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Joanne Ross #5
The Low Road
John McAllister has come to a crossroads, torn between the stability of his life in the Highlands and the thrill of working as a renowned journalist in Glasgow at a national daily newspaper. Can he accept that this exciting new phase is over? That it is time to settle down?
Before he knows it, McAllister is in the midst of a fast-paced hunt for his good friend Jimmy McPhee, who is involved in a blood feud with a murderous razor gang. With a fiercely ambitious young crime reporter, he tracks down Jimmy, but the gang finds them. Only when another violent clash breaks out do they have the chance to escape. Soon McAllister finds himself in danger of losing everything he holds dear—his mother, his fiancée, his friends, his integrity, and his life.
And Joanne Ross, recovering from horrific injuries, senses McAllister’s ambivalence about their forthcoming marriage, and she knows she can only wait for him to return to her.
From the wilderness of the Highlands to the desolation of Glasgow’s slums, book five in Scott’s mystery series is a portrait of extremes: between city and glen; between the rule of law and the laws of the streets; between safe, enduring love and unreasoning passion.
Before he knows it, McAllister is in the midst of a fast-paced hunt for his good friend Jimmy McPhee, who is involved in a blood feud with a murderous razor gang. With a fiercely ambitious young crime reporter, he tracks down Jimmy, but the gang finds them. Only when another violent clash breaks out do they have the chance to escape. Soon McAllister finds himself in danger of losing everything he holds dear—his mother, his fiancée, his friends, his integrity, and his life.
And Joanne Ross, recovering from horrific injuries, senses McAllister’s ambivalence about their forthcoming marriage, and she knows she can only wait for him to return to her.
From the wilderness of the Highlands to the desolation of Glasgow’s slums, book five in Scott’s mystery series is a portrait of extremes: between city and glen; between the rule of law and the laws of the streets; between safe, enduring love and unreasoning passion.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2014
15 people are currently reading
668 people want to read
About the author
A.D. Scott
14 books171 followersPen name of Ann Deborah Nolan.
A. D. Scott was born in the Highlands of Scotland and educated at Inverness Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She has worked in theatre, in magazines, and as a knitwear designer and currently lives in Vietnam and north of Sydney, Australia.
A. D. Scott was born in the Highlands of Scotland and educated at Inverness Royal Academy and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She has worked in theatre, in magazines, and as a knitwear designer and currently lives in Vietnam and north of Sydney, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
January 16, 2024
Now, I’m partial to a cup of tea and I appreciate that in Scotland the solution to any problem is to put the kettle on. Here the cast drink copious cups of tea, almost on every page. Additionally I probably drank 3 or 4 cups whilst reading the story. So not a scintillating plot but plenty of tea.
December 5, 2018
I enjoy this series so much. The Low Road is the 5th book in 6 book series. it is different than the preceding books as the protagonist of this book is not Joanna Ross but her editor John McAllister. Joanna is recovering from a head wound and John is asked by Jenny McPhee and his mother to check on Jimmy McPhee. The McPhee are travelers and Jenny is the group leader. Jimmy has disappeared. McAllister has to travel to Glascow leaving Inverness behind for short periods. The time period is the 1950s.
The reader sees a different side of McAllister. He shows self doubts. He is to be married in several months. He wonders if Joanna with her head injury will return to her normal self. He yearns for his younger years and the excitement of working on a paper in a large city.
The writing is wonderful. A.D. Scott has become one of my favorite writers. In one book, you have descriptions of Scotland, developed characters who the reader cares for through out series and intricate plots. I loved her use of Scottish words such as pinny, close,twinset and gloaming. There were quite a few but those come to mind right now. It was interesting to read what the fifties were like for women in Scotland. Joanna is one of the few working women. She is independent.
I have one last book to read in the series. It looks like the series does not continue after the sixth book as it has been awhile since it was published.The last book A Kind Of Grief was published in 2015. One can always hope that another book after the sixth will be written.
The reader sees a different side of McAllister. He shows self doubts. He is to be married in several months. He wonders if Joanna with her head injury will return to her normal self. He yearns for his younger years and the excitement of working on a paper in a large city.
The writing is wonderful. A.D. Scott has become one of my favorite writers. In one book, you have descriptions of Scotland, developed characters who the reader cares for through out series and intricate plots. I loved her use of Scottish words such as pinny, close,twinset and gloaming. There were quite a few but those come to mind right now. It was interesting to read what the fifties were like for women in Scotland. Joanna is one of the few working women. She is independent.
I have one last book to read in the series. It looks like the series does not continue after the sixth book as it has been awhile since it was published.The last book A Kind Of Grief was published in 2015. One can always hope that another book after the sixth will be written.
