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Harry McCoy #6
I vecchi muoiono a giugno
Il nuovo capitolo della lunga storia che lega Harry McCoy alla sua città, una Glasgow di ombre e poche luci, di corrotti e corruttori, dove il discrimine tra chi è colpevole e chi è innocente è labile.
Glasgow, maggio 1975. Una donna entra in una stazione di polizia per denunciare la scomparsa del figlio Jeremiah, nove anni. Suo padre è il pastore della Chiesa della Sofferenza di Cristo. Harry McCoy sa che quando c’è di mezzo una setta spesso non ne esce nulla di buono. Per giunta, è distaccato a Possil, una stazione dall’altra parte della città, perché sta aiutando il collega Wattie in un’indagine Possil è il centro di un’indagine sommersa sulla corruzione nella polizia, e McCoy deve condurla senza dare troppo nell’occhio. In più, da giorni viene segnalato il ritrovamento di corpi, morti avvelenati.
Glasgow, maggio 1975. Una donna entra in una stazione di polizia per denunciare la scomparsa del figlio Jeremiah, nove anni. Suo padre è il pastore della Chiesa della Sofferenza di Cristo. Harry McCoy sa che quando c’è di mezzo una setta spesso non ne esce nulla di buono. Per giunta, è distaccato a Possil, una stazione dall’altra parte della città, perché sta aiutando il collega Wattie in un’indagine Possil è il centro di un’indagine sommersa sulla corruzione nella polizia, e McCoy deve condurla senza dare troppo nell’occhio. In più, da giorni viene segnalato il ritrovamento di corpi, morti avvelenati.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2024
51 people are currently reading
598 people want to read
About the author
Alan Parks
10 books116 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Alan Parks has worked in the music industry for over twenty years. His debut novel Bloody January was one of the top crime debuts of 2018 and was shortlisted for the prestigious international crime prize the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. He lives and works in Glasgow
Alan Parks has worked in the music industry for over twenty years. His debut novel Bloody January was one of the top crime debuts of 2018 and was shortlisted for the prestigious international crime prize the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière. He lives and works in Glasgow
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
April 6, 2023
Book 6# in the popular Detective Harry McCoy series - Tartan noir at its best.
McCoy and his partner Wattie are temporarily seconded to a station across the other side of Glasgow, when a distraught woman walks in to report her young son missing - the problem is, there are no records whatsoever that he even exists!
A second investigation involves a spate of poisonings amongst the homeless, and this is something close to the heart of McCoy, as his alcoholic father has lived on Glasgow’s streets for many years.
McCoy is one tough cop, and he doesn’t just break the rules, he totally demolishes them, but don’t let that fool you, he’s vulnerable, he’s hurting - and it’s a pain that’s been his partner since childhood, “a hole in the middle of him - so big, even all the drink he can get down him won’t fill it up.”
Despite the dark, grim, and gritty storylines, the Glaswegian sense of humour always lifts this series to another level. Recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Canongate for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
McCoy and his partner Wattie are temporarily seconded to a station across the other side of Glasgow, when a distraught woman walks in to report her young son missing - the problem is, there are no records whatsoever that he even exists!
A second investigation involves a spate of poisonings amongst the homeless, and this is something close to the heart of McCoy, as his alcoholic father has lived on Glasgow’s streets for many years.
McCoy is one tough cop, and he doesn’t just break the rules, he totally demolishes them, but don’t let that fool you, he’s vulnerable, he’s hurting - and it’s a pain that’s been his partner since childhood, “a hole in the middle of him - so big, even all the drink he can get down him won’t fill it up.”
Despite the dark, grim, and gritty storylines, the Glaswegian sense of humour always lifts this series to another level. Recommended.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Canongate for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange*
April 5, 2023
4+
DI Harry McCoy #6 - May/June 1975, Glasgow
McCoy is asked to attend a potential crime scene on waste ground where a man’s body has been found by two boys. It’s a victim known to McCoy, that of Jamie MacLeod aka Govan Jamie, a down and out hardened drinker. His death is deemed as natural causes, a hard life lived to excess. However, when similar victims turn up McCoy is on the case and very concerned for his father, also a member of this community. In addition, Judith West whose husband is pastor at the Church of Christ’s Suffering comes to the station to report her nine year old son missing. There seems to be more to this hardline church than meets the eye. McCoy has a lot on his plate as per usual especially as he’s been seconded to Possil Station where he is about as welcome as Typhoid Mary.
Alan Parks is up there with the very best crime writers and the character of McCoy is also one of the best creations, not just within Tartan Noir but much wider afield. He absolutely fascinates me and continues to do so. He treads a wavy ambiguous line between right and wrong especially via his friendship with OCG head Stevie Cooper but McCoy cares about the people no one else does which is particularly evident here. These people trust him and overall, he does do good even if he has his own brand of innovative solutions. As usual, the plot is packed with everything from the aforementioned cases to corruption and being caught between rocks and hard places. There’s retaliation and reputation, separation of truth from lies and inevitably all hell breaks looses with equally inevitable violent consequences. It escalates to a very good ending and a distinct sense of unfinished business.
Yet again alongside the character of McCoy stands the character of the city of Glasgow of this era. It’s grit, grit and more grit, a city crying out for renovation and tough like no other. It adds to the grim tone and is described with pinpoint accuracy and in the context of the times. This is the world that McCoy bestrides, tough just like him.
