The Riverman

DCI Lorimer #4

by Alex Gray

When the dead body of a man is fished out of Glasgow's River Clyde the morning after an office celebration, it looks like a case of accidental death. An anonymous telephone call and a forensic toxicology test, however, give DCI Lorimer reason to think otherwise. Probing deeper into the life and business of the deceased accountant, Duncan Forbes, a seemingly upright member of the community, Lorimer find only yet more unanswered questions. What is the secret his widow seems to be concealing? Is there any reason to think that the international accountancy firm was facing financial difficulties? What has become of the dead man's protege who has disappeared in New York? And when the firm's human resources manager is found dead in her riverside flat these questions become only more complex -- not to mention more disturbing.

And Lorimer is having to cope not only with deceptions devised to hide the facts, but also with suspicions from those far closer to home . . .

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Scotland, Thriller, Suspense, Procedural

425 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2007

About the author

Alex Gray was born and educated in Glasgow. She worked as a folk singer, a visiting officer in the DSS and an English teacher. She has been awarded the Scottish Association of Writers Constable and Pitlochry trophies for her crime writing.

Reviews

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Scottish crime novel is the 4th volume of the very human and realistic "DCI Lorimer" series.

Storytelling is excellent, all characters, good or bad, come vividly to life in this story about greed, money-laundering and murder.

This police procedure is once again situated in Glasgow, and its main object is an Accountancy firm called, Forbes/MacGregor, and the subject that is particularly highlighted is money-laundering for a criminal organisation.

It all starts off with the dead body in the river Clyde of Duncan Forbes, senior partner of Forbes/ MacGregor, after a night's celebration at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

At first this death looks accidental, but soon enough a drug called, GHB, is found in the man's system and this drug is also found in the next killing, that of Jennifer Hammond at home, and this woman also works for the same firm.

For DCI Lorimer and his team, and with the help of psychologist, Solomon Brightman, the task will be to unravel the threads of deceit and conspiracy that exists between various members of Forbes/ MacGregor, as well as the disappearance of a very promising young accountant called, Michael Turner, and the flight of partner in crime Graham West, until DCI Lorimer and his team will be able to bring these cases to a successful conclusion.

What is to follow is a realistic and action-packed police procedure, with a fascinating storyline and an interesting plot, that will finally result in a very satisfying conclusion at the end.

Highly recommended, for this is another remarkable addition to this, so far, great series, and that's why I like to call this latest episode: "A Very Engrossing DCI Lorimer Sequel"!

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when I start a book in the middle of a series and it's not a problem at all getting into the story and the characters are easy to like. The Riverman starts off interesting with the dead body that's fished out of the water, and after that, we get a prequel to what happened before the man was fished out of the water. The book moves between a lot of different POV's, both the police and people around the dead man. At first, it seems that it's either a suicide or a drunken mistake that made the man drown, but Detective Chief Inspector William Lorimer feels that there is more to the case and soon he starts to suspect that someone had a good reason for killing the man.

I found The Riverman to be a really good book. I was intrigued by the story and it was interesting to follow the police work as they tried to find the truth. Did I suspect the ending? Yes and now, I suspected that there were more to it and that someone probably was behind it and I was not really surprised when the truth came out. This book is in a way an excellent study in human behavior. And, how moral code can be overruled if it has to.

I found this book to be really good and I hope to read the rest of the books in the series. I instantly liked William Lorimer, and it was refreshing to read about a police that seems to have no vices and a stable home life. I do love damaged characters, but once in a while is it nice to read about a man that seems to have most of his life under control.

[Jenifer Mohammed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This story had so many twists and turns that I was struggling to keep up with all the possible suspects, their motives, and the reasons for killing each victim. A really good hard boiled mystery!

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glasgow’s River Clyde gives up a dead body, a probable accidental death, but for DCI William Lorimer, that probability is tossed out the window when forensics and an anonymous call point to something far more sinister.

The victim was an accountant, his company a powerful international firm. Was the company in financial trouble? Is that why this man was found floating in the cold river? What secrets will Lorimer uncover? How many deaths, lies and secrets will be uncovered that are related to this global firm?

Follow the trail of deceit, greed and personal agendas as the bodies begin to pile up while the answers remain allusive. Someone knows what is going on and they are not talking, could it be the last person anyone would expect?

Twisted, dark and filled with edgy and taut suspense, Alex Gray’s THE RIVERMAN is a suspense reader’s delight as it slowly heats to a boil and spirals to its amazing conclusion.

