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Logan McRae #13
This House of Burning Bones: A Logan McRae Thriller, Book Thirteen
Stuart MacBride is back with a brand-new Logan McRae novel to celebrate twenty years since the detective’s first appearance in Cold Granite.
In the heat of a blistering summer, Aberdeen’s police are struggling: half the force is off sick, leave has been cancelled, someone’s firebombed a hotel full of migrants, and there’s a massive protest march happening this Saturday.
With officers dropping like flies, Detective Inspector Logan McRae is forced to juggle cases and run a major murder investigation with a skeleton staff of misfits, idiots, and malingerers until the top brass can arrange back-up from other divisions.
It doesn’t help that the Aberdeen Examiner has just been bought by Natasha Agapova, a tabloid media tycoon hell-bent on blaming local police for everything. And she’s more than happy to fan the flames. But, as bad as everything seems, it’s all about to get much worse...
In the heat of a blistering summer, Aberdeen’s police are struggling: half the force is off sick, leave has been cancelled, someone’s firebombed a hotel full of migrants, and there’s a massive protest march happening this Saturday.
With officers dropping like flies, Detective Inspector Logan McRae is forced to juggle cases and run a major murder investigation with a skeleton staff of misfits, idiots, and malingerers until the top brass can arrange back-up from other divisions.
It doesn’t help that the Aberdeen Examiner has just been bought by Natasha Agapova, a tabloid media tycoon hell-bent on blaming local police for everything. And she’s more than happy to fan the flames. But, as bad as everything seems, it’s all about to get much worse...
640 pages, Paperback
Published July 22, 2025
3552 people want to read
About the author
Stuart MacBride
87 books2,719 followersAka Stuart B. MacBride
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
The life and times of a bearded write-ist.
Stuart MacBride (that's me) was born in Dumbarton -- which is Glasgow as far as I'm concerned -- moving up to Aberdeen at the tender age of two, when fashions were questionable. Nothing much happened for years and years and years: learned to play the recorder, then forgot how when they changed from little coloured dots to proper musical notes (why the hell couldn't they have taught us the notes in the first bloody place? I could have been performing my earth-shattering rendition of 'Three Blind Mice' at the Albert Hall by now!); appeared in some bizarre World War Two musical production; did my best to avoid eating haggis and generally ran about the place a lot.
Next up was an elongated spell in Westhill -- a small suburb seven miles west of Aberdeen -- where I embarked upon a mediocre academic career, hindered by a complete inability to spell and an attention span the length of a gnat's doodad.
And so to UNIVERSITY, far too young, naive and stupid to be away from the family home, sharing a subterranean flat in one of the seedier bits of Edinburgh with a mad Irishman, and four other bizarre individuals. The highlight of walking to the art school in the mornings (yes: we were students, but we still did mornings) was trying not to tread in the fresh bloodstains outside our front door, and dodging the undercover CID officers trying to buy drugs. Lovely place.
But university and I did not see eye to eye, so off I went to work offshore. Like many all-male environments, working offshore was the intellectual equivalent of Animal House, only without the clever bits. Swearing, smoking, eating, more swearing, pornography, swearing, drinking endless plastic cups of tea... and did I mention the swearing? But it was more money than I'd seen in my life! There's something about being handed a wadge of cash as you clamber off the minibus from the heliport, having spent the last two weeks offshore and the last two hours in an orange, rubber romper suit / body bag, then blowing most of it in the pubs and clubs of Aberdeen. And being young enough to get away without a hangover.
Then came a spell of working for myself as a graphic designer, which went the way of all flesh and into the heady world of studio management for a nation-wide marketing company. Then some more freelance design work, a handful of voiceovers for local radio and video production companies and a bash at being an actor (with a small 'a'), giving it up when it became clear there was no way I was ever going to be good enough to earn a decent living.
It was about this time I fell into bad company -- a blonde from Fife who conned me into marrying her -- and started producing websites for a friend's fledgling Internet company. From there it was a roller coaster ride (in that it made a lot of people feel decidedly unwell) from web designer to web manager, lead programmer, team lead and other assorted technical bollocks with three different companies, eventually ending up as a project manager for a global IT company.
But there was always the writing (well, that's not true, the writing only started two chapters above this one). I fell victim to that most dreadful of things: peer pressure. Two friends were writing novels and I thought, 'why not? I could do that'.