March 16, 2025
4.5, my favorite of the series. Story changes center character (not Joanne Ross, reporter, but her fiancé and Inverness newspaper editor, John McAllister) and at least half of the action is in Glasgow, a poor and gang ridden city back in the 1950s, where McAllister grew up and once worked.
I liked the added characters, especially McAllister’s mother.
Plotting was good and as usual, setting was very well done.
I liked the added characters, especially McAllister’s mother.
Plotting was good and as usual, setting was very well done.
October 20, 2014
I found this book, one of a series, to be less intriguing than the others. I missed the regular characters and the interesting and engaging environment of the news room of the Gazette.
September 17, 2022
Joanne Ross is recovering from her serious head injury and her fiancé, John McAllister, is embroiled in a complex situation involving the disappearance of his friend, a Traveler-Jimmy McPhee, a childhood friend turned gangster who is somehow connected to Jimmy’s disappearance, a young, aggressive reporter for his former paper (Mary) who awakens all kinds of feelings in him (lost youth, being on the hunt for a good story, living an urban, edgy life) and finally, ambivalence about marriage and whether Joanne will fully recover from her injury. It’s resolved in the end, although there are serious losses and a hint that Mary may have disappeared for reasons other than making career moves. (Is she pregnant with McAllister’s child?)
July 18, 2022
The 5th and (unfortunately) apparently the last book in the excellent series featuring Joanne Ross.
November 21, 2014
This is the fifth book in a somewhat cozy murder mystery series set in the late 1950’s in the Scottish Highlands. The recurring characters operate a small newspaper, the Highland Gazette. Sometimes, in order to get the bottom of a story, they end up investigating and solving a crime as well.
In this book, Highland Gazette editor John McAllister is taking care of his fiancée, Joanne Ross - one of the reporters on the Gazette. In the previous book, Joanne received a brain injury at the hands of a psychopath, and she has not yet recovered. McAllister has taken her into his house to recuperate, along with her two girls, Annie, 11 1/2, and “wee Jean,” 9, as well as Joanne’s former mother-in-law, Granny Ross, who is helping with the girls.
The wedding they had scheduled is just six weeks away, but McAllister is full of misgivings:
"What if she’s never herself again? What if Joanne is never again the woman I love, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?”
McAllister is ashamed of having these thoughts, and yet he can’t deny them. But in spite of his shame, he craves normality. He longs “to escape the troupe of doctors and nurses and police and friends and parents-in-law ….”
And there is more that is bothering McAllister. Although he transformed the Highland Gazette, elevating it from a boring local broadsheet, it will never be the kind of exciting career he had when he was working for Glasgow’s Herald as a renowned war correspondent in Europe. And Glasgow itself - so much more exciting than the sleepy, though beautiful, Highlands. The technicolor of his youth, he is thinking, has dimmed to sepia. McAllister is starting to feel very trapped, and spends much too much time drinking whiskey.
Just at his most vulnerable, McAllister is asked by an old friend, Jenny McPhee, to help find her grown son Jimmy, gone missing in Glasgow. McAllister’s mother, still in Glasgow, has also contacted McAllister about Jimmy. McAllister goes to his old workplace at The Glasgow Herald for help, and there meets Mary Ballantyne, a young (28), pretty, ambitious reporter who senses a good story and decides to help McAllister. McAllister not only has to navigate the dangerous waters of gang feuds in Glasgow, but deal with his own desires to escape his quiet life; damaged fiancée; inherited family obligations back in the Highlands; and his growing attraction to Mary and to the youth she represents. And while Joanne may not be herself, she understands enough to be terrified that McAllister may not return.
Discussion: Scott has taken us through the emotional ups and downs of these characters in previous books, and the realistic way they are drawn is very impressive. In addition, the author has a knack for making the settings come to life as well, whether the atmospheric beauty of the Highlands or desolation of the post-war landscape of Glasgow:
"…it was a tall, soot-blackened tenement block, one that had survived the carpet bombing of Clydeside. They parked in front of an empty block, bright with fireweed and broken glass, which had not been so lucky. Shipyard cranes filled the skyline to the right. And litter and dust and empty dreams tumbled in a wind coming off the river.”
Scott also beautifully captures the guilt so many caretakers feel, with the feelings of being ready to scream from frustration and even resentment, while also hating themselves for wanting to escape.
Evaluation: I value this series more for the portrayal of life in the 1950’s Scottish Highlands than for the crime story per se. In addition, I have come to care about the characters, and look forward to seeing what befalls them. In spite of often having quite a convoluted mystery as the plot, these books stand out more to me as well-made portraits of a fascinating time and place, in which an endearing and very human group of people struggle to achieve self-fulfillment and happiness.
