 12 or 13-years-old. As the investigation ensues, at least one potential suspect hits too close to home for Gilchrist. Will he have to face a horrendous fact about someone he loved from his past or will the murderer be someone else altogether?

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman’s body is found buried in someone else’s grave, and it soon becomes clear that she was DCI Andy Gilchrist’s older brother’s girlfriend just before the brother, Jack, was killed in a hit and run accident 20 some years prior to the discovery of her body. The young woman, Kelly, had been thought to have moved to Mexico from St. Andrews leaving Jack in the lurch. Andy spends most of the book tracking down Jack’s killer and attempting to keep Jack from being posthumously framed for killing Kelly. In the process, he sorts through his memories of Jack, Kelly, and their friends and acquaintances from that earlier time. Each new lead he follows, person he interviews, photo or document he reviews, leads him further into his memories and closer to finding Jack’s and Kelly’s killers.

A cigarette lighter, found tarnished and scratched in the grave with Kelly, provides clues that seem to lead to Jack as Kelly’s killer. Andy borrows the lighter to have it looked at more closely, and the fact that the presumed killer was his brother, combined with an already hostile relationship with another police investigator, Tosh, results in Andy’s needing to evade police capture as he gets closer to the truth. Against all odds, the car that killed Jack and letters and postcards to and from Kelly are found and subjected to modern forensics. There are many plot developments along the way that put Andy into grave danger, and while these are suspenseful, they take a back seat to Andy’s memories and thoughts.

This is the third in the series featuring DCI Andy Gilchrist, although it is the first I have read. The first third of the book focuses so heavily on Andy’s thoughts and relationships that I found it difficult to stay interested. Following many series from the beginning, I realize how this approach is very appealing to series followers; however, as a new reader in this case, I did not have enough invested in the Andy to care much about him and found this section of the book tedious. Some authors are able to bring a longstanding character to life quickly for new readers, but Muir was less successful at this for me.

I presume that previous books in the series have also built the case for the antipathy between Tosh and Gilchrest, but the fervor with which Tosh pursues Andy as he is working this case stretches the belief of a reader who hasn’t previously encountered the two. Although Andy makes a case for a strained relationship with Tosh based on his (Andy’s) finding Tosh abusing a prostitute during an arrest, the depth of hatred exhibited by Tosh seems over the top.

The plot of the book makes sense, and when the killers are identified the reader can find the logic. By the end of the book, I was hooked and wanted to see how Muir put the all the pieces together. During the bulk of the book, however, I found myself fading in and out of engagement. The book may have been far more successful for a follower of the series, but it has not made me want to go back to start at the beginning of the series.

[Trina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite the Fife constabulary’s finest, this mystery fails to build much suspense. Maybe because as cold cases go, it remains frozen in time. The detective in charge, Andy Gilchrist, unearths a lot of unpleasant circumstances involving the death of his brother when they were teenagers whilst he tries to identify a young woman - murdered around the same time - with the help of a psychic. The suspects aren’t very convincing, and their motives are too muddled to matter. The author would’ve done well to tighten the plot like a noose around the main character instead of letting it fray apart and end up with too many loose ends.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A creamy pint of eighty-shilling
Something about nipples and breasts
A mention of the Merc powering along
Starting every day with a shave and a shower
All stuff repeated to give the Gilhurst some character but it makes for dull reading, when it's written time and time again, and his character is quite dull.
Also, can't believe how many crime cases directly include his immediate relatives. I also find the constant sexualising of female characters irritating. Can't mention them without some mention of thigh, nipple, breast etc. Really not my fave Scottish crime author. My dad loaned me these books but I'm not sure I can read many more of them.

[Cal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad this was a First Reads giveaway because I probably never would have discovered this author on my own. I started reading this book yesterday. T. Frank Muir keeps you guessing. I usually figure out who did it way before the main character does. He draws you into the characters and the plot. It was hard to put the book down until the last page was read. I actually looked the author up on the internet because I knew he had to have introduced Gilchrist prior. I will be reading more from Muir. Even though this is the third book out of four so far in this series, you are drawn in and by no means does it take away from the story. I highly recommend this book and this author.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Lone Ranger does it again in book three. Do coppers really go to interview a person, help them break up concrete slab, have a shower and then have lunch with the person? I don't think so! Andy also seems to work alone, apart from vague meetings with members of his 'team' , which are usually in a pub he really is a Lone Ranger. This is my third Andy Gilchrist book and while I like him I think he'll stay on the shelf from now on. Way too fantastical.