Took a few years though...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 3, 2025
THIS HOUSE OF BURNING BONES is one-half magnum opus and one-half total screw-up. It is unlikely to draw many new fans to Stuart MacBride's writings, and even devoted fans, like me, will likely be confused and disappointed with parts of it. MacBride did not follow the often-repeated, excellent advice, of "Kill Your Darlings", which is why sometimes it becomes a confusing jumble.
It starts out well, in typical MacBride fashion, with the POV of a serial rapist, waiting for his latest victim to appear, when suddenly he is a witness to a kidnapping. Unlike most thrillers, where perpetrators such as serial rapists are usually depicted as clever and cunning, this one seems rather dense and is definitely fearful. Nonetheless, he manages to escape unscathed.
The scene then switches to an attempted arrest of an identified arson murderer, who manages to evade being captured, followed by a long—much too long—chase with him in an ice cream van followed by a car of "Krazy Kops" led by DI Logan McRae. ("Krazy Kops" was a series of silent comedy movies produced by the Keystone Film Company—classics in their time. Much of McBride's Logan McRae series of books is a play on the Krazy Kops theme.) Note: The Alsatian was the best part in a zany chase made up of many great segments—but it went on for too long. Roberta Steel is back, sitting in the cop car chasing the arsonist, but she is now Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel and I don't know why; I read all the Logan McRae novels and I can't remember her being demoted.
There is a huge cast of characters, some I vaguely remember from previous books in the series, some who are definitely new, plus two major cases for Logan to solve—the arson murder and the kidnapping—and numerous tangential police investigations/actions that must be dealt with in the course of this lengthy novel. There are characters I should have remembered but cannot, like Logan's wife, Tara, and daughter, Elizabeth. Little or no background information is provided about the majority of recurring characters. Not only are readers new to the series left floundering about the backgrounds of many returning characters in this series, but long-time readers are as well. If you don't have a photographic memory for everything you read—total recall for everything that has occurred in the previous 12 books in the series—you will frequently be left wondering who? why? how does this fit in?
In addition, there are gaps between what is in the book and what I remember from previous books. For example, Roberta Steel's long-time wife, is briefly mentioned, but I remember that Logan provided sperm to help Steel and her wife conceive a daughter, who appeared in at least one of the later books, yet seems to have completely disappeared in this one. Not even a brief mention.
And there are three sequences that go on far too long, are described blow-by-blow in tedious detail—the already mentioned arson killer car chase, a clown sequence, and an attempted escape from a torturer/killer.
If it were all terrible, I would give it a one- or two-star rating, but there are so many flashes of brilliance that it deserves a four-star rating from readers who have diligently followed the series. I have highlighted many sequences that I loved. Here, perhaps, is my favourite:
'Who does Daddy love most in the whole wide world?'
Elizabeth didn't even have to think about it: 'Cthulhu.'
'True.' He gave her tummy a prod. 'But who does Daddy love almost as much as Cthulhu?'
(Note: Cthulhu is Logan's cat.) I don't know how many other readers will adore that sequence.
The entire book is a depiction of the crazy state of the world, seen from a police perspective. An homage to all the Krazy Kops trying to keep the world sane. That is its brilliance.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
It starts out well, in typical MacBride fashion, with the POV of a serial rapist, waiting for his latest victim to appear, when suddenly he is a witness to a kidnapping. Unlike most thrillers, where perpetrators such as serial rapists are usually depicted as clever and cunning, this one seems rather dense and is definitely fearful. Nonetheless, he manages to escape unscathed.
The scene then switches to an attempted arrest of an identified arson murderer, who manages to evade being captured, followed by a long—much too long—chase with him in an ice cream van followed by a car of "Krazy Kops" led by DI Logan McRae. ("Krazy Kops" was a series of silent comedy movies produced by the Keystone Film Company—classics in their time. Much of McBride's Logan McRae series of books is a play on the Krazy Kops theme.) Note: The Alsatian was the best part in a zany chase made up of many great segments—but it went on for too long. Roberta Steel is back, sitting in the cop car chasing the arsonist, but she is now Detective Sergeant Roberta Steel and I don't know why; I read all the Logan McRae novels and I can't remember her being demoted.