Whilst the plot of this latest instalment is without doubt we’ll constructed and it definitely keeps you immersed it’s not quite as fast paced as May God Forgive which leaves you breathless. Nonetheless it’s still a very good book and one I can recommend to fans of the genre. It can easily be read as a stand-alone but why miss out on this great series!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canongate for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
DI Harry McCoy #6 - May/June 1975, Glasgow
McCoy is asked to attend a potential crime scene on waste ground where a man’s body has been found by two boys. It’s a victim known to McCoy, that of Jamie MacLeod aka Govan Jamie, a down and out hardened drinker. His death is deemed as natural causes, a hard life lived to excess. However, when similar victims turn up McCoy is on the case and very concerned for his father, also a member of this community. In addition, Judith West whose husband is pastor at the Church of Christ’s Suffering comes to the station to report her nine year old son missing. There seems to be more to this hardline church than meets the eye. McCoy has a lot on his plate as per usual especially as he’s been seconded to Possil Station where he is about as welcome as Typhoid Mary.
Alan Parks is up there with the very best crime writers and the character of McCoy is also one of the best creations, not just within Tartan Noir but much wider afield. He absolutely fascinates me and continues to do so. He treads a wavy ambiguous line between right and wrong especially via his friendship with OCG head Stevie Cooper but McCoy cares about the people no one else does which is particularly evident here. These people trust him and overall, he does do good even if he has his own brand of innovative solutions. As usual, the plot is packed with everything from the aforementioned cases to corruption and being caught between rocks and hard places. There’s retaliation and reputation, separation of truth from lies and inevitably all hell breaks looses with equally inevitable violent consequences. It escalates to a very good ending and a distinct sense of unfinished business.
Yet again alongside the character of McCoy stands the character of the city of Glasgow of this era. It’s grit, grit and more grit, a city crying out for renovation and tough like no other. It adds to the grim tone and is described with pinpoint accuracy and in the context of the times. This is the world that McCoy bestrides, tough just like him.
Whilst the plot of this latest instalment is without doubt we’ll constructed and it definitely keeps you immersed it’s not quite as fast paced as May God Forgive which leaves you breathless. Nonetheless it’s still a very good book and one I can recommend to fans of the genre. It can easily be read as a stand-alone but why miss out on this great series!!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Canongate for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
May 23, 2023
To Die In June is the sixth book in the Harry McCoy series by British author, Alan Parks. In late May 1975, DI Harry McCoy and DS Douglas Watson are seconded to Possil station under a credible pretext, but Harry is actually there to look for evidence of corruption: too many successful Post Office robberies that CI Hector Murray suspects have Police involvement.
While he’s there, Harry’s childhood friend, local crime boss Stevie Cooper decides to expand his territory into Possil, currently Archie Andrews’s domain. Harry understands that means another gang war but, in Cooper’s debt, accepts his own role in providing information to Cooper as a fact of life.
While he waits and watches, Harry’s interest is piqued when a distraught mother claims her nine-year-old son is missing, only to have the search called off when her husband, the pastor of the Church of Christ’s Suffering, declares there is no son: his wife has mental health issues after her miscarriage. An item Harry later finds has him sceptical…
Also distracting him are the deaths of several “down-and-outs” called to his attention by young Gerry Lewis, who believes they have been poisoned. Wattie, pathologist Phyllis Gilroy and CI Murray are all unconvinced. As Wattie puts it: “People nobody cares about being murdered. All according to some guy who may or may not be touched. McCoy to the rescue”, but Harry’s father, Alec fits into the demographic, which has him concerned.
The torture and bashing murder of an old small-time crook and tout is baffling: it’s clear the perpetrator was after information, but what could this old man possibly have known? Before he and Wattie can question the man’s sister, she ends up in a coma, but some clever detective work provides a clue.
Parks easily conveys his setting, and that being mid-seventies underworld Glasgow, it necessitates graphic descriptions of violence, liberal use of expletives, and hard drinking. His plot takes plenty of twists and turns, and not a few red herrings distract the reader from the truth. He presents Harry with some curly dilemmas that take a bit of thinking to sort out, and Parks keeps his protagonist a bit stunned at his good luck to be dating beautiful actress, Margo Lindsay. As usual, Wattie is frustrated by Harry’s reticence.
Most of the story takes place over about three weeks, and before the final resolution there is arson at a chop-shop garage, the bombing of a luxury car, the smashing up of two pubs, the discovery of a puzzling birth certificate, and a not-inconsiderable body count. Harry’s uncertain future will have fans eagerly anticipating the July title in this excellent gritty Glasgow noir series.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate.
While he’s there, Harry’s childhood friend, local crime boss Stevie Cooper decides to expand his territory into Possil, currently Archie Andrews’s domain. Harry understands that means another gang war but, in Cooper’s debt, accepts his own role in providing information to Cooper as a fact of life.
While he waits and watches, Harry’s interest is piqued when a distraught mother claims her nine-year-old son is missing, only to have the search called off when her husband, the pastor of the Church of Christ’s Suffering, declares there is no son: his wife has mental health issues after her miscarriage. An item Harry later finds has him sceptical…
Also distracting him are the deaths of several “down-and-outs” called to his attention by young Gerry Lewis, who believes they have been poisoned. Wattie, pathologist Phyllis Gilroy and CI Murray are all unconvinced. As Wattie puts it: “People nobody cares about being murdered. All according to some guy who may or may not be touched. McCoy to the rescue”, but Harry’s father, Alec fits into the demographic, which has him concerned.