I received this copy from Alex Gray in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Witness Impulse (January 10, 2017)
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Genre: Police Procedural | Mystery
Print Length: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Tom Ferguson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book pretty laboured. Sheer stubbornness for not wanting to leave a book unfinished is the only reason I got to the end of it. Disappointing.

[Kara Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was first posted here: http://karatheredhead.blogspot.com/20...

The Riverman was amazing. Alex Gray is one of the most descriptive authors I have come across. I felt like I was walking the streets of Glasgow, Scotland. At first, I didn't know how I was going to keep up with so many characters, but all of the characters weaved together perfectly. No one was left out, and every turn the story took, was explained. It wasn't like at the end of some movies where you are left questioning what happened to so and so or why did they never go back to this theory? Everything was completed to the T.

I also love how I guessed who did it, but at times I almost went back on my theory. The mystery and thrills were intense, and I was also thoroughly surprised throughout the book! I recommend this for anyone, especially if you like any TV BBC series such as Inspector Lynley, Prime Suspect, Cracker, etc.

I give The Riverman 4 out of 5 stars! I can't wait to read the rest of this series (and the beginning ones as well).

Thank you to Alex Gray, Witness Impulse, and Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for providing this copy of The Riverman for my honest review for the blog tour!

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the writing of this a bit wooden and that the characters lacked teeth in the way other Glaswegian writers (Lin Anderson, Denise Mina for two) manage to create, but have to admit I'd assumed 'Alex' to be a bloke until I reached the end and discovered he was a she ...

That said, the plot was sufficiently convoluted for me not to guess what was going on but it was difficut to care too much about such two-dimensional characters.

[LadyTechie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Riverman was a very detailed mystery/thriller. I received a copy in exchange for an honest review from the publisher (Frontlist/Harper Collins) via Edelweiss. As soon as I read the description I knew it would be a book that I enjoy spending time reading. I was worried that I did not know it was the fourth book in a series but, I jumped right in and still found the characters engaging. A reader cannot help but love a good mystery that starts with a body in the first pages. You are hooked because now you must find out who the person was and why did they end up in the river Clyde in Glasgow. It sounds rough going in the parts where more than one body was dropped. The Clyde was described and felt like another character in the book and was intricately woven into the story of the man whose job it was to rescue those that he could from the Clyde, or retrieve their bodies. A job that seemed to be passed down through his family.

The Riverman was the story of greed, murder, adultery and never too far from these was jealousy. A very prestigious accounting firm in Glasgow with branches all over the world, that Duncan Forbes' family helped start, has been dragged into a world of trouble. Duncan does what he should and reports it to the managing partner. Unfortunately, this sets off a series of events that will likely tear the firm apart and ruin many families. Another big part of the story is the backdrop of the families of the men who work in the firm that are affected by what transpires, specifically two of the wives that have their lives irrevocably changed. At times, you wonder how people can turn into such monsters. Money is great but, the things that some of the individuals in the book were willing to do to maintain the status quo is just unreal, mainly because it happens in the real world. Alex Gray has a great new book in this series which means I must take a step back and start at the beginning. Review can also be seen at LadyTechie's Book Musings http://ladytechiesbookmusings.blogspo....

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Duncan Forbe's body is pulled from the River Clyde in Glasgow, DCI William Latimer is called in to investigate. Forbes had been at a going away party for another member of his accounting firm and everyone's first thought was that he had overindulged and fallen in. But when drugs are found in his system, it becomes clear that this was no accident.

As Lorimer and his team interrogate the other members of the firm, they pick up an uneasiness and reluctance to talk. When the man the party was given for is reported found dead in America where his new job was to be, suspicions rise higher. When a flirtatious member of the HR Department is found dead in her apartment, it is crystal clear that the accounting firm has big secrets that are also dangerous.

Lorimer pulls in his psychologist friend, Solly, who is helpful in gauging personalities during interrogations and in looking at the case from a different perspective. Solly has helped Lorimer on other cases and his insights are once again an impetus to Lorimer's thought processes. Can the two men and the Glasgow Police discover what is going on before more lives are lost?

Alex Gray has written eleven novels in the DCI Lorimer series with another one coming in the spring of 2018. Lorimer is not a flashy detective or one who ignores police procedure. Instead, he uses the investigative tools available to him along with his own common sense to solve the murders that mar the Glasgow landscape. His use of the psychologist as a consultant lends more interest to the cases but it is always clear who is in charge. This book is recommended for mystery readers.