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gail, DCI Andy Gilchrist's ex, has died, and he as he leaves her funeral he is called to the site of a skeleton found on the old grave, buried 30 years earlier. In the grave is a lighter that has the markings of his brother. He takes it and when approached by a woman, Gina Belli, who wants to write a book about his life as a cop, and also claims to be a psyhic, gives the lighter to her to give him the name of the person who killed Jack. Indeed, she gives him a name, James Matthew Fairclough, and he starts an investigation to catch the man. At the same time he wonders what Jack could have had to do with the skeleton. He gets Dr. Heather Black, from Glasgow University, to develop a possible likeness of the skull, and he recognizes it as a girl that Jack had been dating, Kelly Roberts. From DNA it is determined that it is her. She disappeared 30 years earlier, after her parents got a postcard saying she was going to Mexico, followed by another postcard from Mexico. But she never made it from St. Andrews, Scotland, having been murdered. There are no small number of individuals who are presented as possible killers and Andy bounces around from one to another in his pursuit of justice for a American girl he remembers as fun loving and beautiful. The story also serves as a canvas for remembering his life with Gail and his kids.

Unfortunately Andy has an enemy, another copper, DS Tosh MacIntosh; a man who is a bully and has been known to place evidence to fix people up. Tosh gets wind of the lighter, and other items belonging to Jack are found on the skeleton. Andy realizes it is a matter of time before Tosh and Chief Inspector Jeffrey Randall, from Compaints and Discipline, pull him in for questioning, and he accused of withholding evidence in an attempt to hide that Jack killed Kelly. He goes to the U S to interview Kelly's mother, Annie Kelly, and look at the correspondence and belongings of Kelly, and looks into the other people involved in Kelly's life at the University. She had other roommates, Rita Sanderson, Lorena Cordoba (from Mexico) and Megs Grant (Ewart). It turns out that Kelly had been having sex with other men than Jack, it being the age of sexual freedom with the discovery of the pill, (which also brings back memories of his and Gail's brief courtship) and that Jack and she had argued. Andy inadvertantly falls into the murderers, Douglas and Megs (who was jealous that Kelly had been with Dougie), and is nearly killed by them when he finally tumbles into their coverup while at Megs home. They abduct him planning to dump him into a quarry, but he frees himself and then fights for his life. Megs gets pulled into the quarry instead. Dougie tries to say that they had been abducted by Andy. However, DCI Gilchrist has determined that the postcards, too old to have fingerprints, might still have the DNA of the killers on the stamps, which turns out to be the case.

His followup of the MGB GT, interviewing a passenger that had been in the car, Linda Melrose, and finding the car with the new owner who had not done anything to remove evidence, and is again nearly killed, when Fairclough throws molotov cocktails into the garage with the car and John Betson the owner, leaving fingerprints. Hair and fiber found on the car by Shuggie proves to be the final evidence needed to determine that Fairclough was the driver who, drunk, had hit Jack and left him to bleed to death, from a broken bone that severed his femoral artery.

Solving both the killing of Kelly Roberts and the hit and run of his brother 30 years ago leaves Gilchrist feeling like he can more easily go on after the loss of Gail as well. Letters from Jack and from Kelly to her parents indicate that Jack and Kelly did love one another. And he has successfully proved that Tosh is a hot-headed and corrupt copper. Another excellent addition to the series.

[Carol Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grave that has been dug up for a recipient and is being prepared only to find the remains of a skeleton and is not in a coffin. Andy Gilchrist is the SIO of this one so the first point of call is who is she and how long has she been there. Andy is confronted by an American psychic who wants to do his biography and also wants to help in some cold cases, but Andy is reticent, is she really a psychic? When the CSI's have finished they find cigarette lighter bits of material but nothing conclusive. or with a name on, but the psychic does warn him of fire telling him to be careful. The more Andy digs he becomes worried, as he thinks the lighter is his brothers and as it turns out the girl is American and this brings Andy to relive some of his childhood years, he had indeed known Kelly, Jack's (his brother) girlfriend, Andy was only 12yrs old when Jack was killed by a hit and run driver and never been caught.
Although I loved the story and it was on audio, I did feel it was all about Andy Gilchrist, he was obviously a long ranger, as there was never anybody with him when he went to interviews, and he gets suspended but that apparently is not unusual, and there's Tosh the 2 do not see eye to eye but the behaviour of the 2 was much to be desired both should have been sacked. The audio version I think would have better than the written version and the narrator did an excellent job, perhaps I might try another one from this author as he is new to me.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and really enjoyed books 1 and 2 in this series. Its lovely to spend some time in St Andrews again with the lovely descriptive scenery. Gilchrist is suspended again in this book which is becoming a habit for him having the same happen in previous book.
I do not understand the role of the American clairvoyant as her role didnt really go anywhere and I cannot see what she adds to the story.
The storyline has to be taken with a pinch of salt. Andy is obviously a close relative to Superman as he has been in a burning building locked in the boot of a car plus other very dodgy areas yet escaped with little damage while others ended in Intensive Care.
I still really enjoyed this story and the characters. I will move on with the series and would highly recommend.






I look forward to more in the series. I liked the first one, An eye for and Eye, the best. Andy's mannerisms become more pronounced and a bit irritating (eg running his hand through is hair, and rubbing his eyes with a thumb and forefinger)as the books progress.