The torture and bashing murder of an old small-time crook and tout is baffling: it’s clear the perpetrator was after information, but what could this old man possibly have known? Before he and Wattie can question the man’s sister, she ends up in a coma, but some clever detective work provides a clue.
Parks easily conveys his setting, and that being mid-seventies underworld Glasgow, it necessitates graphic descriptions of violence, liberal use of expletives, and hard drinking. His plot takes plenty of twists and turns, and not a few red herrings distract the reader from the truth. He presents Harry with some curly dilemmas that take a bit of thinking to sort out, and Parks keeps his protagonist a bit stunned at his good luck to be dating beautiful actress, Margo Lindsay. As usual, Wattie is frustrated by Harry’s reticence.
Most of the story takes place over about three weeks, and before the final resolution there is arson at a chop-shop garage, the bombing of a luxury car, the smashing up of two pubs, the discovery of a puzzling birth certificate, and a not-inconsiderable body count. Harry’s uncertain future will have fans eagerly anticipating the July title in this excellent gritty Glasgow noir series.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate.
June 22, 2023
I can't praise this series enough. Grittier than grit,superbly written, wonderful characters.
Disparate threads coming together beautifully.
McCoy is one of the best characters to come along in years.
Disparate threads coming together beautifully.
McCoy is one of the best characters to come along in years.
May 19, 2023
Harry McCoy, #6
A woman enters a Glasgow police station to report her son missing, but no record can be found of the boy. When Detective harry McCoy, seconded from the cop shop across town, discovers the family is part of a cultish Church of Christs Suffering, he suspects there is more to Michael's disappearance than meets the eye. Meanwhile reports arrive of a string of poisonings of down-and-outs across the city. The dead are men who few barely notice, let alone care about - but, as McCoy is painfully aware, among this desperate community is his own father.
Set in the 1970's, Harry and his Sergeant Wattie are seconded to Possil police station. down and outs are being poisoned, and a local woman reports her son missing, but there's no record of her son anywhere. Add to this a touch of police corruption and gang warfare. There is quite a lot of violence, but there is just about as much humour to the story, so it kind of evens things out. I have only read one other book in this series, and I think I have missed out on quite a lot of backstories. Even though there is a lot of subplots, they weren't confusing, and they were all tied up nicely by the end.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Cannongate and the author #AlanParks for my ARC of #ToDieInJune in exchange for an honest review.
A woman enters a Glasgow police station to report her son missing, but no record can be found of the boy. When Detective harry McCoy, seconded from the cop shop across town, discovers the family is part of a cultish Church of Christs Suffering, he suspects there is more to Michael's disappearance than meets the eye. Meanwhile reports arrive of a string of poisonings of down-and-outs across the city. The dead are men who few barely notice, let alone care about - but, as McCoy is painfully aware, among this desperate community is his own father.
Set in the 1970's, Harry and his Sergeant Wattie are seconded to Possil police station. down and outs are being poisoned, and a local woman reports her son missing, but there's no record of her son anywhere. Add to this a touch of police corruption and gang warfare. There is quite a lot of violence, but there is just about as much humour to the story, so it kind of evens things out. I have only read one other book in this series, and I think I have missed out on quite a lot of backstories. Even though there is a lot of subplots, they weren't confusing, and they were all tied up nicely by the end.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #Cannongate and the author #AlanParks for my ARC of #ToDieInJune in exchange for an honest review.
June 18, 2023
3.5 / 5
A short read just a little over 300 pages. I’ve not read either the Harry McCoy series or from Alan Parker so when I got the chance to read this book I had no idea what to expect.
I guess the biggest shocker is the timeline/ or time this book is set in June 1975, and not the present hence the police procedures are completely different and the world of corruption is prevalent. I have to say I’m not a fan of books set in history because of two things: a) I don’t like history one bit and avoid it at all costs and b) the methods of testing is not as great as what we have currently to date. If you’re looking for a police procedure it’s nothing of that, in fact quite the opposite. So this book will not be for you.
The book follows McCoy who has moved posts to Polis Station on Glasgow. His first shift involves locating a missing boy named Jeremiah who is missing reported by the mother Judith who is the wife of Reverend west. McCoy investigates to find out the son does not exist and gets reported for wasting Police time. (Yes, you will be subjected to the religious shenanigans of Jesus and suffering is a sin) (so if you avoid religion in books, this might have to be a pass, as there is reference to Midsummer and strong brainwashing of religion). The next day Judith is found dead on the tracks after throwing herself off the side of the bridge. Alongside this, a series of mysterious deaths appear dotted around Glasgow city, where homeless drunks are found dead which McCoy investigates. Where there is more to then what mets the eye. He’s also friends with Stevie cooper who is at a turf war with Archie andrews where a series of attacks occur. There’s also some corrupt police officers higher than Harry McCoys rank who he has to deal with.