[Nicky Mottram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was an ok read but not the best book in the series

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great novel to read during these dark winter evenings. The plot is complex yet engaging. I enjoyed how the facts of the case were uncovered bit by bit. It took dogged determination on Lorimer's part to get to the root of the mayhem. The police work is methodical but kept my interest throughout the novel. I felt the ruminations of the characters were well balanced with periodic action. The point of view jumped around a bit at the beginning but the threads were brought together as the novel progressed.

Relationships are an essential aspect of this novel. They are more important in this novel than those concentrating on action. In two of the marriages, there was some concern about the husband having an affair. I liked how those concerns brought a sense of reality to the characters.

This is the first novel about DCI Lorimer I have read by Gray. I could tell there was some back story I had missed, such as between Lorimer and his wife, but this novel reads very well on its own. I really enjoyed the setting and the focus on the river in Glasgow.

I recommend this novel to those who enjoy the European style of mysteries, with methodical plots that uncover the mystery layer by layer.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meine Meinung von 2012
Wann immer ein Körper aus dem River Clyde gezogen werden muss, ist der Riverman zur Stelle. Er hilft der Polizei, die Leichen zu bergen. In diesem Fall sieht alles nach einem tragischen Unfall aus. Der Rechnungsprüfer Duncan Forbes wird am Morgen nach der Abschiedsparty für einen Kollegen tot aus dem Clyde gezogen. Alle Anzeichen deuten darauf hin, dass er betrunken ins Wasser gestürzt und ertrunken ist. Doch ein anonymer Anruf weckt Zweifel in DCI Lorrimer. Auch die Beteuerungen der Familie, dass Forbes seit vielen Jahren keinen Tropfen Alkohol mehr anrührt bestärken den Verdacht, dass es sich um keinen natürlichen Todesfall handelt. Als dann auch noch der Protegé des Toten auf der Reise in eine amerikanische Niederlassung verschwindet und eine weitere Kollegin ermordet wird ist klar, dass der Täter innerhalb des direkten Umfeldes der Opfer gesucht werden muss.

Der Krimi hat mich am Anfang verwirrt. Es kam mir vor, als ob die Autorin nicht eine, sondern viele verschiedene Geschichten erzählen würde, die auch teilweise nicht zusammengehörten. Erst nach und nach wurde aus vielen kleinen Begebenheiten ein zusammenhängender Krimi.

Die Handlung spielt abwechselnd in Glasgow und in den USA, wohin der Verschwundene zu einer neuen Karriere aufgebrochen ist. Die Ereignisse in Glasgow sind gewohnt souverän erzählt. Maggie Lorrimer gewöhnt sich nach einem halben Jahr Auslandsaufenthalt wieder an das Leben mit ihrem Mann daheim, muss aber erkennen, dass nicht alles so rosig ist wie es ihr am Anfang vorgekommen ist. Die Kollegen von Duncan Forbes sind nervös und es wird immer deutlicher, dass sie Geheimnisse haben, die direkt oder indirekt mit seinem Tod zu tun haben.

Der Teil in den USA dagegen hat mir nicht so gut gefallen. Die Verbrecher dort haben wirklich alle Eigenschaften, die man amerikanischen Gangstern zuschreibt. Hier hat Alex Gray für meinen Geschmack zu dick aufgetragen. Auch das Tatmotiv hat mich ein bisschen enttäuscht. Ich kann es zwar nachvollziehen, aber normalerweise ist die Autorin da raffinierter.

Meine Meinung von 2024
Der Krimi funktioniert auch beim zweiten Lesen und hat mir sogar noch einen Tick besser gefallen. Die vielen Stränge am Anfang haben sich zu einem spannenden Krimi verbunden, bei dem man genau hinschauen muss, um die kleinen Hinweise, die Alex Gray immer wieder einstreut, nicht zu verpassen.

Wenn ich einen der älteren Krimis aus der Reihe lese, finde ich den Vergleich zu den aktuellen Teilen immer spannend, denn Handlung und Charaktere haben sich weiterentwickelt. Deshalb freue ich mich schon auf den nächsten Teil, der demnächst erscheinen wird.