There is a huge cast of characters, some I vaguely remember from previous books in the series, some who are definitely new, plus two major cases for Logan to solve—the arson murder and the kidnapping—and numerous tangential police investigations/actions that must be dealt with in the course of this lengthy novel. There are characters I should have remembered but cannot, like Logan's wife, Tara, and daughter, Elizabeth. Little or no background information is provided about the majority of recurring characters. Not only are readers new to the series left floundering about the backgrounds of many returning characters in this series, but long-time readers are as well. If you don't have a photographic memory for everything you read—total recall for everything that has occurred in the previous 12 books in the series—you will frequently be left wondering who? why? how does this fit in?
In addition, there are gaps between what is in the book and what I remember from previous books. For example, Roberta Steel's long-time wife, is briefly mentioned, but I remember that Logan provided sperm to help Steel and her wife conceive a daughter, who appeared in at least one of the later books, yet seems to have completely disappeared in this one. Not even a brief mention.
And there are three sequences that go on far too long, are described blow-by-blow in tedious detail—the already mentioned arson killer car chase, a clown sequence, and an attempted escape from a torturer/killer.
If it were all terrible, I would give it a one- or two-star rating, but there are so many flashes of brilliance that it deserves a four-star rating from readers who have diligently followed the series. I have highlighted many sequences that I loved. Here, perhaps, is my favourite:
'Who does Daddy love most in the whole wide world?'
Elizabeth didn't even have to think about it: 'Cthulhu.'
'True.' He gave her tummy a prod. 'But who does Daddy love almost as much as Cthulhu?'
(Note: Cthulhu is Logan's cat.) I don't know how many other readers will adore that sequence.
The entire book is a depiction of the crazy state of the world, seen from a police perspective. An homage to all the Krazy Kops trying to keep the world sane. That is its brilliance.
Thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinions.
December 19, 2025
**Read 4.5 STARS!**
This fast-paced and extensive crime novel is the 14th volume of the excellent "Logan McRae" series.
At the back of the book you can find an explanation about the 20 Years of Logan & Co.
Storytelling is marvellous, the storyline superbly structured and executed, all characters come vividly to life in this crime novel about murder, fraud, racism and blind revenge, while also some characters in this story could have been taken straight from figures featuring in the Police Academy film series.
In this crime novel several serious issues, like murder, fraud, racism and revenge, will need to be tackled and solved by DI Logan McRae, with as his sidekicks DC "Tufty" Quirrell, DS Rennie, and nearing her retirement of the Force, DS Roberta Steel, and they will do it in their usual determined but at times hilarious weird way.
What is to follow is an extensive but still very engaging crime novel, where a sane DI McRae, along with his sometimes smart and usual weird acting police colleagues, is trying to keep alive and kicking in an insane world all around him, but still solving these complicated cases, and thus making this almost sublime book such a joy to read from beginning to end.
Very much recommended, for this is an excellent addition to this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "Another Logan McRae Winner"!
This fast-paced and extensive crime novel is the 14th volume of the excellent "Logan McRae" series.
At the back of the book you can find an explanation about the 20 Years of Logan & Co.
Storytelling is marvellous, the storyline superbly structured and executed, all characters come vividly to life in this crime novel about murder, fraud, racism and blind revenge, while also some characters in this story could have been taken straight from figures featuring in the Police Academy film series.
In this crime novel several serious issues, like murder, fraud, racism and revenge, will need to be tackled and solved by DI Logan McRae, with as his sidekicks DC "Tufty" Quirrell, DS Rennie, and nearing her retirement of the Force, DS Roberta Steel, and they will do it in their usual determined but at times hilarious weird way.
What is to follow is an extensive but still very engaging crime novel, where a sane DI McRae, along with his sometimes smart and usual weird acting police colleagues, is trying to keep alive and kicking in an insane world all around him, but still solving these complicated cases, and thus making this almost sublime book such a joy to read from beginning to end.
Very much recommended, for this is an excellent addition to this superb series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "Another Logan McRae Winner"!
May 28, 2025
I hadn't realised how much I missed Logan MacRae, until I settled down to read this. Turns out I even missed Roberta Steel, she of the potty mouth and mad hair. And let's not forget poor wee Tufty, aka Constable Quirrel, aka The Loon.
There's much to keep them busy in this latest addition to the series. With half of his division off sick with the Dreaded Lurgy, Logan finds himself promoted to acting DCI. But with promotion comes even more responsibility, and as more and more of his colleagues succumb to the "plague", Logan's caseload increases. It doesn't help that Aberdeen is sweltering in a heatwave. ☀️
At over 600 pages, This House of Burning Bones is a long book, but it is a very enjoyable, gripping read. With the sarcastic repartee between Logan and his sidekicks, the twists and turns of the investigations, and the dark humour that I've come to know and love, this was one book I didn't want to end. It's satisfied a craving, but I'm already yearning for more Logan MacRae.