Rating: 3.5/5
In this book, Highland Gazette editor John McAllister is taking care of his fiancée, Joanne Ross - one of the reporters on the Gazette. In the previous book, Joanne received a brain injury at the hands of a psychopath, and she has not yet recovered. McAllister has taken her into his house to recuperate, along with her two girls, Annie, 11 1/2, and “wee Jean,” 9, as well as Joanne’s former mother-in-law, Granny Ross, who is helping with the girls.
The wedding they had scheduled is just six weeks away, but McAllister is full of misgivings:
"What if she’s never herself again? What if Joanne is never again the woman I love, the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?”
McAllister is ashamed of having these thoughts, and yet he can’t deny them. But in spite of his shame, he craves normality. He longs “to escape the troupe of doctors and nurses and police and friends and parents-in-law ….”
And there is more that is bothering McAllister. Although he transformed the Highland Gazette, elevating it from a boring local broadsheet, it will never be the kind of exciting career he had when he was working for Glasgow’s Herald as a renowned war correspondent in Europe. And Glasgow itself - so much more exciting than the sleepy, though beautiful, Highlands. The technicolor of his youth, he is thinking, has dimmed to sepia. McAllister is starting to feel very trapped, and spends much too much time drinking whiskey.
Just at his most vulnerable, McAllister is asked by an old friend, Jenny McPhee, to help find her grown son Jimmy, gone missing in Glasgow. McAllister’s mother, still in Glasgow, has also contacted McAllister about Jimmy. McAllister goes to his old workplace at The Glasgow Herald for help, and there meets Mary Ballantyne, a young (28), pretty, ambitious reporter who senses a good story and decides to help McAllister. McAllister not only has to navigate the dangerous waters of gang feuds in Glasgow, but deal with his own desires to escape his quiet life; damaged fiancée; inherited family obligations back in the Highlands; and his growing attraction to Mary and to the youth she represents. And while Joanne may not be herself, she understands enough to be terrified that McAllister may not return.
Discussion: Scott has taken us through the emotional ups and downs of these characters in previous books, and the realistic way they are drawn is very impressive. In addition, the author has a knack for making the settings come to life as well, whether the atmospheric beauty of the Highlands or desolation of the post-war landscape of Glasgow:
"…it was a tall, soot-blackened tenement block, one that had survived the carpet bombing of Clydeside. They parked in front of an empty block, bright with fireweed and broken glass, which had not been so lucky. Shipyard cranes filled the skyline to the right. And litter and dust and empty dreams tumbled in a wind coming off the river.”
Scott also beautifully captures the guilt so many caretakers feel, with the feelings of being ready to scream from frustration and even resentment, while also hating themselves for wanting to escape.
Evaluation: I value this series more for the portrayal of life in the 1950’s Scottish Highlands than for the crime story per se. In addition, I have come to care about the characters, and look forward to seeing what befalls them. In spite of often having quite a convoluted mystery as the plot, these books stand out more to me as well-made portraits of a fascinating time and place, in which an endearing and very human group of people struggle to achieve self-fulfillment and happiness.
Rating: 3.5/5
July 18, 2016
This is another stellar installment in the series about a Scottish highland community in the midst of transition as the decade of the 50s closes and the '60s opens.
Newspaperman John McAllister is in a quiet state of personal crisis as this book opens. The reasons for that crisis are clear if you read the previous book in the series. He's uncertain as to whether his pending marriage can even occur, and he's not entirely sure he wants to stay in the small community and edit its small newspaper. He misses the adrenaline rush of going after the big story on a big-city newspaper.
As the book begins, something has happened to Jimmy McFee, part of a tinker or gypsy-type clan that sets up shop near the village where McAllister lives. Jimmy's mom needs McAllister's help in finding her son who seems to have disappeared.
During the time his fiancé is recovering, he's off to find the woman's son if possible, and that means a disquieting encounter with a young reporter on staff at "The Herald," a paper at which McAllister had once worked. It's a race against time as he seeks to find young Jimmy before a local gang gets him.
It's crucial, if you've not done so, that you pick up the earlier books in the series. Indeed, you'll better understand the motive of the bad guys if you've read those earlier books, since some things happened in those earlier titles that have a direct bearing on this book and its outcome.
As only the best books can, this one planted my feet solidly in two camps simultaneously. Because of the outstanding writing here, I understood why McAllister would behave as he does in places here, and I simultaneously found his behavior deeply disappointing and saddening.
Although I read this using synthetic speech, I had purchased a Scottish female voice specifically for the narration of this series. It was a worthwhile investment then and still is. The near-human-quality voice did much to add color and dimension to the book that wouldn't have been there otherwise. This whole series is a must-read, and I find myself saving and treasuring each book sometimes for months at a time, knowing that when I've finished the very last one, I will come to miss this changing community and its characters deeply. I thoroughly enjoy the mystery element here, but the more of the series I read, the less important the mystery becomes and the more important becomes the story of the community itself.