Overall it’s a good read, and probably very accurate representation of the policing during the 70s with the level of corruption. If you want a short read, this book is for you, it’s easy to follow given how many names are involved and the plot. The only thing I would say is that the book makes you realise how crazy the current inflation is in the UK, everything in the 70’s are cheap! The only thing I don’t like is how I felt the blurb of the book doesn’t really match what’s going on because so much is happening there isn’t really a main plot. And because there isn’t a strong main plot, where usually the focus is on, means that for all the other plots there was not as much detail. I have to say the ending for the missing boy and death of Judith West didn’t go to much detail at all. It was very much so this happened and then that bobs your uncle this plot is done, onto next plot- is how it felt.
A short read just a little over 300 pages. I’ve not read either the Harry McCoy series or from Alan Parker so when I got the chance to read this book I had no idea what to expect.
I guess the biggest shocker is the timeline/ or time this book is set in June 1975, and not the present hence the police procedures are completely different and the world of corruption is prevalent. I have to say I’m not a fan of books set in history because of two things: a) I don’t like history one bit and avoid it at all costs and b) the methods of testing is not as great as what we have currently to date. If you’re looking for a police procedure it’s nothing of that, in fact quite the opposite. So this book will not be for you.
The book follows McCoy who has moved posts to Polis Station on Glasgow. His first shift involves locating a missing boy named Jeremiah who is missing reported by the mother Judith who is the wife of Reverend west. McCoy investigates to find out the son does not exist and gets reported for wasting Police time. (Yes, you will be subjected to the religious shenanigans of Jesus and suffering is a sin) (so if you avoid religion in books, this might have to be a pass, as there is reference to Midsummer and strong brainwashing of religion). The next day Judith is found dead on the tracks after throwing herself off the side of the bridge. Alongside this, a series of mysterious deaths appear dotted around Glasgow city, where homeless drunks are found dead which McCoy investigates. Where there is more to then what mets the eye. He’s also friends with Stevie cooper who is at a turf war with Archie andrews where a series of attacks occur. There’s also some corrupt police officers higher than Harry McCoys rank who he has to deal with.
Overall it’s a good read, and probably very accurate representation of the policing during the 70s with the level of corruption. If you want a short read, this book is for you, it’s easy to follow given how many names are involved and the plot. The only thing I would say is that the book makes you realise how crazy the current inflation is in the UK, everything in the 70’s are cheap! The only thing I don’t like is how I felt the blurb of the book doesn’t really match what’s going on because so much is happening there isn’t really a main plot. And because there isn’t a strong main plot, where usually the focus is on, means that for all the other plots there was not as much detail. I have to say the ending for the missing boy and death of Judith West didn’t go to much detail at all. It was very much so this happened and then that bobs your uncle this plot is done, onto next plot- is how it felt.
July 7, 2025
Ya es la sexta novela que leo de Alan Parks con Harry McCoy como protagonista, o sea, todas.
Eso ya da a entender que no me es indiferente lo que escribe y como lo escribe.
De todos modos, en esta me ha parecido que ha bajado un poco el listón o he sido yo el que he bajado.
Así y todo, me sigue gustando.
Eso ya da a entender que no me es indiferente lo que escribe y como lo escribe.
De todos modos, en esta me ha parecido que ha bajado un poco el listón o he sido yo el que he bajado.
Así y todo, me sigue gustando.
June 18, 2023
thanks to netgalley and the publishers for a free copy in return for an open and honest review
This the latest in the series of the McCoy series in the dark and murky streets of early 1970's Glasgow and McCoy has to deal with Alcoholics dying and other things and as we delve deeper into the Glasgow underworld . Parks doesn't disappoint as he portrays the dark side of policing
This the latest in the series of the McCoy series in the dark and murky streets of early 1970's Glasgow and McCoy has to deal with Alcoholics dying and other things and as we delve deeper into the Glasgow underworld . Parks doesn't disappoint as he portrays the dark side of policing
May 27, 2023
There are a few authors for whom I will drop all current reading when their latest book drops. The latest addition to this select list is Alan Parks. His Harry McCoy series has been excellent from the start and continues to get better. The sixth in the series, TO DIE IN JUNE, is no exception. It finds McCoy and Wattie seconded to ‘the shithole of shitholes’ Possil police station, only the former knowing the real reason for their transfer, to expose the corruption centred on the station.
It is Glasgow, June 1975. At Possil Police Station, a woman reports her son missing, but there is no trace of the boy, no proof that he even exists. The woman is the wife of the firebrand pastor of The Church of Christ’s suffering, ‘a look in her eyes when she talked about her religion:shining eyes and a conviction that the Lord was on her side and no one else’s.’ Just the thing to get under the Christian brother educated McCoy’s skin.
At the same time, Glasgow’s elderly wino population seems to be decreasing at an unusually high rate, bodies turning up in parks and on the banks of the Clyde, McCoy becoming increasingly concerned with the fate of his down and out father.
Add into the mix his new colleagues extortion rackets and the high likelihood that Stevie Cooper is about to embark on another turf war against fellow gangsters. McCoy’s life, seemingly on the up, a new relationship burgeoning, is about to take a dive…
As with the previous books in the series, Glasgow is as much a character as McCoy - seedy, dirty, crime ridden - yet the novel is full of dark humour, pathos, social commentary; it is funny, moving and thrilling. Park’s writing gets better and better. It is a lazy comparison to hold the McCoy books up against McIllvanney’s LAIDLAW series but that doesn’t make it inappropriate; the books are that good and can stand alongside the master.