There's much to keep them busy in this latest addition to the series. With half of his division off sick with the Dreaded Lurgy, Logan finds himself promoted to acting DCI. But with promotion comes even more responsibility, and as more and more of his colleagues succumb to the "plague", Logan's caseload increases. It doesn't help that Aberdeen is sweltering in a heatwave. ☀️
At over 600 pages, This House of Burning Bones is a long book, but it is a very enjoyable, gripping read. With the sarcastic repartee between Logan and his sidekicks, the twists and turns of the investigations, and the dark humour that I've come to know and love, this was one book I didn't want to end. It's satisfied a craving, but I'm already yearning for more Logan MacRae.
September 6, 2025
an okay read could of been shorter though
June 3, 2025
A spade is a spade with a son sugar coating!
So good to read the next Logan McRae novel. Full of sarcasm, black humour and in-your-face reality. The crimes kept my attention and the resolutions were somewhat unexpected. There did seem to be a lot of narrative making this a long read (720 pages) in places.
For value and enjoyment I wouldn’t start with this instalment - knowing all the characters and their quirks makes it a very satisfying read!
So good to read the next Logan McRae novel. Full of sarcasm, black humour and in-your-face reality. The crimes kept my attention and the resolutions were somewhat unexpected. There did seem to be a lot of narrative making this a long read (720 pages) in places.
For value and enjoyment I wouldn’t start with this instalment - knowing all the characters and their quirks makes it a very satisfying read!
June 2, 2025
Didn’t finish. Won’t be reading anymore. They’re like utter slapstick now. Lofty’s ridiculous ‘I can has foods now?’ type sentences just ridiculous. Steele is a caricature of herself now, forever rummaging in her bra. Shame, they used to be so good.
June 7, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4 stars
Another solid outing from MacBride, but not quite the trip through hell I was expecting.
Let’s start with the good—because there’s a lot of it. Logan McRae is still one of the best characters in crime fiction. Witty, battered, endlessly human. He gets knocked down (repeatedly), dragged through the muck (literally), and still manages to keep his head (mostly). MacBride’s is incredible at character work, and this story proves it yet again. Every page has characters who feel real! They are a cast of flawed, funny and frustrating characters.
The plot moves at a decent clip, and there's the usual blend of black humour, procedural slog, and your fair share of Scottish misery. You’ll get the odd chuckle and its all wrapped up in a police investigation that never feels anything, other than authentic.
My only small criticism is that this one didn’t quite hit the same pitch-black, soul-crushing depths as earlier entries. I missed the grittiness. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of misery, death and despair, but it felt less dark!
Still, MacBride on an off day is better than most on their best (and really it was more of a dodgy couple hours than a day), and Logan is reason enough to keep coming back. Hope we dont have to wait 6 years again!
Another solid outing from MacBride, but not quite the trip through hell I was expecting.
Let’s start with the good—because there’s a lot of it. Logan McRae is still one of the best characters in crime fiction. Witty, battered, endlessly human. He gets knocked down (repeatedly), dragged through the muck (literally), and still manages to keep his head (mostly). MacBride’s is incredible at character work, and this story proves it yet again. Every page has characters who feel real! They are a cast of flawed, funny and frustrating characters.
The plot moves at a decent clip, and there's the usual blend of black humour, procedural slog, and your fair share of Scottish misery. You’ll get the odd chuckle and its all wrapped up in a police investigation that never feels anything, other than authentic.
My only small criticism is that this one didn’t quite hit the same pitch-black, soul-crushing depths as earlier entries. I missed the grittiness. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of misery, death and despair, but it felt less dark!
Still, MacBride on an off day is better than most on their best (and really it was more of a dodgy couple hours than a day), and Logan is reason enough to keep coming back. Hope we dont have to wait 6 years again!
November 30, 2025
It's been too long without a Logan book so I was super excited to read this one. Total transparency, this could have been a terrible story and I'd have still rated it well because it's my favorite crime series ever. As it turns out it was a good story, which is really the only thing I would expect. Also, in typical MacBride fashion, he had me fooled the entire book about a certain baddie and don't I just feel stupid... like what did I expect? 😂
Loved this time spent with Logan, Steele, Tufty, Rennie, and many others, including Cthulhu the cat!