Newspaperman John McAllister is in a quiet state of personal crisis as this book opens. The reasons for that crisis are clear if you read the previous book in the series. He's uncertain as to whether his pending marriage can even occur, and he's not entirely sure he wants to stay in the small community and edit its small newspaper. He misses the adrenaline rush of going after the big story on a big-city newspaper.
As the book begins, something has happened to Jimmy McFee, part of a tinker or gypsy-type clan that sets up shop near the village where McAllister lives. Jimmy's mom needs McAllister's help in finding her son who seems to have disappeared.
During the time his fiancé is recovering, he's off to find the woman's son if possible, and that means a disquieting encounter with a young reporter on staff at "The Herald," a paper at which McAllister had once worked. It's a race against time as he seeks to find young Jimmy before a local gang gets him.
It's crucial, if you've not done so, that you pick up the earlier books in the series. Indeed, you'll better understand the motive of the bad guys if you've read those earlier books, since some things happened in those earlier titles that have a direct bearing on this book and its outcome.
As only the best books can, this one planted my feet solidly in two camps simultaneously. Because of the outstanding writing here, I understood why McAllister would behave as he does in places here, and I simultaneously found his behavior deeply disappointing and saddening.
Although I read this using synthetic speech, I had purchased a Scottish female voice specifically for the narration of this series. It was a worthwhile investment then and still is. The near-human-quality voice did much to add color and dimension to the book that wouldn't have been there otherwise. This whole series is a must-read, and I find myself saving and treasuring each book sometimes for months at a time, knowing that when I've finished the very last one, I will come to miss this changing community and its characters deeply. I thoroughly enjoy the mystery element here, but the more of the series I read, the less important the mystery becomes and the more important becomes the story of the community itself.
June 24, 2014
Jennie McPhee, matriarch of the Traveling People, comes to McAlister as a mother and as a friend to ask for his help. Her son, Jimmy, got into some small trouble in Galway, served a short prison term, and now is missing. "Will you see if you can find him?" she asks. And so McAlister takes a few days, goes to Galway, sees some former colleagues at the big city newspaper, and begins to ask questions.
This is a complicated novel. Quite a departure from the Highlands where "sheep dog trials" are the excitement of the day. The gangs. The bare-knuckle fights. The sleaze of those on the take with no respect for human life. The brutality of this lifestyle didn't take center stage; but it was always there, in the background, in the research, in the thoughts of John McAlister..
As John searches for Jimmy, he struggles within himself, wondering if he's wasting his talents at The Highland Gazette, a weekly newspaper in a small burg, when he might be "in the thick of it" in Galway at The Herald. And he wonders about his love for Joanne, their upcoming wedding, the finality of it all, especially when he encounters Mary Ballantyne- a vivacious, worldly, attractive reporter at The Herald.
Glasgow is McAlister's home turf. It's where he grew up. Where he went to school. Where he was able to break free of the neighborhood in which crime happened all too frequently.
While McAlister is searching for Jimmy, we meet his mother, who is an absolute delight. She's feisty. Proud. Determined. Doesn't want to leave her home. Intuitive without being intrusive. When McAlister takes her home with him to the Highlands, she easily blends into her new role as mother-in-law and grandmother.
Masterful storytelling. Believe me, I was right there with John. Looking over my shoulder. Behind every wall. Across every street. Around every corner. I felt every punch and jab and grab. And I felt his utter focus to get to the bottom of the trouble.
I'm told the series will continue, and I eagerly look forward to #6.
I read this courtesy of Net Galley and Atria Books.
This is a complicated novel. Quite a departure from the Highlands where "sheep dog trials" are the excitement of the day. The gangs. The bare-knuckle fights. The sleaze of those on the take with no respect for human life. The brutality of this lifestyle didn't take center stage; but it was always there, in the background, in the research, in the thoughts of John McAlister..
As John searches for Jimmy, he struggles within himself, wondering if he's wasting his talents at The Highland Gazette, a weekly newspaper in a small burg, when he might be "in the thick of it" in Galway at The Herald. And he wonders about his love for Joanne, their upcoming wedding, the finality of it all, especially when he encounters Mary Ballantyne- a vivacious, worldly, attractive reporter at The Herald.
Glasgow is McAlister's home turf. It's where he grew up. Where he went to school. Where he was able to break free of the neighborhood in which crime happened all too frequently.
While McAlister is searching for Jimmy, we meet his mother, who is an absolute delight. She's feisty. Proud. Determined. Doesn't want to leave her home. Intuitive without being intrusive. When McAlister takes her home with him to the Highlands, she easily blends into her new role as mother-in-law and grandmother.