I loved TO DIE IN JUNE and look forward to whatever July brings. I suspect the times the are a’—changin’
It is Glasgow, June 1975. At Possil Police Station, a woman reports her son missing, but there is no trace of the boy, no proof that he even exists. The woman is the wife of the firebrand pastor of The Church of Christ’s suffering, ‘a look in her eyes when she talked about her religion:shining eyes and a conviction that the Lord was on her side and no one else’s.’ Just the thing to get under the Christian brother educated McCoy’s skin.
At the same time, Glasgow’s elderly wino population seems to be decreasing at an unusually high rate, bodies turning up in parks and on the banks of the Clyde, McCoy becoming increasingly concerned with the fate of his down and out father.
Add into the mix his new colleagues extortion rackets and the high likelihood that Stevie Cooper is about to embark on another turf war against fellow gangsters. McCoy’s life, seemingly on the up, a new relationship burgeoning, is about to take a dive…
As with the previous books in the series, Glasgow is as much a character as McCoy - seedy, dirty, crime ridden - yet the novel is full of dark humour, pathos, social commentary; it is funny, moving and thrilling. Park’s writing gets better and better. It is a lazy comparison to hold the McCoy books up against McIllvanney’s LAIDLAW series but that doesn’t make it inappropriate; the books are that good and can stand alongside the master.
I loved TO DIE IN JUNE and look forward to whatever July brings. I suspect the times the are a’—changin’
May 18, 2025
Una nueva novela de Harry McCoy, y de Nuevo no defrauda.
Me siento otro habitante de ese Glasgow de los 70, sucio y repleto de pubs.
y, como alguien dijo una vez, con un agujero en el centro de mi ser tan grande que ni toda la bebida del mundo podría llenarlo.
Me siento otro habitante de ese Glasgow de los 70, sucio y repleto de pubs.
y, como alguien dijo una vez, con un agujero en el centro de mi ser tan grande que ni toda la bebida del mundo podría llenarlo.
May 16, 2023
I have loved every book in this series and followed each of the steps that Harry McCoy and his partner Wattie have made. They have just been moved to a new police area and as they arrive a body is one of the first things they come across. This is Glasgow, it is now 1975 and the streets are just as mean and there are still some areas that are better avoided.
Harry is concerned that there is someone targeting homeless men, of similar age to his father and tries to see if he can get the word out to be careful of taking unknown drinks as they could be poisoned. For some other officers, the homeless and the destitute are not worth the effort, but as his father is one of those homeless people he has a vested interest.
Alongside this is the usual alliance he has with his old friend Cooper, they came through the orphanages together and without Cooper, Harry may not have made it. The only problem is that Harry is being warned away from Cooper, easier said than done when he is known as a gang leader and expects Harry to be at his beck and call.
As the month of June begins, Harry and Wattie are trying to solve the case of the poisonings, there is a report of a missing person and there are other deaths which may or may not be part of his remit. He also has another secret that he is keeping from everyone, this is mentioned in the synopsis but even though it is part of the story I only felt it was a smaller part, but also potentially could be something that could be more far-reaching.
Harry is a bit of a rough-sounding bloke, but there is more to him than that. If you have read the previous books you will be aware of his past and how he has dealt with what life has thrown at him. It is a good job he has Wattie at his side to help keep him grounded.
The crimes are baffling for the pair as they are not sure who to believe, or even if there is a crime. This leads to some crossed words and at times you do despair for Harry as he does go through some painful moments. He is a vulnerable bloke who is not adverse to challenging, bending or even working in the complete opposite of the rules. The ending of the book I enjoyed, it does leave an opening for something that could be interesting depending on how the author decides to go with it!
This series and this book are dark and gritty it does give a great idea of what the area and the way of policing were all about at the time. A mix of gangland crime, police-procedural and crime thriller with some tough characters and storyline. This was a fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.
Harry is concerned that there is someone targeting homeless men, of similar age to his father and tries to see if he can get the word out to be careful of taking unknown drinks as they could be poisoned. For some other officers, the homeless and the destitute are not worth the effort, but as his father is one of those homeless people he has a vested interest.
Alongside this is the usual alliance he has with his old friend Cooper, they came through the orphanages together and without Cooper, Harry may not have made it. The only problem is that Harry is being warned away from Cooper, easier said than done when he is known as a gang leader and expects Harry to be at his beck and call.
As the month of June begins, Harry and Wattie are trying to solve the case of the poisonings, there is a report of a missing person and there are other deaths which may or may not be part of his remit. He also has another secret that he is keeping from everyone, this is mentioned in the synopsis but even though it is part of the story I only felt it was a smaller part, but also potentially could be something that could be more far-reaching.
Harry is a bit of a rough-sounding bloke, but there is more to him than that. If you have read the previous books you will be aware of his past and how he has dealt with what life has thrown at him. It is a good job he has Wattie at his side to help keep him grounded.
The crimes are baffling for the pair as they are not sure who to believe, or even if there is a crime. This leads to some crossed words and at times you do despair for Harry as he does go through some painful moments. He is a vulnerable bloke who is not adverse to challenging, bending or even working in the complete opposite of the rules. The ending of the book I enjoyed, it does leave an opening for something that could be interesting depending on how the author decides to go with it!