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

DCI Lorimer is pulled into a dark conspiracy of successful and wealthy accountants of the Forbes Macgregor firm. One of the members of the firm, Michael Turner discovers that there is a red flag in a client's account, hinting at money laundering. The client is Jacobs Betting Shops. Unfortunately when he takes the evidence to one of the partners, Duncan Forbes, and Forbes subsequently goes to Alex Barr, the process of elimination begins. First Duncan is murdered, and Michael is promoted and sent to the U.S. branch, Kirby Russell. However, he never arrives at the offices, and a body that is identified as Turner is found. When Tony Jacobs is killed Lorimer begins to suspect a connection to the other murders. The regular team is pushed into believing that it is coincidence until Jennifer Hammond is also killed. Dr. Solomon Brightman is enlisted to study the case, and focuses on the River Clyde, in which Forbes was found by George Parsonage, the Riverman who is renowned for his life on the river recovering bodies and saving lives, and around which the events have occurred or the victims and firm members live.

Meanwhile, in American James Johnson is holding Turner with the intent to extort money from the partners who ordered the hit. Turner escapes and his return to the U.K. puts new information into the hands of the police to catch Graham West, Catherine Devoy, Malcolm Adams and Alex Barr the partners who were getting rich in the scheme.

Another complex and excellent addition to the series. There are allusions to infidelity both for Forbes widow and Maggie, who is listening to the gossip at her old school, as she has returned from Florida early, and finds some references to Jo Grant, Lorimer's DI. There is steady increase in the development of the character of Lorimer and the marriage of Bill and Maggie.

[Nancy]

When the dead body of a man is fished out of Glasgow's River Clyde the morning after an office celebration, it looks like a case of accidental death. An anonymous telephone call and a forensic toxicology test, however, give DCI Lorimer reason to think otherwise. Probing deeper into the life and business of the deceased accountant, Duncan Forbes, a seemingly upright member of the community, Lorimer find only yet more unanswered questions. What is the secret his widow seems to be concealing? Is there any reason to think that the international accountancy firm was facing financial difficulties? What has become of the dead man's protege who has disappeared in New York? And when the firm's human resources manager is found dead in her riverside flat these questions become only more complex -- not to mention more disturbing.

And Lorimer is having to cope not only with deceptions devised to hide the facts, but also with suspicions from those far closer to home . . .

Great.

[M Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gray is clearly a skilled writer, and this mystery, if not excellent is nearly so

Some of the things appreciated are: a very wide variety of characters who felt real, lived-in, complex; pacing keeps us want to read more more, The Riverman is 400 pages but feels like less; sense of place often feels natural, like we're there.

Drawbacks? Not much. It's fiction, and some characters are there to move the plot along perhaps. Likewise, this is no more more fantastic than most thrillers and less than some, so the reader is seldom distracted by implausibility though maybe not never.

In the end though, most mystery lovers will find this comforting as they are in the sure hands of a gifted storyteller. Fourth book in the series, and I didn't feel at all lost having not read the previous three. Recommended for all who like to chase the leads and uncover the murderer(s)

[margaret chalmers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A humane kindly Charon.

Another brilliant story. This one is more low key, subdued and rather melancholy. We also get to meet a famous Glasgow stalwart, Mr Parsonage, who fishes in the Clyde, for people living or dead. He pulls a man out of the river. An accountant. Did he fall, jump, or was he pushed? His family firm is investigated revealing a web of deceit and greed. Interestingly another theme runs through the book. Jealousy or suspicion of infidelity. Even Lorimer's wife succumbs to this poison because she, like the other women in the story do not speak of their fears. Was she right to be suspicious? Read it and find out. I ain't telling. Highly recommended.

[Gary Dowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book four in the DCI Lorimer series begins with the apparent accidental drowning of a Glasgow accountant, however after a drug I found in his system, Lorimer and his team suspect foul play and that's confirmed when another member of the same business dies and a third goes missing in New York.
I was surprised that its been two years since I read book three and once I'd caught up with the ongoing characters in the series, I could enjoy a complex, multi-layered story when plenty of new characters to get my head around. Most of the time the reader is as much in the dark as the police are regarding the case and as the story is told from multiple viewpoints, you are constantly wondering after what's truth, lies or a good old red herring.
A decent whodunnit and whydunnit.

[Wendy Jakob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the DCI Lorimer Detective series by Alex Gray. This case starts with the death of a bookmaker and continues with a death and a disappearance from his firm of accountants.