Loved this time spent with Logan, Steele, Tufty, Rennie, and many others, including Cthulhu the cat!
November 2, 2025
Opened really strong, then lost me a bit in the middle but a great ending
May 27, 2025
In This House of Burning Bones, Stuart MacBride’s Aberdeen coppers have to face daily a prejudicial, disapproving public whipped up by a harshly critical press churning out sensational headline grabbing half-truths; said coppers all the while expressing themselves in their own richly colourful ways.
Because of an epidemic of the Dreaded Lurgie sweeping the city, depleting police numbers, Detective Inspector Logan McRae is becoming overwhelmed with the number of cases he has to deal with, together with countless meetings, on top of a murder investigation and now the disappearance of a media mogul. To quote from the book’s blurb, Logan has been left with “…a skeleton staff of misfits, idiots and malingerers…” whose lineup includes Logan’s wannabe sidekick, PC Tufty Quirrel, and the ever repulsive, now demoted Roberta Steel. Making matters even worse, they are experiencing a heatwave, as they go through some hair-raising chases, weighed down with heavy gear, all crammed into a police van.
This is a big book, 627 pages, and every one of them filled with Stuart MacBride’s smart, funny, cynical style. Serious issues like immigration, racism, and the media’s influence on the general public’s attitudes, as well as the horrific crimes of arson, murder and sexual assault, are all part of the story. For all the pressures and stresses of his working life, however, Logan McRae is very fortunate to have his lovely partner, Tara, and daughter, Lizzie, at home.
To read a Stuart MacBride book is to listen to a story being told in a Scottish accent with subtitles in front of you. This was a terrific read, filled with vivid imagery and lots of colourful characters. Thank you Pan Macmillan for my copy.
Published by Pan Macmillan
Because of an epidemic of the Dreaded Lurgie sweeping the city, depleting police numbers, Detective Inspector Logan McRae is becoming overwhelmed with the number of cases he has to deal with, together with countless meetings, on top of a murder investigation and now the disappearance of a media mogul. To quote from the book’s blurb, Logan has been left with “…a skeleton staff of misfits, idiots and malingerers…” whose lineup includes Logan’s wannabe sidekick, PC Tufty Quirrel, and the ever repulsive, now demoted Roberta Steel. Making matters even worse, they are experiencing a heatwave, as they go through some hair-raising chases, weighed down with heavy gear, all crammed into a police van.
This is a big book, 627 pages, and every one of them filled with Stuart MacBride’s smart, funny, cynical style. Serious issues like immigration, racism, and the media’s influence on the general public’s attitudes, as well as the horrific crimes of arson, murder and sexual assault, are all part of the story. For all the pressures and stresses of his working life, however, Logan McRae is very fortunate to have his lovely partner, Tara, and daughter, Lizzie, at home.
To read a Stuart MacBride book is to listen to a story being told in a Scottish accent with subtitles in front of you. This was a terrific read, filled with vivid imagery and lots of colourful characters. Thank you Pan Macmillan for my copy.
Published by Pan Macmillan
June 24, 2025
When you open this book even before you start the Book you will see a mock newspaper at both the back and front, don't skip it have good look because it's part of the story, including a joke about a children's book that Stuart wrote.
After meeting Davies, we go to the insane police chase on a blazing hot June day,very topical too because has been while I read it,a cross between Carry on Constable meets The Keystone Cops. This Pantomime with Dick whittling in mind because there is lot of Dick Heads and big bad whitch Called Pine and mad cat .We go to the circus and meet more clowns too.
Full of ice lollies and TV jokes sweaty police and Logan gets no sleep. Everyone has the man flu stuck with useless police and 99s
After meeting Davies, we go to the insane police chase on a blazing hot June day,very topical too because has been while I read it,a cross between Carry on Constable meets The Keystone Cops. This Pantomime with Dick whittling in mind because there is lot of Dick Heads and big bad whitch Called Pine and mad cat .We go to the circus and meet more clowns too.
Full of ice lollies and TV jokes sweaty police and Logan gets no sleep. Everyone has the man flu stuck with useless police and 99s
October 2, 2025
Disappointed in this book from one of my favourite authors. While I’ve always really enjoyed the quirky and at times hilarious conversations ,antics and descriptions of some of the main characters in this series. But in this book the behaviour of almost all the main police team is constantly puerile, insubordinate and childish the whole story loses credibility and with it, my interest. I found myself leaving out huge chunks of text because it was like sitting in a lunch room listening to a bunch of 12 year olds. There was no respite- the bickering and snide remarks went on and on. This is a police force? Not in any world I can relate to. Sooo disappointed- Ive read every book in the series but this will be my last.