Masterful storytelling. Believe me, I was right there with John. Looking over my shoulder. Behind every wall. Across every street. Around every corner. I felt every punch and jab and grab. And I felt his utter focus to get to the bottom of the trouble.
I'm told the series will continue, and I eagerly look forward to #6.
I read this courtesy of Net Galley and Atria Books.
September 2, 2014
Although I missed being in Inverness in this latest Highland Gazette mystery, I rapidly came to appreciate the visit to some of 1950s Glasgow's most dangerous areas.
It's also an opportunity to see McAllister on what used to be his home turf and to observe the way he behaves with family, friends, and former work colleagues. Moreover, what readers observe isn't always flattering. McAllister-- a lifelong bachelor and rather set in his ways-- is finding it very difficult to cope with the changes in Joanne Ross. Although he thought he loved her beyond all reason, the difficulties she's experiencing with her health have him wondering if they really should get married. For anyone who's followed this marvelous series since book one, his behavior is almost like a slap in the face. Granted, it's only natural for him to have these doubts-- and it shows how A.D. Scott has created nuanced characters who live and breathe on the pages of her books.
She also knows how to create a level of menace and danger that keeps your eyes glued to those pages. Although I truly feared for McAllister's life on more than one occasion, I still felt that The Low Road suffered a bit from the characters being split apart. This is such an ensemble cast that the flow of the book felt a bit out of kilter from time to time.
Scott gives us a real feel for Scotland in the 1950s by showing how some of the old-fashioned Calvinist ways are very gradually being ground under by modern ideas and behaviors. As in tune as she is with the land and the times, it's with her characters that A.D. Scott truly shines. These are characters who embrace both the good and the bad. We're able to learn their strengths, their weaknesses, and some of their motivations. There's a lyrical and oh-so-human quality to this author's writing that reminds me of Louise Penny, and-- as I am with Penny's books-- I'm always thrilled to see a new Highland Gazette mystery.
It's also an opportunity to see McAllister on what used to be his home turf and to observe the way he behaves with family, friends, and former work colleagues. Moreover, what readers observe isn't always flattering. McAllister-- a lifelong bachelor and rather set in his ways-- is finding it very difficult to cope with the changes in Joanne Ross. Although he thought he loved her beyond all reason, the difficulties she's experiencing with her health have him wondering if they really should get married. For anyone who's followed this marvelous series since book one, his behavior is almost like a slap in the face. Granted, it's only natural for him to have these doubts-- and it shows how A.D. Scott has created nuanced characters who live and breathe on the pages of her books.
She also knows how to create a level of menace and danger that keeps your eyes glued to those pages. Although I truly feared for McAllister's life on more than one occasion, I still felt that The Low Road suffered a bit from the characters being split apart. This is such an ensemble cast that the flow of the book felt a bit out of kilter from time to time.
Scott gives us a real feel for Scotland in the 1950s by showing how some of the old-fashioned Calvinist ways are very gradually being ground under by modern ideas and behaviors. As in tune as she is with the land and the times, it's with her characters that A.D. Scott truly shines. These are characters who embrace both the good and the bad. We're able to learn their strengths, their weaknesses, and some of their motivations. There's a lyrical and oh-so-human quality to this author's writing that reminds me of Louise Penny, and-- as I am with Penny's books-- I'm always thrilled to see a new Highland Gazette mystery.
August 11, 2014
I have loved the 1950s highland series featuring aspiring journalist Joann Ross since A.D. Scott premiered with A Small Death in the Great Glen. The authenticity of the characters, their developing stories, and the language have continued as the series has developed. When I had the opportunity to read a preview copy of The Low Road, the fifth in the series, I was excited to see where the story would pick up.
Rather than continuing the focus on Joanna after her traumatic experiences of the previous book, Scott sifted the story to develop the backstory and character of editor, John McAllister. At the request of Jennie McPhee, the matriarch of a local clan of travelers, McAllister travels to Glasgow and the neighborhoods of his youth. Set with the task of finding Jimmy McFee, McAllister and an up and coming young reporter are thrown into the underground boxing world and gangs of the city, revealing the gritty world of northern Scotland a decade after the war. Feeling middle aged and left in the eddies of small town Highland life forces McAllister to think about who he is and what he might become. McAllister’s internal struggles add depth to the mysterious plotlines involving Jimmy, boxing and gambling.
A.D. Schotts Highland series continues to be outstanding. Begin with the first though to make sure the backstory of the characters makes sense.
Rather than continuing the focus on Joanna after her traumatic experiences of the previous book, Scott sifted the story to develop the backstory and character of editor, John McAllister. At the request of Jennie McPhee, the matriarch of a local clan of travelers, McAllister travels to Glasgow and the neighborhoods of his youth. Set with the task of finding Jimmy McFee, McAllister and an up and coming young reporter are thrown into the underground boxing world and gangs of the city, revealing the gritty world of northern Scotland a decade after the war. Feeling middle aged and left in the eddies of small town Highland life forces McAllister to think about who he is and what he might become. McAllister’s internal struggles add depth to the mysterious plotlines involving Jimmy, boxing and gambling.