I recommend it for those who don't take books like this seriously and the general outcome is easy to guess (though I didn't guess one of the killers until near the end). It is not for those who like the real suspense/chrime thriller type books. It reads a bit like an comic for grown-ups!!

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set mostly in and around St. Andrews Scotland this mystery has Detective Inspector Andy Gilchrist working the case of a skeleton unearthed buried in shallowly in an old grave. The first problem that they have is that the bones are years old and there is little found to identify the them. While on this case Andy is also looking into the case of his brother who was a hit and run victim at about the same time as the the bones were buried. As the tale unfolds the two cases seem to come together whole Andy is also trying to fend off the attacks by a fellow officer who is out to get him in revenge for reporting his use of excessive force in another arrest. Good reading, good mystery, plenty of suspects to try to figure out. It's going up on our library shelf.

[Jim Stennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muir is a heck of writer and the pages really fly by. You really have to suspend your disbelief when it comes to how fast Gilchrist puts the pieces together and with the flimsiest bits of evidence, but the series is still a fun read. No way most of these cases stand up under a good defense lawyer’s examination, but maybe in Scotland evidence rules are laxer. And how many times can Gilchrist be suspended by higher-ups with personal grudges toward him?! And to be honest, he kind of deserves it with the crappy way he treats important pieces of evidence and refuses to share his knowledge and findings with anybody else on the police force. But still, Muir’s writing ability covers a lot of his plot sins.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book in the series was great, the second one I was in two minds about. Now this one has made up my mind that the first one was a fluke. All the little bits I disliked but managed to ignore in #2 seem to crop up regularly in #3. I've grown to dislike Gilchrist and his sixth sense. The character hasn't developed at all, but at least he's not constantly talking about his ex-wife in this one. He still spends most of his time in the pub. Or driving his Merc. Or driving his Merc drunk. The storyline is so far fetched and boring that I had to slog on reading until the end. I wish I hadn't.

[Joanne Fairbrother · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, the first particularly, but I found this one far fetched, questioning if the main character would behave in the way that he does. The story is relatively slow and the various possible relationships and implications from versions of the past became confused and lost my interest. A shame as I'm now not sure if I'll continue with the series despite loving St Andrews. Anyone looking for St Andrews atmosphere might enjoy Marion Todd's series set there.

[Keith Pirrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read

A little different from the other tails about DCI Gilchrist, in this book is almost as if Andy falls through the story instead of investigating it. Everything just seems to fall into place at the end without any work from Andy Gilchrist which is why 4 stars instead of 5.

Enjoyed reading the book and look forward to further tails about DCI Gilchrist.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dangerous Book

This one can trap you into reading well into the night and perhaps at meal times , too.
Fascinating information about police investigations , complicated personal relationships , past and present , pages of nail biting danger , blend to give a memorable experience.

[Lavins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book in this series. The part that baffles me is how much one person is set to endure and still succeed. Andy goes through the pain of losing his wife, barely managing to take care of his kids, fighting with internal issues in his department, investigating a murder and finding his brother's killer while being on the run.

[Sandra McCourt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good book and second in the series. I’m still not sure of Gilchrist but I’m waiting till I read the next one to make my mind up . This book has two enquiries going on in parallel however the main story gets a wee bit lost in the personal investigation being done by Gilchrist. Some parts not believable but it was ok. See what you think yourself

[Rachel Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this and found it gripping. Learning more about the main character as the series goes along. Found some similarities as book 2 (when dci Gilchrist gets suspended!) But still enjoyable.

[Lora King]

What an entertaining story....Gilchrist has a connection to an extra female skeleton found in a grave and he must unravel questions from the past including his own past to solve. We learn more of his family story... his brothers death and loves. My fav book so far

[Becky Loader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of this series, and while I am intrigued by the setting in Scotland, the violence is extreme. Gilchrist has been beaten to a pulp in the first 3 books I have read. I can hardly believe he is in any kind of physical condition to continue on the police force.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although not as good as the first two it was still an enjoyable read. I continue to be addicted to Andy Gilchrist and will be reading the rest of the series and hopefully they will return to the calibre of the previous books 3.5⭐️

[Bryngel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not for me. I've had it with this series, it's gotten worse by the book, and this time it was just too ridiculous for me to swallow. I'm giving up on Muir and his Gilchrist.

(Please forgive my poor English, my excuse is I’m Swedish).

[Miki Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another tale of St Andrews. Full of gory moments! Very enjoyable

[ArtemisDW · Rating 2 out of 5]

a totally bland and by numbers crime novel.

[Karyl Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy to have finished. The American psychic detective was just a superfluous ridiculous character.

[Lyle Krewson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one! And over a period of 12 years or so, read it twice without catching on!!!

[David Borthwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well worth five stars. As soon as you start reading you cannot stop. Highly recommended.