May 25, 2025
Loved it
I've missed Logan and Steel so much, was looking forward to this book being released and wasn't disappointed. A great read.
I've missed Logan and Steel so much, was looking forward to this book being released and wasn't disappointed. A great read.
June 11, 2025
The worst book in the series by far which is a shame. When did Tufty start talking like that? 😣
June 6, 2025
Note: I just finished a paperback edition published on 22 May 2025. This edition is not available in the list of editions on GR. Quite confusing.
I'm not complaining though - I pre-ordered this title months ago because I just don't want to miss it. It is a long story but unfortunately there are some scenes that are drawn out too long so the pace feels a bit uneven. That said, Logan himself is finally growing in his role and getting more confident. For the rest, if you love this series, there is fun to be had with the characters and of course, all ends well - for the good guys that is. And that lovely Scottish!
I'm not complaining though - I pre-ordered this title months ago because I just don't want to miss it. It is a long story but unfortunately there are some scenes that are drawn out too long so the pace feels a bit uneven. That said, Logan himself is finally growing in his role and getting more confident. For the rest, if you love this series, there is fun to be had with the characters and of course, all ends well - for the good guys that is. And that lovely Scottish!
June 3, 2025
Fabulous. Such a relief to find such consistently great writing.
June 6, 2025
Audio version of this book 📕- A fantastic addition to the series, great storylines and as always great characters!!
September 14, 2025
Fun characters and full of dark (and miserable) Scottish humour.
July 21, 2025
Action-packed, thrilling, and twisty!
In this compelling thirteenth instalment in the Logan McRae series, This House of Burning Bones, MacBride has written an adrenaline pumping, police procedural that will have Police Scotland DI Logan McRae and his team stretched thin as they find themselves battling sickness, investigating the arson of a local hotel, chasing down a suspect who hijacks an ice cream truck to use as his getaway vehicle, identifying the remains of a body found floating in the river, and searching for a missing media mogul kidnapped from her home.
The writing is taut and descriptive. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are astute, tenacious, and quirky. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its short, zippy, intense chapters that submerge you, page after page, into a world full of violence, greed, deduction, politics, deception, depravity, secrets, lies, and murder.
Overall, This House of Burning Bones is an intricately woven, meticulous, darkly comedic mystery with a nice sense of urgency, good characterization, and great pace that’s not only a wonderful addition to the Logan McRae series but the perfect way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this long-running series we’ve missed these past five years.
In this compelling thirteenth instalment in the Logan McRae series, This House of Burning Bones, MacBride has written an adrenaline pumping, police procedural that will have Police Scotland DI Logan McRae and his team stretched thin as they find themselves battling sickness, investigating the arson of a local hotel, chasing down a suspect who hijacks an ice cream truck to use as his getaway vehicle, identifying the remains of a body found floating in the river, and searching for a missing media mogul kidnapped from her home.
The writing is taut and descriptive. The characterization is spot on with a cast of characters that are astute, tenacious, and quirky. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its short, zippy, intense chapters that submerge you, page after page, into a world full of violence, greed, deduction, politics, deception, depravity, secrets, lies, and murder.
Overall, This House of Burning Bones is an intricately woven, meticulous, darkly comedic mystery with a nice sense of urgency, good characterization, and great pace that’s not only a wonderful addition to the Logan McRae series but the perfect way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of this long-running series we’ve missed these past five years.
September 3, 2025
This is a lengthy hardcover book from my local library, at 627 pages. However, the first 200 pages contained so much "gobbledegook" that made it almost incomprehensible, although most of it seemed to be some colloquial Aberdonian. The plot from then on improved, and there was a decent story there somewhere, and the ending seemed abrupt. As for the characters, Logan struggles along trying to do everything and cannot say no to the bosses. Roberta is made up to Inspector due to an illness crisis, but spends most of the book making sexist remarks and eating. and so they go on, a hopeless lot. I made it to the end and was pleased to put it down, never to pick up another in this series. In the end, this is a 1 star rating from me.