This series and this book are dark and gritty it does give a great idea of what the area and the way of policing were all about at the time. A mix of gangland crime, police-procedural and crime thriller with some tough characters and storyline. This was a fabulous read and one I would definitely recommend.
September 21, 2025
The sixth and latest in Alan Park’s, Detective Harry McCoy series, finds Harry and his partner Wattie, now stationed at Possil apparently as part of Glasgow City Police’s amalgamation plan, as they move towards the formation of Strathclyde Police. Harry finds he has his hands full trying to find signs of Police corruption at his new station, looking for a 9 year old boy who has gone missing, investigating a murder of an old harmless man and investigating what appears to be a series of deaths involving down and outs.
There’s quite a lot going on in the plot-line of this latest novel and the story rattles along at a fair pace. There are a lot of old faces from the previous novels but a good few new characters as well who inhabit the pages of the story. Harry as usual is torn between doing his job as a Police Officer but is also drawn to Glasgow underworld boss Cooper, who was his childhood friend and who still has a grip over Harry. The story is fast paced and gripping and full of twists and I also enjoyed the timeframe, where I found myself reminiscing of the 70’s. I’ve got to mention the references to Askit powders which was something that my Mum used to administer to me when I was ill and till now had no knowledge of its ingredients or addictive qualities.
At the end of this novel Harry finds himself at a crossroads and I do hope there are more in the series planned.
There’s quite a lot going on in the plot-line of this latest novel and the story rattles along at a fair pace. There are a lot of old faces from the previous novels but a good few new characters as well who inhabit the pages of the story. Harry as usual is torn between doing his job as a Police Officer but is also drawn to Glasgow underworld boss Cooper, who was his childhood friend and who still has a grip over Harry. The story is fast paced and gripping and full of twists and I also enjoyed the timeframe, where I found myself reminiscing of the 70’s. I’ve got to mention the references to Askit powders which was something that my Mum used to administer to me when I was ill and till now had no knowledge of its ingredients or addictive qualities.
At the end of this novel Harry finds himself at a crossroads and I do hope there are more in the series planned.
August 11, 2023
My first Alan Parks book. I enjoyed the storytelling and I liked the depiction of Glasgow in the 70s - the humour, the environment and the city itself on the verge of big changes.
October 6, 2024
To Die in June is the sixth Harry McCoy thriller by Alan Parks. This series is turning out to be the new Rebus. Characterisations are everything and this has it in spades slowly developed over pages of the crime drama set in Glasgow in the 70’s. And yet that wouldn’t be enough without the twisted interconnected crimes being played out in heat of a city in the summer.
This story sees Wattie and McCoy relocated to Possil station working undercover trying to root out police corruption at the orders of Chief Inspector Murray. Skating on the edge of legality, McCoy is still involved with Cooper and in fact heading towards being a criminal himself at times as he tries to uncover who is poisoning the city's drunks.
All this is told with Alan Parks’ mastery of dialogue and description that make you feel you are there. And then there’s the ending that I didn’t see coming! Can’t wait for the next instalment.
This story sees Wattie and McCoy relocated to Possil station working undercover trying to root out police corruption at the orders of Chief Inspector Murray. Skating on the edge of legality, McCoy is still involved with Cooper and in fact heading towards being a criminal himself at times as he tries to uncover who is poisoning the city's drunks.
All this is told with Alan Parks’ mastery of dialogue and description that make you feel you are there. And then there’s the ending that I didn’t see coming! Can’t wait for the next instalment.
May 1, 2023
More of the same from Parks in this latest entry in the Harry McCoy series. I am losing interest in this series as the latest instalments do not have plots that hold my interest. Many many characters and many many supporting characters make for frankly too many to keep track of, i am not sure how new readers would know where to begin. There were a few decent personal moments for McCoy as he deals with good news and bad news in his personal life. Overall i find a sense of bleakness in these stories which now make them a chore to read at times. Limited use of the Cooper character was appreciated and hopefully this trend continues...but the ending leaves me thinking maybe not. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. 3+ stars
March 29, 2023
I'm a huge fan of crime fiction, especially Scottish crime fiction given that I live there so I am not quite sure why this is my first Alan Parks novel.
This was an excellent first book and I now want to go back and read the rest of the series. McCoy is a fantastic main character and ably supported by Wattie and other colleague.
The Glaswegian language and sense of humour really plays through in this novel and I absolutely loved it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cannongate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
This was an excellent first book and I now want to go back and read the rest of the series. McCoy is a fantastic main character and ably supported by Wattie and other colleague.
The Glaswegian language and sense of humour really plays through in this novel and I absolutely loved it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Cannongate for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
May 29, 2025
Nueva novela de la serie McCoy, donde nuestro protagonista no solo deberá resolver la muerte de varios mendigos envenenados, sino también la supuesta desaparición de un niño inexistente y una trama de corrupción policial. Sin olvidar los líos en que lo mete el colgado de su amigo Cooper. Tan negra y sucia como las anteriores.
June 26, 2024
It was a 4 until the ending!! But Harry is the best.
September 18, 2025
No defrauda. Bon llibre de la saga. Comença un poc lent, però, com de costum, acaba frenètic. McCoy és un antiheroi necessari. Esperant que arribe juliol.