A.D. Schotts Highland series continues to be outstanding. Begin with the first though to make sure the backstory of the characters makes sense.
December 3, 2014
I haven't read North Sea Requiem and I think I'll skip it as it must have been particularly grim. Joanne and her daughters are living in McAllister's house while she recovers from the events of the previous book. McAllister is torn as to what he should do, marry Joanne or not, but then Jenny McPhee comes along to tell him he must go to Glasgow and find her son Jimmy. McAllister has strong ties with Jimmy and agrees to go. The whole plot ties itself in knots from this point, with everyone sure as to what they want everyone else to do but only if they don't have to ask. If you were a self respecting journalist and you had a chance to work for a major national paper wouldn't you? McAllister faces temptation after temptation and really isn't sure whether he's ever doing the right thing, but he pushes on with the usual cheering section encouraging him. The story chase in Glasgow is well done but I think Scott changed her mind about Mary, the young Glasgow reporter with ambition. (We should always beware of ambitious reporters because they tend to push headline stories that have more flash than substance and ignore the mundane stories that affect the readership every day.)The people in this series are extremely well drawn.
January 21, 2015
The fifth book in this series. This one focusing on McAllister, his links to his past and his ambivalence about his career, his impending marriage, and his ambitions. If the novel was set in present times we would say he's going through a mid life crisis. Not sure what they called it in the early sixties. We revisit some of the interesting characters from the previous novels, Jenny McPhee, leader of the Travelers, who I'd wouldn't mind reading a novel focused on her. New characters are also introduced, a childhood companion of McAllister, Wee Gerry Dochery, who is not wee at all, that has become a hard man, in the parlance. A young, extremely ambitious journalist Mary Ballantyne, that comes from a wealthy established family, willing to sacrifice life and limb to ferret out a deeper conspiracy behind local crime. Mary literally disappears at the end of the novel, she leaves Glasgow, but isn't at another major newspaper as one would suspect given her goals. I however strongly suspect that we haven't heard the last of Ms. Ballantyne and she will have a very surprising reappearance in a future novel in the series.
March 8, 2015
An enjoyable read, but somehow not as lively as other books in the series. Everyone seems to wander around asking questions that are never answered and, themselves, not answering the questions that are put to them. Lots of random violence, not so appealing either.
If this book were not billed as a "mystery," it might be different. Tremendous atmosphere and wonderful characters, but a bit short on plot. And no real mystery at all other than the endless question of "where's Jimmy?".
If this book were not billed as a "mystery," it might be different. Tremendous atmosphere and wonderful characters, but a bit short on plot. And no real mystery at all other than the endless question of "where's Jimmy?".
June 4, 2015
This was available through library so I tried it out. Confusing presentation of journalist in Highlands and his life history, friends, enemies, co-workers, bride-to-be and very unsettling ending to one of the main characters in the telling leading one to believe the "worst" but then, is it all to be resolved in later book? I am not interested enough to find out if this is even a series.
May 30, 2024
"John McAllister is at a crossroads, torn between the quiet satisfaction of life in the Scottish Highlands and the thrilling possibility of returning to work as a respected journalist for a national daily paper. He relishes the excitement of Glasgow, his home city. But, newly engaged, he must decide between an illustrious career and the contentment of a rural married life.
"In the midst of grappling with his ambivalence, McAllister finds himself embroiled in a dangerous hunt for his friend Jimmy McPhee, a Scottish Traveller and key player in a blood feud with a murderous gang. With a fiercely ambitious young crime reporter, McAllister tracks down Jimmy, only to be threatened by the criminals. A violent clash erupts, and before long he risks losing everything he hold dear -- his mother, his fiancee, his friends, his integrity, and his life.
"From the rugged beauty of the Highlands to the gritty desolation of Glasgow's slums, this mystery is a portrait of extremes: between city and glen; between the rule of law and the laws of the streets; between safe, enduring love and heart-rending, unreasoning passion."~~back cover
This was a very difficult book to read. The violence that rippled through every page was terrifying, and I read on the edge of my seat -- expecting the death of any of the various people involved at any minute. Joanne wasn't safe, her children weren't safe, his mother wasn't safe, and McAllister certainly wasn't safe. Not to mention Jimmy McPhee.
It didn't end as I hoped it would, but then again, the worst scenario I thought was a given didn't happen either -- thank goodness! I finished the book and was thankful it was over with -- now could we go back to life in the Highlands and the problems of every day life?