July 10, 2025
ok
I have read all the Logan McRae books , a few of them more then once ; I was very much looking forward to this book’s release. But unfortunately for me this is the weakest in the series, it was funny as always and was great to Steel and co back with Logan but other then that nothing much else happened
I have read all the Logan McRae books , a few of them more then once ; I was very much looking forward to this book’s release. But unfortunately for me this is the weakest in the series, it was funny as always and was great to Steel and co back with Logan but other then that nothing much else happened
September 9, 2025
Nothing like the series it once was!!!!! ..."slapstick keystone cops stuff"...with unrealistic dialogue and comedy replacing the darkness of the previous novels....huge disappointment ...that's the last one for me.....got 50 pages in and gave up...just awful.
Want to read
February 8, 2025My favourite series is back, and I cannot wait to dive in!
July 1, 2025
Sad, but this is the end for me. Not enough story and way too much slapstick that was rarely funny.
I decided not to read through to the end because I have far better things to do with my life.
I decided not to read through to the end because I have far better things to do with my life.
October 27, 2025
DNF. I’ve always quite liked this author for his sense of humour and wonderfully witty turns of phrase. But he went overboard with this book and it was awful. I won’t read him any more.
August 4, 2025
The story began when a pervet was trying to steal underwear and hiding in a woman's house to wait for an opportunity to rape her. While he was waiting, the woman was kidnapped.
Instead of going to the police, the potential rapist decided to make some money by blackmailing the kidnapper.
That's the beginning of the story of "This House of Burning Bones".
The case involved Logan trying to find who set fire to a refugee hotel. A person is missing, and the racist grandma wants the police to find his grandson.
Logan works with police characters, who swear a lot. They are somewhat impolite to everyone and try to do their job without a lot of clues about where things are going.
It didn't help that the right-wing newspapers are highlighting how useless the police are in solving crimes. And how everything is the refugees' fault. The regular racist commentary is obvious to anyone who is not already a right-wing nutjob.
The suspect for arson hijacked an ice-cream truck, and there is a very public car chase. The suspect is in a group called the orphan club, members who know each other through the child welfare system.
It is a mix of current affairs and police procedure. The team Logan leads doesn't have a superpower or insight into where the clue is leading them. They act like normal police officers who go by interviewing persons of interest and finding clues through these interviews. It is not helping the police that the right-wing newspaper reporters withheld information, like hate emails from the police. The delay of the investigation is probably deal to people having other agendas for not coming forward.
Overall, a very good read. Quite realistic. There are some bits that are personality clashes between coworkers. That's part of character development.
4.5 stars read.
Instead of going to the police, the potential rapist decided to make some money by blackmailing the kidnapper.
That's the beginning of the story of "This House of Burning Bones".
The case involved Logan trying to find who set fire to a refugee hotel. A person is missing, and the racist grandma wants the police to find his grandson.
Logan works with police characters, who swear a lot. They are somewhat impolite to everyone and try to do their job without a lot of clues about where things are going.
It didn't help that the right-wing newspapers are highlighting how useless the police are in solving crimes. And how everything is the refugees' fault. The regular racist commentary is obvious to anyone who is not already a right-wing nutjob.
The suspect for arson hijacked an ice-cream truck, and there is a very public car chase. The suspect is in a group called the orphan club, members who know each other through the child welfare system.
It is a mix of current affairs and police procedure. The team Logan leads doesn't have a superpower or insight into where the clue is leading them. They act like normal police officers who go by interviewing persons of interest and finding clues through these interviews. It is not helping the police that the right-wing newspaper reporters withheld information, like hate emails from the police. The delay of the investigation is probably deal to people having other agendas for not coming forward.
Overall, a very good read. Quite realistic. There are some bits that are personality clashes between coworkers. That's part of character development.
4.5 stars read.
June 23, 2025
After six years, DI Logan Macrae is back and he has a lot on his plate as we effectively have two major stories in one to enjoy as he, Steele and Tufty are looking into an arson attack on a migrant hotel while a local newspaper editor with a knack of making enemies, has gone missing. Add in a mini heatwave and a high percentage of the police force off sick and you have the makings of another excellent read from Stuart Macbride.
The two main storylines are told in a way that the reader is ahead of the police in one investigation but as much in the dark in the other although there are still plenty of surprises and twists to come. The three main characters are great as always and so different, each with their own quirks and specialities and they play off each other so well, although Tufty's unique way with grammar got annoying at times. All told though, it's a very enjoyable, extremely dark and gruesome story with plenty of exceptionally dark humour to go alongside and cut through the bleakness.