April 29, 2023
First book I've read by the author and in the DI McCoy series. You get a real flavour of life of the police and the criminals, with often blurred lines between both, in 1970s Glasgow. The police certainly liked a ciggie and a drink back then!
Deftly plotted with elements of black humour running throughout the book, Alan Parks is a master of Scottish crime fiction.
Already ordered the first book in the series and fully intend to read the rest in order, something I'd recommend new readers to the series do.
Deftly plotted with elements of black humour running throughout the book, Alan Parks is a master of Scottish crime fiction.
Already ordered the first book in the series and fully intend to read the rest in order, something I'd recommend new readers to the series do.
June 12, 2023
To Die in June by Alan Parks.
No. 6 in the Harry McCoy series.
A woman enters a Glasgow police station to report her son missing, but no record can be found of the boy. When Detective Harry McCoy, seconded from the cop shop across town, discovers the family is part of the cultish Church of Christ's Suffering, he suspects there is more to Michael's disappearance than meets the eye.
Thoroughly devoured this book. I do love this series. Harry was my favourite. Gripping and twisty. Could not put it down. This would make great TV. 5*.
No. 6 in the Harry McCoy series.
A woman enters a Glasgow police station to report her son missing, but no record can be found of the boy. When Detective Harry McCoy, seconded from the cop shop across town, discovers the family is part of the cultish Church of Christ's Suffering, he suspects there is more to Michael's disappearance than meets the eye.
Thoroughly devoured this book. I do love this series. Harry was my favourite. Gripping and twisty. Could not put it down. This would make great TV. 5*.
September 6, 2023
Harry McCoy returns for a sixth instalment and resurrects my understanding of why I tend to wait a while before reading latest parts as Parks (the bastard) drops a massive cliff hanger of an ending for the future of Glasgow’s finest detective.
McCoy and Wattie find themselves shifted from the centre of Glasgow with Murray tasking Harry with finding out if corrupt officers are involved with a string of post office robberies. Wattie is kept in the dark and this leads the tensions between the pair as DI McCoy remains coy on details of where he is getting off to as they look to solve the case of a missing child and as Harry gets dragged into a looking into a rash of deaths to the city’s down and out with an eye to protecting his estranged father from falling victim to the supposed killer.
As always Parks delivers a tour de force of crime writing that rattles along at a pace of knots featuring plenty of colourful characters from the wrong side of the tracks/river as the case might be here. The dialogue sparks and snaps and as with the previous instalment the complex, emotional layers of McCoy’s character are explored and he again finds himself indebted to childhood pal/protector turned gangster, Stevie.
The beauty of it at this stage is that Parks has created a world that is easy to jump into for anybody who has read the books from the start and he is at a point where it is a case of adding layers to these stories that surprise and delight especially with such game changing cliff hangers sitting out there as we wait for no.7.
McCoy and Wattie find themselves shifted from the centre of Glasgow with Murray tasking Harry with finding out if corrupt officers are involved with a string of post office robberies. Wattie is kept in the dark and this leads the tensions between the pair as DI McCoy remains coy on details of where he is getting off to as they look to solve the case of a missing child and as Harry gets dragged into a looking into a rash of deaths to the city’s down and out with an eye to protecting his estranged father from falling victim to the supposed killer.
As always Parks delivers a tour de force of crime writing that rattles along at a pace of knots featuring plenty of colourful characters from the wrong side of the tracks/river as the case might be here. The dialogue sparks and snaps and as with the previous instalment the complex, emotional layers of McCoy’s character are explored and he again finds himself indebted to childhood pal/protector turned gangster, Stevie.
The beauty of it at this stage is that Parks has created a world that is easy to jump into for anybody who has read the books from the start and he is at a point where it is a case of adding layers to these stories that surprise and delight especially with such game changing cliff hangers sitting out there as we wait for no.7.
August 5, 2023
Although I haven't read any others in this series, I felt this book read well as a standalone.
I loved it. It was that warming mix of McIlvanny's Laidlaw yet with an edge of its own. Love MCCoy as a character - a great maverick Scottish cop with a consciece and the inevitable hard choices to be made. I was immediately transported back to the 1970s with a nostalgia that those of a certain age are entitled too. But the complex web of gangsters fighting for supremecy, hidden secrets and religious fervour drew m in. Brilliant book
I loved it. It was that warming mix of McIlvanny's Laidlaw yet with an edge of its own. Love MCCoy as a character - a great maverick Scottish cop with a consciece and the inevitable hard choices to be made. I was immediately transported back to the 1970s with a nostalgia that those of a certain age are entitled too. But the complex web of gangsters fighting for supremecy, hidden secrets and religious fervour drew m in. Brilliant book
April 26, 2024
Belter Of A Tale…
.. it twists and turns, the old guy gurns..!
Books like this, Series like this are becoming rare, these days. If you have any sort of pride in the quality of what you read — buy the whole series, noo!
.. it twists and turns, the old guy gurns..!
Books like this, Series like this are becoming rare, these days. If you have any sort of pride in the quality of what you read — buy the whole series, noo!
June 16, 2023
Can't go wrong with Alan
January 29, 2026
De lectura agil. Con una construccion solida, es una novela negra de manual. No aporta nada nuevo al genero, pero se agradece mucho su buen hacer.
December 21, 2024
This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. While a relatively short book I didn't want to put it down. Will definitely be buying more of this series.