"In the midst of grappling with his ambivalence, McAllister finds himself embroiled in a dangerous hunt for his friend Jimmy McPhee, a Scottish Traveller and key player in a blood feud with a murderous gang. With a fiercely ambitious young crime reporter, McAllister tracks down Jimmy, only to be threatened by the criminals. A violent clash erupts, and before long he risks losing everything he hold dear -- his mother, his fiancee, his friends, his integrity, and his life.
"From the rugged beauty of the Highlands to the gritty desolation of Glasgow's slums, this mystery is a portrait of extremes: between city and glen; between the rule of law and the laws of the streets; between safe, enduring love and heart-rending, unreasoning passion."~~back cover
This was a very difficult book to read. The violence that rippled through every page was terrifying, and I read on the edge of my seat -- expecting the death of any of the various people involved at any minute. Joanne wasn't safe, her children weren't safe, his mother wasn't safe, and McAllister certainly wasn't safe. Not to mention Jimmy McPhee.
It didn't end as I hoped it would, but then again, the worst scenario I thought was a given didn't happen either -- thank goodness! I finished the book and was thankful it was over with -- now could we go back to life in the Highlands and the problems of every day life?
July 17, 2017
Fiction, Murder Mystery (#5 Highlands Gazette/Joanne Ross)
Highlands Gazette editor John McAlister finds himself at a cross-roads, a mid-life crises. Has he missed out on fame and notoriety by leaving Glasgow, the city from which he hails, to become a newspaper editor in the "quiet" highlands of Scotland (Inverness)? Should this life-long bachelor go through with his marriage to Joanne Ross (and children), who is still not herself (having been attacked and held captive my a mad woman in book #4)?
A long-ago-debt has yet to be settled, involving Traveler (Gypsy) Jimmy McPhee. Jimmy's mother Jennie calls upon McAlister to find her missing son. McAlister partners with crime reporter Mary Ballentyne of the Glasgow Herald to search for Jimmy McPhee. McAlister must grapple with his past and perceived regrets, not to mention his admiration for young, go-getter Ballentyne, in a male dominated journalistic world of the late 1950's. What murk will he find along the "low road?"
Highlands Gazette editor John McAlister finds himself at a cross-roads, a mid-life crises. Has he missed out on fame and notoriety by leaving Glasgow, the city from which he hails, to become a newspaper editor in the "quiet" highlands of Scotland (Inverness)? Should this life-long bachelor go through with his marriage to Joanne Ross (and children), who is still not herself (having been attacked and held captive my a mad woman in book #4)?
A long-ago-debt has yet to be settled, involving Traveler (Gypsy) Jimmy McPhee. Jimmy's mother Jennie calls upon McAlister to find her missing son. McAlister partners with crime reporter Mary Ballentyne of the Glasgow Herald to search for Jimmy McPhee. McAlister must grapple with his past and perceived regrets, not to mention his admiration for young, go-getter Ballentyne, in a male dominated journalistic world of the late 1950's. What murk will he find along the "low road?"
September 26, 2017
After the near tragedy of The North Sea Requiem, McAllister finds himself drawn back into his old stomping grounds of Glasgow and his old newspaper, The Herald and their new journalist Mary Ballantyne. Debts must be paid, no matter the price and McAllister must honor the request for help from Jenny McPhee to help find her son Jimmy. Old friendships resurface but with dire consequences. He must revisit the old boxing halls and pubs of his youth as he tries to find any trace of Jimmy McPhee, a Traveler from the Highlands. But looking into all these dark corners often creates more problems than solutions. He finds himself torn between his old life in Glasgow and his new life in the Highlands, unsure which one he wants. Another gripping mystery in a series I wish would never end!
March 6, 2017
Bk 5 of Highland Gazette takes McAllister
Back to Glasgow and the squalor and brutal underworld of crime there. There he joins forces with a fiercely determined young cub reporter, Mary Ballentyne at the Herald, and is drawn into eveil that touched Joanne Ross and the girl's years before, involves Travelers matriarch Jennie McPhee' second son and right hand man, Jimmy. This is a story of crime, corruption, the brutal underside life, of lives gone wrong and no way to right them, and if the hope that Love provides.
Back to Glasgow and the squalor and brutal underworld of crime there. There he joins forces with a fiercely determined young cub reporter, Mary Ballentyne at the Herald, and is drawn into eveil that touched Joanne Ross and the girl's years before, involves Travelers matriarch Jennie McPhee' second son and right hand man, Jimmy. This is a story of crime, corruption, the brutal underside life, of lives gone wrong and no way to right them, and if the hope that Love provides.