A great addition to one of my favourite series - 20 years after the first!
The two main storylines are told in a way that the reader is ahead of the police in one investigation but as much in the dark in the other although there are still plenty of surprises and twists to come. The three main characters are great as always and so different, each with their own quirks and specialities and they play off each other so well, although Tufty's unique way with grammar got annoying at times. All told though, it's a very enjoyable, extremely dark and gruesome story with plenty of exceptionally dark humour to go alongside and cut through the bleakness.
A great addition to one of my favourite series - 20 years after the first!
December 11, 2025
This was brilliant. It's a big book to look at, but it certainly doesn't feel big to read. Apart from holding it to read in bed!
As always, the plot has a number of different strands which are all great stories in themselves. The narrative cleverly links things together.
The characters are so good - Roberta Steel is her usual offensive self! How she gets off with it is anyone's guess. Tufty is just wonderful. His work as 'sidekick' to McRae is so funny - but so good. His 'thinky' brilliance is wonderful and I laughed out loud at his Dr Watson impressions.
The humour in these novels is excellent. The Aberdeen radio station's announcer was absolutely hilarious and the narrative is full of really funny descriptions of both the characters and the work itself.
The clowns appearing from the start of the novel made their constant appearances throughout a real link from one part to the next. At the end of the day, it seemed Police Scotland have to deal with 'clowns' day in, day out .
It's great to have series like this where you can be so invested in the characters
Overall, a magic book.
As always, the plot has a number of different strands which are all great stories in themselves. The narrative cleverly links things together.
The characters are so good - Roberta Steel is her usual offensive self! How she gets off with it is anyone's guess. Tufty is just wonderful. His work as 'sidekick' to McRae is so funny - but so good. His 'thinky' brilliance is wonderful and I laughed out loud at his Dr Watson impressions.
The humour in these novels is excellent. The Aberdeen radio station's announcer was absolutely hilarious and the narrative is full of really funny descriptions of both the characters and the work itself.
The clowns appearing from the start of the novel made their constant appearances throughout a real link from one part to the next. At the end of the day, it seemed Police Scotland have to deal with 'clowns' day in, day out .
It's great to have series like this where you can be so invested in the characters
Overall, a magic book.
September 13, 2025
I have not read previous Logan MacRae stories so it too a while to figure out the characters and the backstories. There is some dense history with them and I wasn’t sure at first whether it was going to be a hard-hitting mystery or a story with comic relief. Certainly the first pursuit in the book had elements of both but once the story settled in, it was clearly noir-ish with sardonic humour. There are a number of storylines that eventually interconnect but each, on its own, is interesting.
The title of the book involves the torching of a hotel filled with immigrants and the clues lead to some individuals who have racist leanings. As we learn more about them, more questions come to light. At the same time a publisher of a far right tabloid is kidnapped. Was her muckraking the cause for her disappearance. It does not help that most of the Aberdeen police force are off ill and the remaining ones are falling like flies. And the “journalists” are hovering, ready to pounce at the sight of blood. To say Logan and his crew are struggling under less than ideal conditions is an understatement.
Yet, somehow, they manage to put pieces together and not only solve the crimes, they reveal some nasty truths. I liked that the book is a rather scathing critique of what passes for journalism today and how it is used to incite. It is spot on. Five purrs and two paws up.
The title of the book involves the torching of a hotel filled with immigrants and the clues lead to some individuals who have racist leanings. As we learn more about them, more questions come to light. At the same time a publisher of a far right tabloid is kidnapped. Was her muckraking the cause for her disappearance. It does not help that most of the Aberdeen police force are off ill and the remaining ones are falling like flies. And the “journalists” are hovering, ready to pounce at the sight of blood. To say Logan and his crew are struggling under less than ideal conditions is an understatement.
Yet, somehow, they manage to put pieces together and not only solve the crimes, they reveal some nasty truths. I liked that the book is a rather scathing critique of what passes for journalism today and how it is used to incite. It is spot on. Five purrs and two paws up.
September 1, 2025
I do enjoy this series...and can't think of anything equivalent to it in the UK Crime market.
Although I think the crazed cast of this one...nearly lost sight of the plot a few times..
Particularly horrible crimes mixed with Comedy and outrageous characters...a few of them working for Aberdeen Police.
Although I think the crazed cast of this one...nearly lost sight of the plot a few times..
Particularly horrible crimes mixed with Comedy and outrageous characters...a few of them working for Aberdeen Police.
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