Another death follows and DCI Lorimer must work out the connections between the events and who is behind them. Centred around the river Clyde, two of the bodies are pulled out of the Clyde by the Riverman, the man called when anyone needs rescuing or retrieving from the river. One death is initially believed to be accidental but as the case progresses Lorimer begins to understand how the deaths are linked and that there is nothing accidental taking place.

[Chrystyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Riverman by Alex Gray - Good

A body in the Clyde. Looks like the usual case of over indulgence and a walk too near the water's edge, but the victim is a partner in a multinational accountancy firm and somehow things don't add up. DI Lorimer and his psychologist colleague Dr Solomon Brightman are soon on the case.

Particularly enjoyed this one as I used to work a little further up the riverside and one of my colleagues actually found a body in the river one morning. However it did remind me of some other colleagues teasing me about Glasgow's reputation, when I first moved to Scotland, "Oh I often stand on Jamaica Bridge and count the bodies"...

Good pacy read.

[John Bunyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I’ve read of this DCI Lorimer series. I will definitely read more. Good plot and writing style. The story concerns an accounting firm and the author did not try to get too technical or deep into the accounting aspects, which saved the book from having unrealistic or impossible plot elements that played some stories.
It is a police procedural with the resolution not entirely due to the police work - partly due to someone coming forward with information.
There sub plot of Lorimer’s wife being jealous was silly and actually took away from the book - every time her musings came up it just took me out of the story. It was all kind of a sitcom cliche.

[Lauren Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

To compare this author to Rebus is really pushing it. I didn’t like the style this book was written in, it made it confusing to keep up with who all the characters were and I’m still trying to figure out who the protagonist was supposed to be; Maclcolm, Michael, Lorimer - who knows?! The last ten pages are where the big reveal happens, but it was just so boring that I’d lost the will to keep my eyes open. I’ve had more thrilling nightmares. Sadly I won’t read anything else by Alex Gray.

[Debbie Seaborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of these books I’ve tried. Kept meaning to read and picked this up in a charity shop.

This is a good solid crime story and I love how the crime was only revealed as the story progressed. The story kept you guessing as to what was really going on. The story was very well crafted.

Didn’t hurt that this wasn’t book 1 but I’ll do my best to read from the start going forward.

The main characters all had a bit of depth which I liked too.

Will definitely be back for more.

[Sharon Gallup · Rating 4 out of 5]

at first i found this novel alittle dull at the beginning but the more i read the story picked up in action. the riverman pulls out a man from the deep river and it is found that the dead man is part of a large accounting firm. a police detective thinks it is suicide but things don't add up. then more people related to that firm around the world is reported missing and dead. as the story processes the suspense is built up and then it becomes to put the book down.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

DCI William Lorimer works the streets of Glasgow in a hard hitting Series. With his now friend, and profiler, Solomon Brightman, they try to solve the grizzly murders found in the Scottish city .. Really strong characterisation and the storylines are all different and well paced. The personal lives of these two men are also really well developed, and their continuum comes across as 'thought out' and not just as an afterthought. Only a few more and I'll be up to date on the whole Series.

[Jo Woolnough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the plot for this book and like that it’s based in Scotland - the main detective comes across as firm but fair and keeps the readers firmly on his side.

The plot for this one really shows how human greed really can cause people to go to extremes - as for the murders you will be guessing for most of the book - very good.

[Gary Van Cott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not to my taste at all. The beginning section takes place in a firm of accountants. I found this portion of the book very confusing. It wasn't until I was about 90 percent through the book that the mystery begins (finally!) to unravel. My preference is to have mysteries told from the perspective of the detectives which is far from the case here.

[Sharon Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a number of years since I read the previous book so it took me a while to get back into the swing of all of the characters. I liked the complexity of the story and the motivations of some of the characters were interesting.

I read the audiobook version and I wasn't a huge fan of the narrator's interpretation of female voices, but by about half way through it jarred less.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started the Lorimar series I started at book no.9 at have continued forward. I've also enjoyed going back and finding out about Lorimar's earlier career and his relationship with Maggie and his team members. I really enjoyed this book, trying to decide who was responsible for the deaths and why.

[Arthur Okun · Rating 4 out of 5]

A conventional company----an accounting corporation-----very staid partners-
and some are murderers and some are killed and some try to escape.
But,DCI William Lorimer interviewed the suspects,searched for clues, and those who stolen,and killed
met justice.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book by Alex Gray just didn't do it for me. Set in the world of accountants is probably what made it an unengaging prospect. I usually enjoy the books in this series and I'm a fan of DCI Lorimer.