February 28, 2019
Was not really very into this book for a couple of reasons. First, the point of view changed from being primarily Joanne to her fiance, John McCallister. Joanne is recovering from a head injury and ordeal from the end of the last book and was almost entirely out of the picture in this one. The second reason is that it just seemed like it ran in circles for about 3/4 of the book, over and over the same issues and same material, same phrases used repeatedly. There's only one left in the series and I have it and will read it, but hopefully Joanne will be back at the helm.
May 27, 2020
With a complicated plot equaled only by complications amongst the characters, this fifth novel in the Highland Gazette series found this reader able to suspend the reality of time and place and become truly involved. A host of “spoilers” could be added, but all turn to the same question; what does one owe another?
December 28, 2021
Only a dram of whiskey or a pot of tea can get me through writing this review. (There are dozens of references to both beveragrs in this book.) This book is the fifth in a series. As much as I have enjoyed the other books, this one was a drag to get through.
The plot was dark and dreary. I did give it two stars because of the setting in the Scottish highlands.
The plot was dark and dreary. I did give it two stars because of the setting in the Scottish highlands.
October 28, 2017
I love this series; start with the first one, Beneath the Abbey Wall, to get the characters’ history. A great sense of place in the Scottish highlands in the 1950s, and complex plots that involve the characters in a believable way.
August 1, 2021
Not as good as others in this series, for two reasons: 1. It was set primarily in Glasgow, not in the Highlands, and 2. The primary character was not Joanne Ross, but John McAllister. The gang ties became very convoluted.
September 22, 2017
Really enjoyed this. Loved the story about Scotland Ireland area. Liked the history of the story. A good read.
December 5, 2018
While I like Scott's books in which Joanne is the main protagonist, this is a nice change in the series and helps build McAllister and Joanne's relationship.
January 27, 2019
Very dark. I enjoy the series so I persevered. I might not have if this had been a stand alone.
December 2, 2019
Mystery novel set in Glasgow during the late 50s. Wouldn’t give it a higher rating as I was not mesmerized by the story or the writing...but once started, I need to find out how it ends.
October 7, 2022
A.D. Scott continues to develop the story line and characters - so easy to enjoy.
October 10, 2014
I received a copy of this in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. My copy was also an ARC so what I say here may have no relevance to the book now. Seeming as I usually don't like murder mystery novels, and I really enjoyed this novel, I 'd say that means it was pretty well written. The story line was easy to follow, and the characters were all very likeable and realistic.
The Low Road takes place in Scotland in the 1950's and surrounds Journalist John McAllister, as he tries to get a hold of Jimmy McPhee who's now involved with cut throat gang. Helping him track down Jimmy is a young and up and coming journalist and there's a dangerous attraction between the two of them though they wont admit it. Meanwhile, Johns fiancée Joanne Ross is at home ailing form a the attack of a mad woman that could leave her with permanent brain damage. Because of this John is reconsidering the marrige between them.
Even though I missed the other novels in the series before this one, it was still pretty easy to follow along with everything that was going on. Everything was laid out and you get a good feel of what happened in the other novels. I'd still like to eventually pick one up just to see what I missed.
All of the characters were flawed in some way or another, take the main character John for example, he's having doubts about his coming marriage because he doesn't want to be settled with an invalid for the rest of his life, he's also uncomfortable with the idea of a ready made family, because Joanne has children from a previous marriage. It just makes the characters very believable.
The books characters all speak with the harsh accent of Scotland. But you get use to it after a few chapters. It's one of the driving points that makes the book seem realistic.
I admit to being very confused when I started reading the book, because the beginning seemed to go by quickly with little representation, but I'm just going to chalk that up to this being a book in a series and I didn't read the previous books.
The Low Road takes place in Scotland in the 1950's and surrounds Journalist John McAllister, as he tries to get a hold of Jimmy McPhee who's now involved with cut throat gang. Helping him track down Jimmy is a young and up and coming journalist and there's a dangerous attraction between the two of them though they wont admit it. Meanwhile, Johns fiancée Joanne Ross is at home ailing form a the attack of a mad woman that could leave her with permanent brain damage. Because of this John is reconsidering the marrige between them.
Even though I missed the other novels in the series before this one, it was still pretty easy to follow along with everything that was going on. Everything was laid out and you get a good feel of what happened in the other novels. I'd still like to eventually pick one up just to see what I missed.
All of the characters were flawed in some way or another, take the main character John for example, he's having doubts about his coming marriage because he doesn't want to be settled with an invalid for the rest of his life, he's also uncomfortable with the idea of a ready made family, because Joanne has children from a previous marriage. It just makes the characters very believable.
The books characters all speak with the harsh accent of Scotland. But you get use to it after a few chapters. It's one of the driving points that makes the book seem realistic.
I admit to being very confused when I started reading the book, because the beginning seemed to go by quickly with little representation, but I'm just going to chalk that up to this being a book in a series and I didn't read the previous books.
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