May 30, 2023
Another ripper from big Alan
January 17, 2025
McCoy und Wattie sind auf eine andere Wache versetzt worden. Während Wattie glaubt, dass sie den dortigen Kollegen nur aushelfen, kennt Harry den Zweck der Versetzung: er soll den Kollegen dort auf die Finger sehen. Aber das muss hinter gleich zwei Fällen zurückstehen. Jemand tötet obdachlose Männer und ein Kind ist verschwunden.
Eine Frau kommt völlig verstört in die Wache und sagt, dass ihr Sohn spurlos verschwunden ist. Aber auch vor seinem Verschwinden gibt es keine Spur von ihm: der Junge wurde daheim unterrichtet und es gibt weder Bilder noch offizielle Dokumente von ihm, weil ihr Glaube das nicht zulassen würde. sie gehört der Gemeinde der Leiden Christie an, in der ihr Mann der Prediger ist. Als der sie abholt, sagt er, dass es nie einen Sohn gegeben hat und dass seine Frau manchmal Realität und Wunschdenken nicht voneinander unterscheiden kann. Er wirkt wie der perfekte Ehemann, trotzdem ist Harry misstrauisch. Irgendetwas stimmt nicht bei dem Paar und in der Gemeinde. Aber weil kein Verbrechen vorliegt, kann er hier nicht weiter ermitteln.
Die Morde an den Männern sind perfide: jemand bietet ihnen Flaschen an, deren Inhalt sie tötet. Niemand hat den Täter jemals gesehen, wie seine Opfer wird er von seiner Umgebung nicht wahrgenommen. Für Harry ist der Fall besonders persönlich, weil sein Vater seit vielen Jahren auf der Straße lebt und gehört somit zu der Gruppe, in der der Täter seine Opfer sucht.
Harry McCoy hat sich seit den ersten Büchern verändert. Er wirkt geerdet, was zu einem großen Teil an seiner Partnerin liegt. Auch wenn die beiden aus völlig unterschiedlichen Welten kommen, tut sie ihm doch gut und sorgt dafür, dass sein Leben in ruhigeren Bahnen verläuft. Aber er hat auch immer noch die Verbindungen zur anderen Seite, was ihm bei seiner Arbeit manchmal hilft, sein Leben aber auch komplizierter macht.
Dieses Mal wusste ich lange nicht, welcher Fall im Fokus liegen sollte. War es der um den vermeintlich verschwundenen Jungen und seine Mutter, die mögliche Bestechung der Kollegen oder doch die Morde an den obdachlosen Männern? Alle waren gut aufgebaut, aber bei allen drei hat mir trotzdem etwas gefehlt und die jeweiligen Auflösungen fand ich nicht ganz stimmig. Aber die besondere Atmosphäre, die der Autor in seinen Krimis schafft, hat diese Unstimmigkeiten zu einem großen Teil wieder wettgemacht.
Eine Frau kommt völlig verstört in die Wache und sagt, dass ihr Sohn spurlos verschwunden ist. Aber auch vor seinem Verschwinden gibt es keine Spur von ihm: der Junge wurde daheim unterrichtet und es gibt weder Bilder noch offizielle Dokumente von ihm, weil ihr Glaube das nicht zulassen würde. sie gehört der Gemeinde der Leiden Christie an, in der ihr Mann der Prediger ist. Als der sie abholt, sagt er, dass es nie einen Sohn gegeben hat und dass seine Frau manchmal Realität und Wunschdenken nicht voneinander unterscheiden kann. Er wirkt wie der perfekte Ehemann, trotzdem ist Harry misstrauisch. Irgendetwas stimmt nicht bei dem Paar und in der Gemeinde. Aber weil kein Verbrechen vorliegt, kann er hier nicht weiter ermitteln.
Die Morde an den Männern sind perfide: jemand bietet ihnen Flaschen an, deren Inhalt sie tötet. Niemand hat den Täter jemals gesehen, wie seine Opfer wird er von seiner Umgebung nicht wahrgenommen. Für Harry ist der Fall besonders persönlich, weil sein Vater seit vielen Jahren auf der Straße lebt und gehört somit zu der Gruppe, in der der Täter seine Opfer sucht.
Harry McCoy hat sich seit den ersten Büchern verändert. Er wirkt geerdet, was zu einem großen Teil an seiner Partnerin liegt. Auch wenn die beiden aus völlig unterschiedlichen Welten kommen, tut sie ihm doch gut und sorgt dafür, dass sein Leben in ruhigeren Bahnen verläuft. Aber er hat auch immer noch die Verbindungen zur anderen Seite, was ihm bei seiner Arbeit manchmal hilft, sein Leben aber auch komplizierter macht.
Dieses Mal wusste ich lange nicht, welcher Fall im Fokus liegen sollte. War es der um den vermeintlich verschwundenen Jungen und seine Mutter, die mögliche Bestechung der Kollegen oder doch die Morde an den obdachlosen Männern? Alle waren gut aufgebaut, aber bei allen drei hat mir trotzdem etwas gefehlt und die jeweiligen Auflösungen fand ich nicht ganz stimmig. Aber die besondere Atmosphäre, die der Autor in seinen Krimis schafft, hat diese Unstimmigkeiten zu einem großen Teil wieder wettgemacht.
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